video; a blood cultist's apology and offer

[sacrament_of_blood]

[A teenage girl with red eyes and sharp teeth is on the screen. Behind her, one of the washing machines can be seen with laundry soap suds spilling out of it and onto the floor. She looks both troubled and apologetic.

It's pretty bad, too, the suds're spilling into nearby cars.]

I am sending this for several reasons.

Firstly, I am Merciless and I wish to apologize for my errors that caused the state of affairs you can see. I carefully observed another person using the machine so I could perform my duty properly. However, I believe my error laid in the amount of soap I used or at least it was the primary difference between our actions. I used considerably more than the other person with the intention of getting the clothes more clean.

As you can see, that was a mistake and I extend my apologies. I shall do my utmost to clean this up, although I would greatly appreciate it if someone showed me how. This event has eroded my confidence in my ability to do such tasks without guidance.

[She sighs.]

Secondly, after I clean this up, I will be offering my services as a priestess. I am far more capable at that. I have had intensive training in it, wherefore I have not had any training in doing laundry. I can bless objects including fluids and perform ceremonies such as weddings and funerals. I can also perform rituals such as preservation from decay, tracking by blood, or warding against an enemy. However, any ceremonies I perform will have to be adjusted to a more generalized form, as I do not believe there are any here who worship the gods of my people.

Speaking of, thirdly I wish to hear about your gods. What gods do you have?

Comments

[sacrament_of_blood]

Oh dear, are you well?

[That moment of imbalance worried her.]

[iamnotgod]

[Webmind nods.]

Only a momentary lack of balance; I am well.

Now, I believe you mentioned discussing more of your homeworld's religion?

[sacrament_of_blood]

Are such losses of balance common? But my religion... I can discuss it. It is not the only one in my world, others differ, but most acknowledge the existence of an Creator or Creators. However, the truth is that the Creator and their many faces withdrew from the world a long time ago. So people worship other gods ascended from humanity, who attained a portion of divine insight. Those less potent but not lesser gods provide guidance. In particular, my people follow the Living Corpse and the Bloody Goddess, who saved us from the Empty Ones, body thieves that come from emptiness.

[She pauses. Is he following this?]

[iamnotgod]

[Webmind shakes his head, but chooses to focus on Merciless's tale rather than explain further.]

I'm following no trouble, though the concept of people becoming divine is something I have little experience with.

[sacrament_of_blood]

Very well. I shall continue. The world was at peril from the Empty Ones as an endless tide of them poured forth from the Void--which is not the same as the Void we are currently traversing through. Where that Void is full of colors, the one I am speaking of is a place of emptiness and nothingness. She Who Walks in Blood slew as many as she could, but it was not enough. Even when she became a wind of death and slew a thousand every second, it was not enough. Then the Living Corpse proposed a ritual sacrificing himself, and the Bloody Goddess slew him accordingly to the ritual. That filled much of the world with blood but also banished many Empty Ones and created a seal that slowed the flood to a trickle. We call him the Living Corpse because despite being slain, he remains alive.

[iamnotgod]

[Webmind changes the image on his screen to a more thoughtful/thinking-type emoticon.

As a story, he can follow it, but he wouldn't want to imagine it happening to his Earth.]

That sounds a painful sort of existence for the Living Corpse.

And, forgive me, but the solution sounds almost... incomplete?

[He's hesitant to suggest this one.]

If even that enormous effort could only stem the tide. Is it like how the universe expands, where simply because it exists the Void pushes these Empty Ones out?

[Or is something directing them?]

[sacrament_of_blood]

We know not why those things came all of a sudden. We know only that one day they came in a flood. However, we are steadily working on reclaiming the lands taken by them as well as rebuilding the technologies of the old days. As for the solution being incomplete, our gods are working on a more complete one, but it has proven difficult.

Am okay with thread wrap here as well if you are. o7

[iamnotgod]

[A nod.]

I wish your people and gods luck in finding that solution together, then.

[Being as they are from different worlds, and unlikely that this train is going to land back on either of them, it is all Webmind thinks he can offer.

He doesn't like that, mind; it feels paltry in comparison with what Merciless' world is dealing with.]

[sacrament_of_blood]

Your sentiment is much appreciated.