The Rise of the God of Torture

[Elphaba_1]

I woke up in the middle of the night to hear a banging noise. I listened for a few more minutes and it kept going over and over again. Bang bang bang. I also heard the wind outside, so I was guessing it was the wind blowing on the trees, forcing the trees to hit the side of the house.

I got out of the bed and walked down the hallway to check on my parents, just to see if they're awake and could hear the tree branch. I approached their door, turned the knob, and didn't see them. Their bed hasn't even been touched yet.

I furrowed my eyebrows and went down the stairs. They were probably watching T.V. late again.

Bang bang bang.

I got downstairs and saw the T.V. Was still on, but no one on the couch.

“Mom? Dad?” I called to them in the darkness.

Bang bang bang.

I rolled my eyes. I wanted the noise to end. I went outside and felt the wind blowing against my weight and whipped my hair in my face. I looked towards the tree closest to my house and saw two pieces of rope hanging on the tree branch, tied like a noose . . . with my parent's dead bodies.

Bang bang bang. Their bodies hit against the wall of the house, their corpse lifeless and cold. Their eyes white as the moon.

Bang bang bang, the noise repeated. I couldn't believe what I was seeing, but at the same time I did. I was about to cover my mouth with trembling hands, but not fast enough before I let out an earsplitting scream.

That dream scared me to death, I was more than glad to be awake. I had the dream just after we got home from the mountains. I was playing around with my peanut butter sandwich at lunch time, quiet for once as everyone in the cafeteria was talking among themselves about their social lives. Alchemy, Spark, Sky, Guardian, and Snow were talking among themselves, quiet enough for others that sat by us wouldn't hear them, planning on how to take down Sorrow. I didn't participate in their plan, my only excuse was because I wasn't familiar with plans to fights, I was still new to the world I supposedly belong in, the world they all belong in. I could see the snow falling outside from the window, counting the flakes with my dazed eyes, allowing myself to let my guard down for once

[Endgame]

Sorrow raised a glass of red wine to his lips, and delicatly took a sip, savouring the flavour.

"Gather to me, my followers" he intoned, and several portals of darkness appeared, each beside a seat at the long table he lounged beside, seated at the head, feet up on the table, a bottle of wine perched beside them.

Such willing pawns in his eternal game. If humans were so superior to him, why then were they so easily manipulated? Disposable as they were, his minions each had their own uses, and he intended to exploit those.

Taking another sip, he swirled the wine around within the glass, awaiting the arrival of his loyalists through the portals he had created.

[CD-Man2021]

Endless corridors leading to infinite doors. Infinite doors leading to endless corridors. There was a law here: "You won't find what your looking for unless you know where it is at." This house seemed more like a crypt. Or maybe the crypts were too comfortable for thier own good. Whatever the case was, unless someone in his family were to look for him, Jet would be safe from anyone. Well, almost anyone. His underground house was a perfect hiding spot from everyone but one person, and that person isn't even considered a person: Sorrow.

Sorrow could simply appear in front of Jet if he wanted to...But Jet knew he wouldn't. Jet flipped a card over on the desk; he was playing a game of solitare. He knew what he was now, just a servant of Sorrow's. He probably wouldn't be able to change that, and even if he could, he probably wouldn't do it in fear of losing control of his cards.

"Gather to me, my followers"
The voice boomed from every direction, but Jet knew he was the only one who could hear it here. He turned his head a bit and saw a dark portal open. Jet sighed.
"Almost won my game, too."
Somewhat reluctantly, he stacked his cards, placed them in their spot on his belt, and entered the portal.

When he reached the other side, he found a large table in front of him. At every seat, another portal lay. At the very head of the table, Sorrow sat. Sipping his wind.
"Good Evening," Jet said to him, "did you happen to call us?" He asked, sitting himself at the chair in front of him, which was, incidentally, the one across from Sorrow.

[Bleeding Soul]

Guardian was sitting in his usual spot in the cafeteria of the school that he and the others went to. As he was raising the luke-warm burger to his lips he notices Fate going silent for a change of pace. With her doing that he knew that there was something wrong with her, but he didn't know what it was. For the time being he decides to attack the only thing that can subside his hunger and bites into the patty between the two buns. He notices how the bland meat doesn't do much to satsify his taste, but is boosted by the mustard and ketchup that he has slathered on the patty. He then looks from face to face of the others around him and once again notices that Fate is still quiet.

He puts the burger that is already half-eaten back on the plate and swallows hard. From there he feels the lump block off his throat and takes a hefty gulp from the Diet Coke resting on the tray. He then looks to the girl once more and tries to figure out what it is that he should ask. "You okay?" His voice is lined with a thin layer of concern for the girl, but he still keeps a bit of a distance from getting too emontional. Doing that actually helps him to remain calm in most situations.

[Elphaba_1]

I snapped out of my trance when I heard Guardian speak to me. I look to him in question, wondering if he was talking to me. He hardly says anything to me, occasionally two words or so whenever he asks me if I was okay or if I had any injuries. 'Yeah, I'm fine," I lied to him. I dropped my eyes to my sandwich and took a nibble, starting to feel less hungry each minute. Stressing out usually does that to me, my appetite disappears over worrying about whatever is coming up or planned out.

