Date: Thu, 18 Feb 2010 15:30:47 -0500
From: Timothy Evans <onegforall@gmail.com>
Subject: Apotheosis 0: Prelude

Disclaimer: The following story depicts sexual acts between two men. Though
unspecified, both participants are intended to be over eighteen. If such
material offends you, or you are offended by profanity, please do not
continue reading. This story belongs to Timothy Evans
(onegforall@gmail.com) and should not be distributed to other sites without
expressed consent. Comments and suggestions are welcome and appreciated.

The Apotheosis: Prelude

	It is said in the Ancient Texts that humans were once gods. They
could create and destroy. They could call winds and dam rivers, move
continents and soar through the skies. After all, gods had created humans
in their likeness, physical, spiritual, and magical. In that lost age, the
humans waged a war with the gods. The battle ravaged the earth, and the
gods emerged victorious, stripping the humans of their powers. These powers
could not be destroyed, however, and so the gods sealed them away in the
Seeds, scattered across the lands. The gods were weakened and tired, and it
took the last of those powers to bind the Seeds in the earth, so that they
would not be reunited with human flesh. The gods then slept, leaving the
earth to fall into chaos.

	Diavoro stared at the glass case in front of him, containing one of
the Erasaph Seeds. For thousands of years it laid in the earth, waiting for
the gods' binding power to fade, until it could break free. He didn't know
when the Brethren found it, or how, but they revered it, feared it. The
Seed contained the awesome powers of darkness and destruction, and the
cowards kept it here in a box, too frightened to reunite it with the human
flesh it so desired. Diavoro wasn't afraid.

	He didn't carry a torch down to the dark cavern where the Seed
waited, but his eyes had adjusted enough to see the exit. They would know
someone had taken the Seed, but they would not know it was him. He'd
smeared his face and hands and feet black with charcoal, and he wore a
black cloak. Picking up a hand-sized stone, he smashed it into the
case. The sound of the shattering glass echoed in the cave, and he grabbed
the Seed and ran.

	As soon as he got out of the room, he heard voices echo behind
him. He didn't look back, but looked ahead to be sure of his escape. He
hurtled through the tunnels, making sharp turns around corners he'd taken
days to memorize. The Brethren met in an underground fortress, a maze of
tunnels and caves that an outsider could lose himself in forever.

	Around a corner he plowed into one of the Brothers, the two of them
collapsing on the ground. The impact stunned him for a moment, and he held
the Seed tight to his chest. The Brother looked up at him. "My Brother,
where are you going in such a hurry?" Diavoro found he'd lost his voice,
and again he heard his pursuers, louder this time. He pushed himself up off
the Brother and found his footing, running faster through the labyrinth.

	Up ahead he could hear the sound of a rushing waterfall. His heart
was pounding in his chest, and he held the Seed closer just to remind
himself it was still there. The tunnel sloped upwards, and he felt himself
slowing down, his legs like lead. The sound of his pursuers grew louder.

	He emerged from the tunnel, stopping himself before he tumbled over
the edge of a cliff. The waterfall roared to his right, crashing into a
deep, churning pool below him. He looked around himself. There was no way
down, other than back in the cave. Voices echoed in the tunnel, loud enough
to hear over the waterfall. He was trapped.

	He knelt down and covered his head with the cloak. He didn't want
his pursuers to see his face, even with the charcoal.

	"You've got nowhere to go. Hand over the Seed!"

	Diavoro didn't turn. His heart raced, and he loosed the cord that
bound his cloak together. He pulled his arms inside his sleeves, along with
the Seed, so that it rested on his bare chest.

	"Hand over the Seed!"

	Diavoro stood slowly, calmly, and jumped.

***

	The cool water ripped the cloak from his body, leaving him naked.
He held his breath and swam under the water, using one arm to secure the
Seed against his chest. When he opened his eyes the water was almost clear,
except for the froth from the waterfall. He could hear the deafening roar
behind him, but he'd jumped clear of the undertow. He swam until he reached
the shore, spotting where a tangle of bushes dipped into the water.
Surfacing there, he gasped, then looked up through the thick leaves at the
cliff. The Brothers were still there, searching for him.

	He set down the Seed beside him and scrubbed the charcoal off his
body. His heart had calmed enough for him to notice his pulsing cock, and
he felt alive and charged. He splashed his face once more, then looked up
again at the Brothers. One turned to leave, while the other stayed watch.

