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Tommy just wanted to have a peaceful week. A peaceful week full of him borrowing and stockpiling food and cloth for the incoming winter.
Winter wasn't for another few months, but he already knew it'd be brutal. He also knew that food would be a lot scarcer than it ever had been before.
And that was saying a lot.
The crops had been failing this year. No matter what the villagers planted, it would wilt. No matter how much water and nutrients the villagers gave the plants, they'd die.
It left no crops to feed the people or their animals.
Tommy heard murmurs throughout the village. They were all getting antsy, and he didn't like it one bit.
"Do you think the Gods are mad at us?" One unusually paranoid Villager asked another.
"They probably are. We've been taking from them for far too long. They want retribution." Paranoid Villager 2 answered in a hushed tone.
Personally, Tommy believed the weather was just too unnaturally cold this year. It felt like a snowstorm was constantly brewing around the village, but none of the others seemed to acknowledge it.
Don't get him wrong; he believed in the gods just as much as everybody else. He just had a feeling that this wasn't their way of revenge.
The villagers all prayed nightly and held multiple annual festivals to worship the different gods. If that wasn't enough for the gods, then Tommy didn't know what was.
Somehow some way, the villagers decided they knew just what would appease them.
–
"Get your dirty fucking hands off of me!" Tommy all but shrieked at the people. Multiple of them were dragging him somewhere. That somewhere appeared to be deep in the woods.
"You must calm down. It's an honor to be offered up to the gods. You must act grateful." A burly villager who held his arm fast gritted at him.
"You ugly lug! Let me go!" He didn't let go.
Well, he did, but not where Tommy was hoping he would.
Everybody, in sync, dropped Tommy into a clearing. Before he could bolt, a heavy boot landed on his back. It knocked the air out of his lungs.
"People of Ballburg, we are here tonight to honor and offer a sacrifice to the Gods. Please lower your heads." A strange British accented voice said. A different shoe slammed onto Tommy's head when he tried to lift it.
"Let the live sacrifice commence." There was something sinister and dark in the tone. Tommy couldn't pinpoint it. He couldn't dwell on it long anyways.
Tommy suddenly felt himself being ripped off of the ground. There was a flurry of movement and when it ceased, he found himself tied tightly to a large oak tree.
His wrists were bound together behind the tree. His ankles were also tethered to the tree. He couldn't move to save himself. It also didn't help that every little movement chafed his skin raw.
Other than that, there wasn't too much wrong. Besides the fact that the villagers unanimously decided to kill him and the silence. The silence might just be worse.
He knew no one from Ballburg liked him, but the hush that has fallen over the forest was unnatural. Too unnatural.
There's usually a cricket chorus with the occasional bat click. If you're lucky, you might get to hear an owl's haunting hoot or a wolf's somber howl, but none of that could be heard.
Tommy's surroundings were dead quiet. It was unnerving. It was almost like the forest knew exactly what was happening within it.
At least he'd be able to hear anything coming? It also gave him a moment to think.
What would happen if the gods did come and grab him? Would they kill him? Or worse, force him to be their servant?
Sure others say it's a great honor to serve the gods, but it doesn't sound like a job for Tommy. He's naturally loud and brash. No one liked to deal with him for too long.
What if the Gods didn't come to get him? Would the villagers find and do something to him?
He didn't know what he would prefer to happen. His fate is practically the same either way. It seemed like nothing he did now would change it.
He could only hope that the villagers realized how foolish this was. They could let him go back to his street urchin life. It was more likely for an animal to get him, but he could hope.
Tommy felt tears prick his eyes. He just wanted to go back to that life. It wasn't safe at all, but at least then he wasn't tied to a tree waiting for some god to come and scoop him up.
He sat there bound to a tree in silence for what could have been minutes or hours (he had no way of telling) when he heard something.
Tommy heard some leaves crunching under large footfalls. That's not great. It was just silent and suddenly there was something rather large rather close to him? How long was he lost in thought?
For once in his life, Tommy decided to be quiet. He didn't want to know what was there. If it was a God or bear, he'd let it up to fate.
"Hello? I know I left you here somewhere." A distinctly British and familiar voice asked. Tommy felt like he heard it somewhere before.
"I swear if some animals got to him first." The familiar voice sounded annoyed. He probably wanted to kill Tommy himself.
It'd make sense. Whoever it is, they're obviously not an animal. They're probably a God who came to take up Ballburg's offer to them.
"Ah, there you are." Tommy tried moving his head in the direction he had heard the voice, but it was coming from behind his oak tree. Yes, it's his tree now.
Tommy heard a twig snap to his left. When he whipped his head in that direction, he saw a being that loomed over him.
The first thing Tommy saw was that the being had curly brown hair. He then saw the glistening eyes, but after further inspection, he figured out that the being was just wearing glasses.
Glasses were for rich pricks.
"Hey! I'm not a prick." Whoops, Tommy said that aloud.
