Chapter 11: The Endearing Feast.....

At this moment all eyes were on Kean. But behind their worshiping gaze, one could see a feverish hunger, a hunger that treaded at the doors of madness. Maybe, it was for the beast they would dine on in a few moments, or maybe not. 

Their eyes would certainly tell you something else. A craving that came from deep in their souls, a craving that transcended all sense of normalcy. But the victims themselves did not seem to notice the corruption that had taken root in them. Perhaps for the best. For darkness can seem inviting, even almost safe, if and only if you knew not of the things it hides. The horrors that roam the cover of darkness would make you wish; you had no eyes to gaze upon them in the first place.

And then...it begun.

It begun with a whisper, or a sound, a voice? maybe! It was hard to tell what it was, but the people at this table did not seem to find this occurrence strange, for it happened every time Kean spoke.

The first time he spoke to them, they thought they would have died, forever dammed to darkness, seeing unspoken horrors for the rest of their meager existences, tortured until they sought death for relief.

But now they no longer felt like that, possibly because he did not originally speak much, they just found themselves knowing what he wanted them to do, never needing him to speak at all.

Today was not any different. An unsettling sound came out from the three grooves that formed the mouth on Kean's mask. It was constantly shifting between the screeching of the wind, the wails of maddened entities, the constant ripping of flesh. It did not top on only sounding alien and forsaken, it also brought about the swirls of darkness in the temple, the cold temple became more unsettling than it was before. 

The people at the table could not seem to understand anything that came out from him, they could not be sure that he had spoken a few words, a word or a sentence. But they did not need to wait long. The air carried his voice and like a servant passing on a decree from the king. The wind spoke on his behalf, 

It spoke. "Listen well Heralds, for the time has come to serve your purpose, the time for a new game has come, this one shall be a long game, longer than any other we have played before. This shall be your last meal with, and maybe the last with each other. Cherish, the little time you have together for it will be your last. Play my game well and feasts shall be many. We shall dine on the Light of Creation her screams will be our entertainment and her children shall be part of our feast."

The overbearing voice of the wind, sounded from all over the temple. But with it, a deafening silence descended on the whole table. Everyone stared listlessly at the empty air in front of their eyes refusing to meet his gaze lest his sees their betrayal. Their thoughts chaotic. They worshipped Kean in their hearts, and after all he did for them, it was only right, but now, what he was saying did not leave a good feeling in their mouths.

The children even more so. They just did not understand why they had to separate, they were happy with the way things were, they did not wish to separate. Though they could not say that it was their best life, they were happy, at least they could eat to their fill and sleep without worry of the Light that Cleanses their World.

But if this is what their big brother wanted then they would do it without complaining. They would miss each other but with his promise they would not be worried and so they accepted it with reluctance.

Seeing the mood in the hall, Kean spoke in his abrasive language again, and like before the wind spoke once more on his behalf. Well, it was not actual speaking, but it was the manipulation of the wind by reality to form sounds that would be able to pass as a voice. Basically, it carried the intentions of its master in order to pass them on to his listeners. 

But that did not come without a price. And though he was powerful, and that was only if he was still in his father's domain, using the 'Eledrachie' language in the material world no less in front of mortals who had no inkling of the vastness of a universe no less the world they were born on.

And besides, the body he had chosen for his first rebirth was unstable and not strong enough to contain his potential. Though it could not be denied that for an inhabitant of this world or what they called an 'abomination', it had the most terrifying potential to have ever been born. but it was not enough to rely on a body born from a world with a broken reality, broken laws, polluted and corrupted beyond imagination.

It did not help that he had knowledge of things beyond Creation. This created a situation where his body could not handle the reality he had always envisioned and was born to, and to add onto his problems, being broken, this world's laws did not favor growing stronger through mystical means. It did not have the laws necessary. And the only reason he was even here in this body in the first place was the fact that he could feel her presence here. 

But he needed to find another way to find out more, a better way. So that led him to the other solution. Do what he first did and undergo another better rebirth and this time he will se-

Well, he realized he was getting a bit sidetracked here, but anyway plans for that were already underway and this time he would be sending his Heralds before him, they will be his Harbingers,

'Right am losing focus again. he had to focus on what was happening right now and bring these little interesting things of his, on the same page. He to show the good side of things otherwise it might lead to complications in the future so he had to nip the problem at the bud and destroy any festering seed to affirm his control on them, not like they could escape if he so deems it.

Just by virtue of his presence around them, they were corrupted beyond what they could imagine, but they were lucky. He was not going to mistreat them; their prospects fascinated him and especially if he finished perfecting them. With the feast today, the first step would be completed, and they would be the first subjects in his-

Oh right!....focus 

The wind spoke, "Do not worry your weary minds, the game cannot take place in this world it is too broken, and besides unlike your Elder brother Kyrios most of you will have died by the age of sixteen. This world cannot bear you and so it will cut your life short. So, I saw it fit to help you out of this before it was too late, but unfortunately i cannot send you together otherwise you will not survive the big guys in 'those other worlds."

" Perhaps the best I can do for you is to make sure that some of you will remain together and if not, you will be in the same place with your twin, that's the best I can do and besides..." the wind grew colder all of a sudden as it trembled almost too afraid of saying everything in the master's intent.

" This is meant to be fun game, don't' tell me you do not want to play fun games with me."

The kids who were brooding suddenly became and excited at the mention of the fun games. They suddenly forgot about the thoughts they had had earlier. But who could blame them, growing up in a world where the only food you could eat was soaked in blood, and even then, you had to be careful that you would be able to wake up the next day and repeat the same cycle over and over again.

Kean was the light in this deplorable world and the games were really fun, although they ended up getting more hurt than when they had to eat, it brought them joy knowing that any game they played right and Kean liked, he would prepare a feast that was just to die for. at the end of each game, they would forget their pain and enjoy the feast. And this time the feast would even be better.

A glint flashed through Kean's eyes the moment he saw the mood shift positively. Thoughts were brooding in his mind.... oh, what fun!!!  

But he did not notice that Kyrios had seen this glint. A chill suddenly went through his spine, and like as if he had woken up from along dream, he screamed in his mind. Oh, how he wished they had never seen this entity in the first palace. He wanted to stop him at any means possible, he would rather die no- 

But before he could even shift in his seat, Kean looked at him, and suddenly a dark haze covered Kyrios' eyes and al his vigilance was flashed down the drain. The worship he had in his eyes returned once more and he joined the joyous mood in the hall.