74 74: A night filled with terror

The village Keith exited into was not the same one he had entered. And the difference was significant for Keith to notice as well.

First, there were people around Keith but they had masks covering their faces. No one was moving around showing any of their features and Keith was currently being ignored.

He looked at a pair of masks and uniforms near the shrine door but no one seemed to have put it there. It was the same one everyone else had on so Keith decided to take the risk of wearing it.

The shirt and the mask fitted him like they were made by taking his measurements. They stuck to his body, but the outer robe covered Keith from head to toe. It was difficult to tell he was human in his new get-up.

Once Keith had gotten changed, he exited the village and walked around. The sky was dark which made it nighttime in the village.

"Hello, but can I know where I am? I accidentally ended up coming here so now I am lost."

Keith dared to ask this question to the vendor selling mask paint. It seemed to be a famous profession on the old street because a lot of shops sold mask paint as well.

All the shops sold mask paint.

"This is the place that doesn't exist, kid. Are you new here? How did you get there? Did someone throw you into a rift? You poor things."

The vendor sounded sorry for Keith but he did not spare Keith enough time. The vendor looked busy enough sorting his face paint.

What was even weirder was, despite so many still having face paint available, no one seemed to be buying the face paint from them.

"So, this place is a rift? Can you tell me more about it? I was trying to aLtheria. Do you know how I can get to it?"

Keith questioned the vendor who suddenly stopped.

Everyone in the clearing stopped and looked at Keith sharply. He had a feeling that he should not have said those words and that he had made a mistake.

"Do not take the name of that cursed fallen city or the gods will take notice of you. Listen, kid, keep your head down and you shall not be harmed. Since you fell here, this is where you will live the rest of your life. So don't try to find a way out."

The vendor hissed these words to Keith in a warning tone. His words had an urgency in them like he was warning Keith not to do something simple.

'But that is not an option for me.'

Keith was confident that he would be able to go back home. He was the final villain in his new world and a final villain was someone who was omnipresent. He could not just up and disappear suddenly like this.

Won't the world try to help him out? Or for the sake of balance or something?

"I can see that you have still not given up kid. But I am saying this for your benefit. You should give up and get adjusted to life down here. You will not be able to go back home."

The vendor assured Keith that he was not going to give up. He quickly moved toward the second village but the same thing happened. And the same on the third, and fourth.

One here believed that Keith would be able to get out of there.

"Is there no way to get out of here? I am sure Clair would be worried when there is no contact from my side for some time. Surely, she will come for me?"

Keith was worried and insecure. There was no signal in his phone so he could not send a message back as well.

Just when it seemed like Keith was at a standstill, everyone around him jumped up in a panic.

"Oh god, it's the Catastrophe. It has come down to kill us. Hurry up and enter the temple."

The vendor near Keith yelled and everyone hurried toward the temple. Keith was unaware of what he should do so he was left behind on the ground.

A huge shadow covered the town and Keith could not help but look up at a familiar sight above his head.

Flashes of images rang in his head as he looked up. The same red and white pattern with a huge body. The same four arms and uncaring attitude.

Everything about this Catastrophe was familiar to Keith but it was so scary as well.

"Psss, what are you doing man? Hurry up and come in if you don't want to get killed."

The vendor questioned as soon as he noticed Keith outside. Keith was not the only one left outside, others had been left out as well.

The central temple could only accommodate so many people inside.

"Please don't be me. I do not want to be chosen this time. Please do not choose me to be the sacrifice."

The person to Keith's left spoke. His body was bowed in a praying motion. He was hunched over and ready to give up anything not to be chosen.

Others were behaving similarly to the first person as well. They did not even meet the giant idol's eyes as he looked down on them.

Then, the giant raised his hand and pointed toward someone. Keith's heart skipped a beat as he thought that he was the one being pointed out.

But it was someone behind him. The chosen man looked terrified and started to hyperventilate. But the others around him picked him up by the arm and began to drag him away.

"No, don't. Do not do this to me. Do not hand me over to the devil. I still want to live. You cannot do this to me. Please don't abandon me."

The chosen man cried out in terror as he was placed in the huge hand of the mysterious being.

The huge being closed his fist, cutting the chosen man away from the world and crushing the man. When that hand opened, there was nothing inside, not even a drop of blood.

The poor man had been killed off without a single thought from this creature.

Once he was finished, the mysterious being stood up and the sound of bells rang in the air. Keith heard the loud and clear which made him flinch.

Keith looked up, and his eyes met the empty face of that entity and he could not help but imagine that entity grinning back at him.

"Pss, why is the great being not going back?"

"He usually leaves as soon as the ceremony is over. So why is he not leaving."

"Don't tell me he wants another sacrifice."

Keith was not sure why but he had a feeling that the unknown being was looking at him now. The sound of laughter was getting louder around him as well.

Images flashed across his mind, sounds also flashed without any coherent meaning.

'Our…key…to…salvation…'

His words were dragged out and Keith almost wanted to take a step back. But he pretended like he did not hear anything and the huge creature finally left.

Once he was gone, everyone who had taken sanctuary in the temple came out. They gasped in a terrified manner as the danger was gone.

"What happened here? What was that thing?"

Keith's question caused the man adjustment to hiss. His mouth was clasped by clawed hands and Keith was pulled down.

"Do not insult that great being. Whatever you do, do not attack the attention of that divine being as well. It is not a creature, but a fallen god. And if you do not want to die, you will pay your respect to him."

The man who had dragged Keith to his eye level stressed his words out.

He genuinely seemed to believe that the creature he had seen was a fallen god. And no one else contradicted his words.

'Shit, I just had to get involved in this mess. Since when were gods a part of this world? Was it in an expansion pass I never played? A time-gated event I missed? Nothing makes sense anymore.'

Keith was disappointed and tired from the day's ordeal. He wanted to sleep but the village did not seem to have an opening for him.

And even if they did, Keith did not have their spiritual currency to pay them.

In the end, someone pointed him toward an abandoned shrine on the outskirts of the village which did not sound suspicious at all to him.

But that was also the only place Keith could take shelter for the night so he went there.

As soon as he stepped inside, Keith was hit with a feeling of familiarity. The same half-broken figure he had prayed to was in front of him again.

But this time, he could feel something around him as well. There was a greater presence around the temple.

'I came here because my body prayed to this idol, right? Then, I shall be able to go back if I pray to this guardian as well?'

Keith hoped it worked but as soon as he closed his eyes, he opened them again. His eyes met the white-masked face of the fallen god from the hole in the ceiling and Keith's heart stopped beating.

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