An Offering to Darkness (Ophelia, Holly Priv)

The tall, burly skeletal figure had made its way out of the portal, the sultan had created for them. Cradled in his arms was Holly, who was grateful for the fact it was night time in that place. One more second in that godforsaken jungle and she'd have killed herself then and there. Thankfully it didn't come down to that, with this man, Eno, whom she didn't even trust halfway, offered something of great bounty to them. Hearts.

Holly's coronation into her most beautiful form was coming to its climax and she needed all the lives she could get, in order to realize this dream. Her teacher, Ophelia, did this for the sake of adding more to the Heartless army, while at the same time cultivating the great darkness within her student. Everyone wins at the end and hopefully, the sultan loses out by the end of it. The heart of a keyblader such as himself would make a fine collection to their ranks...

The skeleton followed behind Eno and with how ominous both he and Holly appeared, most would usually tremble at their sight. Even more so, she radiated a thick darkness that choked life out from others in a slow, painful process. Though, she made sure to put a cap on how much she naturally exuded, so that no one accidentally died during her visit. A shrill, hiss-like chuckle left from her lips.

"You really are some sultan, huh? Guess that means you're just that desperate to save your people." Another laugh left her lips. "Admirable, but utterly pointless. They'll die anyways, whether or not its from Heartless. Whether its from disease or a murderer, they'll die and you would have only prolonged the inevitable."

Holly had listened to the words of the sultan, how he wanted to seem so merciful and rewarding to the charges under his care. Utterly sickening, she saw this as nothing more than a game, where tact was necessary to truly bring those in her presence, into the harshness that was reality. So when the man had concluded, she had her skeletal knight stop, so that she could quite literally, laugh in his face. It was so amusing to hear him go on that little self-righteous speech, that she couldn't contain the urge to belittle him on the spot. "You're deluded, self-righteous and a fool. You are nothing more than just a tool to use as WE see fit, and in conclusion, this deal will give us YOUR people. You condemned them and I will do everything within my power, to make you realize the futility of your efforts and how worthless they all are."

A shrill hiss left her lips and she willed her knight to move her forward. "All that talk about peaceful death... There is no peace, only darkness and grief. Those who celebrate the falling of others, only mask the simplicity of being buried in the ground, with pride and mirth. People are tedious and tedious, menial things are meant to be made more entertaining." Holly began to cough a bit. "Ultimately, it just means you've only killed yourself when trying to appease others, since you neglect the self in the process. Everything I've ever done or have been taught, was for the benefit of myself. Ophelia and I understand what our true calling is, so we'll do everything we can, to make sure we answer it..." The woman concluded and initiated another coughing fit. It'd eventually calm down, but it was obvious she was far set in her ways. Resolute and firm in them, she understood her own point of view all too well. Everyone must die.

Ophelia stepped through the portal Eno had created, following a moment behind her apprentice. She had only caught the end of Eno speaking before Holly would give her piece. The girl was much more straight to the point with the sultan than the heartless queen herself, they were after all beings of darkness out to fulfill their duty. As the witch followed Eno through the prison doors and the door locked behind her a smile was brought to her face despite Holly's coughing. "Good to see you two getting along" She'd make a sarcastic remark before turning to Eno. "Are you ready to see something beautiful?"

The witch placed her hand on Holly's shoulder, it felt as though she was touching bare bones. The witch held her composure but on the inside she was screaming with excitement, all the years that the pair had spent together were leading up to this point. The apprentice, learning and growing with power each day only to have her human body give out on her the stronger she got. It would all come down to this and the prisoners whose hearts she'd take would only give a small example of how strong she really was. "Holly." She'd pause as tendrils of darkness would emit from her hand, lifting Holly'd frame from her guardian's grasp to stand her up.

"Let the darkness consume you."

The moment Ophelia said this the dark tendrils would wrap around her body, covering her from her shoulders downwards completely. Whatever inch of light that was left in her heart would be drowned out and her transcendence would be in place. The heartless queen would let go of Holly's shoulder, leaving the darkness to take over from there. She took a step back, watching her apprentice go through her transformation with devout attention and enthrallment.

"Don't lecture me, Sultan. And for the record, no one will be able to see the trees, after I burn them all down..." She said with an ominous hiss, only for Ophelia to come in on their little spat. Her head slowly turned towards the Heartless witch and a shrill chuckle came from her pale lips. It was then her teacher had spoken a phrase which sent a painful shiver up her spine. It was time...

The hand at her shoulder was soothing, however, the tendrils were even more welcoming. Holly could feel the excitement build in her mistress, as that energy transferred over to her. That frail, weakened body was cradled before it was placed onto the ground. Holly's guardian stepped back, lifeless and simply observed its Mistress being consumed. "Yes, yes! I offer give myself completely to darkness... My heart, I willingly relinquish my heart to the darkness!" She cheered as the darkness devoured her.

