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Stan

“Kara va, kuul thuu, kra ga bajuul.”

Hand in hand, the members of the Brotherhood of the Craven Soul spoke the words given to them by the Dark Goddess millennia ago.

Since the dawn humanity, the Brothers of the Craven Soul have striven to undermine the powers of good and light in the human world. Each member was corrupted by the Dark Goddess, as far back as the first anointed Brother. It was the Dark Goddess who whispered in Cain’s ear to bring the cudgel down upon Abel.

The Dark Goddess, her intentions inscrutable and foul, wished nothing more than to arrive in the human world in physical form. It was prophesied that she would come in a time when man’s hubris and belief in his own powers was at its greatest.

At last, the time had come. The Dark Goddess sent her signs to the Brothers in their dreams: visions of vivisected goats; bouts of plague and war; one eyed beasts with dozens of legs, the Doom Steeds upon which the Brothers would ride, pillaging the mortal world.

The Circle of Doom was drawn in the blood of a goat, the runic symbols laid upon the floor, and the words memorized by each in attendance. At the anointed hour, they placed the sacrifice in the center of the circle, a live cow, and began their chant.

As the evil words emanated from their mouths, joining together in the air above them, the room began to shake. Smoke began to emanate from the blood of the circle, and foul odors to spew into the air from sources unseen. Now the building shook with the force of an earthquake. The cow, tied to the ground, tried to break free in a panic. The Brother’s raise their voices even louder, excitement building in their guts. At last, the lights in the room went out, the candles ceased to flicker and there was a monstrous explosion as the cow burst into a thick spray of gore.

Particles of what was once the cow flew in every direction, showering the Brothers in their black robes. The sheer force from the explosion of energy sent each man flying through the air, slamming into the walls of the underground chamber.

Slowly, one by one, the Brothers rose to their feet, their robes heavy with blood – and one by one they gawked at the creature they had summoned.

In the middle of the circle of blood, was a leather armchair, untouched by cow innards. Its padding was well worn and looked comfortably soft. Sitting in this chair was a middle aged man, dressed in worn jeans and a “Tron” t-shirt, with short cropped hair and an untrimmed beard. In his hands he still gripped an Xbox controller, the remnants of the wire sticking out ridiculously, seared off after a couple of feet. He looked worried, but surprisingly calm given the circumstances. His eyes were bloodshot and watery.

Brother Zan could not understand. Lighting a torch, he trudged over to the Book of Doom, dragging his entrails soaked robe with each step, and re-read the incantation. When he reached one passage in particular, he gaped in horror:

“Kara va, kuul thuu, kra ga bajal.”

BaJAL He thought to himself, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. BaJAL!

Back in the lay-z-boy, Stan coughed lightly and asked. “Hey guys. You have a bathroom in here? I should probably clean myself up.”

Brother Zan, dejected, pointed towards the bathroom door.

Stan nodded awkwardly. “Thanks man.” Then, trying to avoid the larger pieces of cow guts, Stan tip toed out of the circle, towards the bathroom door.

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