Post by ulvendagoth on Dec 17, 2022 5:21:20 GMT -5
Dakota was leaning over Ace's crib, trying to soothe him to sleep, when she heard a voice that sent chills up her spine.
Even though the unfaithful scour and search, they cannot find His Chosen. They cast the net wide and far, forgetting the rich waters they sail.
It couldn't possibly be him. How could it be? It was impossible.
Dakota slowly moved—the slow movement of one faced with a rattlesnake or an apex predator—leaning up and turning to face him. There he was, Poena—the face that had haunted her nightmares. Despite everything Tug and Jack had done, he had infiltrated right into their hearts, right into the most vulnerable targets.
"They will try to keep His Chosen from their lands, but their efforts will be for naught, for He has blessed him with power beyond their understanding." Pharynx: Chapter 5, Verse 1. Do you not see, Dakota? I was always going to stand before you in time and in judgment.
Dakota knew she should scream, fight, do something... But nothing could have prepared her for that evil gaze in his eyes. She stood transfixed, as the bird does before the snake, unblinking and terrified into complete stillness.
Now, give me Ace, and you will be spared. Such a simple act, you poor, lost soul. I know you don't see His embrace the same way I do, and you'd do anything to avoid it. So give him to us, and you can go on living, unsaved.
Her head swam as he spoke now, his eyes so mesmerizing that she'd half turned to get Ace before she even realized. But as she looked down at his little face, she felt a surge of strength, like a mother bear protecting her cubs to the end.
She whipped back around to face him. But as his eyes met hers again, she... froze, the snarl softening to a bit back growl. She couldn't fight him; she felt that hammered into her core with a crushing weight of despair, but the strength she'd felt a moment ago was still there, merely shrunk to a solid steel rock of determination. She'd do the one thing she could.
Take… Take me instead of him. Please, he's just a baby.
Poena cocked his head, The predator was watching the prey exhibit some curious behavior.
You could never be a vessel for Him like Ace. I would have to bestow upon you the most ruinous of His blessings for your sacrifice to count. You'd live, I'd make sure of it... but if you kept your sanity, you'd wish I hadn't for the rest of your life.
Dakota froze for a fraction of a second before the dagger of shame twisted and stabbed her. Why was she hesitant? This was for her son.
I would suffer anything to protect him.
Poena laughed—that horrid, corrupting laugh. After a moment, he jerked violently, both eyes shifting to multicolored nebulas as he looked back at Dakota. She felt violated the moment those eyes found her, as something other looked at her; the voice following a moment later seemed to coat her soul in tar.
Sacrifice. Mother's. Love. For. Child.
She wanted to scream at the voice, more of an unholy noise her brain could only understand as a voice cutting its way from Poena's mouth, but it was like she had no mouth. Blood dripped from Poena's wide, joyous eyes and far too wide mouth as the "voice" spoke again, damning her with chilling finality.
Accepted. Rend. Her.
Poena slumped forward as Dakota reeled in abject terror, stunned by sheer horror. She recovered just in time to see Poena lift his head to glare at her, both eyes glowing red as his face twisted in a horrid mix of rage and ecstasy. When he pounced a heartbeat later, her screams finally came, mixing with Ace's crying and ushering in her sacrifice.
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Jaaaacccck….
Poena sits in the middle of Ace's room, utterly drenched in blood, rocking Ace slowly. Ace himself is asleep, despite the blood soaking into his swaddling and dripping down onto him.
You could have prevented this, Jack. You had so many chances to give in and let yourself be sacrificed to Him. You had so many chances to come find me... This is your fault, Diamond.
Behind Poena's words is a rhythmic gurgling and clicking sound, though the source of the inhuman sound is out of sight.
What happened to your threats? You were going to steal me away to that mansion you bought and make me scream. We would have had such fun together, but you were too caught up in winning and then fighting Long to remember me.
Poena chuckles, looking up into the camera as blood drips from his face onto the sleeping Ace.
But unlike you, I keep my promises. Here I sit in the very heart of your world, as I always said I would. All of the defenses and manhunts were futile.
Poena slowly looks around, the camera following to show blood spray coating a good deal of the room.
I have struck such a grievous blow, right under your nose, Diamond. What could you even do in response? When you face me at my altar in the desert of broken glass, you'll be facing the man who's hurt you more than anyone else.
Poena slowly reaches up, gathering some of the blood on his finger to draw the mark of his God on Ace's forehead. The juxtaposition of Ace's sleeping innocence and Poena's grinning horror is even more stark in that moment, as Poena rocked the sleeping babe a moment more before standing.
So drown in your despair and shame, Diamond. You failed. Perhaps you will finally be ready to give in when we meet again... Finally, be ready to let me save you.
Poena turns and lowers Ace into his crib, which is now liberally splattered with blood, giving him a clump of hair to hold as he sleeps before straightening up.
Because if you are not, just think of what I would do to you after this. If you fight me at the altar, I’ll break you in body and soul. I will leave you a cripple, with arms and legs twisted and broken beyond repair. I’ll make you understand what a fool you have been from the start.