"Why don't I just get you out of there and bring you to Phil already. He's always complaining about wasting time." Whoever this bitch was, Tommy wasn't going to let him kidnap him.
"Fucker! Bitch! Don't touch me, I'll bite your fingers off!" Tommy started screaming and thrashing against his bindings. There was no way he'd willingly go with this guy. He doesn't look like a God, but looks can be deceiving.
"Calm down, gremlin child. I'm just going to take you to my God. If the Ballburgers find you here, they'll kill you. I would know." The tall bitch grunted as he tried wrestling Tommy still.
"I don't care! Let me go." Tommy felt more tears try to break the dam. But he's a big man and holds them back. No big man cries unless it's absolutely necessary.
He will not waste tears on his demise. Especially if this prick is a part of it.
"Fine," He let Tommy go, "I'll just have to call Phil here. Better not, he's not going to like this too much." The weirdo was shaking his head with a deep frown.
Tommy didn't like the sounds of that. He tried kicking at the man, but couldn't.
"Plus, I think he's busy talking to Techno. I don't get why he doesn't just go visit him already." Tommy didn't like that name. It sounded like a way more powerful name than Phil.
Techno was probably the Angel of Death with a name like that. And if this Phil guy is in cahoots with the Angel, then he better not piss him off.
Sure this Wilbur guy claimed to be as well, but he wasn't as intimidating.
"Why don't I introduce myself. Maybe that'll calm you down. My name is Wilbur and I serve the Angel of Death at his temple. If you'd calm down, I'll take you there." Wilbur held his hand out for a handshake but quickly put it back down. Kick Tommy while he's down, why don't you?
Tommy almost spat out some more questionable insults, but just settled on glaring. He also decided to helpfully stop his thrashing. Nothing was stopping him from running once he's cut loose.
"There, now I'm going to get you out of those ropes. Don't try to run. Whether you like it or not, you've been claimed by the Angel of Death. He'll find and probably send me after you again." Wilbur started cutting away at the ropes.
How'd he know he'd run? Sure it's what any sane person would do, but still.
Also, what did Wilbur mean by saying he was claimed? Did that happen before or after the sacrificing part? It sounded like before, but he wasn't going to question it right now.
"Come on, we're not too far from the temple." As Wilbur led him, Tommy couldn't help but notice how fast they went from traveling through the dense forest to a frozen tundra. How did the biome change so quickly?
Last he checked, there wasn't even a tundra this way…
This Wilbur guy was uncanny in more ways than one. He sounded familiar, but definitely didn't look familiar. He said his god is the Angel of Death? Tommy hadn't met anybody devoted to one single god before.
Another uncanny thing, he was quiet. Tommy was used to people yelling at him, so not talking at all was strange.
Tommy didn't let it drag him down and instead took it in stride. He decided if they weren't talking, he might as well get a closer look at Wilbur.
Wilbur was tall. Like really tall. Tommy had never seen anyone as tall as him before. He also wore this weird trench coat thing. Weirdly enough, it didn't look like it belonged to this century.
"Do I look good? Make sure to get my good side." Wilbur startled Tommy with a crazed grin. Seriously, he was quiet for so long and that's the first thing he says?
"Fuck off. Where are we even going?" Looking around, Tommy couldn't see anything but snowy plains. It was also strange how he wasn't cold from the icy weather. Not even in the slightest.
"I told you already. I'm taking you to the temple. You've gotta meet the guy who caused all this after all." Wilbur still had that crazed grin on his face. It was scary, to say the least.
"What do you mean caused this?" Tommy was skeptical. From what he'd been gathering, it seemed like some god claimed him? That made zero sense.
"Yeah, he said he saw you a few days ago and just got attached instantly. I blame it on the fact that Techno moved his temple further away, the old sap." Wilbur was shaking his head again. Must be something he does often.
Tommy was possibly even more confused now. When did a god have time to see and get attached to him? It's not like he spends a lot of time out in the open.
Talk about a parasocial relationship.
"Oh, look! There's the temple." Wilbur sped up his walking, forcing Tommy to go faster too. Tommy wasn't about to be left behind in the dark.
The temple was an oddly pure white color that made it stick out against the fallen snow. It also had these unnatural-looking green plants with black flowers climbing all over it.
"Wilbur," A new British voice called. "There you are! I thought you got yourself discovered again or something." This British guy had blonde chin length hair and blue eyes similar to Tommy's. They were slightly different shades to his own, but it was still a bit eerie.
"That was one time," Wilbur called back with a more tame grin than he previously had. The two met up with a hug.
"That was one time too many, mate. There you are, Tommy! I was waiting for you to get here." He grabbed and forced Tommy into a hug too. He then held him at arm's distance.
"You have no idea just how happy I am to see you here! I'm Phil." This Phil dude seemed awfully joyful.
He also somehow knew Tommy's name.
"How the fuck do you know my name?" Tommy bit out while trying to rip away from the tight hold. Phil didn't let him go.
