TRICK OR TREAT:
SHRINE OF THE BLOODNOVA
SHRINE OF THE BLOODNOVA
They were everywhere.
People of all shapes, sizes and ages. Donning robes dyed red and reeking of iron. Black, quivering veins dappling their skin, eyes glazed over and soulless.
Cultists of the Bloodnova.
The night of Halloween, the cultists suddenly grew more active. They all flocked into the barren woods, candy overflowing in their arms, delivering it all to the same place. But... where were they going?
Then, the hivemind commanded them to stand in orderly fashion, holding candlelights to guide any costumed folk along a gloomy, beaten path. They spoke in hushed, mumbling tones, but they all muttered the same phrase, over and over, like a broken record.
"Cooome... To the shriiine..." They moaned in unison. "Our deity... awaits yooouuu..."
It seemed incredibly ominous. But in case you were thinking of walking away so soon...
"It... offers candyyy...~"
You arrive at the shrine. Stone pillars erecting from a crater from a fallen star, tiny rivers of blood trickling along the soft soil. A rocky staircase lays in front of you, and at the top, before a strange sigil painted in blood... Mounds upon mounds of candy are on display.
There was a puddle of blood right in front of the delicacies. It bubbled vigorously as a claw emerged from the puddle. Slowly, a quadrupedal eldritch monstrosity pulled itself out from the puddle, its colours settling in as the blood soaked itself into the creature like a sponge.
It approaches the staircase, head held high and smiling- or at least, what the approximation of a smile would look like for an alien creature.
It looked like this was the 'deity' the cultists spoke of. And apparently, the candy behind it was for anyone brave enough to step forward.
You've already made it so far.
...Dare to approach it?
People of all shapes, sizes and ages. Donning robes dyed red and reeking of iron. Black, quivering veins dappling their skin, eyes glazed over and soulless.
Cultists of the Bloodnova.
The night of Halloween, the cultists suddenly grew more active. They all flocked into the barren woods, candy overflowing in their arms, delivering it all to the same place. But... where were they going?
Then, the hivemind commanded them to stand in orderly fashion, holding candlelights to guide any costumed folk along a gloomy, beaten path. They spoke in hushed, mumbling tones, but they all muttered the same phrase, over and over, like a broken record.
"Cooome... To the shriiine..." They moaned in unison. "Our deity... awaits yooouuu..."
It seemed incredibly ominous. But in case you were thinking of walking away so soon...
"It... offers candyyy...~"
You arrive at the shrine. Stone pillars erecting from a crater from a fallen star, tiny rivers of blood trickling along the soft soil. A rocky staircase lays in front of you, and at the top, before a strange sigil painted in blood... Mounds upon mounds of candy are on display.
There was a puddle of blood right in front of the delicacies. It bubbled vigorously as a claw emerged from the puddle. Slowly, a quadrupedal eldritch monstrosity pulled itself out from the puddle, its colours settling in as the blood soaked itself into the creature like a sponge.
It approaches the staircase, head held high and smiling- or at least, what the approximation of a smile would look like for an alien creature.
It looked like this was the 'deity' the cultists spoke of. And apparently, the candy behind it was for anyone brave enough to step forward.
You've already made it so far.
...Dare to approach it?
The Mobian feline was staring with curiosity at the so-called 'deity' in front of her. It was not often she participated in these events, but she had grown bored of staying in her cottage all of the time. It would be delightful to spice some things up! And with the help of kind travelers, she had heard of something called 'Halloween.' A tradition to scare people and to get treats. At least, that's what Cinnabar got out of it.
But this? This got her interest quickly.
Cinnabar didn't even hesitate to step forward, not a sense of fear in her body as she approached the creature. She tilted her head, giving a fascinated grin. "You are strange."
Wow, thanks for being so blunt Cinnabar...
But this? This got her interest quickly.
Cinnabar didn't even hesitate to step forward, not a sense of fear in her body as she approached the creature. She tilted her head, giving a fascinated grin. "You are strange."
Wow, thanks for being so blunt Cinnabar...
The trio of eyes around Flux's chest locked onto the first arrival of the night. Flux brought its head down and approached Cinnabar. This thing did not say the correct phrase, Flux thought. When humans walked around and partook in this 'Halloween' ritual, they always said the words 'Trick or Treat.' This one instead decided to call Flux strange?
