It's Something Called Obedience! ||

Chapter No.12: Pool of Mangled Dreams

The ceremony started soon after that, no, it was starting at this very moment. I was undressed in a pool filled with every species of rose that existed, in the mortal world and underworld, even those from other dimensions. Kelx said the pool was to purify my body of being and demon, and while I'd still have a demonic form, I would never be a true demon again. It was like draining a demon in holy water and activating its true powers, and it wasn't going to feel anywhere close to unpainful.
It was said that this was originally a torture method, used on angels who had 'misbehaved' by Esther Angelline's standards. Such acts usually stemmed from her homophobia, transphobia, ableism, and other discriminatory factors. It was through hearing these actions of hers that I got more and more nervous for whoever was selected from this year's election. It was the beginning of January after all, the ceremony for which was in less than a month.
Whoever was chosen was doomed, and the only thing that saved me was mixing my blood with Kelx Azen. Though, because of my actions I was now being drowned in a pool of rose water and what I am told is soon to be blood. My blood.
I could already see the looks of pity from Kelx, he was the only person allowed in here besides me at the moment. Only gray-area species and the deity of the, was allowed in a place of such immense danger. The water didn't burn at first, perhaps my body was going into shock.
Soon enough though, spikes cover my entire body, prickly thorns and seething pain that makes me gasp in pain. My body aches, yells escape my lips, a horrible shock sends my vision out of stability. I feel a faint inch closer and closer but it never comes, never releases me from the agony, once a pool of water has turned into a pool of fire. My body keeps its screaming, what once had felt like a peace treaty, now feels like a war.
Colors of red, orange, yellow, pink, and gold flow, mixing with the water and making a pink-orange color in the pool of endless swords. All I feel is the knives dancing across my skin, and the sound of burning flesh. It sizzles and buzzes like a steak on a barbeque, the water bubbles and my body grows red with burns and scarring. I look up at Kelx, grief and shame wash over him, tears peer at the corners of his eyes and he says, "I'm so sorry Ink, just hang in longer, just for a bit more time."
I feel as if I am suffocating, I can no longer breathe, I feel my organs soften and melt. I'm not breathing and my body has no air to let out. The blood has melded with the water, it flies into the air and cloaks my skin, the smell of iron-like liquid dissipates. I am left with emeralds glittering in all my surroundings, they float from the bottom of the pool, to the top, replacing all of what used to be different roses.
The emeralds creep their way towards me, chasing me down and engraving themselves into my skin. Screams from the impact have me finally gasping for air, blood pours onto the precious stones. They glow lightly at its touch, black veins trace my body, my horns curl upwards and emeralds line on the creases. My wings sharply curve downwards, emeralds rest into my bones, my tail spikes downwards as well, more emeralds attach to it.
A completely melded suit of emerald and silver rests on my skin, freckles the shades of the galaxy trace me down. I breath slowly on my hands and knees, outside of the treacherous pool that was now completely and utterly empty.
Kelx Azen walked toward me confidently, with a smile in his eyes and relief in his heart. He picked me up and walked me to a room with a garden and a place for tea. "I'm sorry for how painful the process was, you must understand that to become a deity it is several times more painful." He assured me, clearly worried about my opinion of him. But, I know he didn't want me in pain, the look in his eyes during the ritual was one I could never forget.
"It's okay, and it's over now, so we don't need to worry about it any longer." I explained, I really hope Kelx doesn't go too hard on himself. "Ah, well there is another matter to attend to." Kelx rubbed his neck awkwardly, handing me a cup of tea. "And what could that be?" I reply with a swift question. "Gray-Area Species aren't supposed to be elected but Esther Angelline already claimed she selected you this year, everyone will know in two weeks and this will be the start of her misusing my species."
Not only could I see the anger in Kelx's eyes, I also saw his worry, and a fair one be it that. I was worried too. "How about I escape then? Tell her one of the other Demonics killed me and have my profile signal as dead as you're in charge." I explained, already trying to conjure up a solution. "That might just work, Ink! I'll send Stanza Mei with you as a guide, I know her well as she was here for the past 5 selections.
I can set her as dead too and say she killed you in some sort of rage, so I punished her. Esther would have to choose a Demonic and we will keep our protection! You're a genius Ink!" Kelx hugged me tightly and explained how tonight I would have the ceremony for my title and then me and Stanza will escape from this land until the ceremony is over.
"Kelx really wanted me to join you? I died 5 years ago at age 16 and have been trapped here the majority of the time. I know where to go when I escape, if they still care about me." Stanza exclaimed, overjoyed at the news I had told her. We started to pack our things, Mania was ordered to give us bags for our supplies and to give us some valuables. She was glad we could escape but said she was sad to see me go.
Nightfall was approaching us quickly, the once baby blue sky turned to a musky navy color that made me rather nervous. My mind was processing what we were doing and my anxiety was deep. It wasn't a shock I would get nervous, in fact Kelx made sure he gave me some medicine for my anxiety before I even told Stanza the news. I could tell she was nervous but she was also more ecstatic than anything else.
We all collectively meet at the dead of night. Kelx has beautiful flames glowing the colors of the night sky. I had to take a moment just to stare at the burning lights, it really gives reason to why moths are so entranced by such heat. Being how I only looked at the professional side of things when I was alive, I never did have empathy for anything, it is incredibly new.Kelx motions the flames to glow and enlarge, they whisk their way around us and hide us from any possible spies. Who knows how Esther watches over this place.
All of us walk our ways towards Kelx, I find myself in the lead of everyone around me, it was almost like the same entrance the flames grant. "Before I bid you through the path, I must explain to you what highlight colors mean, as I promised I would." Kelx exclaims, I look over to Stanza who seems unfazed. "But I thought you didn't tell other species our meanings?" I asked, Kelx shook his head. "I told Stanza in her third year here, grief had taken her and she needed guidance."
