Medea and Her Wormy lord

[Lute]

Stop and think for a moment, what makes humanity so special? What's so great about being a pile of flesh and bone that will one day die?. The answer is simple: you will have lived a life worth something no matter how small…or if that life is one of suffering you have the solace that it will have an end. An example of this would be Reginald Matou the stone faced bogeyman that stands ever watchful behind the infamous Matou patriarch acting as his hands in a continuous struggle to end all suffering, even if he must slaughter countless and spread even more misery to do so.





Reginald could feel the warmth flow from his mouth all throughout his body. It was exhilarating,to feel alive again the rush of it all and just like that it began to fade just as fast as it had begun. 'NO NO Nooo' he yelled, his voice resounding throughout the damp concrete room. Unable to stop himself he began kicking the lifeless corpse of a middle aged man covered in tattoos harder and harder until his foot became lodged within the man's sternum, stopping him slowly pulling his foot from the corpse. Reginald began to shake as if he was a kettle bursting with steam bringing his hands to his face to try and stifle an ever increasing need to laugh until it became too much.





"Hahahahahahahahah" Reginald couldn't stop himself. He didn't want to laugh until he sank to his knees and tears started to run down his face snot bellowed from his nose. "Forgive me please forgive me" he begged the corpse placing his hands on the deceased man shaking him like the man would suddenly spring back up and offer him a pat on the back, accusing his kidnapping,feeding,murder, and final disrespect to his corpse by mutilating it further. Raising his left arm he grabbed a handkerchief from his suit pocket he began to dab himself dry, unceremoniously folding the ruined rag into a neat square then placing it back into his suit.





Getting to his feet he took a deep breath and stepped over the body whistling to himself as he closed the door behind him leaving the nameless man to rot. His footsteps echoed down the hallway announcing his coming to the terrified maids that quickly hurried to their places with the head maid herself standing valiantly in the middle of the adjoining room as the rest took places on both sides of the entrance.





Sada had served other Magus families before and strange was to be expected, maybe even fear but dread was still new even after so long. The Matou family was infamous and for good reason, countless servants had up and left or so it was said. Ten long years she has been the head maid for monsters that wore the skin of men like a suit and every night she hardly slept having to hear the moans of the dying as well as the sounds of the very walls themselves sounding like they were as hungry as their masters.





Looking straight ahead she clasped her hands together and breathed slowly taking in the cold air hitting the back of her throat like a strong sip of wine, and like that her face became stone with no small smile or smirk to be seen.





He entered the room like death himself coming to collect their souls. Dressed in a black Italian suit with a red undershirt and trim, his facial features showed disinterest until his eyes locked directly onto hers and he smiled, it scared her more than anything else.





His or their body felt numb like they were half asleep and it all was a dream, if only. The maids all looked at the floor avoiding their gaze except for the head maid Sada, such an interesting woman, who had to keep her around unlike these worthless maids that couldn't even dignify him with eye contact.





But that's neither here nor there. It's time for a speech and a bit of fun as well. He smiled while looking straight into Sada's eyes, "Today is a bright new day everyone" he began feeling the others voices begin to intermingle in his mind. "Our dear patriarch has taken up a leave of absence and I find myself thrust into the role but have now fear your jobs are safe a few of you will even get a raise" he added watching as a couple maids gave genuine smiles as one to


His left did a small fist pump in happiness.





"As my first order of business Sada dear, kindly take two others and prepare the summoning chamber. We will be welcoming a temporary member into the manor" he asked, doing his utmost best to sound charming and not scare the other maids who still looked at him like a damn monster, "maybe there right" one of the voices whispered in his head unlike the others it was feminine, where the others would whisper doubts they would always suggest other options often involving violence of some kind but the woman's voice would advise a peaceful solution if one was possible.





Watching Sada and the rest of the maids leave he ran his hands through his hair then massaged his temples, "this madness is nearly over just have to be sane a little longer" he chuckled to himself then straightened his tie doing more breathing exercises to calm himself and more importantly the damned voices laughing and screaming at him to hurry up. Walking around the main hall he was reminded of his heritage, the many paintings of Zouken dotting the walls either leaning on his cane or standing proud with a grin etched onto his face, he felt both anger and pride.





Anger because a man like Zouken didn't deserve to be remembered or even seen for that matter. "What, arent you proud to be my blood you sure enjoyed my flesh boy" Zoukens voice was as slimy as before, even in his head the old man taunted him. "One two three in…one two three out" he tried again.





