ORIGIN

The plague vector had remained within the deadly cocoon in which she'd been formed. The toxicity and poison of the mercury sulfate seemed to find its way into the neonate within. Unlike most corvids, she would emerge a pale white with no sheen at all. If she were vain, she'd consider herself ugly, with those beady red eyes and bare legs. But here she was, bundled up tightly and happily. 'Panoúkla,' her first thought, 'my god.' Something in the juvenile Ave stirred. She was to serve as the holder of a plague... to spread it. To end all life.

She shuddered, and the chrysalis shook. The small movement had been enough to tell the stone that she, indeed, were alive. From the toxic shell was a slimy and wet creature born. Covered in membrane and fluid from within the stone, the creature lifted her head. Experimentally, she clacked her beak, then clenched and unclenched her talons. Life. This was what it felt like?

Pathetic.

No wonder her god desired its end. Diánysma would be sure to try and make it swift. But how? Suddenly, the crimson mark upon her chest glowed, the color brightening at the core and spiderwebbing outwards... but it faded as quickly as it came. Curiously, the creature inspected her breast. 'interesting,' she would think, 'perhaps the stone i emerged from also lies within?'

Diánysma was curious, almost to a point of naiveté. The plague vector blinked once and gazed down at her bleeding heart once more before focusing upon the dank and stagnant air of the tunnel that she happened to emerge in... and it obeyed. Cinnabar glowed eagerly as the neonate discovered a plethora of bacterial life thriving within the damp cave. Each and every one was a potential plague.

The corvid hobbled closer to a wall to get a closer look at the glimmering white dots on the wall, ever shifting and moving. To others, it would appear as if a newborn was very interested in a wall. Even as a low clicking sound began to resonate, she continued to curiously inspect the bacteria. She even prodded at the stone with her own claws and smeared the bacteria on herself.

The neonate ruffled her feathers, fluid spraying off from each one. Then, the vector clawed at the stone and gently smeared as much bacteria as she could onto her frame, giving it a home among her pale feathers. She'd raise every single one and spread them everywhere once they have become true disease and plague. It was how she'd fulfill the wishes of her god, Panoúkla. The Caves would suffer from an epidemic... and it would be her fault.

Now... what had she called herself again? Diánysma, was it? Vector. That was what she was. Panoúkla had left these diseases for her... the building blocks of death. It was empirical evidence of her god's existence. Pestilence would be present in this pathetic thing called life. Once more, her breast glowed, the toxic cinnabar acquiring a crimson hue as it shimmered, but the glow faded. For now, she'd hold onto this bacteria and continue to duplicate it. Clicking her beak thoughtfully, she tilted her head as the small white dots faded. She could no longer see the bacteria. No problem.

It was still there, developing... evolving.

A small clicking noise stirred the plague vector, and the pale creature's head turned. Beady red eyes fell upon the form of a shadow. Ruined voice and lyrics fell upon the avian and she recognized the words. She felt as if she'd heard them before. Little god? "Panoúkla," Diánysma bowed her head, "my god, I came to spread pestilence about the filthy world." She knew this was her god's true form. Shadows clung to their form and they seemed to plagued themselves. The raven hopped forth and flapped her wings, managing to get a few inches off the earth before landing once more. "Plague will begin soon. The bacteria must be nurtured."

It was almost as if she'd done this before... and maybe she had.

The plague vector stared up with a look that was almost honored. Diánysma was honored to serve her god and spread Panoúkla's diseases and plagues. Rubies flickered upwards as the incarnation of Panoúkla spoke of their task. The god of plague had come to earth to aid her in her task. But she too, was a god. New... small. Weak. The albino raven held the power of her own god.

That alone was enough to excite her.

Clicking her beak shut, the avian stared up with a resolute look. Cloaked as she flies, and in return, she will slay all through plague and disease. The Caves would fall to them.

Yes... she was her little Diánysma. "Belladonna. A poisonous flower..." So there was plague in plants as well? Oh, this would be excellent. The plague vector made a quiet note to study the plant life in the caves and observe. "I live and I serve. We shall complete this task together... in silence." Before they'd be noticed... everyone would be dead. The few surviving creatures would call helplessly into the dark.

Panoúkla and Diánysma would be there.

To announce, "But nobody came."