"Ah, I understand that feeling, in that case I truly am glad you told her." I explained, Stanza nodded. "Now back to what I was saying, there are eleven possible highlight colors you can get, I'll start with pink. People with pink highlights tend to be shy and easily intimidated, they're great listeners and very loyal. Next are those with red highlights, they are sassy and bold, they are also incredibly insecure and will do anything not to be.
After that, there's orange, suave and beautiful. They get a lot of their wants easily, but people also get on them about being too much, and it makes them incredibly nervous. Preceding from there is gold, ambitious and hardworking they strive to they're goals confidently, but they end up getting hefty burnout and act on impulse. Making a lot of trouble for themselves. Then there is yellow, mysterious and charismatic, they drive people in but they leave faster. They're too strict to build a stable relationship for themselves.
Preceding, we have green. Their personalities are adaptable, their power legitimate, but they have a fatal flaw. They are blind to their foe's moves as they do not care to learn of them. We now go onto teal, they are loud and great people to be around, they'll do their best to help but get overly insecure doing so. Then there is Blue, elegant and powerful, they have the ability to truly rise, but Purple tends to balance them, their purpose is to balance the world. After that there is White who purifies, and finally, Black who hexes decay on others."
Before I get a chance to fulfill a reaction though, I get a call on my profile. "I had my talk Ink, go ahead and have yours before we leave." My head burns, it's from Book-Let, Mania was distracting me from him. I remember his confessions of love, and if I honestly go deep down, I think I might actually return them after this time in Voided-Oblivion. Thus I pick up the phone, "Ink! You picked up? I had rumors you were dead, and I had to see if that was true!" He yells in worry, Stanza, Mania, and Kelx move out of the frame.
"I'm fine, and I do have news, a lot of news, but first I have to tell you. I think after all this time here, I might be in love with you.." I reply, nervous as fuck. Though somehow in the 2-6 weeks I've been here, "I moved on Ink, I'm sorry, I'm dating a girl by the name of Aries now." My face pales, my heart stung, I tear up. "It's fine really, I'll talk to you later." I hung up.
"I'm sorry that happened, Ink, and I hate to ruin shit, but you need to go now." Kelx looks at me with pity. "I understand that, come on Stanza. You said you knew someone?" I asked, she nodded back at me. "Sparix, Quotation, and Apostrophe Mei. My best friends and bandmates." Stanza smiles at me, taking my hand and leading me to the exit. "We'll meet again Ink!" Mania and Kelx yelled at us. We exit the castle downwards and I fly us down to the nature sanctuary that me and Kelx had tea at after my ritual.
We find a hidden exit, and Stanza asks me to stand back. I do as she asks and she summons a portal. "Woah! How did you do that?" I asked, entranced by complete shock. Stanza turns to face me as she replies, "It's my room key, the band lives in an unknown dimension." She takes my hand and we walk through a portal that was completely red with dashes of purple.
We were teleported inside this huge house, mansion-like I'd call it. Stanza tears up as she looks at three people looking back at her. That's when I realized, those are the players of Skull Crushers, the first victims of Tion Pulse and the other escapees.
The girl with six green eyes and hair similar to Crypt Phoenix rose first, her pale skin glowing. "You must be Ink Bringe, I can read minds like this Crypt guy you referred me to, my name is Sparix Mei." She takes a bow with a chuckle. This girl is soft-spoken but I already can tell she's fun! An albino girl covered in freckles, with bright red eyes traced me, "I'm Apostrophe Mei, if you couldn't tell, all of us are different species."
Finally, a girl with cat ears and a tail makes her way towards me, her onyx colored eyes, and pink fluffy hair follow her. "I presume since Stanza is released, you came here from my cousin Kelx Azen! I must owe him one now, my name is Quotation Mei, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!" These three all are lovely already, I wish I met them all sooner.
"You all seem wonderful, I hear you guys play as a band?" I ask, my tail curling in curiosity. "It was a long time ago really, back before Stanza was taken. We became criminals pretty fast when we killed some angellics in a show, I always thought it was dumb. Tion Pulse said she would keep us safe for awhile, then she kidnapped ourselves in different quarters each. Her assistants were oblivious and we sent secret letters to each other.
It led us all to escape, but Tion caught on at the last minute and called the Investigators. We all escaped in time though, except Stanza, who was caught and sent a message not to look for her. We all followed her orders because she was our ring leader, but you guys finally got out!" Sparix explained, full of relief. Sparix hugged Stanza again, she must have been worried sick, I would be as well. "I'm so happy for you all, did you ever play a show without Stanza?"
"Not once, we've been waiting for our lead singer/pianist this entire time!" Quotation exclaimed, her ears perked up. "Wow thank you all, really, I was actually wondering if we should add Ink to the band? They were part of the reason we could even reunite." I was shocked Stanza would suggest this, I mean, this is her band! I don't want to intrude. "I'm in!" Quotation shouts.
"I agree with Quotation, she has never liked the stage and already did most of the hosting." Sparix replied directly after, leaving the final thought to Apostrophe. "I don't see a problem with it I guess, you know if Sparix agrees then I do as well." The snow-haired girl crossed her arms with a close to impossible to see grin. "Oh Hell yeah! Let's do this!" Stanza yelled, waving my arm in the air. I couldn't hide a grin from the girls. They're making me feel so impossibly welcomed. It's a feeling so wonderful yet new to me as well.
It was then I noticed, these people didn't seem shocked about Stanza's human-like form. I knew they weren't aware of it as none of them kept contact during this time but it still was only 5 years in the face of eternity, they could memorize her hair? Couldn't they?