11-12-2016, 04:46 PM
The lights grew the longer she stood before the waterfall. Around her, dancing on the edge of her vision, blue and green flickered. The waterfall was bathed in their light just as the mist cloaked her skin with a cool sheen. She licked her lips for a moment. The water was acidic, but the burn tingled gently on her tongue. It was not a pleasant taste, but few things were. It was satisfying, though. She drank her fill after returning with the kill. So thirst wasn't the drive to lick her lips again, not thirst of the flesh, anyway. Thirst of the soul, that was unquenched. The longing to go Above grew in her belly the longer she waited. Grigori Rasputin, their glorious and great father, returned. Not just after all this time, but returned to her. She felt her fists clench as her jaw tightened. She could hardly wait to begin the rest of her life. The things the Eye saw would soon be before her in the flesh!
As her imagination drifted, a presence came up beside her. She did not need to turn to know it was Illarion. The monk would still be in the robes he wore during the kill. He would still have his hood pulled low. The brown markings on his nose and forehead would still be the shadow of a cross. More than recognizing the pace of his steps or the scent of his skin, Illarion was her twin brother. Children were a sin in the Khylsty. Understandable given the strain every person has on their isolated resources. That was why all children had to be conceived during The Ritual, under very governed and strict circumstances. Rules that the Eye oversaw and enacted. She watched but could not partake, not until the appointed time, which was different for every Eye. Propogation of the line of Eyes was imperative to their existence so Valeriya accepted that someday she would participate, but the partner was unknown. She always assumed it would be Illarion. Her twin brother was part of her already, their souls entwined since the womb. Why not entwine the flesh as well? She could not fathom partnering with any of the other monks. Although Matvei, her uncle, would pine at the chance. Illarion would overrule him though, Hand of the Khylsty or not. More brothers would join with Illarion than Matvei, it was known. Matvei was necessary, though. Until Timur, one of their removed cousins, could take his place, Matvei must be endured. Even Illarion knew this.
Now all that she assumed about her future was eroded, slipping away like water between her fingers. The Great One was returned. Rasputin reborn. Named Regus in this life. There was a virility in his body that made Valeriya quiver with anticipation. To be the Eye and his partner in Radenyi.... she licked her lips again. Illarion would be disappointed, she thought. To be displaced by Regus. Her children by Regus would be dangerous, probably the most potent of any Eyes since the Great One himself. She would have to watch them carefully or else suffer the fate that Valeriya's own mother did, to be slain by her child.
"We are assembled, Eye,"
Illarion's voice leaned in, whispering in her ear like the mist of the waterfall falling gently on her face. He slid away then, but did not go far.
She nodded but did not turn to address the Sacred Khylsty. She listened, lids low, and turned her mind upon the Eye within. She could see him coming, walking in robes, back straight and eyes blue torches. His voice made the walls tremble with their echoes, but she smiled to herself where none could see. Only to smooth her features to granite, her eyes sparkled in the green light. She finally turned, holding her hands high.
She spoke to the ceiling, as though to the Above itself, like they would hear her.
"The Eye has seen!"
She bellowed and the khylsty answered in one voice.
<strong>"THE EYE HAS SEEN."</strong>
"Our Great Father Rasputin has returned,"
she cried.
"GREAT ONE," they echoed.
"In this life, he calls himself Armande Nicodemus, Regus of the Atharim."
A strange and exotic name she thought briefly. "To us he is the Father of the Khylsty."
"FATHER OF THE KHYLSTY."
She lowered her gaze from the lofty ceiling, so high above the torches did not tickle the heights. The chamber was that vast. She found she stood opposite Regus and the brother monks had formed a circle around them. The waterfall was at her back. She licked her lips again and forced her heart to stillness. In the robes of a kill, he seemed wild and untamed. Shadows touched his eyes, sinking them to pits. Much as they did in the portraits of great Rasputin himself. A portrait none but the Eyes had viewed, just as none but the Eyes could touch a sacred symbol. Her hand unconsciously went to the phallus around her neck, dangling against her chest.
A smile darted briefly across her lips as she bowed to the Regus, but where Valeriya bowed with a mere bend of her head, the monks of the khylsty, obscured by the low cowls of their hoods, fell to their knees.
In that silence, she moved. Around the dangerous edge of the pool, where a slender bridge sloped to the farthest wall. The lowermost hem of her lacey dress dangled over the edges of the rocky bridge, it was so narrow. A young monk once fell in this water, but was lost beneath the churning of the angry falls, never to be seen again. She took her steps carefully.
Once she left, Illarion took up a guarding stance at the foot of the rocky bridge. He held out a blue glowing torch for Regus to take and follow the Eye into the darkness.
"Follow the Eye into the darkness, Great One, and behold the bowels of the Sacred. The holiest of holies that none but the Eyes have seen, until now, great Father."
There was a grit of his teeth as he spoke, and a sparkle of eyes behind the cowl of his robe. Illarion was a sentinel, but a jealous one. He did not like the idea of the Regus alone with the Eye, but she was more dangerous than anyone truly knew. Even the rest of the Khylsty. For he knew her mind, and it was a violent place.
Valeriya had disappeared in the darkness, and her sight of the footing below slowly faded as torches grew dimmer and dimmer. The waterfall was a loud echo in her ears, almost painful. She could no longer hear voices, nor even her own should she scream. She allowed the Eye to show her the way, feeling along the bridge carefully until the waterfall became muffled all of a sudden.
