My Twisted God

[Allatu Dagon]

Do you see how absolutely perfect it is? Crafted ingeniously and caught in a snare it cannot escape. The taste of their flowing blood . . . ah the defeat in it. I revel in it. If I had the time I would bathe in that godly liquid that kept their hearts pumping and their mighty authoritative minds tinkering. Bastards.

My goal, my goal. I never told you my goal did I? It is brilliant, none the less. Who needs a god anyway? Gods, ha! Not even required. I was born into this brutal existence and survived quite well with out a god intervening to assist me or enlighten me. Do they really enlighten or simply task the mortal world with silly little quests to amuse their boredom? So many possibilities, it frustrates me. Disgusting gods, waste of time. The authority that they think that they are over us, bah. It is done with now, however. Definitely all gone from existence now, save the much lesser and useless ones. I will have their lives as well.

The concept to kill a god came to me one night when I was camping with a small band of gypsy’s. They have been cast aside of society for a long time, how long I am unsure. The time period spans at least five generations or more, probably more as I see the hostility in their eyes when they talk to a man considered birthed in privilege and power of the main kingdoms and its people.

These people, folk made into a kind of dark society by the goodness that is the inner and civilized kingdoms. I say civilized with such a snarl you have no idea. These gypsy folk have more civility in them than any of the folk that call themselves people of a kingdom, ha. Do you see my tongue reeling in agony yet? No? Well perhaps later then. For now you need to know the brilliance these folk inspired in me. See, knowing what I was to become—they really did, I swear to you it was as if they had an insight to me. They saw, [b]they saw[b] the great I was going to do the world. An so they fed me a story about a gypsy of generations gone. This gypsy was able to lure a demon from its dwelling and cunningly lock it up in a human body. The concept, the idea to me seemed far fetched at the time. Or even why one would do that. I asked the purpose of this and they told me.

The woman that had trapped the demon had did so to keep him in her power and control. A weapon, he was her weapon for her needs, wishes and wants. They were suggesting I do the same, except they had this feel for me . . . like I said these folk knew me somehow. “We have this girl, you see . . . She has been in our generation for several and it has come to our knowledge she isn't particularly human. A little god is in there. Making the vessel very strong. Stronger than a humans.” They told me. My eyes lit up. A demi-god living among gypsy people? The notion was in the least bit odd and truly bizarre. I was interested however, so I had them continue.

“We have a demon in mind. He's angry by nature, we call him Asmodeus. We think that he will aid you well in your travels.” The leader of the gypsy band said to me.

I then asked them what had been on my mind since they had began to speak with me. “How is it you know something I haven't even come to conceive myself?”

There was such a smug and amused smile on their lips. “Gypsy are more in touch and in tune with mortal desire than you may know.” They had to be, because when the leader continued I could do nothing but agree with my mouth slack in awe. “You've never appreciated the gods and they have never benefited you. You're one of the millions overlooked and never considered for any kind of . . privilege. You're greater than a common man. We see this in you. Greatness untouched and waiting to be birthed. Something great is in you, like, the fall of useless authority . . .”

Ah the way the leader said it left me tingling all over. The fall of useless authority. They knew all too well that I would like the sound of it. All I could do was nod my head and smile. I agreed wholly.

The demi-goddess was brought in shackled in a very intimidating way. Wrists bound and wrapped up behind her back, a chain linked by cuffs from one ankle to the other. A barred mask across her face protecting the handlers from angry teeth. They had not even bothered to cloth the creature. How long had she lived in their community before they discovered this godly side? Had they created her by trickery as well? I was drawn in severely by the sight. Something about how pitiful the goddess looked chained up, soiled, disgusting and defenseless burned desire deep within me. It began to fuel my interest and excitement in decimating her kin. We would start with her, firstly.


Chains were secured to a variety of loops and anchored her into place. She was such a heathen the way she was doubled over, leaning up against the chains with the most disturbing dark brown eyes. I swear to you they were black before we trapped Asmodeus in her.

Their process in calling forth the demon was nothing but pure magic to me, I admit. Magic is something I barely believed in even as a child, though now seeing it I feel somewhat foolish for its disbelief and now embracing it to trap an entity greater than myself.

I saw the demon in a kind of misty blackness appear. He solidified quickly and let his white teeth glare against that black body. His form was intimidating to say the least. I felt myself soiled several times when those soulless black eyes stared at me. They had to be staring at me. Did he know who I was?

Before there was time for the demon to ask to his summoning the leader spoke. The leader snapped out snidely with the demons name and he quickly drew those empty sockets in the leaders direction. Despite the lack of orbs to follow emotion and action through, one could tell the demon was concerned that its summoning mortals knew its name prior to the calling.

“You will do a task for us, Asmodeus. That demi-goddess needs to take out a few of her own. But she can't do it on her own. We need you to enhance her pitiful form for but a moment of your time. Assist her in ridding us of a single god and you may take her soul as you please.” The leader promised. Just one god, then freedom.

Asmodeus found this deal quite appealing, we could tell. His fists breathed in and out with digits drawing in and out. “It is accepted. One god.”

With out a second thought from the gypsy’s they sealed the deal and Asmodeus was instantly drawn into the body of the savage looking demi-goddess. One might have claimed she had once had the palest blond hair soiled by filth. But now with the beauty of Asmodeus within her being it took on his presence and aura. The dirty blond hair grew out longer and blacker than before. Her strength intensified and the chains screamed and whined as she drew roughly against them. The cuffs at her wrists cutting into her flesh and causing blood to spill. The demi-goddess reached against the restraints screaming so angrily, so loudly. She screamed in several tone at once. One that might have belonged to the goddess herself, another that was clearly Asmodeus's own.

