Tamashizume: Hidden Ceremony
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The English content of this page features unofficial fan translations. |
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At last, the Crimson Sacrifice Ritual is near, and the Hidden Ceremony is about to begin. The doors to the Kurosawa, Kiryu, Osaka and Tachibana family houses are all tightly locked, and Misono Hill has been illuminated by torches. If the real festival is actually taking place, the villagers will be gathered on Misono Hill, torches in hand, offering up prayers and singing the song of sacrifice, to "send" the sacrifice's soul to the other side. On the hill, immediately above where the Hellish Abyss is, there is a hole which imitates it. This hole is covered by a rock called the "sacrificial stone", which appears to take the place of the sacrifice. At the same time, at the real Hellish Abyss underground, priests chanting the sacrificial song surround the Twin Shrine Maidens as they are sacrificed. Because no one is allowed to view the underground ritual, the priests' faces must be covered with veils, and the assistants to the ritual - those called "Mourners" - have their eyes sewn shut. Due to these rules, the normal villagers can do nothing but pray on Misono Hill. I will be used as a temporary sacrifice, as a "Kusabi". According to the literature, when guests are sacrificed, the more pain and suffering they experience whilst becoming a Kusabi, the more of a suppressive effect it has on the Hellish Abyss. According to a hidden book I read, in order to inflict pain, the victim is tied up with ropes in a specific way, and their body is slashed.
...Could I endure such suffering? Why, instead of escaping with Munakata before, did I stay here? I might catch a glimpse of the Hell Gate, but I would have to leave this world at the same time. I at least want to make the fruits of Asou's research and the Camera Obscura public knowledge. If someone finds this notebook, please inform everyone about the events which occurred here in my stead.
Munakata - I wanted to know about the Gate to Hell and, while I researched it, my entire self, even my soul, seems to have been stolen by it. I hope and pray that you do not choose the same path I took. Whatever you do
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