Sins of the Spirit [AI Dominic x Nitrius Fanfic]

They had taken him out of his cell late at night and transported him through the darkness. Dominic was sure that they were taking him out to kill him, not wanting to wait for his trial to be over and done with. They'd take him to a field, tie a blindfold over his head, make a shallow hole and shoot him there. Dominic had tried to fight back, but it had been two Godia warriors against him, and he couldn't overpower the both of them, especially since his hands were in handcuffs behind his back.

But to his surprise, it wasn't a field they had driven him to. Instead he was escorted inside the Iosta Cathedral. It was an enormous and ancient building made out of white stone with giant stained glass windows above ground to allow the light of Iosta shine inside the Cathedral.

As Dominic walked into the Cathedral with the two Godia Warriors by his sides, the doors were shut behind him. He wanted to ask why they had brought him here but he kept his mouth shut. Besides, a part of him already knew.

His footsteps echoed through the massive hall, but despite how big it was, he didn't see anyone inside the hall. The air was heavy, as if it was charged with a kind of magic or energy. There was a thick, powerful presence to the hall - Dominic almost felt as though he wasn't worthy enough to walk through its doors.

But then he saw him. At the end of the hall was the man that he knew all too well.

"Nitrius." Dominic's voice rumbled through the hall. The sound of it caused Nitrius the Fifth to slowly turn his gaze to face the young warlock. "What is this? What do you want with me?" Dominic demanded. His tone was rough and full of spite. His fists clenched and his whole body stiffened. The Godia Warriors kept their hands firmly on Dominic's shoulders as if he could suddenly burst forward and attack the High Priest.

A small, dark smile pulled at Nitrius's lips as his cold, grey eyes stared straight into the fire that burned deep in the other's blue irises.

"Dominic..." His tone was calm, welcoming. He used only Dominic's first name as if they were old friends. As if he hadn't ordered for Dominic's torture or arrest.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you in person," he continued, not answering Dominic's questions. "The famous leader of the EFA. The demon that plagues my people and the good of the world."

The way Nitrius said this didn't have an ounce of hatred, like his words would've suggested. There was no disgust in his tone nor was there any sign of fear or uneasiness. The priest was completely unfazed.

Dominic was fuming.

"Don't call me that!" His voice thundered through the hall. His fists clenched. "You have no fucking right to call me that!" Dominic struggled to break free from the grasp of the guards, but to no avail.

The priest only let out a deep sigh. His shoulders relaxed, and he closed his eyes. It almost seemed as if he were...praying?

"You should know," his voice began. His voice was smooth and calm, carrying an air of wisdom.

"That the sins of a man will catch up to him eventually." He slowly opened his eyes. His expression was dark, but his words held an air of wisdom to them. He walked up to Dominic until the two men stood only inches apart from each other.

"Even you, the devil's own, will find no solace from the evil within you," Nitrius stated, his words were a low and heavy whisper, the threat in his tone sending chills down Dominic's spine. "And the sooner you accept that, the sooner your suffering will come to an end."

Dominic could only stand there in shock and horror.

The priest took a step forward and leaned in close, his warm breath hitting against Dominic's cold cheek. He was close. Too close. Dominic tried to jerk away from the man but his body wouldn't move. The two men remained still, only inches apart. Dominic's eyes were locked with Nitrius's, his expression unwavering.

Then, Dominic felt it. Something foreign stirring inside of him, grabbing his Spirit. He could feel Nitrius's fingers wrap themselves around his Spirit. It wasn't painful, but it was invasive, like having someone's hands shoved into his chest cavity, probing him from the inside. Dominic couldn't help but gasp for air. He could barely breathe, the air leaving his lungs so quickly. His chest felt heavy. He felt as though he might pass out any second.

The priest smiled, his eyes glowing an intense white, illuminating his pale face in an ethereal light.

