You cry as you struggle to break free from Vaktash's grasp and without hesitation, Verzo shoots a beam in Tom's face. You scream as the red beam leaves his hand, but in the blink of an eye, Verzo unexpectedly moves his hand away at the last second, causing the beam to go past Tom's head and miss. Then, almost as if he's been interrupted, you watch Verzo's demeanor immediately change from arrogant to humble before he quickly turns and walks away from Tom, looking down at the ground and talking to himself.
" My- My Lord… "
He mumbles to himself under his breath as he stands there for a moment in silence before speaking again.
" But- what about the Lamenter…? "
Verzo pauses as if he's listening closely and you can see that the other two Valghuli take on a nervous expression while Verzo speaks to the voice that's presumably inside of his head. Seeing these Valghuli Exemplars in such a timid state around you is unsettling while you listen to Verzo's side of the conversation.
" Of course… it will be done. Your will is my command, My Lord. "
Verzo then turns back around and slowly walks back to where you and Tom are. After a brief moment of him silently staring at you, he speaks in a foreboding tone.
" It appears that there has been a change of plans… "
Verzo says as he pulls some sort of vial out of his robes, looking down at it anxiously. The vial looks like a wicked object that's not of this world, and it appears that there's some type of living blood-like substance that's moving around inside of it.
" Abbadon… "
Verzo says before he turns his gaze towards you. Verzo calling you by your name makes you feel even more uneasy as he opens the vial.
" Our Lord wishes to speak to you… here… in person… "
Verzo then slowly pours the substance inside the vial into the palm of his other hand. The liquid then distorts the shape of his hand and it begins to malform, turning black before he drops the empty vial and grabs Tom's robe with his undistorted hand, pulling him up onto his feet.
" Rather than waste such a powerful vessel, Our Lord has chosen the lapdog as a temporary means to enter this mortal realm… "
Verzo looks deep into Tom's eyes with a malevolent gaze and speaks to him in a condescending tone.
" You should feel honored to be chosen as his vessel. Since the beginning of existence itself, there has never been a vessel powerful enough to contain him… "
Tom opens his eyes and defiantly looks at Verzo with a peaceful gaze. You can tell that Verzo wants Tom to be afraid, but Tom's unfazed expression makes it seem like Tom's the one who's in control.
" We will see if your physical form can withstand it. Now… become None. "
Verzo immediately plunges his black hand into Tom's chest, grabbing hold of Tom's heart and Tom begins to writhe around in pain, groaning subtly as if he's trying to mask the fact that he's hurting. Verzo then rips Tom's heart out of his ribcage, causing Tom to fall to his knees and curl into a fetal position while he holds his chest. Tom's bloody heart dissipates into nothingness inside Verzo's hand and you can hear Tom barely able to muster his last words to you while the liquid from the vial devours him from the inside.
" Donny… don't… give up… "
You see a black aura slowly begin to radiate from Tom's body and the hole in his chest begins to glow an ominous red. After a brief moment of Tom struggling with all his might to keep his composure, he lets out a torturous scream as the Darkness inside of him slowly begins to seep out of his skin. You watch in horror as his physical form distorts, becoming completely consumed in a black smog that pollutes his physical form, almost as if the fabric of his very existence is being eaten alive. Tom continues to wail in agony, writhing around on the ground while the red hole in his chest continues to glow brighter and brighter until it's so bright that it burns your eyes and dries the tears on your face. Tom's body twitches unnaturally like he's possessed, and his blood curdling screams break your heart as you watch your brother endure this excruciating pain while his physical form slowly becomes consumed right in front of you. The Valghuli Exemplars around you all watch in amusement as the last of the Darkness leaves Tom's body until he suddenly lies still, silent and unmoving like a corpse with dead eyes and pale skin. These events mirror that of your past trauma and your mind begins to race as the memories of Ariel and Rosie come flooding back.
This isn't real… this can't be… Tom wouldn't go out this easily… It's not like him… he can't… he can't be gone…
A storm of negative emotions begins to brew within you as you stare down in disbelief at Tom's lifeless corpse laying on the ground.