	Diavoro knew he'd bought himself some time, but there would be a
search party out soon. Grabbing the Seed, he crawled into the bushes,
staying low and making as little movement as possible. The branches
scratched his bare skin, but he was no stranger to pain, being one of the
Brethren.

	The Brethren was a fraternity dedicated to the worship of darkness.
Out of darkness came the light, and out of destruction was born creation.
The Brethren saw the darkness in the world, and they welcomed it, for it
signaled the dawn of a new light. But the Brethren operated on the faith
that with the darkness would come destruction. They were wrong. Those who
wanted creation to come must first bring destruction to the world.

	Diavoro emerged from the bushes in a forest where the canopy of
leaves so blocked the light that only soft earth lay underneath. Only the
rare patch of moss or ferns managed to survive in the shade. He walked
straight ahead, the scratches from the bushes stinging on his skin.

	After a while he reached a small brook and stepped in, the cold
water washing over his feet, and proceeded upstream. Here there was a break
in the leaves overhead, and foliage grew thick and lush. Diavoro felt the
sun beating down on his neck and paused a moment, bearing his chest to the
light. The heat invigorated him, and he stretched his muscles, tight from
the swimming and crawling.

	Farther down the brook he spotted the flowering azalea. It was a
wonder to him how such a thing of beauty grew in this place. Stopping, he
stepped out of the brook and inhaled its sweet aroma. Underneath the bush
he found his clothes and a long cloth bandage. He pressed the Seed to his
chest, using the bandage to bind it there. Then he put on his trousers and
tunic, and a leather coat to hide the Seed. He rinsed his feet and slipped
into his sandals, then headed out of the forest.

***

	Once out of the forest, the town where he lived was only up the
hill. It was a quiet town, with the essential blacksmith, tailor, and
bar. The farm was on the other side of the town, run by Turin, a kind man
whom Diavoro thought too simple, and yet the man raised beautiful horses
and Diavoro had gained permission to ride one a few days after he moved
there.

	Diavoro was new to the town. He'd bought a house on a stipend from
the Brethren, on the north side of town. It was a recruitment tool, really,
for how else could a dark organization trap the innocent without using
money? It always took a little persuasion for newcomers to succumb to their
ideals.

	He locked the door behind him, then went upstairs to his bedroom.
He stripped down and unbound the Seed from his chest, laying it down on the
bed. The Seed shone in the light, its glossy black surface etched with
green runes. It was about the size of his fist, and shaped like a
teardrop. He lay down upon it, feeling it pressed into his stomach. Only
two rituals stood between his body and the power of the Seed.

	A knock awoke him from his reverie. He peered out of his window and
saw two of the Brethren at his door.

	"Hold on a moment! I'll be right there!" he yelled. The Brothers
looked up at him, and he waved then left the window. He muttered a cleaning
spell, which made his skin tingle but left him without any traces of
charcoal or dirt he might have missed. Normally he wouldn't use magic for
cleaning, but it was very handy in a hurry. He hid the Seed under his
pillow and dressed.

	The Brothers smiled when he opened the door. "Hello, Diavoro, we're
sorry to disturb you." It was Ilix and Varn, who served the Brethren as
Protectorates of the Secrets. "Something very disturbing happened this
morning, and Brother Uriel has called an emergency meeting."

	Diavoro feigned surprise. "What happened? A full meeting?"

	"I'll explain on the way," replied Ilix. "Get your uniform on, we
can't be late."

	Diavoro nodded, then went back inside. His uniform rested in a
dresser in his bathroom, neatly folded. He stripped down to change.

	The uniform consisted of several pieces, all made of a thin, black
material that stretched to fit the natural form of the body. Its paramount
purpose was to inspire lust, for the Brethren believed that unification
through the power of lust brought them strength and bound them as Brothers.
He first pulled on the small pouch that held his penis, which fastened by
three strings, two which strung around the waist and another that strung up
through the butt cheeks. He then stepped into the pants that clothed his
waist to his ankles in black. The final pieces were a wide band that
covered his chest, and three others, one around his neck and the others
around his wrists. Over this uniform he redressed in trousers and tunic.

	He met Ilix and Varn at the door. "I'm ready."

	They left the town heading towards the forest, to the cliffs where
the caves of the Brethren hid.

	"What's going on?" Diavoro asked.

	"It's the Erasaph Seed," said Ilix, "it was stolen today."

	"Stolen?"