That black, inky form of the once feeble woman, Holly, had lifted its hands into the air alongside gazing upwards. Her manic laugh came as a series of hisses, the darkness dripping off of her like thick oil. She then drove her fingers towards her scalp, dug in deep and began to quite literally tear herself in half. The visceral sound of skin being ripped apart would echo in the room, alongside the screams Holly let out. Blood mixed in with the darkness, dripped onto the floor in globs and the process didn't stop.

The two would see how the progress would give way to a more healthier, attractive and absolutely dangerous young woman, who appeared to have been at least 18. She continued to rip herself apart, like a snake that shed its skin. This continued for a few more moments, before her former shell had been ripped off completely. When it was, she discarded the bloodied halves off to the side. The darkness slowly fell off of her body like water, until it had rested completely at her feet. A pale-skinned beauty, whose very body appeared as though it'd feel like satin to the touch. Her full lips were puckered in a very seductive manner, with her more private bits being quite endowed upon herself. Silver-white hair tied into a bun, with several large strands used to frame her face. Most would have stumbled after being birthed yet again, but Holly? She settled into the new body quite nicely...

A grin came to her lips and her hands had trailed up and down her new bare body, in a sensually slow manner. Holly wet her lips and slowly returned her gaze down toward Ophelia. A proud smile on her features. "Mistress..." Her voice came soft, smooth like silk and was deceptively heavenly. "I've been reborn and it feels..." She trailed off to display her power, by simply outstretching her influence over the area. The prisoners who were weak of will and heart, had sought to take their own lives. There would be sounds of them wailing and moaning, as they cried and killed themselves. What was the reason for this? Just the aura of Holly alone, instilled utter despair and dread into their hearts and mind, yet at the same time the aura told them that death, especially through suicide was fine, it was honorable and would please their new goddess. thus, they did it...

After doing so, she had devoured all of those hearts released to her and took them into power being, only furthering her powers. Those golden-yellow eyes of hers had brightened in the power. Holly then flicked her wrist and clothed herself.

Holly's new appearance:

After that process was completed, she smiled warmly towards her teacher. "Do I please you?"

Ophelia's eyes were lit with joy and pride as her apprentice broke free of the restraints her human body gave her. Her aura spitting with darkness and danger, her body full of power and life like never before despite her passion to bring about death. A smile streaked across the witch's lips as she observed only a glimpse of her apprentice's new power, just her aura was enough to make the many prisoners give into despair. As the hearts were taken and absorbed by the woman, Ophelia would look upon her as if she were a break through discovery.

Holly would ask "Do I please you?" to which the Heartless Queen would grab her by the shoulders, running her hands down her arms just to feel her form and power before finally responding. "So much. Everything you have worked for has paid off so well Holly." There was so much sincerity and kindness in the witch's voice, Holly may have even found it a bit strange. The heartless had a strange quirk to her, one that many of her kind found hard to accept despite their attacks on her, Ophelia had immense love for all heartless. In this rare case, Holly was already close to the witch so for her to transform into what Ophelia wanted, just made the situation even more so intense. She let go of Holly and turned to Eno.

As bodies of prisoners faded away heartless would appear in their place. Their golden eyes glowing in the dark, searching for a heart to steal before they'd all lay their eyes on the Sultan himself. The numbers were in Ophelia's favour at this point for her to get rid of him, however he had more use to him than just this instance. A small hand gesture and the creatures would submerge into darkness. It was a small trade to the heartless queen, leaving this world alone so long as the hearts of the corrupt were given to her. "I'd like to see the Cave of Wonders, will you take us there?" The heartless asked, her tone more demanding than polite. Knowing it as a place where rogues and thieves hung out, she wished to see more of her apprentice in action. That, and she had more to talk about with Eno.

“That was a little much,” is what the Sultan wishes he could say in this moment. When the ritual began, Eno made his way to a nearby concrete wall so that he could lean against it. With arms crossed he waited, his purple eyes brimming with anticipation. Though he fought heartless, among other creatures on a daily basis, seeing someone take the next step in their evolution was something the fallen knight has never seen, not even once.

The black, inky tendrils that rose up, Holly’s shrill declaration, in a way it made him sick despite his own darkness that overtook his own heart nearly two centuries ago. He’d made that pact with the dark once, and the Sultan knew its price. Holly may have achieved power beyond her previous limitations. But there will always be that drive in the back of her mind, like nails itching to escape her skull. That woman will be forced to feast on hearts to maintain some semblance of sanity. One heartless queen was going to be a handful, but a queen and her little “princess” were going to make it a bigger issue than it needed to be.

