The explosion tore through the temple, a thunderous boom that drowned the prayer's hum and sent a shockwave of dust and heat across the inner yard. Black spheres overhead shuddered as debris rained down, and the crowd erupted into screams. I yanked Lily down, my heart hammering as the acolytes pulled their hidden weapon, a short spear. One of them began barking orders in sandish, telling people to run toward the exit and the other acolytes to find the source of the explosion.
The explosion had come from the far side of the temple, near the outer gates. It was the perfect distraction, but I hadn't caused it. Someone else was here, and that made my mission even more dangerous. Was it Ophy? No, he'd said he couldn't use his powers here. Then who?
"What the hell ?!" I screamed and threw my gaze towards Lily.
"The temple's under attack!" she gasped, scrambling up. Smoke poured from the hidden passageway behind the altar, and a figure emerged, golden-green armor, bow raised, visor glowing. Sagittarius. The Sagittarius, the bastard found me here but how? I'm thousands miles away, and then the card in my pocket pulsed, its energy spiking, he'd tracked it, blasting his way in for revenge. Talk about sore losers.
Ophy's voice crackled in my mind via the pendant. " Rei, are you all right? I heard an explosion, did you blow up the temple?" But before I could answer, I saw the acolytes scream bloody murder towards Sagittarius. Dozens drew their short spears aim towards him, their sandish shouts sharp as they charged Sagittarius.
"Ophiuchus Rider!" he roared, his voice distorted by the helmet, locking eyes on me through the crowd. "I'll kill you, you f@#*%®!"
The acolytes swarmed him, their weapons clashing against his bow's energy arrows. One acolyte fell, a smoking hole in his robe, but the others pressed on, driven by fury. The perimeter tightened, their coordinated guard turning the yard into a battlefield. I froze, torn between running and helping, this is the perfect distraction but I can leave Lily alone in this chaos.
"Lily let's get ou…"
Her face twisted with rage. "He dares defile her holiness's temple?!" she snarled, stepping forward. Then she pulled out her phone, is that? "Hen...Shin!!"
Her form shimmered, white crab armor encasing her, a red trident began to form
as antenna-like protrusions rose from her helmet. Cancer Rider. She jumped and lunged at Sagittarius with her trident aim to kill, her fury a stark contrast to the cheerful girl I'd walked in with. "You'll pay for this!" she shouted, her voice layered with distortion.
She is a rider? I… but, she…I…
"Rei!! Move now, get the swords!" Ophy's voice boomed in my head and jolted my back to reality, was this? Why can I have a normal date or normal shift? Am i cursed? Who's the f$@$*r responsible for my fate, I want to talk and maybe bash their head to the concrete.
I ran toward the passageway, dodging a falling acolyte and weaving through the panicked followers. Behind me, Sagittarius fired an arrow that Lily deflected with a claw, the clash sending sparks flying. The acolytes' cries mixed with his defiant yell, but Lily's assault pushed him back, giving me a clear path.
The temple was a madhouse. People were shouting, some still praying fervently as if Cancer herself would descend to save them. Smoke curled through the air, stinging my eyes. I ducked low, zigzagging through the panicked throng toward the altar. The two acolytes who'd been guarding the passageway were gone, likely drawn to the explosion. I didn't have much time.I reached the altar and slipped behind it, where the hell are these swords I scanned for the hidden entrance or something because I doubt they put Ophy's swords in some drawers.
"Ophiuchus…help us." the hell? A faint cry comes from a crack in the stone wall.
"Hello?" I asked, this is stupid? Ophy mentioned about listening to the cry of his swords but i was thinking that was more metaphorically or the swords actually talk.
"Ophiuchus, we have been waiting. Help us."
Damn. It really talks, the damnedest things just happened. What's next giant robot? Kaiju? F$#& it's the swords that matters, talking or not.
I pressed the crack, praying it wasn't locked or rigged with some trap. To my relief, it gave way with a soft click, sliding open just enough for me to squeeze through.The passageway was dark, lit only by flickering torches embedded in the walls. The air was cool and damp, carrying the faint smell of incense and something metallic, blood? What now don't tell me this thing is guarded by some sort of monster, alas I push forward, my footsteps echoing softly. Ophy had said the swords were kept in a sacred chamber deep within the temple. If I could find them and get out before the acolytes returned, I might pull this off.
The corridor branched into several paths, each one darker and narrower than the last. Great. No signs, no map, just cries of talking swords to guide me. I picked the leftmost path, figuring it led deeper into the temple. the corridor sloping downward. The air grew heavier, the metallic scent stronger. At the end of the path, a heavy iron door loomed, engraved with the crab sigil of Cancer. This had to be it. I tested the handle, locked, of course. I cursed under my breath. Ophy hadn't mentioned anything about a lock.
I scanned the door for a keyhole or mechanism, but it was smooth except for the sigil. Maybe it was a puzzle?I traced the crab's claws with my fingers, feeling for any handle, anything that will open the door. A faint click sounded, and the sigil glowed faintly, pulsing like a heartbeat. The door groaned open, revealing a small chamber bathed in eerie blue light. At its center, on a pedestal of black stone, sat two swords, their blades shimmering with an otherworldly glow. Ophy's swords. They were beautiful, almost alive, their edges humming with faint energy.
"You're not Ophiuchus." Said the left sword with the green hilt that was almost angry to see me, how can a sword even see?
"Are you his avatar? I can sense his soul in you?" Said the right sword with the black hilt. They both talk, I don't know how but I can hear their voices.
"Yes." I answered "Now let's get out of here before…
"Rei!!!"
I turned around and Lily in her cancer form stood there with her trident in hand. Damn, this is the last thing I want. I'm hoping to sneak out before anyone sees me and maybe send Lily some message to say I'm sorry I left early, an email or pigeon letter?
her armor scratched from the fight. Sagittarius must have fled, she clenched her trident tighter but her eyes burned with betrayal. "Rei, you brought this thief here!" she accused, her voice cracking. "Stealing from her holiness?"
"No, it's not like that, this is…I'm reclaiming what's mine, not technically mine but…"
"Reclaiming? Those are her holiness artifacts, her war spoilage. Her."
"Lily please, I have to go." I replied then taking both swords from the altars. The grip feels perfect in my hands, like they're something made especially for me.
"Let the swords go and I promise…I promise your death will be painless and…and quick."
"Sorry, can't do it."
I lunged forward, Lily seemed hesitant but blocking the way out with her trident. I ducked under her trident but she saw it and jumped back this time she attacked me and I parried using both of my swords. Spark flew everywhere but she kicked me and I jumped a few seconds before her kick landed and I ran.
"Rei!!"
I didn't look back, I ran as I emerged into the main temple, the chaos had worsened. The crowd was in full panic, and the acolytes were shouting about a "heretic" who'd defiled the sanctum. Word had spread fast. Too fast. I spotted Lily near the edge of the crowd, her face a mix of disguise and anger as she searched for me.
"Ophy"
"Rei? I can't reach you, where have you been?
"Doesn't matter, can you teleport me back?"
Silent for a few seconds and Lily sees me, and when people see her they make way for her as she walks towards me. Some people then saw I was brandishing two swords in my hands and their panicked faces turned into anger.
"Ophy now!!!"
"I'm sorry Rei, I can't reach you, the power of cancer is too strong at her temple you have to…"
"Heretic!!!" screamed one of the cancer followers and now I got everyone's attention.
I gripped the swords tighter, its power thrumming through me. I had two talking swords that were silent now, no plan, and a city of fanatics ready to tear me apart, my date that turned out to be the cancer rider and somehow, I had to survive this. Fuck me.