The destiny rings were a set if three golden rings sitting snug one inside the other. All three could spin freely in their places having the same axis. The outermost ring was a lot broader than the two inner ones, was decorated with a design that looked like a series of closed eyes. Once the soul core was placed within the contraption the rings started spinning and all of the golden eyes fluttered open. their white pupils darting frantically about as if looking for something. all pupils stopped moving once they found Kami. The entire contraption floated over to Kami who stared right in to one of the largest eyes.
Looking in to the eye could show Kami the world the soul core was in. Kami could also use the other eyes to move forward or back in time to leave strategic messages for the soul to find, thus giving it some direction.
Kami watched the scene paly out and relayed the details to everyone.
Isnu was a young girl still. She stood defensively in front of two children cowering behind her. A tall man with immaculate hair and beard, stood in front of her, looking down at her. The fabric of his Golden robes cascading off hid burly build.
"This is their purpose, my child" he said, his voice like honey but still strict, "They will meet with the gods and be back soon."
Isnu and the kids she was protecting stood cornered in the kitchen of the home. "None of the children meet with the gods. I know it!" the man in gold was taken aback, suspicion flashed in his eyes.
"What you know is of no consequence to me, Rumi" he motioned for the men behind him who swiftly moved in, shoving Isnu to one side and dragging the kids out of the home, as the children cried and resisted with all their might. Isnu tried to run after them. But was stopped by her father, who knelt down to look her in the eyes. His demeanor was soft, voice caring, "you must stop Rumi," he said, as he held Isnu by her shoulders. Tears were still fiercely pouring down her face as she shook her head. Isnu watched helplessly as her friends were shoved inside the truck, that held some other kids and a few animals. Their pleading eyes would haunt her forever. The vehicle pulled away and Rumi saw the ad of 'angel wings moving services' painted on its shell.
The scene changed to the same little girl, Rumi as she was known in this world, hiding behind a tall boulder. there was an undeniable sense of malevolence in the air. Some kind of a ritual circle was etched into the soil and an ornate stone altar stood in the center of the circle. A procession of people dressed in dark clothes their hoods pulled low over their faces. started filtering in standing in a circle just behind the ritual circle. Isnu's heart pounded as she readjusted to hide herself better.
Kami was sweating now, a little out of breath.
Once the hooded people were all in their places, scared children and animals were dragged in and placed one in front of each one of the figures. A priest in golden robes, the man from earlier, ascended to the altar with a bundle of what looked like cloth in his hands. He placed a bundle in his hands atop the flat surface of the stone altar. The soft cooing of a infant could be heard as he murmur filtered away. all eyes now trailed on the priest.
"Father" a ghost of a whisper left isnu's mouth.
What was about to happen next was anybody's guess.
Kami began trembling as she relayed what she saw. "I can't watch I can't!" Kami tore her gaze away and violently threw up.
"Hey,its ok take a breath?" Chi moved close to Kami and rubbed her back.
"That scene," her eyes darted from one concerned face to the other, "I have seen it!" She pointed a weak and trembling finger at the window.
"No way!' Soma rushed to look out the window.
"Explains all the blood" Ska followed Soma to look out the window.
"Kami, you need to have another look, we need to know if the priestess crossed over through the portal.
Reluctantly, Kami stared into the large eye once again.
Chi held Kami's hands rubbing some warmth back into them.
The priest brought out an ornate blade with a golden hilt and the followers did the same, bringing out their own daggers out and pressing them to the throats of the haggard looking captives in front of them.
The sound of a baby cooing broke through the almost unnatural silence startling one of the animals that broke free of the handler and ran past the altar into the dark blanket of the woods. The unexpected sounds frightened the baby and it started crying.
"hush!" the priest patted the baby, "this will all be over soon"
"You!" he pointed at the man who had let the animal run away. "You will take the creature's place."
The man placed the blade of his dagger at his own throat.
Content, the priest began chanting ,"oh! bringers of darkness,"
"Here we stand, to bring you in.
We part the veil between our worlds,
as we invite you to step in to our world and lead us come and lead us.
Your flock awaits
Set your feet on the soils of earth,
Bathe in this sea of blood that we now create here." the priest lifted both his hands up asking the rest to chant with him.
"We offer to you, this vessel," they chanted in unison.
