《Tales from Leyah》 The Anchor I The Anchor I The crackling of the fire permeated throughout the oppressive silence of the forest. An uneven rhythm. It was a source of comfort for someone like Charles, a drifter like him could seldom find comfort. But fire was that rare comfort, a constant in his nights. Fire was something he knew would be there at the end of a day. It was a surety. Because after all, it was the source of all his struggles and joys now. Nothing could ever sooth his mind in the way that the endless rhythmic crackling of the Fire could. It''s musical noise providing a comfort to his tense nerves that nothing else could. Fire was the most beautiful- ¡°Ya alright there, Charles? Been staring into that fire, too intensely, longer than one should.¡± Scratch that, fire was the second most beautiful thing in the world, the first was sitting right in front of him. Elena was her name. A well deserved name. Truly, none could have been worthier for it than her. Even the ever serious Pleiades had turned rather jovial at the sight of her, so much so that he had been afraid of Pleiades having lost his mind. Alas, it was an unfounded concern. Pleiades was as taken with her as he was, although his admiration of her was of a different nature than his. He had been a fool to think that their admiration could be similar, Pleiades afterall was incapable of such emotions. Too weak and too great a liability, he had termed them. Dismissing such an integral emotion as if it were nothing. He might be right but Charles could not care less. If he could understand the depth of Charles¡¯s affections then he would understand that Elena is more than just a passing fancy; to even think of her as a mere fancy was a sin to his mind. ¡°Now, you¡¯re staring at me in that haunting way of yours,¡± ¡°I am. You are, afterall, someone worthy of admiration,¡± Her laughter at his response was oh so rewarding. It was a sweet and musical sound that drowned everything else. Even the crackling of his precious fire was all but forgotten, a distant memory, a worthless sound. It paled at her laugh. ¡°Oh Charles,¡± She sighed amused, ¡°You truly do know, how to get a maiden¡¯s heart fluttering, don''t ya?¡± ¡°If it''s yours? Yes,¡± He was once again rewarded with her giggles, the sweetest of all rewards. Elena might not take his words at their face value, she might see them as nothing more than honeyed poison that he uses to seduce her. However, she is wrong, if anything, he is the one who has been seduced by her. Unknowingly, yes but he has been nonetheless. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. And, how could he not be? The woman was a non-pareil. Her tamed yet wild black hair, her young yet mature face, her porcelain soft skin. And those were just her looks, he could days on end just go on describing her, her enchanting personality, her black void like eyes which could pull you in if you weren''t careful, her cherry red lips that he wished to kiss. ¡°You are obsessed with her, boy¡±, Pleiades voice broke him out of his reverie. The old man had perfected his timing of interrupting him at the perfect time. Perhaps that was just parts of his personality rubbing off on Pleiades. A part of him felt it was a fair trade considering how much his bonding with Pleiades had changed him. On second thought, it wasn''t a fair deal at all, he changed more than Pleiades in this short span of time. ¡°And like I said before, old man,¡± He ignored the feeling of indignation that rose up in his body and continued mentally, ¡°You will never understand the depth of my affections for her. Never. And like the countless of times that I''ve told you before, Your words will never, ever change my mind about her. Nothing on this land could change it.¡± With his piece said, Charles suppressed their mental connection. ¡°Pleiades giving you trouble?¡± Her voice brought him back to reality. ¡°Yes, he is. How did you know?¡± She smiled at him. His heart skipped a beat at its beauty. ¡°I knew it from your face. Your eyes to be specific. They say a lot, ya know? Almost as if they are a window into your very soul.¡± He was confused at her words. What ever did his eyes have to do with her being able to tell when he and Pleiades conversed? His confusion must have been evident on his face as she responded sweetly. ¡°Your eyes gain that faraway look in them, everytime you¡¯re conversing with him. You aren''t the only one with a keen eye, you know.