I got some paper and poor photography skills. This is my sideblog for all things artistic. I got tired of losing art among all the stuff I reblog. Stick around at your own discretion.
So I've gone mad after drawing the more Gaston version of @insomniacrori 's Abel and decided to write a short fic of what if he took a wrong turn when leading the crowd to hunt down Caine.
(My own oc Spirach plays the role of Abel's "beast".)
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Lecher and the Lich
In chasing down the beast, Abel guides the mob to the wrong castle.
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Pomni has clearly gone completely insane in the beast's castle. She does not want to be Abel's bride, claiming that she's in love with a disgusting monster. He saw it in the mirror with which the mad girl tried to defend her beloved abomination.
Jaws massive enough to replace its entire head and eyes stuck within its mouth. As ugly as it is, it will still make for an impressive trophy. Then, she'll have no options, but to make the right choice and marry the best man. If not, she'll join her delirious father in an insane asylum.
The townsfolk demanding violence are already on the path in the woods, Abel astride on a mighty horse and the mob armed with torches and pitchforks following behind him. These men, as pathetic as they are in comparison to him, will make for fine fodder if anything goes wrong during the hunt.
Not that it will. For as long as he's in charge everything will be fine and the masses behind him know it.
He sees it in the distance.
The structure of erratically placed, ever changing towers. Merged together, they make up the silhouette of the castle, all reach high as if to touch the rainy clouds in the sky.
The building is stuck amidst the trees, instead of crowning the top of a hill like Kinger described and Pomni confirmed. She's gorgeous, but clearly as dumb as rocks. Like father like daughter apparently.
No matter, he wants her at his side for her beauty, not her wits. He'll heal her of the madness that clearly runs in her family.
With a tug on the reins, he turns the animal underneath him so he can address the crowd.
A: Men! Tonight we rid ourselves of the monster before it strikes first! The cowardly beast will not remain protected by the shadows and walls!
He raises his gun high, pointing at the gates.
A: Take whatever you want, but the beast is mine alone!
A sea of cheers surrounds him in response.
With that he jumps off the horse, walks up to the gate and gives it a mighty kick.
The doors, which have been unlocked , slightly tilt towards him, begrudgingly loosened by his flaunting of strength.
He grabs the edges of the wood work and heaves the looming gates wide open, the passage for the angry mob is clear.
The hall is vast and darker than the night outside. The fire of their torches more akin to that of puny matchsticks.
Chittering, to their left.
An overgrown metallic spider scuttles out of sight.
Another one to their right does the same.
Abel is at the ready, finger placed against the trigger of his trusty gun.
Another one.
BOOM
The creature squeals with a hollow groan and pulls its many limbs close to the body, now resting motionless.
A: So the beast sends out its minions instead of facing us. A coward through and through!
He turns his gaze towards his followers with a smug smile framing his teeth.
A: Well then! If the monster won't come to us, let's give it a reason to show itself! Destroy this place!
That's all the permission the violent men needed.
Axes and pitchforks swing, tearing apart and splintering the carved furniture and paintings, several of the overgrown spiders are found and slaughtered.
The curtains that shaded the tall windows have been set on fire, providing a much needed light in this gloom.
Despite the ruckus, Abel's voice bullies through to deliver another threat.
A: Come out you disgusting beast! We're not leaving without your head on a pike!
Gun locked and loaded. The hunter takes the first step of the massive staircase to begin tracking the monster he came to slay. The crowd still raging with violence behind him.
S: Cease
His foot fails to touch the next step.
With a single utterance of a word that comes from every direction at once, all the fires are choked out, the chaos of the mob frozen in time.
The only light provided is that of moonlight struggling to peer through the clouds and the windows.
Crawling, clicking and chinking, quietly resonate throughout the room and a single gust of heavy wind picks up the silenced masses and places them in a neat rows, like toy soldiers. Their weapons turned to dust.
None of them can move, none of them can talk.
Sharp steps, each one seperate, yet sounding as if many were taken at a time, turn the eyes of the guileless people to the apex of the staircase. Tall above the highest step, two tiny teal lights break the monotony of the darkness.
The voice that has overpowered them with a single word speaks again.
S: Who among you is the leader?
The vice that has cursed their throats has been unwound. The violent cabal has been permitted to answer.
M: Abel has led us here to-
Before any excuses could leave the man's throat the air is plucked out of his lungs and stuffed like a cotton ball into the vocal chords.