"its flesh you may use and form a body that breaths the air we breath.
So you may watch over us, your subjects,
We beseech you oh! Bringer of darkness!
Come walk with us and grant us powers yet unknown."
The priest stabbed the bundled child with the ornate dagger at the same time the rest of the figures cut the throats of the animal and human sacrifices. All dropping to the ground, clutching at the wound and flailing. Blood flowing freely. A cloud of black engulfed them all. And they all flickered out of view. Kami saw a glimpse of a stone tower.
In the distance she saw a girl with black hair and s lace dress standing behind the rock she looking at the scene. Kami once again pulled her gaze away from the destiny rings and ran to look out the window.
"0h no! mistress priestess!" she gasped clapping her hands over her mouth.
"Ok." Ska said his voice commanding "Soma, and I will go retrieve the girl"
"Chi, you will summon Raphael's ass back here"
"Kami you get on to preparing your symbols and place them in madam priestess's reality."
"Cara, Vara watch over the tower," both gave him an affirmative nod.
Ska hurried down the stairs with Soma close behind.
"And how do you propose we go and get her?"
Ska stopped just short of the threshold of the large doorway of the tower. He dug deep inside one of the many pockets on his belt and retrieved a tiny ornate looking pouch made of lavish material and embroidered with a delicately crafted design that looked like it had sigils placed within it. the pouch was tied close with a length of golden shimmering thread.
"where'd you steal this?" Soma asked Ska, not a hint of remorse in his voice.
"and you accuse me of this crime because?" Ska raised an eyebrow.
"I mean, you can obviously not afford it. So, where did you steal it?"
This was another one of Isnu's gift to me." Ska gloated, flashing almost all of his teeth at Soma. "at the time, I gave her an earful for handing me some stupid artifacts instead of weapons, but now I'm loving her for this" he shook the pouch in Soma's face, its contents rattling together.
Ska opened the pouch that laid flat in his palm, an array of different coloured gemstones within it. He picked out two blue gems, handed one to Soma and placed the other on his forehead between his eyebrows.
Soma did the same.
"Cloaking device!" he announced as he pulled the string and closed the mouth, replacing the pouch back in his pocket. 'Our souls will stay protected while the gem stays on our foreheads." Ska said pointing at the gem attached to his forehead" pull of the demon portal will be significantly reduced."
"So? now, we just walk out?"
"Unless, you'd rather to spend the rest of eternity here with me," Ska straightened up and reached into his belly to pull out the sword, "yes, we walk out"
Soma stepped out behind Ska.
Soma stepped out of the tower following Ska. The crystals on their foreheads started slowly disintegrating to dust the moment they stepped outside the protection of the tower. The red rain had stopped but the metallic scent of blood still lingered in the air. They started making their way towards the little girl on the other side of the ritual site, their feet splashing through the blood still covering the ground. Skirting around the site careful to not disturb the site. Or any of the people in black cloaks who were still present. Even though they were all just shells of their eyes glazed over, their mouths slack, hands limp by their sides with the miasma was moving in and out of their bodies freely.
Soma ducked on instinct when Ska held out a hand, a signal to slow down. They watched as a tall dark figure formed next to the rock where the little girl had hidden herself. It appeared to be looking down at her.
"Stay here" he ordered Soma, as he ducked and moved cautiously towards the girl. The figure appeared to be talking to the kid. Isnu was backing away, clearly terrified of the figure. the dark figure crouched down, extending a long hand to touch Isnu on her cheek making her recoil. Ska threw his sword at the demon, it landing squarely between the demon and little Isnu. Before the sword disintegrated, Ska was there, standing between the demon and Isnu.
"you'd better stay away from her, recruiter," he spat at the demo, his voice low and threatening. getting the demon's attention. Isnu moved to hide behind Ska, her little hands clutching on to the cloth of his tunic. Ska could feel her trembling and placed a protective hand on her head in an attempt to reassure her of her safety and calm her down.
"I have a job, just like you have one."
"Walk away," Ska ordered the creature, fury dripping from hid voice.
"We will continue our talk another time little priestess," the demon called out to Isnu.
The moment the demon was gone, he picked Isnu up and hurried over to Soma, who had been watching everything. Still standing in the same spot where Ska had left him.
"Take her and get back to the tower and If Raphael is there, tell him to get his ass out here, I need his help."