Cosmic Embers tale: "The Cockroach on the Throne"
Cosmic Embers tale: "The Cockroach on the Throne"
Forum
» Writing & Drafts / Archived Drafts
» Cosmic Embers tale: "The Cockroach on the Throne"
Pain. That's all they felt. That's all they could feel. Some of them struggled, with some even screaming with voices that couldn't be heard. The others, those that had been there for longer, didn't move or say anything but they too were in immense pain. The poison showed no signs of stopping, continuously dripping from the wooden walls like the saliva of a predator drooling upon spotting their prey. There was little to no light in the room, which wasn't too surprising given the entire building was inside a tree. Its owners didn't need light to see, and so they only had some windows here and there to illuminate the place during the day, just as a little favor to the aliens who did need to see.
TO
Agony was their only companion. It engulfed them, leaving no room for other sensations. Some fought against it, their silent screams echoing in the void. Others, worn by time, lay still, their silence a heavy testament to their suffering. The venom persisted, oozing from the timber-like walls. The beast's drool for its next victims. The chamber was shrouded in a near-perfect darkness, would it be not for a single ray of light. Only a single window's sliver of daylight was what those alien visitors deserved.
If someone had adapted to this darkness a bit, they might have thought they were looking at humans "chained" to a wall via some weird roots. While undoubtedly humanoid in shape, these were no humans: they were Septeds. However, they weren't the kind of Septeds the species was best known for, the kind that respected all life forms and brought new life to planets; no, they were Brothers and Sisters of the Soil, a dangerous group lead by malevolent Septeds who wished to bring an even more dangerous back from the dead. This tree, and the entire planet for that matter, was their main base of operation. But if so, why were these 12 Septeds being tortured like this? What did they do to deserve such cruelty from their own brethren? Well, the answer soon entered the room, as a new figure stood there proudly: he was slim and tall, terrifyingly tall, towering over them all without effort; his "face" was completely covered by numerous flowers, making him look more like a tree than the humanoid creature he was lazily trying to imitate. His name was Vinerse, and not too long ago he was the second-in-command of the Brothers and Sisters of the Soil. If someone had to describe him with one word, they would use "opportunist": when Snee invaded one of his planets and demanded for him to give it to her, not only did he comply, but he even gifted two more of his worlds. He was the kind of person (well, so to say) that had no problems with crawling in the mud if he could get a bone out of it. It was a way of thinking and acting that many considered disgusting and cowardly, but thanks to it those bones soon became meals, and eventually Vinerse was able to take the place as Snee's right-hand man, and eventually take Snee's own place. Not everyone had however appreciated this change of pace, but Vinerse was here to stay, and he knew how to get his message through.
TO
In the faint glow, propped up against the wall, was a gaunt figure. One could easily mistake the thing for a headless Human cadaver entwined in the root-like walls. Yet, any closer inspection would alleviate this deception, for this silhouette belonged to none other than a Septed. Most horrific creatures are birthed from gargantuan laboratory worlds—things that derived great pleasure from propagating their experiments across the cosmos. No one was so devoted to this impulsive cause as the Brothers and Sisters of the Soil.
The headless, cadaver-like alien thing twitched; this tree-like cage shifted. The entire planet was now theirs to command. Twelve additional Septeds would twitch violently, creating a cacophony of snapping twigs and a spray of acidic ichor.
A lone figure, slender and towering, stepped into the light, a tacit display of his approval. He was Vinerse, a most vile conductor and sole admirer of this cacophony of pain.
In days past, he was considered second—an advisor to the true bearer of the Soil. But nobody rules forever, especially idealistic insurgents.
"So, how are you doing today?" Vinerse mockingly asked, as if he didn't know the answer. Septeds possessed incredible regenerative abilities, and it was hard to find something able to kill them for good… and that's exactly what Vinerse counted on: this poison was strong, not strong enough to kill a Septed, but strong enough to make them feel like they were burning alive, and the regenerative abilities only allowed for the torture to last longer. It was quite efficient: once, this room was filled with so many Septeds that it was almost impossible to count them; now, only 12 rejected what was rightfully his.
TO
"So, how are you faring today?" Vinerse inquired with a sneer, feigning ignorance of the answer. Septeds were creatures of remarkable healing prowess, elusive to the grasp of death itself. A fact Vinerse had bet on. The poison was potent, not lethal enough to end a Septed, but sufficient to inflict a sensation akin to burning alive. Their regenerative gift only prolonged the agony. It proved a formidable tactic: the chamber once teemed with countless Septeds; now, merely a dozen remained, defying what was justly his.
"Blasphemous bastard! As soon as we get free, we'll kill you!" One of the Septeds answered, the vines forming his body shaking in anger, even those blocked by the roots.
