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PSL for @plokamia!
May. 14th, 2026 09:20 pm[It had only started a month or so ago, but Sarina still remembered when the normally sleepy hamlet of Devil's Village was suddenly host to a group of shifty-eyed looking figures dressed in white robes. Back then, even if she felt some unease, Sarina still regarded them amicably, asking if they had come to purchase or perhaps partake in some octopus - the local cuisine. And if she was honest to herself, it was surely the only reason anyone would even come to such a small and isolated village in the first place.
To her own bewilderment, though, what she thought was an innocent question seemed to set them off, with one aghast person pulling her by a long strand of hair. Though she wouldn't be able to recall what they had said, word for word, she did remember them saying something along the lines of the village truly being a place of worship for devils, who ate the fish of the devil, and that she herself was surely the devil's child. Not long after that, the oldest among them whispered to the most vocal person, which seemed to quiet them. Looking upon her (and the other villagers) with ire, they shuffled out of the village soon after.
As Devil's Village didn't have a religious establishment of any sort (as it was merely named for their consumption of octopus) and her own personal knowledge of anything of the manner was from the odd fable or tall tale here and there, Sarina was only left confused on why they seemed to be so irked at their very existence. Though they had left, she couldn't calm the ominous feeling from their initial visit, and soon cut her own hair short afterward. Some villagers tried to tell her that she was overreacting and that they were merely religious sorts that would just avoid them from there on out.
She wished they were right.
In the present day, however, Sarina was dressed in just a flimsy nightgown - dirtied from an apparent struggle at some point - being violently ushered into a clearing of sorts by two robed figures armed with assault rifles pointed at her back. Seemingly every other resident of the village was already in the area, all seated in small groups, all surrounded by roughly two dozen or so of similarly robed figures with guns. Her blue eyes were widened in fear from the sight of everyone she knew all gathered up like cattle, along with the the horrifyingly discordant sounds of crying and angered shouting filling the air. Even so, there's a faint attempt at a smile on her lips, in a feeble attempt to try not to look as scared as she was, particularly in front of her family.
The cultists didn't take kindly to that gesture, pointing out proof that she had been tainted by the "sin" of the village. One disgruntled cultist complains about her copying their voices to deceive them and even biting him in her capture, which manages to get a twinge of a genuine smile from the bloodstained corner of her lips. The moment doesn't last long, however, as the cultists behind knock her down to her knees. Not long after that, she's told that because she's the youngest one in the village, she still had time to learn and grow from the "brainwashing" she received from growing up in such a place.
However, if she wanted a second chance at life, she would have to purge everyone else singlehandedly, and laugh from ecstasy in being freed from their "tyranny". Sarina could only look on in horror from the ultimatum given to her, thinking this was merely some way of taunting her. Perhaps it was, but even so, it's not long before she's offered a weapon (along with having additional guns aimed at her, if she had the funny idea of trying to turn the assault around).
She should refuse. She should be content to die along with everyone else. But yet, there's still some part of her mind that doesn't want to die here. Some part of her that can't ignore the yearning she had for a long time to experience something outside of the village. The reception of the other villagers don't do much to quell the confusion in her mind, as some beg her not to do it, while others try to assure her that it's okay and that they'd rather be killed by her than the others that had put them in this position in the first place.
Whether she accepted the deal or not, everyone was going to die anyway. Was it more of a mercy of she did it herself? She places both palms over her ears, shutting her eyes tightly as she tried to give herself a space to think. Sarina could never bring herself to kill all the people she grew up with, especially not her family. But maybe if she was so good at copying voices, maybe she could pretend to be someone - or something - else entirely.
Opening her eyes, she glances outward, as if to try to disassociate. However, she squints - brows furrowing - as she thinks she sees another figure in the distance. Was she already going mad? This village was out in the middle of nowhere, there was no way anyone else was going to randomly show up... right?
The cultists start to grow impatient at her lack of action, but yet as they look in the direction she's staring in, they look similarly confused. The one that looks to be the apparent leader steps ahead, shouting at the incoming figure to begone from this place, directing a couple of the other cultists to advance in his position.]
To her own bewilderment, though, what she thought was an innocent question seemed to set them off, with one aghast person pulling her by a long strand of hair. Though she wouldn't be able to recall what they had said, word for word, she did remember them saying something along the lines of the village truly being a place of worship for devils, who ate the fish of the devil, and that she herself was surely the devil's child. Not long after that, the oldest among them whispered to the most vocal person, which seemed to quiet them. Looking upon her (and the other villagers) with ire, they shuffled out of the village soon after.
As Devil's Village didn't have a religious establishment of any sort (as it was merely named for their consumption of octopus) and her own personal knowledge of anything of the manner was from the odd fable or tall tale here and there, Sarina was only left confused on why they seemed to be so irked at their very existence. Though they had left, she couldn't calm the ominous feeling from their initial visit, and soon cut her own hair short afterward. Some villagers tried to tell her that she was overreacting and that they were merely religious sorts that would just avoid them from there on out.
She wished they were right.
In the present day, however, Sarina was dressed in just a flimsy nightgown - dirtied from an apparent struggle at some point - being violently ushered into a clearing of sorts by two robed figures armed with assault rifles pointed at her back. Seemingly every other resident of the village was already in the area, all seated in small groups, all surrounded by roughly two dozen or so of similarly robed figures with guns. Her blue eyes were widened in fear from the sight of everyone she knew all gathered up like cattle, along with the the horrifyingly discordant sounds of crying and angered shouting filling the air. Even so, there's a faint attempt at a smile on her lips, in a feeble attempt to try not to look as scared as she was, particularly in front of her family.
The cultists didn't take kindly to that gesture, pointing out proof that she had been tainted by the "sin" of the village. One disgruntled cultist complains about her copying their voices to deceive them and even biting him in her capture, which manages to get a twinge of a genuine smile from the bloodstained corner of her lips. The moment doesn't last long, however, as the cultists behind knock her down to her knees. Not long after that, she's told that because she's the youngest one in the village, she still had time to learn and grow from the "brainwashing" she received from growing up in such a place.
However, if she wanted a second chance at life, she would have to purge everyone else singlehandedly, and laugh from ecstasy in being freed from their "tyranny". Sarina could only look on in horror from the ultimatum given to her, thinking this was merely some way of taunting her. Perhaps it was, but even so, it's not long before she's offered a weapon (along with having additional guns aimed at her, if she had the funny idea of trying to turn the assault around).
She should refuse. She should be content to die along with everyone else. But yet, there's still some part of her mind that doesn't want to die here. Some part of her that can't ignore the yearning she had for a long time to experience something outside of the village. The reception of the other villagers don't do much to quell the confusion in her mind, as some beg her not to do it, while others try to assure her that it's okay and that they'd rather be killed by her than the others that had put them in this position in the first place.
Whether she accepted the deal or not, everyone was going to die anyway. Was it more of a mercy of she did it herself? She places both palms over her ears, shutting her eyes tightly as she tried to give herself a space to think. Sarina could never bring herself to kill all the people she grew up with, especially not her family. But maybe if she was so good at copying voices, maybe she could pretend to be someone - or something - else entirely.
Opening her eyes, she glances outward, as if to try to disassociate. However, she squints - brows furrowing - as she thinks she sees another figure in the distance. Was she already going mad? This village was out in the middle of nowhere, there was no way anyone else was going to randomly show up... right?
The cultists start to grow impatient at her lack of action, but yet as they look in the direction she's staring in, they look similarly confused. The one that looks to be the apparent leader steps ahead, shouting at the incoming figure to begone from this place, directing a couple of the other cultists to advance in his position.]
