The Creed's Emergence

Chapter Twelve: Once More

The Curative had left, and the small group now prepared to take Bramble to the Damned. Justitiam wouldn't be creating more projections anytime soon. So, they didn't have to worry about any seizures. They began to walk out of the courtyard but didn't speak to each other. Everything was silent. The silence was uncomfortable to Anika. She nervously glanced around, thinking of a way to strike up a conversation. Yet nothing came to her mind. Everything she could talk about would be foreign to the Decrepit and the strange fedora man. They probably didn't know much about painting or playing instruments, or even things like baking or shopping.
If the silence went on for much longer, Anika didn't know how much more she could handle it. She shut her eyes closed, letting out a stressed sigh. Something had to be done. She couldn't let the silence get ahold of her. Maybe she could just hum a tune to ease her mind.
Now using the rhythm of her footsteps, she began to hum a song she remembered from years ago. One that she heard in a dream. The song sparked interest among the others. They looked over at her, in wonder at what she was humming. It was something they had never heard before. Even then, they didn't speak. Then Anika felt something brush up against her arm. She stared up, seeing Thorn staring right back at her. His nine eyes showed no emotion, but deep-down Anika knew he felt something.
"I'm interested... What is that song you're humming?" Thorn asked, now slowing down to walk alongside Anika.
"It's one from home, it's called the Swan Lake Waltz." A grin came onto Anika's face. It was another chance for her to tell Thorn all about what she loved. He would surely listen to her, as it was new to him. Of course, the Decrepit was soon interested.
"Sounds lovely. Our music is quite different. Always something menacing or just suspenseful. It mirrors the lives of all of the cultists here." Thorn took out one of his small daggers and began cleaning it off with part of his cloak.
"Ours back at home was a mix of so many things. So many cultures and emotions! There's music for everything. If only I could show you."
"Mhm, someday. Even if we're stuck here, at least there could be a chance for us to listen to the music from your homeland. It sounds strange, yet much more different than ours."
"You guys should even see our dance performances. They're lovely." Anika changed her stride, now walking with toes pointed out like a ballerina. She stopped to twirl, then kept walking. Thorn watched Anika, then tried to mimic her. However, his steps were much more inconsistent and at times he nearly stumbled. He watched her steps, trying to find a pattern. Left, left, left right left. Left, left, left right left. He began to match her steps. But soon stumbled. He grabbed onto Anika's shoulder for a moment as he caught himself. The others looked back at Thorn, but without saying another word they slowly looked back ahead.
Now, they began to walk down a winding staircase. Anika had never seen it before. The staircase was dark and gloomy. Cobwebs hung from the ceiling, and tiny glowing stones were visible in the walls. The entire staircase was carefully carved from the rock, along with the dents where candles lay, burning.
"Is this the right way?" Anika slowly took Thorn's hand, squeezing it softly.
"Yep, don't be scared by what you might see though." Moon said aloud, holding back a snicker. Anika was left uneasy by the remark. If he told her not to be scared, surely there'd be something down at the end of the stairs that would be unsettling. Maybe skeletons? A corpse? Cave people? Gods? At least Thorn was by her side, ready to protect her. He wouldn't let anything get to her, right? Then, the air got cold. Anika shivered again. She began to rub her arms, trying to hold back the sound of her chattering teeth. A terrible gut feeling also appeared. Thorn used part of his cloak to gently lay it over Anika's back. He watched her grab the ends and wrap herself up. Even if it was bloodied and reeked of carnage, Anika seemed comfortable. She made tiny sounds of happiness, nuzzling the warm cloth.
As they got to the bottom, they were met with darkness. But one by one, torches lit up on their own. Moon started to go off ahead of the rest of the group.
"... I won't... Go down..." A voice said from behind.
"Shit, not again!" Splinter hissed, seeing that Bramble's pupils were flickering back to life. He dropped the Decrepit and instinctively got on top of him, pinning him down to the floor. Moon rushed over, pinning Bramble's arms.
"Why isn't anything working!?" Moon shouted, panic rising within. He looked over at Anika and Thorn, his eyes widening.
"Dammit... You two, get into the Vault and get the Damned! But stay there!"
Thorn grabbed Anika, but still kept her wrapped in his cloak. He ran as fast as he could, heading towards the entrance to the Vault that lay ahead.
