Narinder fell to the ground, wincing hard as a searing pain coursed through his body. He was panting as he looked at his hands, and snarled with fury. He was no longer the God he once was, instead he was his in his feeble mortal form. That of a tall, black cat, with three eyes. It took all his restraint not to charge at the Lamb once more, but he knew better than to try it. The Lamb had already proven herself to be stronger than him at his best. He'd be a fool to try to attack her in his weakened state. Instead, he brought his knees to his chest and glared up at her. She was standing there, with a hint of a smirk upon her lips, awaiting a plea for his life.
"You have supplanted me. A vessel no more, instead a crown bearing deity." He spoke bitterly. She did not reply, she only stood there, still waiting. It was infuriating. "Damned Lamb!" He hissed, "I am at your mercy, are you to be a vengeful false idol, or a merciful coward?" Narinder glared up at her from his place on the ground. "No longer can you blame your vile acts on me."
"I promised to free you, and free you I shall." She said finally. Narinder laughed coldly and shook his head. As he suspected, she was still soft even after he tried to kill her. What a truly unworthy bearer for the Red Crown.
"You weak, sniveling, foul thing." Narinder spat. The Lamb raised a hand, her eyes beginning to glow a bright crimson. Narinder's eyes widened as he fully understood her intentions. "Wait!" He screamed. No, he would not join her cult. He wouldn't take orders from her. He couldn't! His attempt to halt her was in vain, it was too late. A swirling, red portal opened up beneath him and he fell through.
When the portal released him, he was thrown up onto the summoning circle at the center of her cult grounds. Narinder let out a grunt of pain as his sore body hit the hard stone. He coughed and sat up weakly, his arm gripping his ribs. Narinder lifted his head to survey his surroundings. The Lamb's cult had grown quite a bit since he last checked in on her. She had nearly thirty followers now, and every single one of them had stopped to stare at Narinder.
"Is... Is that really him? The One Who Waits?" Asked a small fennec fox.
"Oh, wow, it is. It's him! The One Who Waits!" Exclaimed a red panda, this called the attention of anyone who had yet to notice Narinder's arrival. He glared at the cultists, beyond enraged. The audacity of that damned Lamb. He wished, now more than ever, that she had just killed him and saved him this embarrassment. To make matters worse, he was stuck. An unindoctrinated Follower was forced to remain in the summoning circle until the Leader indoctrinated them into the cult. The curse kept him firmly planted in the circle, unable to stand. A few minutes went by, and the Followers were still staring at him, whispering to each other in amazement. He had finally gotten sick of it.
"Don't you fools have work to do?!" He yelled. The rise in his voice caused a few of them to jump and busy themselves with their work in fear, and all to get an air of nervousness about them. He scoffed and shook his head. These Followers were weak, and the Lamb was soft. How could he have lost to her? It just didn't make sense.
Nearly an hour had passed before the air was permeated by the soft jingling of a bell in the distance. Narinder knew it was the Lamb instantly as she wore a bell on her collar. He looked towards the entrance and sure enough, there she was. She smiled at her Followers and waved at them as they greeted her excitedly. The sight was sweet enough to make Narinder sick to his stomach. The Lamb turned in the direction of the summoning circle, and approached Narinder. A cocky smirk replaced her sweet smile the moment she made eye contact with the former God. Narinder glared up at her, his expression one of fury and disgust. The Lamb crossed her arms as she stood before him, and waited once again. All eyes had turned towards the two, watching in an uneasy silence.
"I will not beg." Narinder growled, "You will indoctrinate me, or kill me where I sit, but I will not beg for my life as the rest of these imbeciles did. I am no craven." His tone was venomous, hate seething in every word.
"Very well..." The Lamb raised her hands and Narinder was lifted to his feet through no doing of his own. His ragged clothing had been instantaneously changed to the same set of robes the other Followers wore. A white tunic, secured at the waist with a thin, black, rope belt, and calf length, brown trousers underneath a bright red, hooded robe stitched with white thread. "You shall pray." Narinder's eyes widened at the request. This designation was not only humiliating, but it was also an impossible task to expect of him.