¡± He smiled at her in amusement. He liked it. He loved it in fact. The fact that she looked at him as intently as he did at her. It spread such an intense warmth in him that he felt he was about to go up in flames. Perhaps Pleiades was right. Perhaps he is obsessed with her. But he does not care. Obsession or Love. It does not change anything for him. She will be the object of his affections regardless. Afterall, as long as she is with him, he is content to bask in her presence. His feelings and their true depth will be revealed to him with time. When that time comes, he''ll confess his feelings to her and she will accept. His obsession will be the end of him, just like mine was for me, Pleiades harsh yet truthful thoughts remained unknown to Charles as he remained completely enraptured by the woman. Lost too deep in her to realize his own folly. _______________________________________ Leyah placed the book down, unsure of what to feel about the man. She sympathized with him, pitied him. She truly did. Yet, in her heart of hearts, she knew that no amount of tragedy could serve as an excuse for his deeds. He was an evil man, plain and simple. Or, he was, for most people. But for someone such as her? He was more, more than just a madman. He was a person, an individual, a soul, from which one could learn much. Not that she wanted youth of this generation to become like him, no. She wanted them to learn from his story that vengeance is a fools errand. None have benefited from it and none ever will. She was about to begin her documentation of this chapter on the mainframe when a loud noise suddenly echoed through the silent halls of the library, startling her. Leyah 1 Leyah I The comforting silence of the library calmed her tense nerves. The smell of old books enveloped her like the embrace of a lost lover. It came with the promise of better days, peaceful days; exactly like those days of her childhood which her heart yearned for. Yet, even now, as she accepted the comfort of this warmth and silence, a rational part of her kept poking at her, discomforting her in a scorching way. This is not your home, it whispered and it was right. The library of Reina might be her homestead for the foreseeable future, might feel like her home but it shall never be her home. Then again, she was never meant to think of it as one. The Commandant had been quite adamant about it. ¡°Even if you will be working here for the foreseeable future. This library is not your home. It never was. And it never will be. Remember that and you are already better than the previous custodians¡± His words still rang in her ears. His tone. It was unusual, unsuited for someone of his personality. In all these years, his voice had never held that graveness in it. Never. It was natural then that she kept wracking her mind to find a reason for it. She scoured her thoughts for this truth, for the answer. Yet, she found none and perhaps, never will. The Commandant could be quite the riddle when he wished to be. There was an underlying warning though, in his words. She was sure of it, as sure as she was of the fact that the sun shall rise tomorrow in the east and shall set in the west. At least, I have that as a concession. Perhaps I shall ponder this question while doing my chores... Yes that was right, it would be a most valuable use of my time, She began cleaning up the reception table, or rather more accurately it was her personal table, as she pondered the question in her thoughts. It was during this moment of serenity, where her mind and soul were one that a loud noise broke her out of her little bubble. She would be a liar if she were to say that she was not startled by it. Or maybe, startled was a more refined word for ¡®got jumpscared so hard that I lost my balance and fell down¡¯. It was not her fault that the terminals in the library were too loud, awkwardly so, considering this was a library. She couldn''t imagine visiting here only to be interrupted by the extremely loud chimes of the terminal. Then again, the chimes would be of little concern when the only visitors to grace this library were its custodians. She considers herself, an extremely lucky woman for this. Supernaturally so. Her mind was unable to take a dive into the turbulent waters, which were her thoughts, as the terminal once again chimed to demand her attention. She was thankful for the chime, she hardly wished to dwell on her thoughts when it could possibly be the Commandant himself contacting her. He had informed her that they would be in constant contact for the entire duration of her custodianship. [Leyah, I hope that you are faring well at your current position. I am, well aware that your transfer from Calypso was an abrupt one and I, wholeheartedly accept the blame for it. Not that, you must be cursing me in your thoughts considering you had wished to be in the inquisition. Consider this as your dream come true- ] A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. Leyah had assumed that the terminal was a standard issue model. Thus, she was shocked when the terminal displayed the message holographically without her even interacting with it. It was almost as if it sensed her approach. It