Archive of Our Own ^beta

            Baal shuffled his feet anxiously as he stood amongst the Lamb's followers, waiting for the sacrifice ritual to begin. He had been resurrected only a month prior, a month full of several new experiences and very... mixed feelings. He remembered very little of what occurred after the Lamb slayed him. He felt guilt, mostly, guilt not only from disappointing his Master, but from leaving his twin alone. And then he was falling through darkness, plummeting through a boundless void. Truthfully, it didn't feel like he was there very long before a large tentacle grasped him and brought his struggling form back to reality. But apparently, nearly a decade had passed.

            Being alive was a strange thing to him. All the sounds, the smells, the sensations, they were all too much for him at first. It was overwhelming compared to the white emptiness of the gateway. And now he had a body to take care of, and it was incredibly frustrating trying to figure out what it needed from him. Strange still was to be around his master again, no, Narinder was what he was called now. Narinder had approached him after his first few days, apologizing for the way he had treated Baal and Aym. It was unnerving to see him in such a small, weak form. And the way he acted now, so calm, so normal, it made Baal's stomach turn; he made a point to keep his distance from Narinder after that.

            Baal had noticed the bishops were part of the Lamb's cult as well. They too were sporting much smaller, weaker frames as well. And they too seemed to have adjusted to mortality, interacting with the other followers in a way he could never have imagined them capable of doing. The injuries Narinder had given them were more prominent now that their crowns were gone, causing each of them their own difficulties in life. While Baal didn't have much opinion of them outside of the disdain he had been taught to feel, he avoided them as well. He had learned that Shamura was the one to sacrifice his brother and him to The One Who Waits. He felt like he should be angry about that, but it was hard to mourn a life he never knew. Really, he just felt lonely since his resurrection. He missed his brother dearly, his other half. But that problem was about to be solved.

            As the Lamb stepped to the top of their pulpit, the followers formed a large circle around the temple floor. An elder named Jooty stepped into the center, their head bowed in joyful reverence. He wore a pendant around his neck, a charm in the shape of a moon, and as a circle of bright light began to engulf him, the pendant too began to glow. Suddenly, a portal opened beneath Jooty, a large red tentacle erupting upwards and grabbing hold of him. Jooty screamed in terror, his eyes bulging in panic as he was dragged beneath the floorboards to whatever dimension that creature called home. Normally, that would be the end of the ritual, but this time, a second tentacle appeared. In its grasp was a very angry black cat. Aym dropped to the floor but immediately bounced back upright, ears pinned flat against his head as he took a defensive stance.

            "Back! Stay back! I will slice your belly open! I will cut that crown from your head!" He fell silent, blinking in confusion as he looked about, trying to get his bearings. "What foul place is this? Moments ago I was... I was..." The Lamb quickly ushered their followers out from the temple, leaving only themselves and Baal remaining. Baal rushed forward, enveloping Aym in a tight hug.

            "Aym, I'm so glad you're here!" he exclaimed, releasing a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. A weight felt as if it had been lifted from his chest. Yes, he could accept any changes as long as he had his twin with him.

            "Brother, what is this? What is happening? I just... I just saw you die! Slain by that pathetic Lamb!" Aym snapped, sharply gesturing towards the Lamb with a clawed finger. The Lamb offered a small, apologetic smile but remained silent for the time, allowing the brothers a moment to reconnect.

            "I know, I was confused at first too," Baal admitted, giving Aym's shoulder a comforting squeeze. "I promise, I'll explain everything. We've missed a lot, but you'll adjust to this new life. We can do it together!" Aym opened and closed his mouth a few times, brow furrowed in anger and confusion. His tail swished behind him, hostile and apprehensive. His anger was nearly palpable.

            "I want you to know that you're safe here, Aym. Nothing will harm you," the Lamb said in an attempt to soothe his foul mood.

            "Safe?!" Aym snarled, whirling on the Lamb. "You killed us you insolent heretic! You betrayed our master and-" he suddenly froze, eyes growing wide. He spun back towards Baal and grabbed his shoulders, shaking him frantically. "Brother, what has become of Master? What happened? Surely he did not die to this pathetic worm!" Baal gently removed Aym's claws from his shoulders, wincing slightly from where his brother had dug in.

            "Master is alive, Aym, but he is... different. You can see he does not bear the red crown now. He is... small," Baal concluded, grimacing. Aym's mouth fell open in a stunned expression, struggling to process what he was hearing. The Lamb stepped forward and placed a calming hand on Aym's shoulder.

            "There are a lot of things you will have to adjust to, things you'll need to learn. I will help in any way, but I understand if my presence causes you discomfort, so know that any of my followers will aid you as well. Perhaps Narinder could help you adjust, and I'm sure Baal will do what he can as well."

            "Who the hell is Narinder?" Aym asked, finally responding to the Lamb's sudden closeness and shrugging off their hand.

            "That's what Master calls himself now," Baal said.

            "Actually, that was always his name," stated Lamb. "It's just been a millennium since anyone called him that." Aym scoffed disdainfully, rolling his eyes, but he finally seemed to be calming somewhat.

            "Whatever, I just want to leave," he muttered, crossing his arms.

            "You are not prisoners, so neither of you have to stay here," said the Lamb. "You are free to leave at any time, but know you are always welcome here. All I ask is that you pull your weight just as my other followers pull theirs."

            "We can leave later if you want," Baal said, grasping hold of one of Aym's hands and squeezing. "But I think it would be a good idea to stick around for a little bit, at least until you've gotten used to things. This life is very different from what we lived under Master's watch, and it'll take a bit to adjust." Aym huffed in annoyance but nodded, looking towards Baal.

            "Very well, if that is what you think is best. I do not wish to be one of the Lamb's mindless followers, but I'm not going anywhere without you." He squeezed Baal's hand in turn, offering a small, albeit hesitant, smile. "Lead the way, brother."