"Vile wretch. I will not pray in your name. You are no God of mine."
"You will pray, or you will rot in the stocks." The Lamb said coolly, completely unaffected by Narinder's attempts to insult her. "I will not tolerate disobedience." Narinder clenched his fists so tightly, his claws dug into his palms painfully.
"Surely..." He began in a tone of forced calm. " ...there are other tasks I could perform."
"Indeed there are, but it is irrelevant." The Lamb shrugged. "I've tasked you with prayer, so you will pray."
"I will not." Narinder growled.
"Then you choose the stocks."
"I-!" Narinder began to argue, but was lifted off the ground once more before he could speak. He had been hoisted into the air by the cold hand of the Red Crown. "Ah! Put me down, you contemptible beast!" She paid him no heed, walking towards the southwestern corner of the cult grounds. The Followers stepped far out of the way, hands over their mouths as they watched the scene before them. Narinder cursed and struggled to no avail, there was nothing he could do to prevent the Lamb from imprisoning him. She lifted the wooden jaws of the stocks and the crown placed Narinder neatly within, and held him still. The Lamb slammed the jaws shut around him, a loud metal lock clicked in place and she stepped back. The crown returned to the top of the Lamb's head once Narinder was firmly locked away.
"Curse you..." Narinder growled through clenched teeth.
"I will free you when you submit to my demands. There will be no debate. I do not serve you anymore. You serve me, Narinder. You must accept this." The Lamb turned and walked away from him. He pulled pointlessly on his bonds, the inability to move caused his heart to begin racing. He couldn't bear it, he had been bound for far too long.
"Have I not suffered enough?!" He yelled at the Lamb's back as she walked away. "I have been bound for a thousand years, and you bind me once again!" When the Lamb didn't turn back he screamed in an eruption of fury. "VILE, PUTRID, DESPICABLE LAMB! WORTHLESS, CRUEL WRETCH! RELEASE ME!" Still, the Lamb did not turn. Her form disappeared amongst the Followers. He glared in her direction, still breathing heavily from his outburst. The Followers did not dare look at him now. They seemed too stunned to even speak amongst themselves. After a few minutes, he bowed his head staring at the ground beneath the stocks. Malignant thoughts consumed him. How could he possibly pray to the Lamb after this? His feelings toward her were entirely rancorous. He wanted nothing more than to see her fall violently from grace. To watch her ripped limb from limb.
Come morning, Narinder watched the Followers emerge from their little cabins. They looked refreshed from a night's rest, meanwhile he hadn't slept for a second. The adrenaline of his initial restraint had worn off, but his rage continued to simmer. His body was aching from the forced crouched position. This was worse than his captivity as a God. At least then he could stand, sit, and lay as he pleased. This was torture in comparison. Additionally, his mortal form was far weaker. His flesh stung where the splintered edges of his stocks dug in. This was not an issue he encountered while trapped in his Domain. Nor was the deep ache of his bones, the foggy exhaustion behind his eyes, or the sharp pangs of hunger in his gut. He closed his eyes, and released a deep breath, trying to relax himself. Dwelling on these circumstances did nothing to stave off his anger, it only fanned the flames. If he was going to submit and pray to the Lamb, he needed to calm down first. His attempts at meditation were promptly interrupted when his stomach growled, churning painfully as it pleaded for sustenance.
"Damn..." He muttered, huffing with a wince. He clenched his fists, this was impossible. He'd much rather have died had he known this was to be his fate. Narinder's tall, pointed ears twitched at the sound of approaching footsteps. He lifted his head and the sight all but knocked the breath out of him. Two creatures approached him, each carrying a bowl of food. They were nearly identical black cats, twins he knew very well. Their names were Aym and Baal, and they had been his most loyal, and faithful servants for nearly twenty-one years. They had fought the Lamb for him, they died for him. So, why were they here? And why were they wearing red robes? Once they were within earshot of Narinder, Baal smiled at him.
