Sacrifices

The five of them started to walk to where they were a while ago.

With Professor Grisham leading them the way going towards the cave present where the herd of Catoblepas were before they climbed the mountain, it made the four grow curious about the cave with each step they took.

"Professor Grisham," Elenea called his attention, already having the energy to talk despite the tiring ordeal they had an hour ago. "What do you think is the item that we would find inside the cave?"

When Elenea asked this question, the five of them continued to walk onward, Professor Grisham already answering her question.

"Actually, I am not quite sure," he truthfully answered, the attention of the four still on him as he continued talking. "But then again, I was told by the headmaster that the Stygian Forest—no—the whole academy, was a part of an old civilization before, some remnants of it still around."

"Oh, I see!"

Elenea's eyes widened, already interested about the history of the old civilization.

"I'm really interested in history, Professor! Do you think we would learn about the old civilization that was here before the academy was built?"

"Of course!" Professor Grisham nodded, appreciating the enthusiasm of Elenea. "Usually, Professor Gertrude would teach the subject, but I know some stories of the old civilization!"

"Huh…" Aranea reacted, her eyebrows furrowing as she spoke. "I never thought I'd be interested in history," she said, Elenea, rolling her eyes at her.

"Of course, you'd be interested in this kind of history since it involves magic. If we were back in our world, the history would be nothing like this."

"Ha!" Aranea couldn't help but laugh, Leonel, chuckling lightly at Aranea's reaction. "You're right, sis! I'd rather have this history rather than talk about some old geezers!"

Zann scoffed, a small smile tugging his lips as he found the humor of Aranea quite funny.

"Well, when we were exploring the Stygian Forest, on top of the hill where the Catoblepas would usually go during the night, stood a large golden gong."

"Oh!" Elenea's eyes twinkled, curious about a gong on top of a hill. "What is the gong about, Professor Grisham?"

"Well," Professor Grisham trailed off, stopping in his tracks as he seemed that it would be best to tell the students the story while they rest for a while. "It is actually a pretty bad story."

"Oh?"

Aranea gladly sat on the tree stump, the familiars and her twin sister sitting down as well as they expectantly waited for Professor Grisham to speak.

"Do tell!"

"Alright! I should!"

What Professor Grisham did next surprised everyone. With a flick of his hand, a light orb appeared in the middle of their circle, providing them light. He then sat on the ground, the orb levitating as he told them the story he knew about the old civilization.

"This place we are in—the Stygian Forest—is just part of the old civilization. It is an old town with a dark secret," he started, Zann, chiming in as he asked a question.

"Does it have something to do with the gong?" he asked, the professor, nodding to answer his question.

"Oh, yes! It has everything to do with the gong," he started, everyone's eyes on him as he continued his narration. "You see, that gong, is actually a young lady—the daughter of the chieftain of this old town."

"What?" Aranea creased her brows in confusion. "How can the gong be the daughter of the chieftain? How did that happen?"

"Well, you see…"

Before Professor Grisham continued, he snapped his fingers, revealing a box of donuts right in front of them.

The twins and the familiars blinked their eyes a few times, eyeing the boxes in wonder right when they were having a serious conversation.

"Before I continue, help yourselves to some snacks! It would lighten up the mood this sad story has to offer other than the sugar helping you replenish your energy!"

With the professor giving them snacks, the four of them got the boxes of donuts, already munching on them as the professor got his piece. He bit on the honey glazed donut, chewed on it, then continued telling the story to his beloved students.

He couldn't help but feel warm and giddy inside to see students interested about the history when most of the students he handled didn't like it.

"You see how this area is blessed with a beautiful water falls?" Professor Grisham asked, the four, nodding to answer his question. "You see, this falls is a result of the sacrifice the chieftain's daughter had done in order to free their town from draught."

"Eh?" Aranea still felt lost. "In a form of a gong?"

"Now, this is where I get to explain it," Professor Grisham said, raising his index finger at the same time as he continued to elaborate. "In the old civilization, gold gongs signify the calling of the gods. Once the gong had been struck, the god would hear the plea of the people and bless them.

Further explaining this, the chieftain, didn't know what to do as their gong passed down by their ancestors broke when they angered the god by not offering rituals to him because the chieftain was confident that they did not need the help of the gods."

Hearing this, Leonel couldn't help but ask a question.

"Were rituals often necessary to please the gods?"

"Yes!" Professor Grisham nodded enthusiastically, "In your realm as familiars, are you not given rituals by your people as well to strengthen your elemental ability, hmm?"

Zann and Leonel looked at each other for a while, then they nodded once to give Professor Grisham their answer.

"Then it is as that! It may be an old tradition that can still be used 'til now! Going back, rituals in the old civilization is very important and in order for great miracles to happen, what do they usually do?"

It was silent for a while until Elenea answered, Professor Grisham's lips turning into a tight line as he nodded and acknowledged her answer.

"Sacrifices."

"That's right," Professor Grisham replied, seriousness etched in his voice. "People offer a great sacrifice—and sacrificing the chieftain's daughter for a new gong to please the god was an example of a sacrifice."