	"Yes, some stranger in a black cloak broke the case and tried to
escape with the Seed. Varn and I chased after him ourselves. The thief made
a wrong turn and we cornered him at the waterfall overlook. Then, he
jumped."

	"He jumped?"

	Ilix sighed. "Yes, and that's exactly the problem. I don't see how
he could have lived, but we've been searching the shores of the pool and
the river, and while his cloak has shown up his body has not. We can't find
any signs that he may have escaped the waterfall, but we've only had so
long to search, so something may still turn up. Nevertheless, we still need
to meet and discuss it."

	Varn nodded. "The powers inside that Seed are untold. It can't be
released."

	Diavoro's mind drifted to the Seed, but he pushed the thought out
of his mind. The face often betrayed the mind.

	At the entrance to the caves, the three stripped down to their
uniforms and left their clothes in a room off the entrance. They then
proceeded down to the main Cavern, where they found many of the Brethren
already standing in a circle. Diavoro joined the circle, tapping two
brothers who parted to let him in. They then resealed the circle. The man
to his left placed his hand on Diavoro's butt, and Diavoro placed his left
hand on the man's cock. He then placed his right hand on the other man's
butt, and the man in turn placed his hand on Diavoro's cock. They all stood
facing the center, where Brother Uriel stood, naked, as presiding leader
over the meeting. Around Uriel were four bowls of burning oil, their
flickering light casting a glow on Uriel's large pecs and thick
cock. Diavoro felt the seeds of desire awaken within him, and his cock grew
in his Brother's hand.

	Still more Brothers joined, and for a while they remained facing
the center while they waited for the circle to be complete. After a few
moments of silence, Brother Uriel touched his right forefinger and middle
finger to his lips, while he wrapped his left hand around his shaft. On
this cue, Diavoro closed his hands around cock and butt, and felt his own
cock and butt clasped in the hands of his Brothers. They held the circle
for a moment, then bowed towards the center, whispering "To the Brethren of
Darkness." They then knelt, ankles crossed, and folded their hands in their
laps, looking up at Brother Uriel.

	"As Brothers we are joined!" proclaimed Uriel, then kneeled
himself. "My Brothers, it is with grave news that I called you here
together today. The Erasaph Seed has been stolen." Whispers drifted around
the circle. "Yes, this is truly a disaster. I can only guess that the thief
wishes to activate the seed." He held up a hand, and the whispers
ceased. "Do not panic just yet. The thief escaped by jumping into the pool
at the bottom of the waterfall. He may no longer be alive, but we cannot be
too cautious.

	"Now, here is what we will do. First, we need a team of men to
scour the forest and town nearby. The sooner the better. Second, we need a
team of divers to look and see if the thief was lost to the waterfall, and
more importantly, if the Seed is in the waters."

	Diavoro anticipated this would happen. He would be expected to
participate in one of the groups, and it had to be the group that searched
the town. There was one other person in the Brethren, at least that he knew
of, who wanted to see the Erasaph Seed released. All they had to do was get
to his house and his dark magic would protect them.

	"If you can stay behind to dive, please stand," said Uriel. About
ten men stood. "Please go. Brother Varn will show you where the thief
jumped and where to look. The rest of you, search the forest and the town
around here. You are to report back here at nightfall. Is that understood?"

	Diavoro nodded along with the other men.

	"Then go in Brotherhood."

	They stood and left, heading to the room off the entrance to
retrieve their clothes. The Brethren uniform was never to be seen outside
of the caves.

***

	Diavoro walked with purpose through the forest and up the hill to
his house. No doubt the others saw him, but it didn't matter. He shut the
door behind him and waited for a few moments. Standing there, he noticed
his pulse quicken. His eyes drifted to the table in the middle of the room,
where the ancient tome detailing the Ritual of Germination lay open on the
table.

	The door opened and Brother Ilix walked in. Diavoro smiled, then
embraced Ilix, their lips coming together in a passionate kiss. "We
succeeded," he whispered, stroking Diavoro's bulge. They broke off their
embrace, and Diavoro faced the door, raising his hands. He spoke ancient,
long-lost words, and power blossomed around him, and he could feel it wrap
itself around the house, protecting them.

	"We're safe," he said, turning.

	Ilix nodded. "Go Plant the Seed, and I will prepare for the
ritual."

	Diavoro nodded, then went up to his room.