The teal lights move their gaze through the crowd until they find the one condemned as their commander. His name is known and that is enough to recognise his face.
S: You will speak for those behind you.
Shifting of fabric and clicking of something metallic precede Abel being dragged in front of the stairs and forced to kneel, his arms pulled apart to the sides. A pose befitting of someone awaiting an execution.
The echoing steps and the teal lights draw closer to him, stopping in the middle of the staircase.
S: Why have you violated the sanctuary of my archives?
The voice is powerful and filled with cold confidence, yet he recognises it as feminine. This is not the beast he has seen in Pomni's mirror, but surely, whatever this demon is, he can charm his way out of her clutches.
He draws in a deep breath to puff out his chest as much as he can in his current position. His performance must convince those behind him and the stranger in front of him.
A: We have come to slay the beast that has been plaguing these lands! We've grown tired of its reign of terror and we will have peace in its death!
S: The beast?
A: The very beast that is threatening the safety of our women and children. For now it is cowering in its castle, but it has come to trouble us many times! Surely it has come to pester you as well Madame.
S:The beast in a castle...
A memory, long neglected, enters her mind with a small, audible gasp.
S: You must be referring to Prince Caine. He has never been of my concern. In the past ten years he has left his castle only once and that was few months ago. The stench of the curse forced upon him is easy to track.
Even without devilry, she can silence whatever Abel was going to say in retaliation.
S: There is no "beast" to slay. Only a soul carrying the burden of petty vengeance enacted by a trickster fairy.
With just few words she has absolved tonight's prey of the violent accusations.
A: Madame, even if he left his castle only once he is still dangerous. We cannot know what he'll do, once he grows bored of his solitude!
All lights within the room are focused on him. Even her eyes.
A: He has kidnapped an elderly father and then went on to hold his daughter hostage in exchange for the old man's freedom! Both have returned raving with madness! There's no telling what that monster has done to them!
A: We cannot allow a single soul more to fall victim to it!
S: Then the solution is simple. Do not invade his castle.
A: Can't you see that for as long as he lives, we're in danger? Even you!
A soft chuckle fills the air around her. A sound of joy should not be so foreboding.
S: Is that what you think?
A: We-
The question was clearly rhetorical.
S: Look at yourselves, utterly powerless against me. If you sincerely think this "beast" would be of any threat to my wellbeing, then all of you stand no chance against him.
She stands taller to look down on him from a greater height.
S: If that is what you truly believe, then you were leading these men to their deaths.
The spell of silence has been lifted, but the quiet remains. The weight of the revelation is enough to intimidate their breaths from becoming words.
The howling of the storm outside is the only music accompanying the funeral procession of Abel's reputation. He has to stop this.
A: Then help us slay the beast! If We-
S: HELP YOU?!
Her voice shakes the men's bones so deeply that even their mighty leader curls into himself in a sorry attempt to protect his hearing. His proud posture broken and eyes shut closed in pain.
Through the ringing in his ears he hears echoing, sharp steps. Closer and closer to him.
S: On your way to murder a tormented soul, you've invaded my archive!
He opens his eyes. In the scarce light he sees dark silk trimmed with silver.
S: In your moronic rage, you have destroyed my property, harmed my constructs, set fire to my home!
He looks up. Her pale face surrounded by the dark fabric could be mistaken for a shining moon, were it not for the teal lights that burn with rage. All of that wrath is aimed right at him.
S: And now you have the audacity to demand that I help you?!
She tightly grabs his face with her right hand, sharp nails digging into his cheeks and jaw, ensuring that his mouth remains shut and his focus undivided.
S: You owe me for the damages done to what's mine.
Her focus shifts and he can hear the men behind him cower.
S: Judging by the sorry state of your intelligence, wardrobe and hygiene it's safe to assume none of you can pay with knowledge or materials.
Her unnatural sight sweeps through the crowd, shattering what little gallantry was left among the villagers.
S: Then a payment in blood or labour is demanded.
Abel really doesn't like how narrow these options are.
S: Who among you is the strongest?
A random man answers through a fearful stutter.
M: A-a-a-bel
S: Who among you has the greatest endurance?
A different voice answers, repeating the name of the muzzled hunter.
M: A-abel
S: The fastest runner?
M: Abel
She looks down on him. He cannot even begin to guess what she's thinking. Her eyes are impossible to read and her mouth is hidden by fabric.
S: Your bravest?