"I'm so sorry this keeps happening, Anika."
"It's okay. I promise I'll be able to fight next time."
"No. It's not that. You don't have to fight. I'm just sorry for all the hell you've been witnessing lately. We don't know what's going on."
"Right..." Anika sighed, covering her mouth and nose with the cloak. She could hear Bramble begin to make horrifying eldritch sounds, as if something was waking up inside of him.
Thorn began banging on a heavy door, then yelled.
"Open up! It's urgent! The Revenant is in trouble and in need of aid! I cannot help as I have an innocent life here to protect!" For a second, his voice was full of panic. But it was hard to hear well. No one seemed to answer the door, however. The air felt heavy, and even static.
"The Revenant! The Warden! They're in trouble! One of our own have gone mad!" He continued to bang on the door, until the sound of gears grinding could be heard.
Slowly, the vault door opened. But as soon as it was open enough where people could slip by, multiple Damned poured out. One of them had red translucent horns and skull. He knew what was going on, and quickly forced the door open more.
"Tutamelios! We need you!" He called out. Thorn and Anika watched as a tall, corpse-like headless man ran out of the Vault. He carried a large iron shield which hummed with ancient energy.
"The Infernal One-"
"I know, Decrepit. I heard what happened earlier. I figured The Revenant would come soon. But I did not think that the other Decrepit would wake up so soon." The ghostly Damned responded, not looking at Thorn.
"No chain The Revenant creates will hold him back. It calls for something far stronger. Tutamelios, restrain the Decrepit with everything you've got! Chains of the heavens, anything! It's what The Revenant came for!"
"I am the God of Protection, y'know? It's my thing!" Tutamelios charged towards the group of Decrepit. He prepared his shield, knowing well that in any second Bramble would fully wake up and another battle would begin. He was right, however.
The mad Decrepit screamed in anger, throwing off the Decrepit restraining him. He faced Tutamelios, then ran towards him. While he ran, his zweihander appeared in his hands. He raised it over his head, then swung at the incoming God. The shield came up as he did, and both clashed. Sparks flew into the air, lighting up the tunnel.
The Infernal One ushered Thorn inside of the Vault, then he took out his own weapon. It was a large war spear, much more complex than the ones the other Damned had. He followed Tutamelios, along with the other Damned.
Tutamelios thrusted his shield forward, shoving Bramble to the ground. He quickly planted his foot down on his chest and began chanting things in his own language. The mad Decrepit began to growl and snap at the God, making various attempts to get him off. He grabbed his leg, digging his sharp claws into his skin. It only made the God plant his foot down harder, keeping the Decrepit pinned. He was slowly squeezing the air out of him, in hopes of cutting off his breathing so he'd stop resisting.
The Damned arrived quick, and they all pointed their war spears at the Decrepit. They weren't phased by his insane glares or malicious growling. Instead, they only closed in to the point where the tips of the spears touched him. Tutamelios raised his hand up, and multiple portals appeared.
"Be sealed until the madness fades from your mind, heart and soul." He said, and soon snapped his fingers. Chains shot out from the portals, wrapping around Bramble's limbs. Each time he resisted; the chains sprouted thorns. They stabbed into him, causing him to cry out in pain. He only resisted further, but it wouldn't take long before he gave in. The chains began to drain him of his energy, and they shined with demonic light. Bramble thrashed, but his blood only spilled further. It was a terrifying sight.
"If possible. I'd like to keep him in the Vault. He'll be safer there." Tutamelios calmly looked towards Moon. He didn't seem bothered about the agony Bramble was in.
"If it isn't an issue, please do so." Moon nodded.
Tutamelios looked back down at Bramble, who continued to thrash. He swiftly snapped his fingers again, then Bramble went silent. His entire body went limp. The Damned stepped back, putting away their weapons. Tutamelios and The Infernal One turned to Moon.
"Well, that was taken care of. Not too much of a biggie. I-i'm sure he'll be out for a while." The God relaxed, letting out a deep sigh of relief.
"You seem pretty spooked though. Come, spend some time with us. I see your Decrepit also brought a friend too." The Infernal One walked back towards the Vault, as if nothing had happened. He waved his hand, and Bramble's body was brought into the Vault. The group got back up, now following the Damned back into the Vault.
