Amaranthine

Epilogue

That’s twice now, raged Tobias, twice that disgusting beast has taken a bite out of power that should belong to me alone.

The sight of the towering monster, its stupid hat architectural in scale, was still burned into the soulstuff of his retinas. It's horrud purple flesh, yes, but even more so the void of its maw. Not black. Just empty. Just hungry. Pulling in all of those wasted souls.

Aggravating, to have to share claim to the title of Souldrinker.

Perhaps even worse, his jaw hurt. His nonexistent jaw, made of the ether of soul and vitae, ached. When he put a hand to it, it felt swollen. How in the fuck had that blonde bimbo his prodigal daughter was slumming it with struck him?

No matter. Even with the power that silly mascot of theirs stole, I am more than whole.

Even now, he could feel the power of The Awe quail away from his indomitable soul. As he floated through the Tennessee town, each person he passed jolted upright, as if suddenly awakened. They looked around, like they were seeing the world clearly for the first time, freed from the power of The Awe. As quickly as independent volition had returned, Tobias stole it with a smile.

So, considerate of The Godhead, to have a power so vast it left his followers an empty vessel when removed. A vessel he promptly filled. He had the stuff of souls in excess after all, molded and shaped to his will.

His father-in-law had dreamed of a single Altered Ascendant. A new god for a new age. Tobias had played along with the old fool, Kennedy was pretty enough after all. He would even have been pleased if it worked. One more powerful vessel to become his.

Because in the end, why make a god when you could become one?