[SRP] Out of the Fire and Into The Pit [ Lux/Ursula/Vlad ]

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

Timeline: After Lux abandons Whiskey's baskets. During The Pit's Aegis Cult age.

wahmbulance warnings for uhh lots of violence, gore, probably lots of dead/dying things... religious cultist craziiies aaaand cannibalism? i think that's it wahmbulance

 

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

How had she gotten herself into this mess?

The thought often circled Lux's brain while she was quietly observing the violent herd around her. She had quite literally stumbled upon them after leaving her best friend's children in the care of a kind-looking buffalo couple.

She was lost, mentally and physically, and did not see the tell-tale signs of 'DO NOT GO THIS WAY'. Looking back, she didn't know how she missed the various skeletons strewn about the area and the rusty brown color that stained the fields. It was her own fault. She had broken out of her trance to see the heavily scarred face of a large 'Suti stallion. He had grinned and beckoned her further into the herd's borders. Why did she follow?

Now, here she was - a reluctant part of this horrifying cultist herd. Many moons later, she had grown accustomed to the screams and moans that filtered out of the cave system below them. As long as the herd had a use for her, she wouldn't be sacrificed to The Pit. She stayed quiet and kept her head down. It was dangerous to talk. She kept to herself, but she had made one tentative friend.... no she wouldn't call her a friend. All of Lux's friends ended up leaving her one way or another.

Still, she stayed alert, craning her head and looking around for her... not-friend.  

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

Being different was not a good thing. It made her stick out. It made her a target.

Ursula had learned at a young age, when her parents had handed her over to a band of thieves with barely any coaxing needed, that being different was a curse. The tentacles that writhed and twisted on her head became playthings for members of the thieving herd to pull at and hurt. She had snapped at them with her large, frightening teeth the first few times, but they learned. The rope tied tight around her snout barely hurt anymore. She was still able to eat with her lower mouth, but she was unable to speak. She didn't speak for the longest time.

But then the thieves made their biggest mistake. They tried to steal from another herd. Usually, this wasn't too big of a problem, but they just happened to steal from a herd of violent cultists. Their retribution was swift and terrifying. Bodies piled up around her as she made herself as small as possible against a fallen tree. Her tentacles clutched a beaten club and nervously trailed it back and forth on the ground. For once in her life, she was being ignored, despite sticking out like a sore hoof.

And then, there he was. Perhaps he was terrifying to others, covered in blood and pieces of flesh, but his four gold eyes were gentle and centered on her. She clutched the bat closer to her body. He tutted and suddenly there was a black serpentine tail wrapping around her legs and drawing her out of her hiding spot. A bloody claw lifted up to her face and she flinched. But instead of harming her like so many in the thieving herd had, the stranger sliced through the rope and yanked it from her sore flesh. She couldn't help the yelp as new skin was ripped from her snout. Blood welled and dripped from the aggravated wounds, but she didn't acknowledge it. She was looking up at him with awe.

"Come with me,"

And she followed. Tiptoeing around what was left of the bodies of her tormentors, she had followed her savior back to his herd. Sadly, it was pretty much like the last herd, and she rarely saw her mysterious hero. She was treated like a lowly servant here and was beaten, but it wasn't as bad as her previous herd. Her mouth was never tied shut, but still she did not speak much, if at all. It seemed too easy to anger one of the elders and get sacrificed to The Pit these days. Ursula did not want to risk it.

She had a sort-of friend in one of the newest mares that got dragged into this mess. Lux was her name. Ursula enjoyed having someone to just sit with and enjoyed her company. Sometimes they'd whisper halfhearted escape plans to each other or reminisce about their lives before this. It was nice.

Ursula was broken out of her musings by a harsh blow coming down on her face.

"Oof!" she hit the ground hard, feeling stinging slices on her cheek.

The general hum of activity ceased, and a heavy silence blanketed the area. She looked up into the heavily scarred face of one of the elders. No...
 

[xxx Yuki Bear xxx]

A hush had fallen over the herd, causing Lux to freeze. Silence like this meant bad things. She skirted along the outside of the growing crowd that had gathered. She carefully edged around until she could look in, and she could not help the gasp that escaped her.

Her noise was loud against the oppressive silence. Eyes turned to her and bodies quickly shuffled away from her. She could not help the shiver that overcame her when the scarred face at the center of the attention turned towards her.

"Another one?" he asked, baring his blood-stained teeth at her. "Do you wish to join this abomination, my dear? Are you a sinner too? You - You doubt the power of our mighty Aegis? Are you to join this heathen in the purification - the sanctity of the Aegis's holy fire?"

Lux trembled, overwhelmed by the elder's words and the stares of those around her. Ursula was staring at her too.

"I... I don't... I... No,"

"Tsk," he spat. "I fear it is too late. The Devil has twisted your tongue, my dear. Even he cannot forge lies in my holy presence," He motioned to a few guards. "Grab her. We will expunge the demons from them both,"

Lux felt numb. She barely felt the rough claws that dragged her away. This was it.