"Eh, is this why they say the Damned are the most carefree? They don't give a.. Pfft... A damn... About all of this." The fedora man, who had to have been The Warden, held back a laugh. He couldn't just laugh at his own joke. But Moon, Crow, and Splinter weren't having it. They only shook their heads or rolled their eyes.
Once in the Vault, the Decrepit awaited any further instruction. Anika was mesmerized by how ancient everything looked. It was like a huge cave, or even a temple of some sort. There were pools of scorching magma which bubbled and gave off a bright orange light. Even some places had magma flowing into the pools like fountains. Three pedestals stood alone on an elevated space. One of them had an odd bottle-like object sitting on top.
"Well, for you first timers, welcome to our Vault! Usually no one is allowed in, but today was an exception." The strange Damned said in a pretty enthusiastic tone. He stepped aside, letting Tutamelios carry Bramble over to an empty space within the Vault. A large, strange woman came out of the shadows, curiously looking at the unconscious Decrepit.
"Reliquire, you think you can help?"
"Of course." The woman waved her hand over the ground and a glowing sigil appeared. It grew into a magic circle, which gave off a safe energy. The magic took Bramble and more circles appeared on the walls, anchoring the chains. Now, the Decrepit was levitating off the ground, but still secure. The thorns on the chains retracted, and his wounds began to heal.
"He won't be getting out anytime soon, not on our watch." Reliquire looked over to Moon as a gentle smile came onto her pale face.
"Thank you so much." Moon bowed, then rose back up. A wave of relief came over him, and he was finally relaxed. He wasn't tense anymore. Even his usual casual look came onto his face again. The Damned and the two Gods nodded in response. They weren't bothered and were glad to have helped Moon and the Decrepit.
Meanwhile, Thorn had now sat down and sat Anika down in his lap. He didn't know how to react to her being so peaceful while in his grasp. At least she liked it though. She was soothed by the quietness of the Vault, and Thorn's gentle breathing. The others were conversing with The Infernal One, which allowed Thorn to spend more time with Anika. He held her close as he observed his surroundings. Multiple Damned were guarding the Vault. They didn't look at the group, only towards the other entrance to the Vault. They had skulls and horns, but some only had faces covered by a dark hood.
"Reminds me of my days back as a young Decrepit. I was so focused on my job." Thorn looked to one side, then coughed.
"That's cute, you must have loved being a Decrepit." Anika looked up at Thorn, grinning.
"Cute?- Ahem, yes... I loved being one. I still do. It feels like family." Not sure how to react to the comment either, Thorn tried to divert his attention from it. He didn't know how Anika saw him to be 'cute' as he was a tall and terrifying beast that could have been like Bramble. He could have been insane and only craved bloodshed, nothing more. He stared down at his hand, then looked towards Bramble. His uniform, skull and horns were almost completely red from the blood he made Moon and Crow spill. Even if he wasn't awake, his presence was still unsettling. Those pitch black pupilless eyes of his pierced through Thorn, making him shiver for a moment.
"Is Bramble normally like this?" Anika had also looked at Bramble.
"No. Sometimes he's just a bit crazy but hasn't lashed out like this. It's the first time he's ever done it." Thorn recalled everything he could remember about his brethren. He was wild, and had a fighting style that was 'savage,' but he never once attacked his first in command. Bramble behaved at times, sometimes he didn't. Seeing him suddenly change must've been hard for Moon. It was hard for Thorn, as Bramble had been with him for a while. He was protective, along with Splinter. He seemed to care about Thorn, even though he never showed it at all. 
"I'm sure he'll get better. He'll pull through, hopefully. He's strong, nothing seems to stop him." Anika began to run her fingers through Thorn's fur collar. The fur was still soft in some parts where there wasn't dried blood. It was a beautiful shade of pale red, almost pink.
"I trust your word, Anika. I hope so too that he gets back to normal." Thorn let Anika play around with his uniform. She had now begun touching the teeth he had on his sashes. He also didn't mind it. The curious look on Anika's face spoke a thousand words. She was even more mesmerized by all the teeth and every little detail on his uniform.

"Well, we have a training soon. I'd love to talk more but I should get everyone rounded up." The Infernal One took out his war spear and spun it around before hitting the ground with it. A loud clang was heard, which made the other Damned go into an at ease position.
"Alright then, we'll be off back to the dormitories and maybe go explore." Moon prepared to leave when one of the Damned spoke up.