When her eyes focused on the leader, they were as pitch black as Asmodeus's had been. He was dominant now. Whatever might have been the goddess had been swallowed and was little more than looks. Asmodeus was mine.

“This is your master, Asmodeus. You will be at his mercy and his command. When you have fulfilled all the tasks that he asks of you, then you might be free and on your way with the goddess’s soul. Until then you are his slave.” The gypsy leader said with a smug grin.

“That was never the deal Gypsy.” Asmodeus hissed angrily as he pushed against the restraints.

“Yes, well, it seems the conditions have changed just a little. There was no doubt in our mind that you would refrain from contracting yourself past a single god for a single half god's soul. As it is the only means of bargaining we truly had to offer you at your summoning.” The gypsy leader was brilliant.

That is how I came into such power. That is how the gods died. That is how I retain ownership to the strongest demon captured in the human realm. It is all mine . . . all of it. The power . . . and the ability to take out those wretched gods.



“Asmodeus . . . . take care of it.” The lord Sangren said with the wave of his armored hand.

Before them stood what was clearly a lesser god wishing to retaliate. His body hissed and sang of the brilliance he was, as a god even if it was lesser. Asmodeus had been walking alongside his lordship the entire trek, not winded as easy as a normal mortal. After all he was a demon now fused into the body of a demi-goddess. The soulless eyes snapped up to its lord and bared its bright white teeth for a moment before the barely clothed figure stormed out to the god. Asmodeus held little back as a kind of black misty presence seeped out of his being and began to cloud itself around the goddess's body.

The lesser god started the assault and launched himself quickly at the possessed goddess. He was too slow, Asmodeus was angry and accurate. He grasped the lesser god by the throat and slowly drew him into the goddess's deathly face. Her lips smiled at the lesser god as the orbless sockets looked over the god. Asmodeus had no words to speak to the god. Only his fiendish grin which spread so wide. Her grip tightened around the neck of the lesser god, now unable rip such powerful fingers from his own neck. Asmodeus was choking a lesser god to death, how pathetic.

“I thought you gods were more than this.” Sangren growled to the uneventful fight.

Asmodeus turned his head back and looked at his lord. His brow smoothed into a more agitated state and glared at the lord, his master. “You waste my time and my talent human. Lesser gods are easily defeated by mortals.”

Sangren smiled. “Perhaps, but I'm afraid I'm far too attached to you and adore your accuracy.”

The demon possessed goddess turned back and looked at the suffering face of the lesser god. This was the only kind of power he retained. The lives he crushed between the godess's fingers.

[Xmagus]

It was a mistake. A foolish dream nourished by misguided pride. Creation. All the warnings they received fell on deaf ears - the so called High Council drunk on their own power. Now what do they do? Watch. Merely watch and whimper helplessly as the the flames of divinity are slowly extinguished in the mortal realm. They may have been fools, to choose to bind into such pathetic shells, but they were your children. Were. Your children, Mother, dying to your pets and your bastards. You allowed this to happen when you allowed the breath of life to pass into those mortal shells. Do you remember, shall I remind you?

The Veil. Our paradise, far beyond those artificial laws that hold the mortal world together. Why were you so eager to see another world? Was there something wrong, something missing? A vast expanse of emptiness, where countless things flickered into being only to be forgotten moments after. Were you so enthralled by such impermanence that when your eldest - most foolish - child voiced her thoughts, you so eagerly allowed it? Thoughts were directed to giving this passing whimsy form - a wasted endeavor. What? No, Mother, I do not deny my part in all this. No, I do not resent your choice, Mother. How can I?

You cannot deny that countless of your children have fallen at the hands of a bastard child. There are those who would have us dead, some claim to have bested us. Fools. Allow me, Mother, I shall sweep the world in your glorious name and remake it, if it pleases you. With one word. Choice? What of it? They were slaughtered like... the very flame of their existence - gone with the wind. Angry? Of course, Mother, I am. No, Mother, I do not question your decision. Yes, I understand. Yes, I shall inform him. Yes, Mother, your will be done.

Your will be done.

Even as the conversation ended, not a sound was heard and not a sight was seen. No trace of such thoughts but a pocket of whirling energies floating in the vast expanse of the Void, beyond all mortal comprehension. Such was speech between divinities - where the fate of the other world was decided. From the otherworldly rumble that marked the trail that marked the passage of the Wandering One, the god of outcasts whose adherents worship as Onu, it was not to his liking but the All Mother's ruling could not be overturned by her children. As all must bow to their betters and the gods were no exception.

The Veil was always lifeless to mortal eyes but those who were born here, felt the lonesome chill. Only a few had chosen to remain as mere thoughts, detached from the world and the rules that kept it together. Safe from the onslaught of men but powerless to aid their siblings. Mother had decreed a boundary between worlds, one that had not been broken since long ago. Dire, were the consequences of that sin.

"What brings you to my corner of Nothing, brother?"

A voice echoed through the abyss, the first in ages. Whimsical and carefree. The essence of Onu rumbled even louder, demanding that the voice be silenced. Words are useless. Lightning arced from cloud to cloud as the god expressed disapproval - to no avail.

"Hmm? Pouting does not become you, brother." The voice rang through the expanse of nothing once again. As it did, countless wisps of cloud appeared and to one color and then another. Every imaginable color must have followed in its wake - laughter. "Did Mother share news that you did not like? Still jealous of Sister? Jealous does not become you either, brother."

Scarlet bolts of lightning more terrible than could be imagined roared across the broken horizon. For a second, an unnatural calm descended upon the Veil before raging into renewed chaos. Onu then chose to reply in a similar manner. "Do not play with me, brother, you must have felt it as well. Now go but remember."

"Her will be done."

