Curse of the Zodiac Serpent
The Ritual

The door lock clicked behind them. Ayako’s heart sank, they’d wasted too much time! She cussed under her breath and pushed Kenji forcefully out the window with her rope. She wouldn’t have enough time to hide it.

The door flung open as she slid the window panel closed, her hand still resting on the frame.

“Not thinking about jumping are we?” The snake had returned. “I heard some rats scurrying around, thought I’d come to check on you.”

His voice made her skin crawl. It was low deep and condescending. It was easy to tell that he thought himself better than others.

“I had considered it. Though if I didn’t die from the impact I would most certainly be incapacitated and unable to make an escape.” Her back was facing away from him as he approached her, her head angled slightly to the side so she could see him in her field of vision.

“The clothing suits you.”

“Like that matters, I doubt you’d be eating the clothing.”

He chuckled. “True you are, though it is certainly more appealing for the men if you appear in good health before the ritual.”

“Just call it what it is.” She retorted dryly.

“And what is that?”

“A blood bath. You’ll drain me dry like I’m a piece of game you can spring up, waiting to crave into pieces for your next meal.”

“You make me sound so barbaric.” The snake placed a hand on his heart showing an expression that was clearly fake.

“They won’t follow you anymore, these men... once they know the truth-”

He cut her off. “It doesn’t matter, the thirteen of them will last me a few years.”

“But I thought you needed them to bring you more victims,” She questioned.

“They’ve decided to front a rescue.”

Ayako spun around to face him. Her eyes caught what she hadn’t before. The two men who had been at her door earlier were from Kenji’s crew. Their bodies lay lifeless behind the slightly ajar door, the soulless eyes staring at nothing. Blood slowly pooled and seeped into the room. Dear gods, he wasn’t going to let any of them leave! This facade with the ritual and the curse, it was merely for his amusement.

Steeping up beside her he smiled down at her, the hair on the back of her neck stood on end at that grin. His hand jettisoned through the thin paper. Ayako could hear the sound of someone gasping for air. He’s reached right through the material, punching a hole in it and taking hold of Kenji. Why was he still there? He should have left while he had the chance!

The snake retrieved his hand, pulling Kenji through the panel window. Wood splintered and broke off from the small escape, pieces flying through the air before her eyes as his body came crashing in, landing on the floor with a heavy thud. Her first reflex was to retrieve her hairpin and lunge for the bold man but her body froze in place disobeying her.

They’d been caught.

“Ekans you don’t have to do this anymore, we all agreed we’d live with the curse for as long however much time we have left.” Kenji struggled against his restraints.

Ayako couldn’t move, having been immobilized by a single look. Even now he held her in his snare not letting her lunge at him, the moment he let down his guard and she was free to move...

“Oh stop looking at me like that, it doesn’t suit your pretty face.” With a wave of his hand, she was able to move her facial muscles again.

“I’m going to shove my fist so far up your-”

With a sigh, he waved his hand again imbolising her lips. “Such a foul mouth on this one.”

“Ekans! Let her go!” Kenji demanded.

The snake rolled his eyes. “You are in no position to be making demands. And given that your crew isn’t here with you, they’ve probably ran away scared by now. It’s sad for you really, all that loyalty amounting to nothing.” He chuckled to himself.

Ayako grimaced as her limbs were stretched out on a cold stone slab. He’s taken them deep into the jungle-like dense forest behind the shrine. It appeared that he didn’t do any butchering inside the confines of his home, how civilised of him.

“You bastard! You were never going to let us go!” Kenji’s anger was getting the better of him now.

“You’re only just realising this now!?” The snake shook his head. “Can you believe this guy?” He looked down at Ayako with a dumbfounded look of disbelief. “You’d been with him all or what... a few days and you figured it out.”

“Bastard! I’m going to kill you!” Kenji yelled.

“DO YOU EVER SHUT UP!” Ekans snarled spinning and walking over to the pirate captain, dagger in hand. “If you didn’t have that tiny bit of my power in you to hold the curse at bay I wouldn’t have to listen to your annoying voice.”

“Then do something about it! Or are you too much of chicken shit to make an enemy of my crew.”

The snake burst out laughing. “Your crew! Where are they? I don’t see them! They’re not coming for you or the girl!”

What the hell was he doing? Was he asking for death!? Ayako couldn’t do anything, she was stuck, frozen in time and it was beyond frustrating.

While the two squabbled she caught movement to her left. Someone was there, and though she couldn’t make out who it was she felt a gentle hand on her arm. The figure was covered in a black hooded rope, whisps of long black hair framing their shoulders as they bent down and proceeded to pour something into her mouth. She couldn’t resist even if she wanted to.

The strange thick liquid coated the inside of her throat slowly bringing feeling and movement back to her jaw. Soon she was able to swallow the liquid and move her lips.

“Wait until you can move your entire body.” The voice was so low that she nearly missed it. “The one that kills him will take his place.” It felt like a warning, but to her, it was a solution, a means to an end.

The figure slipped something hard and cold under her back before they retreated out of sight as though they had never been there. She hoped and prayed it was a weapon. She could feel her body returning to her piece by piece.

But when the snake had finished gagging the captain and turned his attention back to her she remained completely still. She’d only have one chance to catch him off guard and there was no telling how long whatever had been given to her would last.

“Now, where were we, my dear.” His sinister grin very nearly broke her resolve.

Not yet. She told herself.