Where to Go From Here? The Child Visits the Father's Work [OPEN]

...

If all was pointless, then so was this strife and struggle, was it not?

That empty thought is what passed through the psyche of Khala as she observed the sight of the young child being crushed beneath the weight of her desolation. When this notion crossed her mind, the essence of The Demoness's being felt cold, devoid and out of touch with everything around them in this sphere of unending torment.

Even if she did not step down from her belief that such an unending fate was desirable, it was beginning to become painfully obvious this cycle may not be the most correct. Something within The Godling felt this path was perhaps not the most wise route to travel down.

As these voices from within were whispering truths. Truths that the ruptures of eternal blackness which lay within Khala's heart were rotting, twisting and defiling her once clear mind.

And, with age, everything crumbles.

This body -- it was as old as the cosmos itself. So, even though it may yield the prowess and force of a god, it's internal workings were decaying and it was becoming more obvious with the volatile action taken today against this ignorant youth. And from all of this, one thing was clear: this mind of hers -- it was breaking and eroding away at the seams.

Much like the essence of the male before her.

There were talks of determination, fighting against the nothingness and attempting to break pass this reality that was induced upon him. Yet, even with all of that, Khala still could not see the point in battling against it. Every decision, every path and every life is filled with unending and unyielding pain. From those who serve her in Khalaism, to those whom are the holiest of angels; it all blackens and turns into a blob of eternal anguish.

There was no escape from that -- and that was the one thing this Godling feared more than anything else. For, to reach the knowledge she did, she saw behind the veil of existence and realized -- it was hopeless.

But, even with that being the case, was it still not equally pointless to kill the boy?

That answer -- was true.

However, were the boys words filled with truth?

To answer that question, a bit of tainting needed to be done. She was the Goddess of Demonkind, so one would be a fool to assume that her wrath would not leave a soul un-scarred. Therefore, Khala would accept what the child had to say, but not before dragging her lone, black, bleeding claw down the chest of Rascua.

Down and down this claw went, until, eventually, it made it to his heart.

Tap, tap, tap.

She would tap and tap at it until her mouth curled over with an ominous white smile beneath the layers of cosmic darkness. Eyes glowing white with sinister delight, and untold pain; The Godling gave a distorted chuckle; as if her slow laugh was repeating over and over in a glitched tone.

"I. Won't. Kill You."

That was it. It was that simple. As her speaking sounded like numerous spirits talking at once, there was something peculiar about this shift in the air. There was sadness, joy, fear and anger all speaking at once from this contorted atmosphere The Goddess's body was emitting.

"But. You. Will. Prove. Your. Words. To. Me."

STAB.

A single word was all which was needed in order to describe the action Khala took against Rascua. For out of her palm came a shade, honey, silver and emerald tendril. Sharpen with malicious, yet curious intent; this appendage stabbed into the heart of the child and began to replicate one of the same eye shaped hearts spewing forth out of her being -- into the experimental youth's chest.

"Or. You. Will. Lose. Yourself."

Pain. So much pain. Pain that even would test the limits of a gods patience. Pain would be the only reality that this child would know as this demonic heart infused itself to his body. But, not only that -- but fear as well. Absolute terror and dismay. These two feelings would distort and tamper with the reality of the boys mind until he would question his own existence.

In this universe that bleeds cosmic horrors, he would blend and intermix into it and this nagging feeling of total dread would consume every waking moment of every second of this boys existence. To face the unease, concern, anguish and torment of a god is to put those words to the test, would it not?

If he couldn't cope with that unending and constant pain, then they were surely shallow meanings at best.

Therefore, a raspy laugh and howl would emit from the being of Khala after her little sealing was complete. At the same time would their world shatter, turn to glass and reform back at the frigid, frozen lands of The Garden of Gods. The skies were still pitch black ,but that was because it was night. Indeed, they were back on solid ground and home again within the depths of planet earth.

Yet, would Rascua even know where he is? Could he locate his sense of self? There were many questions which were posed to the air, but The Godling's twisted desire to see these truths ceased to make her care for such trivial things. All she cared for in this moment were to see some form of results.

"This. Is. My. Third. Option. I. Will. Not. Kill. You. Nor. Will. I. Spare You. But. You. Will. Prove. To. Me. Your. Words. Boy."

With those baleful words stabbing the air around them, even the snowy grass around them would quiver and quake in absolute panic and despair. Oozing and oozing into the world around them was the sensation of fear and revulsion. Spreading as far as the city itself, tinges of madness even became drowned in terror and fright. Something within the Godling was fluctuating, but not even she was aware enough to comprehend it in this moment of frantic release.

