One

Hagan sat still for multiple hours, not wanting to move. As the sun fell, he played down and closed his eyes.

His dreams were no better. He remembered number 188. He remembered number 187, 186, 185, all until he saw number 1 once again.

He was once again enduring grueling training. A man in all black clothing with a mask over his face approached and threw a dagger at Hagan's feet.

"Kill them."

Hagan looked up at the man and was met with a cold gaze, so cold he doubted the man had ever felt emotion a day in his life. Hagan shook his head and spoke quietly.

"No. I… I can't."

"You can and you will. Kill or be killed."

The man leaned down and pushed Hagan's head into the cold floor, right beside the small dagger.

"Now go kill."

He released Hagan and walked away. Hagan picked up the blade and stared at it for a moment then looked around. The surrounding area was supposed to be dark but he could see perfectly fine. He watched as other young men around his age or even younger awkwardly crouched around the area, waiting for someone to make a move. He saw two people pounce onto each other, wildly swinging their daggers and plunging it into each other. They both died after a third person came from behind a nearby large rock. Somewhere else, another one died, then another, and another.

Eventually, only Hagan and one other person remained. Hagan watched as this kid who was younger than him stabbed three people in the heart, nearly instantly killing them. As Hagan spectated the slaughter, he began to realize the only way out is either to kill or be killed, just as the man before stated. Hagan saw the younger guy scrounge around, trying to find him. Hagan was no stranger to combat, he'd fought and killed many beasts since arriving in the Second Trial. However, he'd never fought a person, to the death at least.

He walked closer and closer, and then was close enough to grab him. Hagan plunged the blade into the boys back and teared up.

"I'm sorry. I'm so… so sorry."

His voice was filled with despair and pain, although he want the one with a knife in his back, he felt a different type of pain. A much more profound pain, which ripped at his heart.

Hagan woke up with a shock and jumped off the bench. He manifested a sword of the light surrounding him and bent his knees a bit, getting ready to fight, and surveyed the room. Nothing was there, nothing alive at least. What he did see however, was a faint glow coming from the podium of the church. The roof of the building was riddled with holes, basking it in moonlight, and beyond where the light could reach, were three items. A key, a tattered cloak, and a pair of old shoes.

"Are those… Shiva's?"

Hagan walked forward and let his sword disperse. He reached out toward the items and as his hand neared them, they too disappeared.

"You have found three relics belonging to a dead God."

"You have received three Keepsakes."