Misinformation Can Be Deadly

Chapter 68: Welp, This is a Heartbreaker (Literally)

CW: blood, gore, stabbing

"We're going to turn him into a god."

Roman's eyes widened and he felt his throat tighten. They couldn't... how could they know? Every record of that ritual had been destroyed, everyone who knows it has been forbidden from telling!

"That's impossible," Logan said. "You-you can't turn a human into a god!"

"Oh there have been many people that have been turned into gods. Every known god from every religion was once human." Virgil was led to the altar. "The only divine beings that we know weren't human, are angels, demons, and any other counterparts of them from different beliefs. Angels are some of the oldest, especially archangels." The head cultist picked up a paint brush and opened the barrel. She dipped it in to cover the brush in the gold. "And archangels have some of the most powerful blood. Our god will guide us through this ritual, so that we may summon her."

"That's no god! You're following a Warden! A demon!" Roman shouted, finally connecting the dots. "And this ritual is forbidden even among the gods! If you go through with this, you'll end the world!"

"Silence! She told me that you would tell such lies! We're only trying to bring peace to the world, it's time she returns!" The head cultist looked like she really believed it. "Once she is here, everything will be okay."

Virgil wanted to speak, to say something, but even if he knew what he wanted to say, his voice wouldn't work. He looked at Roman with pleading eyes, his heart squeezing with fear.

Roman hated that look on Virgil. He hated that he was in danger. Why did it have to be him? Why...

There was a figure on the altar. A wooden figure of their "god" but Roman recognized it. The face on the statue was passive, the woman's eyes closed and a soft smile. It was an old model of a statue, one that a Warden had used long ago in an attempt to create a cult. This figure had cracks on her face.

"He's going to be very useful to me."

"Agatha," Roman whispered. Remus looked at him with wide eyes before looking at the figure.

"Oh Lucifer..." he mumbled.

Virgil grabbed his arm as the sling was taken off of him. He tried to stay steady but it felt like he was swaying. They took off his jacket and threw it towards the others, making Virgil whimper. The jacket was the last shield of his defense... though Patton had caught it.

Part of him was glad he wore a short sleeved shirt, the other part of him was horrified as the head cultist grabbed his arm and started painting the golden blood on him. He looked away as he felt different symbols being painted on his arms, trying to keep himself composed.

The blood stung his skin, as if it was slowly eating away at him. It was cold, the warmth of it having been sapped away. Virgil was terrified of Pane, sure, but did she deserve this to happen to her? How much blood of hers did they take?

He shivered in the cold winter air, the basement freezing. Other cult members started lighting candles, setting them around the pentagram Virgil and the head cultist were standing in. This wasn't good, it was another stupid ritual he was going to be forced into.

"Please," he whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

The young woman from before grabbed a cup and dipped it into the barrel. She let the blood drip from the sides before moving it towards the head cultist. She took the paint brush and handed the head cultist the cup.

"Just relax, don't fight it or it'll bring you more pain," the head cultist told Virgil. He tried to step back, but two cultists stepped forward and grabbed him still. One of them grabbed Virgil's chin as he tried to turn away, forcing his mouth open.

Virgil shut his eyes tight as the blood was poured into his mouth. Just like the demon blood, it burned, though it wasn't as bitter. They shut his nose so he couldn't breath, making him panic and forcing him to drink it.

Remus held onto Roman's arm to keep him back. His brother was growling in anger, and both knew it was going to get worse. So much worse.

Patton saw Remy and Emil both trying to pray. He moved closer to Logan before doing the same. He was terrified. He didn't know what to think. Those two demons... they looked so much like Janus and Virgil's friends. And they had appeared from nowhere. Were they on their side? If not, why were they chained up? They both looked angry and scared.

He wanted to be saved. He wanted his family to be saved. He didn't care how, as long as they are okay. Virgil he... what were they going to do to him?

When the cup was empty and Virgil's jaw was let go, he tried to cough as much as he could out. It felt like he swallowed boiling hot sauce, his throat and mouth burned. Tears stung his eyes, from both panic and pain.

The head cultist stepped away and grabbed a dagger. Roman shut his eyes tight and finally stopped trying to pull away from Remus. His brother pulled him closer as the dagger was dipped into the blood.

Virgil did his best to stop his coughing, blinking away the tears. As he finally seemed to calm down and was able to bear the pain, he saw the dagger covered in golden blood. He tried to step back, but the two cultists there held him in place.

"Everything will be okay," the head cultist said with a sweet smile.

Virgil tried to speak, to beg them to stop, but all he could manage was shaking his head. The head cultist set her hand on his shoulder, pulling the dagger back as a black fog circled her wrist, as if she was merely a puppet.

"Wait!" Patton pleaded, trying to step forward only for a cultist to grab him and hold him back. Though at that point it didn't matter. The head cultist stabbed the dagger into Virgil's chest. "No!"

Virgil wanted to scream. He wanted to scream until he couldn't anymore. But even with the dagger in his chest, he couldn't seem to get his voice to work. He felt his knees buckle, but he was held up by the cultist.

He managed a whimper as the head cultist pulled out the dagger. His chest burned, and the burning started to spread. His vision became blurry and his hearing started to ring, but he still heard Roman shout in pain.

Remus held his brother against his chest, who's legs became unsteady. Tears started to pour from his eyes, from both the pain and whatever turbulent emotions he was feeling. Anger, fear, sadness, and loss. It was torture to him.

"Re-Rem..." Roman gasped.

"I know, I know," Remus whispered, watching as the symbols on Virgil's arms started to glow.

"What's going on?" Janus asked. He turned to his demon with wide eyes. "Remus, what's going on? What's happening to Virgil?!"

The cultists let him drop to the floor. He curled up in pain as his dark red blood started to puddle. Then, like a drop of dye in water, the blood turned white.

"Is it working?" some cultists whispered.

"He's turning into a god..." Another said.

"Why isn't our god being summoned?" one finally asked.

Remy looked at the candles, none of them had changed. Then he noticed the cracks on the figure starting to glow red. He listened as carefully as he could, and heard a muffled "Now."

And then the head cultist gasped, making everyone look towards her. Emile gasped, Patton covered his mouth, and Logan's eyes were blown wide as he stood in silence.

A blade had gone through the head cultist's chest. Behind her, the handle was being held by the younger woman. Her daughter.

All the candles exploded with a black light.