Benjamin stepped through the door behind Louis. They entered a great hall together. A few more people entered his vision. He could feel at least fifty pairs of eyes scrutinizing him. Benjamin silently endured although he felt quite uncomfortable. Seeing this, Louis gestured with his hand and brought Benjamin over towards the other two people in red robes.
"You three are the initiates for today. Perhaps you can talk."
Louis left those words behind as he turned around and walked towards other people in black robes. Only at this moment did Benjamin realize that Doyle had completely disappeared at some point.
Benjamin and the other two initiates looked at each other but didn't know what to say. Overall, it was rather quiet in the hall, and no one wanted to stand out. Thus, Benjamin let his eyes wander around. He glanced towards the hall's high ceiling, wondering if they were still below the communal building. His eyes continued and swiftly fell on the most conspicuous object of the hall. It was a massive gate of at least five meters. It was made from solid stone. Various scenes were engraved on it.
Benjamin tried to study the gate but as his eyes lingered for only a single second, he was suddenly hit with a bout of dizziness. His vision gradually filled with a green fog. Pairs of eyes flashed around him.
"Ah!"
Suddenly Benjamin felt a touch on his shoulder and woke up again, his back drenched in sweat.
"You shouldn't look at the gate. At least if you care for your sanity."
Benjamin looked towards the source of the voice and noticed that it was one of the other initiates who had woken him up. Benjamin nodded lightly.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it. I made the same mistake. Fortunately, one of the enforcers cared enough to wake me up. Otherwise, I might not be standing here now."
"Enforcers? Do you know more about this organization?"
"Not really. I have only listened to some conversations. Those people in black robes are enforcers. From my understanding they are responsible for doing the dirty work. Green robes are ordinary members."
"What about those greyish robes?"
"There are grey robes?"
"Yes… well, never mind."
Benjamin talked a bit more with the other initiate, exchanging information. He learned that the organization seemed to possess quite some influence even in other cities. But especially the exhaust district seemed to be more or less under their control. This caused Benjamin to frown quite heavily. Wouldn't this mean they knew about the Café of Dreams? Perhaps this was the reason why they approached him?
Suddenly Benjamin felt a hint of unease. But at this point there was no turning back. He waited quietly for a few more minutes. Suddenly an extremely loud noise spread as the majestic gate opened. The organization's members immediately poured into another hall. One of the enforcers came towards Benjamina and the other two initiates, holding them back for a bit. Only once everyone else had left did the enforcer lead the two initiates into the next hall.
The massive gate closed by itself behind Benjamin sending a chill down his back. His expression was solemn as he scanned the room. This appeared to be some kind of ritual chamber. At the center there was an elevated stone platform, somewhat like an altar. Three people were lying on the platform, seemingly unconscious, their bodies almost naked. Their skin was shining with oil, their hands and feet tied to the altar.
To the left and right of the altar were some stone stands of increasing height on which the regular members stood in their green robes. Black-robed enforcers were scattered throughout the room just like the green-flamed candles which were placed everywhere.
At the far end of the room, on the highest steps, throning above the altar were six grey-robed figure standing in one row. And in the midst of them was Hallmaster Delta in pristinely white robes without a face mask. He had his eyes closed, his hands raised towards the ceiling.
Suddenly a hiss could be heard. Benjamin's eyes focused on the shadows behind the hall master. There, the head of a large snake revealed itself. Its slit-like, yellow eyes were focused on the three initiates as it slithered out of the shadows and between the grey-robed figures' legs. Benjamin felt his blood freeze. The snake was incredibly big, with a length of at least twenty meters. Below its poisonous green skin, one could see the powerful muscles working with each movement. Benjamin didn't doubt that even if the snake wasn't poisonous, it could still easily strangle him to death.
"We shall begin!"
Delta suddenly opened his eyes, looking down upon everyone. His gaze was dignified and majestic, as was his voice.
