The world eater is coming. This is a phrase I have heard ad infinitum, the person who said it to me was my mother, Alison Cunningham and she is rather... strange.
Well I was about 6 years old, just a bit after Luna was born, my parents were involved in a freak car accident.
Their car was struck by lightning on a sunny day—at least according to my mom. My Father died at the scene while my mother, as you can guess, survived.
In fact, she came out of the scene with not a single scratch on her. But after the incident, something in her changed.
She had us move from the city to some rural outskirts, as she had bought us a ranch there. I was then homeschooled from then on and since I was still really young I didn't question it.
My mom taught me all sorts of things like math, physics, chemistry, etc. Even though I couldn't tell at the time, her lessons were quite in-depth but she taught them to me naturally and easily.
Things finally got strange when Luna became 4 years old, at this point, I was 10. After Luna's birthday, when my mom was tucking me into bed she spoke, her expression more serious and stern than I have ever since.
"Lizzy, you have to protect your sister alright?"
I just nodded, she then said.
"Your sister... is too young. Without you to guide her, she won't be able to make some tough decisions that will be required in the future."
She then caught my worried expression and tried to pacify me with a smile.
"Just take care of your sister, okay baby?"
"I will Mom."
"Thank you, baby."
She then kissed me on the forehead and left my room.
After that day she began applying some strict rules on us; 1) We had to have a strictly vegetarian diet.
2)We could not leave our ranch without her being with us.
3)We were not allowed to talk to anyone outside our family except when she permitted us to do so.
These 3 rules were enforced with an iron fist and they were some less strict rules like what we could wear, our haircuts, etc.
As we grew up in this kind of environment, we didn't think any of this was strange but over the years, Mom began getting more and more erratic. She would micromanage everything we did and harshly punish us if we got out of line.
This deeply hurt me, especially when she punished Luna by flogging her bare back for something as minor as putting bugs and non-edible items in her mouth.
One day when she was about to punish Luna again, I gathered all my courage and stepped in her way, even then I wasn't brave enough to look her in the eyes.
"What are you doing Lizzy?"
"I-I. I won't let you hurt Luna anymore."
"What do you mean hurt her? I am disciplining your sister, I'm doing this for her."
"But what you're doing is hurting her mom and... you said I should always protect her right?"
This caused her to freeze up. She then looked at the gas pipe she was clenching in her hand and closed her eyes seeming to struggle internally. She then shoved me to the side and said with her back to me.
"You will understand in the future Lizzy, we are running out of time. The world eater is coming."
After that day, Luna and I became deathly afraid of our mom, she still tried to talk and keep us company but we talked only when spoken to and talked to each other when we were alone.
"Why is Mom acting so scary Lizzy?"
Luna asked in a hushed voice as we sat on a tree with our mother watching us from the pouch.
"She is just worried about us Luna, she... just wants us to be good people."
"But... we are good people, right Lizzy?"
"Yeah, we are Luna, especially you. You're the best among us."
As I said this, I lifted her by her armpits and spun with her, drawing pearls of laughter from her. When I finally placed her down and looked back at the pouch, Mom wasn't there anymore.
My heart instantly sank and my eyes darted in various directions as I attempted to locate her. After a few moments, I resigned and took Luna inside just to see Mom carrying a TV.
We didn't say anything and she just set it up by herself for the entire afternoon, she placed a strange contraption on our roof and went to her room for about thirty minutes.
We just sat in our living room playing when Mom walked in, she had freshened up and had a smile on her face as she asked us.
"Who wants to watch TV?"
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That night, we watched all sorts of shows. In that one night, Our frayed relationship was somewhat mended. Even though we were still afraid of her, TV time always brought us together. I eventually figured out the password she put on the TV and whenever mom wasn't home, we sneakily watched it.
When I turned 14 something strange happened, people visited us for the first time. 4 women and one man sat with our mom and discussed something while our mom told us to go play and not talk to the guests.
They were in there for a good portion of the day, even though Luna and I were curious, we knew better than to disobey our mom's instructions.
As we sat outside, talked, and played to pass the time, our mother and the guests came out she said.
"Head inside and lock the door till I get back."
We just nodded and did as we were told. The TV was on, and the channel it showed was a news channel with the news anchor reporting on a devastating earthquake that had claimed the lives of 1000+ people in some Middle Eastern country.
