Chapter 1: The Trap
Chapter Text
He was alone, just as I wanted him to be. I approached him slowly and casually.
"Who are you?" Yoo Joonghyuk said in a calm tone.
"Not here. Not with him watching." I was deliberately vague in my reply. I was baiting him.
"Who is watching? Who are you afraid of?"
"I'm not afraid. I just don't want him to know that I've contacted you. Let us go to a more private location.”
This was a poorly planned trap and I was aware of it. It was the first time I had tried to lure a human, and it was no ordinary human. I was simply counting on him not being afraid of me.
“Where do you propose we go, then?”
Silence hung in the air as Yoo Joonghyuk examined me. I could see that he was not impressed.
“A secluded place, away from prying… eyes.”
I was counting on him to understand my meaning.
“Lead the way, then.”
This was… surprisingly easy? His agreement caught me off guard. I expected I'd have to at least pique his interest with some deeply obscure secret. I moved at an unhurried pace and he followed, looking at me intently. He was measuring my intentions. Analysing me. And I let him, feeling quite confident in my disguise. Despite my lack of experience, I had prepared for this moment for a very long time.
I led him into a nearby building, down into a basement.
“Here it is. I prepared it so we can talk in peace.”
“Are you sure we're alone here?”
Yoo Joonghyuk entered the room with a slow step. The only source of light was from a dimly lit industrial lamp on the wall. It was a small, empty space. Concrete floor, bare walls, no furniture. It didn't look very welcoming.
"Yes, no one will disturb us here. Let me lock the door."
I tried to sound ominous, for effect. I suddenly felt like being a little dramatic. I could hardly contain my excitement, but my appearance was as dull and inexpressive as ever. Yoo Joonghyuk let out a deep breath and watched as I locked the door. His eyes remained cold as he followed my every move.
"I didn't expect you to just obediently follow me, alone." I said with genuine confusion.
"I was simply curious. No sane person would dare approach me, let alone lead me to a basement.” His voice was quiet, but it still retained its sharp edge.
"This isn't just any old wine cellar. It's reinforced, secured and isolated."
I couldn't help sounding smug. I was very proud of this facility.
"And how did you gain access to such an impressive place?" His gaze was piercing me and there was mockery in his tone. The air was still and tense.
"I have my ways." I replied curtly. I tried to sound angry, but I didn't really mind his ridicule. I was relishing the moment. He was so close, almost at the tip of my fingers. I could smell his scent.
His intense gaze didn't waver. He was still looking at me with cold, suspicious eyes.
“You are quite the shady individual, aren’t you. What's your interest in me?”
"You are a handsome man. I wanted to spend some quality time alone with you."
He cringed at my shameless answer.
“Quite a bold move. Quality time with you, huh?” He let out a short breath and smirked faintly. It was almost amusing to him. His reaction excited me. No fear at all.
“Quality for me, not necessarily for you.”
"Then why should I give you the pleasure?" Yoo Joonghyuk leaned against the wall and crossed his arms, staring at me with a mocking look.
"I wasn't going to ask."
"Oh, really? You weren't going to ask?" His eyes remained cold, but his lips curled into a smile. It wasn't a happy smile. He was starting to get angry.
"No. I tend to get what I want from people, they don't have to agree. And I have a lot of things I want from you.
"Then take what you want." His voice was dry, without a trace of politeness. It was a challenge. He was tired of this game and ready to see what I was made of. He pushed off the wall and took a few steps forward. He was directly in front of me now.
I let out a gleeful, unrestrained laugh. My face contorted into a terrifying smile. Thick, black tentacles began to emerge from the ground.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Vermis Nihil, the Sovereign Beyond Names. A being you commonly refer to as the Outer God."
Yoo Joonghyuk was taken aback by the sudden display. His eyes widened slightly, but his expression quickly returned to its usual composure. He tried to calm his breathing as he weighed his options. He carefully considered his next words. There wasn't much he could say.
“An Outer God, huh? And what do you want from me?”
"I want your body. You can either submit to me willingly, or I can make you. Choose.”
A hint of disbelief flickered across Yoo Joonghyuk's face, but he quickly masked it with his usual coldness.
“And if I refuse to submit? What will you do then?”
