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Left side: seme (name = Aurelius)
Right side: uke (Name = Esai)

Aurelius = Greek [the golden one]
Esai = Hebrew [god is my salvation]

(Utterly Made up part 👇 )

Ancient proverb that dawned the ritual:
On a full moon, one whose skin will glow utterly bright will be stripped of everything and given to the gods on the moon lit pedestal. A gift to the mountain god for prosperity.

The following is the procedure for prepping the sacrifice:

1.) on a full moon of every month find the one whose skin will glow and and hold them in the holding house until 16 years of age.

2.) once of age isolate the sacrifice until the next full moon, make sure to bathe them nightly in rose water.

3.) chain sacrifice to the moon lit pedestal in the center of the island on a full moon.

4.) leave alone for the night until sacrifice is accepted.

***********************************************
•flash back•
"Mama?" I ask, as people began to gather around me. Our ritual of singing to the gods had started and the moon was full.

My mother turned away from me. "I'm sorry my dear boy..."

Huh?

"Take him. He shall no longer be a child of this tribe but a gift to the gods."

My heart pounds and the men rip me away from my mother. "Mama!!" I cry out. I struggle against them until at last I'm placed in the tribal shrine. A sacred place where only the chosen are able to go. I will live here until it is my turn to become the sacrifice.

•end flash back•

I was four years old then... I would remain in this place until my 16th birthday which is today...

"Chosen one, you're dinner is ready." My stomach sinks. My isolation period has begun.

I reach out, touching the hand that was handing me my food. "Will you stay a little longer?" I ask quietly. "I'm sorry chosen one. You're isolation has started. Goodbye." Ah! I frown... they all avoid me...

I turn to look out my bedroom window. It has bars on it. Like a prisoner. Maybe I was a prisoner.

When I was little my mother took me to a moon dance festival. We hold one every full moon. I had turned four so I was finally allowed to partake but... the moon landed on me, lighting me up.

Everyone in the tribe knew, then, that I had been chosen. I haven't seen my mother since then. I was taken from my family. She doesn't want to visit me. I can't blame her. I am no longer her child. I am simply a sacrifice.

I push the food away. I don't want to eat tonight. If I don't eat maybe I'll fall asleep forever and not be sacrificed to the gods.

Since I was little we were all constantly read the stories of the gods with their cruel almighty ruling power.

The god of this island who is said to be a part of the mountains so as to keep us close to the other gods is the one I am sacrificed to. Apparently this god is what keeps the other gods in a good mood. If we don't give the mountain god a sacrifice he will allow the other gods to unleash their fury upon our land.

It is for the betterment of the people is what I had always been told but now that my time is drawing to an end I feel scared. What if... I am not accepted? What will this mountain god do to me if I am not good enough? What will I do if he accepts me. What will become of me? Will I be taken in by the other gods? Ripped apart?

I closed my eyes and faded away to the one place I loved more than anything, my dreams.

I sit there by a pool of water, the darkness surrounding me. I begin to cry... I hate it there! In the real world!

"Are you sad my love?" I nod and arms caress me. "Don't be sad. I'm here..."

Lips press against mine, my eyes remained closed. I can never open them in my dreams. Especially these ones. If I do then the dream ends and I am awake.

"I'm scared..."

"Why? Have they hurt you?"

I cling onto him, tears pouring out of me. "They don't treat me like I am human anymore! I'm nothing but a sacrifice! How could the gods be so cruel!"

"It is not the gods my love." His hands hold my face. "It is the humans. They create these harsh rules to allow themselves to keep sacrificing humans. Rules mean they do not have to care about the humane thing to do in a sacrificial ceremony."

Ah... so wise.

I tighten my hold. "I want to escape. I'm a prisoner!"

"All will come in time my darling. I won't let them lay a hand on you. Once I have you in my arms I'll take care of those who wronged you."

I lay onto the bed. "You have me in your arms now, take me away!" I beg. He laugh. "In time my love." Kisses descend upon my body.

"Nngh~" the kisses are feverish and possessive. They feel good. I don't want this dream to end.

"You're body is growing hot, you must cool it down my love, if we went any further you'd never be able to wake up."

I cry out, tears pouring down my face. "But you are making it this way!" I cling onto the faceless person.

"Wake up my dear it's time for your bath. I will come back again."