Poena slowly turns to look at the camera, his eyes glowing softly as he frowns. All the while, the gurgling and clicking noises continue.
How could you not see this coming? My first act against you was to rip the eye from your best friend. His first commandment was to save Tug to show you what you could embrace. I started stalking and watching you all. I was watching and studying each weakness and every twitch.
The camera has been slowly panning back as he’s been talking, showing the room with blood splattered and sprayed over all the walls, with Poena standing in the eye of the storm.
How could you think me so foolish as to have called from near His church? I knew exactly what you all would do and how much you’d trust others to handle it. You are such a damned fool. I have so much to teach you, if you would just let me.
The camera zooms back in slowly as Poena moves bonelessly, almost like a dancer on stage, his arms flowing out to gesture with his words.
Because that’s what this has been about—Ace serving as a vessel for Him and you realizing how important that is. All of this pain, terror, and paranoia could have been avoided if you'd just given in and come to worship Him as I do. What wonders I could have shown you... What beautiful agony, what transformative ecstasy! But no, your family was too important. Protecting Dakota and Ace from what you perceived to be a monster consumed you to the point where I was able to slip in and destroy what you cherish.
Poena smiles, the surface gentleness shallowly covering the sadistic excitement as his hands and arms still flow along with his words.
So what can hold you back now? What could possibly keep you from truly letting your darkness out? Not like last time, where it was all empty threats and anger. No, let the truth out, Diamond. Let everyone see you are just as "twisted" as I am. Let them see that we are not so different and come to His worship with me. Come to my altar and let us truly praise Him.
Poena’s smiling face turns to look at a part of the floor that is hidden from the camera’s view and seemingly the source of the noises that have been in the background the whole time.
At least you understood in the end. You understood the need for sacrifice and pain. Because of that, I will honor your last sane wish. Ace will stay with his broken father until such a time that he gives Ace to me willingly.
The sounds get louder for a moment, almost seeming like begging or pleading as Poena smiles a little wider.
I told you that you’d live and regret it. Bathe in His blessings, for you have been truly saved. It is His gift to you and your family. Glory. Be.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poena closes the door to Ace’s room behind him, grinning softly as he murmurs prayers to himself and turns back to the door. He gathers some of the blood off himself and smears it on the doorframe, on the top and both sides, before tapping his chin and letting some of the liquid he uses for his mist drip onto his hands. He mixes it with a little more blood before drawing the swirling symbol of his faith on the door before using one last almost-coagulated bit to pin a tarot card to the door—the 9 of Swords.
The camera glitches and the feed jerks as it focuses on the card, pulling back to show Poena gone. As the sound of a door opening downstairs is heard, the camera feed is cut, ending the horror.
Even though the unfaithful scour and search, they cannot find His Chosen. They cast the net wide and far, forgetting the rich waters they sail.
It couldn't possibly be him. How could it be? It was impossible.
Dakota slowly moved—the slow movement of one faced with a rattlesnake or an apex predator—leaning up and turning to face him. There he was, Poena—the face that had haunted her nightmares. Despite everything Tug and Jack had done, he had infiltrated right into their hearts, right into the most vulnerable targets.
"They will try to keep His Chosen from their lands, but their efforts will be for naught, for He has blessed him with power beyond their understanding." Pharynx: Chapter 5, Verse 1. Do you not see, Dakota? I was always going to stand before you in time and in judgment.
Dakota knew she should scream, fight, do something... But nothing could have prepared her for that evil gaze in his eyes. She stood transfixed, as the bird does before the snake, unblinking and terrified into complete stillness.
Now, give me Ace, and you will be spared. Such a simple act, you poor, lost soul. I know you don't see His embrace the same way I do, and you'd do anything to avoid it. So give him to us, and you can go on living, unsaved.
Her head swam as he spoke now, his eyes so mesmerizing that she'd half turned to get Ace before she even realized. But as she looked down at his little face, she felt a surge of strength, like a mother bear protecting her cubs to the end.
She whipped back around to face him. But as his eyes met hers again, she... froze, the snarl softening to a bit back growl. She couldn't fight him; she felt that hammered into her core with a crushing weight of despair, but the strength she'd felt a moment ago was still there, merely shrunk to a solid steel rock of determination. She'd do the one thing she could.
Take… Take me instead of him. Please, he's just a baby.
Poena cocked his head, The predator was watching the prey exhibit some curious behavior.
You could never be a vessel for Him like Ace. I would have to bestow upon you the most ruinous of His blessings for your sacrifice to count. You'd live, I'd make sure of it... but if you kept your sanity, you'd wish I hadn't for the rest of your life.
Dakota froze for a fraction of a second before the dagger of shame twisted and stabbed her. Why was she hesitant? This was for her son.
I would suffer anything to protect him.
Poena laughed—that horrid, corrupting laugh. After a moment, he jerked violently, both eyes shifting to multicolored nebulas as he looked back at Dakota. She felt violated the moment those eyes found her, as something other looked at her; the voice following a moment later seemed to coat her soul in tar.
Sacrifice. Mother's. Love. For. Child.