"My apologies, The Equitable One, but there's a storm approaching so I'd say you lot should stay. It's going to get cold, wouldn't want anyone to get ill." They looked over at Moon, a hint of concern coming onto their face.
"Is that so? Ah, we'll hunker down then. Thank you for telling me." Moon waved and began walking back towards the Vault door.
"See you guys soon!"
"Likewise."

Moon sat down at the edge of his bed, kicking off his steel boots. He looked out the window for a while, watching storm clouds slowly roll in. They were dark and heavy. They carried tons of rain or snow and brought chilling winds. The other Decrepit had changed into tunics that were warm. They quietly moved around the dormitory, gathering warm blankets.
"I think I should keep the door opened to let the warmth come in." The Warden poked his head out of the secret door.
"Sounds good, thanks." Moon shouted from within his room. He then laid down on his bed, closing his eyes. He hoped that the weather wouldn't end up being like the storm that happened years ago. He could still see himself sitting on the bed, wearing black robes. He and Crow were at risk of freezing to death, but they couldn't move. They didn't have the will to do it. Heat from the fireplace began to seep into the dormitory, warming everything up a little. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.
The other Decrepit had decided to come into Moon's room to keep warm. They sat down on the floor, placing the blankets down. Anika had tagged along but was wearing Thorn's cloak and fur collar. It was big on her, but she liked it. She laid down on the blankets but rested her head in Thorn's lap. Splinter had leaned against Moon's bed, keeping a blanket wrapped around himself, and Crow climbed onto the bed, getting close to his brother. 
"So, what about the newbie?" Splinter nodded his head towards the closed room.
"He'll be fine." Moon yawned and rubbed his eyes. He figured Wither would be fine, since he wasn't going anywhere anyways. He stared up at the ceiling, then let out another yawn.
"What now? There isn't a lot to do." Thorn started to poke at Anika, causing her to giggle softly. 
"Honestly, just do anything. If the storm isn't as bad as we think, we should head out and go someplace else, like the library." 
"I want to learn more about the Gods, there has to be a ton of them, right?" Anika rolled over to face Moon. Her blue eyes never stopped shining with that curious look of hers. They were like tiny flames that never went out. Nothing could put them out at all. She had survived so much, and those flames still remained. Moon could see himself in Anika. It brought a sense of nostalgia to him. He had grown and become serious, but Anika reflected himself when he was merely just a teenager or even a young boy.
"Mhm, there are plenty of Gods, some which reside within these walls. They can either be nice, or downright evil. But Meirkien is only interested in what they can do. He does not care about their alignments." Crow explained, not letting Moon speak. He placed a hand over Moon's mouth, grinning smugly.
"I wonder what Meirkien is like. He sounds scary." Anika buried her face into the fur collar, then peeked out at Crow.
"He's ruthless and cold. He doesn't give two shits about everything. His only goal is to... Do whatever he's been doing. Kill Hordoe, kill the other Gods in his way. I have no idea. He's complicated." Crow shrugged.
"He's not like Justitiam then... She's sweet." Anika frowned as she sat up. She couldn't imagine what Meirkien did to people. Maybe it was worse than what her people did to her home. Memories of the bomb lingered.
"Justitiam, ooh boy. She's sweet, only to those pure of heart. She's strict to those who aren't and urge them to rid of their sin before the Judgement. Sin as in crimes, she's against stealing unless it's for survival, same with murder. She's fine with a lot that some humans would say is a sin. Like according to some dude that showed up, he preached that we weren't reading some dumb book and that we'd go to hell for it, and that we shouldn't hold hands unless married. Justitam doesn't care about that. She says we can do whatever we want."
"Thorn give me your hand." Splinter blurted out.
"Tha- What?! Splinter you fool." Thorn grabbed a pillow off of Moon's bed and chucked it at Splinter right in the face. The other Decrepit started to laugh.
"I'm just joking, I'm into the ladies. But I'm like Bramble who goes about kissing their hands like a weirdo!"
"Bramble sounds like a ladies man. He acts charming, but I wonder what'd happen if he met a woman like me, but his type. Like another Decrepit?!" Anika giggled.
"That's impossible, there aren't any female Decrepit, let alone another one besides us!" Splinter rubbed the back of his head, then went silent as Moon sat up.
