—Senator Franklin Jacobs POV—

The girl, Eira, stands near me as I subtly check to make sure my earpiece is functioning properly. I take a quick breath while struggling to keep my composure and politeness. I’m a politician after all I’ve shaken hands with some of the slimiest and cruelest people currently living. However, none of them have hit as close to home as this girl next to me.

It takes everything in me to not lash out and strangle this girl. This is the first time I’ve ever had this much violent hatred toward anyone. If she didn’t look like a young girl, I think I would have snapped already. I know there’s no proof she’s responsible for the Crawlers, but no one involved actually believes that bullshit. Someone like her appearing at the same time they did is just too much of a coincidence for them not to be related in some way.

‘Tracking this girl has been difficult; she’s dangerous, fast, slippery, and most of all, she’s inconspicuous when she isn’t doing something to draw attention. She just looks like some teenage girl wearing a hood unless you get a good look at her. That’s why I’m taking a real risk here, but I know this girl is the key to ending this or at least learning how to fight it. Worst case scenario, she refuses, and I’ll strangle her while cursing her for what she did to Merideth.’

The room is eerily quiet. Everyone seems just to be waiting for this Eden person to start. I’m confused by why things haven’t commenced before I vaguely notice Eira is holding up her hand. How the girl Eden can see such a subtle signal from the front of the darkroom is beyond me, you’d think she could see in the dark or something if I didn’t know better.

Eira’s turns toward me, “Senator Jacobs, tell me, are you a religious man?”

It’s hard to see by this point, but I can hear everyone shifting in their seat, and I can only assume they are looking in our direction.

I clear my throat, “Why, of course, I believe in the one and only God in Heaven. I believe he watches over us all with a guiding hand.”

“Hmm, interesting. Well, I look forward to hearing your opinion on our own religion.” Eira replies curtly.

Her words confuse me as I gaze around the room.

‘There are over a hundred people here. I find it hard to believe that the majority wouldn’t be believers of the God in Heaven.’

Eira raises her hand higher and speaks louder to garner the room’s attention, “Senator Jacobs, I know you’re confused, but together with everyone in this room, you all shall come to know who the True God is. The God of Blood, the incarnation of the moon itself, and one of the few strands that humanity can grasp onto if they hope to survive the cataclysm to come. All those that devote themselves to her will see prosperity, and all those who oppose her are seeking ruin. Tonight you will see those who follow the Goddess rewarded along with a fantastical display. I do hope you all enjoy it.”

She lowers her hand, and people begin to talk amongst themselves with confusion and excitement. Things begin shortly thereafter.

In the light of the moon, Eden starts to speak, “Thank you all for attending tonight’s service. I know it is late, but at this place and at this time, we can be closest to the one you all just heard about, the Goddess of Blood. As the Crawlers shriek and the sound of gunfire rings through the night, here we can find comfort in the Goddess’s ever-loving presence.”

The more these people talk, the more my nervousness rises. I again glance around the room, squinting to see everyone else’s reaction. What I can see of the few people near me everyone's interest seems to be at an all-time high. The only other person that seems to be confused is the Congressman.

Eden continues, “The Goddess is a being of immense power and motherliness. The Goddess is willing to take all of our burdens onto herself and replace them with affection and purpose. One that will save us all from the coming disaster and allow us to be stronger because of it. Tonight I would like to sing a short melody to the lost generation of the Mother Goddess’s children. While I sing, the people here will perform a ceremony. Remember, the Goddess rewards those that show their commitment to the Goddess’s goals.”

As I stand puzzled, a noise plays from my earpiece, ”Senator, is everything all right in there?”

I’m honestly not sure, so I momentarily hesitate to answer. Keeping my resolve firm, I tap the earpiece causing it to beep once. This is simply a signal for “yes” or “I’m fine”.

“Without further ado, let’s begin,” Eden says as she clears her voice.

Suddenly a soft and entrancing noise that seems to come from Heaven itself arises.

~~Heroic young blood, wandering near the sleeping throne.~~

~~Fought for their people who are lost in the sands.~~

By the point, I’ve lost my breath, but even so, I realize my reaction is nothing compared to those around me. The people in front of me seem like they’re on the brink of throwing their arms up in worship.

~~Time ticks on, and they are long forgotten.~~

~~A people lost to the winds.~~

The music picks up the pace, and a faint radiance rises from the front of the room. I look to see the girl Eden’s eyes have begun to glow noticeably. In the dim room, I can just barely make out veins of shimmering blue, leading to her left eye, while veins of shimmering red lead to her right eye.

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~~But the day came that she awoke.~~

~~The blood once dry bubbles from the throne.~~

**Crack**

A sharp noise echoes, and the window begins to show signs of breaking. I’m bewildered to the point of alarm by the situation and start to feel I should leave and reassess the situation. I take a step back only to bump into the person behind me. I rapidly realize there’s no leaving now, so I feel for the pistol strapped to my side and continue to observe the situation.

~~The day will soon come, the world will turn red.~~

~~Courageous young blood, your soul watches from the bloody throne.~~

The five people at the front of the room step forward and drop to their knees. I suddenly notice another person at the front. I look beside me and find Eira seems to have wandered to the front while I was rattled.

~~New days to come and past pains will heal.~~

~~Old wounds will fade, but the scars will remind us.~~

**Bang**

Suddenly the glass explodes outwards, but amazingly it doesn’t scatter to the floor. It merely flips and spins in the air with little red sparks jumping between the various pieces. The room goes from a light glow to a bright red as the moon begins to dye itself red. Starting from the front, people begin dropping to their knees in reverence. This progresses until eventually, Bill and I are the only one’s still standing.

