Shifters

The Ritual

Dark clouds rolled over the land as the disabled, bewitched servants slowly brought the three captives out of the enormous temple. Retracing their earlier steps, they went past the lifelike statues once more before making their way around the temple towards the peak that stretched upward behind the massive ruined structure. 

"They certainly took the most roundabout route to continue their climb," Herman muttered as the men below hobbled along slowly. 

Receiving no response, he stared at his companions only to see looks of despair written plainly over their faces. 

"Hey now," he called a little louder, "Don't give up just yet, we still have a bit of ways to go until we reach the top so there's still a chance we can get out of this mess."

"How do you do that?" Josh asked, casting an incredulous glance at Herman as he looked up. 

"Do what?" Herman asked. 

"How can you stay so calm and positive in such a dire situation?" Josh said rephrasing his question. 

"Years of experience," Herman chuckled grimly, "It's not my first time being in such a predicament and hopefully, if we all pool our thoughts together and find a way out of here, it won't be my last."

"If you say so," Josh said, a sliver of hope returning, "I'm more than willing to at least give it a try."

"Alright then," Herman continued, "Firstly, I'll need a summary of our current situation just so I know what we're dealing with."

As Josh relayed the short version to Herman, Cassandra, who already seemed to have accepted her fate, sat in a corner of the reformed wooden cage with her head buried in her arms. 

"That's honestly a lot to process," Herman said, throwing a glance at Cassandra's depressed form after Josh finished speaking, "So how does that woman from earlier fit into this?"

"She calls herself the Saintess," Josh explained, "and she seems to be the leader of the priestesses, or at least that's what it looks like."

"For someone that seems like such an important character," Herman began, "she didn't seem to show up in any of the murals."

"You're right," Josh said, after recalling the paintings, "But, if that's the case, where did she and the other priestesses come from?"

"I don't think that's the right question to ask at this moment," Herman stated, holding onto the wooden bars as the men began their ascent to the peak. 

Cassandra, who didn't bother to hold on, rolled towards them as the cage tilted upwards. Squatting whilst wrapping an arm around a wooden bar, Josh stretched out an arm, barely catching Cassandra as she fell backwards. 

"Are you okay?" Josh asked, as the girl steadied herself. 

Cassandra didn't respond, tears welling in her eyes as the yellowish aura from before glowed weakly on her fingertips. 

"Don't worry Cass," Josh said, noticing her entangled emotions, "Nothing's going to happen to you, even the prophecies on the wall state that."

"How can I trust something written who knows how long ago?" Cassandra said, breaking into uncontrollable sobs as her aura spluttered out completely, "I-I don't want to die. This is the first time I've felt so...so powerless."

Herman lowered his head as Cassandra voiced the way everyone present must've felt, hands trembling slightly as he too was currently unable to see a way out.  

"Listen to me," Josh said, grabbing Cassandra's hands as he stared directly into her teary, fiery red eyes, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, I promise."