The Blood Cult/Sects/Xerotl/Coming of Xerotl

Following is Capone's interpretation of his brief visit to the realm of Xerolco, the events that led up to it, Teros' message to him, and the birth of Teros' first believer on this plane.

---

As Capone looked from his tent upon Melegra he couldn't help but be impressed by what his cousin had done.

Who would have thought this tiny realm could muster such an army? I thought to myself.

Retravic... now he understood. He understood why the family respected - and feared - her. There was
something about her... something almost horrifying in its implications.

I know it! Why can I not name it?!

Maybe it has to do with Oligarch...
...after all, no one walks away from the destruction of their home unchanged.

But that wasn't quite it. I thought about it for some time before Captain Wolfhart came
to report on the take over's progress, among other things. As the captain entered
he began:

"The resistance is falling, its true the people here already had some sympathy for Fwuvoghor. I
don't expect this abomination of a government to last very long."

I nodded and dismissed the captain after hearing the rest of his debriefing, boring stuff, like always.
I had completely lost my train of thought about my cousin and decided to dismiss it, it must not have
been important.

Its been a long night, and I need sleep.

---

Sleep came, but it was not really sleep. I felt as though I was both conscious and unconscious;
unable to make sense of where I was or what was happening.

I suddenly found myself in a throne room. I don't know how I knew it was a throne room,
it certainly didn't look like any I had ever seen in his life, but I knew without a doubt that
was what I was standing - no, kneeling, in. The walls were black, and before me was something
I knew to be a throne, a throne so black it made me feel sick. Even the air here had a...
feeling of black. Slowly, panic crept in, and I began to look about wildly, looking for
something that was not touched by this black, this Darkness.

And then something laughed. I say something because there was a quality to the sound, which
I can describe only as laughter, which could not have come from anything of this world. This
sound, strangely, I think I have heard this before... but where? WHERE?!

"You seem to be distressed, Capone," the voice, something I call a voice hesitantly, said.

"Whos there? Where am I? Where have you taken me?"

Again, the voice that was not a voice spoke,

"I have taken you nowhere, mortal. You found your own way here."

"Where is here?"

"This is my realm."

"Where?"

"That is unimportant. But you are here to hear my message, and hear it you will.
Know that I am Teros, the Lord of Shadows, and that those that oppose me will fall.
When when the Xelatl and daimons of Nethitlpl come once more, it is my call that all
will heed. From my gaze my domain will burst forth, and in my footsteps will walk the
Xenotl. As the end of an age approaches, the Age of Xerotl marches ever closer."

My skin was not skin; it was scales, and suddenly I was like a serpent. A great and powerful
serpent clothed in the shadows. I was the serpent, but I was not. The serpent was Teros.
Teros  was the Dark, and I was tainted by the Light. The Dark! Its so welcoming! So perfect!
I want to be closer to it! To become it! I want to serve...

The voice again...
"Who is it you wish to serve, mortal?"

"I want... to serve? To serve... the... Dark. To serve the Dark. That is what I want."

And suddenly, I could see. I understood, and embraced the Dark. And before me on the
throne was Teros, or at least the part I know he showed me... it is not in me to see more...
it is not in any mortal to see more of Him... no more than his figure, and the Serpent
Eyes. The eyes of my master.

---

Capone awoke beaded in sweat, with Captain Wolfhart staring at his bed in amazement. After
realizing what had just happened Capone looked sharply at the captain and asked what was wrong.

"I heard some... noise coming from here, and thought an assassin had snuck in so I came as
quickly as possible. But as I came in you weren't in your bed, so I began to look around, when
suddenly I heard the... noise again, and you were in your bed..."

"Captain, I want you to speak of this to no one. I have had... a vision, of sorts,
but now is not the time. Do you understand?"

Snapping to attention, military training taking over, the captain promptly replied "Yes, Sir!"
and left the room. Already he had almost completely forgotten what had just happened; the
secrets of nobles are not meant to be known by any but the nobles, after all.

I understand now. I understand it.

I know now.

She knows The Truth.

---

These are my accounts of what I can only call a vision, and a prophecy. I hope that some day what I write here can be seen by all, and that some day all will understand The Truth.

-- Capone the Slayer, Melegra, Fifteenth day of the Second month of the year One Thousand and Seven.