Post by ulvendagoth on Feb 13, 2024 1:50:43 GMT -5
Distorted music fills the world before vision comes, showing a hallway deep in Poena’s church, the camera moving down the hallway before swinging into a room. In the room, Poena dances to the strange music, but his movements are wrong. His body is boneless, and his movements are like knives and snakes all at once—something as simple as a dance made as distorted and profane as the music that he is dancing too. He laughs madly as the camera moves closer, his eyes flashing to meet it.
NOOOOMAAAADDDD…
The distorted music cowers down in volume at his words, making more of a broken background as Poena holds the last strange pose he was in, balanced perfectly in an inhuman pose.
Congratulations! You managed to capture the glory. You beat Merric! I knew when I chiseled you and sculped you with that sledgehammer so long ago that you’d come back stronger. After all, you snap a bone…
Poena laughs and dislocates his shoulder, looking over at it for a moment before popping it right back into place without a flinch.
… It grows back stronger. I broke you, NOMAD, to make you better, worthier… beautiful. You are a work of art now! Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pots and such with gold. I did that for you, NOMAD… for Him. You know as well as I that you'd never have beaten Merric as you were before. You are so very welcome for the pain that remade you. But, I will warn you, as Jack tried to warn me.
He slowly returns to standing as he grins, his body twisting back into something more natural for most.
Don’t let the glory take away what I worked so hard to make in you—what He worked so hard to make in you. You came back from being broken, stronger than before. Don’t let the glory make you fall.
Poena shakes his head, remembering the fight with Merric… the voices from the golden plate that he’d held so briefly. But he didn’t need the belt… he had Him. The very thought made him grin again, looking back into the camera with renewed vigor.
You will come to the ring so sure of yourself! You’ve beaten me before, even before your breaking! You will think that even if I’m right, that just means that you will beat me even easier, right? You beat Merric, after all… But I’ve changed myself, NOMAD. I have broken myself to repent for my faltering ways; I have tortured myself even further than I ever did before, all in His name! Yes, I have broken myself, and let Him rebuild me!
Poena laughs and scoops up a handful of something from a box near the speaker that still drones its distorted song. He shows the handful of broken glass to the camera before slowly starting to crush it in his hands, making them pour blood, but his face never strayed from the smile.
Did you think I was tough before? You think I was a zealot? Now, you will see me, REBORN! I must mold your growth now that you've been reforged, beat you into the proper shape and quench you in your blood! I must prove myself over and over to Him until I have earned my forgiveness! You and Random are two more tests… two more who are so very ready to join Him.
The eldritch music turns static and screams at Random’s name, then shifts to a distorted version of “Amazing Grace” as the lights slowly turn turquoise.
Do you know who she is, NOMAD? I do. I know you now, Random. I’ve seen all I need to see. He’s shown me soooo much about Dent and the rest. Did you really think you could hide it?
Poena straightens up, tossing the bloody glass against the wall with a wet crackling.
They seem so very fond of giving us partners that we can’t trust, don’t they? But Random, you are special, and you know that. You’ve heard Him, I know it. Immortal She, Return to me. You can’t fight it any more than Jack can, not now, not ever. Once you’ve caught His attention, it’s like a whirlpool or a Venus fly trap. Ahhh, but the burning is so delicious. Your mind can’t let it go, can it?
Poena tilts his head, the world turning to fog as the music swells behind his words.
Why did he do that? Why would he throw away the match? What was he doing? You will find out Random. Too late, for all your intellect. While you were fighting in that wondrous cage, I went out and got you something… personal you might have forgotten. I hope you like the present I left you, Random. If you haven’t found it yet, well, perhaps you aren’t as brilliant as you think you are.
The world comes back into focus with Poena on the other side of the room, watching the blood drip and dry on the wall like it is a book being written right in front of him.
As for you, Ishimori… You are on the long list of those who hate me for the Truth I bring and the Love I show. All I ask is you work with me in this match.