Grief… Pain… Hatred… Sorrow… Rage…
All of these things feel like a hole in your heart as you mourn this now pale skinned man who was once your brother… and you soon feel a familiar insanity come knocking at the doors within your mind.
Ẅ̸͇ḝ̷a̶̞̅k̸͔̈́.̷̮̓
(( "Weak." ))
T̷̙̄̑o̵̡̯͋̕m̴͙̱͒̍ ̸͙͚͐͝ǐ̵̱̕ș̵̊ ̸̦̈d̴̠̍e̸̙̭̓â̵̯d̴͊̐͜ ̶̝̈b̶̠̒ë̸̖c̸̠̋a̶̰̓ủ̵̘̖͗ṡ̸͕̜͝e̴̼͙̍ ̶̪͍̐́ö̴̬́͝f̵̰̔ ̵̡̃ý̷͖͜o̷̼͒͂u̷͔͓͋̕.̸̟̹̏
(( "Tom is dead because of you." ))
Y̷̨̌o̷͍̒ṷ̴̎ ̵͔͛j̸̰͋ȗ̸͍s̸̺͆t̵̻̅ ̵͉͛w̶̞͛a̷͂ͅẗ̶̨c̵̤̈́ḥ̷̋e̷͕̋d̶̲́ ̴͕̈h̶͓̚ị̷̇m̴̱͌ ̵̮͑ḓ̵͝i̴͇̓ë̴̳́.̷̱͋
(( "You just watched him die." ))
Y̷͜͝ơ̶̦ù̵͈ ̶͍̀c̵̠̔ơ̵͚u̷͚̓l̴̪̕d̶̥̊n̵̨̈́'̵͍̅t̸̞̑ ̸̝̕s̷̖̒ǎ̸̗v̴͕̒e̸̯͂ ̵̼͌h̷͆ͅỉ̵̝m̶̦̈́ ̵̭̈j̵̤̕u̴͙̚s̷̡̋t̶̜̂ ̶͙̔l̶̮̏i̶̭̒ḵ̴̕ȅ̵̥ ̴͉͘y̸̪͋o̶̗͋u̵̮͠ ̸̲͠c̴̮͊o̴̭̚u̴̯̓ḷ̶͂d̸̨͗ǹ̵͜'̷̺̽t̸͉͛ ̸̩̐s̵͔͑a̴̤̓ṿ̴͠e̷̘̒ ̷̡̐y̷̻͆ŏ̷͈u̴̦̍r̶̥̕ ̵̫̀f̶̰̕ḁ̵̛m̷͎͠i̸͍͗l̴̞̑ÿ̷͙́.̴̨̈́
(( "You couldn't save him just like you couldn't save your family." ))
Ȁ̷̮l̵̫̉l̶̦̒ ̸̲͠y̷̋͜o̴̫̿u̴̮̚ ̵̖̈́c̵͍͒a̸̗͐n̸̜̐ ̶̳̍d̸̤̍ò̵͜ ̴̲͌n̴̺̐o̴̧̅w̸̻̆ ̶͎́i̵̮͗s̵̙͗ ̴̜́k̵̜̂i̵͖̓l̷͇͊l̷̰̀.̷͕̾
(( "All you can do now is kill." ))
K̵̙͛i̴̯̽l̴̦̿l̷͈̇ ̶̣͋t̵͎̾h̶̟͑e̷̟͌ ̷̱͘V̸̭͌ả̶̲l̶̲̃g̷̰͌ḩ̷̓u̴̯͋l̸͔̔i̸͇̒.̴̡͗
(( "Kill the Valghuli." ))
Ȇ̶̟v̵͖́e̷̥̔n̷͇͝ ̸̻͌i̷̘̿f̴̮͘ ̶̙̃y̷̡̿ô̶̻ú̴̲ ̸̮͌h̶̻̉ȃ̴͙v̵̢̓ẹ̷͝ ̴͚́ẗ̵̜́o̶̭͛ ̶̭̈́d̸͒͜ě̷̗s̵̡̈t̶̊͜r̷͕͐ö̵̹y̶͈̔ ̷̥̊t̴͈̓h̵̲̕i̶͚͝š̵͔ ̸̭͊e̵͚̒n̴̘̓t̴̩̽i̴͉̅r̸̭̅e̵̩̎ ̸͙̾u̶̮̍ṇ̵͂i̵̽͜v̴̥̈́ē̴ͅr̴̖͋s̴͈̉e̶̖͗ ̶̬̔t̴͕̉ő̷͇ ̶̩͝ḑ̷͗o̵̻̓ ̷̥̅i̶̦͋t̸̢̋.̸͕̈
(( "Even if you have to destroy this entire universe to do it." ))
" No! "
You shout, fighting back against the voice.
