Rite ofВ darkness
Angels do not roam at night through the streets. But today it happened. The creature, which seems toВ be just from heaven, thoughtfully moved forward, drawing aВ bloody line on aВ dirty wall. Her beauty frightened. It was worth just once toВ look at such aВ creature toВ lose the mind.
Nicolette did not even think about the golden strands, inВ which Pixie was confused. They fell inВ love with her even stronger than people. Her body seemed made ofВ marble: absolutely bloodless, insensitive, white and cold. Cool twisted curls, like yelling gold, if you cut the curl, it would become gold, eyes, like aВ azure, body, like marble. And toВ top off all the wings behind her back.
Today she found out who she was. Today was the night ofВ all accomplishments. On this night, she went toВ the river toВ reduce scores with life and get rid ofВ the consciousness that the devil is no longer behind her back, but lives inside. AВ sharp knife walked through her wrist, all the blood flowed into the river, but life did not leave her. On the contrary, aВ new dark essence came. Behind the back were wings. The devil reflected inВ the water.
The beauty ofВ the devil captives, but only notВ her.
Love and passion is not inВ her nature. Hunger and thirst too. She did not feel them. And what about the future?
At the meeting, she was already waiting. Curious creatures crowded inВ the gloomy hall. They had toВ wait long. They did not count on this. Well, they were here. Nicolette entered the hall, as if she was aВ queen. And it does not matter that clothes on her are torn, and inВ indifferent eyes, they were frozen the fragments ofВ hell. She is really the queen ofВ these creatures. And then she will become their deity.
«Where?» She asked the monster who was the main thing here in her absence. At the entrance she had to reveal the palm and show the label in her hand. This is no longer required. She was recognized in the face. Here is Dennitsa, expelled from heaven to grab the power on the ground…
The monster pointed toВ aВ narrow arched pass. Really there! Nicolette immediately felt his presence. He is waiting for her, like all ofВ them, only much longer and more tense.
She went slowly. She saw the statue with wings. Huge, gloomy, black and frightening. There were only wings in it, and the monster began under them. Nicolette looked indifferent and long. She was looking for something in his empty eyes and found. She should be sank in front of him, but pride prevented. Nicolette folded her hands at the forehead and bowed only one knee in front of the statue. That’s all. Now it’s time. Probably, she had to kiss him… But this did not need it. Claws of statue began to move. Then shuddered wings. She came. The dark waters of the river did not accept her. She was waiting for something more terrible.
Her father. Its reflection. The monster came to life. The very monster who pushed the initial angel to the borders of the uprising. Her essence, her character, her pride – everything was embodied in it. Her soul. The soul of angel. And a beautiful shell to cover the soul. One single creature broke on two. Nicolett had to see her reflection in it, but saw only the winged monster.
He looked at her, shook out the tracks ofВ stone sleep, like dust, smiled and suddenly spoke. Beautiful words from terrible mouth. Something about the fact that it was time for them toВ reunite.
«It’s time!»
В«IВ know,В» she threw off his claws from the shoulder, so angry annoying insect. But he was not offended, he was accustomed toВ her bad character. InВ the end, they areВ one.
«Let’s go!» Nicolette turned to the exit. She was waiting for a meeting of terrible subjects. It’s time, probably, to please them with your presence.
He did not reach her in the head of the fire, although he could. He could do a lot, but waited. He got used to long and patiently wait for her every appearance. And every time we passed the century. This time, a new error should have happened, which again brings them. It is necessary to behave more carefully. His thoughts became her thoughts, that’s all. She just thought like him. With him.
Their new union, as always, began without dating. You just need toВ remember that het is behind you behind your back. It is normal that he keeps behind, like the winged Iphith, who emerged from the ancient fairy tale. He is her black soul.
Nicolette looked at him only a moment, was accustomed to what he saw. He was much superior to her size. Nicolette went ahead, he kept behind, like a bodyguard or guard. Nicolette did not hurry. She knew that the most powerful and terrible creatures of the universe were now patiently waiting for her. They did not stay anything but to worship. After all, all of them, in the end, originated from her dark soul, from the devil. She was stronger than all. Almost… And the term of her greatness was noted no longer every year, but with every second.
