Fallen Faith - part 5 (765 hits)
Category: NoneLabels: Kaote
Rating: 2 on 21 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by kaos-king (antius777) (View user info) at 2005-09-26 14:46:05 EDT
Last Chapter - http://www.ubersite.com/m/75806
ELSEWHERE.....
He had many names. All of them were equally vile, but the one he had grown most fond of was the one given to him by the people of the West Habitats. The called him "The Dirge." He liked to think of himself as a song, as a piece of music heard before the final curtain call. The sound of Death, yes, that pleased him greatly. Perhaps a string instrument, he was. Something strummed, something plucked. Yes, The Dirge, indeed.
He stood looking over the burning fields of wheat and smiled to himself. Such wonderful sights he had been afforded. Power corrupts they say, and he was so truly corrupted. Did it not show in his form now? Yes, he was the greatest of the Grimmer, the shinning beacon of light for these hollow little people. He would show them the way, take them the farthest, even if he had to drag them kicking and screaming. It was the way of the world, the way of the word.
The cries were magnificent. The bleating noise of peasants, blubbering out their pleas of mercy. Please spare us, please spare us! Spare not, waste not, my children. They needed to learn how to be lean, how to be strong. Was that not how he grew so grand? Did he not wear a cloak of flesh wrapped around his form? It was a present from the Majestrix herself for such a job well done.
"Albadore?"
He turned to see his protege standing at attention behind him. Oh, she was such a sight. Covered in blood and trying her best to conceal the smile playing at the corners of her mouth. Yes, this one took pride in her work. Once he was gone, exiled to the ever ever, she would stand as a testament to his immaculate skill.
"Yes, my darling one, what have you to report?"
"All of the citizen from the town have been rounded up. Various forms of mechanical technology have been found. Nothing too heavy an infraction against the contraband, but enough to warrant the burning of the field."
"And even if there hadn't been..."
"Well, I would have planted something, Sir."
"You would have planted something," repeated Albadore with a knowing smile.
"Is something wrong, Sir?"
Albadore peered closely at his young underling. Named Unis, she would have once been considered beautiful. No longer would this be the case. If the trio of large metal rings piercing her nipples and sternum were not enough, the tattoo of broken glass shards covering her entire body would do it. Her blond hair was cut shoulder length, but animal lard was used to solidify it up into spikes high above her head. Her image was almost as frightful as his. Almost.
His arm shot out and grabbed her wrist. He began dancing with her in circles. Unis allowed it, of course. You never knew what her master was up to, or when his seemingly innocent and eccentric moods could turn violently black. He sang her a song of spiders, twirled her around then quickly made off down the lane in the direction of the corralled townspeople.
Unis breath a silent sigh of relief and followed him.
Albadore strolled into the middle of the village square. The citizen had all been forced down onto their knees and told to wait for him. As their local Dominatrium of the Majestrix, it was his job to enforce all of her most holy of policies. That included the ban against all non biological technology. Something that was becoming more frequent an infraction. But, oh my, it was fun to be the law!
A horde of the Grimmer stood around the people, gnashing their teeth and just waiting for the sign from him to unleash their bloodlust. He might, he might! It all depended on how they answered the next few questions. Just as a interrogation tool, he had brought a Grimmlock along this time. Even with it's head in a cage, it shook with a fury that few had witnessed and lived to tell about. He would have to feed it at least one person, just to shut it up on the way back home.
He stood there surveying the motley group of weeping, trembling peasants. After a minute or two of this he pulled his flesh cloak over his head and began to whisper to himself. He continued this until the townspeople were so filled with shock and confusion, they shut the hell up.
"Now that I have your attention, my gentle, gentle fair ones, I have a few questions."
He flipped the cloak back over his face and began pacing back and forth. "Now, you know why I came here. The Bitter Born saw the tech, they saw your contempt for the law. Your blatant disregard for the wishes of our Majestrix. No, no. Don't try and lie. My Unis found the tech and because of your crimes, I have burnt your fields. Will you starve? Ummm, probably. But you will die honorably!"
Albadore closed his eyes and spun around in circles. When he stopped he pointed at a middle aged woman. She screamed as the Grimmer dragged her away from the rest of the gathered.
"No!" bellowed her husband. "Take me instead!"
"No!" bellowed Albadore back. "I'll take you, too!"
The front door to the Grimmlock's cage was opened and the woman was placed in before it. Fortunately for her, she fainted as it's giant hands picked her up. She felt nothing as it bit off the top of her skull whole. Her beloved was not so lucky, as he was eaten alive by a host of the larger Grimmer. Albadore waited for the screaming to die into wet slobbering, then had to wait again for the citizen's screaming to die back into weeping.