She passed behind the waterfall and entered a tunnel, far more safer than the previous path. But for its comparative safety, dangers flanked on either side, lurking, ready to strike. She could sense their presence, but she remained out of range. The darkness swallowed her. This was the heart of the temple. In here were Rasputin's sacred belongings, including the only piece of his flesh that remained.
In there, she waited for the Regus to join her and collect what belonged to him. He would carry light to her, and for the first time, Valeriya would behold the chamber with the eyes of her flesh, not just the Eye alone. He would bring light as was foretold.
As her imagination drifted, a presence came up beside her. She did not need to turn to know it was Illarion. The monk would still be in the robes he wore during the kill. He would still have his hood pulled low. The brown markings on his nose and forehead would still be the shadow of a cross. More than recognizing the pace of his steps or the scent of his skin, Illarion was her twin brother. Children were a sin in the Khylsty. Understandable given the strain every person has on their isolated resources. That was why all children had to be conceived during The Ritual, under very governed and strict circumstances. Rules that the Eye oversaw and enacted. She watched but could not partake, not until the appointed time, which was different for every Eye. Propogation of the line of Eyes was imperative to their existence so Valeriya accepted that someday she would participate, but the partner was unknown. She always assumed it would be Illarion. Her twin brother was part of her already, their souls entwined since the womb. Why not entwine the flesh as well? She could not fathom partnering with any of the other monks. Although Matvei, her uncle, would pine at the chance. Illarion would overrule him though, Hand of the Khylsty or not. More brothers would join with Illarion than Matvei, it was known. Matvei was necessary, though. Until Timur, one of their removed cousins, could take his place, Matvei must be endured. Even Illarion knew this.
Now all that she assumed about her future was eroded, slipping away like water between her fingers. The Great One was returned. Rasputin reborn. Named Regus in this life. There was a virility in his body that made Valeriya quiver with anticipation. To be the Eye and his partner in Radenyi.... she licked her lips again. Illarion would be disappointed, she thought. To be displaced by Regus. Her children by Regus would be dangerous, probably the most potent of any Eyes since the Great One himself. She would have to watch them carefully or else suffer the fate that Valeriya's own mother did, to be slain by her child.
"We are assembled, Eye,"
Illarion's voice leaned in, whispering in her ear like the mist of the waterfall falling gently on her face. He slid away then, but did not go far.
She nodded but did not turn to address the Sacred Khylsty. She listened, lids low, and turned her mind upon the Eye within. She could see him coming, walking in robes, back straight and eyes blue torches. His voice made the walls tremble with their echoes, but she smiled to herself where none could see. Only to smooth her features to granite, her eyes sparkled in the green light. She finally turned, holding her hands high.
She spoke to the ceiling, as though to the Above itself, like they would hear her.
"The Eye has seen!"
She bellowed and the khylsty answered in one voice.
<strong>"THE EYE HAS SEEN."</strong>
"Our Great Father Rasputin has returned,"
she cried.
"GREAT ONE," they echoed.
"In this life, he calls himself Armande Nicodemus, Regus of the Atharim."
A strange and exotic name she thought briefly. "To us he is the Father of the Khylsty."
"FATHER OF THE KHYLSTY."
She lowered her gaze from the lofty ceiling, so high above the torches did not tickle the heights. The chamber was that vast. She found she stood opposite Regus and the brother monks had formed a circle around them. The waterfall was at her back. She licked her lips again and forced her heart to stillness. In the robes of a kill, he seemed wild and untamed. Shadows touched his eyes, sinking them to pits. Much as they did in the portraits of great Rasputin himself. A portrait none but the Eyes had viewed, just as none but the Eyes could touch a sacred symbol. Her hand unconsciously went to the phallus around her neck, dangling against her chest.
A smile darted briefly across her lips as she bowed to the Regus, but where Valeriya bowed with a mere bend of her head, the monks of the khylsty, obscured by the low cowls of their hoods, fell to their knees.
In that silence, she moved. Around the dangerous edge of the pool, where a slender bridge sloped to the farthest wall. The lowermost hem of her lacey dress dangled over the edges of the rocky bridge, it was so narrow. A young monk once fell in this water, but was lost beneath the churning of the angry falls, never to be seen again. She took her steps carefully.
Once she left, Illarion took up a guarding stance at the foot of the rocky bridge. He held out a blue glowing torch for Regus to take and follow the Eye into the darkness.
"Follow the Eye into the darkness, Great One, and behold the bowels of the Sacred. The holiest of holies that none but the Eyes have seen, until now, great Father."
There was a grit of his teeth as he spoke, and a sparkle of eyes behind the cowl of his robe. Illarion was a sentinel, but a jealous one. He did not like the idea of the Regus alone with the Eye, but she was more dangerous than anyone truly knew. Even the rest of the Khylsty. For he knew her mind, and it was a violent place.
Valeriya had disappeared in the darkness, and her sight of the footing below slowly faded as torches grew dimmer and dimmer. The waterfall was a loud echo in her ears, almost painful. She could no longer hear voices, nor even her own should she scream. She allowed the Eye to show her the way, feeling along the bridge carefully until the waterfall became muffled all of a sudden.
She passed behind the waterfall and entered a tunnel, far more safer than the previous path. But for its comparative safety, dangers flanked on either side, lurking, ready to strike. She could sense their presence, but she remained out of range. The darkness swallowed her. This was the heart of the temple. In here were Rasputin's sacred belongings, including the only piece of his flesh that remained.
In there, she waited for the Regus to join her and collect what belonged to him. He would carry light to her, and for the first time, Valeriya would behold the chamber with the eyes of her flesh, not just the Eye alone. He would bring light as was foretold.
The Eye of the Khylsty