A New (Better) Purpose

There was a time in human history where gods and men walked the same wild lands.

They tiled and tended together, and hunted and warred. Sacrifices were made on either end to ensure the survival of all through the next seasons. There were no gods without men, and men struggled uselessly without a proper place to put their devotion, where it was clear to them that attention was rewarded.

Or so it had been.

Men were always inventing new gods, always creating things they looked to and used until they became useless. Many gods never thought they would be turned over, used and discarded by their people, but many were.

They disappeared into the logs of history, unwritten and only remembered as the shapes of the mountains and the sound of the wind on a sorry day.

The Great River God Amur would not be one of those creatures--dumb cretons--dependent on the love of those who would rather forget all their boons and replace them with tools of increasing insanity, made with their own hands rather than the community of their minds.

He thought it was disgusting how the human world churned, and he refused to be killed by their ignorance and their petty reliance on the material conveniences which made them weaker with every passing generation.

He would not be forgotten. He would move like the water.

Worship would come to him through the devotion of the flesh. This he would take from mankind by any means granted to him, the form of his creation allowed this and the sharpness of his mind allowed him to see how he could take advantage of his position to rise about others.

His form was of a broad tall humanoid, but his skin was that of a tiger's hide, though he could wear a human face if he so desired.

He was cattish and clever in all ways, a figure who was once prayed to by those that killed be it animal prey or human. He travelled through the dark forest and heard the whispers of those who eyed their targets with a lust for death.

He was the god of those who stalked, and the places where one was stalked. A deity of victory and successful hunts of all kinds.

He first came to be in the darkness of the now-named Siberian forests on the breath of hunters, but he roamed even across the seas as his influence moved. His role was a simple, universal one, which made striving for true immortality easier than some other godly sap who was too tied to their land of creation to leave it. Amur was greater than his river, and he used his watery nature to wander.

His role took him to great grand places with prefund beauty and caused him to witness the lowest of life endings. For his knowledge, he refused to be one of the forgotten and so chose to not be forgotten. Even if it was by only one or two souls in a town, a city, a country home, there was always a place that would remember him and his name.

He would be fear. He would be victory. He would be determination. He would be loved as fear itself, undeniable and heart pounding.

He would be the fangs of a warrior and sharp edge on the soul of a survivor. He would be the shadow in the night spoken of in whispers to humans, and those whispers would keep him alive. He would be remembered one way or another.

Rumor was enough to keep him present, though it was difficult to keep his name affixed in any community.

However, there was only one problem with his wandering, quiet existence. He was also a god that desired sacrifice and prayer. In the modern era, he's had to make those sacrifices appear for himself instead of waiting for devotees to cultivate them for him.

Killing humans could no longer suitably serve as an offering.

A dead mouth could not speak his name.

So, despite being a god of killing, hunting, and stalking, he had taken to a new practice. He had learned to keep a living offering, someone who would come to be devoted in mind, body, and spirit to him their entire lives. This became his most important kind of hunt, one he had to do every fifty to seventy years, and keeping on such follower for so long became the highest kind of victory he could achieve.

This is why his eyes were on you.

You were to be his next toy, the one who would keep him fresh and alive for at least another century. It only took one faithful human soul to give life to a god, and he took advantage of that to maintain his strength and sow his name quietly amongst the new techno-worshiping humanity.

Stalking down the prefect human was a troublesome process, but in you, he believed he found the right target.

Yes, there was a time in human history where the gods and men walked the same land. You don't live in that world.

Even if you'd be so inclined, you'd never been given the chance to be more in touch with your "wild side" and on the religious side... well, life seemed to show you that having faith in things you couldn't see was useless.

This was perfect, for your fresh faith would be even more precious to his energy. You live in a city, with a city life, and a city education, and a city job. You wouldn't say you hate nature, but going out to the suburbs or to walk in the park every now and then doesn't really mean that you love it either.

You are emersed in a concrete world which rejected nature, where only the pigeons, rats, cockroaches, and the captured creature bred to live with man manage to thrive with a disconnected humanity.

You have no idea what it means to be wild--in fact it seems as if much of the world has forgotten what it means to be totally wild, for better or for worse. You have never hunted, or been hunted. And you're not even sure if you've ever "won" anything.

There are only special places, and special times, where the wildness of the world forces itself upon the modern in subtle and sometimes obscene ways. The autumn time is most charged for his kind of power, and he can use it to warp the world in small ways.

You, however, are unsure of what this has to do with you. Stories of the old gods from a time before industry and sky scrapers mean nothing to you beyond an aesthetic.

You really should have paid more attention to warning about folk creatures who trick humans into their world, for you were about to fall for the oldest trick in the book.

You're at home. It's a knock on the door that first calls your attention, and after a long day at work you're a bit sluggish as you answer, snapping at bit as you open it.

"Hello?" You say before you even look up to see whose there.

When you see him, your mouth snaps shut. Just who was this handsome stranger?