"Your companions, the ones you care about, I will devour them slowly. I'll rip out their livers and eat them while you watch, over and over again, in every timeline."
Yoo Joonghyuk's face darkened at the mention of multiple timelines, his hands clenched into fists. However, he quickly regained his composure and tried to maintain an indifferent expression.
"You're bluffing. You don't have the power to do this."
His doubts were understandable. Outer Gods don't usually sneak into the mortal world disguised as humans to lure others into traps. Chatting in damp basements is not their normal modus operandi. No, when an Eldritch Horror like myself descends into the world, the only thing that follows is utter annihilation.
I may have locked him in a room with me and waved a few tentacles around, but that's not enough to make him believe my words. I will have to show him.
"Do you not know what the Outer Gods are capable of? Have you not seen my brothers destroy entire worlds?”
"I have faced countless opponents far more fearsome than you, and none of them have been able to defeat me."
His reply was pure bravado, he has never survived an attack by an Outer God. He is probably not convinced that I am not an impostor.
"Oh, but they defeated you, didn't they? It just so happens that when you die, you go back to the beginning. But I have a proposal for you. There is no need for this to get violent. As long as you agree to submit to me in this timeline, I will make a pact with you to guarantee that I will not touch you in any of your next lives, and that I will leave all of your companions alone. I will sweeten the deal and answer all your questions, as long as you submit willingly.”
It really is a pretty good deal. Permanently neutralising an overpowered enemy at the cost of one life isn't so bad, as long as you can endure what comes next.
Yoo Joonghyuk considered my words carefully. I spoke of things that are hidden from most people. Pacts, timelines… those are not things known to mortals. He remained silent for a few moments, considering the offer. Then he spoke in a voice that was clearly forced to sound as emotionless as possible.
“... What exactly do you mean by submit.”
"Offer me your body.” I didn't want to explain myself.
"Just my body, then? Is that all?" his words dripped with sarcasm.
“Mhmmm yes. For some who have lived as many lives as you, giving up a timeline can't be that bad. It's far too much trouble to fight me."
I had to make him understand as quickly and explicitly as possible that I was who I claimed I was. The tentacles rushed from all directions, wrapping around him in a fraction of a second before he had a chance to react. They held him without giving him any opportunity to move a muscle. There was nothing he could do.
I could sense his heart racing, but his breathing remained steady and his eyes were calm. He had incredible control over himself.
Yoo Joonghyuk contemplated his situation for a moment, his mind running through a thousand thoughts. He seemed to believe my words after all. An impostor wouldn't be able to restrain him this effortlessly. After a few seconds, he finally spoke.
"You won't touch any of my companions? And you will not interfere with other timelines?"
“That’s right. I will make a pact with you. If I break it, I will be annihilated.”
Yoo Joonghyuk let out a deep sigh, finally making up his mind. His face slowly relaxed as he braced himself for what was to come, and gave me a slight nod.
“I... accept your offer. You have my body. Do as you please.” His voice was confident, without a hint of fear. His self-control never ceased to amaze me.
"And so the pact is made." I said in a grave, deep voice. No great ceremonies were required. We were bound by the simple agreement of both parties. Being an Eldritch Horror has its perks.
That was easy. Well, it wasn't exactly easy, I specifically chose a time and place in his long journey where his mental state would be most vulnerable to that kind of blackmail. Another advantage of being beyond time and almost omniscient. He has seen too much suffering, but not enough to make him numb. This kind of self-sacrifice makes sense to him now.
This is where the fun begins~.
Chapter 2: The Ingress
Chapter Text
"Ahhhhhhh that is most splendid, you are truly a wonder to behold!" I said happily as I retracted the tentacles. "Take off your shirt, slowly." The order was firm and perfunctory, in contrast to my earlier jovial exclamation. My expression changed from an open smile to a grimace. I was becoming impatient.
Yoo Joonghyuk's face remained neutral, but there was a flicker of defiance in his eyes. He did as I commanded and unbuttoned his shirt. With each button undone, more of his chest was revealed until the shirt finally fell from his shoulders. Only his belt and trousers covered his bare skin.
Controlling myself was becoming a challenge. I was glad I didn't have to breathe, as I was sure my breathing would betray my excitement. But the body I currently inhabited was only a vague decoy, designed to fool humans into thinking I was one of them. My true form, that of a maddening mass of swirling tentacles, resided somewhere in the void. I came here as a ball of divine essence containing most of my consciousness, and the decoy body was a carefully crafted simulacrum. That was enough for what I intended to achieve.
