見璐沐與謊舉辦了這個主題的創挑，而我之前也聽過一個符合此主題的音樂專輯《Monarch of Monsters》，且專輯非常好聽及有意思，故我在這裏宣傳那專輯及其附屬小説。131Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMs2VFIR72v
Monarch of Monsters
by Vylet Pony
Summary
It is 1679 in a kind of equestrian world, somewhere. Townsfolk in the central countryside are bemused with the abrupt disappearance of the local tavern bard, a pegasus named Vylet Cypress. Her puzzling absence is soon followed by a string of murders, which strike terror across the lands. Cypress is swiftly identified as the perpetrator, and while many come to fear her, equally many come to worship her as a false god, invoking her only by the name, "Wolf".
Wrought with self-hatred, Wolf had lived a lifetime of silent regret, and believed she would never be greater than her mistakes. Succumbing to the sinister perception she had invented in this remorse, she began to kill the ones she loved to punish herself. With each kill, she absorbed magic from her victims, and transformed further into a beast. At the precipice of godhood, however, she became at once terrified of her own reflection; staring back was no longer a pegasus, but — indeed — a wolf. In her mind, she had become unrecognizable to the girl she once was, and unfit to be the girl she could be. And so, she returned to the countryside to submit herself to torture, defilement, and sacrifice. Wolf christened this ritual the "Daybreak of Red Rivers", and it was performed afore hundreds of spectators. At the execution, she recited her every transgression and sin aloud, sliced herself open, then perished as her profane disciples violated and devoured her body.
Wolf's soul traveled to the outer edges of existence to The Locus, a place twixt time and space. Aria — a strange Lamb that stood upright and divine sovereign of the realm — saved the girl's soul from oblivion. The goddess introduced themselves as a caretaker of the afterlife, laying souls to rest and hunting the unwilling spirits of every universe and realm in between. Aria explained that their Shadowy servitors had been watching Wolf during her recent lifetime, and that she had been the reincarnated spirit of a beast that killed the Lamb's sister in a previous lifetime, in another world. As punishment, Aria had long ago desired for Wolf to become their hunting dog for all eternity, assisting them in pursuing the unwilling, wandering, and evil souls of The Locus.
Then, of course, the Wolf, and the Lamb fell in love.
WARNING: "Monarch of Monsters" contains blood/gore, murder, self-harm, suicide, nudity, sexual content, sexual assault, sexual violence, cannibalism, f-slur, and existential/cosmic horror. This pertains to its lyrics, themes, story, and artwork, and may be especially triggering to survivors of grooming and sexual assault. Parental guidance is advised for those under the age of 18, as "Monarch of Monsters" is intended for a mature audience.
Full novella here (free): https://www.vyletpony.com/monarch-novella
About This Album and Story’s Purpose
"Monarch of Monsters" is an allegory for how trauma, loneliness, and selfishness can turn you into a horrible person; it's about endeavouring to stay alive even within a terminal state of regret; how — in this regret — experiencing any happiness at all feels insincere and undeserved; about perpetuating cycles of toxicity and wickedness because it's all you've known, especially in denial of being wrong; and ultimately, learning to find purpose and self-love in that din.
Well, I exist in that regret. In the past, I have been that horrible person. I live with the knowledge that I've been someone who has perpetuated cycles of toxicity, jealousy, oppression, sexualization, bigotry, queerphobia, and overall personal insecurity. I survive, knowing that I have hurt many people in my life and have, at times, compensated in acting as the sort of villain that I have sworn my life against. To grow up lonely on the internet, to be taken advantage of by strangers, to be accepted into a space where these behaviours dominate the collective mindset, and to find fellowship in all the wrong places ruined me for a very long time. Though I became a part of the MLP community when I was 13, I don't know at what point I should have known better and just grown up to become the person I should have been the whole time. "Monarch of Monsters" is an album and story I've wanted to write for a very long time because it's far more value to face it and discuss it openly, rather than fear it. Creating this began as an exploration of the most profound punishment I could wish upon myself, and yet finding purpose for the life I've lived so far. I'm not interested in pretending my past doesn't exist. I want to guide people instead, knowing the things I know. To kill a monster is to be a monster, once in service to the sinister call, then finally in service to those who must be protected. One must not lose themselves completely.
The lyrics of "Monarch of Monsters" are written from the perspective of the eponymous antihero, "Wolf" (or, Vylet Cypress). The prose is better understood through reading the accompanying novella, which is included in the Bandcamp booklet. If you are reading this and do not have access to the booklet, or wish to otherwise read it elsewhere for whatever your reasons are, you may visit vyletpony.com/monarch-novella to read it in full. The album's lyrics, sung from Wolf's perspective, are directed primarily at either her former or present self. The instances in which this is not the case presents — instead — Wolf parasocially addressing both loved ones and enemies from throughout her life. These ideas all parallel my mental states from the present, back through many years. Throughout the album, I am having many internal dialogues with the various, discretized selves that live within me, past and present. I am also considering many of the people who have hurt me, and especially the people that I have hurt. I want to emphasize that the varied instances of murder, sexual violence, self-harm, and other severe occurrences in the album and its story are not expressed intending to condone or endorse.
Full album here (free): https://www.vyletpony.com/monarch-of-monsters
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