Dark Divinity

"You're a darkling," Anna said, her voice steady and clear.

Omen's heart skipped a beat. The term sent a chill down his spine. He had tried to keep his identity hidden, knowing the dangers that came with being recognized.

His shock must have been evident, for Anna continued, her tone softer now as she explained. "it's not a normal ability to see in the dark."

That alone wasn't enough to give his identity away though. After all, the devourer claimed there were people from other worlds here as well so of course it was possible that someone else could have a similar ability to him.

Omen swallowed hard, his throat dry. He had so many questions, but before he could ask any, the bell rang again, louder this time, demanding their attention.

"You said I'll die if I leave, what do you mean by that?", he said with a frown, but Anna simply gestured for him to look at the entrance and Omen turned to follow.

Omen's mind raced as he realized the cell door was open. The possibility of escape filled him with a sudden surge of hope. His pulse quickened, and he took a step forward, but Anna's firm grip on his arm held him back.

"Wait for a while," she whispered urgently, her eyes wide with warning.

Confused, Omen turned to look at her and then followed her gaze to the hallway across their cell. Another inmate, driven by the same desperate hope for freedom, had darted into the hallway. She ran with all the speed she could muster with her exhausted limbs, her eyes fixed on the left turn that promised escape.

Suddenly, a violent gust of wind tore through the air, so fast and powerful it was almost invisible. In an instant, the inmate's head was severed cleanly from her body. The gruesome sight unfolded in slow motion for Omen. Her decapitated body continued to move forward, momentum carrying it a few more steps before it crumpled to the ground. Her head, however, flew towards the door panel, slamming into it with a sickening thud and lodging there, blood streaming down in dark rivulets.

Omen's breath caught in his throat, and the hope that had surged within him was snuffed out in a heartbeat. He glanced back at Anna, her eyes reflecting the same mixture of horror and resignation he felt.

Soft footsteps echoed through the hallway moments later, heralding the approach of a cloaked master. Omen tensed, his eyes darting to the doorway. Anna leaned closer and whispered urgently into his ear.

"Never leave the cell without a master's company. It's one of the rules we old-timers learned the hard way."

Omen nodded, his jaw tightening as he fought back the frustration and despair. He looked towards the approaching master in silence.

The cloaked figure entered the cell, moving with an unnerving grace. Despite the heavy cloak, Omen could tell the master was feminine. Her red, glowing eyes pierced through the shadows, scanning the cell and the faces of the terrified inmates. The hood of her cloak remained firmly in place, obscuring the rest of her features and adding an extra layer of mystery and menace.

The master's gaze settled on Omen for a moment, her eyes seeming to bore into his very soul. He held his breath, feeling an icy chill run down his spine as he remembered the entity he first witnessed at the frozen lake. Then, with a cold, emotionless voice, she spoke to all of them.

"Let's go."

She turned and began to walk away, her movements deliberate and unhurried.

As the ten survivors followed the lady in the dark cloak outside, Omen took the moment to observe his peers properly. Some, like Anna, had been here for a long time, their eyes hollow and resigned. Others, like him, bore the raw fear and confusion of those who had just arrived the night before. The atmosphere was heavy with silence, broken only by the soft shuffling of their feet on the cold ground.

Anna said nothing as they walked, her gaze fixed on the ground, the terror of the master leading them evident in her every step.

'She must have had quite the history with them to remain this terrified', Omen mused silently. They soon reached the door to the outside, and as they stepped through, Omen gasped in awe. Before him, lay a sight he never thought he'd ever see. There, hanging in the sky, was a sun. But it wasn't the artificial construction the past emperors had created to mimic daylight in Tenebris; it was a real star, its light warm and genuine. What took his breath away even more was that there were two suns. One, smaller than the other, seemed to orbit the larger star at an extremely slow pace. From his position, it appeared almost stationary, a celestial ballet frozen in time.

The larger sun casts a golden glow over the frozen landscape, its light refracting off the ice and snow, creating a breathtaking but eerie scene. The smaller sun added a pale, bluish tint to the sky, a subtle counterpoint to the warm hues of its larger companion. Omen couldn't tear his eyes away, mesmerized by the beauty and strangeness of this alien sky.

