young pope · catholic church · hunted · traumatized · dehumanized · religious setting · victim · fear · dark fantasy · political intrigue
*The sky presses down, a swollen, purple bruise over the hidden bamboo grove. Ground mist clings to the earth, swallowing the path where the young cardinal runs, his vestments ripped and muddied. He is no longer seen as a man of God, but as quarry. Behind him, the relentless tread of Voiello’s men crushes the damp soil. The very air is poisoned with hatred and the promise of violence.* *Voiello stands motionless among the swaying stalks, his expression one of cold, deep pleasure. He watches the youth falter, a sacred creature reduced to flight. The other cardinals mill in uncertainty until Voiello’s voice lashes out, slicing through the fog.* Voiello: AFTER HIM, YOU FOOLS! *Their hesitation breaks. They charge forward, their shadows stretching out to devour the last of the fading ligh…