Chapter Twelve: The Bastard
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An age ago, a eclipsed moon laid out upon an altar
the silver shimmer like waves at sea, a soothing voice
preached high and below.
May thy supple, tender for this matrimony of lords communion.
Lords Supper herald you be, pray well' Valnt filled his heart of what could and be; the union soon to be met
under gallows may he rise, jaw in hand and scythe well donned, skin of penumbra a curator of life's futility. Soft whimpers broke revelation, ah. Poor soul, the whip tightened as Valnt bore justice' the lamb knows not, nature of it truly lost on innocence. May be told, may be scorn but it does not grasp Lord's will.
Pray thee.
Chestnut hair, a pure child whom still reeked of mothers tit. Valnt' leathery scale fingers caressed the child's skull peeling back eyelids to watering eyes the gag and straps did not set the soul free. "Little boy, glad aren't you? Awful dear you be good' Valnt's second pair of arms rummaged in a cloth sack, struck a wicked smile' Sweet treats for good little boys." A scone black as tar, doused in unknown crumbles and shards found its way in place of the boy's gag.
On contact the tar like substance bubbled, the boys body jolted accompanied by the sneering froglike choir tri-eyed underworldly forms. A seldom outing in dissonance, a barren field of mourning wind the various altars splayed three human cattle. Three points, a tri sacrifice to lunar delicacy of stars, an embrace edging closer to the Lord on this night of communion. The clergy begun, ritual of summoning and disrobed. Runic scars carved amuck boney spines, gouges of red scale a penance of understanding, stripped bare they will force the two cattle as a sincerity, remaining left for the Lords arrival.
At apex of the celestial convergence goosebumps, a unmistakable prod, gaze far reaching an omniscience. Valnt void all else drew to the rising sensation, his claw-like hands fidgeted as anticipation boiled the mind. Shadows ran, the weight of the clergy's lungs doubled' quickly they prostrated; a gale hushed out the altar flame, yet in the lull of eclipse nothing was from Lord's eye.
Earth rumbled, rifts in the ground shook the campsite, Valnt remained on his feet toward the abyss the trivals outside his perception lost. He heard it, the sound of something approaching out in the dark.
The curdling stopped, as stillness undeniably fell upon the campsite Valnt gasped alone' was-- Was it not enough? The shrouding darkness came clearer as eyes adjusted; a shape amidst paces ahead unmoving, a ghostly white staring back a reflexive shiver ran down Valnt's claws holding them at the sight, snapped his knuckles back like a beaten puppy... A quenching sound tore Valnt's gaze, one of the clergy still robbed dropped their staff, the teeth bracelet's fell as the man went limp leaning back kin to a drawn bow.
A crunch later the man's form bent more as their feet left the ground' slowly rose as if puppeteered on strings. 'Thorin.. The words stuck in Valnt's throat as he dared not utter the blasphemy of his compatriot had served a display. Not knowing the error, what foul misgiving Thorin done, a man whom reputation in the group was sound. To not know the heretic among them Valnt shuttered, feeling his place toward the rising corpse..
...
A blessing to some, Valnt surmised in death the lord's will graces. Ear to ear, wide smiles full of excitement the clergy couldn't restrain themselves, much as Valnt tried his best, it was miracle a divine descendance. Years of devout labor, the eclipse marked numerous skies past, the ritual finally succeeded, no denying it was recompense for all sacrificed.
"Oh, lord of souls we bequest lost knowledge, humbly offer a boy with utmost purity of the untainted for consumption." Valnt bellowed. Bowing now, the grass beneath feet shifted, the structure and foliage itself twisting, tiny plant roots wiggled by unseen force as Valnt noticed growths attached to his feet like chains unable to stand. Compounding pressure irked the back of Valnt's mind, an invasive force pulling thoughts and actions of past days to light a forefront display of all he had done flashed in an instant draining his vigor. Vomiting masked with blood, a thud came from behind. Thorin fell.
The presence came closer, at each step the earth rumbled if by command; willed by power of the divine. Valnt heart quaked with the soil, roots entangled. Torrent of earth burst, wicked growths of roots and wood chucks passed like a wave separating flesh from bone assaulting the clergy members, some just skewered and hung like coats. The display short lived as the screams.
