Cursed Ones

The Master

Vulcan's insides were eating away at him as he stood outside a pair of large doors, surrounded by an unfamiliar world. His eyes lingered on the intricate design of the carved, monstrous faces belonging to the few statues that adorned the area. If he didn't know any better, Vulcan would have guessed Hallow himself was the one who decorated the place.

After pulling him aside from his sister, Hallow had told the boy he needed to take him to some place private. "It will help you," Hallow had told Vulcan, informing him he had to go alone.

And so there Vulcan was, standing in the middle of a circular red room, waiting for who knows what. He was beginning to think Hallow had teleported him somewhere else by mistake. The thought quickly vanished when the locked door he had been trying to pry open beforehand suddenly flung open.

The heavy groaning bounced off the spacious room, sending an uneasy chill all over Vulcan's body. He was greeted with nothing but absolute darkness behind the now open door.

Ticked off and only a little unsure, Vulcan rose his voice and hoped he would receive a response, "Whatever you want make it quick. I have things to do."

No sooner did he speak did a cool gush of wind blow directly on to his mask. He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment and stepped back, caught off guard by the unexpected breeze.

"I am sorry. Did you wait long?"

Vulcan had bumped into something behind him, and he immediately whirled around with a quiet gasp. His bright blue eyes widened at the sight that awaited him, yet he knew whatever he was looking at couldn't have been who he thought it was.

Before him stood a shadowy being with long, black horns that spread out to the side like branches. The figure was a spitting image of Isen, expect this creature had glowing, blue sockets. It wore a wide, sharp smile that seemed even more macabre than his father, which made Vulcan uneasy. He didn't even know what to make of what he was looking at, and he wondered if he was somehow starting to hallucinate now.

"Are you alright?" The monster spoke in a voice that sounded neither male nor female. Vulcan was too awestruck, wondering what the hell he was looking at to bother responding. It was only after an awkward silence settled amongst the two did he finally find his voice.

"Ah. Well. I was sent here. Do you...know me?"

"I do. I have known you since you were born." The being glided past Vulcan, a black trail of smoky like fog following behind it, "I have been eagerly awaiting the day we could meet face to face. Perhaps you are already aware of this, but I knew your father."

Vulcan pressed his lips together, attempting to suppress the loads of questions from flying out his mouth. He followed after the creature, curiosity eating away at him as he inspected it from head to toe.

"See something you like?"

"What? Oh. You look just like my father is all."

"Of course I do. I created him in my image."

Vulcan paused in his tracks, a sudden realization falling upon him.

He definitely was in the presence of some sort of important being. Everything he wanted to know about his father could finally be answered, but why was he suddenly allowed to have knowledge about all this? Why didn't Hallow just send him there sooner? Most importantly, who was he even talking to?

"Sorry, but who are you?"

The creature smacked its jaws together, sharp teeth gently grinding against one another, "Why, I am the Master. I have created so many beings, including your father. Do you know he was my most prized creation? It was unfortunate he strayed from his path, but if he did not then you would not have been born. Take the mask off. There is nothing you should be ashamed of."

Vulcan lifted his gaze up at the Master. He slowly reached for his mask and pealed it off, exposing his disfigured face to the other.

"Exactly as I envisioned you. Perfect in both body and soul." The Master tenderly patted the top of Vulcan's dark hair, its claws seemingly playing with the loose strands before pulling away.

"I have heard your mother is missing. Mankind can be oh so cruel to individuals like you and your sister."

Vulcan tried the swallow the knot growing in his throat, "Do you mean- is it because of our parents?"

The master's fingers rested on an old bookcase resting to the side, tapping each one before peeling one out of its spot. The being leafed through it, seemingly looking for something while Vulcan shifted in his spot.

"Sorry to bother you but what is this place?" Vulcan intruded, still trying to decipher where he was. The monster tore away from the book and bent down so it was at the level of the man, "This is a safe place. Nothing can harm you here- not while I am around."

"Sorry. It's just- Hallow didn't bother telling me where I was going."

"The Halloween Spirit brought you? Ah, how fortunate. Do you know I created him as well?"

Vulcan paused for a moment, "No way?"

"He was once like you, flesh and bone. After an incident happened in his kingdom long ago, I made him into what he is now."

Vulcan was confused, and despite knowing there were other more important things to discuss, he couldn't help but ask other questions.

"Do you know Samael?"

The Master paused for a moment, then gave a nod, "I do."

"He told me he used to be human a long time ago. Did you make him what he is today?"

"Yes," Came the quick response, "I can transform humans- if they desire it."

Vulcan was silent for a moment. His fingers slowly travelled up to his face, tracing the exposed teeth and tendons. The Master seemed to notice what was on the others mind, and it gently took a hold of his hands, "Come, Vulcan. There is something I want to show you."

The man followed after the beast and watched as it pointed to the book it was reading. It was opened to a worn out page that had all forms of strange writing scribbled around a rather eerie drawing of a black, shadowy figure.

"What is this?" Vulcan asked in a low voice, seemingly hypnotized by what he was looking at. From behind, a pair of sharp claws rested on his shoulders and a sharp, husky voice whispered in his ear, "This is your destiny."

Vulcan couldn't tear away from the sight as the words suddenly began to transform into a language he was able to read. His eyes darted around the page, and it seemed as if the book itself began to speak to him.

The Master stepped back, breathing in deeply as it watched the man completely under the spell of the book. From the shadows, the dark corners of the room seemed to come to life. A handful of robed creatures stepped forward, all their attention focused on Vulcan, who was unaware of their presence.

The Master's horrid grin grew even wider as Vulcan began to emit strange choking noises. The man's body trembled, and his blue eyes rolled back as he collapsed on the floor in a seizing fit.

Dark chanting arose from the multitude as the sound of Vulcan's painful groans along with the snap of his bones breaking echoed off the walls.

The sound of the chorus became heavier and louder as Vulcan's painful noises grew deeper, more vicious and mixed with angry growls.

"At last," The master's voice boomed, "Witness the rise of your god! The rise of a New Beginning!"