"Truth or Dare"
By AnonymousMuse.
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Thin Silver shafts of moonlight pierced the ominous darkness of the gathering stormclouds.
The only sound was the rush of wind through dense forest.
This far from the city, the night was darker than Ash had ever seen it.
"Where is this place?" He said. "It's getting cold out here."
"Just a little further, over this next rise," his companion replied.
"Kat, It's going to start storming soon, didn't you see those flashes of lightning in the distance?" He said.
"We'll be there by then, don't worry" she replied.
The two walked in silence for a few more moments, Ash stumbling in the dark behind the figure of his companion, who seemed to walk with perfect vision.
"How can you even see Kat? Why didn't you let me bring my flashlight?"
"I told you, it's against the rules. If you want to be initiated, you need to follow the rules, I explained all this to you. Do you want to give up and go home now, after we came all the way out here?"
"No! No, I want to be a member, really! I do! I'll shut up, I promise!".
"Good. We're almost there, trust me".
"I trust you." He replied.
The rush of the strengthening wind through the trees was once again the only sound breaking the stillness.
Then Ash spoke again.
"So... This sex cult you're in..."
"It's not a sex cult! I told you to stop calling it that! Never call it that!" Kat snapped.
"Sorry! Sorry, This Order that you are in..."
"The Order of Persephone, yes?"
"What is the... Balance of men to women? I mean I don't want to show up to this thing and have it be all dudes in there..."
"It's mostly women, actually. Although in recent years we have been admitting more men. Tonight though, you're the only guy playing".
"The only guy? Cool! I like those odds!" Ash replied, excitedly.
"Not that I want to do anything with any girl other than you though!" He hastily added.
"Not to worry Ash. All that matters is that you follow the rules of the game. If you win, you get to be a member of the Order. If you lose... well, that won't happen. I believe in you."
"So, what you're saying is that if I get lucky with one of the other girls, you won't mind?"
"Not at all" Kat replied honestly.
"You are the best girlfriend ever!" Ash exclaimed.
"I'm not your girlfriend Ash. We're just friends, that's all. Once you become initiated, maybe we'll talk, but not till then".
This put an dampener on Ash's excitement for the rest of the pair's trek along the narrow, winding, dirt road.
It had started to rain quite heavily by the time they finally reached the ridge that Kat had talked about, and, scurrying to avoid the rain like rats from a sinking ship, they crossed the crest of the ridge into the valley beyond.
There, Ash saw it.
An enormous monolith, blacker than the night, with perfect rectangular lines, stood before them.
It almost filled the entire valley, almost as if the depression had been hewn from the earth for this building alone.
Ash wondered if indeed it had been.
As they got closer, he noticed the sheer size of the bricks. Each one two feet in length, at least. Not only that, but the building was hundreds of year old. It must have taken decades to build given the technology of the day, especially out here.
"This way" Kat shouted over the now gale-force winds, and the two rushed for a slightly lighter coloured object at the front of the monolith.
It was a door.
Heavy, wooden, and medieval, there were two great brass knockers on it's surface, which Kat rang with difficulty, while Ash hung back, remembering what his partner said about respecting the rules of the Order.
He wasn't a member yet, he didn't want to lose the "game" before he had even started playing!
After a few moments in the pouring rain and roaring wind, the imposing portal heaved and slowly swung open, revealing a flickering golden light within.
Kat took Ash's hand and led him quickly inside, as rain lashed against the exposed cobbles of the buildings grand entrance.
The door closed behind them, either by an ancient mechanism, or unseen hands.
Then there was silence.
Even with the storm raging outside, not even a whisper could be heard inside the cavernous halls.
No footsteps, no voices, nothing.
The interior was lit by wall-mounted glass oil lamps, giving off a dim orange glow that scarcely overwhelmed the inky black surrounding them.
By now, they were both soaked. Kat's long, dark hair clung to her face and clothes like a dead cat, and Ash could feel the moisture running in rivulets down his own neck too.
He was about to speak when a shadow seemed to move in the darkness.
"Welcome"
A feminine voice pierced the ominous quiet.
Ash struggled to determine it's source in the dim lighting, and eventually made out the figure that it belonged to, hidden among shadows that seemed to emanate from her.
Ash wondered how long she had been standing there in the dark, but dared not ask.
"I am Jin" She said.
As Ash's eyes focused, he saw a tall, elegant figure appear, wearing a thick hooded robe, decorated with ornate gold lace.
Jin paused momentarily to light the wick of a small oil lantern that she carried, and then spoke again:
"The candidate will follow".
She then turned on her heel, and walked briskly away.
Ash looked apprehensively at Kat, but she quickly whispered through clenched teeth: "What are you waiting for?? That's the Acolyte!! Do what she says!"
Ash quickly followed the mysterious hooded woman, his sodden shoes squeaking on the bare stone floor, as she led him down a corridor to an anteroom, sealed with a smaller wooden door.
Withdrawing a key with her free hand, she opened the door, and the two entered.
"This is where you will prepare for the ritual." Jin spoke in a monotonous voice.
"First, remove your clothes".
"Wha... What? Not without dinner and a movie fir..."
"The candidate will not speak!" Jin raised her voice slightly, silencing Ash's nervous attempt at humour.
"The candidate will be aware that any violation of the rules will result in expulsion. Does the candidate wish to withdraw from the ritual?"
Ash shook his head, and slowly began to undress.
He removed his soaked sweater and dripping shoes, then peeled off his socks and slowly unbuttoned his shirt.