Or -- to be more precise -- perhaps she was not even aware of whom she was anymore.

No… that's wrong.. It means that you can choose to not have that, the easiest conclusion… Rasuca's crushed conscious railed against the sense that came towards it from Khala herself, denying it as his soul struggled to maintain its form.

And yet, his words did not seem to reach their home. Instead, he could only feel a sense of dread from the woman, but… not entirely. He could see the doubt which had emerged, the doubt that something may not be correct in the Godling's own belief. To Rasuca that was enough. That was evidence. This is…!

Suddenly, he was back in his own body, his physical form returned as that clarity and ascension he had experienced began to fade, until he could only process Khala in front of him, his eyes wide as he felt… pain. Pain ripping across his chest, his blood spilling as it darkened from the contact with the Goddess' claw.

"G...grah…!" The child let out a cry of anguish, the beating of his heart directly pushed up against her claw as she told him that she would not kill him. "F...fffahh…!!" The child let out as she said he would have to prove his 'words' to her. He still felt that feeling of certainty, though he no longer could form the precise sense of them any longer. All he knew now was something was oozing outwards, pouring and damaging his insides as a stabbing pain shot all throughout his body, his eyes going wide as the sensation of being impaled shot through his mind.

..Awake… Awake…! Whereas most people would have blacked out by now due to the pain, Rasuca's body was designed to remain conscious even while under incredible stress. This was forcing him to remain aware and conscious of his surroundings, of what was happening. Pain poured through his body, enveloping his very soul as he fought against it, his will to make the pain STOP increasing…

STOP.

The emotion for halting poured through him along with its intent… and the pain surged again, pouring through his body as it blew away his mind again, his mouth opening wide but not screaming as the waves of pain cascaded through him, spasms flowing through his young body as another word echoed through his head…

STOP!

Insistent, but yet, not enough, as the pain smashed into him again, his arms going limp as his feet continued to twitch and spasm, his legs clenching their muscles and unclenching as he felt nausea all throughout his stomach, like there was an immense pain there which would not go away. His mind, still… aware… let out another declaration.

St...Oooop…! STOP!

With that pause, he breathed, the pain, for an instant, subsiding… before it forced its way back into him, and at last Rasuca's head was thrown back as he screamed in anguish. The child's mind was blanked out for a blissful moment by pain… until he was dragged back into consciousness again as his lungs gave out, heaving gasps leaving him as the pain continued to squirm and writhe within.

Stop…

Even though he was now sitting between the walls of consciousness and darkness, some part of him was still resisting this terrifying presence that was ripping through him. Real…? False…? What is…? Rasuca's essence tried to comprehend what was happening to him, but the pain increased again, a splash of blood shooting from his mouth as his spine straightened completely, his arms coming alive again as he thrashed back and forth, his young body not able to handle the entirety of what was happening to him.

However, even through that pain and suffering, there was that notion. That single notion. It was not one seeking release. It was not one asking for pity. It was not the voice of giving in, of submission. It was something trying to dominate.

Stop…!

It was a feeling of overcoming, of trying to supercede. Of becoming stronger then, of failure to resign.

STOP…!

It poured through his body, that refusal, as the eye she had shoved into him slowly twirled out of his body, rising into the air as it stood before Khala, a single golden tear forming along its seam.

"STOP STOP STOP STOP STOP… I AM… CONTRROOOOLLL!!!"

With that declaration, the immense pain that was flooding Rasuca came to a head. His mind, his very soul, felt shattered as the eye itself opened, the iris within a rainbow as a terrifying intensity ripped through the Garden of the Gods. Perhaps it was Rasuca's determination personified. In any case… it only lasted a moment, for the instant it opened, it shut once again, before his body also ceased to move.

...stop…

His body fell to the earth, crumpling into a small heap as her words were spoken to him, even though he was hardly in a state to process them.

………………………………………

He was silent, laying there, before his pinky finger of his small hand… twitched. A sign of life emerged, and with it, a single emotion.

Fine.

Acceptance of her option, of what she had done to him came from him. In that statement was everything he needed. He would not run away from her challenge. He would overcome it, and her if need be. He would continue to look towards the future, even through that immense pain in darkness, that anguish and despair. He refused to accept that… but a test…?

That was Fine.

Rasuca's consciousness, however, could not keep going even though his instinctual reaction to her challenge had. He was spent, depleted physically, mentally, and spiritually. Laying there in the cold dirt in front of Khala, he very much looked exactly like what he was. A lost child, laying in the cold dirt...

(Special thanks to Yusuke Urameshi for reminding me what that imagery looks like.)