"Do you really think a little breathing will get me to suddenly stop and roll over?" Zouken taunted again, causing his head to pound with every word. Stumbling his vision became fuzzy and his eye lids felt heavy but he heard a new voice this time.


"Close your eyes, let the whispers drown beneath mine. I'll cradle your madness, until dreams swallow you whole." The voice was neither feminine nor masculine instead it was soft, eerily so but nonetheless comforting, he accepted it and let himself rest.


"Lord Matou?….Sir?…Can you hear me sir?" Spoke a young woman's voice.


"What?…yes..yes…I can hear you what happened?" Reginald asked raising his left arm to his temple to try to run the pain away, it felt like his skull was being ripped apart over and over again.


"One of the maids heard a loud bang and went to investigate where they found you and then we took you to your chambers to rest" the maid responded.


Looking into her eyes and noticing her posture she was shaking, probably afraid she would be next on the 'chopping block', sometimes Zouken would make an example of a servant that messed up no matter how small. "I am not my predecessor so please relax" he spoke as gently as he could and thankfully it did the trick and a small smile found its way on the maids face however her posture still screamed deathly nervous like the slightest sudden noise will send her running.


"Sir, since you're now awake the summoning chamber has been prepared for you" she said clapping her hands together.


Shit the summoning ive wasted enough time as it is he thought. Sitting up completely he's reminded of the soft bedding beneath him, regretfully getting up the maid from earlier allows him to lean on her. "Up my lord" she squeaked from his side.


The doors to the room were large dark oak things that were probably older than him with runes carved into them acting as warding to be safe, a pair of maids pushed the doors open revealing an open space that may have been used for hosting parties at one point but now its wooden floors had been ripped up replaced with sleek tiling that was covered in glyphs. Pillars stood on each side with similar glyphs all over them. The only light in the room was four small candles on each side sitting on small stone tables, but what completed the room was the massive painted glass window allowing moonlight to seep in making the magic circle before him beat like it was a heart and the manor was the body.


"Thank you everyone, you all may leave and please relax for the next few days" I spoke aloud watching them all walk single file out of the room silently closing the door behind them.


Reginald walked up to the lectern in front of the circle and on it lay a tome. Its cover was a patchwork of pale, withered flesh, stretched taut and stitched together with black thread that reminded him of hair. Faintly the surface looks like it's twitching as if it doesn't know it's dead. The cover itself had black veins running along it in every direction save for the barely visible eyes and mouth of whatever poor bastard was used to act as the parchment. In the bottom right corner were the initials Z.M, seems Zouken has a sense of humor afterall.


Opening the pages themselves they seem to whisper however unlike the voices in his head these ones were begging to be read aloud to be released, finding the page he wanted he began.


Let silver and steel be the essence.


Let stone and the archduke of contracts be the foundation.


Let no faction bind me for I am no slave.


Let rise a wall against the wind that shall fall.


Let the four cardinal gates close.


Let the three-forked road from the crown reaching into the Kingdom rotate.


He paused, stopping to catch his breath not noticing the circle glow brighter, "well from the top no?" he laughed.


An oath shall be sworn here.


I shall attain all virtues of all of Heaven.


I shall dominate over all evils of hell.


Shut (fill)


Shut (fill)


Shut (fill)


Shut (fill)


Shut (fill)


You are bound to me as I to you


The air around him crackled with magic sending sparks everywhere burning his skin as it landed on him and then he saw a figure walking towards him hips swaying and a frown on the feminine figure's lips.


"So.. this decayed little house calls upon me? Truly I have fallen lower than I could have imagined. I smell the rot in your veins…oh and other souls are interesting, tell me my ghoulish master are you strong or are you a worm, maybe I will break you like the others" she gave him a baleful smile and giggled.


"If I demand your obedience I imagine I'll find a knife in my back so how about a deal?" god I hope this works because although she is a good servant she's infamous for betrayal.


'Oh what do you offer a body filled with your little maggots?" Medea asked sarcastically.


"Ive done my research on servants yourself. There are others, beautiful servants and foolish masters. Wouldn't it be fun to mar that beauty and perhaps get rid of any 'rivals' on that certain chestboard" I tried my hardest to appeal to her insecurities and prettiness that made up her witch persona.


"Mph if nothing else this will be memorable but remember dear master. I am no familiar. Pray you don't give me a reason to show you the cost of being forgetful, oh and hello Zouken tell me how does it feel to be a voice in your kins head"