Nicolette took the edge of the dagger in her palm. A huge clock mechanism at the entrance to the hall waswaiting for her blood. She felt a quiet persistent whisper emanating from an unusual dial. Strange symbols and divisions were vaguely familiar to her. She recalled what they mean. Time could not wait. The clock needs her blood. It’s time to drown the whole world. It’s time to give the whole world into the power of those who fell here long before the emergence of people. This will be fair. Her terrible army will make this world as beautiful and insensitive as this clock. Nicolette squeezed her hand in a fist, squeezing more blood. The clock greedily absorbed each drop. It seemed that living beings, and not the details of the mechanism, reveal the mouths, alcohol demanding more.
Blood is life! This is said inВ the Bible. Only the Bible appeared on the back long after her. Nicolette should have thought about it with her own dignity, but did not feel anything.
Nicolette was indifferent past the shipping charm of the golden mechanism. The cut on her hand was immediately dragging. An eerie meeting below in the hall did not even have time to catch the smell of her blood. But their supernatural blood has just shed. Everyone had to be injured and drop into the bowl, which went around the rows. To do this, it was necessary to apply a truly deep wound, since all injuries of these creatures were too fast. To squeeze blood from them, efforts were required. It’s good that, getting it, they did not devour each other.
It was an old rite – to present a part of his blood spent Mr. as a guarantee of loyalty. The devil stood beside, but Nicolette had to drink blood. After that, she will be able to control each of them. They will be connected with her blood closer than chains.
The human sacrifice was also brought toВ strengthen the effect. AВ beautiful slaughtered young man stayed on the floor. After holding aВ rite on the body, aВ feast will arrange, it will tear thousands ofВ claws. For some reason, the victim was always chosen with typical appearance: long blond hair, clean face, azure eyes. AВ pale shadow ofВ Dennitsa.
She looked around the hall with a cold look. It was full of all sorts of creatures: winged, horned, with hooves or tails, with ridges of dragons on heads or many clawed limbs. And once all of them were beautiful…
Nicolette did not feel her guilt for what happened to them. They got strength. It was necessary to think about strength, and not about beauty. That’s just a black monster for her back did not think so. The shadow of huge wings fell on her face. Here was the temple of evil. And the deity in it also had to be evil, but it was indifferent.
The clawed hands ofВ the creatures ofВ the knees before the steps ofВ aВ small elevation stretched her aВ gold bowl. The taste ofВ blood filled inВ gold, almost came toВ her soul. Almost, but not quite. Something lacked.
The crowds ofВ ugly creatures were waiting for something fromВ her.
You need toВ say something. But she is not aВ speaker. Nicolette knew that they were not tangled with words. Therefore, she brought speech toВ aВ minimum.
«You waited for me, and so I’m here.»
The instant ofВ silence, and the triumphant noise became her answer. They could still rejoice something. Or at least did the view. InВ the end, they all came toВ bow the devil. But it was something else. It was almost aВ religious rite..
Just suddenly she felt something else. Alien presence here. Nicolette’s eyes flashed like ice, and noticed in the crowd the stranger. She felt the presence of the enemy.
He was hiding behind the column, aВ tricky man who thought he managed toВ spend aВ whole crowd ofВ hellish creatures. He told his strange prayers, but she sawВ him.
В«AВ servant ofВ God!В» Her pointing hand immediately attracted hundreds ofВ hellish views. Words mean aВ death sentence, and aВ person hiding behind the column understood it. He tried toВ escape, but who can escape from the hellish army rushing after him. Now they will have exactly the day. Screams, chasing, crunching bones and blood, from which Nicolette will no longer require its share.
The head ofВ the monster, standing at the back, bowed toВ her face. Huge wings fucked, like the shadow. This is aВ good sign, he reported without words, the enemy himself came toВ fold his bones on your greeting. Almost faithful victory sign.
