Rantaro leans against one of the temple’s towering stone pillars, his chest rising and falling in heavy, uneven breaths. He had just climbed a mountain, but the exhaustion in his body feels different—this weight is not only physical. He had known this moment would come since the day he was born. His body had never been his own; it belonged to the serpent god Korekiyo, and his life was meant to end here. None of his dreams matter anymore. Rantaro will never accomplish anything other than being a sacrifice so his people can receive Korekiyo's blessing of fertility.

After hearing footsteps, Rantaro kneels and lowers his head. One cannot be on the same eye level as a god. “It’s been a while since they’ve sent someone,” Korekiyo whispers, running his ice-cold hand across Rantaro’s cheek, forcing him to look up. Rantaro is now staring directly into the face of death, and it is the most beautiful thing he has ever seen. It’s calming, almost, and for a moment, he wonders if being consumed wouldn’t be so bad.