"Brothers and sisters! Today we have gathered here to welcome three new enlightened souls to Liberation!"
As the last word fell, everyone directly replied in a pious voice:
"This world deserves liberation!"
"Initiates! I am Hallmaster Delta. And this is the Pupil Hall. We are but a small part of the vast Liberation. It is our sacred mission to allow the world to understand the truth. When the moment comes that the great Kracxa'row awakens to liberate this world, Liberation will receive his sacred blessing! We will build a new order! An order following the will of the great Kracxa'row!"
"His will shall be eternal!"
Benjamin didn't dare to move as he listened to the hallmaster's speech. He wasn't sure what to think. What was Kracxa'row supposed to be? Some kind of god? If it were a while back, Benjamin would simply scoff at the idea but now he didn't dare to dismiss things easily.
However, no matter what Kracxa'row was. Whether it existed or not, this Liberation was obviously real. It seemed to be some kind of cult vying for followers. Yet all of this didn't matter to Benjamin. Whether Liberation wanted to rule the world or wage war against humanity was unimportant. He only cared whether they could really grant him enteral youth. If Hallmaster Delta's words weren't empty…
Benjamin shivered as the ritual went on. Delta continued in a sing-sang voice, praising Kracxa'row with every word. Meanwhile some of the ordinary members went up to the altar and painted strange runic patterns around the three unconscious people. A metallic smell engulfed the hall and Benjamin realized that they were using blood as paint. He frowned in distaste.
Finally, all preparations seemed to be completed. Delta's voice rang in Benjamin's ears:
"Time has come! Initiates, come before the altar!"
An enforcer walked in front of the initiates, signaling them what to do. Benjamin walked up to the altar, coming to a stop before the head of an unconscious man. He hesitated for a moment when he was told to place his hand on the man's oily forehead.
"Initiates, bow before Kracxa'row! Praise be his eternal will!"
"His will shall be eternal!"
"Align you hearts with Liberation, for Liberation will bring a new order!"
"This world deserves liberation!"
Benjamin felt his heart quicken, his mind becoming dizzy. The voices of Delta and the others fused into a single chant which reverberated in his brain. His vision became unclear.
At this moment, Delta took a step forward. There were a few sticks of incense within a jar on a pedestal in front of him. He took the prepared match, dramatically swung his wide sleeves, and lit the incense. Immediately, a faint, green steam began to spread. Delta took a deep whiff, feeling a hint of enlightenment. For a moment he seemed to receive the attention of some mysterious identity, unbelievably powerful and eternal, yet apparently in slumber. Delta lost himself in the feeling.
Meanwhile, Benjamin was increasingly struck with dizziness. He barely managed to remain on his feet. When the green fog reached his nose, he was hit with an incredibly contradicting sensation. On one hand his body shut down, and he fell face forward onto the altar, lying on top of the unconscious person. On the other hand, his mind became highly active and energetic. It moved so fast that it seemed to leave his body.
Benjamin had a sensation of flying. In a flash he passed through the hall, the ceiling, the rocks above, the air, even the universe itself. He seemed to enter some sort of parallel space filled with green fog. He could only see his immediate surroundings.
In front of him amidst the green fog he saw a person. It was the unconscious man on top of the altar. His body was somewhat ethereal and only reached just below Benjamin's neck although he seemed much taller on the altar.
Benjamin was confused, his thoughts not running smoothly. Staring at the green fog he was met with an intense feeling of danger. Just then there was a slight stirring in the fog. A massive spike appeared out of nowhere, faster than sound. Benjamin had no time to make out its form. He only recognized a few green-black scaled as the spike hit the ethereal body in front of Benjamin, shattering it apart. The body turned into colorful particles of light, endlessly mysterious, which rushed towards Benjamin. He had no way to stop them as they fused into his body.
Benjamin wanted to scream but his mind blanked out. He never before felt something this intense. It was as if humans were unable to process such a sensation. Benjamin's mind exploded and the world turned dark.