Poena grins and looks back into the camera with a sneer.
Show me you are competent enough to do that, at least. You are up against a champion, after all.
He laughs dismissively, shaking his head as his focus goes back to the blood, the music growing louder as the screen fades to black.
NOOOOMAAAADDDD…
The distorted music cowers down in volume at his words, making more of a broken background as Poena holds the last strange pose he was in, balanced perfectly in an inhuman pose.
Congratulations! You managed to capture the glory. You beat Merric! I knew when I chiseled you and sculped you with that sledgehammer so long ago that you’d come back stronger. After all, you snap a bone…
Poena laughs and dislocates his shoulder, looking over at it for a moment before popping it right back into place without a flinch.
… It grows back stronger. I broke you, NOMAD, to make you better, worthier… beautiful. You are a work of art now! Kintsugi, the art of repairing broken pots and such with gold. I did that for you, NOMAD… for Him. You know as well as I that you'd never have beaten Merric as you were before. You are so very welcome for the pain that remade you. But, I will warn you, as Jack tried to warn me.
He slowly returns to standing as he grins, his body twisting back into something more natural for most.
Don’t let the glory take away what I worked so hard to make in you—what He worked so hard to make in you. You came back from being broken, stronger than before. Don’t let the glory make you fall.
Poena shakes his head, remembering the fight with Merric… the voices from the golden plate that he’d held so briefly. But he didn’t need the belt… he had Him. The very thought made him grin again, looking back into the camera with renewed vigor.
You will come to the ring so sure of yourself! You’ve beaten me before, even before your breaking! You will think that even if I’m right, that just means that you will beat me even easier, right? You beat Merric, after all… But I’ve changed myself, NOMAD. I have broken myself to repent for my faltering ways; I have tortured myself even further than I ever did before, all in His name! Yes, I have broken myself, and let Him rebuild me!
Poena laughs and scoops up a handful of something from a box near the speaker that still drones its distorted song. He shows the handful of broken glass to the camera before slowly starting to crush it in his hands, making them pour blood, but his face never strayed from the smile.
Did you think I was tough before? You think I was a zealot? Now, you will see me, REBORN! I must mold your growth now that you've been reforged, beat you into the proper shape and quench you in your blood! I must prove myself over and over to Him until I have earned my forgiveness! You and Random are two more tests… two more who are so very ready to join Him.
The eldritch music turns static and screams at Random’s name, then shifts to a distorted version of “Amazing Grace” as the lights slowly turn turquoise.
Do you know who she is, NOMAD? I do. I know you now, Random. I’ve seen all I need to see. He’s shown me soooo much about Dent and the rest. Did you really think you could hide it?
Poena straightens up, tossing the bloody glass against the wall with a wet crackling.
They seem so very fond of giving us partners that we can’t trust, don’t they? But Random, you are special, and you know that. You’ve heard Him, I know it. Immortal She, Return to me. You can’t fight it any more than Jack can, not now, not ever. Once you’ve caught His attention, it’s like a whirlpool or a Venus fly trap. Ahhh, but the burning is so delicious. Your mind can’t let it go, can it?
Poena tilts his head, the world turning to fog as the music swells behind his words.
Why did he do that? Why would he throw away the match? What was he doing? You will find out Random. Too late, for all your intellect. While you were fighting in that wondrous cage, I went out and got you something… personal you might have forgotten. I hope you like the present I left you, Random. If you haven’t found it yet, well, perhaps you aren’t as brilliant as you think you are.
The world comes back into focus with Poena on the other side of the room, watching the blood drip and dry on the wall like it is a book being written right in front of him.
As for you, Ishimori… You are on the long list of those who hate me for the Truth I bring and the Love I show. All I ask is you work with me in this match.
Poena grins and looks back into the camera with a sneer.
Show me you are competent enough to do that, at least. You are up against a champion, after all.
He laughs dismissively, shaking his head as his focus goes back to the blood, the music growing louder as the screen fades to black.