Black Phoenix Heir

Chapter 67: Chapter 67 — The Final Moment

Chapter 67 — The Final Moment

Victor was pulled toward the altar.

For a moment, everything around him seemed to slow.

The roaring crowd became distant, almost muffled beneath the pounding of his own heart. His eyes moved toward the stone altar as the guards dragged him closer, and he could see the dark blood still staining its surface.

The blood of the first sacrifice.

Victor swallowed.

The reality of what was happening crashed down on him harder than ever before.

The Shaman stood before him with that same look in his eyes. There was something almost fanatical in his expression, a mixture of devotion and excitement that made Victor’s stomach turn.

As the guards pulled Victor in front of him, the Shaman looked directly into his eyes.

”Your willingness to be sacrificed is worthy.”

Victor stared back at him.

His face was pale.

Fear was written across it now, no matter how hard he tried to hide it.

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

When his hand emerged, red chalk rested between his fingers.

Slowly, deliberately, he brought it toward Victor’s forehead.

The Shaman drew the symbol carefully onto his skin.

An upside-down alchemical flask.

Victor felt the rough chalk drag across his forehead.

Beside him, the little Firebird suddenly exploded into movement.

The creature began frantically flapping its wings inside the cage.

It slammed itself against the wood bars.

The cage rattled violently as the little bird desperately tried to escape.

A sharp cry of distress echoed across the platform.

Blood had begun running down the side of its head.

It continued throwing itself against the bars with everything it had.

Its cries became louder.

The Shaman finished drawing the symbol on Victor’s forehead.

Then he raised both hands above Victor’s head.

The crowd gradually became quiet.

The Shaman began to pray.

”Oh, holy Samal, hear my plea and accept this sacrifice. May you find him worthy, and may you bless our tribe for another year of holy blessings.”

His voice echoed across the platform.

”May this sacrifice be acceptable to you.”

Victor stood silently beneath his raised hands.

The little Firebird continued crying.

Then, slowly, the creature stopped struggling.

The bird stood inside the cage, breathing heavily.

Its tiny body trembled.

Blood ran down the side of its head.

For a moment, it simply stared at Victor.

Then it slowly lifted its head toward the sky.

Another cry escaped its beak.

Then the Shaman reached down with the red chalk once again.

He drew a line from the symbol on Victor’s forehead, straight down his face until it reached his chin.

The ritual was complete.

The Shaman nodded.

The guards moved.

Victor suddenly began struggling.

Hard.

The two executioners grabbed him and pulled him toward the altar.

Victor fought with everything he had.

He twisted his body and tried to pull away, but the difference in strength between them was overwhelming.

It was like a small puppy trying to fight a tiger.

His resistance barely mattered.

Yet he struggled with every ounce of strength left in his body.

”You stupid savage!”

The words escaped him.

The Shaman looked toward him.

Then he smiled.

Victor was thrown onto the stone altar.

His back struck the cold surface.

The guards immediately grabbed his arms and held him down.

Victor continued struggling.

His entire body strained against their grip.

The Shaman reached toward his side.

He pulled out the claw-shaped weapon.

Blood still covered parts of its curved blade.

The Shaman calmly began wiping it clean.

As though he had all the time in the world.

As though Victor wasn’t lying beneath him.

Waiting to die.

⸻

Moonlight stood among the crowd.

Tears streamed silently down her face.

She couldn’t stop them anymore.

Her hands had curled into fists at her sides.

Her nails dug deeply into her palms.

Blood slowly began running between her fingers.

Her eyes remained fixed on Victor.

The people surrounding her screamed.

They cheered.

Their voices rose together in wild excitement.

The Festival of Mana had become everything they had waited for.

But to Moonlight—

It was a nightmare.

All she wanted was to run away.

To close her eyes and pretend none of this was happening.

Moonlight’s tears continued falling as the Shaman finished cleaning the weapon.

⸻

Above the crowd, Oheema watched silently from her seat.

Her eyes briefly moved away from the altar.

They found Moonlight.

For a moment, something inside her tightened.

And pain briefly appeared in Oheema’s eyes.

Oheema slowly turned her attention back toward the altar.

Her expression hardened.

The holy ritual had begun.

⸻

Victor stared upward.

The Shaman was finished cleaning the weapon.

The curved claw rested in his hand.

The little Firebird suddenly began screaming again.

Its tiny body slammed against the cage.

The creature desperately threw itself against the bars.

He turned his head as much as the guards would allow.

His eyes met the little bird’s.

For a brief moment—

Neither of them moved.

Then the Shaman raised the weapon.

Victor’s heart stopped.

The world suddenly slowed.

The blade began descending.

Everything around him became distant.

The screaming crowd.

The drums.

The Firebird’s cries.

All of it faded.

Victor stared at the weapon as it slowly came toward him.

And memories began flashing through his mind.

The strange journey that had brought him into this world.

He thought about everything he had wanted to accomplish.

He had wanted to become powerful.

He had wanted to understand this world.

To uncover why he had been brought here.

He had wanted to become an alchemist and reach the very peak of the path.

Now he would never get the chance.

Maybe this was where his story ended.

Victor stared at the descending blade.

And strangely—

He had no regrets.

And he would accept whatever came because of them.

But—

That didn’t mean he wanted to die.

Fear filled him.

Deep, primal fear.

Victor’s body struggled against the guards one final time.

The blade continued downward.

The weapon touched his stomach.

And stopped.

Everything froze.

Victor’s eyes widened.

For a single second, he didn’t understand.

Then—

An overwhelming pressure descended upon the entire village.

It was unlike anything Victor had ever experienced.

Spiritual pressure crashed down from above.

The platform shook.

The air itself seemed to grow heavier.

The crowd instantly fell silent.

The guards froze.

The Shaman froze.

Everyone had been caught beneath something incomprehensibly powerful.

The Shaman’s eyes widened.

His hand remained suspended in the air.

The weapon was still pressed against Victor’s stomach.

But no matter how much strength he tried to use—

It wouldn’t move.

His expression changed.

Confusion.

Then shock.

The Shaman was one of the most powerful people in the tribe.

There were very few beings within the village capable of standing against him.

Yet now—

He couldn’t even force his own arm downward.

For the first time since Victor had arrived in the tribe—

Genuine fear appeared in the eyes of the elders.

The Firebird had stopped struggling.

The little creature stood completely still inside its cage.

Its bloodied head slowly lifted toward the sky.

Then—

A voice echoed through the village.

It was deep.

Ancient.

And filled with fury.

”Who dares harm my offspring?”