It was a bit of a disgusting sight to behold, watching as the emaciated woman tore herself apart in desperation. And, in a way it reminded him of his time within the confines of hell. But it didn’t end there for the servant of Ophelia. Once the shell of the past gave way towards the future, the Sultan couldn’t help but find himself awestruck at the visage before him. No longer would she be constrained to chairs and the use of puppets in order to move about. No, she found her body revitalized with the power of darkness.

But, for her to act so immodest, she must have really felt like a prisoner in her previous form. To top it off there isn’t a single sign of muscular atrophy. There would be no need for her to undergo any sort of training, a welcome realization. It’s then her sickly sweet tone carries across the otherwise silent prison cells. Even the men, who hadn’t seen a woman for at least a year, were oddly quiet, watching silently. Perhaps they knew it was best to keep any words to themselves?

Either way, it didn’t hold any significance as Holly’s influence snaked through the beings of her unfortunate victims. One by one, the weaker willed members would strangle themselves, snap their own necks, and even go so far as to rip open their own throats, all at the wordless request of their temporary master. Golden eyes flash brilliantly as their hearts are enveloped by the once crippled girl. And, once she finished her meal, a bit of magic would steal her curves from the eyes of those remaining.

A few prisoners that were able to miraculously resist the temptation, watch on. Their eyes remain red and cracked while their throats struggle to grasp for precious air. A particularly large, bald one, many feet away from the bulk of them all, sees the events unfold while grinding his teeth. A set of bracelets set upon his wrist glow with a pale blue light, and any sort of muscular strain was immediately stopped by its effects.

Naturally, Ophelia was ecstatic to see her apprentice’s newfound strength, so much so that she felt the need to almost embrace the girl. The two would share a moment together, before the heartless queen turns to meet Eno. As she did, the keyblade user couldn’t help but notice that the heartless that took the place of his prisoners were eyeing him wearily, his weapon being the obvious reason for their odd behaviour. At this point in time, the ex-knight keeps his fingers curled, a single snap is all that he needs to set every creature on this floor ablaze, even his own men should they turn to the darkness. But, with a simple wave of the hand, Ophelia has her creatures submerge and ultimately disappear from sight. Maybe he was being paranoid, after all, this would have been another chance for her to try the world leader.

“You seek the Cave of Wonders?” Eno asks, softly, “hmm, I’d never expect either of you to have an interest in that place. But, if you’d really like to see it, I can arrange a trip.” As he speaks, his hand traces the nearby wall, as though he were forming a door upon the concrete. “Such a thing never stays in one place, however,” he backs away, allowing his magic to tear its way into reality, and warping space for their travel, “So long as you have something to track it, finding it becomes a trivial matter.” Eno proceeds to step through, but he turns for one last moment, “the civil war, unfortunately, exposed the cave to darkness. If we are to enter, we must first force it to submit to our whims,” as he looks over them, scoffing before he adds, “that obviously won’t be an issue.”

The feeling of Ophelia's fingers and hands upon her new form had Holly shiver in delight. Goosebumps that no longer pained her once sickly body, formed on that newly flawless skin of hers. Hearing that sincerity, kindness and approval from her teacher was something never expected, it almost brought Holly to joyful tears. Alas, she had forsook her own tears long ago so she decided to show her elation to the woman, in her own manner. "It doesn't end here, Mistress. We still have more to take..."

Now Holly would know the utmost of true love, considering that her Mistress cared for Heartless much like a mother would for their child. It was glorious to have gone through the procedure and to keep things rolling, she'd move onto the rest of the prisoners. Once Ophelia had let her go, the witch's apprentice had turned alongside her and instead of stopping to speak with the Sultan as well, she opted to walk past him and take a gander at all of those prisoners.

Holly saw how each and everyone of them eyed her like a piece of meat. Some had lust, most had fear and she fed off of both. A wicked lick of her lips would have sealed each and everyone of their fates. There were many to choose from, so starting with the smallest group, Holly held out her hand towards them. Her mastery over the element Darkness was something that rivaled even the Heartless Witch's prowess. Those weaker than her she could reach out to their innermost darkness and considering these were all the lowest of the low, by prisoner standards, it was so easy for the snow-white haired woman to grip them at the hearts. They cried out and gripped at their chests, banging on the bars of their cells, wailing out in pain, beating at the walls for mercy. "You can feel it, right? All of the sin and pain you pushed onto others, now feel it tenfold onto your own beings and offer your hearts unto me!" She declared. One movement of the hand later, she ripped out their hearts without having to actually touch them. Their voices silent, their eyes empty, they fell onto the ground and were added to the ranks of Heartless. Now for the remainder.

