Author's Note: A portion of the characters within this story are not of my origin. This story is a more neatly and fleshed out version of the 'Zeitus Saga' of Roleplay Events on the Plants Vs Zombies Discord Roleplay server, of which I was a member of from May 2020 to May 2022.
To Commemorate the end of arguably the best PvZ Roleplay Server (very expansive category I know), I have decided to write this story in its honor. To those who are from said server and all who are currently viewing this story I sincerely hope you enjoy this re-telling of events, albeit with my own twist.
Thanks to you, - KN
Nine years ago… on that day
The procession began with deafening silence. The glistening lights mounted wall to wall began to slowly burn out, replaced by the faint dim of candles on the stage. Today was the day. The initiation.
"And so we make these prayers. Not for a call at salvation, but for the continued prosperity of our Brotherhood. In the name of our great Father, a new Lord will rise from the rows and rows of you gathered here today, and will be declared an official Maximus on behalf of our congregation. Ave! Glory to Abaddon!"
"AVE!" the crowd shouted in obedience.
The candles flickered against the harsh breeze flowing throughout the old stone Church, illuminating the 'Priest" and his assistants standing before the group. Ornate, glimmering lights reflected the image of the Great One not only onto himself, but all who gathered to watch the proceedings. For the Father gazed upon everyone, whether Zombie or Plant, as his own. If only he could understand just why his Father was so fascinated with this place. To him, it was just another boring old day sitting around for a couple or so hours while old berries in robes read from some weird book. It was mind numbingly boring, or so he presumed. That would require actually paying attention to dissect in detail, but he was no religious Nut. If their was anything Johnathan hated the most, it was religion. Or so he believed. After all, it was never too late to change his mind.
"Brother look, it's starting!"
"..Hm? Oh, yeah. Whatever".
He re-adjusted his view from staring at the blank cobblestone floor to .. whatever was happening on the stage. Sitting side-by-side with family made the experience somewhat more bearable to him, although his Father was definitely working to counteract this silver-lining whenever possible.
"Johnathan, next time I see you dozing off I'll be treating you to an extra night in the workshop, unpaid. You better look up like all the others. Can't have you piling any more problems on me. Not after last Friday".
"Tsch, whatever. Can't they just get on with it already? What's with all this extra bullsh-"
"Johnathan, enough! Lazareth is sitting right next to you and being a good scribe, like he's told. Why can't you just be like him? For one day?"
His gaze briefly met the opposite pair of cold, yet frustrated eyes staring down at him before turning to his Brother. Just one more day. One more day of this and he was done. Then everything would be back to normal.
Just like old times.
"Father! Hear my cry! We have all gathered here in your grace. For you to show us the way! So please. With all your wisdom and might, please show us the one to lead us onwards! The one true Lord that will bring peace and stability to this war-torn realm! In your presence, we owe to thee. Our sins are heavy. Our burdens are massive. Yet we still carry on! Ave!"
"AVE!" the crowd shouted back.
The Priest turned from the altar to the large, yellow Cross hanging behind from the ceiling. Illuminated by hundreds of candles like a shrine to the fallen. Except this was no funeral. Someone would be reborn today, given their destiny in full. Whoever was chosen, it would be their burden to lead the Brotherhood forward. No matter their life beforehand. Or so decreed the Priest.
"Brother, do you see that? I think he's going to do the thing again!"
"..The what?"
"Y'know, like.. When they pull the Cross down and like.. cover it in oil and stuff? I thought you said you saw it once. It's like, really cool. Father said he wanted you to see it. Before, well…"
Jonathan looked down at Lazareth, a certain glimmer in eyes the other twin hadn't seen much of over the past few weeks. He smirked.
"One final time, eh? I guess I could watch it. As long as you promise not to tell Dad when I sleep afterwards!"
"Oh, come on! You slept for ten hours last night!"
"Yeah, but those were just practice hours"
"Practice? For what?"
"Sleeping"
"Tha- .. What?"
Jonathan chuckled, scooting a bit closer to his Brother-in-shell.
"I think they're gonna pick now. Hopefully we'll be back in Neighborville before too long. Right?"
"..Right"
….
Flashes of thunder briefly lit up the Church in bursts of white light. The Crowd of nuts eagerly anticipating the reveal of their new Lord as the Yellow Cross slowly descended towards the stage grounds.
A dozen or so Wallnuts clad in some kind of bright fluorescent body suits appeared from behind the Priest, surrounding the Cross as it was laid horizontally across the floor. As described, tins of oil were dumped across its wooden exterior by the cladded nuts, with the Priest figure wielding a large, flaming stick in the center of it all. Low hums and silent chants permeated throughout the Church. Its bells began to ring once more, signifying the true beginning of the initiation.
All those in attendance rose from their seats to observe the ceremony, with the notable exception of Johnathan, who sat unaware, or uncaring of procedure. His Father looked disappointingly at the nut, but their was no time for sadness. Today was his glorious day. Nothing would take that away from him. Not even his own children.
"It is time! The Father has made his choice, and now it is in our hands to enforce his will…"
The torch was dropped onto the Cross, incinerating it in a ploom of flame as the Priest recited the sacred text directly from the Book of Abaddon.
Lazareth, along with the rest of the congregation, stood eager to here the reveal of their new Lord. While Jonathan sat uncaringly in the uncomfortable Pew below. Whatever happened next, probably wouldn't concern him for the rest of his life. So many plans, so many new responsibilities. Soon he could be back in Suburbia! The possibilities were boundless. All that was left was to wait out whatever remained of this stupid ceremony, and continue on with his life. Un-impeded by the confines of his Father's wishes. Soon enough, this would all be some distant, uncomfortable memory. Nothing more, nothing less.
The Priest flipped the page and began reading through its contents. For better or worse, the future had already been decided. The die, cast. All there was left to do was to play out his part.
"The next Lord o-of our glorious Brotherhood, as decided by the All-Might Father of the Heavens is!…"
"Is…."
"Is?..."
He re-skimmed through the page, top to bottom. Over and over again. Was this some kind of mistake? No. The Father made no mistakes. Could it have been some kind of devious prank? Maybe the book was some kind of duplicate or farce. No.. impossible. There was and is only one Book of Abaddon.
His voice now shaken, the Priest carried on. His revelation would not only define the history of the Brotherhood or change the Father's Earth, but shake the very confines of the universe itself.
The binds of fate wrapped itself around the Nut, for he was chosen among all the others. Immediately commotion began to break out amongst the members. Some shouted obscenities at the revelation, declaring it a "falsehood". Others simply stared on in silence. Lazareth was completely shook to his core, looking on in a paralyzed shock. While his Dad simply gazed upon the product of his results.
"T-the new Lord of the Brotherhood, a-as decided by the All-Mighty Father o-of our glorious Realm:
J-Jonathan Maximus. P-please stand forward!"
