Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 66: Chapter 66 — The First Sacrifice

Chapter 66 — The First Sacrifice

"The Festival of Mana begins!"

The moment the Shaman’s voice echoed across the village, the crowd erupted.

A wave of triumphant screaming swept through the gathered tribe members. Drums immediately began pounding again, their deep rhythm shaking the air as people raised their voices in celebration.

"The Day of Mana!"

"The Day of Blood!"

"Samal!"

The excitement was almost fanatical.

Victor stood on the stone platform beside the other sacrifices, feeling the pressure of thousands of eyes fixed upon them. The screaming seemed to come from every direction, surrounding him completely.

Then—

BOOM!

The Shaman slammed his staff against the stone.

Instantly, everything went silent.

The drums stopped.

The screaming disappeared.

Not a single person spoke.

Victor could hear his own breathing.

The Shaman slowly turned toward one of the shackled tribe members standing beside Victor.

The man’s face was pale.

Fear was clearly visible in his eyes.

The Shaman stared at him for several moments before speaking.

"Your sacrifice to Samal is worthy."

His voice carried across the silent village.

"Samal is pleased with your willingness to become his energy."

The tribe member remained silent.

Victor watched him carefully.

The man was afraid.

There was no hiding it.

But despite that fear, he didn’t struggle.

He simply stood there.

The Shaman turned his attention toward two guards standing nearby.

Unlike the ordinary guards Victor had seen throughout the village, these two were dressed differently.

They wore special ceremonial clothing.

Large headdresses covered the tops of their heads, while their faces were hidden beneath strange coverings. They looked less like ordinary guards and more like executioners preparing for a ritual.

The Shaman gave a small gesture.

The two men immediately moved.

They grabbed the tribe member from either side and pulled him forward.

Victor’s eyes narrowed.

The man was brought directly in front of the Shaman.

Then the Shaman reached into the small bag hanging from his side.

He pulled out the familiar red chalk.

Victor immediately recognized it.

The Shaman pressed his thumb against the chalk before drawing the symbol of Samal onto the tribe member’s forehead.

An upside-down alchemical flask.

Once the symbol was complete, the Shaman raised both hands over the man’s head.

His expression became solemn.

Then he began to pray.

"Oh, holy Samal."

The Shaman’s voice echoed across the silent gathering.

"Hear my plea and accept this sacrifice."

The crowd remained completely quiet.

"May you find him worthy."

The Shaman paused.

"And may you bless our tribe for another year of holy blessings."

Victor stood frozen.

The Shaman lowered his hands slightly.

"May you find this first sacrifice acceptable."

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then the Shaman picked up the red chalk again.

He placed it against the symbol on the man’s forehead.

Slowly, he drew a line downward.

From the symbol—

Across the man’s face.

All the way to his chin.

Then the Shaman stepped back.

He nodded toward the executioners.

They immediately moved.

The two guards grabbed the tribe member and dragged him toward the stone altar.

Victor watched.

The man was forced onto the cold stone surface.

The guards held him down.

His body immediately began struggling.

Fear finally overwhelmed him.

Victor’s stomach tightened.

The Shaman reached toward his side.

Then he pulled out a strange weapon.

It resembled a claw.

A curved blade designed for cutting and tearing.

Victor’s breathing slowed.

The Shaman stepped toward the altar.

For one brief moment, everything remained silent.

Then he drove the weapon into the man’s body.

Victor’s eyes widened.

The sacrifice screamed.

The sound echoed across the platform.

The Shaman pulled the blade upward.

The ritual continued only moments longer before the man’s screams finally stopped.

Victor stood completely still.

His face had gone pale.

The Shaman removed the weapon.

Then he reached for another blade.

Victor couldn’t look away.

He watched as the ritual was completed.

Finally, the Shaman raised the man’s heart into the air.

The crowd erupted.

"Samal!"

"May Samal bless our tribe!"

The Shaman held the offering high.

"May Samal bless our tribe."

His voice carried over the screaming crowd.

"May the holy Samal accept this sacrifice."

Nearby on the stone altar was another carving of the upside-down alchemical flask.

The Shaman placed the offering upon it.

Then he waited.

The executioners dragged the lifeless body away.

Victor remained standing where he was.

His mind had gone strangely quiet.

But inside—

The fear was growing.

Every moment he had spent inside the Mana Lock Prison, Victor had known what was coming.

He had accepted it.

At least, he thought he had.

But watching someone die directly in front of him was different.

Knowing it was coming—

And seeing exactly what was waiting for him.

Were two completely different things.

Victor’s hands slowly tightened inside his shackles.

For the first time in weeks, he desperately wished that there was something he could do.

Anything.

But there wasn’t.

He was trapped.

Then the Shaman turned.

His eyes moved across the remaining sacrifices.

Finally—

They stopped on Victor.

The Shaman slowly raised one hand.

He pointed directly at him.

"You will be the next worthy sacrifice."

Victor’s heart seemed to stop.

For a moment, he couldn’t move.

The two executioners began walking toward him.

Victor stood silently as they approached.

Then they grabbed him.

As Victor was pulled toward the altar, everything seemed to slow down.

For a moment, the world around him felt distant.

Each step toward the stone altar seemed to take forever.

Victor could see the blood staining its surface as he got closer.

He could see what remained from the sacrifice before him.

And then his eyes moved toward the Shaman.

The fanatic look in the man’s eyes sent a chill through Victor’s body.

This was different from simply carrying out an execution.

The Shaman truly believed in what he was doing.

His face was covered in fear now.

The guards brought him directly in front of the Shaman.

For several seconds, the two of them stared at one another.

Then the Shaman slowly looked at Victor.

"Your willingness to be sacrificed is worthy."

Then—

Somewhere in the crowd, Moonlight watched.

The moment the Shaman pointed toward Victor, her expression changed.

Her heart seemed to stop as well.

She quickly looked away.

But Moonlight clenched her hands.

Slowly, she forced herself to turn back.

She had to watch.

Her eyes slowly filling with tears returned to Victor

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