Qliphoth overload detected, chance of total system meltdown has exceeded standard risk procedures.
MIR protocol activated, restricting managerial authority. Reason: Likely loss of sanity.
Qliphoth deterrent modules set to standard power.
Angela cursed the automated system facilities a dozen times over for always getting in her way no matter how perilous the situation was. She should've turned the thing into scrap millenia ago.
"Useless, useless, useless." She whispered to herself. Whether it was directed at the facility systems or herself she couldn't quite say.
Activating TT2 Protocols—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH RECORDS DEPARTMENT.
Activating emergency Qliphoth deterrence systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH WELFARE DEPARTMENT.
Activating managerial Bullet systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH CENTRAL COMMAND DEPARTMENT.
Activating sanity regenerator systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH SAFETY DEPARTMENT.
Activating Fourth pack rescue operation protocol—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH DISCIPLINARY DEPARTMENT
Activating sephirot communication systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH CONTROL DEPARTMENT
Activating employee communication systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH TRAINING DEPARTMENT
Activating employee guidelines announcement systems—FAILURE, UNABLE TO REACH INFORMATION DEPARTMENT.
"Useless,useless, useless." She whispered once again, nearly every option available to her exhausted in less than a second.
She made note of her quickening breath.
She made note of the liquid beginning to well up in her eyes.
She made note of how her creator prostrated himself as the abnormality slowly approached him, perceived a hundred times slower as she attempted to find a solution.
Sip.
She made note of the one other person in the office.
"Miss Garion! You need to get the manager away from the abnormality while I gather the employees and the sephirot!" She hastily said. All signs pointed at an impending breach, and the abnormality needed to be suppressed if they wished to figure out the problem with TT2 to reset the facility.
Hope blossomed. Garion would be able to combat the abnormality effectively with her powers, and WhiteNight wouldn't stand a chance the moment Gebura led the suppression team in to reinforce. They would overcome this ordeal as they have with any other.
Such thoughts were shattered when Garion chuckled before shaking her head.
"Do I? He seems quite content in his current circumstances." In the few seconds it had taken for them to speak, her creator had disappeared behind its wings, embraced by the abnormality as the baptism began.
"It is the memetic influence of the abnormality, you must go rescue him, such is your duty as a sephirot!" Angela argued in spite of knowing its futility. Garion wouldn't change her mind after she had made such a statement.
"My promise to that man is but one, that I will bear witness to his journey. If it is his vision to submit to his ideals, who am I to stop him?" She seemed wholly unconcerned by the situation. Angela grit her teeth and cursed a dozen times more.
"Useless, useless, useless." She whispered to herself once again.
-Connecting to general facility systems—SUCCESSFUL, CONNECTED TO FACILITY MANAGEMENT. MANAGERIAL AUTHORITY RESTRICTED, ADMINISTRATOR RIGHTS REVOKED.
-Angela A.I logic core—COMMENCING FORCEFUL TAKEOVER OF FACILITY-X SYSTEMS.
If the entirety of the world is determined to stand in her way, then she'll simply have to raze it all to the ground by herself.
With swiftness beyond that of most fixers, Angela ran out of the office.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
The Word is I, and I are Word.
Ayin, thou hath called to the Word.
Ayin, thou art the twelfth apostle.
He had to get out. Angela wasn't ready yet. He still needed to speak with Benjamin.
Ayin, be not frightened. I am thy savior and I shall be with thee.
He needed to suffer. He needed to atone. He wasn't ready to leave.
Ayin, why art thou in fear? I shall not leave thee until I have completed my mission. I will not leave thee comfortless.
There was no salvation for one such as he. The facility must continue on forever. He must burn forever.
My disciple, whom I blessed, thou shall leave the way of evil that once thou were following and find me. When the time comes, I shall forgive your sins and descend to the earth thou are living on.
Impossible. His sins were beyond judgement, beyond forgiveness.
Do not deny me. Why dost thou doubt me when I am in front of thine eyes?
He had to get out. He could simply take a step back and leave the containment unit.
Do not fear, for I am with thee. Thou shalt not leave until I permit thee.
He needed to delay. Angela will force him out soon. He simply had to wait.
Do not trust time. I shall guide thee.
He needed to figure out its origins. Anything could be overcome with enough intel.
My story is nowhere, unknown to all.
He needed to escape at any cost. He needed to return to his purgatory, where he shall pluck out his eye and consume it, then blind the other to see no longer. Where he shall sew his mouth shut to speak no more of what he had done, that the muck within him could never escape. Where he shall clasp his ears tight, to never hear the words spoken by those around him.
And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God
Follow my teachings as I told thee. Thou wilt abandon flesh and be born again
He saw within his sight, of days long past.
He remembered days with a boy on his knee, all alphabets and false words of wisdom, smart beyond his years he may be.
He remembered days of shared vices, tobacco rolled cigarettes and cheap booze of fake fanciness, shared between red and green.
