Meanwhile Somewhere in the World….
Another group returned with their collections. They placed their blue glowing bottles onto the altar at the head of the sand stone temple. It was ancient, lit by torch light and the sight of so many black clad, awed beings made it that more reverent. The great carved archways seemed immeasurable and made the many gatherers in long linen tunics and blue sashes look insignificant against the soaring buttresses.
The altar itself was unusually long for such a thing. Its ancient and ornate carvings had been slowly worn away by time and were now barely visible to the untrained eye. As they finished placing the bottles onto the, they knelt in respect towards the door behind it. Through the solid oak paneled entrance, a studious hand scanned ancient writings on aged parchment. Large fingers ran gently over the yellowed and textured surface as if the very feel of it would imprint it onto his mind. The man in the long indigo robes whispered the words as he quickly read them. He had devoted his focus intently to the brittle scroll held down by his large masculine hands.
Suddenly the large oak door creaked open and a young man rushed in. He quickly dropped to his knees and bowed his head.
Without looking up from the parchment the man in the indigo tunic spoke. "To what do I owe this interruption?" His voice was smooth yet commanding. He continued to read as the humbled one responded.
"Profound apologies oh Sanctus Unus, but, I have news to report." His sloppy brown hair fell down to his nose as he spoke; not once raising his face.
"Speak so that I may return to my studies. My hallowed position requires a large amount of diligent devotion. And I don't have to tell you how difficult it can be to find your place when you are reading ancient Sumerian." The reached for a long, flat ruler-like piece of wood and laid it across the parchment.
"Of course you're Holiness. I came to inform you that the group that was sent to the central of the United States has returned nor have they checked in at the pre determined time. So far, our efforts here to locate them have been fruitless." His voice seemed to shake as he ended his report. Sweat on his brown began to collect and roll down to the tip of his porous nose.
The Sanctus Unus rose from his Romanesque seat. Gathering his many robes, he turned and faced the penitent man on the floor. He held his pale, gaunt face high and smoothed the well kempt black curls on top of his head. He stepped forward slowly and placed a hand atop the head of the genuflecting worshiper.
"Rise. You have done well to tell me this. Go and bring Deslin to me. We will soon know what has happened to your vanished compatriots. I have it on instinct that your wayward Brothers may have something to do with this. They have been causing quite the interlude into our great works by spiriting away those filthy shells that exploit our Holy Goddess's essence." He lifted his great hand and gestured for the young man to hurry about his business.
As the door shut, the Sanctus Unus glided across the stony floor covered in elegant oriental rugs to another smaller entry. He lifted the heavy iron latch and the door slowly swung open. There amidst the light of a single candle, a woman sat up bound at a forty degree angle to a bed. Her body began to shake while in a tattered and stained gown. The bed sheets themselves were stained even worse with blood, sweat and other bodily fluids both belonging to her and not.
She began to whimper lowly behind her filthy gag. Her greasy auburn hair fell over her eyes as she blinked wildly. The Sanctus Unus lifted a long finger to her sculpted lips and shushed her softly as hr continued to make his way to her side. "It's ok my dear. I came to give you the good tidings! You'll want to be quiet so you can take in the moment! It's not everyday that a young woman gets to hear this! All of your sacrifice has paid off!" The words rolled from his lips a smooth as honey from centuries of practiced articulation. He continued to shush her as he ran a hand up her left thigh over the sticky dried stains of caked on blood and semen. She moaned in pain under his touch and he laid a hand on her greasy forehead. "It's ok! It's worked! It's finally worked! That means you and I don't have to continue the Joining anymore! After trying so many times with so many others and with you! You are the one! My dearest, you are to be the mother of a Goddess!" He announced these words and she fell into heated sobs. He ran his hand over her tender belly and her fragile chest heaved under the weight of the news that had struck her. After weeks of rape, this beast had impregnated her! She shook her head from side to side. She was hoping that his entrance tonight would mean her death! She could no longer live through this pain and limitless torture anymore. But this! This was far worse than death! What would this thing be inside of her?
The Sanctus Unus smiled proudly as he gleaned at her abdomen. His pointed eye teeth glinted in the candle light and his black eyes seemed to sparkle with pride. "I know it is hard to contain your elation my love, but you must calm yourself. It isn't good for the baby!"