They pull away from me, my breathing ragged. "No! Come back!" I call out. "Don't worry my love, soon we will never be apart again."

I lurch forward, throwing my arms around them. "Don't leave me!" I cry. "I'll be back, love. I promise." The person leans in, cupping my face. "I love you my sweet sweet mate."

Ah! I bolt up, touching my face, my breath heavy and fast. Ah!!! Another dream like that... I pull the covers off to see my naked and sweaty body. Why does my body always react this way? Every touch of that person ignites my body and I want more.

That person makes me feel safe and loved... I always want to be in that persons embrace. There is no mention of my dream condition in prior sacrifices... I wonder it is just me?

I sigh and stand up. A knock sounds through my room. "Chosen one, you're bath is ready."

I open the door and walk out, heading to the bath. I am no longer allowed any clothes. It felt weird at first but I've grown use to it. No one looks at me anyways, they're all too scared.

I step into the tub filled with steaming rose water. I sigh and close my eyes. I wonder who that person in my dreams is. I can never see their face but it must be a guy by the sounds of their voice.

I wonder if it is the mountain god? I blush sitting up. "No no no!" Why would the mountain god do that to me?! I take a deep breath and plunge myself into the water, sitting under the water for a minute before sitting up and gasping for air.

I sigh. The water smells nice. Does the mountain god like the scent of roses perhaps? "Do you like roses mountain god? Will you like me if I bathe in them? Is that why?"

Would the gods be cruel as to sacrifice a human like this? Who came up with these rules anyways?

When my bath is done I'm forced back to my room, still dripping wet as the rules didn't say anything about drying me off. They were scared to disrupt the pattern. Many sacrifices have done this before me.

I crawl into my bed and begin to cry. I don't like it here. I don't want to be here any more. I miss the warmth of another person's body, I miss conversing like normal. Why was I cursed like this? I hate it!

The month of isolation passes and I'm forced into chains as they haul me to the pedestal.

"Here!" Someone shouts. We all hault and I'm chained to the loop on the ground. "Make the gods happy!" They all say in unison before leaving. I lay on the cold concrete pedestal, moonlight coating my body and illuminating it.

Please don't let the mountain hate me. Let him accept me! Oh please!

"You've done well my love." Ah! I sit up as best I can, looking around. That voice. It is the voice from my dreams!

Suddenly someone emerges from the forest. "Ah!"

"Don't worry, I'm here to save you." A gorgeous man steps into the moonlight.

The jewels around my body glow and absorb in to his blue shining markings around his arms. He is handsome no doubt. His blonde and black hair contrast with his dark skin.

He walks toward me, grabbing the chain binding me to the pedestal and breaking it.

"Wait! Stop! I am a sacrifice!" I cry out. He smiles at me. "Yes, I know. I am here to collect you." Ah! He scoops me up into his arms. "You are the mountain god?" I ask. He smirks. "Yes my love."

Ah! "Y-you were the one in my dreams then too?!"

He smirks more but doesn't say anything as he leaps up into the air. "Ah!" I cling onto him, scared at first.

"Look Esai." Ah! My name!!! I open my eyes, looking down at the jungle, our small little island. We're so high up. I smile. This is cool!!! I hug onto the mountain god. The night air smells so sweet. "The air smells good!" I state. He chuckled. "No dear, that sweet smell is you."

Eh? I blink. "Me? Why do I smell sweet?" He lands on top of a mountain ledge. "The rose baths. They make you smell sweet so that a predator is attracted to you." I blush. "Oh..." he sets me down. "You must be cold." He takes off his outer robe and drapes it on me.

His muscles are so big!

"Do you like what you see?" He asks. I blush more, turning away. "Will you eat me then?" He laughs. "I don't eat the sacrifices." Huh?! I look up at him, shocked. What does he mean!! All the scrolls say he eats the sacrifices or at least it's assumed because it says the gods consume the victim.

He places his hand on my back and pushes me forward into a dark cave. "I'll show you, my love." We pass through the darkness light consumes me and we pass into an oasis inside the cave. "Wah!!!" All the sacrifices from prior years. Other villagers who had been thought missing! Children running around.

"W-what is this place?"