might have. She had never worked with a series 7 afterall. Nonetheless, her shock had quickly melted into a fond amusement as she read the message from the Commandant. Only someone like him could find humor even in the most formal situations. Rather more accurately, it was only he, who could get away with it in this quadrant. She shook her head in amusement as she continued reading through the message. [ However, remember to never make the mistake of assuming the library to be your home, your place of rest. Make this mistake and it will know- ] Jeez, can you be more foreboding? Leyah thought to herself as she giggled at his words. Though, she knew better than to ignore them. The Commandant was a wise man, it would do her better to heed his words. [ I have high hopes for you, Ley. Very high hopes. It is, with this deep belief in you that I entrust you with your first task or rather your first and final task. Now, now, I can already hear you panicking. Relax, by that statement, I meant to say that this task is your primary duty as the custodian (except protecting the library, of course). You will document the books in the library onto the digital mainframe; to this end, attached with this message is your passcode to AURORA. Keep it safe and Goodluck. Your ever trustable friend, Fredrick] She smiled at his trust in her, You are mine as well, my ever loving friend. Though Commandant Fredrick¡¯s words were like a ray of sunshine to her, she was beyond ecstatic at having access to the AURORA mainframe. The deepest well of knowledge, all at her fingertips. She downloaded the passcode onto her PDA and returned to tidying up her desk. Her mind was already compiling a list of what all she wanted to search up on AURORA. Suffice to say, it was a rather humongous list. ____________________________________ Leyah wandered her way through the 7th level of the library, the one dealing with the most ancient and holy of all texts in the library. These hallways were perhaps the most beautiful examples of master craftsmanship that she had ever seen and most likely ever will. It was as if the woodwork was attempting to recite a tale of its own. Though, she knew that the access to the library was restricted and that applied even more so to this level in particular; she couldn''t help but feel this sense of liveliness from the desolate halls of this grand library that she had never felt before. Every table, every chair, every step ladder, it felt as if they had been worn down from use yet somehow have maintained their freshness. It was all incomprehensibly sensible. Surrounded by these books on all sides, settled within her chest, a feeling of tranquility. Deep rooted tranquility. The tranquility, however, could hold no candle to the thrilling sensation that had gripped her heart. In her hands, was perhaps the most sought after yet obscure piece of literature. A book simply titled ¡®The Anchor¡¯ by Charles Arvell. The Anchor II ¡°I am unsure of what to feel. Whenever, I read this book? Journal? Historical account? Whatever it is, I feel confused. Unsure. Worthless. A fool. The root for these feelings is unknown to me. I have read tales, far more grander than the ravings of a mentally poisoned man obsessed with nothing but love and revenge. Yet, never have I felt these feelings. Perhaps, it has something to do with the book? Mayhaps, I am wrong to fault him. Love is a mad and unreasonable thing, afterall. Revenge, even more so. And, Charles is one who is drowning in both. *Sigh*, I am ranting now. Nevertheless, what I was going to say in the beginning, before my thoughts interrupted me, was that this book feels rather unimportant in the grand scheme of history. However, the book does raise some questions within me. Questions, which I want answered. Thus, I shall study this piece of history. Furthermore, I rather like romantic plots. This is Leyah, signing off¡­.¡± The Anchor II Tranquility, serenity, peace. They were foreign words to him. They had been synonymous with his life for the longest time, yet now it seemed as if they were anything but. His life had been robbed and pillaged of them, unbelievably mercilessly as well. He had longed for them. Dreamt of a moment where he could embrace these feelings. But those dreams were dreams of a naive boy. Who was so fresh out of his home, so fresh out of his loss that he would accept any olive branch thrown at him. That boy was dead, however. Now, in his place was this soulless husk. Driven by nothing but power and revenge. Truly, what an awful fate. Sometimes, or rather most times, Charles meditated on what the boy would think of him. Of what he had becom- No, of what had replaced him. Perhaps, he would be proud. That was wishful thinking, however. He knew, in his heart of hearts, that the boy would feel naught but disgust. Yet, the