He wanted it to stop.
He never wanted it to end.
My beautiful mirror.We should be in this together.Look at me.
A harsh breath escaped him, and Saer opened his eyes to Its gaze.A million possible responses fell dead on his lips, halted by infuriating fear.
The demoness’s shoulders rose and fell with a long, refined sigh.Your temper tantrums.Your willful nature.You make this so hard for me, my Saerkhanum.
Forgive me, he wanted to scream.
To Hells with you, chased its heels.
Kalia’s eyes snapped from void to blood, as though It heard.Had It heard?!
His entire body tensed, awaiting physical pain.
Another creature screamed.
A loudcrack,crunch, andpop.
Something warm and wet splashed across Pride’s face, painting his pearlescent skin scarlet.
More gasps and screams catapulted the room into pandemonium.
The Seventh’s body stood shorter than any of the other creatures in the room, and yet she’d somehow twirled, lunged, and snatched Abbot Maurice’s face.Kalia’s hands had gripped his head at the temples, and squeezed with enough power that his cranium imploded, splattering gray brain matter and ruby ichor across the room.
Half the remaining brothers fled for the locked door in a panic.They slammed their bodies into it, pulling uselessly at the handle.The other half fell to the ground in terrified veneration.
All ended up covered in drips and fragments of Brother Maurice’s tissue, shattered skull, and blood.
Lucifer stared at Kalia’s hands, rubbing thumbs to fingertips.Look what you’ve made me do, Saerkhanum.Kaliaspher is so upset.Blazing ruby eyes darted to Saer’s from across the room.You’ve taken this away from her, the reason for my visits.She’s crying.Howling.Years of establishing herself here amongst the brothers, and you’ve ruined it.
The spark of rage grew, and Pride latched onto it, fueled it, finding his voice at last.“You do as you will!No one makes you do anything!”
He regretted the outburst as soon as it fled his tongue.
Still.
The monks continued in their flurry of activity, shrieks, orisons, and horror.
Lucifer stoodstill.
Sloth’s head canted to the side as the fallen angel whispered in Saer’s mind,Master.
Every nerve along Saer’s spine shrieked.
Kalia’s hands snapped down, clutching the neck of one of the begging monks.She twisted and ripped.You…Half of the man’s head came off.
Lucifer clasped another at the jaw before the first brother’s body slumped to the ground.
…will call…
Jerking down, the Seventh’s grip wrenched the mandible off the screeching postulate’s face.Brother Thomas.
The demoness’s body stood soaked in blood.Her crimson-stained fingers slid over the bald scalp of a crying third monk, gripped his ear with terrifying intensity, then slammed him temple-first into the ground.His scream cut off in a dull, crunching thud as Lucifer’s voice hissed in Saer’s mind, …me, ‘Master.’
With frightening quickness, her form slunk in front of the First.Her bare feet should have slipped.Lucifer didn’t allow it.