	He stripped off his clothes, then went to his drawer. Inside lay a
collection of charcoal sticks. He took one and drew the ancient symbol of
knowledge on his forehead, the symbol of power on his chest, and the symbol
of magic on his stomach. On the bed the Seed waited, and he pulled it from
under his pillow. It gleamed with a dark luster. As he touched it, his
heart beat faster. For the first time, he felt real fear. This was the end
of life as he knew it. The ancient texts didn't detail what happened when
the Seed germinated inside of a human.

	He took a deep breath. The Seed would grow. He slipped his fore and
middle finger inside his mouth, then rubbed the saliva over the surface of
the Seed. The green runes turned a deep blue. He then coaxed a few drops of
precum out of his cock. He rubbed it on the Seed, and the runes glowed red,
like fire. As if in a trance, he laid down on the bed, holding the Seed
over his chest. An eerie pull guided it onto the Symbol of Power, and he
let it rest there. For a moment, all was still, and then the Seed began to
emit light, blinding light, and his chest burned.

	Diavoro screamed. The Seed seared his chest, and it sent his brain
reeling. He could feel an enormous pressure forcing the Seed inside him,
and his body melting to accept it. All his muscles seized, and his body was
filled with pain. It all lasted a moment, and then it was gone, leaving him
breathless.

	Heart pounding, he brushed a finger across the spot where the Seed
entered his chest, to find that the charcoal did not smear. He lifted
himself up and stood, discovering that the symbols had been burned into his
skin. For a brief moment, he was terrified, but some power awakened inside
him, and his cock pulsed and energy bloomed in his chest. He turned towards
the door, a new hunger awakened in him.

***

	Downstairs, the room seemed transformed. All the furniture was
moved to the outside of the room, and the carpet had been stripped off the
floor. The blinds were all drawn and pinned to the wall, blocking out all
sunlight, and the room was lit by eight bowls of burning oils arranged in a
circle. Inside the circle, Ilix had chalked the Great Seal, the shape of
the Seed caged by to curves that resembled ropes. Before long, the Seal
would be burned away.

	Diavoro went down and laid on top of the seal, stretching out his
arms and legs, offering his body as a host for the Seed. As he lay there,
Ilix emerged from the shadows. Diavoro glimpsed the fresh lines on Ilix's
body in the dim light of the fires. Like Diavoro he had the symbol of
knowledge on his forehead, and the symbol of magic on his stomach, but it
was the symbol of sacrifice that adorned his chest. A wave of lust pulsed
through him as Ilix stood over his body, holding a small leather pouch.

	Smiling, Ilix reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of a
dark potpourri, sprinkling the mixture of black rose petals, thyme, and
pine onto Diavoro's body. They fell soft on his skin, soothing, and fueling
his burning desire. Once he emptied the pouch, Ilix cast it aside, then
spread his arms and proclaimed the Ancient Words, summoning the magic of
the past.

	The fires snuffed out, leaving them in darkness. For a moment,
Diavoro heard only his breathing, and then he felt the soft caress of
Ilix's hand on his cheek, a finger soothing his lips. He lifted his head,
eager, and his lips found Ilix's mouth. They kissed, Diavoro thrusting his
tongue into Ilix's throat. The fires sparked into life, burning a deep
crimson.

	Diavoro sat up, guiding Ilix's butt into his lap, so that his cock
grazed Ilix's hole. He desperately wanted to fuck him, but the ritual had
marked him as the vessel. Still, he kneaded Ilix's butt cheeks, feeling
their full muscles in his palms. Their lips were locked, and he drank in
Ilix's breath, the heat filling his lungs.

	Ilix cradled Diavoro's head, stroking his hair and massaging his
neck. He leaned his head back and felt Ilix's lips slide down his cheek and
neck, his tongue snaking down his chest until he fastened his mouth on one
of Diavoro's nipples. He hissed and stroked Ilix's cheek, feeling his body
pulse with sparks of pleasure from Ilix's tongue.

	With his free hand, he tugged on Ilix's cock, gentle but firm. Ilix
maneuvered off of him and they kneeled, kissing with the slow fervor of a
growing thunderstorm. Diavoro pulled Ilix as close as he could, so that
their chests and stomachs and cocks burned against each other. Unity, the
ultimate goal of the Brethren. Unity, in darkness. He thrust his pelvis
forward, and their bodies undulated together with the power of the serpent.

