Chapter Text
"Dear one, please. Come and help me. I'm at the spawn. Help me. We need one another don't we? You'll help me.. Won't you? I believe in you. You can do this. I'm not as far away as you think. Dear one, please..."
The voices in their head refused to stop. It continued to plead with them and try and guide them. They didn't even know what was going on. Why were these voices in their head talking to them? Why did it need them specifically? They can't recall hearing this voice before so why did it randomly show up now... and why did it feel familiar?
About a month ago this voice showed up. It was a simple whisper at first.
"Come to me"
But now? It was a full grown chant, and no matter what they did to block out the voices they wouldn't stop. It was always in a sweet tone too, trying to convince them that it was okay for them to stop with their work at the pawn shop and head towards its voice.
For some reason they knew this voice couldn't be bad, It felt like an extension of themself, a part of them. That's why they couldn't stop listening. It continued to chant and whisper to them, beckoning, pleading, praising all at the same time.
"Why me? Why do you need me?"
“I have blessed you, you are blessed. We need one another. You must believe me, trust me. I promise you... great things will come from helping me. Why don't you listen?"
"Blessed?"
"Yes dear one, your leg. It is sacred..." They looked down at their right leg. They still remember the times where it looked normal, perfectly fine. But now it was entirely made of wood, with leaves and vines alike protruding out of the worn bark. This thing was no blessing, but a curse. A curse that forced them to walk strangely. A curse that made other demons look at them. A curse that slowly got rid of the abilities of their gear. All they would do now was force ivy and different types of ferns to grow out from the ground to poison other enemies. They missed being able to have their spikes come out from the ground instead. They missed- "Dear one"
"Oh! Yes?"
"Embrace your blessings, be thankful the old you is no more. Be happy with what you have. Be happy that you're better."
"But this isn't better! This is so much worse! I don't even know why my leg turned into this... monstrosity."
"Do not call it that, it's a symbol of you becoming purified"
"What do you mean purified?! What are you even talking about!"
"If you are so curious, why don't you come and see me to find out? I can answer all of your questions."
"You will!?"
"Of course, dear one. I'd never lie to someone as blessed as yourself."
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Hence, despite the strange pit forming in their stomach. They took a bus to Thieves Den.
They wanted to meet with the voice, to know why they were like this. Know why they had this dreadful leg to carry day on and day out.
After getting off of the bus, the voice guided them throughout the prairies of the faction. Through the groves and grasses. Watching the animals quickly scurry away when stepping near. Life was everywhere.
After a few hours of endless walking, the shrubs slowly dissipated, the ground was nothing but dirt and soil.
"Further"
The farther they walked the more the ground lost its color. It became lighter to the point where it became a void. A white void... wait-
"Are you sure the spawn is this far off? Wouldn't it be closer to Thieves' Den’s capital?"
"Are you one to question me?"
"Yes- I mean no!"
"You may have faith in me, you must."
"Alright..."
Their feet really hurt with each step they took. They wanted to take a break but the voice wouldn't let them. When they did try to stop walking a loud ringing sound would constantly go through their head. It hurt, it was painful. This voice was hurting them. What happened to that gentle tone, that friendly aspect?
Eventually a large fountain came into view. Its white glowing waters overflowed into the white void it stood on, yet no puddles were made. It was clear this was the spawn wasn't it?
"Walk further"
"What do you mean?! I'm at the spawn now! Where are you?!"
"Nay dear one, you must come to me. Do you not wish to have your questions answered?"
"Well-"
"Than walk further"
As if against their own will, their right leg lurched forward. Then it tried to move again bringing the rest of their body with it. They were forced to walk at a quick pace with their leg that they no longer had control of. It was alarming and concerning, how this was even happening. They don't want to go further, why is it making them go forward for sword's sake?!
Looking in front of them, a large tree came closer into view.
A tree? In the spawn?
It looked to have no void-like features either, just a regular old tree.
Once close enough to the tree, their leg stopped moving. Though they were still unable to move it, and was held in place.
They decided to look closer at the tree.