While the apprentice continued to test her powers in brutal methods, her ears had tuned away from the sound of carnage and gore, to the discussion held between Ophelia and Eno. While they spoke, Holly would wrap dark tendrils around the mouths of her victims to quiet them, as she flayed their skin slowly and allowed her skeletal knight to just as slowly, impale them from the rear through the mouth, on pikes of darkness Holly crafted herself. Even with her revitalized strength, the knight hadn't disappeared or loss its sense of purpose. It was bound to do her bidding forever.

"If the cave is already exposed to darkness, why not plunge it ever further and take control of it ourselves? Imagine it, Mistress Ophelia, the entire bestial treasure trove at our command. We could delve into it freely without fear of entrapment, and even lure more unsuspecting thieves, or foolish heroes into our throngs. That way, we can gather more hearts in that method along with what we're already working on." The Heartless suggested, as she furthered her macabre work. Little by little, that prison grew ever silent, ever smaller in its population.

"Given it's nature of being hard to find, I believe the old Sultan may have hidden something there that I want." Ophelia was quick to respond about why she wanted to go there, though she'd remain vague about what it was exactly that she wanted. As the two would converse, Ophelia would pause momentarily to watch the beautiful monster she had created do her work, like a proud mother. The Heartless Queen would turn to Eno once again and he'd raise his concerns of the cave's current state with the darkness. Such things wouldn't be much of an issue, though the heartless reigned free willingly it wasn't so hard to dominate them once again.

Holly returned to the two, pitching in her part of the conversation and it was though she had stolen the words right out of Ophelia's mouth. "That sounds perfect, that way your citizens will be safer with the heartless so far in the desert. If you have more traitors you can send them there. I'm sure the family will gladly take them in." She looked at Eno to gauge his response, he'd be giving more into the deal they had set up but overall his good citizens would be able to roam their city without fear of the lurking heartless. Whether he was accepting of it or not, it seemed the place had been claimed by the heartless already. "As the Sultan I assume you have means of finding the cave and it's where abouts but if not, the darkness will lead us to it quite easily."

Ever so quickly the witch would notice their voices becoming the only ones in the prison. Though the prisoners had fallen silent upon Holly's transformation, the screams and noise of murder would drown out. The moment absolute silence would hit, they would be ready to go.

The bald prisoner growls under his breath as the trio speak among themselves, his green eyes scanning the group as more of his fellow ilk die when introduced to the darkness the nymph exudes. A devil wearing the robe of a woman, she watches on, her irritating voice screeching what the malcontent feels to be empty words. What sort of freak could do such a thing? This man considered himself a force to be reckoned with, the same could be said, or could have been said, for a large number of these inmates.

Most were from the same organization, an underground group made of remnants from the old war. An unknown number of men and women dedicated their lives to usurping the Sultan who relentlessly strives to undo the horrors of the past. The thought of revenge and the stranglehold of regret kept these people plotting to make unification a far to reach goal. Sadly to say, it would be their emotions that’d lead to their own demise. Within seconds, what took years of recruiting through kidnapping, brainwashing through propaganda, and generally relying on the ever shrinking ignorance that still remains in the city streets, unravels.

Out of the entirety of the occupants in this area of the prison, only seven remain. Aside from the larger one in the back, the rest are in their own varying degree of resisting the temptation calling from beyond the bars. One in particular, a pale gentlemen of irish descent, makes a break for the bald man, his eyes showing desperation. Skidding to a stop, he reaches in his prison jumpsuit, producing a shank. A faint yellow glow can be seen emanating from the small piece of metal, and in turn the bracelets glow with the same light.

“Oi, I finally got it!” he cries happily, the light clink of the binds coming undone follows shortly..

“D-Do these people not realize I’m standing right here?” Eno asks, dumbfounded. He raises his open palm towards the duo, and the irish prisoner ignites in a silver fire. Within seconds his body is consumed. However, due to the nature of this particular man, this wouldn’t be enough to kill. In fact, tenacity is how he ended up a prisoner rather than a corpse. Regardless, the man drops to his knees, and the attempted escape is thwarted. Even with the other prisoner having his inhibitors released, he couldn’t manifest the energy to do anything with it. “So, I guess that idea backfired?”

“H-how? He just freed me how can you stop us now?!”

“Because I let him do it. Where would you go anyway?” A moment of silence falls across the prison block, making it seem as though everyone gave themselves to Holly.

“What a coward, hiding behind women and magic,” the irish man finally speaks. The Sultan replies to his words with a shrug of his shoulders, opting to keep his attention on the two who’re going to probably eat him in a few seconds.

“Sorry, anyway, that is one way we can go about it. However, the Cave recognizes me as ruler,” Eno explains, “If we were to corrupt it, and fill it with heartless,  that’d keep me from being able to enter it. I need the treasure, otherwise, I can’t rebuild when people decide to blow up my city, nor can I compensate families if their primary source of income perishes.”