Illuminating the Dark Prince

Secret Shenanigans and Summonings

~Valarendrik~

The rich earthen soil appeared to yawn before me as I used my shadows to pry open a large hole in the soft ground. Small roots, pink worms, and other crawling creatures squirmed along the steep sides, falling into the seemingly endless pit I'd created. Strange beautiful green leaves swayed upon a thick canopy of branches above my head, while otherworldly shrubs and mushrooms sprouted around the orange and brown forest floor at my feet. 

The sweetly-scented breeze fluttered through my long dark hair while I heavily reflected upon the sight of Justin's hideously mangled corpse. Not only was he unrecognizable, but it was difficult to recognize how an act of such violent truculence and depravity had been carved by my own hands. For so long I had thought myself to be unlike the cruel and barbaric beings of my species. That I was more compassionate and docile than those heinous and cannibalistic predators. Yet when I saw what he had done to Lucilia, I completely lost myself to my true tenverian nature.

Earthly birds seemed to sing songs of solace while my eyes momentarily squeezed closed in shame. I rested my fingertips upon the band of the crown and shook my head with dismay. I had acted fiendishly and grotesquely. Ripped off his cock, eaten part of his face, and dismantled his bones from his flesh all while he watched and screamed in anguish. I ensured that he greatly suffered both physically and mentally... Exactly as my mother would have done.

And yet, as much as I loathed what I did, I still could not bring myself to regret my actions. When I thought about what more he would have done to my beloved Lucy had I not shown up, well, I longed to kill him all over again and in a more malicious fashion at that.

How can I claim to be morally above my people when I have stooped so low?

"You can not...You're just like them at your core... Nothing but a bloodthirsty killer..." The crown whispered.

I sighed, trying not to listen to it and let its sinister claws sink into my mind once again. Dark tendrils of shadows slithered up from the earthly pit and wrapped around the mutilated remains like writhing tentacles. My heart was heavy and my countenance was solemn while I willed them to drag Justin's body through the leaves and down into his dark hidden resting place. The leaves crunched beneath my obsidian boots as I took a few steps forward and reached down to grab the mangled glob of bloody flesh that was once his manhood.

"Farewell, from one monster to another." I softly spoke while tossing it into the hole after him. My hair grievously danced around my face as I pensively watched it fall into the dark depths of the dirt.

It disgusted me that he had not viewed Lucilia's love as a gift. Had not cherished her as a person. He did not understand that a good man does not own his woman, but rather she allows him to possess her. Her affections were a privilege which she had every right to take away, yet he had taken them for granted and acted as though he were entitled to such a sacred treasure.

Using my shadows, I resealed the earth and covered the surface with quiescent leaves once more, leaving no trace of him behind. The wind seemed to gust upon the area, tossing some of the leaves back as though his unquiet spirit was howling in protest, trapped and tormented by this secret gravesite where he would molder in misery, forlorn and forgotten forevermore.

Not wanting to linger, I indifferently turned away and began hastily gliding upon my shadows through the vibrant earthly forest. I didn't want to leave Lucilia alone for too long after what had happened, fearing that she might need my protection again, and knowing that she needed my comfort. It was enigmatic, but I could somehow sense her dismay within my soul. 

I had been planning to return to the abyss soon, but now I wasn't so sure if I could bring myself to leave her, even if it was only for a short while. Yet, something within my spirit kept nagging at me to go back and check on the human souls trapped there. A subtle shadow of apprehension lingered within my dark subconscious mind as I thought about them... I also missed Sagacor dearly. I'd even started gathering materials to build him a light-proof stable where he could hide during the daylight hours, then frolic around the earthly fields at night.