For  AzureGoat. Below is a story that he wrote, to accompany this piece.




Azure shone the torch on the stone door, trudging along the gravel as he approaches. Seemingly unused for some time, vines grew around it’s entrance, nature taken hold of this old cavern. Looking down to check the letter he had received once more, the goat’s ears prick as he hears the whining blades of the helicopter that had brought him here take off, echoing through the shallow cavern, eventually fading as it leaves across other mountains.

On aged paper and relatively classical writing, the letter read:
“Azure. I have a proposition I know you won’t refuse. Arrive at night. Unarmed and alone. I’ll know if you aren’t.”
While this normally would seem like an easy way to get yourself set up, the professional criminal couldn’t ignore the markings it was signed with - A black outline of a goat’s head, much the shape of his own, and the winged dot on a shielded crest. Knowing how to get the letter to him as well… He didn’t exactly know what it meant, but the crest matched that of the markings on this door. This must be the place.

Folding the letter back into his suit pocket, the caprine makes the last few steps towards the door. Taking one last scope around for any danger, nothing was of notice but the ambient drip as he goes to push on the door, meeting little resistance as it creaks open. Cautious as ever, the goat peers through the gap, his blue eye being left unseen as he slips through the door to a clear coast.
The weight of the stone closes the doorway behind him, the slam echoing across the chamber inside. Roaring naked flames burned in elevated bowls, lighting and warming the huge room, classical stone pillars flanking each side of a long, carpeted walkway. The brick making up the walls and flooring gave off a strong yellow hue, glows aided by the light bouncing from the flames, the same shield crest from the door adorned across each wall. In contrast to outside, this looked inhabited and cared for. But as Azure stepped forward, checking behind every pillar for traps, it seemed the lights were on but no-one was home. He had been to some ‘interesting’ places to make deals before, but this was something else.

“Hello?” he called out, reaching what looked to be an empty altar at the end of the room. Made of the same brick that made up the room, there wasn’t even anything to make it seem of interest. Hearing no response but his own voice ricocheting across the room, he rolls his eyes and shrugs, more leisurely returning towards the door he came through. Probably some prank. Whoever made it wouldn’t be laughing for long. Grumbling, he goes to pull the handle for the door, ready to call for the chopper to return and pick him up.
Thunk. The stone door didn’t budge.
A sense of alertness returned to Azure, with no extra equipment on him and no other exits, he could be trapped. A REAL setup.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Each attempt at opening the door taunted him as the noise echoes, the goat starting to feel desperate until the sound of the door is drowned out by the shifting of stone across the room, gently shaking the floor beneath him. He lets go of the door and quickly turns around. The altar was gone.

Ears slightly perked, the goat starts stepping towards the dark gap in the wall the altar had left. There MUST be someone here, and if he couldn’t get out now, might as well play the game after coming this far. The red carpet underneath his feet as he steps forward, the dark gap becoming clearer as he approaches, his patience beginning to fall.
“Alright, you’ve got me, nice flashy fucking entrance. Now show yourself.”
All that met him was some stairs. The light from the flames barely lit the top of the stairwell, the goat having to walk down with only his torch. Taking it back out of his pocket as he begins the descent, the noise from the flames behind him disappeared. Pressing the switch on the torch was met with no response, leaving him in darkness.
“Who used this bloody thing last time…”, he looks back up, muttering as he drops the useless device to the floor. Eventually there were no more steps beneath Azure’s shoes, stepping forward to see a faint light in this new room.

His next steps forward were slow. Nothing could be seen but this dim beacon. He heard more shifting of stone behind him - Now the exit for this room was gone.
Now he really was trapped. Not feeling this was part of the deal, he reaches into his coat pocket to feel for his handgun. He'd already broken his side of the deal by coming armed, but it was exactly for situations like this- Where the feeling of safety comes from holding a trigger.
Except it wasn't there. In the darkness, Azure fumbled around his suit, panicking as he tries to find his weapon. Swearing as he pats himself down, the light in front of him quickly grew brighter, until a huge flash blinded him. His arms shot up to shield his eyes, holding himself in place before the kindling of flames around him brought to attention the change in the room.

