Session 30 – One damn trauma after another
Content Warning: This chapter contains a situation that is meant to be a metaphor for sexual assault, because just like the thing it evokes, it's all about power. The scene is treated very seriously, but fair warning. It has line breaks above and below it and I've done my best to repeat the plot parts later so you can skip it if you need to, but it will likely be referenced at least some in future chapters as it's a very important character beat.
Summary:
Spoiler
A god pins a mortal to the floor and violates her mind and thoughts.
[collapse]
Shadow coalesced into its throne and then took the form of a slim, bald human man with dark skin and a three piece suit as white as snow. He looked to his left as another shadow coalesced into a pale, short elven woman with short jet-black hair wearing an obsidian black corset over black leather jeans and biker boots. She formed standing beside her throne and pulled out a box of wet-wipes, scrubbing down every inch of her throne before finally perching on the edge of the seat.
The man rolled his eyes. "Must you do that every time, Malkiir? You're a god. You can't catch.. anything, even if this place had things to catch."
She turned and regarded him coldly. "Yes, I 'must,' Torr. Taking care of yourself also means taking care of your surroundings." She leaned down and closely examined the arm of her throne for a minute before deciding that she had imagined the spec of lint.
"I still do not understand how you are the personification of Chaos."
"Still? Torr, it has been eons. I thought you were the god of Law, not the god of Stupidity."
"I hate both of you, so very very much. I hope you know that." To Law's right, shadow coalesced into a tall, muscular angelic woman with long red hair tied back in a braid that reached her butt. She wore a floral-printed sundress and strappy sandals with a six inch heel. Her double set of white, feathery wings spread out delicately behind her throne. And irritation etched itself into her face as she gently massaged her forehead with one of her hands.
Torr turned to her and inclined his head. "Good of you to finally join us, Iridatha. It has been many years."
She huffed indignantly. "Unlike you gods of Manifest Concept, I have actual duties to perform."
Malkiir leaned forward and gave the goddess of Life a stroppy grin. "Oh? Too many babies to kiss? Well, I'm sure Zikteiel will be happy to hear that!" To Chaos's left, shadow coalesced into... well, it didn't actually coalesce all that much as the voidling's presence was marked primarily by the loose, gently billowing cloak with glowing red eyes now sitting in its throne.
The black cloak turned to Malkiir and its wispy voice carried across the nonexistent wind, coming from everywhere and nowhere all at once. "We do not care about Life. Mortal death is inevitable. We simply wait."
Malkiir pouted, somehow still disappointed at having failed to provoke a reaction from the voidling after eons of trying.
Last, but certainly not least, the siblings coalesced into their opposing thrones. Luna, the goddess of Truth Above and Lothe, the god of Deceit Below. Luna with her dirty blonde hair wore a sequined cocktail dress and sheer black stockings. Lothe let his unwashed black hair spill down over his shoulders. He wore a white tank top with holes cut in the sides for his four extra arms and stained sweatpants with camouflage army boots. As one, devil and demon both turned to their peers and inclined their heads. A moment of silence was observed by all for the six empty and eight missing thrones.
Torr broke the silence. "We all know why we are here. What are our thoughts on it?"
"WHY WAS THE GUARD SO LIGHT!?!" Malkiir slammed her palm against her throne and turned an accusatory eye toward Lothe.
The demon god of Deceit growled and viciously swiped his hand through the air. "Because it did not matter. It is impossible. And only the body matters." He looked pointedly at his sister.
The devil goddess of Truth glared at her brother. "Of course the body is secure. I'm actually competent at my job. And you say it did not matter, that it was impossible. And yet. Here. We. Are."
Iridatha massaged her temple and groaned. "You bickering children are giving me a migraine. Somehow." She swept them with a scathing look. "Instead of arguing, you could take action, as I have done."
"OH?! And what did you do, plant some flowers?" Malkiir leaned forward even farther and cackled.
The goddess of Life Above steepled her fingers and leaned back. "I gave instruction and direction to my champion. As well I could anyway, with some of you breathing down my neck, as you well know." She glared at Chaos.
Malkiir shifted, her entire demeanor consumed by murderous zeal. "Annihilation. As I've said all along!"
Zikteiel's cloak shifted its hood from side to side and their ethereal voice permeated the space. "We did not know if that was possible. We do not know if that is possible. We will never know if that is possible. And even if possible.. deeply unwise."
Torr nodded his head and gestured to the gods of Death Below. "Zikteiel is right. The risks are too great and unknown. Even if it was possible. Which we do not know."
"Then what do we do?" Luna spread her red hands, her tail flicking in nervous agitation. "Last time we lost six and the other eight met Oblivion. What if the remaining six are to follow?"
Iridatha reached over and placed her hand reassuringly over Luna's. The smaller devil woman clung to it and smiled, her cheeks turning even redder. The goddess of Life spoke very calmly, filling her words with warmth and love. "We are already doing what we can. I am open to suggestions, but a thousand devils, a thousand angels, a thousand demons, and a thousand elementals all stand eternally vigilant and ever watchful over the body. Meanwhile, the rest of us watch over our domains and hope. Hope that history will not repeat itself."
