I slump in the corner of the chamber; I don't even remember entering it. The tar pit glows a spectral green, wispy, until the violet tar I had encountered a year ago. The smell is sweet; howls of captured souls fill the air. I howl back.
It won't stop
The gauntlets pulse and writhe around my hands, humming with excitement and recounting our adventures to mother. They hail me as a hero, having protected mother from a band of assassins. I can't help but feel pride swell in my chest.
Where's Caitlyn?
Mother is proud of me, I have done well. She will keep me warm, I will keep her safe. We are a family now. I need her as much as she needs me.
I need you Caitlyn
I hope she'll forgive me about the dress.
I hear them pounding in the halls of our home. They are trespassing. Their hearts tell me that they are here to kill, here to take me away from mother. I can't let them do that.
Don't worry, I'll keep you safe.
Please be safe
They come closer; they call my name, spewing false promises of a cure, to help me. I need no help, I am the best that I can be;
a protector
a savior
a courier to these souls.
I will stand by her side.
It is them who need to die. Them who need to pay for the sins that they have brought onto the sacred grounds of this temple, their feet dirty the floors. Flesh will cleanse their souls. I don't know why I scream.
Don't come any closer!
I don't want to hurt anyone
I look down at what I have evolved into, the power flows through my arms. I have no need for a power pack anymore, the gloves are a part of me, they are of my own flesh now.
I am in control.
The leathery skin stretches over my arms, across my back and up my neck. Bandages infused with Nexus powder wrap tightly around my chest, a barrier to prevent the gift from spreading. It burns my skin, I leave them alone.
They can see what I've become
A peculiar wooden totem stands in the center of the room; amber wings adorn the painted column. A pink gem shines at the tip of the stick, casting a light that fights back the glow of the pool. Foolish device. Let them witness my glory.
Tainted
I hear them through the wall. They shout louder, two men and a woman. It doesn't matter, their souls will feed mother. If they wish to kill me, then I shall wish the same upon them.
Ryze, Vayne, Lucian, just leave me here
I stand tall, prepared to defend. I will teach them to fear the herald of punishment. I feel their perverted minds, selfish, greedy, their hatred. They wish everyone harm.
I hate it all
I pull back, my hand crying out as it charges up. I can feel them on the opposite of the wall in front of me, their pathetic faces begging me to let them in. One strike, it will sting, but I will have protected mother. The charge is complete.
If there is a god
I say a prayer to shackle their souls here. Time is a coming.
Please don't let me do this
Glory
Please
Honor
Mercy
In a moment, my body twists away from the wall as I let go, my fist carrying my body forward. The force is too much for me to stop. It drives me straight towards mother. My face twists with confusion.
I hate it all
The cold tar bubbles at my feet, sticky and engulfing me. It wasn't supposed to be like this.
The cauldron simmers
It chills me, thick like paste. The souls shriek, pulling me deeper. I cannot fight back, they drag me down. They want revenge.
Calming
Memories fade, for a moment; I cannot remember where I am.
Who am I
Vi
How did I get here
Everything ceases to exist, I have served my purpose.
Nothing
Oh Caitlyn
I am up to my neck when an explosion rocks the chamber, rubble showering into the pit. Three figures burst through the dust. I don't recognize them.
You guys
I snarl, they have defiled sacred ground. They look horrified.
Perfection
The tar swallows my head.
Pure bliss.