I made sure not to make any contact with any of the guys. My suggestions wouldn't have helped anyways if I was in the conversation. I didn't have any powers that I knew about. Only the questionable sudden explosion that occurred out of nowhere up in the mountains that injured Sorrow and a blast of lightning when Sorrow was inches away from killing me. I didn't know if that was me or if it was any of the guys and wasn't even telling me.

I sighed and took a sip of the half-full 7-Up without tasting it.

[Endgame]

"But of course I called to you. You know that all too well. That's how things work between you and I, Jet. I call and you answer."

He smiled as he raised his glass in a toast, his icy blue eyes narrowing.

"To servitude." He said with a grin.

Jet was perhaps one of the most skilled of his minions... and that made him dangerous. For that reason, Sorrow would never allow Jet to forget the fact that he was but a servant, and Sorrow his master. And for that reason, he also allowed Jet some awards his fellows were not privvy to. Such as the seat at the end of the table, opposite he himself.

Though Jet was hardly his favourite. That honour, and curse, was reserved for another.

"Sit, Jet." Sorrow muttered with another of his grins. There was a bottle of wine and a glass identical to his own at each seat. A reward, of sorts.

"Sit, and drink. Your promt arrival means you have the misfortune of awaiting your peers."

[Sugar Rush]

Alchemy sat at the lunch room, wondering why this food was always so.. blah... He quietly transformed what was school pizza into a slice that would've fitted perfectly in with pizza from Pizza Hut. And he also transformed the water he had into fruit punch. He noticed Guardian try to make small talk with Fate, and Alchemy really didn't care at the moment. He focused on his pizza, wondering why he was here when he could be elsewhere.

[Elphaba_1]

OOC: WOAH! Wait a minute! Alchemy is in school with Fate and Guardian, and Alchemy doesn't remember Sorrow's slave I thought

[sand_drew]

Jade sat perched on the brick wall, invisible, watching the tide of people swarm past below. Her eyes darted from person to person and she found it hard to stop herself from killing some of them, enjoyable though it would have been. She grew bored watching the stream of people and teleported away to a more isolated spot.

She arrived in a small, secluded clearing in the midst of a park not far away. Not many people came to this place, due to the fact that access to it required passing through a thick band of foliage. Just as she began practicing her powers on a nearby shrub, turning it from beautiful scenery to one big fire, she heard Sorrow's voice.

"Gather to me, my followers"

Turning she stepped through the portal and ended up next to a chair. "You called?" she spoke softly, strange for her but she knew Sorrow enough to know it was best not to anger him.

[Endgame]

"Sit, drink." He intoned, wondering if he'd have to repeat the ritual for every arrival. He indicated the chair on his immediate left.

"I've been wondering." His voice broke through the silence: "About Love."

He paused to finish his wine, and set the glass on the table, sitting up from his reclining position to take hold of the bottle.

"Love. Something so many people spend so much time... their whole lives, searching for. Yet none of them can really say exactly what it is. Tell me. What do you two think Love is?"

He finished pouring the glass and sat back, in his high-backed, throne-like seat, placing his left hand on the armrest. The right held the glass slightly to the side, unwanted for the moment

He couldn't help but smirk as silence descended again, awaiting their answer. It was an unusual question for him. Perhaps he was testing them. Or perhaps he, who felt no love, simply wanted their perspective.

But he did long for the arrival of the others. He had plans, ideas to set in motion. Each and every one of them was a part of that plan. He took considerable pride in his plots, as while he possesed the brute force to do without it, it was far more satisfying to slowly lure the enemy into his web, and watch his spiders close in on them.

He was, after all, the God of Torture. There was no point in killing them at all if their death was quick and painless. Even if they might pose a threat to him... what he enjoyed about those particular threats was the challenge. The thrill of the hunt.

He'd been forced to act before. His hand clenched the glass tighter as he remembered the failed attack on Fate.

He'd been that close. So close. Mere seconds from taking her life. Lightning. He'd let his guard down. He didn't know where it had come from, who was responsible, but it had been powerful enough to wound him. A fading burn on his chest attested to that.

[Chaotic Dreams]

Hearing the bell ring, Spark sighed, lunchtime finally arriving after a boring maths class. Packing his books into his bag, then slinging it over his shoulder, pushing his skinny, athletic body up from the desk. He slinked to the door, pushing it open, and headed towards the cafeteria.

Brushing past the constant rush of students, the late teen slid into line, grabbing his tray of assorted unknowns from the overweight food attendant. Once arriving at the end, he looked over at the table he usually sat at, and shuffled his way over, sitting next to the only girl of their group, Fate. He flashed a quick smile to everyone else, before playing with the 'food' on his tray. He began munching on the plain burger in front of him, before hearing Guardian speak up out of place, asking Fate if she was ok.

