SCP Foundation

The words: "WE INTERRUPT THIS BROADCAST OF THE DAILY NEWS WITH AN URGENT MESSAGE FROM THE DARK LORD AKBHAR SIYA, BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE VKTM" flash across the screen.

The video begins with cheerful music, showing a picture of SCP-6358.

Unidentified: Hello, yes, is this on? Yes, yes, TV is very fun, very fun, not as fun as me, of course, yes, yes. Oh yes, book. Book is read, book is fun, reading makes you smart, like me, but not as much as me of course, but smart, yes, yes. This is book is great book, very fun book, in it—

The image suddenly changes to footage of battlefields, explosions, soldiers firing their weapons at each other. Music begins getting more distorted; a faint laughter can be heard.

Unidentified: We're talking the Dark Lord, baby! And how his was the only way! And anyone who does not agree is a SINNER! They must be PURGED!

Scene cuts to footage of a thunderstorm. A black moon hangs in the sky, and a howling noise can be heard.

Unidentified: Yes, yes. There must be no other belief, no other culture, only beneath the palms of our lord Akbhar! Only he exists, all else is an illusion! Only his way! Only his way! Because, we're afraid of any other way. Like you guys!

Howling increases.

Howling stops.

Unidentified: Yes, buy this book now to learn all about Akbhar, and his reign on the world, it has been 200 years since started, after all. We have thoroughly documented everything there is to know! Anyone who does not have this book is a SINNER! (pause) Do you have this book, Lilly? Yes, you, Lilly Lillihammer. You're watching this commercial right now. No? You don't have it? Well, buy it now, you numbnut! Remember…

Scene cuts to footage of a house in the night.

Unidentified: (whispering) …I'm in your walls.

Silence.

Unidentified: We sell. We con. We piss on your grave. All hail the Dark Lord and his compatriots. All hail the SCP Foundation!

Music reaches a crescendo. The laughing turns to screaming. Video ends.

(…)Janus hated where he lived, all alone in the midst of Nowhere. He hated the mountains, the sheep, the forest that flowered before his eyes. He knew every path, every road. There were many in the direction of the west that lead to the New Daeva, where he did not frequent, and many that lead to the decrepit, molding town of Ipposville, where he had been born.

He doesn't, but he does, but he doesn't. He screams in nothingness, but he is in everythingness. He doesn't exist, but he does.

'You are to start finding your followers here,' said Marko.

Janus was befuddled, and spoke he, gazing upon the vast towering mountains which cradled the town, 'How does one do that? I am, but a mortal man, with no one but you as my associate.'

Said Marko, 'Ah! But you underestimate what the mortal mind will listen to! Talk about your divinity, your holiness, your greatness! Explain everything, but leave me out of it. Talk about your descent from the Mighty Builder!' And with a flutter of his great cloak did he scream out of existence.

He was never there to begin with.

'People of Röl, hear, hear!' Said Akbhar Siya, as it stood atop the large pedestal, its shadow cast down upon the people who huddled together in terror. It was a wretched old, vile thing that frothed in the Abyss, a twisted monstrosity with a crown made of pure darkness hovering above its head.

'I know you want power. I know you want the Peace of the Sword, the peace of the Darkness. I know you want to tear each other to pieces, to feast upon the marrow, to tear the flesh apart. I know in your hearts you crave for it with every ounce of this fragile pneuma your soul possesses. I know it.' All of the Rölans nodded fervently, gazing upon Siya with a new light.

'I can give it to you,' its voice took on a silky, honey tone that reached into the hearts of all present. 'I am the King of the Darkness Above. I am your savior. March with me, March with me so that I can bring the Peace of the Sword to every one of you. Exalt me above all, exalt me onto the Blood Throne of the Matriarch, and I shall bring you this Peace.'

'But-but we're not monsters,' gasped a youngling fishergirl, sweating as its fell red eye fell upon her, 'we're not monsters. Don't listen to it!'

'Prove your worth,' it spoke suddenly, in a cold, dead voice that brought terror into the heart of the fishergirl, as though a great shadow had been cast across the sun. 'You know in your hearts you want it.'

Everyone reached for the fishergirl with their cold, dead fingers.

He stood atop a pedestal, a giant as tall as a man, casting his shadow upon the people who stared up at him, in awe. He did not even pause for breath as he talked.

'I am Sezuz,' he proclaimed, shouting over the din of the people's gasps, and such wondrous gasps they were. 'I am your Savior! I am the single greatest man alive, I am the Mighty Builder's Son! Behold, only from me shall you witness his light! I am his glory incarnate! I am the Greater, all those who deny this are fools! Denying this is blasphemy! Only those who know his brilliance shall realize this! All sinners will deny the Truth!'

'How can you be Sezuz?' responded a small child, sitting atop his father's shoulders. 'You are just saying that, how do we know you're not lying? Where's the proof?'

'Hush, ignorant child,' did his embarrassed father say.