The room was still dim, the stone bricks clean but a far darker shade. Smaller bowls of flame in the walls guided his attention back towards the middle, where the hardened criminal froze.
A tall throne loomed at the centre rear, barely elevated from the floor with a more royal carpet. An ominous, figure sat in this throne, deep, black eyes staring at Azure with white pupils. Horned, with drooping ears, matching the shape of those on the letter, much like his own. Matching white fur was interrupted by black, tribal patterns on their face, adorned with elaborate, black robes. The robes sealed with the winged, shield markings on the chest. A faint, yet mysterious aura of many colours shimmered around them.
After a few moments, the figure grinned, and spoke with a playful tone. "Howdy~."

Azure, eye to eye with the fellow caprine figure, unfroze. "...A dramatic entrance. Now what in fuck's name did you do with my gun."
From underneath a white armsleeve on their robes, they produced the criminal's handgun, tutting.
"This toy? I told you to come unarmed. I know goats of our blood need them when they aren't of my descent, but really I just didn't want you to embarrass yourself by trying to point it at me." With that, the rainbow aura around them strengthens, the handgun being crushed into pieces. “So let’s just make sure that can’t happen~.”
Azure’s eyes glistened as he watched the useless pieces of his weapon fall to the floor, before looking back up, glaring at those black, intimidating eyes. “Who are you, and what do you want.”
The robed figure stood up, immediately showing that while they appeared similar in shape, that they were considerably taller, stepping down closer to him and speaking with a commanding tone. “I, A S R I E L D R E E M U R R, am the prince of this world’s future.” His name was punctuated with another flash of the shimmering aura, echoing throughout the room and sending a chill through the suited goat. He formed a guarded stance against Asriel as the taller goat stepped closer.
“I’ve been watching you, Azure.”, he continued. “Many might see you as just a mere thief, out for themselves with no care for the consequences. Some might see you as a pure opportunist, simply doing what they do because they can, seeking thrill in the challenge.” The criminal’s guard doesn’t drop, only listening with a slightly tilted ear and a raised eyebrow. “But I see more in you. I see a vigilante, looking to bring justice to those in this world corrupt in their ways, seemingly untouchable by any mortal without the same burning passion that you have. And I like that.”
The blue-tipped caprine lowered his arms somewhat, his eyes unwavering in watching Asriel take back his seat on the tall throne. “Flattery doesn’t get you any discount. What’s your point here?”
Asriel chuckled, leaning back, perching himself on with a hand on the armrest. “You only hit the world’s oppressors. You care for the innocent. You want a better world, and so do I. But you cannot change it for good without me.” He pauses for a moment. “So work for me. Serve me, and I will place you by my side with anything you may ever desire. With my power, and your passion, we will see the corrupt world as we know it crumble beneath my feet.”

The criminal thought for a moment, studying the princely caprine in front of him. He already acknowledged that power, having left him without any weaponry and no way to escape. He gulped. “What kind of world do you envision, here?”, he enquired hesitantly. Asriel lifted his head to speak once more.
“A world under my benevolent rule. People having everything they need and desire to be happy. No more war, no more suffering. Just happiness, and people gratefully treating me in my rightful place as their GOD.”
Another word that sent echoes and chills across the room. “I’ve been here for decades now, waiting for the right moment. With the seeds planted by a fellow, if mortal goat, that time is near.”

Azure stood straighter, a hint of defiance on his face as the black-eyed goat before him continued to smirk. “And, if I were to refuse?”
Another colourful aura appeared, this time surrounding Asriel’s pupils, staring right through the suited goat. Any feelings of resistance suddenly faded away, the criminal’s stance weakening once more, any desire to fight or flee the situation eroded and calmed. For the first time in many years, Azure felt completely powerless. “I know you won’t.”, Asriel finished with a chuckle.

Stepping closer to the throne, slowly and unconsciously, the once commanding goat nodded towards the prince. “So, how shall I begin this work?”, he asked.
Asriel’s smirk turned to a wide toothy grin, his physical superiority shown in more ways than height. “As everyone else will in time, you will surrender to me, and my desires. But as my new servant, I want you to show complete submission and subservience.”
The suited caprine felt a chill once more. He felt unable to speak, or show any resistance, as he mindlessly made the final steps in front of his new master’s throne. His usual defiant mind felt defunct as he kneeled to the floor in close audience to Asriel, looking up at him with a new look of submissiveness. Ready to do as commanded. Asriel’s long tongue protruded from his grin, pleased, holding Azure’s chin up for their eyes to meet, looking down on him as he cooed his next words.
“Good. Now, take those things off~.”