Howlless

Chapter 6

... The void sky cracked and liquified and merged once more only to crack again, as Latlir's incarnation rapidly approached. It's scaly white plates, striked by lines of noble hues—

"So~? I'm waiting~"

—Rin pushed the Hound again, as the Hound bit down on his own teeth, almost to the point they'd shatter like glass.

"You win."
The Hound chucked, grabbing his halberd and with a quick swoop, he pulls Rin into his arms, as he dashes for the door to escape that place.

But not even a single step was made, and a slicing fade cut past him, massacring his right cheek – the lump of mangled flesh fell onto the false floor, as the Hound's teeth were now revealed.

Where are you going?

A loud, thundering, deafening voice bombarded both of their minds. It wasn't a voice that came from anything or anywhere specifically; It was merely a voice that existed, speaking directly into their thoughts.

The Pale Serpent made its way through the window, and now rested at the corner, ominous staring at the two. While its tail, which he used to slice off the Hound's face, gently pushed the door closed.

"... Hey... Lat... Long time no see-"
The Hound tried to break that intense air, but the Serpent just hissed; Spit of venom dripped onto the floor, as its massive fangs glistened in the lightless dome, silencing the Hound.

The Pale Serpent then turned its eyes onto that child of his, tightly held in the Hound's arm, while she continued to grin, as if ignorant of the punishments to come.

The Pale Serpent then pushed itself forward, occupying the entirety of the room, before it melted into a puddle of absolute black, and reformed into a shape more human:
A young boy, no older than fourteen, with eyes of ethereal blue that swirled into a vortex, while dressed in noble robes. In his right hand, the Nameless Quill to write the name of each soul, and in his left, the Register, to archive the names of all those he had judged – a massive scroll, infinite in length, adorned with two serpents at each head.

"Don't you 'hey' me, Vishak."
The God said calmly, apparently disinterested in the two, as he examined the room around.

He then patted off the dust from his silvery robe, before with a flick, he rose a throne for himself – the throne itself made of void, indistinguishable from its surroundings, making him look as if he's floating.

"To curse a God, let alone all of them... Do you remember what punishment it was?"
The God raised the Register towards the Hound, Vishak, inviting him to answer, and with a nervous laughter, the Vishak tried to evade the question.

"A-aha... It's not her fault, Lat-"

"SILENCE."
The God's voice roared into their mind, breaking their sanity, as both the Hound and Rin felt such immense pain spreading from their cranium.

"Vishak, Vishak, Vishak, Vishak... You dimwitted, irresponsible, utter excuse of a Hound. Answer me. Why in the name of Creation do you have that child with you?"

The God's gaze burned at Rin's presence, though his voice was still placated. Even smiling a little.

Vishak turned his body around, holding Rin even tighter, as if trying to shield her from the God's gaze, and that small gesture didn't go unnoticed – twelve spears of void materialized around the God and his throne, all shining like macabre jewels ready to kill.

"Another whim? Another little caprice? Another stupid, moronic, idiotic, and downright demented vice? How many are we now? A thousand? Ten? A hundred thousand maybe?"
The God gesticulated around, and the spears danced with his movements, slicing the air with their tips, all waving in unison like an orchestra of deaf. And the God, its conductor.

Though, hearing the God utter these words, Rin's ears sharpened:
What did he mean with 'how many are we now'?

"... Probably the last..."
Vishak did not meet his God's eyes, though he admitted his desire with a smile.

"Ho? Are you sure?"
The God challenged his words by throwing the Register into the air. It unfolded, revealing a scroll so long it covered the walls and ceiling of the room four to five times.

All, densely written with the name of each soul the Hound had held close at one point of his existence.

Now, all reborn, having forgotten about him, while he stayed alone, as the tombstone for their names.

And in that instance, Rin realized what the God was implying; Her smile vanished, as she jumped down from Vishak's hold, standing arrogantly in front of her God.

"I knew you were weak. Didn't realize you were a coward, too."
She said as a matter of fact, with Vishak's mind screaming in horror, as the God stared in disbelief.

And before either could react, Rin grasped the tightly inked paper and started tearing it apart – Vishak dropped his halberd, grappling her by her armpits, lifting her in the air to stop whatever madness she was doing.

While the God, Latlir, laid more comfortably over his throne, amused, as the two in front of him fought so fiercely – one, trying to stop the other, and one, trying to defend the other.

"No wonder you like her."
He said to himself in a whisper:
Both arrogant; Both infuriatingly dumb; Both so stupidly daring.

"Tell you what. Do me a favor, Vishak. Up north, in the heart of the pandrums. Go take a look for me, and I'll allow you to keep her."
Latlir retreated the scroll; The torn papers regenerated as if nothing ever happened, before he stood up from his throne.

Vishak remained stunned, unable to understand why his God would ever overlook all these insults, and Latlir noticed his unease—

"However, rules are rules. I need at least an excuse to bring back to the others, don't you think?"

—He smiled.

It was indeed an excuse, though not meant for the other God. It was meant for Vishak, so he would stop doubting the kindness of his own God.

And as trusting, devout the Hound was, he accepted, letting Rin down onto the floor, before he presented his neck—

Slash

—A single clean cut, from a sword so massive made of void, decapitated the Hound, as Rin watched with morbid curiosity.

"And you, child... Thank you. And good luck."
The God flicked his fingers, and a gem of utter darkness embedded itself into Rin's tail; A horrid agony spread throughout her body as if a poison so vile took hold of her flesh, contorting itself till she broke a rib.

All, while Latlir observed, grinning—

"Make him into a God, will you?"

—The dome of utter darkness vanished from the town, as if nothing ever happened...