With those words, the plethora of hued clouds united into a single mass and flickered out of sight. Taking the form of his foes, the god of creation manifested himself into the waking world. In the high heavens masked as a falling star, the form of a yet unborn human appeared, clothed in nothing more than divine fire. A godfall. The like of which had not been seen since the dawn of creation. As he fell, he matured. Limbs grew to full length and were filled with lithe strength. Flames danced over his body before taking shape and forming crimson locks that shook wildly in the wind. Years of growth passed by in mere seconds.

The process was complete by the time his figured entered the tree line of the aged forest below. His knees bent slightly as they felt the earth for the first time. Oddly enough, the ground did not break and only a burst of air accompanied the event. By the time he recovered a natural stance, cloth appeared from nowhere and wrapped themselves around him. They took the form of simple clothes, which ill fit the majesty that he carried himself with. Soon, his eyes were opened for the first time, revealing an orb of solid gray. He took in his surroundings, with a wry smile as he admired what he helped create for the first time.

Unfortunately, there was little time to contemplate the past as he noticed a small group of men inching closer. They were clad in fine steel from head to toe and armed with crossbows and other large instruments their kind hunter their makers with. Their eyes belied the cautious hostility that they carried within their hearts and yet, the god in front of them smiled ever wider. "Do you have faith?"

The sound of a liberated bowstring resounded through the woods and a bolt passed but inches from the gods head. One of the mortals had the courage to attempt a first strike, an ill conceived action, the other soon followed in their comrades example. Few of them hit their mark but all proved to be ineffective, as those that travelled in their intended arc, vanished before their very eyes. Slowly, the god extended a hand and a long bladed spear appeared.

"Faithless."

With such a word were the last moments of these unfortunate scouts begun. None of them expected that they would face an Eternal Thought when they were tasked only with ensuring that their demon's prey would not escape. Unlike the lesser gods, who were completely bound to the law of the world, this one had the grace of bending reality to suit his needs. The wrath of the gods, had been unleashed.

[Allatu Dagon]

Asmodeus's gaze left the choking face of the lesser god and then focused in on a presence that felt quite familiar. A new figure had arrived not too far away from where he stood slowly squeezing the life of the god he had recently come to discover.

The demon's interest altered and he made no second thought to the life in his palm. Quickly the demon squeezed the goddess’s palm into the throat it had been holding tightly. It crushed the lesser gods throat, blood oozing all over the goddess's palm as the bone snapped and the last few gurgling sounds of the god were even heard by those around.

Dropping his former interest the demon proceeded to make his way closer to the new presence. Once he was close enough to not have to yell to communicate he paused and looked him over a few more times before he spoke. His presence felt quite similar to those he had slayed prior to taking on the lesser beings. Why one was still alive irked him slightly. “Who are you?”

A single flourish of divine steel ended the first act of heaven's fury. The mangled remains remains of four men lay strewn about the forest floor, the steel they wore offered little protection from divine fury. It was unlikely that they would have realized they were dead but to the trained eye, it was clear that the stroke was far from masterful - clumsy even. There was little time for the god to reflect on this matter as he felt a familiar presence for an instant before vanishing in a wave of pain.

The smile on his face contorted for a moment before stretching even wider. Gleaming ivory fangs were bared, exuding an almost palpable aura of anger - as if from one with a festering old wound that was was re-opened. It was with such a malicious expression that he turned to the new arrival, whose presence was a mystery. Based on appearances, it seemed to be human but a stench of a bastard was about her. Finally, there was a hint of familiarity hidden behind it all. Each of his new born muscles called for him to strike but recalling Mother's law, the god held back.

"Marvelous question. Allow me to return the favor." He hissed from behind his teeth, his voice seeped with obvious aggression. It was not like him to be like this, exactly why Mother chose him, but old wounds bring the worst in people. "Who are you to ask, hmmm?"

Her head tilted in mockery of the question. “You're executioner. Just like his.” The demon barked as he threw a thumb over his shoulder in motion to the mangled, headless lesser god on the ground. “Your turn.”

"Is that so?" His playful tone did little to hide the venom behind his words. As mangled as the body before him was, its was clear that it had housed divinity at least when it still drew breath. The runes inlaid onto the steel of his spear shone with an eerie blue light as his palms tightened around its shaft. In an instant, he threw his blade at the girl without weakening his smile at all. "I'll tell you if you survive."

Asmodeus took a few steps closer with an amused smirk on his face. “We shall see then, won't we.” The demon released close to ninety percent of his control and inverted himself into her being. The demi goddess's eyes lit up a lively goldenrod with dark black hints where the demon was still present and watching. She flickered her black lashes a couple of times as she accessed what was going on, where she was and who was standing in front of her.

Atalya stared at the man in front of her dumbly. Looking at him in pure confusion. Her brows buckled a little as she eyed the spear in his hand. Why was he hold it and looking at her with enough agitation that he might use the weapon? “Who are you?” She asked him with a scratchy voice. The demon's vocals had torn up her throat and left her sounding sickly.

The deadly shaft was already racing towards the young demi-goddess when her words left her mouth. Human reflexes would have been useless in evading the lethal bolt and even what divinity she had may not have sufficed, as her consciousness was just newly returned. For a second, the smile vanished from the god's expression replaced by an elevated brow. In a flash of light, the flying shaft disappeared, mere inches from the girl's face.

A moment of silence lingered between the two as reciprocated her expression. Mother had commanded that only the faithless were to be judged and this creature, whatever it was, contained a spark of divinity. Thousands of questions flooded through the god's mind as he searched his vast memory in vain. Nothing. All of creation should be accounted for and yet, nothing.

Only moments had passed by, even in mortal accounting, when a smile cracked the god's lips once more. No malice was behind his expression now, only cautious interest. He had to know. The spear re-materialized within his grasp as he spoke.

"Judgement." He laughed politely, his eyes scanning the girl in front of him. "Now, I think it only polite that you should return the kindness of an introduction."