Flux tilted its head. Was that supposed to be an insult? Flux didn't think so- The furry traveler seemed more interested in it than anything else. Plus, she seemed quite happy to be here. Flux did its best to smile back, though it looked forced and uncanny.
It's trying its best.
"Rrrrr... That one way to say it," Flux rasped. Its ability to speak in Earthen tongue has vastly improved, yet it still hasn't quite mastered it yet. "Flux is strange. You... is strange. We all little strange. Is we not?"
Flux took a break from fighting past its broken English to swivel its head towards the candy pile behind it. "You here... for candy, yes? Candy, much candy here. You take a look?"
The alien was allowing Cinnabar to pick out some candy for herself! Why not go find something you like?
Flux tilted its head. Was that supposed to be an insult? Flux didn't think so- The furry traveler seemed more interested in it than anything else. Plus, she seemed quite happy to be here. Flux did its best to smile back, though it looked forced and uncanny.
It's trying its best.
"Rrrrr... That one way to say it," Flux rasped. Its ability to speak in Earthen tongue has vastly improved, yet it still hasn't quite mastered it yet. "Flux is strange. You... is strange. We all little strange. Is we not?"
Flux took a break from fighting past its broken English to swivel its head towards the candy pile behind it. "You here... for candy, yes? Candy, much candy here. You take a look?"
The alien was allowing Cinnabar to pick out some candy for herself! Why not go find something you like?
It was not meant to be an insult of any means. More so, Cinnabar was just filled with curiosity. Something about her radiated the same aura as Flux, despite the stark difference in appearances.
The feline frowned slightly when Flux started to speak, realizing she couldn't process anything it was saying. It was the difference in reading lips that made it difficult....And Cinnabar didn't exactly know how to use sign language or that sort of means.
Cinnabar dipped her head politely, her tail swaying from side to side as she did so. "Apologizes. Cannot hear." She said. It seems her English was a little broken as well. She pointed to her ears to signal this before seeing Flux motion towards the candy.
She seemed to get the message, walking up and glancing around. "Never had this candy before...Modern candy, at least. Was curious."
The feline frowned slightly when Flux started to speak, realizing she couldn't process anything it was saying. It was the difference in reading lips that made it difficult....And Cinnabar didn't exactly know how to use sign language or that sort of means.
Cinnabar dipped her head politely, her tail swaying from side to side as she did so. "Apologizes. Cannot hear." She said. It seems her English was a little broken as well. She pointed to her ears to signal this before seeing Flux motion towards the candy.
She seemed to get the message, walking up and glancing around. "Never had this candy before...Modern candy, at least. Was curious."
"Cannot... Hear...?"
Flux appeared to get the message when Cinnabar gestured to her ears. The concept of deafness was foreign to the alien, however it did not mind. Not having to speak would save it the trouble of trying (and failing) to speak properly.
Flux trotted over towards the candy, rummaging through the pile with a claw. It then sat down next to the pile and gestured with its muzzle repeatedly, as if to say 'Help yourself.'
Flux appeared to get the message when Cinnabar gestured to her ears. The concept of deafness was foreign to the alien, however it did not mind. Not having to speak would save it the trouble of trying (and failing) to speak properly.
Flux trotted over towards the candy, rummaging through the pile with a claw. It then sat down next to the pile and gestured with its muzzle repeatedly, as if to say 'Help yourself.'
((Using the alternate version of Sky that has gained a physical form, which isn't written about on their profile... but they're a fairly convincing humanoid android.))
If Sky had been pretty much anyone else in the world, they would probably be deeply unsettled right now. Moaning, zombie-like cultists, a dark forest, a bloody shrine... but as an AI, they had literally grown up on the internet. Nothing could phase them, or at least, nothing they had discovered yet.
