The Heretic

Five years ago, Gloria is abducted by a cult under a locust moon. They perform an occult ritual while wearing grotesque masks. The ritual ends with the cultists killing themselves, leaving Gloria traumatized and cut off from her previous life.

Five years after the kidnapping, Gloria is living with her mother Ruth, traumatized but slowly healing. She begins attending a therapy group at a local church with her lover Joan. The sessions mark a fragile return to normalcy as she confronts the memories of what happened.

Joan hints that she has something special planned for their anniversary the next day. Gloria feels a mix of anticipation and unease as the secret plans loom. The exchange foreshadows the danger to come.

The next day, a scarred man named Thomas abducts Gloria and takes her to a remote countryside cabin. He reveals that he was one of the cultists who kidnapped her five years ago and that he was moved by her humanity. He explains that he feigned suicide to protect her from the remaining cultists who plan to finish the ritual.

Joan launches a frenetic search for Gloria and pulls a knife on a bystander who seems indifferent to the kidnapping. A police officer learns of Joan's violent behavior and grows suspicious that she was involved. In response, she kills the detective and Ruth, the inconvenient witness.

Thomas explains that he was one of Gloria's kidnappers, moved by her humanity and abandoning his beliefs that night. He reiterates that Gloria's kidnapping was meant to protect her from the remaining cultists who would finish the ritual if she stayed with them. He emphasizes the fragile plan to keep her safe from harm.

The cultists believe they implanted the demon Abaddon, the Taker of Souls, into Gloria's body, and insist it has grown inside her over the last five years. They see her transformation as proof of the ritual's power. This belief intensifies the danger surrounding Gloria.

Under the light of the locust moon, Gloria becomes seriously ill and begs Thomas to take her to a hospital. Both she and Thomas experience visions of Abaddon, and a malevolent force seems to inhabit the cabin. The atmosphere thickens with supernatural menace.

As the transformation progresses, Gloria grows wings and begins speaking in the voice of Abaddon. She promises to kill Thomas and take his soul to hell, signaling that the demon is taking control.

A witness's testimony reveals that Gloria's kidnapper had a scarred face, leading Gwendolyn to deduce that Thomas was the key kidnapper. Gloria learns that Joan is actually the leader of the cult and that the plot runs deeper than she realized. The revelation reframes the danger looming over her.

Gwendolyn, Joan's alias and the cult's leader, arrives at the cabin, knocks out Thomas, and taunts the increasingly degenerate Gloria. She begins performing an occult ritual, intent on completing the cult's work while Gloria weakens.

Thomas breaks free, overpowers Gwendolyn, and kills her. He drags the seemingly dead Gloria outside as the sun rises, hoping to carry out the plan before Gloria fully transforms. The dawn marks a final, desperate moment in their struggle.

Gloria revives and attacks Thomas, speaking in the voice of Abaddon. She declares that she will kill him and take his soul to hell, suggesting the demon's grip will not be easily broken. The final confrontation escalates as the fate of both hangs in the balance.