boy would understand, he knew. His revenge was worth every ounce of his soul, of his humanity. Those thoughts were wishful thinking, he realized as the scent of fire tickled at his nostrils. The soot in the air, grating his nerves yet calming them. Calming them, until he remembered the kindling. And he knew, that the boy would never forgive nor accept Charles Arvell. It does not matter, a part of his mind whispered or was it Pleiades? He did not know but he knew that dwelling on such thoughts would bring nothing to him. Excluding pain and suffering, that is. Furthermore, Charles has already gone too far on his path to ever turn back. The villa belonging to Governor Luthor and his family was a testament to that. It had been a beautiful thing, a look into what, mastery over architecture could allow one to accomplish. The white wood forming the majority of the structure, the marble pillars upholding the terraces and the roof. The expertly polished flooring and walls, shining like a gem and as reflective as a mirror. The tapestries that hung from the wall were works of art by themselves. They were expensive, he knew. His family''s villa had one from the painter and it had cost his family a fortune to buy it. It was truly a testament to the wealth of Luthor¡¯s family. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. Now¡­ now, they were all aflame. Burning as kindling to the pyre of his soul and humanity. Luthor had been a penny-pincher. A rather infamous one at that. Yet, it did not matter. Not when Charles'' sword cut down each and every member of his family, all the while the coward hid himself in the cupboard. He must have heard their screams, Charles made sure of that. He seldom enjoyed killing, but as he watched the light fade from Luthor''s eyes. He had felt it. A sickening feeling. A tingle of pleasure had crept up his spine. He had slaughtered their family yet he had felt a sickening pleasure doing so. ¡®Luthor, was a traitor, boy. A snake, you have done well in killing him and his blood. You have saved countless, from the treacherous feeling of a knife in their back.¡¯ The words like your father were left unsaid. He had heard them all the same. Pleiades'' words, often were irritating and brought forth nothing but annoyance in him. Right now, however? They brought with them a feeling of acceptance and pride. Pleiades was right, the man and his kin deserved to die. Dying like the snakes that they were, was their destiny. He had merely brought their death, a little more earlier. Nevertheless, a part of him, perhaps the boy who still resided within him, felt remorse, regret, guilt. His inner war with his emotions came to a sudden halt, when he heard the crunching of dried leaves and hurried footsteps. Charles leapt up from his spot, overlooking the burning house in the distance, sword drawn. The clanking and creaking of his steel armor announced his presence to the individual as the sound of footsteps slowed. ¡®This might be an ambush boy, be ready.¡¯ Pleiades deduction was an obvious conclusion. Afterall, at this time of the night? And near to the site of the carnage committed by him? What else could it be? ¡®An apostle?¡¯ Charles'' question was accompanied by a feeling of fear creeping up his spine. He was not sure of his abilities. Certainly, he could fire a fireball or two. He had no knowledge of the arcane arts used by the apostles. In truth, he had little idea of what an apostle was, at all. He only had Pleiades words to go off of. It was understandable then, that he was not sure how he would stand up in a fight against one. If it was an apostle, then a better question to ponder, would be, how did they find him? There were only three people who knew of his visit here. He doubted it was any of them. ¡®Plausible but unlikely. Unless the apostle has been stalking you, they would not know of your presence here.¡¯ Charles doubted that an apostle could ever tail him. Not without, at least, either him or Elena noting something out of the ordinary. No, it was highly unlikely. Besides, Pleiades often praised the skills of an apostle. Thus, he doubted that one would give themself away this foolishly. Regardless, whether this intruder was an apostle or not, he would keep a close eye on his surroundings from now on. A very close eye. He will advise Elena to do the same, he doubted that honor ran deep in an apostle¡¯s blood. ¡®And keep your fear and panic in check, boy. The Apostle¡¯s. They can smell it.¡¯ Charles barely paid attention to Pleiades'' advice as the intruder came into his sight. The sword fell from his hand, his mouth hung open at her sight. ¡°Elena?!¡± ANCHOR III Anchor III ¡°Elena?!!