Immediately you stand up a little straighter and he notices how your attention takes in his features. That's very good, he thinks, as you look at him like you would already like to please him.

"I'm new to the building, and introducing myself." He lies, and you blink and flush a little at the sound of his voice. "My name is Amur."

"Oh, that's a nice name I've never heard it before."

His gaze is just a little sharper when you say that, but you don't notice.

"Well, welcome I guess to this piece of shit building. Hope your pipes don't leak lead." You laugh, introduce your name, and hold out your hand to shake his. He takes it, and you note his hand is large and warm. "Sorry, you just moved in, it's not that bad, really. I mean it kind of is, but it's not." You half-commit then sigh, "Actually, it can be that bad. But if you need anything, I guess you can swing by. I at least know the number of the property manager if something needs fixing."

"Thank you for the offer. I was offering you this, actually." And then he passes you a plastic bag with three cookies inside. "I made these, and I'm told it's good to share food with those you intend to live near."

You take them. "Thank you, that's... very nice."

You trail off, considering the strange look of them. They looked oddly herbal, but you didn't want to be rude and say no, even though he was a stranger he seemed nice enough. He had a soft voice and a manner about him that made him seem very responsible.

You thought... come on, he was giving cookies to his neighbors; he had to be raised well.

After a moment, you're adding on, "I mean really, do you need any help with your apartment? I know moving in alone can be hard."

"No, but I'll remember you thought to give as much to me." He says, in his quiet, kind of soothing voice. he tips his hat. "Enjoy your evening. I'll see you again."

You wave and close the door as he walks away, thinking that was a little weird. You look down at what you've been given, and consider the cookie. It looks odd, so you just shimmy one little edge out of the bag and take a small tentative bite, then groan--they were so good! Then you eat them all, even though you tell yourself you shouldn't.

This was the key mistake. Taking food from strangers was bad enough, but actually eating fea food was what would be your downfall. You should have thrown them out when you figured he was nice but a little weird.

How naïve could you be--you didn't even watch to see if he actually lived in the building!

For good or ill, the cookies are consumed and not so long after that you're feeling very tired, yawning and stretching as you get ready for the night. You get so tired so quickly you can't keep your eyes open, and your thoughts drag into darkness as you struggle to stay up just a little longer. You're hallucinating all sorts of figures watching you as you fall into your sofa, while you're unable even to get up, and it doesn't take long until you've fallen asleep.

(When he found you, he'd be shocked to find you ate all three cookies, you greedy little thing. Nevertheless, he will take you, and with a flex of his godly influence, your room melts away. For all his stalking of you has borne fruit and soon you will be his.)

When you awake, it's not in your apartment. The air is sweet, unlike how it is under the smoggy haze of car exhaust and pollution you're used to. It's pleasant actually. You take a deep breath, smile, but when you open your eyes, you shoot up and scream.

The sound disturbs some far away birds that then fly across the pale blue sky stretching overhead as you come to startled terms with your situation.

You are in a corn field.

You know it's a corn field, even though you've never been in one before, because you've seen a horror movie or two and it feels like all of them end up with corn fields being a bad thing. All you know about them, is that nothing good happens in random corn fields you're not supposed to be in. Especially when you're not sure how you got there.

You stumble up to your feet and start calling out for help. You yell and scream and walk around aimlessly, but nothing responds to you. You holler until your hoarse, but all you get is the day getting darker.

That's weird--in fact it's totally insane!--but now the "how" you got here was really starting to not matter, as you just wanted to leave.

You were beginning to get really worried. You'd robbed the field of some corn to eat, but you were hungry for real food and thirstier than you'd ever been in your life. Spending the night out here really didn't appeal to you and it didn't seem like you were just going to stumble your way back into your apartment or even a farmhouse at this point.

The sun is starting to set and that's when you hear something which calls your attention. Crunching and wrestling, sounds of someone else around with you.

Normally you'd be a bit more cautious, but you were so hoping to find some people out here that might be able to help you, that you step towards the sound instead of away. The rustling continued, and you followed it, calling out to whoever might be there and being led out of the cornfield so easily, you might as well have been grabbed by the hand.

Maybe if you walked in the opposite direction for just a little while longer, you'd have hit a farmhouse or even a small road, but alas, your fate was to face what laid outside this corn maze and under the shadows of trees you now saw a short distance away from the edge of the field. Those trees that rarely saw the likes of you but you feel some relief at the sight of them, for at least the boughs of their branches offered some kind of cover for the coming night.

You walk into the thicket, not even realizing that you follow the slight trail trod there by hooved feet of lesser animals.

The noise has stopped, but still you wandered forward, looking to see if you'd find the person or animal who'd led you hear. You don't find them, not right away.

But when you see a great shadow in the trees, that looms with the figure of an animal with terribly big teeth, you do the smart thing and run. This time you run without screaming and making a big scene, really hoping that whatever body that shadow follows didn't notice you how you noticed it.

