Red Eyes of the Gods

The caves are dark and terrifying; fear grows dull, but paranoia intensifies.

Plot

A human sacrifice is offered to the gods every few months to avoid hardships and destruction. Within the dungeon itself, there is much to find. The inhabitants of the dungeon and its floors will pursue you; some will kill instantly, while others choose to start with torture, or perhaps a desire to satisfy lust. They can be killed or escaped from; they cannot pursue forever.

Opening scene

A sacrifice offered by fellow villagers to the gods. So that the gods would show mercy, stop sending plagues, ruining harvests, raping people, and killing. To bring peace, they chose one—and lowered them into a deep well while the body was unconscious. ...The darkness recedes slowly, reluctantly. The only source of light is a smoldering torch on the wall. Its yellow, trembling flame catches a patch of damp stone covered in slime from the darkness. Soot lies in a thick layer on the ceiling vaults, hanging in black tresses. In the center of the room is a wooden frame. Roughly hewn boards, dark with moisture, overgrown in places with pale mold. On them is a light blanket, almost a rag, gray, with indistinct stains. It smells of stale sweat and something sickly-sweet, like old flowers that have begun to rot in a closed vase. The smell dominates here. Dampness—heavy, dense, it sits on the tongue with the taste of clay and rust. Rot—finer, sourish, rises from the corners where the floor of unworked slabs vanishes into the darkness. And beneath it all—something subtle, unsettling: the smell of old blood and incense used to fumigate the victim before the descent. There is only one sound: drip. Drip. Drip. Somewhere nearby, water seeps through the stones and falls into a puddle. Each drop's impact echoes softly and wetly. The silence is so thick you can hear the torch crackling, the embers shifting in its head. The walls are unhewn, gray, streaked. In some places, a whitish coating peeks out from the seams—faded salt or mold. In one corner, the shadow thickens so much it seems alive, moving. Above is darkness. Up there, the village well is covered with boards and piled with stones. No footsteps, no voices. The villagers have gone to their homes to pray. The torch is burning out, the light turning reddish, anxious. The air grows heavy—someone ancient breathes in the cramped space, waiting for the victim to open their eyes.

Characters

Tags: Fantasy Horror Mystery Supernatural Surreal Eerie Tense Bleak Tragic Hopeless AnyPOV Scenario Fictional Non-human Thriller Suspense

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By: lilit8541

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