I hastily tuned it to something else and we watched cartoons. Mom got back at some point in the evening with Luna already asleep. She carried her to her room with a gentleness we saw only flashes of in recent times.
She then came back to the living room and from her look, I knew she had something to say. I just sat on the couch and focused my attention on her, she began with.
"Things are going to... change a bit from now on Lizzy. The original timeline I calculated was too optimistic. We have just two years to prepare for the world eater's arrival."
"... Umm why do we need to prepare Mom?"
"We need to leave this mortal plain before it gets here Lizzy or it will subject us to a fate worse than death."
I went quiet at that response. She then continued.
"There's no need to be scared Lizzy, as long as you and Luna do as I say, we will be fine. Trust me okay?"
"Yes, mom."
"Now, let's get you to bed. Tomorrow I will explain to you and Lizzy what has to be done."
The next day, at about 8 in the morning, Mom brought us to the living room.
"Lizzy, Luna, I have something very important to tell you, so listen up okay?"
She said, then she seemed to be organizing the thoughts in her head for a few moments, she then said.
"The world is ending, in about 2 years the world eater will arrive to consume our world."
She said simply. I looked at her in shock while Luna was just slightly confused at first but when she saw my expression, hers became more worried.
At this point, Mom had always told us the world eater was coming and that we had to prepare. But there was no context to it. What was the world eater? Why was it coming? and so many other questions were always at the tip of my tongue, which I held back simply because I was scared of her response and what she might do if she didn't like me questioning her.
But now? She finally opened up and the first thing she said filled me with dread. After a few moments, seeing as she wasn't saying anything, I gathered my courage and asked.
"What is the world eater mom?"
"Honestly? I have no idea, Lizzy.... Ever since I survived that accident that killed your father, I get these... messages in my head. They inform me of all sorts of things and have never been wrong so far, so I am confident that the world eater is coming. That is a message I get almost every day."
When she said that I just looked at her not knowing how to continue. She said.
"The reason I am always so strict on you guys is because we need to be as... pure as possible to be eligible for this escape. I barely qualify so I have to ensure you two have to... even if it's against your own will. I can't lose you two."
My heart clenched a little at that last part and I looked away from her, Luna moved a little closer to me as well. Whenever mom got like this, harsh discipline wasn't far off.
"Look up at me Lizzy, I won't hurt you. You have already learned your lessons, if I insist on disciplining you further I would just be cruel. That being said, we have to prepare for the world eater. So you have to listen to me now more than ever, understood?"
Luna and I nodded frantically
"Good."
She then started patiently explaining to both of us the 3 things we had to do to ensure our survival.
Firstly, we had to do the shedding of weak rite. It was a ritual where we had to sit in an isolated space for 12 hours. This was hard for me and especially hard for Luna but we both got through it with no extra fuss.
Secondly, we had the culling of the meek rite. For this, a lot of people show up on our property for it. This ritual took place late at night with a full moon hanging low; a sheep, a dog, and a cat were placed on makeshift altars. One person stood behind each animal with daggers in their hands. The animals were bound to the altars and could move.
Our mom stood with them and gave what I can only describe as a sermon. She intoned with a voice filled with a gripping fervor.
My beloved brothers and sisters, gathered here today in the shadow of the ancient ones, we stand at the precipice of our great escape. The time of reckoning draws near, and we are the chosen vessels of the cosmic reckoning.
Behold, the innocent creatures before us, symbols of the blind ignorance and meekness that has plagued humanity for far too long. Their blood will be the catalyst for our ascension, the key to unlocking the hidden truths of the universe.
We have been mocked, ridiculed, and oppressed by the forces of the ignorant. But we know the secrets. We know that the earth is a feast, and we are supposed to be the main course.
As we stand here, poised to escape the primal forces of chaos, the world outside still wallows in its blind ignorance. We sense the coming storm, the maelstrom of oblivion that will consume all in its path.
And we, my brothers and sisters, are the storm-weathered. We are the weavers of the tapestry of fate, the seekers of forbidden knowledge.
When the earthquakes and the moon blinks, the world eater will be upon us.
let the sacrifice begin!
The crowd cheered and the three people slid the animals throats and their blood poured out in great spurts. Luna hid her face on me and I hugged her tightly. That night, Luna and I slept today since Luna was a little shaken up by the ritual.