"How ironic, for a creature of your kind who hosts a fractured Spirit to be so accepting of the hands of Iosta. It must be your way of atonement," he whispered. His voice sounded far away. The whole room was spinning around Dominic, everything felt dizzy. He felt light-headed and nauseous, like he was falling through the ground. This wasn't the first time an Enferi Warlock had used their powers on him, but it had never been used on him like this, never like this. His mind was filled with thoughts of rage and hatred for the priest and everything he represented, and yet at the same time he felt completely powerless to resist his grip on him. He was like putty in his hands.

"I thought..." Dominic was out of breath, his throat dry from trying to get air into his lungs. Yet, he forced out the words, his voice still betraying his bitterness. "...you believed Nachon warlocks to be uncapable of accepting the blessings of your goddess."

Nitrius let out a low chuckle. "Your Spirit may be poisoned with the devil's venom, but your flesh and blood remain untouched. It may be too late for me to save you, but I will purify your body at the very least, so when it is time for the devil to take you, you won't offer him such an easy vessel."

"Fuck you..." Dominic whispered. He closed his eyes, his vision getting hazy and blurred. Everything around him was fading, he could barely even think, his mind was just an incoherent mess. All he could see was the white of the priest's robes and the darkness of the shadows. He felt him inside of him, like a fog slowly creeping over him. It was a suffocating bliss. A horrible ecstasy. And it was consuming him.

"Please, leave us," the priest instructed the two godia warriors who had escorted him. They both glanced over at him and then looked back towards Dominic, unsure. "No need to worry," Nitrius reassured them, "he is completely at my mercy, he is not capable of escaping or attacking."

Dominic felt the two Godia Warriors letting go of him and their footsteps echoing in the distance.

He was supposed to feel the fear in this moment, that he was sure of, yet he couldn't. The blissful state of nothingness that his body had been in was now turning to an eerie tranquility. He didn't move. His legs and arms were like heavy bricks. His mind felt cloudy and his eyesight was blurred and hazy. Nitrius' grip around his Spirit was like a drug. His breathing was slow, heavy, and strained.

The priest moved closer and leaned down next to him, his voice barely audible as he whispered:

"It would be wise if you don't move. I have been very gentle with your Spirit. One wrong movement, and you might destroy it completely, and I wouldn't want that." He lifted Dominic's chin up so he was forced to look him in the eye.

Dominic was filled with hate, he wanted to spit on the priest's face. But he couldn't move a muscle, his body was like jelly. The priest let his fingers slide up along the side of Dominic's face. "It is quite an intriguing feeling to be able to bend one's Spirit," he murmured softly. "And a powerful one at that. One I find myself enjoying greatly, especially in your case. There are no other Enferi Warlocks alive that are stronger than I. You will soon find out that I can make your Spirit scream in agony without even laying a finger on you."

His fingers dug into the soft flesh of Dominic's jaw as he continued, his voice still low and quiet.

"You're trembling, my child," he whispered.

"I'm not your child," Dominic managed to grit out. He was barely even thinking anymore.

Nitrius' gaze lingered on Dominic's, a wicked smile slowly forming on his face.

"Such defiance," he laughed quietly, his hand now sliding down along his neck. Dominic could feel his nails grazing his skin. It made his stomach twist with dread.

"It seems you are in need of a cleansing ritual," the priest announced.

The room around him spun wildly. It was a blur of colors. Yet, he could see the priest's eyes clearly, dark and intense, boring into him. Full of lust. Full of sin.

And Dominic knew that this wasn't about cleansing at all.

"Fucking hypocrite," he snarled. The priest's lips curved upwards slightly at the remark, but he did not respond. Instead he leaned in closer to the young warlock, his fingers caressing the side of his face gently. The feeling of his warm skin on his made his hair stand on edge. The touch felt dirty. Wrong. He wanted to jerk away from his touch but his body was still numb, his Spirit still in the hands of Nitrius. He couldn't move. He couldn't speak. All he could do was stare helplessly at the man.

"Do not be afraid, my child."