"Our home." Home? I turn to him. "Really? But don't I—"

He cuts me off. "I may be a god but the humans of this island have the idea of the gods twisted. The sacrifices they send us are shown as valuables. We take care of them. Gods get lonely too you know..."

Ah! I had no idea!! "Come, I'll show you to your room."

"So you really won't eat me?"

He smirked. "I won't. Unless you really have you're heart set on being eaten." I blush. "Ah! N-no!" He leads me to a room. It's quaint and cozy.

I step in but trip on the over sized robe and stumble. The mountain god catches me. "Careful." His warm hand grabbing my arm felt nice. "Ah..." he helps me back onto my feet. "Thank you... er—" should I call him the mountain god or???

"Aurelius." Huh? "My name." Oh! "You... can you read my thoughts?" He laughs. "No, but your face tells me everything. You looked at me like 'I want to know his name' it was cute."

Ah! I blush. "T-that... before... um t-the dream was it—"

"Yes. Although it wasn't a dream. You're special. You are allowed to let your soul wander with ours. So when you fell asleep your soul wandered and found mine."

I blush. Those things I said and did were all real?!!! "A-Ah that's—!" So embarrassing!!

He chuckled, leaning down and ruffling my hair.

"We're having a dinner to celebrate your arrival." His fingers fiddle with my hair. Huh? Why's he doing that. It feels nice when he does that. He smiled at me.

"Wear something nice.... my love." His fingers leave my face and he walks out. Ah... I touch where he touched. My face grows hot. So... this is the life of a sacrifice?

I walk over to the dresser pulling out the one pair of clothes inside. They were decorative and fine jewelry was laid out for me. I put it all on. The delicate satin hung on my hips and came down in strips around my legs. The top was just beaded jewels that hung from my neck.

I turn to look at myself. Is this really
Suitable attired for a banquet held in my honor? I sigh. I'm so confused. This whole time I've been taught that my life would end once sacrificed but now... now I'm just going to be living in a luxurious cave.

I mean not that I mind Aurelius has been really kind to me throughout this ordeal even though he is the god I'm being sacrificed too... which reminds me. How come my soul found his when I slept? It doesn't make any sense all those time I begged him to take me away or all those time he pleasured me... they were real. Well... at least to my soup they were... agh I don't even know what to think! I've been told what to think and do my whole life so this is...

"Are you ready yet?" Ah! I turn to see Aurelius enter the room. "Yes. Sorry!"

"You look beautiful in that outfit. It suits you."

Huh? I blush. "You think? I think it's too revealing! I feel embarrassed in it!"

He just smiles and hold out his hand. "Come with me my love." Ah! I blush more, taking his hand... well here goes nothing.

We walk down the hallway. I can hear the laughter of the crowd below us as we approach a balcony of sorts.

Ah! I'm so nervous. Why am I being presented like this?! I'm just an ordinary human! Does every sacrifice go through this?!

"Don't worry, they already love you, that cheering is for you my love." Huh?! M-me?! We come to the balcony to see a crowd below us. Ah! They cheer, waving their arms at us. N-no way! There really is a crowd! It's like a whole village inside this elaborate cave!

Flowers are placed in my hands by some guard looking guy. "Throw them down to the people, they are awaiting your acceptance."

Ah! My acceptance? Shouldn't it be the other way around??  I walk up to the ledge of the balcony, looking down at the people. They're cheering, they all look so happy! Ah! I'm so nervous. I look back at Aurelius, unsure. He smiles and comes up behind me, grabbing my hands and holding them out over the crowd of people.

"Now drop them." He whispers. Ah! I release the flowers and the glitter to the ground. The people scrambled to grab them before they hit the ground.

Ah! This is...! I smile. Cool! Ah! My eye catch's a rather upset looking guy in the back. He isn't cheering or smiling or even going for the flowers. He looks rather unhappy. Have I don't something to anger him? Maybe he doesn't like big events...

Aurelius pulls away and grabs my hand. "Let's go to the feast now." Ah! I follow along, allowing him to lead me down the stairs. Once down we are swamped with people. They all now, trying to hand me gifts. "Ah! Um I'm sorry Ah!" I can't possibly hold them all!

Aurelius takes them away, handing them to a guard. "Give them to him." He states. Ah... I nod and we make our way to the table. This is so awkward! Aurelius lets go of me to step on a podium like thing and raises his hand. Silence befalls the room. "Everyone I'd like to thank you from your joyous company. Me and my wife look forward to guiding you to a happy life. Let us give thanks and prosper tonight." He raises a glass and the crowd goes insane with cheers. Ah!