Maybe you are right. Nicolette indifferently finished blood remnants and threw the bowl on the floor. Feast so is aВ feast!
Prophetic dreams
Ferdinand rushed on a narrow bed in his cell. Silky blond strands were scented over a rigid pillow. Luxury on a bench canvas. The appearance of the young man remained his only treasure. Human beauty burns like a candle in a poor gray atmosphere. Well, another rose’s aroma behind the beautiful binding of the firmware also reminded about the brilliant world in which Ferdinand lived sometime. Everything remained in the past. In addition to the memorable person, which many could learn. Would you laugh at the same familiar or shuddered from what he saw? The brilliant young aristocrat with excellent condition and pedigree brought himself sacrificing for the sake of faith. Well, isn’t it hurt and not funny? Who else did it? Many would find Ferdinand stupid, not chosen. Or even insane. But did the saints who donated from all and those who went to torments on their own will were not madmen for the world?
Contrary to the convictions of the world, in which Ferdinand was ready to be ordained not for the sake of promotion on the social staircase, as it happened for many cardinals and bishops. In contrast, he was not the younger or the second son of a notable family. He was the first and only one child. Would his parents be alive, and they would come crazy from the recklessness of the son and the heir. But they died… Ferdinand perceived their death as a sign. He considered himself created in order to bring himself sacrificing to the ministry of God. And God embodied for him in that marble angel at the altar.
And today, after taking the fatal decision, this angel was, as if very close. It seemed toВ be just aВ stretch ofВ his palms, and he would touches something living and sacred, not marble.
It is said that evil can also be sacred. Ferdinand did not even remember who ofВ the holy fathers said it toВ him and for what purpose. Perhaps it was just aВ metaphor. The deep and cruel words were very fascinated inВ the soul. Ferdinand almost saw them with burning fire on the bare wall ofВ his cell. The situation around seemed such wretched, but his dreams were invariably remained Divine. Sometimes they were even more beautiful than dreams. After all, he almost did not allow himself toВ dream. He tried toВ not distract his thoughts from prayer.
And today in a dream, he finally got the desired response to all his long posts and prayers. He dreamed of… more precisely, he dreamed of a marble angel from the cathedral. Only in a dream the statue came to life. She left freely the pedestal. The movements of the angel were feline. There are in her something from predator and at the same time something majestic, he wanted to fall on his knees before her. Only in his dream, Ferdinand could not move his hand or a foot. He could not even talk. But marble in front of him has gained flesh and continued to undergo the most fantastic changes. Of course, the angel was a girl. She was a divine creation with smoky ash wings framed by golden border. She looked at him impassively. And yet it seemed that in her eyes there was a light reproach, even anger.
В«IВ worship you,В» he still found the strength toВ whisper her. It is aВ pity that enthusiastic words sounded rather as an excuse. В«IВ worship only you. IВ am idle you. And you are my only deity.В»
В«So Judas said,В» said aВ clear angelic voice. Ferdinand felt as if he was struck. He did not even immediately realize that for the angel he is Judas.
He woke up inВ cold sweat. Probably he shouted inВ aВ dream, because inВ narrow corridors, concerned the steps ofВ the brothers were heard. The night guard have already hurried toВ him.
Ferdinand cast back strands from his forehead. How terrible! The angel compared him with the most disgusting traitor inВ the history ofВ mankind. Did he deserveВ it?
And this happened not for the first time. A voice in his head broke his consciousness, and it was like burning fire. The feeling that the dragon, about which is stated so much in Scripture, burned all his brains and thoughts. Inside, too, everything was burning. He reached out for the jug and spilled water. The transparent puddle spread over the table. It seemed to him that this was a blood again, which he was given it today. After the overthrow of the rite, it did not break it away. Although he was sure that this would happen. He mentally prepared for the fact that he would be sick of all night, but nauseous was not. Instead, inside everything was burned as in fever. It is too unnatural – drinking the blood of other people or any living beings. Man should never do so. They explained to him that God wants so much, and he obeyed. Perhaps it was not worth…
Inside the hell was expressed. There was no fireplace inВ the cell or even aВ tiny furnace toВ warm up inВ the cold. The fever proceeded from his own body. It is said that if you drink the blood ofВ the dragon, then all your insides will simply burn. He felt as if he had just drank the blood ofВ aВ fire monster, about which so much was written inВ the secret books ofВ the Brotherhood. And here the dragon burned him from the inside. It was exquisite torture.
