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"Thank you, King. For everything. And thank those voices in your head for me, as well. Will you?"
"Of…Of course."
This wasn't right.
His priest—his god—was right there.
And the King—and John was just standing there.
Letting him leave.
It was blasphemy.
"Come on, kid. It's quite the jump."
"Alright."
"So long, Arthur. L-Lillth.Good luck."
He was committing the highest sin. He was turning his back on his god. In favor of what?
Taking is place as The King in Yellow?
He'd rather continue parading around as a false god when the real one was right in front of him? When he can finally worship Arthur the way he deserves.
What is he thinking?
"Three…two…"
He should be in his knees.
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"What?"
"Arthur, wait."
"What?"
The Kin—John takes a deep breath and reaches forward, pushing on the edges of his and Yellow's shared body, until he stumbles forward, separating his body from Yellow.
"J-John?"
There's anguish in Arthur's voice and John hates himself for it.
He hates himself for abandoning his priest for his arrogant curiosity.
John knows he must atone.
John walks forward until his form towers over Arthur, and he drops to his knees.
Arthur makes a sound of alarm and tries to pull John upwards, but John cannot be moved.
He will not be moved.
He is finally in his proper place, before Arthur, worshiping him.
John will not be stopped.
He looks up at Arthur and is nearly blinded by the shear magnificence of the man before him, how anyone could gaze upon him without falling to their knees John will never know.
He thought he left his Cathedral in The Dark World.
How wrong he was.
"-ohn, John! What are you doing?!"
What is he doing?
John is praying.
He feels the words tumble out of his mouth but for the life of him John does not know what he is saying.
In a way it's perfect. John's prayers are for no one else to hear but Arthur. One must pray in secret.
John's prayers shall only ever be heard by the one who can answer them.
Suddenly, John is looking up into the empty space where Arthur was. Prayers still falling from his lips, he looks down at his priest.
Arthur is bowing before him.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou amongst women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death, Amen.
Arthur could repeat that prayer in his sleep.
So-called priests told him to repeat it three times for each sin confessed.
He repeated it over and over and over and over and over again praying to a God that didn't listen to fix him.
To make him whole.
To make him perfect
But before him.
Before his eyes.
Is a god that has.
Is a god that never asked to be.
A god that has come back to him and has honored him with gazing upon his truest form.
"May your radiance grant me forgiveness amongst my eternal sin and darkness. May your light guide me through times in which I am undeserving of your grace. May I continue to seek your salvation in attempt to earn your priesthood. May you…"
The words tumbling from his god's mouth do not stop and Arthur does not wish them to.
They are for him and only him.
Arthur is the only one that bows before John.
John is the only one that kneels in front of him.
Arthur knows he is speaking.
He knows it is blasphemy to speak over his god.
But he cannot hear the prayers he repeats over
and over
and over
and over
and over
and over
and over
and over
again and again and again and again.
They are only for John.
He is a mortal, blessed to be in the presence of a god.
His god.
He cannot hear such things.
Hail John, the King in Yellow. Blessed are you to grant your undying grace to a sinful man. May your light guide me through times in which I am undeserving of your grace. You are all that is Holy and all that is unholy and may you continue to bless me with what corrupts. May you continue to bless me with your love.
And I shall continue to bless you with mine.