A GHASTRAL'S OFFER
On a mangled and derelict ship wrecked in the aftermath of a violet space battle , A Ghastral sat on a man's chest.
"Alive? I doubt for much longer.",It gave a little snicker. Its body was plump and fused with the head. Its skin was warty and wet like a toad's and from it a pungent steam emanated. Its voice was raspy and unusually deep for a creature that could sit on a human's hand.
"I've just decided I can't hope to understand you." It spoke through a wide mouth filled with sharp, generously spaced teeth. It made no mitigation for a trickle of a black drool flowing over its bottom lip and chin.
The man coughed and tears escaped his eyes.
"I warned you of this ending..."
The creature bobbed up and down as the man heaved by way of sobbing.
"...and it makes me sad to see you this way..."
A sadistic grin grew on the tiny monster.
"... Broken and humiliated by he... he who is not worthy..."
The grin grew to an absurdity.
"He who has stolen all from you and he who has made it his own...", it trailed off into a slow and rumbling snicker.
The grin eased and the creature became more puffed and reddish. More steam escaped from its body. It held a tiny crystal that glowed with a color never before seen by man... a dark hue. It shoved the crystal before the man's face.
"And Still You Reject the power to make things right... you reject my little trinket. Tisk task, my human."
The man gritted his teeth... The eyes of the little menace began to glow like red embers.
"there really isn't a case for further moralization. He's brought you low. At the point of death... now all that's left is the word. so say it. just say it."
The man forced his mouth shut.
"Say the word, my human. Say it. I can't stand to see you in anguish for another moment. Please. say it. And all this will go away. Say it. I beg you to say it"
Tremors broke over the man's body. The little terror's sickly smile eased back into existence.
"Why do you protest at this late hour? I have told you of the other human we Ghastrals court. He is so very close to saying the word...so very close... you know I know this And once one human says the word I am afraid our masters lose interest in all other candidates. Don't let me lose all the work I have put into you to my rival. Think of me! Think of me and say the word"
With little strength the man put his hand over his mouth and clenched his eyes shut.
"Say it now or accept the injustice forever!", it shouted:" NOW SAY IT! "
The determined abomination hopped on the man's face and peeled his eyelids open. Its own pupils were now red rings that slowly expanded beyond the blacks of his entire eye to be replaced by another growing ring in its center and another and another....
"The moment is nigh, human... he will take it from you! . SAY IT! SAY IT NOW!!!!!!!!"
Suddenly the man violently writhed and spoke three syllables: "ASC-EN- TION!!!"
The Ghastral's grin grew so wide it looked to split his ace in two. A hot batch of steam exploded enveloping the creature and the man. The cloud seemed lit within with the dark hue from the crystal which now shown 'brighter' than ever.
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! YES! You Have done it! and Just in time. I knew it would be you. You will now be made into something beyond HIM my human! Ha! Ha! Ha!" The smoke cleared and where they had gone no one can tell.