“Asmodeus.” A deep, twisted voice chuckled. As the voice took back the total presence in her body, the once brighter goldenrod eyes were consumed by the darkness of the demon. “I doubt that's truly your name, god, but it will be enjoyable to take judgment from the god's power.”

[Xmagus]

"Ah... it is a bastard." A visible twitch invaded the god's expression, despite the teasing tone he used. Being toyed with by a lesser creature was rather irritating. One moment it was seeped with the stench of the damned, the next a ray of divinity reached out only to be drowned out once more. His grasp around the shaft of his weapon tightened as he deliberated on what to do. The name is spat out warned him that it would have been difficult but the god wondered if it would have been simpler just to run it through.

Mother had spoken. Even if it was responsible for so many thoughts being forgotten, it could not be risked.

The god heaved a heavy sigh as he decided to continue trying to be civil with this creature and undo whatever magics had bound it to the mortal realm. If it was banished entirely, it was nothing more than a damned thought. Otherwise, well, that would have been another matter to contend with.

Without further warning, ghastly strands of energy appeared. Dancing gracefully about the god, increasing both in size and speed every moment. It was the weaves of a binding spell, meant to restrain the creature to allow him to continue his study. Of course, he wasn't expecting his foe to stand idly by while he completed the ritual and his stance would have been a warning against any rash action. However, he wasn't expecting outside intervention.

A loud noise cracked through the whirling of his spell and he felt a sharp pain pierce his arm. Insignificant insects had crept behind him and while most mortal arms would have had no effect, the gun powder they had used was unnatural - a result of sin. The smile on his face was quickly replaced by a piercing glare as divine blue blood oozed out of off the wound. His earlier assault proved to be merciful, as only scraps of flesh was left of the fool that had injured his shell.

His triumph was short lived as the cacophony of battle rang through the forest, these insects showed more spine than the god had expected. It seemed that many were shaken by their comrades death and all but few of their shots had missed their mark. Though it would not have taken more than a moment to end the fools who dare lash out at their gods but he was wary of the bastard behind him. As damned as it was, it would have been foolish to engage and unknown foe with such injuries - as light as they may have been.

After ripping through another soul, he used the magic that was already gathered to weave a gate to another place. Snarling at those he had left alive, the god took a step through the portal and vanished. The gate would have lasted a few more moments before closing behind him, just enough time for a defiant soul to follow.

Asmodeus stared at the phenomenon for a second or two before his irritation set in. He snapped the goddesses fists tightly until the entire hand grew white. “Cowardice bastard.” He howled through the female demi gods lungs before he shove her entire figure through the portal and stood angrily on the other side. “I didn't think justice actually ran.” Asmodeus huffed with frustration seething out of every breath he heaved. For some reason chasing a god like this bothered the demon. He preferred his targets focused on defeating the one demon that had a win to loss ration of, well he always won—honestly what did you think killed nearly two hundred or more gods? Lesser hardly count, takes at least two to four lesser to equal one whole full god anyway.

The demon had a moment of clarity and launched himself into the full god and found her fingers wrapped tightly around the gods neck and the heals of the goddess jammed angrily into the chest of the god. The force was acceptable and shoved the full blooded ass of a god a ways away into the ground that they now fought upon. Where they were, Asmodeus cared less---it was Justice's resting place, ha! “Fall here Justice!” Asmodeus yelled at the top of the demi-goddess's lungs. The demon leaning his borrowed semi mortal body forward, black orbless sockets staring at him with a single focus to destroy his existence like the others. The death of the full blood god would only up his chance of freedom. He had to die.

[Allatu Dagon]

Emotions were almost a foreign sensation to the god. In ages past, it was often pure whimsey that guided his decisions as odd as it may have seemed for one who played such a hand in creating the waking world. A murderous expression blanketed his face as he rose from the ground - there were no false smiles to mask his intent. Where did this mongrel get the courage to assault a god so? It mattered little to him at the moment, as all the god wanted to do was watch as life drain away from its face. Killing his misguided siblings was a completely different insult to this... madness.

"You!" He roared, the air about him shimmering with power. The markings on his weapon shone like never before. At that moment even Mother's words were forgotten, this creature had to be taught its place. "Try not to die... too quickly."

The wounds on his limbs bled in objection under the strain but such injuries were nothing more than a slight inconvenience. With a single step he closed the distance between them, causing the very earth underneath to grumble. In one fluid yet violent motion, his fingers wrapped around the young divinities neck and drove her frame into the trunk of ancient oak meters from where she once stood. It would have been simple to tighten his hold and snap her neck but he hesitated once again - terrible would have been the consequences of disobedience

Holding her against the bark, he brought his face close to hers and bared his teeth with pure malice. "Little bastard! Crawl out of your little shell, die without hiding behind this thing." Unaware that neither the demon nor his host were willing parties in this affair.

Asmodeus cackled. “Shell? Crawl? Do you think all demons harbor themselves in some kind of hidden crevice and fight from?” The demon hissed as an unnatural arch came from the demi-goddess's foot and hip. She manged to bring herself up enough that the only distance between the god and herself was the length of hip to foot as it made contact to Justice's ear and drew the most brilliant, elegant stream of blood Asmodeus had even looked at in months. “Beautiful . . .ahhhh.” He sang as the god stumbled back several feet. “Come here . . .” He moaned. “And I'll lick it all away . . sweet Justice.”

There was really no room for thought in the god's mind, he could think of nothing but the most direct solution to his problem - this creature in front of him. The strike it delivered was indeed a harsh blow, it was apparent that he couldn't afford to let further attacks remain unpunished. It was humiliating having to endure such treatment and the sound of gnashing ivory could be heard from where the demi-goddess stood. Without looking up, he snarled once more. "Come and try."