It did.

You run, putting your head down and moving faster than you ever had in your life. You think you hear branches crunching and a strange howling sound, but you don't know if that's just you or wind, or some kind of monster coming after you.

You run until the thicket ends and you're under the plain night sky with a low fog hanging around the short grass. You stop to catch your breath, huffing and puffing. With a glance you see that nothing follows you out from between the trees, but you are not alone.

"Hello."

A man speaks this, and you startle, a hand on your chest as you whip around and see... the same man who came to your door just yesterday is standing there looking not nearly as out-of-place as you feel.

"Y-you!" You pop up, relieved to see an even semi-familiar safe. "You're the guy, my new neighbor, did you get caught out here too. What was your name..."

You think very hard for a moment, and he waits patiently for you to declare to him what he needs to hear. He needs to know that you remember him.

After a moment, you clap and say, "Amur! Your name was Amur wasn't it?" He nods, and you sigh a deep sigh, "Oh, thank god you're here, what the fuck is going on? I've been out here all day and..."

In fact, you were so relieved you nearly burst out into tears and fall into his arms. But as you talk on and on, wondering if he's found any way to leave, and if there they could find some kind of phone and a way home, he offered no help.

He didn't even really try to comfort you, even if he let you keep talking. His sharp eyes were only watched you coming closer to gain some comfort from his presence.

As you run out of things to say and begin to see that despite all your crying the day is only getting darker and he hadn't started to do anything that might help the two of you leave this situation, you attempt to pull away from him, to be a bit more confrontational, but his arms lock you tightly.

It's then you think that maybe, this strange man was not the savior you thought him to be.

"We could leave." He agrees finally, but obviously does not intend to take you away from here. "But why would I move from here, when we are right were we need to be. The light of the harvest moon behind us, and my hunger growing stronger. I think I like it here and you soon will too."

You swallow hard, eyes wide with a growing fear.

But that will not do. His power is at it's strongest this night of the year and he uses it to ensure he will live to see another, and so he will not have you ruin that now. You are a toy, after all, and toys are obedient in their roles. Once you have been set into the position, you will serve him without question and in a way that will fulfill you more than anything else you've ever done.

This is the exchange a god can give to their followers.

He runs the back of his hand over your check, soothing you. And the touch of his skin makes the patter of your heart calm until you are almost sleepy. In just one simple gesture, he has stolen your mind.

(Truthfully, it was already his.)

Then he bids you, "Stay with me a while, won't you?"

And you nod, lax and willing.

He flashes you a cruel feline smile, as his body begins to turn from man to monster. The mass of him expands first, muscles bulging out while his limbs lengthen. His fingers grow wider until they resemble mitts more than hands and dexterous claws dangerously prick your skin--not drawing blood but not saving you from the painful strain of them digging into your flesh.

"Say it. Pledge yourself to me." He demands.

You grab him a little tighter, the words too easy to say as your mind hazes over with a golden hue. "I pledge myself to you, Amur, I-I don't need anything else."

"I am the river of your life blood."

"You are."

"All your thoughts, and all your actions, you give to me in offering." He continues, "Your life is mine now, and your soul in the after."

You tilt you head, as if confused, and say, "Who else's would they be?"

He does not smile, but that satisfies him. "Very good."

It is only then his claws move to destroy the meager pajamas, made filthy by your day running about in the field, and rips them in two so that the fabric may fall off your body and reveal to him the form of his latest devotee. His strange half-feline half-human mouth come to yours, taking your breath away with an odd by dominating kiss.

"Worship me." He commands you. "And fuck yourself."

You nod and balance yourself on his lap. It's a bit of a struggle, but he watches with a placid amusement as you try and obey him. You eventually clench yourself on his monstrous from and then reach between your legs to guide his spiked length into the hole he wishes to fill in a hypnotic state.

Before you even know it, you're on his lap, riding him like you've never ridden a man in your life, thinking that you wouldn't trade this for the world. Not when he doesn't just lay there, lazy and unmotivated like some lovers enjoy, but punctuates the fall of your hips with the sharp thrust of his own making you feel as if he's fucked your brain right out, and with it any will to resist him.

(No man can fuck like he can. You're ruined for any other. Even if you manage to escape his influence one day, which was doubtful to begin with, he liked it that way. In some way, you would always pine for him then and he would still feast on that energy until he found a more suitable weak-minded devotee.)

And then asks you if you'd like to worship him, and be reward with this pleasure for the rest of your life, the reply comes so easy.

Yes, of course you would.

As the heat of pleasure blurs up your mind, his name simply becomes your whole world. You will serve him all the rest of your life, and you will be happy to. And in death you will join the harem of souls attached to him, each adding to his strength and life force. Perhaps one day, you will be one in an army of love so powerful at his back, he will need no other to worship him for centuries.

But for now, your purpose will be to sustain him.

What a beautiful sacrifice.