side: heaven

[idolpro]

[ When you next open your eyes, you find yourself standing in a hallway of stained glass windows; the door behind you closes completely shut before disappearing, you in a corridor that leads to nowhere. You're stranded, here . . . wherever you are . . . ?

The light that reflects through the glass is a gentle one, and the whole place seems to glow, almost binding in illumination - it's been recently swept here, or otherwise recently polished so everything isn't so musty; still, there's a distinct feeling of heaviness in the air. One could almost mistake the feeling for reverence.

There's only one direction: forward, into the light. ]

Comments

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

Hmm...

[ he stares hard at the text on the page from around Absinthe. still just gibberish? ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ pain shoots up your arm and leg and phantom pains course behind you, like there's meant to be something there - another appendage - but it's missing right now. at the same time, you feel a surge of pride.

the words read:

The battle is won. The demons are vanquished.

that's it. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

Fuck—!

[ he grits his teeth and grips his arm at the sudden pain coursing through it, but steadies himself after the initial surprise passes, exhaling slowly.

then without bothering to explain what that was about, he immediately says to Absinthe: ]

Turn the page.

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

Hey, guys. Open the secret door.

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[innerdaemons]

[ he gives Eater a Look before he obliges him, turning the page.]

Did you happen to see a door...?

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he answers distractedly as he squints at the page, seeing if he can make out anything different on this one. ]

Just the ones we came in through.

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ you feel somewhat vexed, the ghostly pains still coursing through the missing appendage:

I was scolded for using too much force again. The general has put me on probation while my injuries heal. Probation is boring. I would rather be slaying demons. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he hisses under his breath when the pain doesn't subside, but he's too focused on the text to pay it too much mind. to Absinthe, again: ]

Turn.

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[innerdaemons]

What is it that has you so focused on this book, now...?

[ turns, looking a bit over his shoulder to watch Man Eater's face. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

Why does anyone keep reading a book? I wanna know how it ends.

[ he's squinting down at the page rather than returning Absinthe's glance. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ more! frustration! feeling vexed, though the injury seems to be doing a little better now.

They say they want me to heal but they interrupt my sleep with all the noise! It's annoying!

I'm going to set a seal so I can sleep without being interrupted today. I wish I could just use the healing room, but this is part of my punishment for going overboard. So, I'll sleep as much as I can now so I can get back on the field! ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

Next.

[ ETC. ETC. he will just keep reading all the way until the end as long as Absinthe keeps turning pages for him. ]

1/

[idolpro]

[ next:

the wounds have healed, but in their place, there's uncertainty, a numbness borne from confusion:

I woke up and everyone was gone. Instead, there were humans who broke through my barrier. They're pitiful souls that have been claimed somehow by Hell. How did they get to Heaven in the first place?

Why did this happen?

Where did everyone go?

determination swells; a postscript:

I'll find them. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ the next page seems to be some time after. quiet:

I stopped writing for a while. I'm not very good at it, but the general says it's good exercise for me. Controlling the pen without breaking it, or without tearing the page. Even if the general isn't here right now, I should keep doing that.

I started looking for everyone. Anyone. The first outpost I saw was empty but there are plenty to look for.

Then, at the bottom of the page, tally marks:

卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌卌

As your eyes follow the marks, a creeping sense of loneliness crawls up your spine; your heart feels as though it could sink from its heaviness, from how overwhelming the numbers get. There's a frantic sort of desperation that buzzes in your ear, and then the page ends - ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ then

I found demons today. I tried to get them to tell me anything, but I killed them on accident.

there's no particular remorse or anything, though. just that stifling loneliness. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ I wonder how those humans are doing right now? ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ What am I going to do if I'm the last one?

There was a human who asked me something similar to that.

I told him I'd keep fighting Hell.

I'm still fighting.

I killed another demon today. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ I should stop killing demons. If I keep doing that, they'll bring stronger numbers. I'm the angel of destruction and all, but I don't think I could kill all of Hell by myself.

I should see those humans again. ]

7/8

[idolpro]

[ then -

I just remembered there was a hidden place for weak angels to hide during times of crisis. This is a time of crisis, so I'll go there in the morning. This is the best hope that I've got right now.

If they're not there, I don't know what I should do. The number of humans that could help are small, too. They're fragile, and they probably won't be able to endure traveling to different worlds to fight.

I wish I was smarter. Like the general, so I knew what to do.

I wish the general was here.

by the time of these words there's such a heavy sense of loneliness and desperate, slipping hope, that it might feel unbearable. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[idolpro]

[ the rest of the pages are blank. ]

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ after taking all that in and flitting through way too many of someone else's emotions along the way, he finally backs off from Absinthe and lets out a long exhale, muttering to himself. ]

Last one standing, huh?

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[innerdaemons]

[ he closes the book slowly to turn and more properly look at him. ]

Quite a gripping tale, hm?

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[carnivorouscarnival]

[ he looks thoughtful, like he's still mulling it all over and trying to connect dots. ]

No twist at the end, though. I give it three stars.

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[constellationprize]

[ piping up, finally, after a short talk with eater, ]

Absinthe, can I see that?

Re: RIGHT HAND OF THE FATHER

[constellationprize]

[ has probably been standing nearby behaving herself and not touching anything as if I totally did not just forget what day it was ooc

anyway she's peering over ]

Are you okay...?