Once again, the god charged against his foe. Fingers wrapped around her neck once more, tightening their grasp to defy any further attempts to dislodge them. This time, the trunk that had weathered several hundred years of torment could not bare the impact. Like a massive axe, her frame tore through timber with divine strength as a driving force. Several other trees fell to their combined momentum before a horn of bedrock absorbed the impact.

For the second time, the creature found itself pinned down by the god by the throat - in a manner that made the first seem gentle in comparison. With a snarl that may have been more at home in the face of his foe, he hissed. "I care not what your kind does. All I can see is a bastard hiding behind an insect."

Asmodeus choked in effort to retort to what Justice had to say, though, he eneded up unable to speak and was forced to make do with the grip the goddess had on the calf of his captive. The grip tightened as his displesure in the position he laid in lingered. Asmodeus's grip tightened until he felt a twitch in the god and too the motion as means to slide out from under his pin.

Distancing himself from the god he caught his breath while doubled over. Her lips were spread wide in a grin as she gasped for air and glared at him with orbless eyes made of pitch black sockets. “Forgot you damn gods had fight in you, I admit. Isn't that right Atalya?” Asmodeus asked as if she stood right next to him.

For the briefest second Atalya's individual self flickered through the demons empty gaze and found Justice's own focused attention. The look begged for a finish. A means to an end of suffering. The fraction of a second she permitted the god had a lifetime of sorrow and story to tell him. Though she was begging for a swift death if he was merciful.

The time for games was long done, for a moment the god considered accepting the defeated look on the creatures face but the embers of the girl's divinity tempered his response. With slow, steady steps, belying his own injuries, he closed the distance between him and his foe. It would have been a mistake to think that he had dropped his defenses, as he had already suffered much from this creatures trickery, but it was obvious that he did not mean to strike.

"I see there is a tale behind this blashphemy." He said as a cautious smile crept across his lips. For a moment, his eyes shut tight and the spear in his hand vanished. Much like how a river overflows, a storm of power surged forth from his being. It churned the air about him into a violent gust and yet it may have felt nostalgic to both the demon and his host. Slowly, he revealed his eyes once more. In an instant, his spear reappeared behind the demi-goddess and drove itself into her forehead.

Yet she would not have died. She would have awoken amidst a sea of nothing, alone. Completely alone. The god had pulled her to a place unseen by mortal eyes, only her divinity had allowed her what vision she may have had. It was unlikely that her demonic parasite would have had much presence here - in the gap between the waking world and the Veil.

Atalya looked to her left, right, above and below. Eyes darting so quickly she forgot to look in front of herself. When she did it was the sight of an unnamed being, though, something suggested it was the one that Asmodeus kept referring to as Justice. Atalya looked up at him with a look a nothing more than confused, inquisitive and question. “What am I here for? Who are you? Why am I here and what is going? I pray I don't know what it is, I---who are you?” Her eyes swiped from side to side so concerned with her location and the holder of where she currently resided. Something, everything actually, was wrong and out of place. The demi-goddess was completely disoriented and lost within every reason conceivable.


"You survived! Very good." The god smiled, sarcasm not lost behind his tone. In this realm, none of his recent wounds remained and he also seemed to have grown younger. Now, his age seemed to match that of the girl, if not a year younger. He was seated on a towering stool, both hands resting on the seat between his legs as they dangled over the edge, like a child judging a new toy. With a voice and playfulness that suited his new form, he continued. "Mother would have been very upset otherwise."

"Now." He expressed his own curiosity, tilting his head to one side. "I believe it is proper that you answer my questions first, insect. Seeing as you are at my mercy here. Oh wait! That answers your first question does it not? Hmm. It matters not, I suppose." Here the young god smiled wide, as jet black chains burst from nowhere and sought to restrain the girl's wrists together. There was no doubt that he was merely flaunting such power over the creature that taken part in injuring his manifestation. "What is that bastard doing within your body, hmm? And why do you defy your gods? Answer quickly, insect."

Atalya shook with every ounce of her being, whatever that was. “I didn't choose to! I didn't do any of it. He did! I promise.” Atalya yelped at the top of her lungs. Her chest heaved so quickly and elegantly, throwing the little fabric that did cover her chest up and down. Glimpses of her feminine demi-goddess body being caught between hyperventilated gasps. “I was born within the band, and, and it was hidden I swear . . I think it was. They, I didn't know of divinity until a time before they chained me and considered me stock for harboring demons.” The goddess said as she doubled over onto the plane she sat in and cringed in. She sucked in rough patterns of air as she tried to grasp enough to speak to Justice in. “I would never defy kin.” She moaned. “He made me, he also made me . . . I begged a death I did! For penitence . . .” Atalya sobbed.

"Penitence, hmmm." An unmasked sound of scorn resonated in the plane. The smile of his face was wider than it ever had been. It was clear he enjoyed watching the creature humbled but some part of him reached out towards the young demi-goddess. Even from his high seat, he could not completely mask what seemed to be a semblance of pity, yet he was determined to watch her suffer - if only for his own injured pride. He justified his abuse with a thin veil of suspicion. "Why should I believe you, insect? Hold that thought."

Without warning, the legs of his stool sank into the nothingness that surrounded them until the god stood level with his foe-turned-victim. A wicked gleam shone from his bared teeth as he snapped his fingers. On command, the chains that had snaked their way around the girl sprung into action. Wrapping themselves around her forearms until they bit into her skin. She was allowed a moment to realize what had happened before the god spoke once more. "Chained you, like this?"

In an instant the chains retracted into some unseen chamber, forcing her to stand and stretching her arms cruelly out from her body. There was a twitch in the god's expression as he watched her limbs jerk violently - almost as if he horrified by the very sight. Subconsciously, he was, nonetheless he continued. Taking her chin between her fingers, he made sure that she stared into his empty eyes. In his other hand, a weapon formed, not the familiar spear but a barbed sword. With sword the sword pointed at the girl's exposed stomach, he repeated his earlier question, pausing between each word. "Why. Should. I. Believe. You. Insect."