¡± The woman who held his heart stood in front of him, haggard and panting. Her crimson and black gown, her favourite one, was entirely ruffled and its skirt, covered in patches of dirt, as if it was a canvas. Those void like eyes of hers were shining with relief and an unidentifiable emotion, an emotion which he wished to uncover. Was it shock? Disgust? No, he did not think so. She could never be disgusted with him. She, who understood him so completely, so deeply, in a way none had ever before. It was impractical, impossible, unthinkable for her to ever be disgusted by him. Then¡­ mayhaps, it was love? Yes, that sounds right, it must be love. He could imagine no other manner in which she could ever gaze upon him except with love. "You haven''t seen true love, boy", Pleiades reminded him. He could not bring himself to debate with him, afterall, he was right. He had seen love, yes, but never at its purest form. Thus, even if Elena gazed at him with outright love, he doubted he could identify it; for she could never gaze at him with false affections. He was sure of it. She would either love him purely or she would not- No, that''s not right, she would love him, pure and true. There was no other alternative to their story. His thoughts ended, rather abruptly, when he felt a sharp sting on his cheek. Elena, standing right in his face, had her hand raised. Her face, which always looked so serene and loving, was twisted, ugly, vengeful as she stared at him with a scowl. She had slapped him. Why? What sin had he committed? No, that was an incorrect question, he had committed many. What sin had he committed against her? Perhaps, Luthor and his family had been her distant kin? If this was true, then he ought to have thanked Luthor before strangling him. At least, his worthless blood had produced something of worth. Yet, in spite of her being the very representation of rage, her eyes, even now, told him another story. They still retained that look of relief, the unidentifiable emotion, albeit with specks of anger. He was confused. Was she angry? Relieved? He did not know. And perhaps, neither did Elena. Truly, women were confusing creatures. Then again, he had seldom interacted with women in his life. Those, whom he did have interactions with, were not the type to whom he would yield his heart to. Until Elena, she was his first and only love. And will be, till his death. ¡°You! You fool!¡± Elena screamed, her voice filled with equal parts relief and anger, ¡°Will you never realize it?! Or is it, that you''re so fond of death, that you must go relentlessly seeking it!¡± Elena¡¯s hand, the one that had slapped him, twitched. Her tone softened, losing all its previous vitriol, ¡°Do you not realize, how much you mean to me? Or, do you refuse to realize it?¡± ¡°No, I do realize it. I know tha-¡± He was interrupted before he could continue by Elena. ¡°Then, why do you insist on such things, Charles?! Why is it¡­ that each time, I believe, you shall not go on a fool''s errand, you chase one immediately afterwards.¡± Charles looked away in guilt and equal parts, shame as Elena continued, ¡°I had nearly collapsed when I got to know that you were heading here. And, it was not even you that I was hearing this from. No- no, it was from my serv- my associate! Do you even realize what that means?! Huh?!¡± Charles nodded mutely and Elena let out a quiet wow. ¡°You realize this and yet, you do not learn. Will you amend your ways when you''re finally dead? And have left me, all alone in this cruel world? Is that what you''re aiming to achieve?!¡± Charles tried to speak but her rant continued, ¡°No, you do not get to speak, Charles. I, have already nearly strangled Liliana. God damn it, I have to apologize to her, for that.¡± If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. ¡°What?¡± Charles questioned her. Elena coming close to strangling, strangling!, Liliana? Impossible. ¡°It''s a long story, I wasn''t in the right mind at the time. Afterall, it was not like, a certain someone''s escapades had driven me half mad.¡± She sighed, ¡°Regardless, what I was going to say. You''re coming with me,¡± Charles was perplexed and for good reason. As far as he knew, she did not have a home except the Royal Palace of the Blood Queen. And, he doubted that the Blood Queen would ever allow her servants to invite someone to stay at the castle. Especially, if that certain someone was him. It was more in tune with her character to behead him and mount it on her castle walls. In fact, he could already imagine it. His head mounted on the wall of her castle. And, beside it, Elena''s as well. A revolting sight which caused wild and true fear to grip his heart. No, I am never going to allow such a fate to befall Elena, Charles thought with conviction. ¡°Where would we even go? Bloodrock?