Pure of Mind and Sharp of Knife (Male Reader x Female Creepypasta)

Conviction

"Zalga?" I repeat as I stand up, "The Satan-incarnate that everyone's afraid of? What kind of army does she have?"

Ann helps Jackie off the floor, "An army of mutants and walking corpses. No sane entity would willingly join Zalga's dread legion unless they want their soul bound in astral chains and kept on a short leash like a dog. For those who do, she grants a high-ranking position and allows them to keep just enough reason to follow her orders."

"Are those high-ranking people as dangerous as you?" I press, only for Slenda to shush me.

"We will talk more about it later. This is a dire situation... Zalga must be on the move, preparing to attack us at a moment's notice. She must have sent some Dregs after you after catching wind that you were separated from my protection. Why not send her Terrors?" Slenda speaks to herself.

I shake my head and laugh nervously, "Terrors?"

"Just let me..." Slenda turns around and touches my head with two fingers.

Information floods my thoughts away, giving me a migraine at the same time. Zalga's appearance: the same woman from my nightmare. She was the one who emerged from the tar in that ashen desert. Her Terrors are on the same level as Jane and even Angel; Lazari, Stripes, Zero, Scarecrow, Kagekao, and Nina. Their looks are the stuff of nightmares. No wonder Zalga took them in. Do they willingly follow her bidding?

Jane steps up to Slenda, "Does this mean she will attack the mansion?"

"No, she failed to catch you, so I must have torn up her plans. This leads me to believe that I merely delayed her. An attack will come... sooner or later."

Sitting down on the couch, Jackie revels in the warmth of the familiar mansion, "How did you know?"

Slenda's hands curl into fists, "Your Brands alerted me to the weight of Zalga's darkness. I managed to teleport in and take you back here before she could capture you. Enough questions! I must think!"

"That was some damn perfect timing. That thing almost crushed me," I shudder.

Ann grabs Slenda's arm, "Slenda, will you-"

She reacts by pulling her arm away, "Do not get comfortable. I only saved you so that you would not provide Zalga with vital information. I said enough."

"Just check (Y/N)'s memory! You know you should have done it when he was first accused, but I know you, Slenda! You held back because of your own selfishness... your own desire to 'make eternal life more enjoyable'. Zalga tried to murder us, showing her bigger plans to lay siege to our home! You have weakened yourself long enough. You are not yourself. Listen to reason for once! You will not defeat Zalga if you keep your hands bound!" Ann stares up at Slenda, her eye begging for a response.

Slenda says nothing, but she yanks me over by the arm, placing her other hand on my forehead. Her palm heats up, and I almost believe I've developed a fever. She stiffens. Her hand moves to the top of my head as she kneels down to my level.

"(Y/N), I..." her voice trails off, and she glances away, unable to look me in the eye.

In a sudden movement, she stands up and marches toward the main stairs. The rest of us follow, and I have to jog in order to keep up with Slenda's long strides. Slenda kicks Painter's door open only to find the room empty. Painter is gone.

"Check Angel's room," Slenda orders Jackie firmly.

After a moment, Jackie returns and shakes her head before Angel emerges, her hair ruffled by sleep. Slenda stands silently in the middle of Painter's bedroom. The room darkens around Slenda, the shadows on the walls bending into nightmares with jagged teeth and twisting horns. The air becomes a blur like heat waves on a summer afternoon.