“I . . . “ She gasped as her eyes focused on the blade more so than the figures face she had been speaking with.

At this point had she been asking for belief or simply a means of sympathy so that he might make her stop feeling a pain so indescribable? “ . . .don't know that you should.” The goddess sobbed truthfully. “Either way there is only my desire to not endure that destructive creation's wishes, thoughts, desires and lusts. He was brought into me and I was given no option or choice but to harbor his essence until a deal was reached.”

It was unfortunate that the demi-goddess had focused on the blade, else she may have noticed the malice drain from the smile that the god kept. The truth in her words was enough such that he could no longer ignore what his divinity had told been driving into his thoughts - this creature, no, this girl was innocent in all this. Of course, the smile remained plastered on his lips. Letting both arms hang at his sides, he sighed though the blade remained within his hand.

"I believe you."

His words were still playful but the sincerity behind them was clear. From here, he would wait until the girl lifted her head to face him. Once their eyes met, the god would have loosed a hearty laugh before bringing the crooked blade back into her view. After giving the echoes of his laughter die down, he would have split his lips into a smile once more.

"Pass this one final test, hmm?"

The blade drew a drop of blood as he as he lightly pressed its tip into her throat. However, with one swift motion, he brought the blade towards his own throat and ripped it across. The god dropped to his knees, his teeth still bared defiantly - he had just slit his own throat. Blood flowed down his chest, slowly filling the empty void with the viscous blue liquid and threatening to drown the demi-goddess.

There was no end to the flow, his divine blood rising ever so slowly. By the end of the hour, her legs would have vanished below the pool. After what may have seemed like an eternity, there would have been a bitter taste in her mouth every time she attempted to draw breath. Eventually, it would have threatened to drown her completely but at this moment, everything shattered. Reality would have broken around her, revealing the battered forest that she was tossed around in.
Unmoving, the body of the dead god would have stood inches from where she stood, the crooked sword still clenched tightly in his hand. Within her chest, there would have been a sensation. Something was trying to rip its way through. The demon would have felt the opportunity to free himself from his vessel. If he did, the girl would have been left with no way to defend herself from the vengeful demon - aside from the blade in the corpses hand. Only she could defend herself. Nothing else was present. Nothing.

Atalya began grabbing at the air and her chest as the feeling began to consume her. She saw herself tumbling deeper and deeper into something she was unable to free herself from. Breath felt, it was, there was none. Suffering for life she found little as her flailing ended and her body collapsed on the ground, eyes wide and staring at the actual visual before her. Atalya saw the trees, shrubs and not too far off Justice.

She remained still as she realized breath had never left her body and that she had all articulation at her command. Slowly the goddess pushed herself up from where she had collapsed and looked around at her surroundings. Finding the simplicity and calm of nature throwing her off ever so slightly. Feeling peace after having lived in chaos and torture for so long, it felt like the demon was teasing her like he did so often. It always threw his opponents off when something innocent took his place for but a moment. That moment was all it took to end their lives . . .

The demi-goddess looked over at Justice for a few seconds before she spoke. “Is he . . “ Her eyes fell away from his and glanced down at the ground she sat on. “ . . is he only teasing me again? Trying to gain a foothold on you?” Atalya asked waiting for confirmation.

"Hmmm. I can not say."

Mused a voice from behind her. It was the god in his younger form, staring at his own corpse with an amused look on his face. The young god seemed to have been genuinely intrigued by the lifeless body that was supposed to have been his. Being divine, mortality was a foreign concept and unlike others of his kind, the death of their kin was more of an insult than anything else. The world turned around him as he shrugged off some unvoiced thought, such that the demi-goddess now face him again.

"Though it would seem odd to do that, when I should be dead. Hmm?" He said, the familiar smile on his lips once more. It may have been more displaced than usual, given that he had briefly motioned to his neck. As may have been expected, there was a scar running across his skin but the god merely laughed at the mark. "Now, tell me, can you hear that bastard's whispers still? Or should I chain you again? As I would demand to hear your tale in full, without more injury. Existence is such a hassle."

Atalya touched her face, her eyes half lidded as she thought about the question. “Na—no, no he isn't . . . I . . no.” She murmured unsure it was right of her her to doubt he was not present and she was free of his influence for the time being. Atalya looked up at the still figure of Justice and then turned to find the younger figure she had been speaking to the entire time. “He isn't here.” She said shaking her head at him.

[Xmagus]

"Excellent." The god said, taking a moment to widen his smile. "Know that this is a temporary solution, insect. Your damned bond with the bastard goes deep. Personally, I would rather give you the penitence you were begged for but Mother is merciful. Fortunately for you and your kind, no?"

Silence was banished from the woods as his divine laughter echoed throughout and the world around them shimmered and shook - a sign that they were still outside the waking world. Regaining his usual composure, the god paced around her form with inquisitive eyes. "I suppose now you can explain yourself. I will not have you feign ignorance. What are you? Ah! Also, how do I sense faith in you when you so openly defy your gods."

Atalya flinched when he denied her the swift and quick death she had been praying for ever since the day she had forever been locked away with the demon residing inside her being. She looked down and away from the sight of the god and stared at the ground as she came to terms with the eternal damnation she was to exist in.

“What do you want explained. You seem to understand everything and know quite a bit.” Atalya said flatly. “I'm a prison for a demon.” She mumbled. “What faith?” Atalya snorted. “I have no faith. That disappeared when hell got trapped inside of me.” The demi-goddess said lost in the turmoil of her situation.

