Post by ulvendagoth on Mar 25, 2024 21:09:53 GMT -5
Far far back in time…
NOMAD LOST?!
Poena is just about beside himself in rage and worry, the dueling emotions fighting back and forth over his face as he shakes his head, backstage at TAPOUT.
No no no no! He was supposed to win the title. To be unbeaten until facing me! It was meant… you told me!
Poena pauses, his head tilting slightly as he blinks a few times… listening.
Not yet? What? He’s running?! He needs…
His eyes drift around, alighting on a sledgehammer so very serendipously placed nearby. He chuckles softly, grinning slowly.
… to be stronger… Yes, I’ll make sure he doesn’t run.
---------------------------------------------------
The camera finds Poena tracing the spiral in his chest, the Golden Ratio, forward and back over and over. He is standing in the midst of his disciples, his face set in contemplation. His head tilts slowly, his eyes lighting up as he hears the voice only he can hear, then he slowly turns to the camera.
Down.
His followers instantly hit the floor, arms out in supplication, as Poena grins slowly.
Nooomaaad… I know you remember that day. It was so much simpler in those days. Just you, me, and maybe Erin.
Poena sighs wistfully as he looks at the bodies arranged around him, his fingers tracing over the scars on his chest and torso.
But you had to be broken. You were always meant to be the champion, Nomad… but you lost. You lost your streak, then wanted to run like a coward. I’ve never forgiven you for that. Not losing… but running!
Poena lashes out, stomping down and breaking the fingers of one of his disciples. They don’t make a noise, though the hand does retract out of sight.
HOW DARE YOU?! This whole time, we were supposed to spiral down together into hell, beating each other into a new apotheosis! But no! You wanted to run, so I had to MAKE you stronger. I had to BREAK you so that you could heal stronger, like we were meant to do to each other all along.
Poena shakes his head, his multicolored eye glowing as he smiles for a moment… remembering that crack of bone.
I am the reason you are still here, Nomad. Not that belt you have. You had to come back to prove you could, you had to come back to get revenge on me. I know it, and you know it. After all, why else challenge me to your collared match? Other than being so very used to a collar's weight.
He laughs softly, turning slowly on the spot for a moment and dancing to a tune in his mind before placing a foot on one of his disciple’s heads and pressing down.
The story wasn’t done. The spiral wasn’t finished. As soon as you woke up in that homeless den, you knew, as well as I did, that you’d be back. Your destiny was to come back and win that belt of yours… the glory… and then finally lose to me. To have that one last stab into your heart that would blacken it completely, destroy the last shreds of humanity you have. Then… then you will be perfect for Him.
Poena presses down just a bit more and then jerks his foot, making a crack ring out from under his foot as the disciple’s body slides flat.
These… sheep are not worthy. They come to me and beg, they come to me and pledge to serve… and serve they do. As fodder and as sacrifices. They are not like me, you, or Jaaaack… or even Random or Sawyer. No… they are not in His eyes. They do not have His attention.
Poena snickers softly and then pulls a blade, all curves and horrid intent.
But… they still have their uses…
-----------------------------
Bodies are piled around the room, the camera propped up by the hand of one of the corpses as Poena stands in the middle of a massive spiral of blood. It starts at the bodies and then flows all the way around, slowly, to the middle under Poena’s feet.
I am Death, Nomad. You’ve spent so very long running from me, but you’ve run out of road. It’s time to face me and be changed. I will destroy you and rebuild you into your true form, a worthy form.
Poena licks some blood off his dagger before putting it away, snickering to himself softly as he teases the taste around in his mouth for a moment.
For once, one of you listen to me and just accept it. Let me change you. Let me rebuild you. It will hurt, of course, but at least your screams will be of joy and not horror. At least you might come out of the other side with some semblance of a soul. Stretch that earthbound, stubborn mind of yours and try to understand what I am offering, and what I will do even if you say no!
Poena growls, his red eye twitching for a moment before he exhales and grins like a Cheshire again.
Who am I kidding? You, Jack, and the rest wouldn’t be worthy if you just submitted to Him. Even I fought.
Poena taps his multicolored eye with a finger, grinning still.
But the wonders I finally saw when I could see again. I will see the wonder of your rebirth, Nomad. I promise you that. I will be the one to finally set you free...
He laughs madly, shaking his head as he raises his hands, the lights raising with them to show the Congregation standing around him. They are staring at the camera in both horror and welcome, each ghostly hand held out to drag Nomad into their ranks forever more… Glory Be.