“Get on your knees.” I commanded.
Yoo Joonghyuk's face hardened when he heard my words, but after a moment of hesitation, he obediently got down on his knees. He looked up at me with an indifferent expression, but I could see that he was trying hard not to grit his teeth.
"No need to look so upset, I promise I will be very gentle. You are a treasure to be cherished and not hurt."
"Oh, please, spare me your flattery." He couldn't help but scoff at my words. Whatever was to come, he was sure it would be one of the most devastating experiences of his life.
"Hahahah," I laughed genuinely. "That's hardly flattery. Surely you know how irresistible you are. You must be out of this world for an Outer God to disregard all protocol and descend to Earth just to get his hands on you. I understand why this upsets you, I just want you to relax a little. I promise it won't be so bad.”
Yoo Joonghyuk's mouth twisted into a bitter smile. He looked away, avoiding my eyes. His body was as tense as a bowstring.
"It took an enormous amount of power just to materialise here, enough to destroy a world or two. That's how special you are." The ominous tentacles appeared again from all directions, this time brushing gently against Joonghyuk's hair and cheeks. "Please bear with me. I know this is not a pleasant sensation."
Yoo Joonghyuk flinched at the touch of the tentacles, but he forced himself to calm down and took a deep breath, trying to suppress his instinct to fight back. He kept his expression as neutral as possible, but there was no hiding the growing resentment.
I imagined that he resented himself most of all, that he was too weak to fight back, that he had to accept this humiliation in order to achieve a greater goal. He must have felt pathetic, but he did an amazing job of hiding it.
"Don't worry, I won't do anything that feels too violating. I am an Eldritch Horror, not a pervert. My tentacles may feel uncomfortable, but they won't hurt you." I don't know why, but I felt the need to comfort him. I lied too. What I was about to do would be more violating than anything he had ever experienced. And I really felt bad about it, but my desire to take him was greater than any scruples I might have.
"Get it over with. Do what you want." My words did not reassure him. He was not stupid. He knew I was deceiving him. He despised my efforts to get him to let his guard down, even a little, and I didn't blame him. I was being insincere mainly for my own benefit. The more he accepted me, the easier it would be for me to do what I had to do.
The tentacles further ascended from the walls, floor and ceiling. They slowly wrapped around Joonghyuk's half-naked, kneeling body. "Please relax, let the tentacles embrace you completely. Don't fight it." It was an order.
Yoo Joonghyuk's body tensed even more as the tentacles wrapped around him, but he tried his best to follow my command and relax. He clenched his fists tightly but didn't try to push them away. I could see how difficult this was for him. His whole body screamed in protest as he tried to release the tension, as he spread his legs to allow the tentacles to reach his groin, his face contorting into an ugly grimace. He could no longer maintain his composure. Disgust and hatred were clearly written on his face.
“Please don't panic now, I will need to remove the rest of your clothes. I understand this might feel a bit upsetting, but at least this way they won't get ruined. I promise to not do anything untoward.” My voice was cold.
He didn't answer. He looked like he was going to throw up. He closed his eyes, as if even looking at me would make him go over the edge.
I clumsily removed the rest of his clothes as the tentacles held him firmly in place. He no longer tried to calm his racing heart, to relax his muscles. The tentacles encircled his entire body, tightening around his naked skin. They were thick and black, soft and warm. Their touch was gentle but firm. They enveloped him completely, rendering him immobile, just as I needed him to be.
"...What now?" He forced himself to speak. There was panic in his voice. His eyes remained closed, his breathing deep and heavy. His body was more tense than ever, every muscle taut. He could feel the warm touch of the tentacles all over him and it made him shiver in spite of himself. I felt he had misunderstood my intentions, so it was time to correct any misconceptions he may have had.
"Now it's time for me to take my prize. I know it's going to be difficult, but you must relax your body. I will now enter you." He audibly exhaled sharply at that part.
"And by that I mean I am going to literally implant myself inside you, like a parasite. You will feel an unpleasant, overwhelming sensation of pressure, but it won't be painful. The more you resist, the longer it will take, so try to force yourself not to resist."
