As the word dropped from the Priest's mouth, Zane flinched and the other Gutterborns lowered their heads.
They knew their history. Everyone, everyday, made sure they remembered it.
Zane saw the anger of the Priest while ending the story and he couldn't understand whether his disgrace was for that thief who tried to steal a part of the slab or for the Gutterborns altogether.
He felt no intent from the Priest towards him and even if the Priest had such an intent, Zane wasn't sure he could feel it when there was already a thicker intent present for him.
Everyone glued their eyes at the Priest and the Priest, with a sigh, came back to his normal self.
His face found a smile again as he surveyed the church.
"But the past is past. The First Flame forgave everyone because of our prayers. And to make sure he keeps forgiving us, we have to pray to him regularly. So, I request you all to stand up."
Everyone stood up.
Zane included.
If the past is past then why are we still paying for it?
Zane didn't know what to say.
He didn't understand the church but apart from the rigidness towards their belief for the First Flame, Zane didn't find anything wrong with it.
The Priests were kind.
They never hesitated to talk or even touch the Gutterborns.
Whether Zane liked it or not, the Priests were the only privileged ones who treated them as Humans.
Nevertheless, Zane shut his thoughts as it seemed the time for the prayer arrived.
"Now join your hands." The Priest said.
Everyone followed.
"Close your eyes."
All eyes went shut.
But Zane made sure to close his eyes only after everyone closed theirs. Including the Priest.
Making that sure, Zane finally closed his eyes as well.
"Repeat after me."
Mouths were ready to repeat.
"O' the yellow orb of mercy,"
… Who came up with this?
Zane shook his head and repeated the line like everyone else.
"In danger, you help me."
They repeated.
"In longing, you held me."
The same thing happened.
"I am your slave and sword,"
"I am your slave and sword,"
"Mend me or melt me."
"Mend me or melt me."
"For death is near all of us,"
"For death is near all of us,"
"Burn it before it can kill me."
"Burn it before it can kill m—"
Zane's eyes shot open.
Then they widened.
What he was looking for all this time… happened.
A head was turned at him.
A pair of eyes stared at him with all the hatred two pupils could muster.
It was a man. Unknown man.
He wasn't dressed rich.
He wasn't dressed poor.
His beard was thick but trimmed unevenly, as if cut by a dull blade.
His eyes were sunken, not tired—hollow.
Not madness.
Conviction.
Not curiosity.
Intent.
Zane's lungs stopped working as if a sword pierced the center of his chest.
An imaginary crimson black wave stemmed from the man standing in the first row of the church towards Zane.
Everyone repeated the words of the Priest, busy in the prayer with their eyes closed while two men stared at each other like prey and predator.
Zane suffocated under the pure murderous intent of the man and the feeling, such feeling made his legs froze.
He forgot how the body moved.
He could only stare at the man and notice his skin and face.
It was weathered like someone who prayed outdoors more than indoors.
A thin scar ran from his ear to his jaw, as if someone once tried to silence him.
But unlike Zane, the man wasn't here just to sight a face.
He was there to do something.
He fully turned around, his back facing the reciting Priest.
Any noise he would make would die under the chants.
Turning around, he raised his right thick hand with charred skin.
He brought it near his open mouth and placed his thumb between his teeth.
But he wasn't done.
He pushed his thumb deep inside his mouth until the thumb wasn't visible.
His yellow teeth rested on the joint of the thumb and while looking at Zane…
KHUCK!
He chomped his thumb clean.
He didn't hesitate.
He didn't rush.
He bled like it was procedure.
Zane trembled seeing that.
He spat the thumb to his side as blood flowed profusely from his hand.
Zane stared at the amount of red dripping on the man's seat and as he stared at it more and more, he felt as if the blood had teeth.
Then, satisfied with whatever the man intended, he flashed a grin at Zane.
Zane's pores cried in agony as if something was about to take place.
The man licked the blood on his lips and while looking at the young man, he jerked his injured hand towards Zane.
Zane didn't understand what was the harm in that but those drops of blood coming towards him…
They appeared as if they had scythes.
The blood was danger.
The blood is danger.
His body cried.
His heart crashed on his chest, as if attempting to escape.
Move.
Move.
Move!
Movee!!
Zane screamed from inside but the intent choked his throat and coiled his feet.
He couldn't move.
But he had something that would bypass everything and save himself from danger.
And it was the perfect time for it to take over.
[ Merged Skill: Survival Threshold Activation Began! ]
The System chimed in.
Zane's body would move on its own to protect itself from the danger.
Zane didn't have to move himself.
It was safe.
He was safe.
[ Notice! ]
[ Danger! ]
[ Survival Threshold Activation Failed! ]
[ External Suppression Detected! ]
[ Intervention Blocked! ]
[ Immediate Physical Response Required! ]
[ Warning: Host Must Move! ]
[ Warning: Host Must Move! ]
Red windows flashed in front of Zane but the only red he saw was the incoming blood.
Zane was on his own now.
He had to move.
He had to move.
And…
Movement did happen.
But not from Zane.
Someone stopped chanting.
Jumped the barrier.
Held the closest person around.
And yanked them t owards Zane.
A flying body appeared in the corner of Zane's eyes and the blood drops reached in front of his chest but before he could do anything…
SLAM!
The body crashed on him.
Zane flew to the side and instead of Zane, the blood fell on the flying person.
And just as it fell, the person stopped mid-air.
He didn't fall down.
He was stuck in the air.
The sound of Zane crashing forced all the eyes to open and as they watched the person in mid-air they held their breaths.
Then, in front of their eyes, the eyes of the mid-air man, they shot upwards. His pupils vanished, his eyes turned white.
Zane watched the scene with a parched throat and as he reached out for the white-eyed man with a trembling hand…
BOOM!
The man exploded to smithereens.
And if that was meant for Zane, then it failed.
And if it failed...
Then another would come to finish what this one started.