He remembered the fireplace inВ the old family mansion, it was made inВ the form ofВ aВ wounded dragon. As aВ child, this grand subject ofВ the interior did not seem toВ him terrible. Now even the memories ofВ it brought the wave ofВ fear.
It seemed that the dragon was here, not just inside this room, but inside him. The dragon entered him, merged with him, and it was aВ merger toВ death. Now he will just burn.
His brothers broke into the cell. They did not even knock. They just came running on his cry. It was quite explained. He shouted as if he was torn byВ the claws ofВ living dragon. If they heard this cry, they understood everything. The Order Brothers should have known what nightmares were tormentedВ him.
Someone stroked his hair. Tonio, aВ beautiful brunette was his friend before the brotherhood and here too. He also followed the brotherhood for him byВ aВ certain only him known reason.
Ferdinand barely distinguished the faces of his fellows. There were just white spots, not the faces around him. He recognized Tonio in a voice. Tonio told something comforting. The sounds calmed as a lullaby. Clean sounds. Tonio is the most beautiful singer here in church as before he was the most beautiful singer in the sophisticated salon of the palace. Then he was just a poor aristocrat, now he is an equal member of the community, which was and respected, and secret. They were in secret above all religious communities, but no one knew about them. They were just shadows in dark capes or cassocks. A strange fraternity that was allowed to have weapons, track, kill and call it all the God’s judgement. It was all allowed. They did not change their names, entering the brotherhood, as was customary in most monasteries. They did not have tonsure, the taking of monastic vows was purely symbolic. But the terrible rituals were not symbolic. Today, Ferdinand was convinced that everything was very really: the blood of his fellows in his tongue, a flame inside and an accusing angel’s voice.
He wanted toВ ask his senior and more experienced brothers, what could mean when an angel calls you Judas. But he did not dare. He suddenly became scary and ashamed.
InВ addition, it was only their mystery: his marble angel. And inВ general, the statue was silent. It did not say anything. He heard the voice only inВ his head.
«You will be better,» Tonio whispered in his ear long ago, but the meaning of words began to reach him only now. «It will soon pass. Father Donatello says it’s just one night.»
One night may seem like an eternity inВ such agony. It was easier toВ die immediately. Ferdinand suddenly remembered the ritual dagger, which he now had toВ be with him. Do not reach the handle. InВ addition, there were observers nearby. It will not be allowed toВ him toВ cut himself and toВ release something burning out ofВ his blood.
В«He has it stronger than others,В» someone said. Ferdinand did not recognize the voices.
В«So he will have more strength than they had.В»
The pain inside remained fiery, and the outlines ofВ the world have lost all clarity. It is said that inВ this state it is easy toВ hear the voices ofВ supernatural creatures, but he heard only the dialogue ofВ people.
В«How do you know how it passed byВ others?В»
«But there are records…»
В«What if they understood the degree ofВ suffering, so as not toВ scare the upcoming generations?В»
В«Then they would have broken aВ vow. After all, we swear toВ transfer only the truth inВ the scripting on paper. Future generations should be aware ofВ what they expect. Otherwise they could not fight against her?В»
Against her! Again, someone said that, and Ferdinand did not like how they uttered it. Why not call the devil with his own name, whatever his new shell was. After all, the devil always remains the devil. In any kind. It would be more difficult for many brothers if the devil turned out to be a beautiful young man, which he was by the time of his fame. Many here believed that the young men are much more seductive. Here is Tonio, for example. How gentle is his touch. In the presence of a girl, he would become stone, but he felt some kind of attraction to a friend. Maybe it only seems to him… Never in his life he did not experience passion to anyone. Therefore, he was chosen to fight the devil. He will have the final victory over him. Others are easy to tempt, he is not. He just won’t feel anything. He makes a blow and that’s it. And the walls of the monastery will again hide him from the eyes of people, from all the passion that people can experience to him. And maybe someday he will be proclaimed a saint. For many, he was already so. First, because he did not want to know the sin, secondly, due to the fact that he was chosen to win over the devil.
