10/04: Flesh

A/N:

Deemonkai - The creature’s referral to The Devil

Nenai- Xaranian for “no.”

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For the record, I’m not at the Magic Shop anymore. I’m currently on a boat, feeling seasick as all hell, but I’m trying to sail far away from that Vesuvia--if I can even call that place “Vesuvia” anymore. I’ve got this notebook and pen in my lap, just sitting out in the middle of nowhere as I let the currents carry my ship.

I need to make an update, right?

When I was taking refuge at the Magic Shop, I’d been taking a nap against the door, exhausted from fending off the fake Mercedes and Melchior. It felt nice to sleep, just surrounded in darkness as if I’d never witnessed having to kill what looked like my dogs, never having to have that weird dream that looked like my old room, and never having to see Ery act anything but himself.

Then something warm, breathy snakes its way into my ear in a deranged, raspy voice, “Your flesh, Lushiyo.”

My old fighting instincts kick in as I awoke with a jolt and blindly swung towards whatever direction I heard the voice from. That was a mistake, however, because Er--no, that thing immediately grabbed my arm and pinned me onto the floor. It looked like Ery, but it wasn’t, I don’t think it was.

The smell was back, I could feel myself starting to retch before the imposter placed its hand over my mouth, clamping it shut.

“No, no, sweet little thing,” the voice was shifting? It sounded ... it was Ery, then Az, then Noddy, then Mama, and then something else. It changed voices around, like how I see Jules and his little acting troupe would between shifts in scenes at the Community Theater. “You’re so rude; so, so, rude. Deemonkai was going to use you as a vessel, but that’s just a waste. You’re much suited to for someone to savor; the elastic, smooth, stretchy, and soft casing hiding away those squelchy insides are meant to be devoured.”

“Ery’s” mouth suddenly unhinges, revealing multiple rows of teeth and a worm-like tongue as his face begins to slough off; the bits of rotting flesh falling on inches away from me as he presses his hand further against my mouth, slowly trailing his fingers to cover my nostrils.

I tried to fight back, struggling for air, Is this guy going to kill me?

″Ne-nai.” Ery’s voice coming from the monster sounds so jarring and broken, “No, no--that’s farrrrr too soon.”

Finally, it drew its hand away from my mouth, causing me to gasp and choke as beetles begin to crawl out. Digging the claws of my metal arm into the floor, I tried to hoist myself up, but, once again, he pins me down with ease. Coughing and hacking, more crimson beetles poured out of me, causing me to lean over and continue to spit them out as the creature watched me in demeaning silence.

“What ... the fuck...” I croaked and growled at the thing, “Do you want?”

“You’ve done so much, yes?” the fusion of voices thing is grating on my ears as it continues, “So, so much ... and it comes with a price.”

It extends its hand out towards me, a perverse chuckle escaping from its lips as it runs its gangly, decaying fingers alongside my cheek, “The human who reeks of death, has such a nice flavor; as expected. Hunting you down was so easy; you have such a poor means of defense; Lu-ci-o.”

The last of the beetles finally is coughed out, leaving me to breathe heavily for air before I face the creature who dared to wear Ery’s face, ”...I said not to hurt Ery.”

“Eridæus, is unharmed. It is only you, just like you requested. Slowly, you will succumb, and I’ll have indulged in every piece of your body.”

I managed to stagger up, “You’re not touching any of me.”

“How bold, assuming ... of you,” it twirled its fingers, slowly morphing them into rotten, deformed tentacles. “That smell, Lucio, is it really from the others around you? Or perhaps somewhere much closer?”

I limped towards the door, “You’re not going to do anything to me; I’m gonna find a way back and you’re going to regret not killing me.”

“It will not happen,” I tried to ignore its words, even though I could already feel them lingering in the back of my mind, “Your death is in motion, all we have to do is wait.”

With a quickened speed walk, I managed to grab one of my smaller boats docked at the port, start it up, and sail out east. Something that’s not a worm or The Devil is after me; I’m either in some weird realm, or it’s done something to me where I’m not with Ery or anyone else I know. This whole thing reminds me of that trick realm I was in with Ery all over again with those dead people I’d killed. Part of me knows I can’t head its words; it’s only going to mess with me more, give it more of an upper hand. But that’s the problem, that smell has never left since, and if by “close” that thing meant myself, then, is what that creature said true?

Slowly, with a shaking hand, I slip off one of my capes and look down at my chest; sure enough, the foul smell is present and I can see my skin beginning to turn a sickly yellow. I really don’t get what’s happening; I don’t understand how this thing is affecting me and keeping me away from Ery. How did it get me in front of Ery? Was Ery even able to defend me at all? Did he hurt him?

I just need to get back; my ship has been sailing out at sea for a few hours but just saw land. Though, if this isn’t actually Nevivon and is another fake place, then I’m not sure what to do. If everyone here is nothing but those weird dead-flesh dropping things, then I can’t trust anyone I set foot in, it could all just be minions or proxies for that creature as he knows he’s going to corner me.

...I don’t have a choice in the end, anyway. As I’ve been jotting down what’s happened to me, that weird sickly yellow color has begun to spread throughout my body--it’s gone from my chest towards my right shoulder. With how dark and smelly it’s getting, I guess it’s a form of my flesh rotting away. There’s this weird, painful biting sensation, like I’m being eaten alive from the inside--which supports what the thing said about “savoring me” and all that.

So, since I seem to be getting worse as the minutes fly, I’m steering my ship to the Nevivon port. I need a place to rest for a bit while I try to figure everything out; there’s gotta be a way to get out of this alive, I know there is. I just need to sit down, calm down, and think all on my own, but it terrifies me. Every big thing I’d done, Ery was always there and now?

I was utterly alone, afraid, and isolated.

I just heard the thwunk of my boat hitting the port, and now there’s a steady pain on that area of my chest. I’m gonna hide this notebook and write more when I feel less like a million eyes are watching my every move and suffering.

Ery, please know that I’m so sorry. I’m really, really, reallly sorry ... maybe this will be the last oopsie I make.