	Ilix slid his hand down Diavoro's back, his fingers slithering into
Diavoro's butt crack and teasing his hole. Diavoro moaned, squeezing Ilix
tighter to him. He pushed against Ilix, and Ilix's finger burrowed deeper
inside him. It stung, but made his body ringing with pleasure. Ilix stroked
his chest with the other hand, and Diavoro could feel the Seed stirring
inside him, awakening, yet still held tight within its shell.

	Diavoro leaned back on his hands and Ilix's fingers slid out of
Diavoro's ass. Diavoro groaned, longing to be filled again. For just a
moment, he could breathe, and then he felt Ilix's warm breath on his
cock. He looked down at Ilix, to see his Brother's tongue flick the tip of
his head. It made his groin sizzle, and he clenched his hands against the
hard floor. Ilix brushed his rod with his lips, baiting him and making his
heart pound in his chest. He nearly came when Ilix slid his mouth over his
shaft.

	Diavoro closed his eyes and allowed himself to feel Ilix's tongue
explore every inch of his cock. Ilix worked with a fervor Diavoro had never
encountered in all the months they'd been lovers. As he breathed, he could
summon the energy in his groin and spread it throughout his body, so that
his muscles quivered. He felt Ilix's lips on his balls, swallowing and
releasing them. Diavoro groaned.

	Around them, the torches burned brighter, the intensity of the
fires rivaling the intensity of their lust. Diavoro looked down at the
symbol of power on his chest. He remembered the Seed inside him, but he
felt in control, master of the power the Seed gave.

	Ilix grabbed Diavoro's cock and rubbed it around his face, over his
eyes, his lips, his cheeks. Diavoro felt like a god; Ilix worshipped his
body. In an instant, their eyes met, and Ilix's lips curled into a smile as
he stood. Diavoro stood and kissed him, drawing a tangible fire from Ilix's
mouth. He stepped backwards, letting Ilix guide him to the wall.

	The smooth painted wood rubbed his back. Ilix leaned in close and
nibbled his ear. "It's time," he whispered, gripping Diavoro's ass. Diavoro
turned around and faced the wall, feeling Ilix spread apart his butt
cheeks. He tilted his pelvis forward, and Ilix's thick cock probed his
hole.

	His ass burned as Ilix burrowed inside him. He pushed against his
Brother, welcoming him inside. The two of them began to undulate together,
the force pressing Diavoro against the wall. Ilixed lick his neck and he
shivered, a soft moan escaping his throat. Around them the torches blazed,
the fires consuming the bowls that held them. He closed his eyes, and
inside he felt the Erasaph Seed begin to awaken. He clenched his ass
tighter, trying to pull Ilix to orgasm.

	Ilix moaned, nibbling his ear. Diavoro found he couldn't think
straight. He reached around and grabbed Ilix's ass. "Give me your essence,"
he growled. "Give yourself unto me!" His Brother hugged his chest tight,
and Diavoro clenched Ilix's ass harder. Ilix's breathing grew hoarse,
heating Diavoro's neck, and his nails dug into Diavoro's skin.

	Ilix screamed, a feral sound that reverberated in Diavoro's ears.
He felt Ilix's cock thicken inside him, then expel its hot seed. The
torches flared, catching on the wooden floor and eating their way
throughout the room. The hot flames licked his legs, but he couldn't pull
away. Ilix held him fast, trembling. A rush of energy flared up his ass,
converging on his chest, where he felt the Erasaph Seed germinate.

	Waves of pleasure and pain gripped his body, and he felt his own
seed burst forth from his cock. He clenched his eyes shut from the sheer
energy, and his body trembled. The flames grew higher, kissing his ass, his
stomach. An insane pressure gripped his heart, and he screamed, the sound
vibrating in every muscle and bone. The Erasaph Seed had taken hold. Ilix
went slack behind him, releasing him, and a force lifted him into the
air. This was the moment he'd waited for, but he felt neither joy nor
sorrow. Only energy, maddening, pulsing waves of energy.

***

	The villagers flocked to see the burning house. In a matter of
seconds, the entire building had gone up in flames. The Brothers, standing
amidst the crowd, prayed to whatever gods there may be. The sky above was
black, far too early for night, but without a single cloud. A figure
appeared in the flames, and the mothers shielded their children's eyes.
Diavoro rose, naked, his arms outstretched to the sky. The fierce fires lit
up his skin, and the symbols of wisdom, magic, and power glowed red. Then
all went black, and screams filled the air.