The monuments face far above, smiled back at him.
"FUSE WITH ME, MALIK."
Its words were truth.
"ONE WITH ME."
Malik's spine arched involuntarily.
"ONE WITH GOD."
His body tilted.
"WHY CLING TO BLOOD?"
His head bowed.
"TO HUNGER?
Malik had stopped falling.
"TO ROT?"
He hadn't noticed when.
"LET GO OF THE FLESH."
Now, he landed, even though he was still so very far from the bottom.
"LET GO OF THE PAIN..."
And his landing hadn't come with a crash; no, he simply touched down like a feather.
"LET GO OF THE LIE."
Touched down on the open palm of this colossus monument.
"LOSE IT."
A hand sculpted in devotion.
"LOSE THE SKIN."
Malik knelt.
"BECOME WHAT YOU ALWAYS WERE MEANT TO BE."
He didn't mean to.
"JOIN THE CHOIR BENEATH THE BONE."
He just… did.
"I will."
Malik's fingers moved.
They reached his belt.
Drew the Spine Splitter.
The blade trembled and screamed.
It didn't scream aloud, for only he could hear it.