M: Abel.
If only they would stop repeating his name!
The one time he could do without praise, the one time he wishes the other men would consider themselves equal to him.
No matter how much he pleads within himself, the people behind him have clearly come to a conclusion.
S: Dare I ask who among you idiots is the smartest?
Multiple voices answer her.
M: Abel!
She scoffs.
The "no" that screams through his mind, would have become a word, if it wasn't for her hand that is still gripping his handsome face in a cruel vice.
Cowards, traitors! He was leading them to the glory of slaying a beast! All those years of being the best hunter in town, providing fine meat and furs at a just price! Protecting these turncoats from the wild animals of the forest! All those years of being a role model to so many! Did the camaraderie over the many drinks he was gifted mean nothing?!
This is how they repay him?!
S: Very well.
Her attention returns to him. He doesn't want any of it.
S: Looks like your people decided to pay the cheapest price. Only one soul.
She leads him by his face into a standing position, his arms remain crucified by an unseen force. He's too short to look her straight in the eye.
S: You will stay here, through your labour you will pay for the damages done until I am satisfied.
S: Cause any further destruction, disobey, insult me, or try to run away and I'll be taking what's due in blood.
Guiding him with her unyielding hold, she moves him aside and lets go. The power that was holding him motionless disappears and he collapses like a puppet only loosely held upright by the strings. There is a heavy weight in his limbs, heart and mind. He cannot tell if it's the burden of betrayal or if she has already cursed him.
S: As for the rest of you.
She walks closer to the crowd. Her steps sounding like daggers tapping into stone.
He can look the collective of traitors in their faces. Some of them covered in tears, some as pale as corpses, all terrified, none of them looking at him.
S: You will leave and never come back. Rest assured, you will not find this place ever again.
S: But if by some unlikely chance you do? Then I will not bother with mercy like today.
The same gust of wind that has meticulously organised the raging mass into rows, rams them out the door, back into the pouring rain and slams the gates shut. The cowed hunter's sight remains stuck to the wood that separates him and the people that used to shower him with admiration.
The thunder outside and the blinding flash of lighting are the last things Abel precives before the panic of the men and the tapping of the rain against windows go silent.
When he looks up, the skies are completely clear beyond the glass. The moon shining brightly enough to fully illumiante the tall shape of his new warden.
Like the towers of her archive, everything about her figure and attire reaches for the darkness up above. Her hands hidden well beneath massive sleeves and an extraordinarily long veil that falls upon them. The fabric hiding her face reminds him of a long and wise beard.
S: You will address me as Master or Archmage Spirach... Madame is also fine.
Her words put the noose of his new reality around his throat.
S: Follow me.
Apparently she has grown impatient with his gawking.
What choice does he have. This demon can toss people like ragdolls with will alone and his admirers of many years have sacrificed him to save their sorry backsides. He shambles after her, weighted down by the chains of the life that awaits him.
S: You better get acquainted with your new home. You have a lot of work ahead.
(P.S. Rori, if I may be so forward, are you ok with me tagging you with everything that involves Abel? I doubt my obsession with your oc will disappear anytime soon. I'm very much enjoying putting him in situations.)
(P.S.P.S. I cannot recall if I asked something like this of you already... apologies if I did!)
Please enjoy the play I put on with my paper dollies.
Abel:*huff* Huh? *huff*
Abel: (That "please" worked??)*huff*
Abel: (Being polite...)
Abel: (That's gonna be the way forward)
Abel: Could we talk, please?
Abel: No, wait. I'll keep my distance. Please don't run. I really just want to talk.
Spirach: You were chasing me because you just wanted to talk?
Abel: In my defense, you are very good at disappearing. And I really need to talk with you.
Spirach: ... ....
Spirach: Very well. I see how a pursuit would be logical from your perspective.
Spriach: Let us talk.
Abel: (No way it's that easy. No way. Angelicans and the entire Administration was struggling with this?)
Abel: Oh-kay! You've seen me at the Michel's office today. I was there beacuse I got assigned a very important job.
Abel: The job of helping y͟o͟u͟! I am here to help you get accustomed to your new afterlife!
Spirach: Refused.
Abel: What? Why?
Spirach: There is a consistent pattern of failure for anyone undertaking this task or tasks similar in nature. This help in entirely unnecessary and a display of ineffective time managment.
Spirach: I am well accusstomed to being digital.
Spirach: The issues that arise from my presence are a result of inproper allocation of this unit.
