Upon the precipice of consciousness
Pariah stands, attention to the void
obscuring sight, from which he hears around
his body what is happening outside,
for though he always is aware, he must
await his time to waken with control
and as it stands his form is weaken'd by
disease, which causes sleep's paralysis
on both the wills inhabiting this heart.
He strains his ears as door outside now creaks 10
and listens to the shuffle of two sets
of shoes that sneak inside the room and hopes
it's Spouse and Saunterer. But voices come
disproving this; the Doctor's is the first
and here is what she says: "I've let too much
for mortal coil, so I need your help
to keep the people sick for both of us
to get what we desire out of them.
Moreover, don't you argue with me, fool,
enjoining that you help with how your plan 20
goes on from here. That scowling on your face—
avast before I think to rip it off.
Let out some blood your own to keep him sick
or else the rest of town will surely heal
malignancy connected to his health,
aligned so that we only need to spread
naught but his beads of sweat to keep these folk
ill with his sickness same, which spawns from our
accumulated blood within his veins.
Now slash your palm and take my place today, 30
for I expect compliance in this act."
Another voice replies to this which he
doth recognize and grinds his teeth on hear'ng:
"Your masochism's all you have to blame
for draining veins so much; you know these forms
are weaker than the ones we once possess'd.
And as for what you said of both of us,
you mean we three, correct? Unless the Grey's
already gotten what he wanted most?"
"He hath indeed," the Doctor's voice responds. 40
"At least he will, for I have rigg'd a tool
to grieve the woman to his open arms,
as is the wont of humans with their woes,
ensuring that his seed is set in her,
which seems to be the only thing he wants."
The male voice now chuckles whilst he draws
the patch away from eye and drains his blood
inside the hole within Pariah's head,
which, though he can not see, he still perceives,
as thick and hot it pools inside his skull. 50
"He is a child rais'd so diff'rently
from ye or me, ejected up above.
Perhaps the fact that both of us did raise
him up explains why it's important for
his seed to find its place inside a womb.
And maybe this is best, for we're displac'd
within a weaving such as this, but he
is better suited to this surface realm
and may yet be a generation so
unlike the previous of demon-kind 60
that they'll usurp the humans of their throne
and show their parents there's no need lament
the loss of Nether Realm to raging Earth."
"Perhaps you're right, mine husband Black; we'll see."
"Indeed we shall, my partner White; in time."
Pariah turns as presence doth approach
behind him at th'observatory cliff.
Our Pilgrim stands a distance from his perch
and stares with squinting eye upon him here,
a daz'd appearance clouding up his gaze 70
and causing him to stumble even here
where body is a choice for them to take
as how they represent themselves in mind,
and shouldn't be afflicted as he seems.
"A doppelganger in my dream, I see,"
he says, to which Pariah silent stays.
"Or maybe you're th'homunculus within
my brain that pilots me toward my goals.
This would explain the front position took,
upon this precipice, which must connect 80
my mind to body; yea, I do believe
I've stumbled on the situation here.
No doubt you are confus'd by all of this
suppression of our body recently,
or why it seems you can not steer my will
upon ambitions we together hold.
Collect yourself for I've some gravest news:
I've taken ill, you see, and now await
an early grave, which seems to beckon me.
No need to worry, though, for see, I have 90
come to accept this fate that presses our
ejection from this mortal plane we're bound."
Our Pilgrim takes a seat upon a rock
and hangs his head, his elbows perch'd on knees,
a smirk upon his lips of bittersweet.
"Do you remember Maiden as do I,
homunculus who steers me t'ward intents?
I promis'd her I'd seek a place to bear
her spirit t'ward and lay her down in peace,
continuing my life despite her own 100
so taken from this planet far too soon,
her adoration wrench'd out from my grasp
to leave a hole within mine heart her shape."
Pariah clenches jaw, for yea, doth he
remember well the night our Pilgrim now
recalls to him, for twas the same that he
did also promise on the Maiden's bones
deliverance into a paradise,
though in a diff'rent way from pilgrimage.
Our Pilgrim speaks again to fill the calm 110
betwixt the two of them that doth persist:
"No need to say a word if you prefer;
I see it in your gaze, toward the earth,
that you remember same the tragedy
that set my mind toward the lands of North,
for you're the one, of course, who's always put
my foot before the other and applied
the same from th'other and repeated this—
forevermore, as both of us should know
that such a land as paradise cannot 120
so possibly exist; it's just a myth
which we forever would have scoured th'Earth
to find and never once would come upon.
Yet still I hop'd, and so you guided forth
our vessel on the winding road we trekk'd,
and I'll admit I once did hold a hope
when in the least expected place we found
new love to drive us on, and too the gift
of cleansing water from a prioress.
But clumsy me, I spill'd it in a town 130
and thought a good could come of it when I
did lead a band toward untimely deaths.
By now I am convinc'd that even if
a land existed for the Maiden's soul
to rest, I'd light aflame if e'er I stepp'd
upon its wondrous soil with these feet
so drench'd in sin and weigh'd with leaden guilt
as oil, rags and wood to set my stake
in preparation for contrition's flame
despite my bathing 'neath those mountain spouts, 140
which never seem to make me feel chang'd
as once I did expect; perhaps the springs,
upon the waning health of Earth did lose
th'ability to cleanse, except the one
the Owner's order kept from ere Her morph.
But please don't think I blame a thing on ye,
for I'm aware you're not a moral guide.
This compass in mine heart's malfunction'd one
too many times to see us live this time,
so be aware th'instructions that I gave 150
to ye were wrong from start and all my fault,
but soon we'll join our Maiden in the Sky
among the stars and laugh about this life
which at this moment saddens me to shreds,
but soon will fade in meaning on ascent."
With thought within the silence that ensues,
it's now Pariah gives reply to him
by feeding to th'assumption Pilgrim's made
that he's th'extension of his will t'outside:
"You have to want to make it for my sake, 160
for I cannot provide the driving force
if you refuse to give direction t'ward
the things that you desire from your life.
The only way to beat this sickness is
to fight it off of us and keep our will.
I miss the Maiden; by the Sky and Earth
I swear I miss her ev'ry day, but now
is not the time to quit. Not after what
we have achiev'd in bringing her to grave
that she deserves, regardless of our worth. 170
So stand again! Take arms against our foes
infecting us this taint within our veins,
for blood begets itself if made to flow
by pumping heart, which needs for us to draw
our breath again, again, as endless as
our steps upon the winding road beneath
our feet, no matter how our aching soles
complain or how our aching souls lament;
your heart is what is driving ye toward
your goals—not I—and so you need for it 180
to beat and pump and pound and never stop!
So push yourself and make your mind to want
to vanquish from your blood this evil rot."
Our Pilgrim stands again, more resolute
and dothn't sway as once he did before.
He nods to our Pariah, steeling self
to brave the storm approaching near the cliff
from in the void to which Pariah turns
remorseful o'er the fact he pushes off
reunion with the Maiden, but without 190
regret, for there is more for him t'achieve
upon this Earth before he will allow
himself to meet her gaze up in the Sky.
As well—though he's reluctant to admit—
there's still another tying him to Earth
whom he could not abandon to her fate.
And so together he and Pilgrim push
with both their minds and spirits on their flesh,
and with the combination of their strength
they lift a single finger on their hand, 200
but slowly one becomes a second, third,
a fourth; enough for them to know they have
the power they require in their heart
if never they surrender to the odds. 204