" I'm not destroying what he died to save! "
The Valghuli around you can tell that you're on the brink of madness, so Vaktash relinquishes his grasp on you and they begin to coerce you in an attempt to push you over the edge.
" This universe will be destroyed regardless, Lamenter! You should fight to avenge him, and if this universe gets destroyed in the process, then so be it. Was his death not worth fighting for? "
Verzo sneers at you before looking down at your hand. You remain on your knees, focusing all of your mental energy on keeping your composure before you look down at your hand as well to see that the ring on your finger is glowing and absorbing the power radiating from your body. The Valghuli continue to taunt you in order to push you past your breaking point.
" What's the matter? Was that dead human bitch that you called your wife more important than your own brother? "
Valanyah says before giggling at your expense as she looks down at you smugly.
The ring glows brighter and the voice in your mind gets louder.
K̷̬͌í̴̡l̶̖͠l̸̇͜.̸̺́
(( "Kill." ))
Ḱ̶͖i̸͎͗ľ̸͙l̷̬̇ ̸̢̎ẗ̸̲́h̴̨́e̵̙̐m̴͍͝.̷͇͋
(( "Kill them." ))
M̸͙͊á̶̝k̷̛̲ë̸͇́ ̶͖̐ť̴̰h̸̰̒é̷̞m̴̹̀ ̴͉̌e̵̳͘a̸̟̎t̴͇̊ ̵̗̈́t̸̹̋h̴̼͛é̸̯i̷̧̓r̶̯̓ ̶͖̓w̷̻̄o̶̫͘r̸̰̃d̴͖̒s̶̨̃.̵̝̎
(( "Make them eat their words." ))
You close your eyes to tune out the taunts and do your best to ignore the voice in your head to keep your composure.
No… don't break… it's what they want…
Suddenly, the taunting abruptly stops and after a moment of eerie silence, you hear rustling in front of you as if somebody is getting up. You open your eyes and look up to see Tom standing in front of you, but this time he's not the same. His skin is still pale as if he's dead and his eyes are glowing red instead of their usual blue. You stare at him in disbelief and he speaks to you in an apathetic manner, looking down at his hands in unfamiliarity.
" 𝕭𝖗𝖔𝖙𝖍𝖊𝖗. "
(( "Brother." ))
You're immediately paralyzed and chills creep up your spine the instant that his voice enters your ears. The three Valghuli all immediately get down on one knee and bow around Tom's vessel as it begins to float above the ground.
The person that I'm looking at isn't Tom anymore… it's The None… possessing Tom's body…
Verzo anxiously speaks to Uphedis while remaining bowed respectfully.
" My Lord… Welcome- "
" 𝕾𝖎𝖑𝖊𝖓𝖈𝖊. "
(( "Silence." ))
Uphedis says as he reaches his hand out towards Verzo, choking him with Tom's telekinetic power. Verzo painfully gasps for air while Uphedis constricts his throat and pulls him up onto his feet. Valanyah and Vaktash both remain bowed with a look of fear on their face while Uphedis continues to choke Verzo, speaking to him.
" 𝕯𝖔 𝖓𝖔𝖙 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐 𝖚𝖓𝖑𝖊𝖘𝖘 𝖎𝖙 𝖎𝖘 𝖒𝖞 𝖈𝖔𝖒𝖒𝖆𝖓𝖉. "
(( "Do not speak unless it is my command." ))
" Yes… Ack- My… Lord- "
Uphedis then releases Verzo, who then immediately resumes his bowing position while breathing heavily and touching his throat. Uphedis then turns around and looks down at you, and you're still paralyzed by the fact that The None himself is right in front of you in-person.