As I slept, I had a strange dream. I dreamt that on the day of reckoning, when we were about to conduct the final rite, Mom stood on an altar similar to the one the animals had been bound on but on this one, there was a person tied up there, Luna.
She struggled and thrashed against her restraints with tears in her eyes as Mom gave a sermon and then held a knife to her throat, causing her to struggle even more frantically.
I tried to move, to scream, to do anything in fact but I couldn't. As the dagger was about to slice into Luna's neck, I snapped awake in a cold sweat, I turned to see Luna stir for a bit before she went back to sleep.
That nightmare haunted me for the months leading up to the day of reckoning and as I watched the TV I found out there was something called a manhunt out for a cult called the Nova Spire. I was surprised to see that photos of its members were people who I have since in our home.
Over the months, I also noticed that natural disasters were getting reported more and more frequently. It made me feel like the world was ending, and it terrified me. Before I knew it, the day of reckoning was finally upon us.
Even more people showed up for the ritual this time and the ritual's name was; the ascension rite. This ritual was very straightforward, we had to paint a strange symbol on our foreheads and we were supposed to take a special pill at midnight, that's all.
"The final rite will let us shed our mortal coil and ascend beyond. There's no need for fear or hesitation, the hour is at hand and our survival hinges on it. Make sure your sister follows through okay?"
Mom said to me. Her tone was colder than it had ever been, to which I just nodded. It was currently 11:45 PM and mom then walked up to an altar that had been built in the last month. She proceeded to give a sermon like she has been doing seemingly round the clock recently.
My beloved brothers and sisters, the time has come. The day of reckoning is upon us, and the gates of transcendence are open. We have prepared for this moment, purifying our bodies and minds, and now we shall shed the mortal coil and ascend beyond this world.
Like butterflies emerging from cocoons, we shall burst forth into the radiant light of eternity. The chains of flesh and blood shall be cast aside, and we shall soar on the wings of the cosmos.
Do not fear the unknown, for it is in the unknown that we find our true selves. The world we leave behind is but a shadow, a pale reflection of the glory that awaits us.
As we embark on this journey, remember that we are not merely individuals, but droplets in the ocean of existence. And as we merge with the infinite, our essence shall become one with the universe.
So come, my friends, let us embrace the great transformation. Let us surrender to the void, and find ourselves reborn in the light of eternity.
Together, we shall transcend the bounds of mortality, and become the celestial beings we were always meant to be. The time of ascension is upon us. Let us rise, and claim our rightful place among the stars.
I can see the fire of transformation burning within each of you. Let it consume you, and carry you aloft on its wings. Farewell, mortal coil. Hello, eternity.
I held Luna's hand as we stood below in the crowd nervously. I was lost in my thoughts until I noticed everything had gotten quiet and Mom said.
"Brothers and sisters, the time for ascension is upon us. Please take your capsules now."
I froze while the people around us all ingested their pills and in mere moments most of them came crashing down while foaming at the mouth. Luna screamed at the sight.
My flight response kicked in and I held Luna's hand tight as we bolted out of the scene. Even with all the chaos going on around us, I still heard mother screamed.
"Elizabeth Cunningham! What are you doing!!"
The anger in her voice almost made me stop, but the fear of death was just slightly greater. We ran and ran until we couldn't hear the sounds from the commotion going on back there anymore, either we were now too far away or...
"Elizabeth!"
My mother's voice ripped into me and froze me in place. I and Luna turned back to face her, our hearts beating in our chests like drums. When she walked until she was about 5m from us she stopped and asked.
"Why? Why didn't you take the capsules?"
Luna bit her lip anxiously while I said.
"I- I was scared. I don't want to die. If we took the pill, we would have ended up like those people when all of this isn't even real! This is just some suicide cult isn't it!!??!"
My voice got louder and more frustrated as I spoke. Mother just looked at us with deep sadness in her eyes as she walked closer and said.
"This is all my fault, Lizzy. I-I should have been better."
She then wrapped me in a hug as I cried, my emotions in disarray as I stammered out.
"Y-you're not mad?"
"Why would I be Lizzy? If you two couldn't ascend with me. I will just accompany you as we watch the world end."
I frowned deeply and was about to say something but I noticed Luna looking straight up at the moon, white as a sheet. I looked up just in time, to see the moon vanish.