Lothe, the demon god of Deceit Below, suddenly looked away from the ongoing discussion. His nostrils flared and he stood from his throne. He slowly circled around the room, leaning and sniffing as he went. The voices of the gods died off and soon they were all watching as the demon slowly descended the steps, one by one.
"What.. what in all the Cosmos are you doing, Lothe?" Torr, the god of Law Above's commanding voice boomed down the Celestial Staircase.
The demon god growled. "I smell a rat. I SMELL A SPY." He looked directly at me, his hand reaching out through time and space and across eternities until it pierced into my dream. I screamed in terror and pain as his clawed hand grabbed my hair. He dragged me out of my dream and back through space and time and across galaxies. I kicked and thrashed my arms as I was dragged by my hair. My mortal mind was hanging on by a thread when he finally ripped open reality and tossed me across the room where I landed hard and rolled to stop at the top of the Celestial Stairs.
My body was shaking violently; from trauma, from stress, from pain, and from the cold of Infinity after I had been dragged out of my warm bath. I curled up into a ball as huge, thick, rasping sobs tore at my throat.
Iridatha stood up and her mouth fell open. "It's her.. the girl from beyond the Veil." She looked from my tiny shivering body up to the massive demon towering over me. "She was spying on us? How? She is naught, but a mortal."
"I will find out." His voice was calm, deadly, and utterly terrifying.
The hulking demon flipped me onto my back and knelt between my legs. I thrashed around under him, kicking and clawing, but I may as well have been hitting a mountain. With one hand, he pinned both my arms above my head. My tail whipped at him, accomplishing nothing, but he still grabbed it painfully in one of his hands. I could feel his hot breath on my face, causing nausea and panic to twist and claw up through my stomach and into my throat. My magic began to swirl around me as I called it to task.
"Oh, I don't think so, little human." I cried out in agony as I felt a tendril of his Divine will thrust into me and silence my magic.
Another hand came up and pressed against my forehead. "P-please. Please." Tears poured down my face as I begged and pleaded, but he couldn't have cared less. His mind pressed against mine and I tried to resist, but he penetrated my defenses literally without effort. My back seized up and arched off the floor as a scream unlike anything I could ever have imagined was torn from my throat.
"She is a from a world called earth. Its magic is unique, so very different from ours, but less dangerous. Less malleable." My body twisted until I feared my spine would snap, trying anything and everything to get away from the weight pressing down on me, both physically and mentally. He pushed deeper and my voice gave out from the screams. "I see deep love.. and a Soul Bond." His voice was laced with disgust and discomfort, as if even uttering the word love caused him pain. "And.. and, A WELL WITH THE PRECEPT OF INFINITE POTENTIAL." He roared and finally climbed off me, releasing my mind, my hands, and my legs. I curled up into the smallest and tightest ball I could manage. My tail tucked in and my face buried between my knees with little more than my horns showing.
"A Well with the Precept of Infinite Potential?" Luna repeated incredulously.
"There's two of them now." Zikteiel whispered, almost to themselves.
Malkiir leaped to her feet and took several steps toward me, her hand glowing as all the lights of all the stars in all the Cosmos dimmed behind her. "ANNIHILATE HER!!"
"I'm sitting right here." Torr calmly looked around at the gods who ranged from nervous to murderous in their expressions. "Everyone can see me sitting right here, right? I'm not invisible?"
Zikteiel nodded. "We can see you just fine."
Torr let out a long, tired sigh and stood up. "ENOUGH!" The room fell silent as the god of Law Above strode across the room and looked around in disbelief at his Eternal kin who were on the verge of panicking. "We are not consigning an innocent mortal soul to Oblivion to assuage our own fears. We are the gods Above and Below of the entire Cosmos!"
"What's left of them, you mean." Iridatha's forlorn voice carrying out from where the tall angel had sunk impressively deep into her throne.
Zikteiel's cloak spread its sleeves. "This only makes our concerns more immediate, more uncertain. What are we to do about Lapazulalei?"
The god of Law Above gently stroked his chin. "I propose we do nothing. We will keep a wary eye on events, but I don't see any further action that should be taken at this time."
"So, she just walks free?" Lothe growled.
"Upset at losing your favorite chew toy?" Luna spit at him with disgust. Her eyes flicked down to me and then back to him. "Not enough women for you to abuse? The crime has been paid for. Seeking further conflict will end in war. And we barely survived the last one."
"Agreed." Torr looked down at me curled up at his feet quietly sobbing and then over to Deceit. "Did you break her?"
The demon shrugged indifferently as if being asked about the welfare of an ant he had stepped on because it was in his way. "How the fuck should I know? Mortals break so very easily."
The god of Law sighed even harder and then gestured. "Iridatha, Luna, can you two please take her back. And try to be gentle?"
They nodded and knelt beside me as everything went blissfully dark.