She wanted to scream at the voice, more of an unholy noise her brain could only understand as a voice cutting its way from Poena's mouth, but it was like she had no mouth. Blood dripped from Poena's wide, joyous eyes and far too wide mouth as the "voice" spoke again, damning her with chilling finality.
Accepted. Rend. Her.
Poena slumped forward as Dakota reeled in abject terror, stunned by sheer horror. She recovered just in time to see Poena lift his head to glare at her, both eyes glowing red as his face twisted in a horrid mix of rage and ecstasy. When he pounced a heartbeat later, her screams finally came, mixing with Ace's crying and ushering in her sacrifice.
------------------------------------------------------
Jaaaacccck….
Poena sits in the middle of Ace's room, utterly drenched in blood, rocking Ace slowly. Ace himself is asleep, despite the blood soaking into his swaddling and dripping down onto him.
You could have prevented this, Jack. You had so many chances to give in and let yourself be sacrificed to Him. You had so many chances to come find me... This is your fault, Diamond.
Behind Poena's words is a rhythmic gurgling and clicking sound, though the source of the inhuman sound is out of sight.
What happened to your threats? You were going to steal me away to that mansion you bought and make me scream. We would have had such fun together, but you were too caught up in winning and then fighting Long to remember me.
Poena chuckles, looking up into the camera as blood drips from his face onto the sleeping Ace.
But unlike you, I keep my promises. Here I sit in the very heart of your world, as I always said I would. All of the defenses and manhunts were futile.
Poena slowly looks around, the camera following to show blood spray coating a good deal of the room.
I have struck such a grievous blow, right under your nose, Diamond. What could you even do in response? When you face me at my altar in the desert of broken glass, you'll be facing the man who's hurt you more than anyone else.
Poena slowly reaches up, gathering some of the blood on his finger to draw the mark of his God on Ace's forehead. The juxtaposition of Ace's sleeping innocence and Poena's grinning horror is even more stark in that moment, as Poena rocked the sleeping babe a moment more before standing.
So drown in your despair and shame, Diamond. You failed. Perhaps you will finally be ready to give in when we meet again... Finally, be ready to let me save you.
Poena turns and lowers Ace into his crib, which is now liberally splattered with blood, giving him a clump of hair to hold as he sleeps before straightening up.
Because if you are not, just think of what I would do to you after this. If you fight me at the altar, I’ll break you in body and soul. I will leave you a cripple, with arms and legs twisted and broken beyond repair. I’ll make you understand what a fool you have been from the start.
Poena slowly turns to look at the camera, his eyes glowing softly as he frowns. All the while, the gurgling and clicking noises continue.
How could you not see this coming? My first act against you was to rip the eye from your best friend. His first commandment was to save Tug to show you what you could embrace. I started stalking and watching you all. I was watching and studying each weakness and every twitch.
The camera has been slowly panning back as he’s been talking, showing the room with blood splattered and sprayed over all the walls, with Poena standing in the eye of the storm.
How could you think me so foolish as to have called from near His church? I knew exactly what you all would do and how much you’d trust others to handle it. You are such a damned fool. I have so much to teach you, if you would just let me.
The camera zooms back in slowly as Poena moves bonelessly, almost like a dancer on stage, his arms flowing out to gesture with his words.
Because that’s what this has been about—Ace serving as a vessel for Him and you realizing how important that is. All of this pain, terror, and paranoia could have been avoided if you'd just given in and come to worship Him as I do. What wonders I could have shown you... What beautiful agony, what transformative ecstasy! But no, your family was too important. Protecting Dakota and Ace from what you perceived to be a monster consumed you to the point where I was able to slip in and destroy what you cherish.
Poena smiles, the surface gentleness shallowly covering the sadistic excitement as his hands and arms still flow along with his words.
So what can hold you back now? What could possibly keep you from truly letting your darkness out? Not like last time, where it was all empty threats and anger. No, let the truth out, Diamond. Let everyone see you are just as "twisted" as I am. Let them see that we are not so different and come to His worship with me. Come to my altar and let us truly praise Him.
Poena’s smiling face turns to look at a part of the floor that is hidden from the camera’s view and seemingly the source of the noises that have been in the background the whole time.
At least you understood in the end. You understood the need for sacrifice and pain. Because of that, I will honor your last sane wish. Ace will stay with his broken father until such a time that he gives Ace to me willingly.
The sounds get louder for a moment, almost seeming like begging or pleading as Poena smiles a little wider.
I told you that you’d live and regret it. Bathe in His blessings, for you have been truly saved. It is His gift to you and your family. Glory. Be.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Poena closes the door to Ace’s room behind him, grinning softly as he murmurs prayers to himself and turns back to the door. He gathers some of the blood off himself and smears it on the doorframe, on the top and both sides, before tapping his chin and letting some of the liquid he uses for his mist drip onto his hands. He mixes it with a little more blood before drawing the swirling symbol of his faith on the door before using one last almost-coagulated bit to pin a tarot card to the door—the 9 of Swords.
The camera glitches and the feed jerks as it focuses on the card, pulling back to show Poena gone. As the sound of a door opening downstairs is heard, the camera feed is cut, ending the horror.