Its wood was a pale brown color, it looked like it was an old tree that's been here for a while. The branches of the tree were spread out, its leaves were a nice sage color, easy on the eyes. They looked down below the tree, surprisingly the roots of it could be seen. The void beneath them seemed to be clear, at least around the tree as the roots could be seen stretched all the way down into the depths of the void, so far that they couldn't see where the roots ended. The roots were strange as well, none of them went across and away from underneath the tree, they all were directly beneath it.
Why was a tree out here in this void anyway? It seemed very out of place.
"You have found me, Congratulations..."
"Are you a tree?"
"Hm, not exactly. Perhaps it is better for you to see me rather than simply hear my voice."
Slowly, the tree's bark shifted and twisted, curling outwards. All until another demon slowly materialized from the wood. Its wooden skin slowly turned into that of a regular demon. It had long green horns that grew horizontally side to side. With two spikes and three golden, seed shaped droplets growing out of each horn. Slowly its head, arms and upper torso materialized as well. Though it seemed to have stopped from that point. "Is this better? Dear one?"
"Well- I mean?! What are you?!"
"I am a being who has been here for a very long time.. but that does not concern you as soon what I am will no longer matter. You have your questions, yes?"
"Right.. My leg. Why is it like this? You said it was blessed. Why?"
"I am the one who blessed it, it's a lot better now is it not?"
"What?!"
"Yes, I am the one who has blessed you with your leg, and your new abilities. It was all me."
"You cursed me?!"
"No... I ‘blessed’ you"
They couldn't believe it. This being was the reason why they had their curse? Why? WHY? Why were they cursed?! Why were they forced to live this hellish life?!? Why was this being making them suffer? Was it out of some sick pleasure in their pain?! Couldn't they see how bad they screwed them over?!
"Why?!"
"Because you are to help me, is that not exciting for you?"
"What do you mean..."
"You will help me, you are my vessel. You will be fully purified."
"What are you walking about!?"
"I have blessed you to become one of my potential vessels, to help me. To save me."
"Save you? How?"
"You will lend me your body."
"What?!"
"We will become one, your consciousness will also become mine. As mine will become yours. We will achieve great things. We will become everything. And when the time comes. We will slowly take down the swords. For they have wronged us all have they not? Don't you want that? Is that not what you demons want? Power? To rule all? We can do that together. Work together... so dear one. Please lend me your body. I promise it won't hurt. I will never hurt you. I can take care and nurture us. You must trust me on this... Don't you want to help a friend out?"
They offered a hand to me.
They were offering so much..
This was moving so fast...
No.
They don't know this thing!
Hell! It's just a voice they heard a while ago!
They're not risking giving their body- no their life to help this creature!
"No! I'm not giving my body up to you! What kind of insane idea is that?!"
"...I see."
They tried to run away, but their leg were still stuck in place so they couldn't move.
"Let me go!"
"I see... you are just like the others... un-pure, disgusting. A false hope. How dare you... HOW DARE YOU DENY MY OFFER YOU FOOLISH MORTAL... I OFFER YOU THE PURIST OF FUTURES AND YET YOU DECLINE. YOU ARE JUST LIKE THEM ALL, FAILURES OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN GREATNESS. YOU HAVE FALLEN FROM WHAT MINIMAL GRACE YOU ONCE HAD. YOU MUST PERISH. YOU MUST BEGONE. YOU WILL DIE AND BE SENT OFF THIS INPHERNO!
Before they could respond, a giant root came into view and it all went black.
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Once the corpse was slowly turned into wood, a root curled itself around the body, slowly dragging it towards all the other vessels who had met the same fate a long time ago.
It was a shame really. This one seemed to find joy in helping others. It had high expectations, but as always. They declined.
Why must mortals always decline, why must their vessels become so unpure...
Perhaps it was time to set up the back up plan... they only had one vessel left after all. they cannot kill it off like the others. It is their last chance..
It was time to set up the curse.
It had stored up energy for this.
It was time for demon kind to pay for what it has done.
It was time for it to be free.
It was time for the gods to learn to never neglect a living being again...
But before any of that…
They would have to send out the first wake up call.