"See Wilbur," Phil turned to Wilbur. "He does have a worse mouth than yours!" And he was being ignored. Great.
Phil turned to start leading them into the dark temple. He made sure to hold Tommy's hand tightly. It made him feel like a small child who might accidentally get lost in a market.
The more he thought about it, the more this all was starting to look like some kind of messed up cult. Maybe they were trying to indoctrinate him or something.
This is precisely when Tommy saw some things that definitely weren't supposed to be there. The things made him question whatever knowledge he had gained while on the streets.
This Phil dude had wings! Actual wings that looked real! They looked like he could just take off from anywhere he pleased.
They were pitch black, shiny, and feathered. They also had a weird resemblance to the wings of the crows Tommy had seen circling Ballburg more than once.
"They're beautiful aren't they, mate?" Phil turned to him with a bright smile. "At least you're not screaming in fear like Wil did when I first met him." He was chuckling. Wilbur just gave a lethal glare.
Phil continued walking into the temple. They entered it and the atmosphere changed. It felt like a cozy home? How?
Phil didn't stop and continued to lead them through the temple.
Tommy really tried to make a mental map of the place, but couldn't. There were too many twists, turns, and halls that looked identical.
They eventually did stop at a door. Phil opened it and a room that looked similar to the bedrooms he'd seen before was on the other side.
"You'll be staying here. I'll let you get settled. The bathroom is across the hall and you have some new clothes in the drawers. Don't try to run. It'll be futile and a real pain to find you." Phil smiled at him. He motioned for Wilbur to follow him.
That… That wasn't creepy or anything.
–
Tommy spent a lot of time trying to find a different way out of the room. He muttered curses to himself when he found that the singular window was locked. Even the vent was too small to climb through.
He eventually gave up and looked through the clothes. It was all something he'd happily wear…
He decided he might as well put some fresh clothes on. The ones he has are practically nothing but filthy rags.
Tommy decided to go into the bathroom to change. Maybe he could pretend to take a shit so he had time to look around in there too.
He thought himself pretty genius and did just that. To his disappointment, he found nothing. Not even a self-defense weapon.
There was a knock on the wooden door.
"Tommy? Phil said to tell you that there's food in the kitchen. He also wants to talk." Wilbur was gone before Tommy could reply.
He sighed and decided he might as well find the kitchen. Maybe then he could ask Phil what this whole gig is. He's a little more than upset with himself that he didn't even put up much of a fight.
He should be angry with what's happening, but instead feels almost at ease. It's not quite that, but it's hard for him to explain.
Sighing, Tommy looked left and right. He had no idea where the kitchen was, but he didn't remember seeing it on the way in, so he went the way he hadn't been yet.
Tommy had made the right choice as he found Phil hovering around a table that Wilbur was sitting at. On the table, there were 3 plates piled high with various foods. There were also spoons, but no forks or knives.
"There you are, mate. Sit down. Let's have a quick chat." Tommy didn't like those words, but did as asked. He might get more answers if he complied.
Phil sat in the last empty chair.
"You're probably wondering why you're here." Tommy nodded. "I claimed you. Now let's move on and eat." Phil picked up a spoon and scooped a slice of steak off his plate.
"What?" Tommy was severely confused. Did this guy really not understand that this isn't an everyday occurrence?
He was finally finding that anger he wanted earlier.
"What does that even mean? You can't just say you've claimed me and use it as justification for keeping me here." Tommy slammed a clenched fist onto the table.
He was done being nice. He was getting his answers now.
"It just means I've claimed you. I'll always know where you are and what you feel. I just let Wilbur get you because I thought he'd be more approachable." Phil continued eating. Wilbur was also eating, but seemed a bit nervous.
"Then why'd I get sacrificed? Surely you'd want to make sure no other god got me?" Tommy wanted to know this. If Phil claimed him, then why was he almost met with a different god?
"What do you mean?" Phil sounded concerned. His eyes were furrowed like he was thinking about something.
"I was tied to a tree. Wilbur found me and got me out. In fact, I think he was looking for me." Wilbur looked even more nervous.
"Wilbur, mate? What does he mean? Why was he almost sacrificed? I told you to bring him back asap." Phil had an accusing tone now. He was staring at Wilbur, waiting for an answer
"I was just having a bit of fun. Plus, I didn't even say any real chants. It wasn't a real sacrifice." Wilbur said while avoiding Phil's gaze.
Tommy knew why Wilbur's voice sounded familiar now. He was the guy who set him up for the sacrifice. The sinister sounding one.
"What about the crops? Why was the weather so bad?" Could that have been Wilbur too?
"That was all just purely bad weather. I just gave the villagers a little push in the 'right direction.'" Wilbur mumbled.
"You're telling me, Wil, that you scared Tommy just for the fun of it?" Phil still didn't sound like he was mad. He sounded like he was disappointed. Oh, that's gotta hurt.
Wilbur gave a nod and Phil sighed in exasperation.
"You'll be sweeping the temple steps of snow for the next week."