Here Comes The Son (Ghost Band / Papa Emeritus fic)

I Can See Through the Scars Inside You

Kneeling in his private chapel, Copia recited the Daemonium Prayer once more.

His daily routine had recently become that much longer and he had to find the time to do everything. The only time he had to call on was his sleep. Now resting for only three to four hours a night, Copia was starting to look haggard. What didn't help was that everything seemed to take that much longer now that he was so tired. He checked his watch again before shaking his head in distress. He couldn't be late to lead mass. It was a short walk to the transept where he would normally enter through a side door before greeting the congregation. They would be waiting by now but he still had time. As he scrambled to stand up, his foot caught the hem of his chasuble, the silk slipping against the stone step causing him to lurch forward. It was the last thing he remembered.

The noise around him felt like a cacophony and he tried to wave it away, groaning as it only increased.

"Papa?"

He heard Swiss's voice close to his ear, soft but worried.

"Are you awake? Are you okay? Who hurt you?"

Copia could hardly even understand the individual words, never mind the sentences. His head swam and he was so tired.

"Let him through, Swiss," another voice belonging to Cirrus, scolded him.

Copia had no idea who the he was, that she had mentioned, but he was about to find out.

"Hmm, fetch a gurney and a neck brace," the man ordered to one of the sisters.

Only now did Copia realise that his eyes were still closed. Opening them slowly, he was greeted by Doctor Stone who had, until quite recently, treated him in the infirmary.

"There you are," Stone smiled at him. "You gave your ghouls quite the scare."

Copia's eyes fluttered towards the worried faces of Swiss and Cirrus standing nearby.

"I... I'm sorry..." He finally stammered.
"You were attacked," Swiss frowned deeply, his anger brewing. "Who was it?"

Copia frowned, shaking his head, then wishing he hadn't.

"Hey! Hey! Keep still," Stone placed a hand on the side of Copia's head, holding him in place. "We have to get you an X-Ray to check nothing's broken and then," Stone tilted his head as he read the pale exhaustion on Copia's face, "and some sleep for you."
"No...no..." Copia seemed almost panicked at the idea. "I have so much to do."

Stone frowned deeply as Copia tried to sit up, only now realising that he was lying on the floor in his chapel. Pressing him down, Stone turned to Swiss and Cirrus as Copia's panic continued to rise.

"Hold him, please," he asked as he reached behind him for his bag.

Cirrus kneeled at Copia's head, stroking his hair and talking to him in a soothing voice while Swiss placed a hand over his chest and right arm.

"Papa, you have to do what the doctor says," Swiss interjected only earning a stern glare from Cirrus; his worried tone only serving to alarm Copia all the more.
"Where did you get up to, Papa?" Cirrus asked.

The gentle question was just puzzling enough to distract Copia from his spiralling panic. She smiled down at him as he stared up, uncertain how to respond. She held up his rosary beads to explain her meaning.

"Oh," he found himself relaxing as she used her elemental powers to increase the oxygen in the air he was breathing. "I just finished the Daemonium Prayer. I was heading to mass. Oh, mass!"

Copia tried to move again, only to find his mind blanking as he sank suddenly into a deep sleep. Doctor Stone removing the syringe from his neck - the only part of him not covered by vestments.