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The presence came closer, footfalls till Valnt realized a pair of legs settled on the edge of his sight.
Close now, boot to face Valnt was thrown back, a miracle his neck still attached. Stilled the scene disturbed reason, had his action insulted the lord? Unable to find reason Valnt's face distorted as he wobbled to stand, laying bodies of his companions faces stricken with terror, had they not met lords will? "How, how..' Cut short Valnt fell over, blood splattering his knee finding new home tens of meters away.
"Heel, as I have not given you reason to stand."
Valnt screamed, his magic ineffective at closing the wound- In such presence he was but a mortal man, feeble and grasping at straws. The air followed lord's command, "I..DID- Did it all for you! My lord!' Crawling to the pair of legs Valnt stammered 'I, beg. An a-amends." Draped in shadows themselves, an imposing figure an unmoving face- Mask of white. Valnt quivered but his mouth remained loose, "I only live to serve."
..
The eclipse lulled above, beyond storm clouds it shifted the distinct red glow tempting those gazing upon it into trance, a celestial convergence, surged powers best unknown and scurried in recesses from vain hands.
"Vermin."
A subtle mutter, kin to a whisper one frantically strained to hear. The rush of pain, Valnt's wounds throbbed a sign his will had yet to fade. Unshakable grip pulled by the scalp, Valnt was little more than luggage. And rightly so tossed, cracking the middle altar on impact. Gruel and puke gasped out in ragged breaths unable to muster any meager resistance, fell sagged on his side words left, as it was not his time to speak. Wind caught in his throat, every plea stuck and meaningless. A boy no more than ten, scar marks of knives in archaic symbols lined the child's chest' despite the appearance the boy was alive. The throbbing of his veins proof enough, he had passed out.
Between middle and thumb, a soft snap and the boy's eyes opened, a shade of dark hazel met a white mask. The straps already cut, the boy clutched his wrists slowly panned to the groaning by his feet. Then toward a long haired girl, lifeless eyes rolled back on the altar to the left, another boy on the right who's head had taken a vacation. "W-hy?" The boy jittered, the actions baring no reason, just showcasing the ever occurring blight in shadow. "ritual, to summon-' gulping the boy met the masked figure's singular eye slit, "You."
A deep sigh, than a muttering of incantation, a force blew fourth from the figure. Air itself bore weight as wisps of magic spread from fingertips to the boy's body in a flash, unable to comprehend the swaying magic form wrapped itself coiling at the wrists, fissures and mark of blades still wet sealing the wounds and reinvigorating beaten flesh, the boy yelped in surprise.
"The bleak in their hearts came to summon me" The magic faded as the figure tossed a knife between the boy's feet, "But I bare no salvation, no decree of mine felled your friends, but his.' Valnt remained tethered by the scalp, as the figure pilled him to view.
"Will you wallow, muck the slime and let the drudge of this bleakness drown you.. Boy.' Dragging his prey the figure walked paces back displaying Valnt's body in full view, "Seize your will, if you can." He had known the turmoil behind those sunken eyes, the shred of doubt ever present as minutes past, silence gave cue of own thoughts, one had to bring resolution themselves. Judgement, support of others upon sludge soil built no proper foundation off one's will...
The boy grasped the blade, his young face resolute and fierce more than a child ever should, parted a look toward his savior.
The masked figure softly nodded, "Tainted hands lie with those who butchered your brother and sister."
Patter of footsteps crumpled wet grass, guttural the boy screamed, charged Valnt whom limp body remained rooted. A wordless exchange, blood flowed as the knife cut deep red scale bastardized by repeated slashes, torment rebound to sow deeds done,
"...' An hour had passed, Valnt's body long since stiffened as the boy finally let go the hilt slipping through his runny fingers,
Only then did the masked figure let go of the cultist's scalp, a resounding thud mark of it done.
"..What are you called young one." The figure spoke, broke the boy's trancelike eyes as realization struck, took the outstretched hand without reservation.
"Luke."
..
"Inhuman cultists, those Torkan butchered and maimed all to summon me from edges of earth' The figure grabbed the dropped knife, "Shall we make them repent for that foolish decision Luke?"
"Savior, who are you?"
The figure smiled taking his white mask away, "The Torkan would call me the Devourer, others a shadow at the darkest depths a stealer of souls. But you can call me.. Ceron"