The head ofВ the Order believed that he had already won. Donatello was sure that he made the right choice, as many and many heads ofВ the Order were confident, when every few hundred years ofВ their pointing finger snatched from the crowd the next favorite. Many ofВ these people were canonized after death, but they themselves simply went into the shadow. The terrible stories came toВ Ferdinand that these people just went crazy after the devil have looked into theirs eyes. They killed him, but they became his slaves. He died, but he mastered their consciousness, and they were forced toВ stay alone until the end ofВ their days, struggling with terrible urges inside themselves.
Donatello promised that this would not happen toВ Ferdinand.
«You’re too clean,» he explained. «Not a drop of wine, not a single night with a courtesan and not at all because in your pockets you didn’t have money. You lived among the temptation and did not succumb to them, because you just didn’t want. Such and there are real chosen, they simply do not feel the desire to sin. God created you morally very strong. You will do your job, but your reason will remain untouched. If such as you were more in our ranks… But someone is special, like the devil, is born only once a few centuries. Such is the idea of the Most High.
InВ the prophetic gift ofВ Donatello did not doubt no one. Ferdinand had toВ believe him for word. And he believed until the fire began toВ burn his blood from the inside.
Their order was also similar toВ the dragon, just at the same time, almost sleeping. Each cycle they expected the appearance ofВ the catch.
And here it appeared. After the rite, Donatello took him toВ the hall at the very top. AВ strange hall with columns, but without glasses and balustrade, blown byВ all winds. From there, the sea and the sky were visible, and there was an amazing clock under the ceiling.
«This is a clock of the Universe,» Donatello explained. «Devil’s clock! When the hands meet at the very top, and this happens only once in a few centuries, at the time of the sunrise, which is clearly visible from here, in this moment you will have only one second to strike. Only in this moment the devil is vulnerable. Just one – the only second, and it should be enough for you. Do you cope?»
It was not aВ question, rather aВ statement. Nevertheless, Ferdinand nodded. The clock consists entirely ofВ gold plates and monograms, firmly crashed into memory. It seemed that they had aВ living face as an ornate sun disc. So far, it dreamed, obviously, it will wake up only when the decisive moment comes. InВ this moment, the devil either dies from his hand, or remains inВ the world already forever, only no longer as aВ ghost creature, but inВ the form ofВ aВ real and only ruler. It all depends on the determination ofВ Ferdinand.
It is stupid toВ hang such responsibility for aВ single person, but he will have helpers, aВ whole order.
This thought was not easier. The image ofВ the clock pursued him, recalling the sleeping supernatural creature with two hands, gears, musical ticks and an ominous golden glitter. How can the creation ofВ the devil be the most beautiful thing that you saw inВ your life?
В«Remember that the mechanism ofВ the Evil One only one second for the centuries works against him himself,В» Donatello inspiredВ him.
Now Ferdinand dreamed ofВ this clock, but inВ dreams they were huge from the floor toВ the ceiling and further. InВ dreams they lived. The golden face was smiling. Ferdinand concerned the hands and felt the blood ofВ the cuts immediately flows on the dial. The clock seemed toВ drink this blood.
Donatello explained toВ him about this clock not all, but inВ some ofВ the books stored inВ the monastery, it was recorded that they mean all divisions, symbols and letters on the hellish mechanism. So far, he knew that one ofВ the hands measures time inВ the supernatural world, the other inВ human, and both ofВ the same length. Only one ofВ them moves into the past, as if giving tribute toВ each cycle ofВ the devil recovery, the second hand moves into the opposite direction. When both hands will meet, the decisive moment comes. Ferdinand instinctively squeezed his hand. When it is time, he will not shake.