For the first time, the god seemed frustrated. Ruffling the crimson strands of his hair with both hands, a growl broke the smile that he had been wearing. "I ask and you answer! Creatures like you have no right to question me. Though, I will tell you that you do in fact have faith; believing in a hell in itself is faith and I am god, such things is what I deal in." His train of thought was quickly derailed and his expression turned harsh as quickly as it mellowed. "Ah! That is neither mine nor your concern! No. Calm. Calm."

Taking several deep breaths, the god recovered his composure once more. He allowed himself to drop onto the grass below his feet but the earth rose, such that the demi-goddess would have had to lift her head to maintain the conversation. "This place bothers me, it is not my own. Now, what were her words. Ah. Reciprocate." Sighing deeply, the god continued. "Existence is such a hassle. Now, insect, I give you the chance to ask questions of me."

“Why can you only subdue the demon and not separate him from my being if you are god?” She asked him with eyes suddenly grasping a firm strength to back up her question. The goddess resided in constant agony and twisted sadness. Why he could not pity her and end her life she barely grasped the reasoning, should there be any.

"It is complicated." The god rolled his eyes, though it may have been hard to tell from watching his clear eyes. Either way, he loosed a sigh and continued taking a few paces. "This world has laws and you are bound tightly onto the damned soul. I could not pull it out without risk to your being - not that I would care but Mother has spoken."

Turning on his heels to face the girl, who was now behind him from his pacing. "Even if I could, why should I trouble myself with your problems. Hmm? Is that all you wish to ask? Quite a trivial concern if you ask me: you're free for the moment and a god offers you knowledge. So narrow-minded. Oh, right! We should leave this place before she figures it out."

A snarl broke his smile for a moment near the end of his statement but it was quickly replaced with another, though it may have appeared to be forced. The world vanished in a flash of light, reminiscent of how the girl escaped from drowning a few minutes ago. Now, the divine pair found themselves in the middle of a sparsely wooded grove with the girl splayed across the god's shoulder. He was in a different form once again, something between his previous forms with his garb remaining simple and his scarlet locks tamed in a knot.

"You're awake I see. Perhaps you'd like to use your legs now?"

[Allatu Dagon]

The demi-goddess was set down on the ground and assisted until she gained her balance back. She took several steps back to distance herself from the full blooded god before her. He seemed unable to stick to one appearance and that bothered her a little. What more he wanted out of her she was unsure. His attitude and manner towards her was not something that was helping her warm to him in any way. In all honesty she wished to just disappear from his company and hope she could find somewhere private and isolated to go to war with the demon herself. Yes he subdued it, but-that-was-it. Subdued.

Remembering the demon still existed in her being she shuffled her brows into a slight tensed annoyance as she looked at him. He was only locked away for a time being. No promises he would not break free and definitely no promises he would give her her being back after he was finished being angry and horrid.

What was she going to do now? Where the hell were they, even. Atalya glanced around where they stood in nature and then looked up through the small peep holes in the canopy of the forest. Nothing hinted at anywhere she had recalled being, though, the demon tended to be present for most of their travel instead of herself. Atalya smoothed her lips and looked up at the god firmly. “So now what? Are you quite done with me and are going to be on your marry way or am I somehow going to be nursed by you until your mistress is appeased?”

The god blinked several times in quick succession, seemingly dumbfounded by the girl's question. "It seems your nature is to divert the conversation. Were you not taught how rude that is, hmm? But I digress. To answer your question: I never thought about it... though that bastard in your mind complicates the issue. Now. Will you walk?"

Atalya narrowed her eyes at him in clear annoyance and frustration. “Does it look like I have a damn choice?” She grunted as she turned around and started walking in a random direction in the forest. The god was a total imbecile, despite how high and mighty and wise he probably considered himself. It was as if he had too much authority clogging reason and a means of logical conversation . . . and assumption and . . he just . . irritated her! What else was she suppose to do? He lured the demon and her into nowhere and nearly . . drowned her sort of and then he kind of broke her spell to a degree but then did not bother to really appeal to her pity cry and now she was left with . . . . nothing!

Ignoring any further words from the god she kept herself moving trying to appreciate the ability to look at the details in front of her. For a chance the songs in the air and branches were able to reach her ears and her body did not lock up in agony to the shrilling sing song birds. Atalya had forgotten what it was even like to enjoy all of the creations of the world. Unlike that damn demon that existed alongside her. He despised so much of the joy and calm of the mortal world. Made sure to keep her buried away in deteriorating, dank places so that he could revel in its isolation and dark.

Whatever it was that that god had plans of doing, she cared little for. None of it was in her favor, yes he had done her a small favor but even by his own words she was still at a loss and still joined at the hip to the dark creature bleeding through her body. Though if he harassed her further she would pray he had a reason more alluring than whatever celestial damned words he had to sing to her. All of it went over her head anyway. It all came out as self centered, full of himself and hardly in touch with the creations he was suppose to be akin to.

Atalya was going to take her peace and simply walk away. Maybe find kindness, compassion and authentic understanding before the demon resurfaced in an displeasing time and manner. He always knew when to break the seal of innocence, and, maybe in the presence of Justice he knew better at this point. Maybe Asmodeus realized authentic power ready and able to rival his own. The demon was clever, twisted and vile. Atalya knew too well how he worked in various situations. He disgusted her so much, it made her wish to end her own life. Of course she had tried, but, as brilliant as he was she never died. There had hardly been a day that went by that she did not curse her own heritage as a half blooded goddess. The demon enjoyed reminding her of that trait and how it permitted him to amplify certain abilities he could not as the celestial demon he had existed as prior to his imprisonment. Asmodeus wanted freedom as much as she, but, denied its host co-operation and or pity to free it of him. It was as if she were simply a cell in which he needed to break properly just to escape. The worth, feeling and desires of the cell itself were nonexistent.

