Carpe Obscurum
Chapter Two
The first four years of my contract, I served the First. He instructed me that I was to call him Vengeance. He also explained, that he was the purveyor of the vain. I was to be the house of the souls he would take.
At first, I didn’t understand the purpose of myself in the games that were played, until I was told to look into the eyes of the first woman.
A scream escaped us both as I felt her soul being ripped from her body. I could feel the searing heat of the innocence inside her, my skin turning red as though I was burning alive, and her skin turning black.
“The pain will only worsen with the more innocent souls you take into you.” A voice whispered to me as I laid on the floor of the bedroom I was given inside the home of Vengeance.
I shivered and cried, the pain still intense. “If I am to be Satan’s Queen, why would I be put through this?” I asked, somehow knowing that I wasn’t alone.
The faceless man appeared, hidden in the darkest corner of the empty room, a faint ‘chink’ and a brief flicker of flame showing. “I don’t think you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into, Cain.” He said calmly. “To be the beast’s wife, does not mean you have certain privileges save your soul does not burn in the pits.” He explained.
I sat up slowly, every movement setting every fiber of my being aflame again. “Then why was I chosen for this?” I asked, still shivering slightly.
“You have always been the dwelling place for demons.” He said, moving forward, a black fedora casting a shadow over his face as he neared me. “We have always waited for you to join us, and now it is your duty to be the Cage.” He said, placing his hand on my chest.
I instantly could no longer feel the pain of the soul I had taken. “What did you do?” I asked, looking up at him.
He moved back into the shadows and waved his hand. “I’ve taken your burden.” He said simply.
“Why would you do that?” I asked, pulling my knees to my chest.
“That is no concern of yours.” He said, taking a drag from the cigarette he had lit when he’d arrived.
“What do you mean, I am the Cage?” I asked him.
“You are to carry the souls taken by The Five. For all eternity. They will forever plague you, until you are taken.” He explained.
“Taken? Taken in what sense of the word?” I asked.
“In the way that a man and woman lay down together.”
“What happens then?” I asked.
“The being that takes you will become the most powerful on every plane of existence. The souls you harbor inside you will be transferred into them.”
“Why am I important?” I questioned.
“You remember the Virgin Mary?” He asked in return.
“Yeah.”
“You are the fallen’s version of her. You will bring forth the end of days if Satan is to take you.”
“So I am the harbinger of the apocalypse.” I said, sighing. “Wonderful.”
“Only if Satan were to take you.” He pointed out.
“Who else would take me?” I asked, angry with him.
“That I cannot answer. I’ve indulged too much to you already, dear Cain.” He said, bowing. “Until we meet again, princess.”
“Wait, who are you?” I asked, only to be greeted by silence.
At first, I didn’t understand the purpose of myself in the games that were played, until I was told to look into the eyes of the first woman.
A scream escaped us both as I felt her soul being ripped from her body. I could feel the searing heat of the innocence inside her, my skin turning red as though I was burning alive, and her skin turning black.
“The pain will only worsen with the more innocent souls you take into you.” A voice whispered to me as I laid on the floor of the bedroom I was given inside the home of Vengeance.
I shivered and cried, the pain still intense. “If I am to be Satan’s Queen, why would I be put through this?” I asked, somehow knowing that I wasn’t alone.
The faceless man appeared, hidden in the darkest corner of the empty room, a faint ‘chink’ and a brief flicker of flame showing. “I don’t think you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into, Cain.” He said calmly. “To be the beast’s wife, does not mean you have certain privileges save your soul does not burn in the pits.” He explained.
I sat up slowly, every movement setting every fiber of my being aflame again. “Then why was I chosen for this?” I asked, still shivering slightly.
“You have always been the dwelling place for demons.” He said, moving forward, a black fedora casting a shadow over his face as he neared me. “We have always waited for you to join us, and now it is your duty to be the Cage.” He said, placing his hand on my chest.
I instantly could no longer feel the pain of the soul I had taken. “What did you do?” I asked, looking up at him.
He moved back into the shadows and waved his hand. “I’ve taken your burden.” He said simply.
“Why would you do that?” I asked, pulling my knees to my chest.
“That is no concern of yours.” He said, taking a drag from the cigarette he had lit when he’d arrived.
“What do you mean, I am the Cage?” I asked him.
“You are to carry the souls taken by The Five. For all eternity. They will forever plague you, until you are taken.” He explained.
“Taken? Taken in what sense of the word?” I asked.
“In the way that a man and woman lay down together.”
“What happens then?” I asked.
“The being that takes you will become the most powerful on every plane of existence. The souls you harbor inside you will be transferred into them.”
“Why am I important?” I questioned.
“You remember the Virgin Mary?” He asked in return.
“Yeah.”
“You are the fallen’s version of her. You will bring forth the end of days if Satan is to take you.”
“So I am the harbinger of the apocalypse.” I said, sighing. “Wonderful.”
“Only if Satan were to take you.” He pointed out.
“Who else would take me?” I asked, angry with him.
“That I cannot answer. I’ve indulged too much to you already, dear Cain.” He said, bowing. “Until we meet again, princess.”
“Wait, who are you?” I asked, only to be greeted by silence.