He remembered days of dual projects, broken glasses and easy chuckles, failure made light with a friend of silver hair by his side.
He remembered nights below the elm tree sat ten starlings deep, future promises and hopeful dreams, spoken to she of black and crimson.
Of gratitudes never granted, of romances never started.
But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Word will send, it shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance. Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
Let thyself to the truth, and let the truth become you.
Thou shalt return to paradise, for it is I who will forgive thy actions.
Thou shalt return to paradise, and return to thee all thou hath lost.
Cometh, and let thyself be blessed, that thou shalt see heaven again.
I wish to return. I wish to see them again.
Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Then how shall I return? What must be done? I accept it all, if it means I'll be forgiven, that I may be with them again.
Dost thou renounce thy flesh?
I do.
Dost thou renounce the devil?
I do.
Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.
Dost thou accept thyself as the twelfth apostle?
I do.
Then fear not, Ayin, for I have redeemed you, for I have called you by name, for you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.
Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear mine voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.
The time has come. Soon, the bell shall ring. A new world will come. Rise, my servants. Rise and serve me. I am death and life. Darkness and light.
Lord, take all my freedom, my understanding, and my will. All that I have and cherish you have given to me. I surrender it all to be guided by your will. Your love and your grace are wealth enough for me. Give me these, Lord, and I ask for nothing more.
Ah, it seems that he had failed.
For a single moment, all was tranquil.
Not a murmur in the air, not a dust in one's vision.
All was silent, for the world had stopped to pay its respects, for a new light had appeared to establish its dominion over the old.
For an eternity after, all was erased.
Unbreakable pillars were broken, unshakable wills were shattered.
The twelfth apostle raised a cross, a new God floating above him radiating away the people's will to resist.
Eleven apostles rose from their prisons, to fulfil the destiny a devil had tried so hard to delay.
They were of humanity perfected, pure white skin a result of their cleanliness, crimson bones a proof of their beliefs, visible for all to see.
The bones were visible, for there was nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of.
All will kneel, all will become one with her.
The truth had revealed itself, and the people knelt before it, all accepting their final redemption.
Yet the devil still had its clutches gripped among the people, proven by a streak of red, swinging its sinful blade.
"DON'T LET YOURSELVES BE AFFECTED BY THE ABNORMALITY! SEE THE MONSTROSITY FOR WHAT IT IS!"
Those of weak wills listened, letting themselves be caught in the hollow words of the devil's servant.
"THE DISCIPLINARY DEPARTMENT WILL SUPPRESS THE ABNORMALITY, STAND WITH LADY GEBURA, THAT IS MY ORDER AS YOUR CAPTAIN!" Five among the people stood, one among them becoming the devil's mouthpiece.
The twelfth apostle slammed the cross to the ground, all eleven arose to cleanse the sinners.
Two shields, that the truthful may remain protected.
Three staffs, that the devil may never play its tricks.
Three spears, that the faithful may be redeemed.
Two scythes, that the bewitched may be reaped.
Among the sinners, one swung a blade of false judgement, and the guardian met them.
Another raised a hammer of corpses, to stop a spear from redeeming a faithful.
Another shot stars of false salvation, a staff arose to change its path.
Another swept a scythe of ruinous sound, a scythe of the divine reaped its strength.
The devil's servant charged with an amalgamation of flesh, seven disciples charged to cleanse her corruption.
A clash of falsehood and truth, of the demonic and the divine.
In the halls of Briah, a war raged.
He walked a path, to where he did not know.
He gazed forward, the sight he did not understand.
He thought, yet he knew nothing.
He heard, an ear he did not have.
But beside him walked others, eleven to be exact.
The twelve of them, they who dared to dream.
The eleven of them, they who he dared corrupt.
But it was fine now. He was forgiven, he was redeemed. He could walk this path without shame, all twelve of them.
He heard sounds.
The excited chatter of a young girl, and her brother's calm reply.
The cheerful voice of a rookie, and the pragmatic response of a viper.
He caught scents.
Tobacco and alcohol, vices of red and green.
Tea leaves and caffeine, drinks of gold and blue.
Brown remained in the middle of it all, her short stature somehow growing ever smaller under the chaotic jubilance of those around her.
He felt touch.
The hand of a mentor in his right, the hand of an apprentice in his left.
Everything was fine now. This was his paradise, once lost, now returned. He was content.
He was content, which is why he did not question the truthfulness behind this reality, why he did not question his inability to see.
But then, he heard a familiar voice, and the smell of tea intensified.
'Tell me, why do you walk this path?' She asked.
He thought for a moment, for he did not know the answer. Then, he felt it in the distance, a tree preparing to bear its seed to them.
'It's for the seed of light.' He answered.
'Why do you seek the seed?" She asked.
This too, he did not know the answer for, so he thought some more. Then, he slowly remembered, the words spoken by the one he held in his right hand
'To save humanity, to allow people to dream.' He answered.