They swarm the podium and I'm lost in the crowd of people. Ah! I hurriedly make my escape and find myself at the back of the room now, far away from Aurelius who is at the front. Ah... my heart sinks.

They all love him so dearly. Is it because he is a god?

Compared to him... I... "hey." Huh? I look over and find the rough looking dude I had saw earlier. I shrink away. "Ah sorry!" He sighs. "Why are you apologizing. Have you done something wrong?" He asks, his voice rather rough. I shake. "N-no it's just I feel like you hate me..." he looks me dead in the eyes. "Because I do. You do not deserve our god. He deserves a goddess not you. To define him with your sins means a curse to the land!"

H! He spits at me before walking off...

That's right this guy is a god an I a lowly sacrifice. What power do I have over these people? They were rescued by Aurelius not me... no one should be happy to see me, no one should be joyous in my company...

"Ah! So you are the wife of the glorious mountain god!"

Ah! I look up to see a beautiful lady. I blush. "A-wife?" I question. She giggles. "What are you doing back here? The feast is about to begin!"

Ah! She takes my hand and pulls me along back to the from. We fight through the crowd of people until at least we reach the front. Aurelius is talking with someone. I turn to the lady. "T-thank you." She tilts her head. "For what?"

I blush. "For helping me get to the front." She laughs. "It's okay. You looked sort of sad I figured you must be that way because you aren't next to the mountain god." Ah! I blush more. "Ah! T-that... how did you know I was the—"

"By your attire of course. It flatters you rather well. The mountain god did a wonderful job picking it out for you." Ah! Aurelius picked this out? I blush  and feel my heart start to beat that much faster. Why am I so happy by just that?

"What's your name?" I ask. She blushed. "Oh we have no names here. If we did we'd be living in the past." Oh... "besides a lowly servant such as me could never speak my name. I shouldn't even be talking to you I could get in trouble!" Ah! "R-really?! I am so sorry!!"

She smiles. "I should go now!"

She beads off. Ah! Wait you're my only friend though! But the words don't come out of my mouth. I sigh. I guess I should try and talk to other people. I don't want to see too rude...

"Ah there you are! I wondered where you'd snuck off too!" Huh?! I look up at Aurelius as he comes up behind me. He smiled at me. "Shall we begin the feast?" I smile politely. "Yes!"

He gathers everyone's attention, announcing the feast. We head to a table with food and drinks already prepared. Aurelius is at the head of the table and I am to his left.

The dinner is joyous. There is alcohol and delicious meat and tasty dishes. Dessert was heavenly and by the end I feel quite full.

The after party has me whisper away yet again by the crowd of people as they swarm to gather around Aurelius.

I sit down on a chair at the back, sipping a cup of juice I'd gotten from the dinner.

Aurelius is so charming. Everyone loves him. He seems so far away....

Ugh... I grab my stomach. It hurts... maybe I ate too much?

I should find some fresh air perhaps I stand up by  too wobbly. Ah! I fall down to the ground, my vision going blurry. My body is so hot... I don't feel so good anymore....

"Ah sir are you alright?" Huh I look over to see the lady from before. "H-help!" She rushes in. "You're burning up! She grabs the cup, sniffing it. "Ah! Someone's poisoned your drink!"

I pant, suddenly feeling as if I couldn't breath. I lay down. "Help!" The lady screams. I close my eyes. Maybe this is for the better... "Esai!" Aurelius?

"What happened to him?" He asks. I can't move my body though. I feel myself being picked up by someone. "I don't know his drink was toxic. I found him like this."

"Dammit! I need to save him."

"But sir if you do that this boy will no longer be human! He will have some of your power flowing through him."

"I have to, I can't let him die!"

Ah... Aurelius... you sound so desperate and hurt. Where are you? I can't find you... "I'm here, with you Esai." Ah! I can hear him. He's so close!

"Where am I?" I question. "We are in the spirit realm. Like from your dreams."

Ah... "what happened to you?" He asks. "I don't know... I-I'm scared!" Arms loop themselves around me. "Don't be scared Esai. I'm right here."

I cling onto him. In