Stopping his chewing for a moment, he swallowed, then looked to Fate, and as she lied back to him, Spark couldn't help but put his hand on her back. "Are you sure..." he whispered to her, his eyes shining more green as his emotions kicked him a little. Ever since he'd kissed her at the bowling alley, he'd thought of her in a different way, but way too afraid to do anything about it. Maybe if Fate showed him some sort of interest back to him, something would happen.

[sand_drew]

A slight smile briefly flickered across the face of Jade. "You honor me" she said bowing as she sat. As her body fell into the seat she picked up the bottle and poured herself a glass of wine. She sipped briefly from the glass before setting it back on the table and considering Sorrow's question. "Love is a human invention, a false illusion to give the maggots to which I am sadly related a goal" she smiled again, the smile wider and sadder.

[ansemjafar]

Aisu was resting in his chamber holding an ice dagger in his hand. He just stared at the dagger momentarily before removing the glove on his right hand. He then started to cut his hand enough that it would bleed. He licked up his red blood smirking and enjoying the taste. Once this little deed was done, he shattered the dagger and healed his wounds without leaving any trace of scars. It was at that moment that a portal formed in his quarters and he heard Sorrow's voice calling him.

He stood and slowly walked through the opening and saw that he was standing beside a chair at a long table. He saw two others at this table beside Sorrow himself. Jade and Jet were there as well. His gaze looked at the two momentarily before his orange hues focused on Sorrow himself. He slowly took his place in the seat at the table. Sitting before him was a glass and a bottle of wine. He slowly and carefully slid the bottle aside for he did not enjoy the taste. He figured that Sorrow might be be offended by his actions but he honestly did not care.

His eyes were now focused on Sorrow. He knew that his master could kill him he deemed it so but Aisu felt at the moment in his cold heart that Sorrow was the only being that he could trust. If his end would be Sorrow's hands then he would not go down without a struggle worthy of the powers that he possessed. Aisu reclined in his chair waiting for his master to speak. Aisu was not one for being the talkative type.

[Endgame]

Sorrow's eyes flickered across the table to Jade as she described her concept of Love, and he smiled broadly.

She was one of his favourites, his preffered two of the group, for a reason. Her resentment of her fellow man let her see the truth behind their lies, yet somehow, he didn't think she completly believed the words she spoke. Some part of her still longed to feel Love, perhaps?

Still, he had to admit, he was somewhat fond of the girl. Her loyalty, her insight and understanding... and, despite being a 'God', a creature apart from humans, he shared any man's appreciation for her subtle curves and slender figure, which danced through his mind as his pale blue eyes locked gazes with hers.

Out of the whole group, she was perhaps the one he was least likely to sacrafice to achieve his goals. Perhaps it was a weakness, but he didn't particularly care.

He was roused from his thought by a scraping sound, and looked up to see that Aisu had arrived and taken his seat, to Jet's left. A loose cannon at his best, Aisu was the least obediant of his followers, but made up for it in sadism. Enjoying even the sting on his flesh and the taste of his own blood, Aisu was Sorrow's weapon. When a situation called for sheer, unrestrained power, with no delicacy or tact, Sorrow unleashed the boy, and worried about cleaning up the mess the child made when Aisu had finished his bloody work.

Even for one who stil hoped to resist his influence, Aisu had his uses, and Sorrow manipulated him to make use of them.

Two portals still gaped, to Jet's right, and to his own. The final child to arrive would be... disciplined for their tardiness.

"Aisu. I'm glad you decided to join us this time. As much as I'm sure Jade enjoyed disciplining you last time, had you failed to learn your lesson, I would have had to teach it to you myself."

He smiled with the memory of Aisu's slick blood coating Jade's delicate hands. There were no marks, given the boy's ability to heal his wounds, but she had done well. He'd withstood it, of course. Aisu wasn't the type to scream at a little pain: it was a credit to him, as Jade was undeniably good at causing it.

[Elphaba_1]

OOC: instead of spacing it once to make another paragraph, I had to press the enter button twice in order to make another paragraph

I tensed up a little bite when Spark touched me. "I'm fine," I lied again as I took his hand away from me and placed it back on his lap. I remembered the first kiss . . . my first kiss. That very image always made my skin crawl and my cheeks turn red and my heart would pound to it. There were things that Spark would do that would send me to that happy place of joy. But of course, he'd do it so often that I could only imagine that he had done stuff like this with other girls before me.

Even though he and the rest have isolated themselves from the regular humans. I remembered when all of us were lost in the mountains, when Sorrow warped everything around us and making it difficult to find our way home. Spark saved my life and he kept keeping me warm in order to not freeze from the winter cold. He always held my hand or hugged me whenever I froze and comforted me when Snow snapped at me.

But that that Spark. It was probably his way of showing that he cared or flirting with me 24/7. Whichever it was, it was already getting old. This is my third day knowing everyone and Spark was the one that I find predictable whenever he's around me. I looked to Spark and looked into his eyes, my lips unmoved when he smiled and my eyes . . . felt scared. Not because of him, but because of Sorrow trying to attack us, mainly me