"Greetings, Master." He spoke in a cheery tone. They stood before him and bowed, an odd sight considering Narinder was bound in the stocks. The two sat down upon their knees in front of him so they would be at a comfortable eye level. "We have brought you food. I hope it suffices, it is merely berries, Master. My apologies if it is not to your liking." He frowned. Narinder blinked, in a state of mixed disbelief and confusion.
"My eyes deceive me, surely." Narinder shook his head.
"They do not, Master." Baal assured him. "We were indoctrinated a short time ago."
"Wh-... How? I witnessed your death."
"We were defeated, yes, but the Lamb returned for us in the night." Aym explained. "We would have never joined her, Master."
"Never." Baal insisted.
"But, when she explained that you were here, we knew we must join so we may serve at your side once more as is our duty." Aym continued.
"It is doubtful the Lamb would allow you to serve me. She will surely demand you place your loyalty in her as she is now the bearer of the Red Crown."
"We thought the same, Master. However, she assured us we would be permitted to continue to serve you." Narinder had an incredulous look about him, but saw no reason to press the particular matter further as only time would tell.
"Shall I feed you? Surely you desire food, it has been nearly twenty-four hours since your arrival." Baal offered tentatively.
"I suppose that is the only option." Narinder sighed, "This mortal form disgusts me." He hissed before opening his mouth so Baal could place a few berries into it.
"You have my deepest sympathies, Master. A divine being such as yourself deserves a Godly form to embody." Aym sighed, "You wear this form well though, Master."
"Yes, indeed." Baal agreed with a smile.
"Save your flattery." Narinder growled after swallowing. "It serves me not."
"Apologies!" They both said in unison, bowing their heads. Narinder nodded.
"Carry on, Baal."
"Yes, Master." Baal said, popping back up to continue feeding him.
"What has the lamb tasked you with?" Narinder asked, curious if they were meant to pray as well.
"Oh, we've been told to serve you. That is all she asked of us." Baal explained with a small shrug. Narinder raised a brow at this information. This was very odd, it seemed every Follower had a role. Each was busy at work. Perhaps it was a peace offering, or maybe an attempt to lure him into a false sense of security. Either way, Narinder would remain wary of this gift. Once he had his fill of berries, Aym and Baal took their turn to eat.
"She demanded I pray at her shrine." He sneered.
"Oh, that's dreadful." Baal glared, angry on Narinder's behalf.
"Disrespectful." Aym agreed with a solemn nod. "She does not deserve the Red Crown."
"I refused, and was placed here for my noncompliance. She refuses to release me until I submit." He glared.
"What will you do, Master?" Baal asked with a frown.
"I am... unsure."
"If I may speak freely..." Aym offered.
"You may." Narinder granted with a small nod.
"It may be in your best interest to submit, Master. The mortal form is fragile, I worry that too long spent in these binds might cause you harm. She does not deserve your prayers, that is certain, but in these circumstances..." He gestured vaguely, and continued cautiously, "You appear to be in considerable distress even now, I cannot imagine your body will hold out for long."
"You have a point, Aym." Narinder sighed, "But it is so far beneath me..." His fists clenched as a fresh wave of anger overtook him. "That infernal Lamb only wishes to humiliate me." Narinder growled in frustration. "Very well... Fetch the Lamb, Baal." Baal nodded and promptly stood, rushing off towards the temple. Aym stood as well, but did not leave Narinder's side. Instead, he stepped over to stand at his right side. It wasn't long after that Narinder spotted Baal returning, the Lamb walking just behind him. She stopped in front of the stocks and crossed her arms. Baal took his place, standing on Narinder's left.
"I hear you've had a change of heart, Narinder." She smirked. "Is it because I've granted you your servants? Or perhaps you're simply weaker than you thought."