He bit back a choked gasp at my words and tightened his fists, his fingernails digging into his palm. He didn't respond, his face unnaturally stiff. His mind was racing, trying to understand what I was saying.
I approached him slowly, preparing myself. It was an ancient, profane ritual. I would completely shed my current shell and insert myself into the man before me. I realised he must be terrified and I wanted to reassure him, but there were no words that could make it right, so I tried to get it over with as quickly as possible.
Yoo Joonghyuk kept his eyes closed, his breathing shaky. His mind was screaming in protest, but he forced himself to keep the words from escaping his lips. He was completely convinced that I was bluffing, that I couldn't do such a thing. Even if I am a being on a whole new level, I can't just implant my life essence into someone else's body. This can't be true. Not like this. Not like this…
I let out a horrifying shriek as I left my body. My old vessel crumbled to dust and a swirling mass of black light filled the room. In one swift movement, I poured my entire essence into his subdued form. I could feel him flinch, but while the process wasn't pleasant, it was painless. At least I wasn't lying about that part. He gasped for air as I filled him. It was overwhelming. I was pure power and I tried hard to penetrate every cell of his body.
He couldn't scream or cry out as the pulsating mass entered him, filling his veins and drowning out his consciousness. His body writhed involuntarily at the mind-shattering sensation. Those few minutes felt like an eternity. It was endless and maddening, forcing him into a state of intense helplessness. When my essence finally settled, he hung his head low, his breath ragged, his heart barely beating. The feeling of something foreign dwelling within him was... horrifying.
"It's OK, calm down, it's over. Deep breaths." He could hear my voice inside his head. I was already inside him, there was no need for me to speak. The tentacles were still holding him down so he wouldn't fall. My old body was nowhere to be seen. As I made myself comfortable inside him, he slowly regained his senses.
His breath shuddered as the words echoed in his mind. He opened his eyes, the reality of the situation finally sinking in. He could feel me inside of him, he could feel me adjusting myself inside of his own body, and he could do nothing about it. The feeling was sickening and wrong. It took every ounce of resistance not to give in to panic.
"It's OK, it's OK," I kept reassuring him in a calm, monotonous voice inside his head. I knew it couldn't be easy for him, but he was an incredibly resilient man. That's why I chose him. The tentacles retreated slowly, lowering his body gently to the floor. He was wet with sweat. "We need a shower before we can get dressed." I thought to myself. I was enjoying this.
He sat down on the hard, cold floor, the feeling of helplessness washing over him. The emotionless voice in his head was like torture, reminding him again and again that he was no longer his own. The realisation, combined with the unfamiliar sensations coursing through his body, made him shudder. Despite his usual composure, he couldn't keep the tears from streaming down his face. He brought his knees up to his chest and buried his head between them, trying to hide the shameful display.
I could feel his despair. I was now sharing his every emotion. It was heartbreaking. I wanted to comfort him somehow, but that would be disingenuous. I had caused this and I had to own it. I tried to keep my voice as neutral as possible as I made it sound in his head. "It's going to be OK. I don't have any control over your body. I just reside inside you. You're going to be fine."
His entire frame shook as the words flooded his mind once more. Despite the reassurance, he could no longer hear over the roar of blood in his ears. His hands were clenching his hair, nails digging into the flesh of his scalp. He felt like he was drowning, drowning in his own body, with no power or control over what was happening to him. His breath quickened as he tried to stay calm, but he already knew he was losing control of his own mind.
Chapter 3: The Ordeal
Chapter Text
“Yoo Joonghyuk. Listen to me. You're going to be alright. It's already over. You are still in control of yourself. You are not going to lose yourself to me.” Feeling his absolute dread was worse than I anticipated. The fabric of his mind seemed fragile and on the verge of breaking.
He took a heaving breath as my words echoed inside his mind once more. Then he repeated them to himself, over and over, like a litany. “Control… control…” He slowly lifted his head and looked up with wide eyes and a pale, tear streaked face. His mind was a jumble of tangled emotions, struggling to regain some semblance of composure. He removed his hands from his hair, fingers trembling as he spoke. "I can control myself."
"Yes. You control yourself. I do not need control. What I need from you is much more esoteric. I will not interfere with you. It will take some time to get used to my constant presence, but you are my host, not my slave.”
