As my voice begins to falter from telling such a long story, it is only now that the impact of the tour dawns upon me.
Excitement, honour, unholy devotion; that was what a Ghost tour should have felt like. Yet I spent my first few weeks sheepishly following Papa Nihil and desperately trying to avoid Cardinal Copia.
Despite my intentions to uncover the truth, I made very little progress.
... and in the end, I don't think I wanted to know the truth anyway.
*****
We started with a handful of press stops. Warm-up shows packed with industry titans, marketed as an exclusive first look at the newest lineup. No matter how the clergy tried to spin it, we all voiced the same concerns.
Would anyone be interested in a Cardinal after being wowed by an iconic run of Papas?
Would the press question the obvious mystery surrounding the 3 dead papas?
With the restructuring of the church, did we even have the same pull within the industry?
For the first time in months, I found myself clutching the grucirfix around my neck and whispering a solemn prayer.
"Satanas, our unholy one. Grant this messenger an audience with those who may spread your word."
I may have been suspicious of Cardinal Copia... and I'll admit, I'd been jealous of what I thought was his blossoming relationship with Lucifer - but I never once wanted him to fail.
If he did, all of this tragedy would have no been for nothing.
Shuffling into a crowded, dark room, I braced myself to see the Cardinal perform again. A silver mask turned towards me as I reached a break in the crowd. The shine, a vision of sanctuary within a pit of vipers. It was Cirrus. We stood side by side, putting on a professional facade for those invited to watch Ghost perform.
"How's babysitting duty?" She whispered to me as I planted myself next to her.
"Easier than anticipated so far. Let's wait 'til the novelty wears off." I rolled my eyes in return and we both scoffed.
I had missed her so.
As darkness crept in and all eyes pinned to the stage, I felt her lean on me. Our shoulders grazed. It wasn't the same overwhelming hug I received last time, but it was as if she knew I needed an anchor. Her warmth served as a reminder that someone was there for me whilst I was there for everyone else.
Courteous applause signalled the beginning of the set. Swiss and Aether joined the Cardinal on stage, each with an acoustic guitar. No fancy lights. No pyro. Just them...
Humble beginnings.
I couldn't help wondering if this was the way things would have started if Copia didn't have the backing of two clergy parents. Maybe in another lifetime... one where Terzo had stepped down willingly... Now, that would have been a miracle.
Swishing around the stage with his now all-too-familiar black cassock and bat wing biretta, Cardinal Copia addressed the crowd with an authoritative poise. His showmanship had improved, but my eyes tried to focus on the audience instead.
Like a hawk, my eyes darted across the room looking for any sign of feedback. Dark shapes bobbed to the music, without the usual singing and hollering. Something felt amiss. Was I just paranoid after what happened to Terzo?
I gently nudged Cirrus and each time the crowd gave a lacklustre reaction, we filled in the gap with our own whistles, clapping and a few cheers. Thankfully the room soon warmed up.
YOU ARE READING
Sympathy for the Devil - Reader X Ghost - Nameless Ghouls & Papa
FanfictionA Y/N story, written in first person. After crawling back from the pit, you strike a deal with Lucifer to assist the higher members of the Church. As an unearthly being, you work with the ministry on a need-to-know basis. Your main goal is to prote...