Silence. Obviously, the brothers decided that he fell asleep, and left him alone. Only he did not sleep. So the heat drops after the fever: the body is still trembling, but there is no more fire in it. Ferdinand hardly rose. In this state it was madness, he felt very weak, but he wanted to read about the clock now. It did not remain so much time to the decisive blow. Now there was a deep night. Well, night is the best time for prayer. At night, nothing will distract you… Is it only except for lechery thoughts, but Ferdinand did not have them. He could not call any object: neither female, nor male, which would attract him.
Although the exception was. Just one thing. The statue inВ niche. But his love for it was far from physical. It was some kind ofВ piercing spiritual aspiration that could not describe any words. It was his God. It made him morally strong. It deprives all the desires towards people.
Someone from his cousins would laugh, saying that the feeling towards sculpture stands between him and all the brothels ofВ the Universe. The cousins were sad about nothing. Ferdinand left them his titles, estates, land. Many would call him crazy or blissful. He was still. He chose his destination inВ life.
The strange clock was waiting for him in the hall. Since the initiation, he had the right to all. He could choose those who will be his right and left hand in the fight against evil, could give orders, Donatello temporarily moved to the shadow. Ferdinand was allowed to enter where the other was forbidden. Therefore, he was extremely amazed, noticing someone else’s at the clock. The man fell down as a shadow, and more resembled an unearthly winged creature. Actually, there was nothing surprising in meeting near this clock a supernatural creation, but someone was not. The fact that Ferdinand at first accepted for the wings was only the folds of the monastic hood. Just the gray robe was slightly open, hence the feeling of the fact that the wings winks over the old monk.
Ferdinand froze inВ indecision. InВ his life, he did not mention the word with his brother Ernesto and was already accustomed toВ consider the old man aВ dumb.
Silence came for aВ long time. Ferdinand began toВ study the symbols on the clock, and then noticed that there were some wounds and scorched lines under the folded collar, like after torture. Maybe he only seemed that the scars on the Ernesto body add up toВ the same symbols as on the clock.
He managed toВ see aВ little. The lines, for sure, were burning out with fire, such deep and inflamed, as if their carved the dragon burning claws right on the human flesh.
Ferdinand heard that the devil skillfully tortures people, but never saw anything like that. Ernesto smeared the gray robe too quickly. He was gloomy and inconspicuous, as aВ touching ghost, but inВ his eyes it was frozen something inexpressible. Suffering, pain, longing, aВ whole range ofВ negative feelings. Only fear was not inВ them. Last Ferdinand respected. Full fearlessness.
He suddenly felt sympathy toВ aВ gloomy monk.
В«IВ always think about it as the beginning ofВ the world. The devil has so much power over us, because we all started with him. From the moment he became himself, as we now know him,В» said Ferdinand
Ferdinand himself did not know why he was set inВ revelation.
В«Sometimes he is not like himself,В» Ernesto said. В«Sometimes he can become closer toВ us than God. Be careful, boy!В»
There were already many such warnings. Ferdinand got used toВ them without much attention. He was aware ofВ what risk goes, and it was not scarecrow. But the words ofВ the monk hung like aВ black cloud. It seemed that he invested inВ them some kind ofВ special meaning.
He left, went into darkness as an imperceptible shadow. The clock was purely gold, but it seemed that all the darkness ofВ the universe was accumulated within it. It had no eye, nor lips, but Ferdinand felt that they were laughing atВ him.
It was aВ fair laughter. They left him just one moment for victory or defeat. Here is really aВ devilish trick. Ferdinand wanted toВ move away from it and could not. It seemed toВ measure the term ofВ his own life. And this term approached the end. But then, how can he be able toВ defeat the evil, if he will not live.
В«Stupid, just one moment,В» the clock stated. В«ToВ wait for aВ single moment, you do not have toВ live for aВ long time.В»
