Rituals, Regrets, and Really Dumb People

Chapter 1: The River Red, Part 2

I dropped the mic and my legions rushed in to fight the braced monks. Robed cultists with curvy knives, barbed blades, and blunt maces attacked the line of defenders, their faith in me and She fervent and unbreakable. The multitude of demons, all of obsidian skin lined with horns and wicked weaponry, clashed with the monks when they met with them. The succubi seduced and lured the monks and sisters to death as well. Even my freaks got a fill of the blood, the monastery-fort overran within minutes.

This led to a new goal; the fort was not of importance to me. It was the temple, the temple built in the main back of the fort, into the mountainside, that held what I wanted the most. This mountain, which was the center of the island, was important because it provided a good natural barrier, the reason why the Penitent took up refuge here. It would hold out for a good, long time, they thought. They thought wrong, of course, but it was a valiant effort.

Through the lanes, past the burning buildings that were once filled with grain and other goods, past the hordes of innocent folk running for their lives, we walked to the temple. It was me and Kain and a small group of cultists and demons, the rest long scattered to ransack the monastery-fort. The temple was relatively untouched, its brilliant whites mixing with the natural greys of the earth with nary a nick on any of it. You see, I wanted the glory of retrieving the Seal alone, of getting her blood. They were under specific orders not to touch the grand temple; that was my place.

I did notice something, though, as me and the lads walked through the blood-drenched lanes; Dimitri wasn't his usual self.

"I don't see you killin' much, Dimitri," I remarked to my silent companion as we got closer to the steps of the temple. I looked up at the roofing, at the grand marble pillars built in honor of He, the Radiant. Disgusting. "Not like you to let the raiders have all the fun. Are you sick?"

He looked at me with those dark eyes. They were always half-lidded, seemingly disinterested, when he was not in the flow of combat. I don't know much about Dimitri as a man; I don't know how old he was, where he was from, everything about him was a mystery. I figure he liked it that way, given his chosen profession, but it also made it hard to communicate with him when I wasn't giving him orders.

"Are you okay?" I asked him again.

He gave a nod of his head, though it seemed to me as if he wasn't entirely sure. I wouldn't press him on it; I knew his type and they liked to be left unbothered. They portrayed strength through their strong stance and quiet nature. Didn't need to brag when you achieved his level of skill.

"Well then, I guess this is it, lads." I turned around and I propped my morning star against my leg. I gave my cultists and demons a thumbs up. "Let's do this."

"Goodluck, Sanguine," one cultist told me while giving me two thumbs up.

Even a demon gave two claws up and a fang-filled grin. "She is watching you, Sanguine." He said in his twisted voice.

"Yes, let's make her proud." I grabbed my morning star and I turned to the temple door. "Twenty minutes then come in, grab the golden idols and melt them down."

"Uh, master," one cultist asked me before I even got up a step. "If we're reshaping the world, why would we need the gold."

I turned quickly and I pointed my spiked weapon at him. "Don't question it. I dunno what will happen after I become a man-god. There may be a market for you all and the demons and mutants. Anyways, you should always want to melt statues of He."

Maybe they'd have a monetary system after society's collapse. Maybe, but I doubt it. Either way, I turned to the temple once more and began my ascent up the stairs. I pushed the double doors inward with a shove of my shoulder, which surprised me as I didn't find them to be barred. Maybe they gave up? Maybe this was a trap for me. Maybe.