~~To the bitter end you fought, but you still found your way to her.~~

~~The Goddess cares for the tired and lost.~~

Things continue to escalate as symbols of an incomprehensible language appear above the six kneeling people wearing the white mask at the front of the room. Instantly an intense aroma of something I am very familiar with from my army days overpowers everything. The smell is quite obviously blood. It’s almost like the entire place is covered in layers of blood, and the smell permeates everything.

Abruptly I notice a single drop of something falling from each symbol and landing at each person's feet.

~~Observe your new brother and sisters well.~~

~~Noble young blood, in the scarlet light of the throne, please rest peacefully.~~

A light rises from each drop to the point I can finally see everything clearly. What looks to be five rings quickly takes shape while a red mist rises from a larger drawing at Eira’s feet. The mist continues to twist and turn chaotically as the other five take the ring and move to slip them onto their finger.

“Annie, no!” Bill bellows.

The Congressman begins to charge forward tripping over those kneeling in his path, but it’s too late. As each slips on their respective rings, burning red veins run from the ring up their arms.

**Thump. Thump.**

A sound like a heartbeat echoes through the room as the red mist begins to condense. What appears is something I’ve never seen in real life before, a War Scythe. It is elegantly designed yet also fearsome in appearance. Eira reaches out her hand and grips the scythe, and a small glimmer comes from the five rings. At the same time, the five peek around in confusion before their eyes settle on Eira.

She nods, and the five speak in unison, “By the grace of the Goddess, we humbly accept these gifts. We shall serve the Goddess in this life and the next to the best of our abilities.”

The five flinch as the rings appear to dig themselves deeper into their flesh. A moment later, the red color of the moon begins to fade, and in almost an instant, everything returns to normal. Even the broken window seems to be completely repaired.

“No! What have you done to Annie!” Bill shouts.

A few of the softer lights turn on illuminating the front as Eira, and the four others approach Bill.

“She has received a gift from the Goddess. Your daughter is a strong believer in the Goddess.” Eden says to Bill.

“What! Get that thing off her!” Bill reaches for the ring and tugs at it.

As he tugs, the rings sparks, and a wave of red electricity seems to run into Bill’s body.

“AH!” Bill yells in pain.

Annie is about to run to her father when Eira catches her arm and whispers something into her ear.

“I can’t do that!” Annie screams.

I can see tears beginning to run from underneath Annie’s mask. Two of the bigger men approach Bill from behind and hold his arms.

“Prove your loyalty to the Goddess,” Eira replies firmly as she hands Annie a knife and points at her father. “Have faith.”

I place my hand on my pistol as I watch Annie approach her father.

‘She wouldn’t do anything to hurt her own father surely?... I doubt Bill would ever forgive me if I shot her.’

“Annie, what have they done to you?” Bill cries. “Please, Annie, just drop the knife and let’s go home. I’ll get your brother too, and we’ll all go home.”

Reminiscent of a girl her age Annie stomps the floor, “Home? You were hardly ever around since mom died!”

“A-Annie, I’m sorry. I’ll be better from now on! I promise.” Bill responds softly.

“You always promise, but nothing ever changes… it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m a follower of the Goddess now, and this is the first time she’s asked me to do anything.”

“Annie, the Goddess isn’t real!.” Bill replies, trying to talk sense into his daughter.

“Annie, do it. We must always do as the Goddess asks.” Eira says loudly to Annie.

Annie’s crying grows louder as she struggles to talk, “I-I’m sorry, daddy.”

Annie pulls back her arm and stabs at her father’s stomach.

The crowd gasps and one woman screams when **Thunk**.

My jaw drops as a noise like someone stabbing cardboard rings out.

Annie stares slack-jawed, “Eh?”

Eira rubs her head, “Good job, Annie.”

"S-she tried to stab me." I hear Bill whisper while looking dumbstruck and hurt.

Annie sniffs and stares at the knife in confusion, “But…”

“He was wearing a bulletproof vest, so he’s fine. What matters is you were willing to do it.” Eira says loudly for the crowd to hear. “In the future, your faith may be tested, but the Goddess would never ask you to do something without meaning.”

Eira approaches Bill and reaches into his vest near where Annie stabbed and pulls out what looks like a grenade. She reaches into his pockets, pulling out two more grenades. She holds up the three grenades so the crowd can see them clearly.

"B-but I didn't..." Bill stutters.

Eira quickly interrupts him, "This man is clearly not even a soldier, and he has all these explosives. Something tells me his intentions aren't pure. Clearly, this is what the Goddess wanted to reveal." she proclaims.

“Unbelievable.” Several people in the crowd shout.

‘What! I’m positive Bill didn’t have all those on him before we came in here!’

Eden walks in front of the two and begins to speak, “Thank you all. We ask, after this display of the Goddess’s power and this young follower’s unwavering faith, is anyone here interested in learning more about the Goddess?”

“Yes! Please tell us more about the Goddess!” I hear several people yell out.

“Please tell us about the Mother!” One woman shouts.

“Anything you can tell us would be more than we deserve!” I hear someone else yell.

While this is going on, the two men drag Bill toward the back of the room. Eira and the other two adults follow them from behind, leaving just the little girl ‘Annie’ and Eden behind. My eyes remain on the four adults as something appears in Eira’s hand, and she tosses one to each of them.

‘Are those fully equipped M4 assault rifles!’ I shout in my mind.

Eira makes her way toward me, scythe in hand while motioning toward Annie to follow. The people move out of the way as the two make their way through the crowd before stopping in front of me.

“It seems you and the Congressman aren’t as interested. Shall the four of us find somewhere quieter to speak?”