The Great Arising
4
A smile lit Goro's dark face. He looked down at the elegant dark blue kimono in his arms. "It's beautiful." Torren-Wraeth smiled in return, he loved to see Goro smile. "It belongs to you, Goro-chan." "But, this is too..." "You deserve it far more than any pampered noble." The dark-skinned youth blushed. "Thank you, Torren-kun!" As Goro dressed, Torren-Wraeth looked at his own kimono, bright red and fashionable. He had worried about attracting undue attention with the appearance of wealth, but he decided that he was strong enough to risk any human robber or thief. Besides, this was to be their first trip to the Kabuki theater. It had taken enough time and effort to make himself appear human, he might as well show off. He looked up at Goro, partly dressed and excitedly pulling himself together. He thought of the men who had abused him, and felt a twitch of rage... Goro must never find out what Torren-Wraeth had done to those men. He did not want Goro to ever even hear the name Y'Golonac, much less learn what he was, how he dealt with his victims. Torren-Wraeth loathed Y'Golonac, the Defiler, the Obscenity, the obese, headless god of depravity, who devoured his victims slowly with the mouths in the palms of his flabby, groping hands. But he had to avenge Goro, he had to make them pay for using him, for torturing him, for robbing him of his childhood and his innocence. Only Y'Golonac could grant the punishment those men deserved... Then Goro was standing there, smiling, in his blue kimono, and Torren-Wraeth was happy again...
Torren-Wraeth awoke slowly, not wanting to leave his dream, because Goro still lived in his dreams... He was in China, not Japan, in the Monastery of The Order of The Bloated Woman. Japan was gone, Goro was gone, and Torren-Wraeth was still here. Warm tears ran down his cheeks, but he brushed them away. Life had to go on, and on, and on...
Great Cthulhu was concerned. Hastur seemed to have gained some favor in Nyarlathotep's many eyes, and anything that benefited Hastur weakened Cthulhu, in both their eyes. "My Lord Cthulhu, there is no need for concern," The tall, red-robed figure that stood at the side of Cthulhu's throne moved forward respectfully, Chxixsas' bone-white face seemed to swim within his voluminous robes, "It is well known that the fruits of Nyarlathotep's attentions are rarely to be desired." The voice was thin, hollow, distant, " This may prove, in fact, a setback for The King in Tatters. Even now he trembles in his palace at Carcosa, fearing what manner of spawn this union may unleash." Cthulhu gave the equivalent of a laugh, "Can you picture them, The Black Wind knocking down the walls of Carcosa, the Bloody Tongue crushing that cursed palace into dust! Oh, one can dream, Chxixsas... One can dream..."
The two masks, the Golden Angel and the Slender Maiden stood side by side, Isn't it all a lie, in the end? Torren-Wraeth bowed politely before the Bloated Woman. She was holding the Black Fan under her eyes, giving the illusion that she was a slender young lady, at least to the humans present. Ho Fong stood by reverently, but his jealousy of Tek was as strong as ever. Torren-Wraeth wondered if The Bloated Woman would play them against each other...He hoped not, for both their sake's. "It is an honor to again have the presence of the Son of Cthulhu in my humble monastery." "The honor is all mine," Torren-Wraeth replied softly, "My father sends his greetings and good-will toward you, My Lady." The Bloated Woman's nose-tendril curled delicately in the air, "No doubt. Send him my good-will in return." Torren-Wraeth couldn't help but look at the sacrificial altar, where human victims had their arms cut off by the sacred sickles, after which they bled to death. He shuddered slightly at the horrible images flashing through his mind. The Bloated Woman noted this, but politely made no mention of it. Torren-Wraeth honestly could not condemn her, almost all of the worshiped entities, including his own father, demanded human sacrifice, many in even more horrible ways... "I regret that I have to leave so soon, though I am grateful for your hospitality." The last part, at least, was true. "May The Key and The Gate be with you."
To be continued...
Notes:
Chxixsas:
Titles- The Wise One In The Darkness
The Mask of Wisdom
The Mind of Darkness
The Shadow Sage
Height- Variable, Normally 70' tall
Weight- ?
Class- Lesser God of Knowledge
Alignment- Neutral
Chxixsas is a lesser Great Old One. He appears as a thin humanoid form of pure blackness, save for his bone-white face, which resembles a Kabuki mask, his pale blue eyes and long white hair. He usually wears an elaborate red robe. He currently acts as personal advisor to Cthulhu. He's not particularly powerful for a Great Old One, but he is a genius even by Great Old One standards. He is the son of Zstylzhemghi and Ghisguth, brother of Tsathoggua and uncle of Cthulhu.
Chxixsas is my creation.
It's pronounced Chick-Sass-Zaz
Y'Golonac, The Defiler was created by Ramsey Campbell
The Bloated Woman, Ho Fong etc were created by Larry Ditillio and Chaosium.
The Black Wind and The God of The Bloody Tongue belong to Chaosium.
From what I know of The Order of The Bloated Woman, the human victim is held down and his arms are cut off using the sacred golden sickles, after which he bleeds to death. The Bloated Woman may also devour her prey directly, holding him tightly, cracking his skull open and slurping down his brains.
Zstylzhemghi:
Title- Matriarch of the Swarm
Mother of Tsathoggua and Chxixsas by Ghisguth
Zstylzhemghi is not my creation