Rising Ashes: Original

The Glorious Gone

⚠️⚠️CONTENT WARNING AHEAD ⚠️ ⚠️

Considering how dark this opening scene is, I wanna warn you now. The opening to this chapter has a depiction of su!cide, because that's what Vialism is. It may be very graphic, and to dark to handle for some readers. So caution if you aren't ready to read that. I will add ⚠️ to the end, to break up the opening, and the rest of the chapter. But this chapter might be really dark in general, so I understand the need to skip out on it.

- Alexis

⚠️⚠️⚠️

The air was thick with an unnatural stillness as Aimee navigated the dimly lit corridor of their home, a place that once felt warm and inviting. Now, shadows danced menacingly on the walls, the flickering light casting eerie shapes that twisted her heart in fear. She could hear muffled voices coming from the living room, a mix of excitement and fervor that drew her closer.

As she approached, Aimee's heart raced. The last time she had heard that tone from her parents, they had been discussing something monumental. She had been curious, but there was an undercurrent of tension that made her stomach churn. Pushing the door open, she stepped inside, and the sight that met her eyes shattered her.

Her parents sat together on the worn couch, their expressions animated, their hands gesturing wildly as they spoke. A small table in front of them was cluttered with vials filled with vibrant liquids, each one glowing softly in the dim light, alongside sharp blades that glinted ominously.

"It's incredible," her mother exclaimed, her eyes wide with enthusiasm. "The power it brings us-it's absolutely necessary. With Vialism, we can transcend our limitations!"

Aimee's breath caught in her throat. "Mom? Dad?" she called out, her voice trembling. But they didn't hear her; they were too caught up in their fervor, their eyes gleaming with a fanatic light.

"Just think about it, Aimee!" her father chimed in, his voice brimming with excitement. "We'll be able to change everything! This is what we've been waiting for!" He lifted one of the blades, its edge glinting dangerously, and for a brief moment, it seemed to mesmerize him.

"Isn't it amazing?" her mother echoed, turning to face her with an expression that should have been filled with love but instead was replaced by an unsettling zeal. "We can shed our old selves and become more. This is our destiny!"

Aimee took a cautious step back, feeling the world around her begin to tilt. "No... you don't understand. This is dangerous!" Her voice wavered, desperation creeping in. "You're not thinking clearly!"

But her words fell on deaf ears. Her parents, lost in their obsession, continued to speak of transformation and power, unaware of the horror reflected in their daughter's eyes. Aimee felt an icy grip on her heart as she watched the vials shimmering ominously, the allure of their contents suffocating any sense of safety she had.

Suddenly, her father pressed the blade against his forearm, his expression one of rapture. "It's time, my love. We can finally become what we were meant to be!" With a swift motion, he sliced the blade across his skin, a crimson line appearing as he gasped in a mix of pain and ecstasy.

"Dad, no!" Aimee shouted, her heart racing. But her mother merely smiled, a manic glint in her eyes, and followed suit, pressing a blade to her own skin and carving into her arm.

"Feel the release!" she cried out, her voice laced with euphoria as the blood flowed freely. "This is what Vialism is all about! We are breaking free!"

Aimee stumbled backward, horror washing over her as she realized the gravity of their actions. "Please, stop! You're hurting yourselves!"