Warrior dragged his feet as he used his gunto to support himself. He had jumped from the cliff with the awakened demon and run away after the demon lost his eyes during the lending.
It could still smell or hear him, though. So he made sure not to make too much noise as he walked towards the temple. His body was riddled with wounds, and his left arm had gone limp. Standing was a chore, but he still pushed himself towards the temple. After all, that's the only place he could stay to heal himself.
Moments later, his eyes fell on the dead body of one of the masked figures. He walked towards it with a frown.
"How?" He questioned with a frown, but soon he shook his head.
"May you find peace in the embrace of the shadow god." Warrior closed his eyes and spoke with a tone rich with gratitude.
He turned around the temple and began to move again.
As he walked, he could see blood drops splattered here and there.
"They must've gotten injured…" Warrior mumbled as he thought about the other two.
He continued to move and heard a roar full of fury from the forest. His face darkened after he heard that.
"Just a few more steps…" He muttered as he looked at the temple, which stood a few meters away. He gritted his teeth and pushed himself even harder towards the temple.
He ascended the steps of the temple with great difficulty; his whole body was in pain, but he didn't stop.
He stepped inside the temple, and his eyes fell on the dead body of the other masked figure. His expression turned dark.
"It can't be." He spat through his teeth as he dragged himself towards the altar.
Suddenly, he felt a piercing gaze full of killing intent, and his body moved instinctively as he blocked Ruddy's dagger.
Moments before, Ruddy stood at the temple's entrance as he looked towards the forest.
He stood there for a few moments, just in time to see the wounded Warrior walk towards the temple as he supported himself with the gunto.
"He is still alive, heh." Ruddy scoffed at him as his eyes turned cold. He took out his daggers and looked at them as he spoke.
"I'll send you to the god you revere so much…" He paused and looked at Warrior, "To the afterlife."
He turned back and moved the dead body in a way that it would be seen by him as soon as he entered. He then moved towards the corner of the temple as he hid himself in the shadows.
He had done so cause he wasn't sure if the Umbral Censer would work on Warrior. After all, he was a devotee or probably a blessed of the shadow god and an awakened one at that.
Ruddy jumped back because Warrior had blocked his surprise attack, but he didn't despair and stared at Warrior with vigilance. He might have one foot in the grave, but was still an awakened beast.
"Did you kill that awakened demon?" Ruddy questioned in a flat tone.
Warrior didn't reply and looked at him with a solemn look on his face.
"Why?" Warrior questioned as his eyes turned furious.
"What?" Ruddy asked in puzzlement.
"Why did you kill them? Do you not value innocent lives?" Warrior questioned.
Ruddy tilted his head as a disgusted look appeared on his face.
"Innocent?... Who?" He spoke in a cold tone.
Ruddy pointed at Warrior as he continued.
"You?"
Ruddy pointed at the body lying at the altar.
"Him? Or the one lying dead outside? Tell me which one of you is innocent." Ruddy questioned as his voice lowered chillingly.
Warrior looked at him with a frown as he spoke.
"They only did what I told them to."
"And? I don't see how that is my problem. You know what…" Ruddy paused before continuing again. "Their lives are not on me, oh no no no… they are on you," he said as he pointed at Warrior.
Warrior turned silent and lowered his head.
At the exact moment, a roar tore through the silence. Ruddy and Warrior turned towards the entrance in the direction of the roar and saw the awakened demon standing there as black blood dripped out from its pierced eyes and wounds all over its body.
Ruddy looked at the awakened demon with a frown and stepped near the entrance. He knew that hexborns couldn't walk inside the temple, so he wanted to see what the awakened demon would do.
And what it did next made Ruddy widen his eyes in fright. The demon walked near a statue and threw it towards the temple with all its might.
Ruddy used his daggers to parry the flying statue, but it was still too much for him as he was sent flying.
His struggle, however, had moved the statue slightly enough that it hit Warrior and knocked him out.
Ruddy grabbed his stomach as he groaned in pain. Tears rolled down his face as he could no longer see any way to survive this damn trial.
"Something… There has to be a way…" But he didn't give up and forced himself to stand up.
"THERE MUST BE A WAY!" Ruddy screamed at the top of his lungs as he forced himself to focus instead of despairing.
Ruddy walked towards Warrior and moved him away from the gunto beneath him. He picked him and pushed him away. He picked up the gunto and turned towards the demon.
Warrior fell on the altar, and then it happened. The seven-coloured ring turned black and red. God's Will spoke to him.
[You have sacrificed a beast (Awakened) at the altar of the gods.]
Ruddy swallowed his saliva as he looked at the altar.
"What happened?" Ruddy exclaimed as his lips quivered.
The shadows and blood around him began to wiggle as they rose and left the temple.
Moments later, the voice of God's Will rang in his mind.
[You have slain a demon (Awakened), Fangmaw]