"Actually, there was another Decrepit. You lot don't know him though." Moon quickly grabbed Crow and put him in a playful chokehold so he wouldn't try anything funny. Crow only cursed as protest, but gave up and sat there.
"Tell us about him, Moon!" Anika sat up straight but leaned in to listen to Moon.
"Fine then. He was one of the early Decrepit. But he was banished. Usually, we'd kill all those who are banished, but he escaped. So, he's still technically a Decrepit. He still has Meirkien's Tear, allowing him to keep his appearance. But he cannot go back to being human ever, or he'll die. We have no damn idea where he is though. We gave up looking for him long ago." Moon clarified.
"Woah, so we aren't the only ones then."
"Actually, there's been multiple banished Decrepit who either were killed or escaped too. But I never talk about them, only the recent one." Moon then sighed, shaking his head.
"Sure, I still want to kill them... But what if they have lives now? Lives as in... They began families or built homes. Do I want to ruin everything? Take a parent away from a baby? I believe I would have sinned more than they did. I cannot bear thinking of seeing myself killing a Decrepit while their own child watches, or their own spouse. I should have mercy on them. In the end, they want to survive and so do I." He ran a hand through his hair, then let go of Crow.
The Decrepit and Anika fell silent. They pondered about Moon's words. He was right. If they killed a Decrepit who was banished, what impact would it have? They would be betraying the words of Justitiam, and becoming true monsters themselves.
"It's just like home. But people don't have mercy. They don't care if you escaped prison twenty years ago, they'll still be after you until you die or turn yourself in to the authorities. They'll give you a bigger prison sentence if they catch you. So if you went to prison for ten years, it'd be twenty years. Twenty years of your life, wasted. So many people started new lives when they escaped. But... All of them are gone. I don't know the extent of the blast." Anika couldn't stop thinking about her home.
Everything was reduced to dust. Nothing stood. The once beautiful city was a barren wasteland. Anyone that step foot in it became ill from the radiation or died on the spot. Nothing could thrive there, not even plant life. Thousands of people died within seconds, burning away like paper lit on fire. Everything seemed to turn orange again. A towering mushroom cloud came into view. It swept everything away, vaporizing children and entire families. Children at a school recital didn't know what was coming for them. They happily sang and danced, until they were nothing but memories and numbers. The smiley face flower drawings on the walls of the school frowned as they were burned away. Teenagers at their first party drank soda and danced along to pop music were soon nothing. Only looks of horror remained as their bodies became nothing. In seconds, the world had ended for the civilians within that city. Anika was certain she was the sole survivor. Nothing could have survived the blast. She never wanted to return or know about what happened after. So much death followed if there were any survivors. Black rain falling from the skies, poisoning anyone who tried to drink it in hopes of quenching their burning thirst. Trees withering and becoming dust as the nutrients were scorched from the soft earth beneath. Animals running for their lives with skin hanging from their bones, or helplessly dragging their dying bodies along the ground in hopes of finding aid.
Anika leaned into Thorn, resting her head against his chest. She listened to his breathing and heartbeat. Soon, the pitter patter of rain eased her mind. 
"Hey, you're not there anymore, Ani. You started a new life here. But we're still here for you. You're strong, physically and mentally. You survived such a horrible event, and you still have the flames of hope in your eyes." Moon's expression softened up. He got off of the bed and sat down in front of Anika.
"You may not be part of this Church, but in our hearts you're one of us. You're starting to feel like family, much more than just a random girl."
"I agree. You've shown me kindness, Anika. You make me..." Thorn trailed off, thinking about his words. He then admitted to what he thought.
"You make me feel things. Like... Something warm and fuzzy. It's so early on but that's what I feel."
"You can feel emotion?" Splinter was bewildered by what Thorn had admitted. But soon he also decided to admit his thoughts.
"Well, so have I, a little. We're not meant to feel any emotion but... It's like your presence is starting to help us feel them." He looked embarrassed, but the weight on his shoulders was lifted. Anika suddenly grabbed Splinter and Thorn. She pulled them in, hugging them both. She was overjoyed that she had helped them at least feel some emotion. While she hugged them, Moon noticed something odd. He narrowed his eyes, then looked at Crow. He gave him a look, as if saying "are you seeing what I am?"  He looked back at Anika. Her hair had started to glow faintly... The brothers chose not to say anything, but knew it was something they needed to bring up to Justitiam herself.