"Mind your tongue, witch." Aym growled.
"Stow." Narinder warned his servants, though his own anger threatened to take hold once more.
"It would be wise for you to consider your mortality more carefully in the future, Narinder. Let this serve as a lesson, you are not invincible." Narinder rolled his eyes at this.
"You will release me now."
"That is my decision to make." The Lamb glared in return, her indifference breaking away to reveal irritation. "I grow weary of your endless defiance. If you wish to be free from the stocks, swallow your damn pride. I did not come over here to argue with you."
"Yes, very well!" Narinder hissed, then sighed as he tried to control himself. "I will pray if it means my freedom." He agreed half-heartedly. The Lamb narrowed her eyes as she considered this.
"I do not believe you are genuine in this submission."
"What do you expect of me, Lamb?!" Narinder burst. "I cannot show you sincerity for there is none to spare! I cannot show you gratitude as I am far from grateful! You freed me from my Domain only to enslave me in your cult. That is no act of benevolence, that is no kindness. You are a false prophet, a cruel mistress of cunning deceit. Death would have been a truer freedom compared to this. Though I am sure you revel in this, the cruelest of ironies... How could you eschew such wicked revenge?"
"You are the deceitful one, Narinder. You betrayed my loyalty the moment you made an attempt on my life." She growled.
"You ungrateful beast. I gave you life! If it were not for me, you'd be dead."
"You only revived me for your own gain, Narinder. You are selfish, and you are evil."
"I had been condemned to captivity for a thousand years, Lamb. It was a punishment beyond your comprehension. It is far from selfish for me to fight for freedom in the only way I could."
"Yes, but who's fault was it you were imprisoned?"
"The Bish-"
"No! You! It was your own fault!" The Lamb yelled. "You stubborn, vainglorious, fool! It was you who threatened the Bishops! You who attacked them! Your selfish, power-hungry desires are what got you locked away!"
"You know not what you speak, Lamb." Narinder snarled. The Lamb let out a yell of frustration and held out her hand to the side. The Red Crown zipped down the length of her arm, taking the shape of a sword that she gripped tightly.
"I should never have spared you." She growled. Aym and Baal made a move as if ready for attack, but Narinder halted them.
"Stay your hand!" He ordered the two, and they hesitantly obeyed. "If you wish to kill me, Lamb, then do so." The Lamb glared at him, her hand shaking as she very seriously considered ending the former Bishop's life. She took a deep breath and sighed, the Crown slipped back up her arm and onto her head.
"I... do not wish to kill you." She spoke with some difficulty. "I wish for you to see the error in your ways, so you may become a better being. You must be humbled, that is why I insist you pray. It is not revenge, rather, it is reform."
"I have already agreed to pray. It hardly matters what my reasons for submission are." The Lamb shook her head, and put her hands on her hips, looking off as she thought.
"I will release you." She said finally. "However, if you insist on defying me at every turn, I will put you back in the stocks and I will not show this mercy again. Do we have a deal?"
"Very well..." Narinder agreed. The Lamb nodded, and unlocked the stocks. She lifted the jaw, allowing Narinder the freedom to move. He stood up slowly, his back issued a few sickening cracks as his stiff joints straightened. He winced and rubbed his wrists, a bit of blood soaked into the fur where the stocks had dug into him. The Lamb said nothing, she only watched him with a stern expression. Narinder looked away from her and started walking towards the shrine. His legs were stiff, and weak from being stuck in a semi-bent position for so long. His knee buckled, forcing him to catch himself on Aym's arm. Baal let out a small sound of concern, and Narinder waved a hand to silence him. He huffed and continued on after regaining his balance. The three walked to the shrine, to the only available space left for him to sit. He sat down on his knees and put his hands together, bowing his head. Aym and Baal stood silently behind him, awaiting any orders he may give. Narinder tried his damndest to think of a prayer. The only thing that came to mind was the truth that she had bested him in both cunning and combat. That would have to do for now.