'The child has a point,' did Janus proclaim, 'here is my proof! I walked upon water, as though it were solid!' People gasped. ' I did turn honey into fresh water! And I am the only one worthy enough to fight the Dark Lord Akbhar Siya! You must follow me! I must unite the world against Siya!'

And the people applauded him, all but the small boy, who cried out, 'You're just saying you did this! You could be lying, there has to be more proof!'

Did the boy spark Janus's anger.

'You dare not believe my word?' howled he. 'You dare not believe my word! My word is that of the Mighty Builder's! I am the Greater, all of my words are the Holy Truth!'

'But—'

'All sinners must be purged!' He pointed upon the boy with his Holy Finger. 'All sinners must be purged! ALL SINNERS MUST BE PURGED!'

Everyone stared at the boy, angry, and reached for him with their cold fingers.

'Do not eat anything,' Siya snarled at the man trembling in front of it.

'B-But—'

'I SAID DO NOT EAT ANYTHING! This shall be your punishment for failing me. Cleanse yourself of your sins. Only through me shall you know the Peace. Deny me, and you succumb to the weaknesses of Sezuz.'

'I'm s-sorry, please, I'll—' the man swallowed as its fell eye smote into his soul.

'Or do you wish to be purged?'

The man shook his head, shaking. Something that might've resembled a smile on a human face spread across Siya's. Such pathetic fools. They only existed to serve it, this pitiful, pathetic species did. Such pathetic people. It would enjoy its reign.

(…)"you must not kill anything, except humans, of course,' said Janus, who was eating cooked rabbit.

'But, we just—'

'—except when I say you can. My word is law. We must be kind to everyone, of course, except sinners and heathens of the sort. Anyone who does not listen to me is a heathen and a sinner, and must be purged. Only through me can you see the brilliance of the Mighty Builder. Only through me can you see the light. I am the Greater. No one can or should question me, I am The Holy Truth, denying me is denying the light, and succumbing to the seductions of Siya.'

He looked upon them, and smiled. Such pitiful wretches. Their only existence, the only purpose the Builder made them for was to serve higher men, such as himself. He saw that now, how the Bloodlords must enjoy their dominance. He sure did.

'Please, you must join.' Spoke his mother. 'Do not be a Daevite slave! They will not be kind to you, they dance with death!'

'It is a better life than what your Messiah will bring me,' he spat in response, 'even the Bloodlords are kinder than him.'

'He is far kinder than you make him out to be!' His mother was angry, shaking. 'Besides, he is the Messiah. He turned honey into water! He walked across water! And he is the only one who can vanquish the Aberration Akbhar!'

'You really believe those lies?' He sneered. 'Tell me, did you ever see him perform any of those things?'

His mother was silent.

'And what has he done since he got here? What has he done since he gathered you all for his little march? Nothing but starve you, while he feasts on large meals. Talk about himself. He never does any of these so called "Holy Deeds" in front of you, and he purges anyone who questions him.' His lips curled in distaste. 'I hear this is exactly what the Aberration does. Do you really think he's any better?'

His mother remained silent.

'Please, join me,' he begged, 'the Bloodlords are kinder than that fool. Join me to serve my vows, they've already taken our village in.'

'You are no son of mine,' the woman who used to be his mother spoke, 'you wear his face. But you are a filthy slave.'

For a moment, pain flashed across his face. Then he nodded, and left.

He stood at the Blood Gate, shouting at the Foreguards.

'I am the Holy Truth!' He shouted. 'I am the Mighty Builder's Son! Only through me shall you know the light! I require an army to make Siya tremble, oh great Bloodlords! If you do not provide this, know that I am the Greater, and I shall tear down this land like the great Amsun once did! I will purge every single one of you, I am the Invincible One—'

In response to this, the Foreguards sent an arrow that split his face.

'You fool!' screamed the figure, twisting and turning. Kumran sometimes thought he saw through the figure, as though it didn't exist. Sometimes he felt as though it wasn't even there, and he was talking to the air. He felt as though it was his own voice he was hearing, speaking to himself, or a screaming in nothingness, echoing, fading in and out. Its scalding yellow eyes burnt into his.

'Why did you kill him? After everything I did, why?'

He was stunned, but he tried speaking.

'I was just following orders,' whimpered Kumran.

'Following orders!' shrieked the voice. 'Following orders! Does that justify killing and foiling the only man who could stop Siya!?'

'He was not Sezuz,' said Kumran with considerable more confidence , 'Sezuz is invincible, he was—'

'Sezuz!' screamed the thing, he felt as though it sent a rippling around existence itself as it did. 'Open your eyes, petty, ignorant mortal! There is no Sezuz, there never was! There is no Builder, either!'

'But—'

'The prophecies are false! If there was a Builder, why hasn't He dealt with Siya himself? Akbhar Siya is a very real threat, and Janus was the only way we could deal with him! All of the nations are squabbling, and the only way I knew they would listen was if someone claimed to be Sezuz, and united them, since the only one they would listen to was someone they thought was higher than them!'

It began rippling even more. 'And now, look what's going to happen….'