¡± Elena blinked owlishly at his, albeit stupid, inquiry before bursting out in laughter. ¡°Bloodrock? Hahahaha, you would have to be executed at first sight there. No, no, we''ll be going somewhere better. Much better,¡± Her voice had taken a nostalgic tone and she appeared lost in her thoughts. Her eyes seeing something, that he could not but wished to. However, he was taken by surprise when she held his hand. He looked at her face dumbly and she merely gave him a serene yet seductive smile. Perhaps, this place wouldn''t be that bad. It would definitely be an upgrade from his lackluster tents, at the very least. Besides, it was some place which she obviously held some level of reverence and love for. Unbeknownst to Charles, this place would soon hold much more significance for him. Much much more than it ever held for Elena. _________________________________________ Leyah yawned as she closed the book. She got off her chair and stretched. Her back popped satisfyingly. Ahh, now that feels good, She smiled in satisfaction as she placed the chair, taking extreme care so as not to even accidentally scratch the floorboards, back with the small coffee table nearby. It was only when she had reached her room that she noticed the book in her hand. She sighed. She had again carried the book with her. Usually, she would trek all the way back to the deepest level of the library to place it back. But not today, she was far too exhausted to be bothered. The book had become a constant in her life now, alarmingly so in her opinion. Yet, she could not bring herself to put it down. It was like a drug. Without having read it at least once throughout the day, she would feel incomplete, uncomfortable, guilty, lonely but most of all, fear. Fear of what or for what? She did not know. Some part of her even doubted if she should even wish to know it. She often found herself, doubting herself for the past week. Ever since, she has picked up that book, she has felt so. With each passing day, it keeps on increasing. Often, she has gone for hours without food and water. It would not be until she closed that book that she would be struck by thirst and hunger. The intensity of which would shock her, making her wonder how she hadn''t collapsed by then. One day, she had read the book from morning to night. She had thought it had been only a few minutes until she had peeked out the window. Even then, in spite of having sat for hours upon hours with that book; she had not felt satisfied and neither had she felt tired, instead she had felt this sense of accomplishment arise within her. It was all, rather strange. Too strange for her liking. Sometimes, she wished to go and attend mass occuring at the Church of Lilac in the town nearby and in that instant, she would be struck by an overwhelming well of laziness. She had forced herself once to attend the mass, once. Never again. From that day, she had decided that perhaps it was better to remain here. In this library, this second home- No, no, not a home. Just a place of work, a temporary residence, never a home. She folded her clothes neatly and placed them in the laundry basket before reciting a short prayer. She would have placed the book at the study table in the room, however, she wished to have it on her bedside table and thus, that''s where it went. Perfect. As she lay down and drifted to sleep, taking comfort in the placid and soothing embrace of her dreams. She was unable to know of the presence within her room, watching her, observing her, studying her. Queen of Blood I Queen of Blood I The city around her was burning. The cacophony of cries and clashing of swords echoed through the rainy night. It was ironic. Rain signified rebirth yet now, at this moment, it was naught but a herald of death and tyranny. The flames that burned the city, burnt brighter than any she had seen ever before. They burnt stronger and savagely as well. They licked at her as she ran, her tiny feet carrying her swiftly across the blood soaked streets of Queensbury. Her mind failed to remember the reason for her flight though it mattered not, something in her convinced her to continue running. And she did, not once looking back, not even when she could hear the shouts of her personal guard asking for her to slow down. Her feet did not slow, for she remembered his words. And she remembered them true. Her gown did not hinder her, it had shocked her initially. Nevertheless, she knew better than to look a gift horse in the mouth. She accepted it as a boon from the Gods and continued winding her ways through the narrow alleyways. She heard, occasionally, sounds of thunder. Yet, never once did the night sky glow bright due to lightning. And, she knew that were she to be caught, death awaited her. Thus, she pushed her little body to its limit and did not stop until she reached the tavern. Something had told her to come here, told her that she would be safe and thus, here she was. She nearly stumbled on the stairs as she climbed up them