Ashes Of Deep Sea - Chapter 20

Chapter 20 Sacrifice

The sewer system was expansive. In Duncan’s eyes, it had surpassed its singular function entirely as a city sewage system. The rune-marked gas lamps everywhere in the sewer and the reinforced structures that made it suitable to serve as a shelter gave him many conjectures about this underground facility’s purpose.

No matter what the designer’s original intent was for this place, one thing was abundantly clear; deep within this gigantic facility, beneath the eyes of the world above, this cold, dark place had already become the breeding ground of some evil force.

This was the nursery of a cult that worshiped the sun in name but sent chills down people’s spines.

This intersection point of a few sewers was a vast underground space. Solid concrete pillars held up the brick-laid dome. A network of metal-cast pipes crisscrossed across the dome like a spider web. Bright gas lamps illuminated the entire space, and the crowd assembled in this gathering place.

At a glance, several hundred people dressed in black robes gathered here in this wet and dirty place. In the center of the crowd was a raised platform. On the platform, a tall figure similarly garbed in black robes. He was clearly the highest-ranking member among them.

This man on the raised platform did not have a hood like the others; instead, he was wearing a golden mask. The mask was bizarre. It looked like a round plate that emitted endless light in all directions. Its surface was also covered with carved crack patterns.

Behind this masked figure was a unique totem on the raised platform. It was a tall wooden pillar. On top of it, a burning ball of fire was fixed. The fireball’s core seemed to be made from some form of metal. Its surface was perforated with tiny holes, and the flames shot out from these perforations.

When Duncan was escorted here, this was what he saw.

The black-robed figures in this gathering place also noticed him.

“We caught an escaped sacrifice on our way here,” said one of the black-robed figures who escorted Duncan. He walked forward and reported this to their leader on the raised platform. His tone indicated that he was seeking a reward. He continued, “This sacrifice has been dwelling in the dark for too long, so its mind is somewhat confused. Please display your might and allow the glory of the Lord to descend on this pitiful body!”

The cult leader wearing a golden mask on the raised platform turned around and stared at the expressionless Duncan. In a surprised, cold tone, he commented, “An escaped sacrifice?”

Duncan did not respond. He merely observed his surroundings curiously, including the cult leader’s golden mask and the burning fireball totem behind him.

These symbols might appear bizarre to the ordinary people of this world. However, Duncan recognized at a glance that these things mimicked the sun.

Not the ball of light in the sky bound in massive flames and two rings of runes, but the sun that Duncan was familiar with burnt brightly and emitted endless light.

These people were worshiping the sun. They seemed to worship a sun that had fallen since ancient times and treated it as some deity.

With a calm expression, Duncan raised his head and looked at the black-robed priest looking down on him. Due to his dead facial muscles, his calm face made him look like he had lost his sentience in the other party’s eyes.

The priest wearing the golden mask locked gazes with Duncan for less than two seconds before he turned around and instructed a person next to the raised platform, saying, “Go check out where the sacrifices are locked up. Report back quickly.”

After giving his instructions, he nodded at the black-robed figures who escorted Duncan. His words contained a hint of praise as he said, “All of you have done well. Even though this is a minor contribution in the eyes of the Lord, this will also become your eternal glory when sunlight once again shines upon everything.”

Even with this mild, routine compliment, the black-robed figures appeared to have received tremendous praise. One by one, they were riled up, praising the true Sun God as they pushed Duncan up to the raised platform. Only then did the masked priest speak to Duncan, saying, “O poor man who has gone astray, have you felt the deep cold among the lightless rocks and soil?”

Duncan did not understand what the priest was saying at all. He could only silently look back at the latter. The priest was also clearly uninterested in the reaction of the sacrifice before him. His words were not directed at Duncan but rather at the surrounding crowd of believers and the Sun God he believed in.

He continued, “Cold and darkness are the sufferings left behind in this world by the false sun. Under the rule of the false sun, the dark sea ravaged the world. There were only small, scattered landmasses for life to scrape by on. Even on these landmasses, it was difficult for people to escape suffering. The shadows of the old days are still entrenched underground. In the lightless caves, their gnawing claws wiggle. The land was filled with hate and conflict. The breath of the evil god tainted the pure souls of humans.”

He asked the crowd, “How could we stand such suffering for so long? How could we stand such a twisted absurdity of a world under the false sun?”

“We cannot. We only wish for the Lord to return, for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world with blood and burning flames to restore order and prosperity back into the world!”

Instigated by the very provocative tone of this masked priest, Duncan could clearly sense the atmosphere of the gathering place change. The cultists dressed in black robes were riled up one by one. At first, they went along with what the priest said. They soon became fervent cries as they chanted, “We only wish for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world with blood and burning flames!”

The priest on the raised platform said loudly, “We only wish for the true Sun God to once again descend upon the world.” He then pointed at Duncan and continued, “Today, the Lord will draw closer to awakening from his slumber. The fresh blood of the lost will tend to the wounds of the sun after its fall!”

“Bring up the sacrifice!”

A few black-robed figures swarmed out from the side. However, Duncan was even quicker than they were. Without anyone pushing him, he climbed onto the altar.

Even though this temporary body was not easy to move in, he could still climb onto a platform.

After he climbed up, he came before the masked priest. The latter maintained his imposing and mysterious manner from when he gave orders. The change had occurred too quickly. Due to the way events unfolded beyond his previous experience, this cult leader could not react instantly. He exchanged glances with Duncan through his golden mask. It became bizarrely quiet around the altar all of a sudden.

Duncan ignored the change in the surrounding atmosphere. He merely felt that he had gathered even more intel about this world. He was looking forward to seeing more rare sights before this temporary body expired.

“What is that?” asked Duncan as he rubbed his hands in anticipation. Listening very carefully, he asked, “Then? What will the next step be?”

The masked priest was speechless.

“Did you not hear me?” asked Duncan as he frowned. However, because of his rigid facial muscles, his face didn’t frown. He repeated, “I said, what comes after that?”

The priest finally reacted this time. Although he had a mask on, a confused look had clearly flashed past in his eyes momentarily. However, he quickly suppressed it. He then said in a low voice, “The shadows in the darkness have indeed affected your mind. Nevertheless, do not worry. The almighty sun will end your suffering. Bring the sacrifice before the totem!”

Two black-robed figures immediately came up to the raised platform from the sides. They dragged Duncan by his elbows towards the totem with a fireball at the top. Duncan did not quite understand this step, so he naturally had no way of cooperating in advance. However, he still maintained an unresisting state. Clamped between the two black-robed figures, he obediently stood below the burning fireball.

Even though Duncan did not resist, the two black-robed figures clamped down on his elbows with extreme force. It was as though they feared that he would struggle intensely at the last moment. They were abnormally strong. Duncan even felt the bones of his temporary body split apart slowly in their grasp. He gave the two black-robed figures strange glances.

Next, the masked priest walked toward him once again.

Duncan’s attention was immediately drawn toward him. He saw the priest take a uniquely designed dagger from his chest pocket. The dagger was strangely curved like a shriveled section of a finger. The blade was ink black, as though it was made of obsidian. The light of the fireball totem was reflected on the blade’s surface and appeared bizarre and extraordinary.

Duncan secretly prepared to sever his astral projection. He knew this was as much intel as he could gather with his temporary body.

The cult priest’s prayers resonated atop the raised platform, “Almighty Sun God! Please accept this sacrifice! I offer up this sacrifice’s heart. May you return in blood and fire!”

Duncan immediately paused in terminating his astral projection. He looked at the cult priest before him as though he was a fool.