He killed and killed, slaughtered and slaughtered, and yet wondered if it was ever enough.
During the time he spent in that pit he believed that, to sharpen his blade enough to even pierce his father's flesh, he needed to kill and stain his very soul with the blood of mortal beings.
He killed those who were imprisoned wrongly, those who had committed foul offences against the cult, and those who had lost the will to live a long time ago.
And, his blade was eventually sharpened, at a cost. The Bloodmark he gained was at the cost of a crumbling sanity, on the edge of a cliff, the abyss below being an endless pit of self-deprecating rage and fury.
I cannot stop here, Nameless thought, his voice in his head echoing throughout the darkest stretches of his mind, My resolve isn't that feeble. My only goal is to take the life of my Father, who has abandoned me and left me to rot in that horrid pit.
And then, I will become a ghost. Or die. For I also have my karma to bear.
But, Father, he will meet my blade eventually. I swear this upon my life and the heavens.
•••
"He will..." Nameless muttered, as he unexpectedly woke from his sleep. Somehow, he was in his quarters, still stained and covered in blood, but it truly seemed like someone had carried him back.
"Could it have been that person? He called me 'oldest', so I can only expect that he is another one of my siblings. But, strangely enough, I didn't feel or sense a Cursemark on him."
"Ha. Anyway…"
Nameless got himself up off his bed, which was also slightly stained with blood at this point, and rubbed his eyes. Through the window, he saw a pale blue sky and felt a cold breeze like none other.
"It's winter. But, I don't think I have time to play in the snow. I also remember whoever that fellow was telling me that there was supposed to be some sort of gathering or something, but, it's also quite awfully quiet."
"So you don't know." A voice spoke next to him. And, lo and behold, it was the same person Nameless had last seen last night. That man's eyes were indifferent, as if he saw everybody else as just prey, to be feasted on.
"How… no, where you the person who carried me back to my quarters?"
"Ha, funny. That's the first question you ask. However, that is not relevant. What is relevant is the fact that I, the secondborn, am also plotting to kill Father, but for a… different reason."
"…Are you suggesting that we team up?" Nameless asked, confused. But the secondborn shook his head.
"Nope. It's because this cult will be destroyed within the coming years."
"Destroyed? How?" Nameless asked, not like it was deserving of any care from him, but he was confused. Even if he hated his father with a fury instilled in his bones, he remembered the countless words spoken about his father before he turned one year old.
He was the Sloth Demon, who was lacking in enemies, worries, and emotional ties. It is said that with his 'full power', he could even turn these mountains into craters. Nameless knew, that to kill someone like that, or to destroy the cult he leads, you would have to confront him when he is most vulnerable.
"This cult will be destroyed, because Father, as apathetic as he is, doesn't care about any of us, or even his self. It is to the point where we have yet to even receive a blessing from the Crimson Moon's Embryo, which was supposed to happen as we hit the age of thirteen."
The Crimson Moon's Embryo? What is that?
"Well, that may be something you don't yet know about, so moving on."
"I also noticed that you wielded a strange power. You were able to manipulate blood, which is unlike the abilities of someone with a Cursemark, who can only wield the power of curses and ritualistic magic."
"And, the ability to manipulate the body in any sort of way is someone only those with a Bloodmark can do."
A katana suddenly appeared in Nameless' hand, and it was pointed at the secondborn's head.
"I'll have to kill you."
"Ah… are you afraid that the rest of the cult might find out about it? Well, don't worry, for I have also refined my Cursemark into something much better suited for me."
He revealed a hidden mark on his right hand's palm. The Eternalmark, which allowed him to control and even exploit his lifespan.
"I bathed in the blood of one hundred carcasses and corpses, and it allowed me to gain this power, which I think is most suited for me."
"…But, why have told me all of this? Do you intend to destroy the cult?" Nameless asked. To which the secondborn replied,
"Ha… I said the cult would be destroyed, not that I'd destroy it. Ah, but, that'll be after the subjugation of the nearby factions, and the war with the Western Midlands. You see, Doomsday is coming, and all will be laid to waste."
"Doomsday?"
"Ah, you don't need to hear the details. But, if you truly want to kill Father, wait until the desired time. Because then, everything will be mine for the taking, and I will aid you in seeing the life slowly fade from his eyes."
"However, that day is a long way away, and we also need your help in the war. I suppose you heard something about it when the fourth came to see you, and perhaps rile you up?"
Nameless nodded.
"Then, how about it? Help us, and I'll help you."
Nameless pondered for a quick moment, thinking about any of the other options he had. But then, quickly accepted the deal.
"Good. I'll see you after the meeting with the siblings in the pagoda, as long as things don't get too bothersome."
"Wait," Nameless let out, "I thought I was supposed to go too?"
"Of course not. Father would likely kill you for entering his sight again, no matter what you've been up to these past years."
Nameless nodded quickly. He didn't want to see Father either, because, even if he was currently calm, he didn't know how he would be able to keep back all his hatred.
"I hope, by the time it reaches the desired time, you are strong enough to face Father's unstoppable brute force. Because, when he begins, he won't stop until he sees a mangled, broken body behind his feet."
The secondborn headed for the door, in no rush to get to the meeting, but he stopped to say a few more words.
"By the way, the name's Bōshi. Remember that."
He left, but even still, Nameless remained wary.
…Back in the Abyssal Pit, a few of those who were imprisoned with me talked about their names and the meanings they had.
That guy… I'm guessing he was named by Father as a schemer after the ritual.
"I should be careful about him."