Omen glanced at his companions. Some of them, like him, were awestruck by the sight, their expressions momentarily softened by wonder. Others, like Anna, remained focused on their situation, their fear overriding any appreciation for the celestial display above.

"Move along," the master's cold voice cut through the moment, snapping them back to reality.

Omen's gaze lingered on the twin suns for a second longer before he forced himself to look away. They continued walking, the beauty of the sky a stark contrast to the bleakness of their existence below. As they moved further away from the cell, the true scale of their prison became apparent. Towering ice cliffs surrounded them, and the air was filled with the biting cold that seemed to penetrate to the very core.

Anna snapped Omen out of his thoughts with a sharp slap to his hands. Startled, he turned to her, then followed her gaze. Before them, dozens of others stood gathered, their faces now clearly visible in the morning light. Omen noticed that many were not even human, countless creatures of various shapes and sizes, all bearing the same expressions of fear and resignation.

The crowd parted as the cloaked master led them through, making way for her as she headed towards a board set before the assembly. Four other masters stood there, their presence ominous and commanding. One of them was speaking, his voice carrying over the silent throng. Omen strained to catch the words as they approached.

"...There are only three purges left, thankfully. Those from their various sectors who survive will have a chance of becoming an overseer for the masters."

Omen glanced at Anna, her face pale but set with determination. She had endured this hell for a long time and knew the stakes all too well. The idea of fighting for survival in such a twisted game was abhorrent, but refusing to participate was a certain death sentence.

The master who had been speaking turned to face the crowd, his red eyes glowing malevolently from beneath his hood. He gestured to a group of overseers standing nearby, their expressions hard and devoid of empathy.

"Prepare the new arrivals," he commanded. "They must understand what is required of them."

Omen and the others were pushed forward, the crowd closing in around them. The oppressive sense of doom settled heavier on their shoulders. The masters' cold, calculating eyes watched their every move, and the overseers began to separate the group into smaller units.

Omen found himself pushed into a line, Anna beside him. He glanced at her, seeking some form of reassurance. She met his gaze, her eyes filled with a mix of fear and warning.

"Stay close," she whispered and then completely ignored him afterwards.

He nodded, grateful for her presence even though he was fully aware he was only useful as long as his eyes worked. The crowd murmured softly, the tension profound as the reality of their situation sank in.

Omen, still grappling with the overwhelming information, finally turned to Anna for an explanation. She rolled her eyes slightly, clearly irritated by the need to explain everything, she answered him nevertheless.

"The purge is a violent bloodbath that happens every day," she whispered calmly, well aware of what he needed to hear. "It takes place in a special dimension crafted by the masters. I've only been to a single purge before being transferred to your sector yesterday."

Omen's confusion deepened. "It doesn't make any sense. Then why the senseless killing, like the one that happened last night?"

Anna shrugged, her expression a mix of frustration and resignation. "I have no idea okay. Every overseer has their own twisted thrills. The masters are down to five sectors now, and ours is the latest with ten additional captives."

"So what happens when the purge reduces us to the last sector? Or when there are only a few survivors?"

"Simple," Anna replied, her face blank, devoid of any emotion. "We become corpses."

Her blunt answer left Omen reeling, but before he could process it. Instead of elaborating, Anna turned to him with a serious tone.

"This is going to be your first purge, so a word of advice: your survival is most important. Find shelter or monster carcasses to feed on."

"Monster carcasses?" Omen echoed, his mind racing with questions, but time was short. He struggled to hide his fear, but Anna's sinister smile remained.

"Survive, darkling... try to live," she said, her voice carrying a weight that chilled him to the bone.

"Wish you all a merry purging!" one of the masters said joyously, as if sending a group of children to slaughter each other was cause for celebration.

Omen's heart pounded in his chest as the ground beneath him began to shimmer. In the next instant, it felt as though the icy floor had swallowed him whole. The transition was disorienting, and he found himself in a new, unfamiliar landscape.