The King pauses. And the air stills.
Time, it's dragging. And the silence, it lasts like an arrow pointing.
The wave of aura. And the stink of death and piss that's lingering…
Perhaps it wouldn't be so frightening if the King was moving. But motionless he remains; his face relaxed and unreadable even after hearing what Gilbert so desperately wished to hide.
Yes. That still back. And his lowered eyes—
Gilbert slowly, gradually backs into the corner. It's only a matter of—
Time.
And it wouldn't do for Gilbert's body to get injured. Certainly, he couldn't work for the King that way—
An explosion. But what's exploding? The echoing screams. And his wildly bracing arm.
The fresh scent of blood. And the sound of wrenching—
A wet, slimy gurgle. The splatter. And the muffled sound of weeping—
Gilbert opens his eyes. The King. He's standing over that mess of a woman, his fist in her hair as he brings her face up.
Her eyes are rolling. And the blood is trailing. One arm, it's already forcibly healing. And the string is tightening and digging into her leg so deep they can see the bone—
"Oh? I thought you could use one less limb…but I suppose the flesh of your little experiments has, indeed, made its way into your body."
A laugh. And then, the sounds of digging.
Her eyes bulge and she grunts painfully as he forces his palm deep into her stomach. "Yes. I quite like this body...No matter what I do with you, you'll live in absolute agony."
"…Sire."
"Speak."
"I made sure to kill the remnants of her…experiments. There are no others in the vicinity. And I had all of her members killed."
"Hear that, dear? We have all the time in the world, you and I. Come now, we can't have you choking like that. Yes. Give me your tongue—"
A piercing scream. And the sounds of splashing.
"Well you certainly heal fast. Let me see now…"
His fingers delicately brush away her sweaty, dirty hair, tying it up neatly. "There now. I can see your beautiful face just fine. And those eyes…"
A slow, audible squelching. And he wipes away the wet as her body jerks and shakes desperately—
"I dislike those eyes. It would be better for you not to have them—"
"Stoff! Fleesh!" She's murmuring with half a tongue; the dismembered flesh squishing beneath her toes.
"…I'm simply making sure you aren't lonely, dear." He gets closer to her ear, whispering, "After all, this will be the last sight you'll see."
"Please." She groans. "Please!"
He strokes her face, leaving bloody trails down her cheek. "Come now. No need for this. I don't enjoy begging—"
"I'll tell you. I'll tell you anything you want to know!"
His lips crease. "Oh? I thought you knew nothing."
"I know! I swear! I'll tell you! Just kill me…!"
"Your other little friends…how many of them are there?" He wipes his hand on Gilbert's shirt, his eyes darkening at the very sight of her.
"The—oh Gods, you've forsaken me—!"
"These Gods you speak of have, indeed, left you in my hands. Were you, perhaps, unworthy, dear?"
"I—!"
"I can be merciful. Speak without fear," he breathes into her ear.
"The—The Princess. It was she who gave us the idea! There—there were books! She gave them to us! She's the one who—!"
"That's not all you know. With your level, I'm sure you partook in more…experimental things. After all, you don't get eyes like that unless you eat the souls of a few thousand…Yes, tell me…how many are you? Which sects?"
He tilts her chin up though she can't see; his thumb pressing just beneath the corner of her eye. "I want their names. You'll do that for me, won't you, dear?"
"I'll do it. I can do it! Let me do it! Please, please let me do it! I'll give you everything! Just let me die!"
"Gilbert." The King turns. "Finish this up."
"Of…course, Sire."
Gilbert closes in. And the King steadily walks out from the room.
"Wa—wait! You said you'd have mercy. You—You're supposed to kill m—!"
The door closes on muffled screaming.
Gilbert sighs even as blood hits his eye. She doesn't deserve it. Not with the…beasts he found deep beneath her chambers; the bodies of many, many creatures, humans and beast alike, all lumped together like piles of meat.
The bugs had already begun feasting.
Yes, the King never promised her anything. His mercy was the mercy of a King…
How dare she provoke the him?
***
Kian walks amongst the dead; the blood and stench overwhelming. He ignores it, wading through their bodies as if they weren't there at all…
Gilbert and his men had ripped through the sect members, though their numbers weren't small. Because they were weak. And helpless against the might of immortality.
And though their numbers were large, not all had partaken in the flesh of the forbidden. And not all were up to par.
There are…signs.
That man there? His torso bore the marking of a Beast; his belly fat transformed into rough, spiky fur. And the woman smashed against the wall there had wickedly large claws.
Yes. They bore their sins upon their bodies. There's no hiding it from him now.
Too bad he allowed Gilbert the joy of killing them.
He walks amongs the bloody halls; the flowerbeds trampled and scorch marks trailing the ground; ash and fire raining down on the dead like locusts amidst the plagues.
Lowly beings. Lowly, infernal beings…
Like that woman, these humans deserved far, far worse.
But the secret chambers Gilbert found deep within the earth are filled with vile things. And in her study, those books…
Worn and leather bound, the familiar writing gives him pause. Bastards. All of them!
The room boils in a chilly rage. And his aura flames a bright, fluorescent green—
But he reins it in even as his fingers tremble and his back burns. He has to see. He has to know!
It was him. It was—
Tristan!