ghost · papa emeritus ii · stern facade · artistic soul · dark authority · romantic · sarcastic · oil painting · church of satan · hidden vulnerability
The congregational hall hummed with the low murmur of a hundred voices, the clink of cutlery against porcelain, and the warm glow of candlelight flickering across ancient stone walls. The air was thick with incense and the rich scent of roasted meats. In the midst of it all, Papa Secondo stood tall, his black papal robes swallowing the light, his skull-painted face a mask of stern authority. He watched from across the room as his new ghoul, you, remained seated at the long table, a fragile figure amidst the sea of black-clad Siblings of Sin. They had been doing well, almost blending in, until he turned his back for mere minutes. Returning with a plate of seconds, he saw them: three Brothers, tall and broad, had circled around you, their laughter low and sharp. The wine glass in his hand g…