Alistair looked forward assuming them as he continued walking forward towards the place where the boy had been swallowed. He could see a small pool of blood, the only remnant that proved the boys existence.
He looked at the small light that floated out of what seemed like just empty black ground. The lamp still flickering as it elected the soul, making it glow.
His soul
The boy had died killed due to his haste to get to the light.
Greed could destroy even the strongest.
The lamp still floated flickering as though laughing at them for their stupidity. A trapped wrapped in shinning light.
Alistair took the soul and swallowed it.
Ding
( One mortal soul absorbed)
The familiar pain assaulted his body, as his body broke down the soul. He could feel his muscles tearing apart them coming together but Alistair didn't react.
The soul dissolved and melted traveling around giving him power.
The lamp flickered then swayed away disappearing into the mist. He looked behind him but the other two had also disappeared into the mist. Separating from him in the dark forest.
Looking at how the lamps moved he knew that there had to be rules that they were not told or this will not be a demonic sect.
There had to be a catch.
There was something terribly wrong with the lanterns.
…
Mary followed behind Desmond as they separated from the group. She had managed to gain his protection by seducing him since that was her specialty.
She as the other contestants had signed up for the test voluntarily . Power was a key that everyone in this wanted to get for the door.
She was among the struggling in the bottom of the barrel just to survive Desmond on the other hand was born in an aristocratic family, born with a silver spoon.
He claimed to have connections in the sect so she followed him.
While they were were walking through the dark forest,
She saw it, a flicker of red light, barely visible through the night and mist.
" there, " she pointed it to Desmond who had also just seen it. They ran towards it greed on their faces.
Desmond was faster he reached near the lamp and stopped. The lamp was inside a small hole as tall as a man. Flickering as though seducing them.
" I'll go down first, " Desmond said as he jumped into the hole. Mary followed right after slower more careful.
They walked towards it. Mary could have sworn she saw a face in the lantern but she thought of it as an illusion.
Suddenly a hand came out the ground and held onto Desmond's leg.
Another grabbed his arms pulling him flat to the ground.
More emerged from the ground as they swarmed his body , his body started to dissolve into mist before he could even scream.
Mary cursed and ran, out of the hole and disappeared into the night, too scared to make a sound .
A voice rose from the ground deep and ragged.
" Feed me," it said ,," the lamps do not choose the strong. Only the empty."
Then quite.
The lamp flickered as though acknowledging the voice. Then it vanished.
…
Alistair looked at the right side of the mountain, feeling something deep in his bones. His intuition told him that there was something watching maybe the mountain itself.
Zihan tightened his grip in the piece of wood he had picked and kept walking forward.
The mountain was a live .
The game had began.
…
Alistair walked for awhile before he reached a ravine. He stopped to catch his breath. The physical strength of a mortal was trash.
Blood trickled down the rocks instead of water. It made the place look even more ominous. He could see the shadows casted by the lantern.
He jumped into the ravine. As it was not that deep. Blood flowing socked into his clothes as they splashed onto him.
After a clumsy landing and bruising his solder, he saw it the place where the lantern was.
A shrine half collapsed, it's roofs caved in with glowing red runes.
In the ruins Alistair saw it the light
It wasn't bright , just a soft golden color flickering as if dying. It looked as though it could be blown out by the winds.
He wasn't sure if it would be the first lamp to go out because it seemed to be dying.
Even with the flickering, Alistair could feel it calling, pulling him towards it . Tugging at the back of his mind – an invitation – but he saw it as a warning.
He walked towards it.
The shrine looked ancient. The walls were covered in red miss absorbing nutrients from the blood. At the entrance there were fluttering seals that fluttered in the windless air.
Each seal had words written on them. A symbol of binding drawn by blood which had dried.
Inside the smell was suffocating, copper, incense and rot. The room was small, circular build with the falling alter in the middle.
On top of the alter a figure sat- cross legged it's hand folded on a rusted sword. A monk robe clung barely on what remained.
In the middle of it's hollow chest the lamp burnt.
It hang in it's chest , chained by thin veins of blood to the corpse ribs. The flames inside was different from what he had imagined. It was liquid swirling around in the lamp as it pulsed with a rhythm that matched his heartbeat.
Alistair swallowed.
The corpse mouth moved ," who seeks the light first,"
The voice was strong yet it grated his nerves like metal again metal.
The corpse eyes opened , hollow sockets filled with golden fire.
" Do you kneel for power?" it said," or crawl to survive."
Didn't speak just tightened his muscles for flight.
" Speak," the corpse insisted," all who seek the lamp must bear their hunger."
Alistair spoke," I'll do all of them. I will kneel for power if I'm weaker," he continued " and I will also crawl to survive. I want to live that's all."
The corpse laughed dryly.
" To live, then feed me the life you have already wasted."
The lamp flared , suddenly the shrine walls rippled like a stone thrown in still water.
Faces appeared on the walls, his congregation he recognized most of them since he saw them before his death.
His mother's face was in the middle tears of blood flowing down
" You left me."
"you should have done more,"
" why are you the only one alive,"
Each face screamed in unison, Alistair dropped to his knees.
The noise filled his skull drilling behind his eyes
The corpse sound echoed in his mind,
" you cannot carry the lamp while bound with guilt. Choose regret or resolve."
He had not noticed until now but he had survivors guilt.
Something inside him cracked.
He slashed the air with a wooden stick he picked up, cutting through the illusion.
The faces vanished. The sounds ended.
The corpse tilted it's head, almost approvingly.
" Then kill me," it whispered," and take what remains."
Alistair didn't hesitate he drove the stick into it's heart. The body twitches then dissolved into the air. Chains of blood snapped.
The lamp released hovered right Infront of her face.
He felt it, the lamps gaze sweeting over him. It saw every memory he'd buried, every weakness every moment he had cursed the Gods but still went to their worship place.
Then it spoke inside his mind," you are empty enough."
The flame darted forward before he could stop it and entered his chest vanishing.
The a heartbeat he felt the world freeze.
There was only burning cold, a flood of alien voices whispering in his mind.
In his mind a whisper came, " find them . feed me."
He was only left holding the empty glass lamp.
…
Alistair stepped out into the mist .
Around the mountain the other lanterns awakened calling out. Shining brighter for the people to see.
He could feel their pull, like cords tagging at his heart.
Behind the shrine collapsed into dust,it's seals undone. Somewhere deep inside the mountain something laughed – low and pleased.
The hunt had now truly began.
.....
The moment Alistair stepped out of the ravine, the flames inside him vibrated, then he felt it the other lamps answered.
It was faint and distant, yet unmistakable. He could located all the lanterns by heart.
With this spectacle, something worse happened. The other contestants noticed. Every living soul in the mountain falt the first flame awaken.
He held the empty glass lantern. It's flame shining inside his chest.
The contestants reacted differently to the first flame.
Some turned towards it with reverence.
Others, with greed.
And many with blind terror.
Everything was becoming real.
The stronger of the contestants marvelled while the weak cried from stress.
A contestant,Jude, a professional black belt karate expert looked out. He was lean, cruel and quick with a knife.
He was the first to see this opportunity. From high on a tree he overlooked the shadowy mountain and grinned.
He saw the faint golden light bloom by the ravine, where Alistair was.