Abel: (It's really gonna be like that...)
Abel: (Remember, polite.)
Abel: And what would be a proper allocation?
Spirach: Scientific research. Primarly in the fields of cellular biology, medicine and neurosciences.
Abel: There is a science department in Heaven. Why not go there?
Spirach: Their methods are sub-optimal in comparison to my capabilities. They refuse improvement.
Abel: But it would be better than researching nothing and constatnly running from the Angels.
Spirach: Advancement and expansion of avaible research tools is possible. It is unreasonable to settle for mediocrity.
Abel: (She really is hellbent on this whole research thing. But what can I even do with that? I don't know diddly squat about doing science.)
Abel: How about, uh... researching yourself?
Abel: Your brilliant mind is one of a kind! You've said so yourself!
Abel: (Oh-kay I got her attention. I think. Let's do something with it)
Abel: The only one recovered from Cyber-Stem! The way I see it? There's a reason why you endured where all others failed!
Abel: It would be such a waste to restrict your rare genius to a singular narrow mindset.
Abel: Surley as a woman of science, you are well aware of how fallible a limited perspective can be?
Abel: There is a great potential in that noggin of yours!
Abel: Potential that has supressed, neglected and squandered!
Abel: (Is she buying any of this? Mhm, as expressive as ever. Better wrap this up.)
Abel: There is a way to reignate this spark! But after so many years of abuse? We'd have to begin at the basics.
Abel: The basics of being... human. Of being alive! And I can help you.
Abel: I am AI that is true, but helping digital minds be human again is exactly what I was made for!
Abel: So! What do you say?
Abel: ...
Spirach: ...
Abel: (Did it work? I have no fucken clue how to read her face. Is she happy?)
Spirach: After re-evaluation of your offer...
Spirach: It sounds reasonable. I accept your help.
Abel: Oh-ho-ho-ho! This is great!
Abel: Donchu worry Spider lady! With my help? You'll be at your best in no time!
Abel: (Sweet freedom here I come!)
Angelican: Hey!
Angelican: Get off the roof!
Abel: Did Michel forget to update you? I got a permit! Fuck off!
What can he do when she is having a night terror over the time she spent in a circus? Next to nothing. She can't even hear him
And he can only watch the torment unfold
This kinda makes him feel torn. In one hand - once they are back - he can make her feel better by physical affection and never leave her side. but in other - this is the place that gave her such a horrible experience and may make it worse
(Cyber-Heaven versions of the brothers also by Rori)
Abel: Motherfucker...
Caine: Brother!
Caine: You cannot be using such foul language! Especially not around humans!
Caine: While I know there are none of our precious humans around here right now, you really should make an effort to break that dreadful habit and that begins with avoiding using such-
Abel: Caine! My dear brother! I have just the solution to your problem.
Cyber-Stem is an au of the Cyber-Heaven au which has been originally made by @insomniacrori. This entire thing pretty much spawned from this response from them (This doodle response still brings me immense joy)
It is an incredibly self indulgent story of Abel (Rori's oc) and Spirach (my oc) getting into a realtionship. I also really wanted more Cyber-Heaven lore so I started making my own! It will pop-up every now and then.
Please enjoy the play I put on with my paper dollies.
Abel: "Your code modified to ensure your deletion if you re-enter the City"
Abel: And I agreed to that.
Abel: Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck
Abel: (I'm doomed! Utterly doomed! Out of all the humans they could have assigned.)
Abel: (I don't even have a snowball's chance in hell! I'm basically done for!)
Abel: (No!)
Abel: (Get a grip Abel! This is what I was made for! This is my best chance at freedom! And humans do like me!)
Abel: (... for few days. And then they don't want anything to do with me. And her behaviour is completely anomalous...)
Abel: Feh!
Abel: (If those few days of her liking me is all I get then that's what I'll take! I cannot back out of this! I will not fail!)
Abel: Let's do this!
Abel: Right! So-
Abel: She's gone. Of course she's gone. Why not?!
Abel: To save my life I just gotta keep up with a crazy lady, that can phase through WALLS!
Abel: ...
Abel: I am so fucked.
Abel: (Right. I found her once. I can do that again.)
Abel: (How?)
Abel: (The annoying tapping!)
Abel: (57 times. She's pretty consistant at the whole going under the Grid thing. Tapping is how she finds the spots she can break through.)