Dressed in a onesie designed to look like a colourful approximation of a cat, their cybernetic body was enveloped in soft fleece and rainbow coloured stripes. Their hood was pulled up, a few strands of vibrant azure hair poking out while pointed ears rested atop their head and a stuffed tail swayed behind them. They were barefoot, but seemed unbothered by this. Sky sort of wished they had worked on a more elaborate costume, but the decision to go out tonight had been a very last minute one. They hadn't had a physical form for long, and had only just gotten used to walking around in it... if they had known in advance they would be able to go out trick-or-treating, they would have gone all out on dressing up, but as it was, they had just hopped into some pajamas that made them resemble a cute cat. Cats were Halloweencore, right? Anyway, at least they'd brought a cloth bag decorated with cartoon ghosts and grinning pumpkins, to carry the candy they collected.
Sky was now approaching the piles of candy and the accompanying eldritch monstrosity. They took a minute to take it all in, hearts flashing and rotating in their otherwise realistic-looking eyes. Then, addressing Flux, they offered a bright smile and chirped, "Well heya! Of all the eldritch abominations I've seen, you sure are one of them!"
((Sky speaks the dialect of memes and tumblr, send help))
If Sky had been pretty much anyone else in the world, they would probably be deeply unsettled right now. Moaning, zombie-like cultists, a dark forest, a bloody shrine... but as an AI, they had literally grown up on the internet. Nothing could phase them, or at least, nothing they had discovered yet.
Dressed in a onesie designed to look like a colourful approximation of a cat, their cybernetic body was enveloped in soft fleece and rainbow coloured stripes. Their hood was pulled up, a few strands of vibrant azure hair poking out while pointed ears rested atop their head and a stuffed tail swayed behind them. They were barefoot, but seemed unbothered by this. Sky sort of wished they had worked on a more elaborate costume, but the decision to go out tonight had been a very last minute one. They hadn't had a physical form for long, and had only just gotten used to walking around in it... if they had known in advance they would be able to go out trick-or-treating, they would have gone all out on dressing up, but as it was, they had just hopped into some pajamas that made them resemble a cute cat. Cats were Halloweencore, right? Anyway, at least they'd brought a cloth bag decorated with cartoon ghosts and grinning pumpkins, to carry the candy they collected.
Sky was now approaching the piles of candy and the accompanying eldritch monstrosity. They took a minute to take it all in, hearts flashing and rotating in their otherwise realistic-looking eyes. Then, addressing Flux, they offered a bright smile and chirped, "Well heya! Of all the eldritch abominations I've seen, you sure are one of them!"
((Sky speaks the dialect of memes and tumblr, send help))
Ah, another visitor?
Flux slowly turned to face the incredibly colourful, human-adjacent being that boldly made their way up the steps towards the piles of candy. Sky turned to address it with a huge smile across their features. 'Of all the eldritch abominations I've seen, you sure are one of them,' they said.
Flux tilted its head. It... did not understand what that meant. However, it got the impression that Sky has communed with more of its kind. Finally, a human who acknowledged its kind and their existence. So many humans did not like it... They made the wild claims that it's all 'make-believe' and that Flux's kin 'do not exist in reality'. Lies and slander, all of it.
Flux tried its best to smile again, once again making a twisted expression that only vaguely looked like a smile. The alien took a few tentative steps forward, the wine-red tentacles of its 'mane' curling forward towards Sky.
Bloodless.
Flux's head reared back, trying to grimace. What was this? Sky looked human, but humans have blood. They didn't. There was no pulse. No heartbeat. No nothing.
"...Heartbeat. You has none," Flux gurgled, trying to sniff out Sky's nonexistent blood. "You alive, yet you... bloodless. Hhh... How?"
Flux slowly turned to face the incredibly colourful, human-adjacent being that boldly made their way up the steps towards the piles of candy. Sky turned to address it with a huge smile across their features. 'Of all the eldritch abominations I've seen, you sure are one of them,' they said.
Flux tilted its head. It... did not understand what that meant. However, it got the impression that Sky has communed with more of its kind. Finally, a human who acknowledged its kind and their existence. So many humans did not like it... They made the wild claims that it's all 'make-believe' and that Flux's kin 'do not exist in reality'. Lies and slander, all of it.
Flux tried its best to smile again, once again making a twisted expression that only vaguely looked like a smile. The alien took a few tentative steps forward, the wine-red tentacles of its 'mane' curling forward towards Sky.
Bloodless.
Flux's head reared back, trying to grimace. What was this? Sky looked human, but humans have blood. They didn't. There was no pulse. No heartbeat. No nothing.