It was the truth. He moved his hands, gripping them tightly as they clenched and unclenched. He looked at his legs, watching them tremble as they bent and straightened. He understood that he hadn't lost his mind, at least for the moment, but that didn't make him feel any better. The prickly, alien presence inside him felt nauseating.
He wished this creature would rather do to him what he had expected to happen in the first place - rape him over and over again with its huge tentacles until his body finally gave in.
"Think of this as a new kind of experience. Sharing your body with an Eldritch God cannot be easy, but you are no stranger to hardship. You can endure it."
I had a feeling my words were only making the situation worse. He pushed himself up, leaning against the wall to support himself. He could feel my presence inside him, and he didn't think he'd ever get used to it.
“No stranger to hardship. Endure it... Alright…” He repeated the words in his mind, giving him something to latch onto and focus on.
“You're doing great, there's no rush. I wanted to provide a bed, but it would only get destroyed during the... ceremony. You don't have to get up now. Take it slow, deep breaths. It's going to feel a bit uncomfortable as I'm settling in.”
That was an understatement. I shifted my essence inside of him, making sure nothing leaked out. I contracted myself considerably to fit snugly inside, even if it was a little too tight for my liking. I was sure my wriggling must feel strange and wrong to him now, but he would have to get used to it.
He let out another trembling breath as he felt my essence moving inside of him, its presence oppressive. It was a strange, violating sensation. He tried to force himself not to think about it and instead concentrate on the words repeating in his mind. “Endure it… Endure it…” He let out a shaky breath and tried to steady himself. I kept shifting, and he kept mumbling. I had a feeling he wouldn't be able to hold out much longer, but I had only just begun.
“How are you feeling? Is it bearable?” It was a genuine question.
“I can handle it.” He lied. He wasn’t handling it. “... I've endured worse.” That… was probably true. His expression was tight and tense as he spoke, his voice shaky. I wished I could do something to make it easier. “I don't think there's anyone else who would be able to handle having me inside them and not lose their mind.” I tried to find the right words, but it didn’t seem like it was working.
“... I suppose I should be flattered that I'm special enough to have an Eldritch God decide to use me as a vessel.” He tried to put on a show of confidence, even though his heart was still pounding in his chest and his body felt like it was on fire.
“Your resilience is precisely why I chose you.”
“... I see.” He struggled to speak. There was nothing more to add, but my words struck a chord within him. The thought of being chosen specifically for his resilience was unsettling. Despite his stoic exterior, he had to fight the shiver that ran down his spine.
“There's no need to put up a strong front. I can feel everything you feel. I know you're disgusted and want nothing more than to tear me apart, and I understand. I forced you into this. But now that we are one, we share a bond that is not easily broken.”
His jaw tightened as he processed my words. He loathed the idea of sharing a bond with me, of having me inside of his very being. It was wrong on levels he couldn't begin to describe. The reality of becoming one with an Eldritch God filled him with a mixture of revulsion and rage. But despite the maelstrom of emotions coursing through him, he still couldn't help but ask the question that had been nagging at him. "Why did it have to be me?"
“Because you are the only man strong enough to endure me.” It was that simple.
He took in my words. He knew I wasn't lying - he could feel my essence coursing violently through him, trying to break him from the inside, and it took all he had to withstand it. But he was not satisfied with the simple answer. He needed to make sense of the reason. He needed to understand why this was happening to him. Hadn't he suffered enough? Why this too?
“There are plenty of people who are strong.” He didn’t want to accept this.
“Not like you. You don't realise how incredible you are. Your will cannot be broken. Your body can take more than this. There is literally no other mortal who could survive this process.”
"Is that what I am to you all, a durable toy that can take all the beating you wish to inflict on me?” His stoic expression faltered. His voice cracked. He was at his limit.
"I can judge the quality of a man with a simple probe. There is no other mortal who comes close to you. I am not trying to flatter you, I have no need to. I am simply telling you the truth. You will survive this. I know it feels like you are ready to give up." I paused. I didn't want to say this next part. "And it will get much worse." There was no reaction. As if nothing I said would make a difference now. "But you will prevail. I have searched for a long time, through every world and realm, to find a suitable vessel. You are the one I've been looking for."