NOMAD LOST?!
Poena is just about beside himself in rage and worry, the dueling emotions fighting back and forth over his face as he shakes his head, backstage at TAPOUT.
No no no no! He was supposed to win the title. To be unbeaten until facing me! It was meant… you told me!
Poena pauses, his head tilting slightly as he blinks a few times… listening.
Not yet? What? He’s running?! He needs…
His eyes drift around, alighting on a sledgehammer so very serendipously placed nearby. He chuckles softly, grinning slowly.
… to be stronger… Yes, I’ll make sure he doesn’t run.
---------------------------------------------------
The camera finds Poena tracing the spiral in his chest, the Golden Ratio, forward and back over and over. He is standing in the midst of his disciples, his face set in contemplation. His head tilts slowly, his eyes lighting up as he hears the voice only he can hear, then he slowly turns to the camera.
Down.
His followers instantly hit the floor, arms out in supplication, as Poena grins slowly.
Nooomaaad… I know you remember that day. It was so much simpler in those days. Just you, me, and maybe Erin.
Poena sighs wistfully as he looks at the bodies arranged around him, his fingers tracing over the scars on his chest and torso.
But you had to be broken. You were always meant to be the champion, Nomad… but you lost. You lost your streak, then wanted to run like a coward. I’ve never forgiven you for that. Not losing… but running!
Poena lashes out, stomping down and breaking the fingers of one of his disciples. They don’t make a noise, though the hand does retract out of sight.
HOW DARE YOU?! This whole time, we were supposed to spiral down together into hell, beating each other into a new apotheosis! But no! You wanted to run, so I had to MAKE you stronger. I had to BREAK you so that you could heal stronger, like we were meant to do to each other all along.
Poena shakes his head, his multicolored eye glowing as he smiles for a moment… remembering that crack of bone.
I am the reason you are still here, Nomad. Not that belt you have. You had to come back to prove you could, you had to come back to get revenge on me. I know it, and you know it. After all, why else challenge me to your collared match? Other than being so very used to a collar's weight.
He laughs softly, turning slowly on the spot for a moment and dancing to a tune in his mind before placing a foot on one of his disciple’s heads and pressing down.
The story wasn’t done. The spiral wasn’t finished. As soon as you woke up in that homeless den, you knew, as well as I did, that you’d be back. Your destiny was to come back and win that belt of yours… the glory… and then finally lose to me. To have that one last stab into your heart that would blacken it completely, destroy the last shreds of humanity you have. Then… then you will be perfect for Him.
Poena presses down just a bit more and then jerks his foot, making a crack ring out from under his foot as the disciple’s body slides flat.
These… sheep are not worthy. They come to me and beg, they come to me and pledge to serve… and serve they do. As fodder and as sacrifices. They are not like me, you, or Jaaaack… or even Random or Sawyer. No… they are not in His eyes. They do not have His attention.
Poena snickers softly and then pulls a blade, all curves and horrid intent.
But… they still have their uses…
-----------------------------
Bodies are piled around the room, the camera propped up by the hand of one of the corpses as Poena stands in the middle of a massive spiral of blood. It starts at the bodies and then flows all the way around, slowly, to the middle under Poena’s feet.
I am Death, Nomad. You’ve spent so very long running from me, but you’ve run out of road. It’s time to face me and be changed. I will destroy you and rebuild you into your true form, a worthy form.
Poena licks some blood off his dagger before putting it away, snickering to himself softly as he teases the taste around in his mouth for a moment.
For once, one of you listen to me and just accept it. Let me change you. Let me rebuild you. It will hurt, of course, but at least your screams will be of joy and not horror. At least you might come out of the other side with some semblance of a soul. Stretch that earthbound, stubborn mind of yours and try to understand what I am offering, and what I will do even if you say no!
Poena growls, his red eye twitching for a moment before he exhales and grins like a Cheshire again.
Who am I kidding? You, Jack, and the rest wouldn’t be worthy if you just submitted to Him. Even I fought.
Poena taps his multicolored eye with a finger, grinning still.
But the wonders I finally saw when I could see again. I will see the wonder of your rebirth, Nomad. I promise you that. I will be the one to finally set you free...
He laughs madly, shaking his head as he raises his hands, the lights raising with them to show the Congregation standing around him. They are staring at the camera in both horror and welcome, each ghostly hand held out to drag Nomad into their ranks forever more… Glory Be.