"I want to see here," I said firmly, keeping my finger pointed toward the passage on the right.
My eyes met the priest's, unblinking. His soft smile lingered, but the weight of my gaze made his posture stiffen ever so slightly.
Hina, sensing the sudden tension, nervously laughed and turned toward the priest. "Ehe… Father, he's kind of a curious person. Don't mind him. It's just how he is."
The priest's eyes didn't leave mine, his smile never wavering. For a moment, the air hung heavy between us, the pause was big, the crackle of the torches lining the corridor. Then, after what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke.
"Sure. It's not a problem at all. I understand," he said, his tone calm, almost too calm.
He turned and began walking down the passage I had pointed to.
Sighhh* Hina exhaled sharply, relief came on her face. She walked side by side with me as we followed him.
"You just have to make everything so intense, don't you?" she whispered, her tone laced with a mix of irritation and anxiety.
"I'm just doing what needs to be done," I replied, shoving my hands into my pockets.
"Yeah, sure. And the creepy staring contest? That was necessary too?" she muttered under her breath, rolling her eyes.
I smirked but said nothing.
The passage grew darker as we descended deeper into the church. The torches became fewer, their light dimmer. The air grew damp, and the faint scent of mold mixed with something metallic lingered in the corridor.
From behind, I began giving instructions. "Left."
The priest turned without question.
"Straight."
He continued forward without hesitation.
"Right."
The priest followed each command without pause, his silence unnerving. Hina's footsteps faltered for a moment. "Esther, how do you even know where to go?" she whispered, glancing at me nervously.
"Instinct," I replied lazily, not bothering to elaborate.
She huffed, clearly unsatisfied with my vague answer. "You and your stupid instincts…"
We continued until we finally reached a large metal door at the very end of the basement. It stood out in comparison to the old stone walls, its surface gleaming unnaturally under the faint light of a single torch.
"Yes, I want to see inside of it," I said, my voice calm yet firm.
The priest stepped forward, reaching for the locket that hung around his neck. The emblem on his chest, which I had initially thought was decorative, was actually a key. He inserted it into the door's lock.
Hina leaned closer to me, whispering, "Why does he carry the key to this creepy basement on him like it's the crown jewel?"
"Exactly," I muttered, watching the priest closely.
As the lock clicked open, the priest paused, his hand still resting on the door. Without turning to face us, he asked, "Do you happen to know about this place?"
"Hmm… nah," I said lazily, shrugging. "Just following my instincts and curiosity."
Hina nudged me with her shoulder, glaring at me.
I shrugged again, unbothered.
"I see..." The priest pushed the door open, "Great instincts you have there mister." He said, revealing a room filled with an eerie red light.
The torches here burned brighter than the ones in the corridors, their flames flickering ominously. The room was long, almost like the main hall of the church above, but devoid of pews. Instead, circles were drawn on the ground in intricate patterns, their designs unique and unsettling.
At the far end of the room stood a massive statue of a deity. It had horns that curved upward like a sheep and a wide, unnerving smile that seemed almost alive. Its arms were outstretched as if ready to hold something or someone.
The priest stepped aside, gesturing for us to enter. "Please, take a look," he said, his voice calm but filled with something I couldn't quite place.
I stepped forward without a word, my eyes scanning every detail of the room. Hina reluctantly followed, sticking close to my side.
"Woah… I've never been here before," Hina said, her voice filled with a mix of awe and unease as she looked around.
"Yeah, it's been made recently," the priest said from behind us.
I ran my fingers along the walls, noting the texture. "The walls look quite old, though," I remarked, my tone casual.
The priest didn't respond.
I moved closer to the statue, letting my fingers glide over its smooth, worn surface. My eyes traced every detail.
Hina wandered to the side, her footsteps light against the stone floor, and stopped before the curved marble patterns encircling the base of the statue.
She brushed her fingers over the carved circles and tilted her head in curiosity. "Father?" she called softly, her voice echoing in the chamber. "What do these circles symbolize?"
She turned, glancing toward him with expectations of getting some historical explanation.
"Father?" Hina called out, turning to look at him.
But he was gone.
Her eyes widened, and she spun around, searching the room. "Where is he? Where did he go?"
I sighhhed, pulling my hands from my pockets. "Well… I knew he'd run away."
Hina looked at me, confused. "How so? What do you mean?"
I crouched down, running my fingers lightly across the ground. "Jake's life presence… the energy I analyzed. It leads to this room," I said, my voice steady.
Hina's eyes widened. "Oh…"
I stood, brushing off my hands. "And it ends right here, in front of this statue."
She frowned, glancing at the statue before turning her attention to the three doors behind it. "But then… what's in those rooms?"
Before I could answer, a faint clack echoed through the room.
Hina froze in fear and I glanced my eyes towards the door, our eyes snapping to the source of the sound.
Creeeeak*
The doors behind the statue began to open and from within the darkness emerged creatures that didn't looked so human. Their faces were hollow. Men and women, their long hair hanging over their eyes, stepped into the red-lit room. Their eyes had no iris and only black pupils, gave them an unnerving, lifeless stare. Their mouths twisted into grins, teeth out as if thirsty for blood.
Their voices were as if they screaming in whispers. In their hands, they clutched jagged knives, the blades slick with fresh blood that dripped onto the stone floor.
Hina gasped, stumbling back, her trembling hand clutching my sleeve. "W-What is happening…? Who are they?" she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper.
I remained still, hands casually tucked into my pockets, my gaze sharp and unyielding as I observed them. They started forming a loose circle around us.
Hina's back pressed against mine. "Esther… they're circling us!" Her voice cracked as she whispered, "What do we do?"
I looked at them in the eye and tilted my chin up as I said.
"We fight."