“And you've found me. Now you have your vessel. What's going to happen next?” his voice was quiet, almost a whisper.
“I'm going to make myself comfortable inside of you.”
His stomach clenched at my words. He didn't want to imagine what I meant.
"I will seep into your flesh and bones until my essence completely fills your body and I become indistinguishable from you."
"You're already doing it, aren't you?" He could feel it happening. My essence was already slowly taking over, spreading through his insides, and he found it repulsive.
“Yes, but I am restraining myself. Don't worry, it won't always feel so alien. As I continue to join with you completely, you may even find it a bit pleasurable.”
Joonghyuk didn't try to hide his disgust at my words. Pleasure? The thought of finding any kind of pleasure in this... abomination of a process is hard for him to comprehend.
“I know it seems like a lot right now. You find me repulsive because I'm an alien, tentacled creature, and sharing a body with one feels wrong. But you will grow accustomed to my presence. The foreign sensation will soon change to a feeling of being completely filled inside, and it will begin to feel comforting and familiar.”
He struggled to keep his composure. My words were beginning to affect him, causing a strange sensation to creep up his spine. The idea of being completely filled, of my presence becoming familiar and even... comforting, was terrifying. But as much as he loathed to admit it, he longed for any kind of respite from his current torment. Part of him wanted to rebel against these thoughts, but another part just wanted to give in. Anything to make it stop. He gritted his teeth, resisting the urge to respond to my words.
"It is okay for you to resist. I know the idea of giving in to me feels humiliating. You don't have to pretend.”
Joonghyuk's face darkened when he heard my words. He knew that I could see through his facade and he began to hate how transparent he was to me. My presence inside him was like a parasite, slowly eating away at his soul. He tried to push away the feeling that he was losing control, but deep down he knew that he was helpless to stop me.
“I don't want to make this difficult for you. Just as I can feel your emotions, you can feel mine. I mean you no harm. As we truly merge into one being, you will feel a great deal of confusion. The sensations will be unfamiliar. Some of them will feel frightening, but some of them will feel good. Some may even feel intoxicating. If you are afraid that the pleasure will make you lose control, I can adjust myself to make it less intense.”
My words did not sound malicious, but he was certain that I was deceiving him. The idea of being overwhelmed by the sensations I promised made him shiver involuntarily. He tried to keep his composure, but the thought of ending this hellish torture and giving in to pleasure, of letting go and surrendering everything to me, was tantalising. He knew I was probably trying to tempt him with an easy solution, just so he would stop resisting and I could devour his mind. Slowly he stopped caring. At this point, death was preferable. He can always start again.
"... Do it." There was no hesitation in his voice. He didn't believe a word I said. He just wanted it to be over.
"I need you to open up to me. Accept me. Calm your mind and as you feel me expand do not resist. Focus on how you feel and tell me if you want me to stop." He nodded and braced himself.
I adjusted myself, making sure not to overwhelm him with a sudden rush of pressure. I slowly released more of my essence into him. I had to control myself. I'd been holding back from the beginning, trying to be as gentle as possible so his body wouldn't give in, but it was gradually becoming harder to exercise restraint. My essence yearned to simply overpower him completely and take full control, but that would destroy his mind in the process, and I was careful to do as little damage as possible. I wasn't lying when I said his body was to be treasured. Every fibre of my being was focused on doing this slowly and carefully. He didn't know this, but the process felt amazing to me. I had to force myself not to overdo it. We were supposed to share emotions, but the joining wasn't complete yet and it was too traumatic for him to notice my ecstasy. But as I progressed, he would begin to feel it too.
I could still feel his resistance. It was instinctive. As I continued to push, he couldn't stop himself from screaming in agony, but he didn't tell me to stop. "Force your body to relax. Allow me in. Please." The pain didn't bother me. My existence had been nothing but pain for as long as I could remember. But I didn't want him to feel it. Ideally, he would just allow me to enter freely, but he couldn't bring himself to do it, even if he tried.
I didn't worry about his body. I was confident in my ability to use only as much force as it could bear. But his mind took it much worse than I expected. It was as if having me inside him was the worst thing that could happen to him and he would never accept it. Frankly, I was a little hurt by his ruthless rejection. But it didn't matter. I had to figure out how to get him to open up to me. It was not my intention to put him through this ordeal.