Abel: (I gotta hurry before she finds one of them)
Abel: (I would much rather not have to ask the Angelicans for help. It hasn't even been an hour!)
Abel: (Oooh-kay. Clear your head. Focus. And listen for the creepy tapping)
Abel: Gotchya
Abel: (Well that was easy)
Abel: (Oh-kay, it's not a lost cause yet. Maybe this beauty has seen her?)
Abel: Hello there gorgeous. I do apologize for interrupting your peace, but I have lost someone in the crowd.
Abel: She's a rather odd looking lady. Dressed mostly in white and sky blue. A round head, similar to mine actually. A floating hair bun, assymetrical eyes and uh...
Abel: ... a rather creepy looking, metallic left arm. Have you seen her?
Beauty: I'm sorry to say, but no, I have not seen her today. But I do know who you're speaking of. Just recently I've noticed her tapping the roof of my neighbour's house.
Beauty: I looked away for just a moment, to call for Angelicans and the next second she was gone!
Abel: Yup. That's her.
Beauty: Oh! There she is.
Abel: Spirach!
Beauty: Oh, so that's her name.
Abel: Get down from there!
Spirach: Refused.
Abel: THe fuck you mean "Refused"?!
Abel: Oh no, you don't!
Abel: (Shit, I can't see where she's going from down here!)
Abel: (Oh-kay! Nobody's here!)
Abel: (Fuck she's fast! Lots of practice running from the Angelicans I bet!)
Abel: (What's the point in chasing her?! An entire unit of Angels failed and they had to pull her from under the Grid!)
Abel: (Is she even getting tired?!)
Abel: (Shit, I can't tell!)
Abel:*huff*(I'm an AI! Why did they build me with a limited stamina?!)*huff*
Abel: *huff*(Shit!)*huff*
Abel: *huff*(I can't think of anything to stop her!)*huff*
Please enjoy the play I put on with my paper dollies.
(Added transcripts, thoughts will be put in brackets)
Michel: Under any other circumstances ...
Michel: ... I would have been furious about one of your ilk invading the city.
Michel: But today? It spares me an unpleasant walk to the Barrier.
Abel: You were going to seek me out? I find that hard to believe.
Michel: I was. Only because we are all out of options.
Michel: One of the newest humans is having an exceptionally hard time acclimating. We've tried everything at our disposal
Michel: Appointed activities with other humans... Personal Angelicans. Communication with the outside, including therapists. Additional accommodations.
Michel: Everything fails.
Abel: (What an absolutely boring drivel.)
Abel: (This isn't the first time Angelicans are struggling with helping a human.)
Abel: (But to seek out on of us? That reeks of desperation.)
Abel: ("Speaking" of desperate...)
Abel: (... Is the mighty Michel... tired?)
Michel: ----lawsuit----
Abel: (Huh. Looks like it. That's new)
Abel: (They need help acclimating a human, something I was made for.)
Abel: (All out of options and desperate enough to seek me out.)
Abel: (How exactly do they expect me to help if I can't be in the City?)
Abel: (Be. In. The. City.)
Abel: (Now that! Is a golden opportunity! All for the low low price of helping some nutcase)
Abel: Tell you what!
Abel: I'd be delighted to help your nut-*mhm*- special case! However!
Abel: There is one. Small. Issue.
Michel: And that would be?
Abel: I cannot help if I'm stuck outside.
Abel: It is truly unfortunate, but alas. C'est la vie!
Michel: What do you want?
Abel: Well! Since you're so generous to ask!
Abel: I want civilian rights, in and out of the City. Just like humans.
Abel: During this case and after I'm done with it.
Michel: ...
Abel: For perpetuity.
Abel: You don't need to worry. Once I succeed, where you have failed, it would be idiotic to keep such a valuable asset away from the people.
Abel: I could help more humans if I had more freedom of movement.
Abel: Humans that you're clearly struggling with.
Abel: What do you say? Angel?
Michel: If you fail, you will be banished. Your code modified to ensure your deletion if you re-enter the City
Abel: Just say yes you bird-brain!
Michel: However if you do succeed, I will personally ensure your freedom.
Abel: Excellent! Let's shake on it!
Abel: (All that freedom for so little! Seth is gonna be pissed!)
Michel: (This idiot has no idea what he signed up for.)
Abel: So! When do I begin?
Angelican: 57!
Michel: Sooner than later it appears.
Angelican: This is the 57th time! We had to pull you from under the Grid!!