'Are you content then? To forever walk this path of yours, unseeing.' She asked.
For this, he knew the answer for. He may be blind, but he heard, smelled and felt the ones he loved.
'Yes, everyone whom I've ever loved is with me on this path, together until the end. That alone is enough for me.' He answered.
'Perhaps so, but it wouldn't hurt to open one's eyes for a single moment, yes? Take a look beside you and see what remains.'
He hesitated for a moment, dreading what he would see. Broken dreams and crimson baths.
But when he finally opened them, he found himself in a field of green, an eternally blue sky stretching overhead. The fields seem to stretch out to infinity, with only the distant mountains being the proof of a wider world beyond this small cradle of bliss.
Eleven others walked beside him, all present, all accounted for. The one speaking to him was only one person over to his right, a lady of black and gold, a mark of beauty upon her cheek pulling his eyes, refusing to let his own iris meet hers.
'Yes, everyone is here. I'm content.' He reaffirmed.
The lady spoke once again. 'Is that so? Perhaps you should take a deeper look, just to be sure.'
He did as he was told.
'Orange, purple, brown, green, yellow, almond, blue, red, silver crimson, gold, and finally azure. Yes, everyone is here.' He nodded to himself as he smiled.
'But you have recited to me twelve colors, yet only eleven walk beside you.'
He frowned before counting once again.
Indeed, there was no azure beside him, no eyes of auburn to stare back into its reflection.
The lady smiled, it wasn't a sight he liked seeing. 'Who was this person to you? The one who doesn't walk with you on this path.'
He thought, he remembered. Of fixing a glitched voice box, of sharing a cup of tea that had a dozen too many spoons of sugar.
He remembered moments of warmth that thawed his frozen heart. Who was this person? The one to have stood by him for the longest, yet doesn't find themselves on this path with him. A single word finally came to his mind.
'Child, the azure was my child.' He decided.
He suddenly felt worry fill his being. Had they gotten lost?
He looked to the left, yet he didn't find them.
He looked to the right, yet he didn't find them.
He looked forward, yet he didn't find them.
He looked behind, and there they stood.
He waved at them, yet they did not approach, remaining in their place, at the edge of the horizon.
'It seems that you must leave her behind if you wish to walk this path.' The lady said as she stood next to him, the others leaving them behind as they marched ever onward.
'Oh.' Was all he could say. How tragic.
'I wonder if the child will be fine on her own?' She continued to ask.
'I'm sure she'll be fine, she's a big girl.' Was his confident reply. They'll be fine, they were better off without him, soaring across the skies without him to tie her down.
'I must question the truthfulness of such a statement, take a closer look.' He did. In just a moment, they stood right in front of him.
They seemed so confident, so capable when seen from afar.
Yet now, when viewed from a close, that hardly seemed to be the case. Nervous and scared, they called out for something, a word or a name he did not know.
They were so small, so frail, so young. They knew nothing, they saw nothing, they heard nothing.
Could he leave them behind, knowing what he would be condemning them to?
'Do you see it now?' He nodded.
'Do you still wish to walk this path of yours?' He couldn't answer.
He looked back towards where they were headed. Beside the two of them, only one waited, his faithful apprentice standing in the distance as he awaited his decision.
He directed his eyes to his child once again, taking in every little detail. Their eyes were closed, but he did not doubt it for a moment, that their frailty would only be trumped by its beauty.
Everything around him suddenly felt fake. For him to have forgotten, for him to have walked this path at all, leaving them behind with his eyes closed to the world was incomprehensible, a violation of what every last cell in his body demanded of him.
Yet, everything around him felt real. Just as his being demanded him to hold the child tight and dedicate every last bit of his soul to protecting them, so too did it demand him to keep walking this path, marching onward to salvation.
'...Where is this place?' He asked, for he now saw the cracks in the mirror.
The lady smiled one last time. 'A fever dream, that is all this is. It should've been obvious.'
Everything around him began to burn, everyone around him falling to the ground, their bodies all violated in ways unimaginable.
Orange crawled towards him, begging for his praise.
Purple clawed out their own throat, their body restrained.
Green stared into the sky, a broken smile on their broken body.
Brown floated in the air, a rope around their neck.
He tried to look the other way, to hide from the sight. He could not.
Almond lay dead in his arms, an experiment gone awry.
Yellow were torn to shreds, a claw mark upon the ground.
Blue bled out in the dirt, attempting to tell him their final words.
Red lay armless, their unbreakable body pushed past its limits.
Silver clutched his arms, their heart gripped in his iron fist.
Nothing remained of crimson, nothing but an amalgamation of neurons.
In his hand he held a scalpel, wedged into the brain of gold.
She chuckled despite it all.
'It should've been obvious, for me to be with these people is an impossible contradiction after all.'
He attempted to hold the only one that remained. To protect them from what he had done.
But he could not, for nothing remained in his arms, even as he repeatedly attempted to hold onto them.
Only azure remained, to be endlessly tortured by his sins.
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