::::Ad Astra, Per Inferi::::
(Warnings: blood, torture, decapitation, non-consensual drug use, gore, trauma, character death)
@alastors-radioshow
He had felt safe. He was simply playing cards with his brothers, omega in the infirmary, Alastor home, catching up on work.
He hadn’t expected this.
The last thing he remembered hearing was Imperator declaring they were all going back on the road.
He was not so foolish as to believe her, and swallowed the last of his herbal tea as the other papas voiced confusion, and elation.
He was certain something wasn’t right.
Not since he’d been dragged off stage in the middle of a ritual, had things been right.
Terzo had NEVER trusted Imperator.
NEVER.
He understood what she meant when he was roughly grabbed from behind, and felt the needle in his throat.
He felt his limbs grow heavy, everything slowing to a crawl, vision going gray and dim.
The burning sensation that accompanied the sudden lethargy and numbness told his mind what this was.
Not what his brothers were receiving.
They were poisoned, murdered.
He.
He was being paralyzed, but the years of his practice in the dark arts had given his body strength. His careful work conditioning himself through herbology and infernal rituals had seen to that. The protective efforts of Alastor and Omega had turned misfortune aside.
He numbly watched, willing himself into sluggish action.
Secondo roared, fighting against the ministry ghouls that had killed him, managing to banish one, and wound another before he fell.
Primo had fired off a spell and hit a third ghoul, but age was against him, as was the quick actions of the cyanide and holy water cocktail he and Secondo had been injected with.
He, himself, didn’t go fully limp, but they were trying to pin him down and restrain him.
He bit, clawed, punched, kicked, even fired off a few minor infernal spells…but in the end, the drugs won, and he blacked out.
Though his body had ceased functioning properly, his mind continued to, and he realized what Imperator had initially been planning.
On the road, yes.
But not alive.
They were all going to be exhibited in those damn glass coffins that he’d seen brought in.
They had set him on edge, and he’d been so very careful to watch for tainted food or drink, especially after Cici had brought evidence to Alastor about holy water and drugs being slipped into their food.
He’d been aware, and warned the others, of the drugs in their food, but Primo and Secondo had waved him off.
They were papas, and imperator wouldn’t dare harm them!
Their hubris signed their death certificates.
He had only survived because he had been so careful.
But it hadn’t mattered.
He was still drugged, paralyzed by it, and unable to move or communicate.
When he COULD move, and think again, mind less hazy, he was stripped to his waist and strapped down to an autopsy table.
Imperator stood over him, grinning like a lunatic.
He was aware he’d been gagged, (Lucifer only knew what had been shoved into his mouth and tied in place with…again, who knew what, but he was incapable of sound) so he was more than aware that this…bitch of a woman, didn’t want to talk this over.
Nor did she wish to allow his charming voice a chance to spit out some rather effective curses and spells, or use that charm natural to his bloodline to sway her will.
Clever bitch.
He had no idea how long he’d been out, but imperator had cruelly planned for him to live.
He gave a muffled growl at her, struggling with the bindings until he unhappily realized he could not escape this fate.
The high dose of holy water in the drugs he’d been given had sapped his magic, all he managed was a dirty fizzle of sparks from his hands.
She let him wear himself out before stepping closer.
A small tilt of his head to either side gave him nightmarish images of both his brothers, already cut open, and their bodies being embalmed.
He squeezed his eyes shut and tried to not let his last sight of them be so brutal.
Imperator leaned closer, a scalpel in her hands.
“You are too dangerous and disgusting to deserve a seat beside Lucifer. You’re going to suffer, and you will die…but you will never see our dark lord’s face. You will never see hell! “
He braced himself, and thought of other things as she slowly began to cut into him. He knew what she was doing and he had no way to fight it.
She cut, not enough to kill, but enough to leave scars, if he had time to heal, and shed blood.
His mind, instead, wandered to Alastor. Roses.
Music.
And back to his Beloved Diavolo once more.
Similar tricks to how he used to make it through the scourgings she inflicted on him when he was younger.
Time bled away as he, too, bled away.
There was barely enough blood left in his body to fight, let alone stay conscious.
His arms burned from the bloody, inverted crosses cut into each them, a parody of a catholic saint’s suffering.
He must have passed out, but he had no idea how long.
A tired, dizzying glance at the clock showed him the time, but not day.
Everything had just bled together since that bitch had taken him down.
Tired eyes slid open, to an unwelcome sight.
Sister stood over him once more, and he all but sobbed, knowing what was about to happen.
She held the ritual dagger, and his face paints.
She had to paint over the gag in his mouth crudely, but didn’t care.
Once he was in near-full regalia, well, still shirtless, she began carving the ritual symbols over his heart.
She then drew on her magics, and began the ritual, speaking loudly, shrill, angry, voice echoing in the room.
“Io, Sorella Imperator, nel nome di Lucifero e della chiesa empia del suo nome, ti scaccio. Papa Emerito terzo, tu hai mangiato con la presente SCOMUNICATO da questa religione, e dannato per sempre alle sofferenze eterne del Purgatorio!”
(“I, Sister Imperator, in the name of Lucifer and the unholy church of his name, cast you out. Papa Emeritus Terzo, you are hereby EXCOMMUNICATED from this religion, and damned forever to the eternal suffering of Purgatory!”)
He felt omega’s panic as their bond was torn to shreds, at least somewhat thankful the ghoul had been spared the dragon’s wrath, but only slightly.
This time, when the syringe of drugs went in, everything faded to black.
This time, amidst tears, and soft, distressed cries, he welcomed it.
He wasn’t going to hell.
Never to see his sweet, beautiful, kind Diavolo ever again.
Excommunication meant no hell. No reward in death, no Alastor.
This broke him more than anything else. The thought of, even in death, being denied his beloved.
When he came too, he was too weak to do more than open his eyes, or twitch a finger.
They had stitched the cuts and slashes closed, washed him up…removed the gag, then fully painted his face for Ritual.
He was in his chasuble, papal hat tugged onto his head, staring up at glass, drugged into near full paralysis.
Staring foggily up at fans, Worshippers, and the ghouls and Cardinal that replaced the emeritus line.
He bore no ill will toward Copia, he was simply another pawn in Imperator’s game.
Copia was imperator’s child, so he had that insurance from her.
He was young, childish at times, naive, and sadly, under her thumb.
He drifted for who knew how long, in and out of consciousness, until he awoke enough to realize he wasn’t in the coffin.
But back on the autopsy table, strapped down, and gagged once again.
He attempted a spell against her, but he was too weak, and the curse fizzled away once more on his gloved fingertips.
Imperator had finally grown bored of him, it seemed. But he still had a purpose left, as a symbol of martyrdom, proof his reign was ended, clearing the path for Cardi.
He barely reacted as the thin bone saw started its slow journey through his neck.
He managed a gurgling snarl, before there was just, too much blood.
By then his mouth was full of blood, Chin and chest painted in crimson.
He was choking to death on his own blood, exsanguineated long before she would finish her grisly act.
His last earthly thoughts were of his beloved Diavolo, and how he would never see, or hold him again.
Then, the blade sliced too deeply, and he knew nothing more.
He choked, tears smearing his paints, his blood on Imperator’s hands, literally.
It felt like forever, but was over in a heartbeat.
Papa Terzo Emeritus was dead.
Long live Emeritus the fourth.
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