"Stop this! I beg you, stop this!" Cried another one, her flowers weakly trembling as she was barely able to "talk".
"If you want this to talk, you know what you must do. But maybe it's still too early. Maybe you need some more time-"
"No!" She exclaimed, desperate. "I'm sorry for my blasphemy towards you! I was wrong! You are our rightful leader and I should have never doubted you!"
TO
"Please, cease this madness!" implored another, her petals trembling faintly as she struggled to speak.
"If you wish to converse, you know the conditions. Perhaps it's premature. Perhaps you require more time—"
"No!" she interjected, her voice laced with desperation. "I recant my sacrilege! I erred in my judgment! You are the true sovereign, and my doubts were unfounded!"
Vinerse turned to the others. "What about the rest of you? Do you still defy me or have you finally listened to reason?"
The others initially didn't respond, hesitating. Eventually however, they too started begging to be released, except for 5 particularly stubborn Septeds. Vinerse had other Septeds arrive with tools vaguely resembling wooden antennas as they released all but 5 prisoners from the roots. "Increase the quantity of the poison," he simply said before leaving the room.
TO
"Soon enough, no one will be standing in my way," he thought to himself with malicious glee as he continued walking. After all the time he had to crawl at Snee's feet he finally was the one in charge of everything, and soon enough he would have ruled over the entire galaxy. He didn't actually know what had happened to Snee following her failed mission to reach the planet with the wish-granting Humanoid AI on it, nor did anyone else in the group knew, and he honestly didn't care. He had already announced and insisted on Snee being dead to ensure these fanatics would, at least for the most part, accept him as their new leader, while also repeating the same bullshit regarding the Humanoids that Snee would continuously preach. Humanoids, bah. He never understood why Snee and the others were so obsessed with them. Who cares about a species that stopped existing millennia ago? Like, sure, they were the ones to have created the Septed species as a whole, but again, they were long gone, so who cares? Vinerse definitely didn't, but if worshipping some dead aliens was gonna get him his own personal army and the possibility of getting his vines onto powerful technology, who was he to complain?
TO
Certainly, Vinerse held certain ideals close to his heart. He believed that might is right and that survival belongs to the most avaricious. This philosophy was ingrained in him from the inception of his first world. Oh, how vividly he recalls the breathtaking nature and the gentle, peace-loving dominant species. It was not just perfect; it was utopian. Alas, all things end, and Vinerse learned this the hard way when a catastrophic event shattered all he had built. Wandering through the ruins of what was once an idyllic world, he was heartbroken, yet to his astonishment, he found survivors. These aliens were nothing like the benevolent pacifists he had envisioned; they were ruthless, savage opportunists, yet they were the ones who had endured. This revelation forever altered Vinerse's perspective, and henceforth, he crafted new worlds, challenging their denizens to outlast each other, validating his newfound belief. His crowning achievement was a planet that transformed every creature into formidable warriors and lethal weapons. However, this did not imply that Vinerse was a mindless brute; he understood that might is correct, but intelligence must guide strength, even if it necessitates stealth and cunning.
Heh, "worm". He had been called that and worse, but he personally preferred to see himself as another kind of creature. He never particularly cared for all the things Snee had told him regarding Humanoids and humans, but he did find one species from Earth pretty fascinating: cockroaches. They're small but they can survive many things. Hell, their species even managed to survive Embers Day by sneaking onto some spaceships. People can say cockroaches are small and disgusting, but at the end of everything they will survive. That's what Vinerse was: a creature considered inferior and disgusting, but at the end he would always come out on top, regardless of whether others liked it or not.
Walking across the rooms inside the titanic tree, Vinerse eventually reached the outside: it was night, and the sky was filled with beautiful stars and the planet's two moons. Peculiar plants surrounded the area, and if one had decided to check, they would have found out that they were on the entire planet: these plants would have one day grown to become new Septeds. It wasn't too common for Septeds to use entire planets to give birth to new members of their species (and some of them didn't even bother reproducing at all), but the Brothers and Sisters of the Soil were glad to use their main base of operation to give birth to new members.
TO
"Vermin," they called him, and worse. But he saw himself as something different. The tales Snee spun of Humanoids and Humans held little interest for him, except for when she brought up Earth's cockroaches. Tiny yet resilient, they even outlived Ember Day, planetary armageddon, by stowing away on spacecraft. People might deem cockroaches insignificant and repulsive, but ultimately, they endured. Vinerse was the same. He was deemed lowly and vile by his peers but, in the end, always seemed to triumph over them.