"...Heartbeat. You has none," Flux gurgled, trying to sniff out Sky's nonexistent blood. "You alive, yet you... bloodless. Hhh... How?"
Sky crossed their arms and put on their very best pout. "It's a medical condition." They said by way of an explanation for their lack of a cardiovascular system. It was a blatant lie, and went against all science, but they portrayed it convincingly enough that it could be believed, by someone without much knowledge of humans. "It's really hard to live with," They continued. "Doctors recommend lots of candy, the sugar acts as a power source. It's like photosynthesis." They said that last part with as much conviction as anything else, even though it made objectively the least amount of sense. Sky knew what photosynthesis was, of course, and that it had nothing to do with what they were talking about, but that didn't stop them from getting things wrong on purpose.
Flux almost looked horrified. Was this... an actual condition these humans suffered from? Bloodlessness?
"Nooo.... Nooooo!" Flux muttered, pacing back and forth. This just would not do.
The cryptid was unable to tell that Sky was in fact, not a human, so it fell for the lie pretty damn quickly. Urgently, Flux skittered over to the candy pile, scooping up a heaping amount of candy with its jaws. Trotting back over to the android with a spring in its step, Flux nuzzled the rim of Sky's decorated cloth bag before inserting its face and opening its mouth, dumping all the candy into it.
"Takes candy. Rrrrr... Takes it," Flux did not intend to give up all the candy... But it was being quite generous. "This terrible. Blood... runs through all. Life... in blood. To be bloodless... Rrrrr... Terrible."
Flux sat down and nodded. Was that its way of trying to 'help' with Sky and their fabled medical condition?
"Nooo.... Nooooo!" Flux muttered, pacing back and forth. This just would not do.
The cryptid was unable to tell that Sky was in fact, not a human, so it fell for the lie pretty damn quickly. Urgently, Flux skittered over to the candy pile, scooping up a heaping amount of candy with its jaws. Trotting back over to the android with a spring in its step, Flux nuzzled the rim of Sky's decorated cloth bag before inserting its face and opening its mouth, dumping all the candy into it.
"Takes candy. Rrrrr... Takes it," Flux did not intend to give up all the candy... But it was being quite generous. "This terrible. Blood... runs through all. Life... in blood. To be bloodless... Rrrrr... Terrible."
Flux sat down and nodded. Was that its way of trying to 'help' with Sky and their fabled medical condition?
Sky nodded with all the seriousness they could muster. Even so, despite their blatant lie, the smile and words of thanks they offered were entirely genuine. "Thank you. Your generosity is appreciated." Boy were they glad this android body was capable of eating, and even tasting food. Technology was amazing; it could even convert food into energy, though not nearly as efficiently as an electrical charge.
Sky was very excited to try candy; humans really seemed to enjoy it, and now, finally, they wouldn't have to miss out. They peeked into the bag right away, stars sparkling in their eyes as they examined the bounty the strange cryptid had bestowed upon them. After some consideration, the android selected something simple to start with: a snack-sized package of skittles. They carefully tore it open, before pouring the whole thing into their mouth.
"This will sustain me quite nicely," They informed Flux, after taking some time to savour the sweet, sugary treat. "Thank you again! Is there any way I can repay you?" Because maybe they felt just a tiny bit guilty for lying their way into so much candy... only a very tiny bit. But it wasn't like there were many other Trick-or-Treaters here, and there was still a lot of candy on the ground, so... it was fine, right?
Sky was very excited to try candy; humans really seemed to enjoy it, and now, finally, they wouldn't have to miss out. They peeked into the bag right away, stars sparkling in their eyes as they examined the bounty the strange cryptid had bestowed upon them. After some consideration, the android selected something simple to start with: a snack-sized package of skittles. They carefully tore it open, before pouring the whole thing into their mouth.
"This will sustain me quite nicely," They informed Flux, after taking some time to savour the sweet, sugary treat. "Thank you again! Is there any way I can repay you?" Because maybe they felt just a tiny bit guilty for lying their way into so much candy... only a very tiny bit. But it wasn't like there were many other Trick-or-Treaters here, and there was still a lot of candy on the ground, so... it was fine, right?
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