"Just so you know I'm serious about my questions..." added Albadore.
He raised a single index finger to his pursed lips to call for quiet. When he was well enough suited, he continued.
"Have any of you seen a man? He would have been dressed strangely, uncommon for this region. He himself would have been asking questions. Strange questions, my dears. Questions about the Par-Uhmbra itself. He may have even exhibited... powers. So tell me, anybody seen this fine fellow?"
The townspeople looked at each other in confusion. Mumbles of negative responses reached his ears. Many a head shook, many a shoulders shrugged.
"Going once, going twice..."
Shouts of 'no' and other pleas were called out. No one had seen or heard of this man described by their Dominatrium. By this point, a man would have given over his only son as the stranger, if he believed it would keep The Dirge away. But could Albadore be sure? He thought about randomly killing a few more when Unis came up behind him.
"Sir?"
"Yes, my dearest of dears?"
"We've just got some intel in. It seems a squadron of Bitter Born were attacked in the Regimented Dox Region A. Albadore, half of them were killed."
"Well, that's... both unlikely and promising at the same time. Anything else?"
"It was only two people. The Bitters are kind of stupid, they couldn't tell anything else."
"Only two Dox against a squadron? They must have got their grubby little hands on some great tech! That or..."
"Or one of them could be this anomaly we're looking for, Sir."
"Exactly! Oh, happy day! Even if we don't bag the stranger, we get to fuck around with the Dox. Have I told you this week how much I hate those genetic garbage heaps?"
"I don't believe so, Sir."
"Well I do. Come Unis, we have a body count to increase!"
User Reviews
Submitted by Axolotl (user info) at 2006-10-26 13:51:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I could see this being very influential to new authors...
Submitted by munkeypants (user info) at 2006-10-01 10:19:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by RyuFu (user info) at 2005-09-28 13:18:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Okay, just one more and then lunch...and then work...
Submitted by Average_Dan (user info) at 2005-09-27 11:13:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Can I have another please?
Submitted by fallenangel (user info) at 2005-09-27 10:39:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
More please.
Submitted by iradney (user info) at 2005-09-27 07:04:00 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Magic_Monkey (user info) at 2005-09-27 04:25:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
* Drools on the floor in awe *
Submitted by mockidol (user info) at 2005-09-27 00:07:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't like nipple piercings.
The make funny twinkling noises against my teeth.
Submitted by thecaes (user info) at 2005-09-26 23:31:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Goooooolllld!
I like the way you invent words and terms when you describe these otherworldly characters and surroundings. It's very, very cool. The phrasing and pace also really defined the villain well. Good sense of his personality in the way he describes things to himself.
Fucking this keeps getting better and better.
Oh, and it's 'citizenS,' plural.
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2005-09-26 22:25:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You just can't stop yourself from writing pure gold can you? Here is to hoping that you never try.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-09-26 22:14:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Oh bloody Christ, Lady Plural, do you have your nipples pierced? If so, I'm officially in love with you. I LOVE chicks with piercings...
Submitted by Barnymeinhoff (user info) at 2005-09-26 19:00:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm 500 feet high and made of gold.
Submitted by LadyPlural (user info) at 2005-09-26 18:54:30 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Are you saying that nipple rings don't look good?
Because I'd challenge you to a duel over that as well.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2005-09-26 15:56:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by nitty34 (user info) at 2005-09-26 15:45:14 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
As always...
Submitted by Crystle (user info) at 2005-09-26 15:17:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Waiting for more...
Vazquez better kick some ass
Submitted by Brdn_Nkd (user info) at 2005-09-26 15:17:05 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Yes (user info) at 2005-09-26 15:04:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ahhhhh, that's the good stuff... i got a fever... and the only cure is more kaos-king!
Submitted by ahumblefool (user info) at 2005-09-26 14:59:50 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
You have that knack. This could really become something of his scale. I have read all of his stories as well, even saw one of his plays in LA. You have a good story going, looking forward to seeing how you pull it all together.
Submitted by kaos-king (user info) at 2005-09-26 14:57:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
That's the greatest compliment you could have given me, Ahumblefool. Clive Barker is, perhaps, my biggest influence. I've read damn near everything he's ever put in print.
Submitted by ahumblefool (user info) at 2005-09-26 14:49:44 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Have you read Clive Barkers earlier work; Weaveworld, Great and Secret Show? This has that feel, good all around.