Navigating through the chambers of the colossal tree, Vinerse emerged into the night, greeted by a sky adorned with stars and dual moons. The area was encircled by unique flora, which, upon closer inspection, covered the whole planet—these plants were destined to evolve into new Septeds. It was rare for Septeds to utilize entire planets as nurseries for their kind (some forwent reproduction entirely). Still, the Brothers and Sisters of the Soil relished nurturing new life at their central hub.
Not too far away, a small group of Septeds was waiting next to a spaceship. There wasn't anything worth of notice regarding their appearance, except for one who was much smaller compared to the rest: his name was Maar, and he was one of the youngest members of the group, being merely 200 years old. He had been given birth on this very planet, and while his loyalty to the organization was undoubted, he wasn't exactly keen to violence.
"Is everything ready?" Vinerse asked the small group.
"Affermative," one of the Septeds answered. "We're ready to go when you are."
"Excellent," Vinerse said, before turning his attention to Maar. He had noticed almost immediately the child was nervous. "Is something the matter, Maar?"
"W-well… I…" Maar answered nervously, not even finishing his sentence.
"Yes?" Vinerse continued, already growing impatient.
"I just.. I just don't think Snee would have wanted this… a-and… do we really need more weapons?"
TO
Close by, a diminutive assembly of Septeds stood beside a spacecraft. Their appearances were unremarkable, save for Maar, who was notably smaller than his companions. At just 200 years young, Maar was the sapling of the group, born on the very planet they now stood on. His allegiance to the organization was unwavering, yet his appetite for violence was lacking.
"Is everything prepared?" inquired Vinerse, addressing the group.
"Confirmed," replied a Septed. "We are prepared to depart at your command."
"Excellent," Vinerse exclaimed, then shifted his focus to Maar. He had instantly perceived the child's nervousness. "What troubles you, Maar?" he asked gently.
"W-well… I…" Maar stammered, his voice trailing off uncertainly.
"Yes?" Vinerse pressed, her impatience mounting.
"It's just that… I don't believe Snee would have approved of this… and… is there truly a need for more weapons?"
Vinerse hesitated responding for a bit, and the other Septeds were worried Maar was about to receive an unpleasant fate. Eventually, he said: "Snee is dead. She had the heart in the right place, but she was too impulsive and quick to decide on some things. As for the other thing you said… grow up already." And with that, he entered the spaceship. The kid was not wrong though: Snee would have never wanted this, and this was one of the reasons many weren't initially convinced with Vinerse's leadership. What is "this" you ask? Making deals with the Vuon Da, a species of cyrborgs, for their weapons. Snee would have indeed never wanted this, for she absolutely despised anything that mixed flesh with technology, whether it was a necessity or not. But Vinerse didn't care: the Vuon Da were famous arm dealers across the entire galaxy and their weapons were incredibly powerful, enough to allow those violent cyborgs to carry on a war against the Soshi.
TO
Vinerse paused before responding, leaving the other Septeds anxious about Maar's impending doom. Finally, he declared, "Snee is dead. Her heart was in the right place, but her impulsiveness and haste in decision-making were her downfall. And as for your comment. it's time to grow up." With that, he boarded the spaceship. The child's point was valid: Snee would have opposed this, which was precisely why many doubted Vinerse's leadership. And what is 'this,' you might wonder? It's the forging of alliances with the Vuon Da, a race of cyborgs, for their weaponry. Snee had a deep-seated aversion to any fusion of flesh and technology, necessary or not. Yet, Vinerse was undeterred: the Vuon Da's reputation as formidable arms dealers spanned the galaxy, and their potent arsenal could sustain the cyborgs' war against the Soshi Slave Empire.
Eventually, the destination was reached. The Septeds put their translators as they carried a box filled with precious stones outside. Waiting for them there were two humanoid robots covered in rocks, their only visible organic part being a pink organ in the chest. The exchange was quick and wordless: the Septeds gave the Vuon Da the box, and the Vuon Da gave them another box. Inside it, there were various guns. These weapons were able to suck out energy from their target's body, leaving them as a cold husk. "Ah, just what I asked for," Vinerse exclaimed as he grabbed one of the guns. He would have grinned if only he had a mouth. "Long live the king, as they say."
TO
At last, they arrived at their destination. The Septeds, equipped with translators, stepped out carrying a box brimming with gemstones. Greeting them were two humanoid robots, their forms encrusted with stones, save for the pink organic organ pulsating in their chests. The transaction was swift and silent: the Septeds handed the box to the Vuon Da, who presented them with another. This box contained an array of guns designed to drain the life energy from their targets, reducing them to frigid shells. Vinerse, unable to smile but pleased, seized a weapon, declaring, "Ah, precisely what I requested. Long live the king, indeed."
/forum/t-16875958/cosmic-embers-tale:the-cockroach-on-the-throne#post-