" 𝕬𝖇𝖇𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖓. 𝕴 𝖇𝖊𝖑𝖎𝖊𝖛𝖊 𝖙𝖍𝖎𝖘 𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖙𝖎𝖒𝖊 𝖜𝖊'𝖛𝖊 𝖒𝖊𝖙… "
(( "Abbadon. I believe this is the first time we've met…" ))
You continue to look up at his face and you're heartbroken, thinking about how that face once belonged to Tom.
If Tom's possession is anything like Sir Arthur's, then that means that Tom is still somewhere inside there watching his body be controlled by The None.
" 𝕿𝖍𝖊𝖗𝖊 𝖎𝖘 𝖓𝖔 𝖓𝖊𝖊𝖉 𝖙𝖔 𝖇𝖊 𝖆𝖋𝖗𝖆𝖎𝖉. 𝖄𝖔𝖚 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴 𝖆𝖗𝖊 𝖔𝖋 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖘𝖆𝖒𝖊 𝖐𝖎𝖓, 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕴 𝖘𝖎𝖒𝖕𝖑𝖞 𝖜𝖎𝖘𝖍 𝖙𝖔 𝖘𝖕𝖊𝖆𝖐 𝖜𝖎𝖙𝖍 𝖞𝖔𝖚. "
(( "There is no need to be afraid. You and I are of the same kin, and I simply wish to speak with you." ))
The voice in your head shouts even louder than before as you stare silently up at Uphedis, barely maintaining your composure.
F̵̧͑u̸͚̐c̸̠̏k̶͈̂ ̶͕̕t̴͔͊h̸͓͌a̷͙̽t̵̮͠!̴̖̿
(( "Fuck that!" ))
F̸̖̓u̵͕̿c̸͙͘k̴͕̈́ ̴̩͝y̶̟̅o̷̤̐u̴͙̓ṟ̴̏ ̷͓͋c̴͔̑o̵͙͝ṅ̵̪v̶̥́é̷͈r̵͔͊s̴͎̓ȃ̴̼t̶̹͠i̷͉͐o̶̠̎n̷̟̽!̶̝̈́
(( "Fuck your conversation!" ))
Y̵̼̑o̷̗͝u̷̲̾ ̶̹̓f̴̱̕u̷͖̿c̷̰̕k̸̗͛i̸̟̎n̶̰͝g̴̫̕ ̴̛̦k̶̯̅i̷̮͐l̴͚̚ḻ̴̏ė̷͙d̶̺̂ ̶̠̍Ṯ̸̐o̸͈̚m̸̛̥!̷͙̋
(( "You fucking killed Tom!" ))
Uphedis looks down at you with amusement as he listens to the voice in your head as well. He speaks to you in an unbothered tone, as if your refusal to cooperate is of no consequence to him.
" 𝖁𝖊𝖗𝖞 𝖜𝖊𝖑𝖑. 𝕴 𝖘𝖚𝖕𝖕𝖔𝖘𝖊 𝖇𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖐𝖎𝖓𝖌 𝖞𝖔𝖚 𝖎𝖘 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖔𝖓𝖑𝖞 𝖔𝖕𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓. "
(( "Very well. I suppose breaking you is the only option." ))
You immediately see a cruiser flying towards the crater in the distance and it's not long before it lands next to you with the side door open, where Amy and Roary are bound and brought out of the cruiser towards you by another group of those red robed men like you saw earlier in the club. They're both thrown onto the ground and Amy's eyes light up once she sees both of you and shouts.
" Mimi- "
One of the robed men cuts her off by kicking her in the back of the head while she's on the ground, causing her to whimper in pain and space out as if she's been given a concussion. The robed men then pick both Roary and Amy up onto their knees and Uphedis speaks as he descends and walks over to where they're being held.
" 𝕿𝖍𝖊 𝖈𝖍𝖎𝖑𝖉 𝖎𝖘 𝖉𝖊𝖆𝖉. "
(( "The child is dead." ))
Your heart sinks in your chest upon hearing Uphedis's words and the ring on your finger begins to vibrate as it continues to absorb more and more of your power.
No… no, not Mimi too… they couldn't have gotten her… she had Faerah's blessing…