The demi-goddess looked up through an open patch of forest canopy and gaze up at the lovely blue sky. If she could find purity they could at least put her to rest and destroy Asmodeus's, she hoped. Justice had done little to provide her with a solution, other than the words of his lady saying he had to separate her and the demon. Death was just as good a separation solution for her as it was Asmodeus.

[Xmagus]

Standing there, watching the half breed walk away, the god pondered his options. Could he allow the girl to walk away, knowing full well what lurked beneath her self-pity? The seal that he wove around her soul should have weakened the link between the demi-goddess and her parasitic demon, for some time, limiting what control it can exert over her. Also, they should be in the outskirts of the heretic king's empire, without direction, they could not likely do much harm. As such, a large part of his concern was whether they could stand each other's company for much longer. Watching the girl stomp away, the question was quickly answered, with a swift and resounding: No.

When the girl vanished into the woods, the god heaved a heavy sigh. Communicating with mortals was always a troublesome business, words can be misunderstood and the true meaning is easily lost. As much as he used their tongue to infuriate his siblings in the Veil, he had always shared his message through other means afterwards, he was out of practice. In addition, the girl did not make it easier. For someone who claims to have been a victim their whole life, she was rather fierce and took offense over the smallest things. Prayers were more often humble and half-hearted, submissive, her aggressive tone was different. Not that he found fault in her for that, however, the god still felt... annoyed.

Finding himself alone, he no longer found the need to maintain the facade that he was so careful to keep around others. The smile on his face melted away, making way for a serene, almost sage-like, expression. It ill-fit the still-bleeding wounds that were scattered about his body. Between weaving the seal, keeping the girl within the Dreamlands and healing her wounds, there was little time to treat his own injuries.

Taking a seat beside a young oak, he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Leaves swayed to an unfelt wind. The oak behind him seemed to offer its leaves willingly, one-by-one, slowly falling towards the ground, only to vanish in a wisp of light before touching the earth. Blood crept back into his wounds before divine flesh twisted about it, stitching itself together. Slowly but steadily, he was recovering.

Suddenly, sensing an unfamiliar presence, his eyes burst open before easing themselves shut once more. There were too few and too lightly armed to belong to be the heretic king's men, likely peasants trying to eek out a living between the wars and the droughts and other disasters it had caused. Out of nowhere, a flock of nightingales appeared and perched upon the balding branches of the tree behind him. Their presence caused a familiar smirk to crack the god's once serene expression. "Apparently, I was wrong."

The birds chirped in unison, playing a melody that one would not expect from such creatures - as these were not mortal creatures but messengers of another god. One who until recently had trespassers upon her domain. From a smirk, the resting god's expression quickly turned into a scowl. "This is an abuse of your rights. Why should I help that creature? It is of no concern to me. No. You lie."

As the gods argued, their half-kin was slowly being surrounded by several men. Each lightly armed with a knife, and two had crude bows looped around their bodies. It was clear that they were not out to hunt, not traditional game at least, as there was a different kind of hunger in their eyes. With the demon, they would not have been worth the time it took to kill them but the bastard was sealed.

"Look over there boys, got a little present all unwrapped, just waiting to be claimed." One of them grinned to his friends as they crept closer.

"Wonder how much she'll fetch on the market, eh?"

"Nothing until you catch her."

Bandits. Slavers. Such men were a danger to others, specially a woman whether or not she had divine blood in her veins.

[Allatu Dagon]

Atalya frozen when she saw what showed up in her presence. The men were circling her like wolves and she was now completely defenseless after Asmodeus's temporary sealing. She did not think she would ever wish to beg for his strength and presence, but for a split second she did. Of course he did not answer, though, had he she would have been enveloped by his twisted evil and desire. Buried for another eternity until another god came along to smite the pair---or in the case of Justice, separate them briefly.

The demi-goddess knew better than to struggle or bring about a fight when there was no means of backup or her having a way out of a fight. She was quickly circled and then bound within moments. There were moments of surprise fluctuating between all of the bandits as they questioned how simple this catch was. Had they ever had one so simple and uncomplicated? Maybe they had, though it had been ages upon ages that it had occurred. Usually the females the acquired broke into tears and howled like wolves for saviors that never came to their aid. Of course shortly after the capture they were gagged until their sale, but, none the less this one acted peculiar to their usual.

Seconds after her simple catch she was knocked out and hoisted up into a means of transportation. Once on their small wagon and secured to its sides they made a steady pace for the nearest trade town. She was going to be the easiest money they had run into in decades.

Atalya woke up nearly twelve hours later to discover herself attached to a post and a hum of peoples voices keeping her headache alive. She parted her eyes and stared out through fuzzy slits only to understand she was being eyed by many faces and sets of eyes. She was unsure if she was the center of attention or others accompanied her. Trade in the form of slaves or indentured servants was far too common for her to be able to figure between. Though, Asmodeus rarely gave her enough time to understand and learn the social changes in her world. If he did, well, a partnership might be established. Though of course the demon would be completely against something like that. Equality between him and a goddess, well a demi-goddess . . but a goddess none the less.

Moments passed and she was able to look on faces a little more clearly and realize she was tethered up in her undergarments along with twenty other slaves who were on auction. It was a crap shoot that she would escape or eve find a means to do so. Atalya tried looking around, though found herself reluctant to move in too many directions as her bindings begged to differ with movement. All that she was able to articulate was her neck to see the crowd. Anyone in that crowd was subject to her purchase, her escape or worse. Atalya remembered enough about her world and the chaos it had been in before Asmodeus had become her darker half . . . . anything was a go. “Asmodeus come back . . . for once.” Atalya choked as she realized how brutal the crowd was getting, their sales were being held by the minuet and they were quite displeased by this.