and finally stood at the door. The door to her sanctuary, her home. The door to the room creaked, it always had, yet now in this deafening silence, it sounded like a haunting scream. A shiver went up her spine, perhaps it was better to turn back, find a way out of the city. She knew better. It was with a light clang that the door was bolted behind her. She allowed herself to take a deep breath and her body lost all its previous tension. It was, at this moment of momentary calm, that her mind crushed her soul with guilt, sadness, remorse. They were dead, all of them. And it was all her fault- her fault- her fault - her fault! A loud noise broke her downward spiral, her body uncurled from its fetal position. She rubbed away the tears streaming down her face. When had she started crying? Or better yet, when had she laid down on the floor? They were valid questions, simple ones, however, her brain could not bring itself to answer. Something halted it, with the answers being just out of reach. Why had she woken up? She had heard something, had she not? But what was it? Right as she felt the answer coming to her, her brain finally catching up with her. The room''s door was savagely ripped from its hinges and thrown open. She scurried to the corner of the room, her hand holding a¡­. Knife? When had she obtained that? No, she had it since her childhood, it was a gift from her father. Father? Father! Where was he? Why isn''t he here? Her eyesight was blurry from tears as she was reminded of her father''s fate. As her body started shaking with sobs, a hand gripped her throat. Her vision cleared and the room morphed. It reminded her of her old room that she had lived in all those years ago as a small child. She was reminded of the danger to her life as the pressure on her throat increased. Lungs failing to draw breath, her gaze snapped to the individual strangling her. The face was shrouded in shadows as a pristine white cloak was draped over the entirety of the assassin. As spots began forming in her vision, she saw a scythe in the other hand of the cloaked individual. The scythe was clearly going to disembowel her. As the scythe came down on her, an arrow whistled through the air, burying itself in the hood of the assassin. The knight, for he could be nothing else, was a tall man, taller than her father with hair as silver as the chain of her necklace and his eyes, oh his eyes, were the brightest shade of blue she had ever seen. She could lose herself in them if she were not careful. ¡°Princess? Are you alright?¡± The man questioned as kneeled before her. She nodded and felt a sharp sting in her stomach. Her eyes wandered to her stomach and saw the knight¡¯s sword buried deep within. Betrayal and sadness shone in her eyes as she gazed back at the knight. Only for shock to fill her, for it was not the deep blue eyes of the knight which stared back at her, no. It was the dark silver of the assassin which stared back at her. Glee burned in those silver eyes at her condition. The scythe was back again, how had she not noticed it? It was going to cut off her head, afterall. She let out a scream as the scythe hit her. Ishtar¡¯s eyes snapped open from the nightmare. Gone were the burning silver eyes, replaced by the chocolate brown of her handmaiden¡¯s. ¡°My lady, are you well?¡± Ishtar opened her mouth to reply and closed it shut again, failing to form any words. Her mind caught up in the webs of her dream. Sweet Diane, Celeste bless her soul, understood her plight and immediately presented her with a cup of water. She sniffed at it. She trusted Diane implicitly. She truly did but one could never be too sure. Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. The water had the distinct scent of roses in it. She knew of only one drink which had that scent. The physician''s medicine. The realization was met with a shudder as she drank the sweet smelling yet foul drink. The effects were never instantaneous, nonetheless, she could already feel her nerves calming, her brain de-stressing slowly but surely. The physician was a gifted man and in her reign, men like him are rewarded. Rewarded rather handsomely as well. She cleared her throat as she spoke, ¡°Diane?¡± ¡°Yes, my lady?¡± ¡°Remind me to have the physician rewarded,¡± ¡°Certainly, my lady,¡± Diane''s words were accompanied by a bow and Ishtar dismissed her. As Diane left the room, Ishtar sighed in resignation. Her mind was quickly becoming a prison for her. The medicine helped but it never fixed her and inspite of the physician''s words; she doubted it ever would. Ishtar snapped herself out of her thoughts and got up from her position on the carpet. The carpet? How did she get here? She had neither been drunk nor had she been tired out of her mind, last night, to have fallen asleep here. She shook her head, it was pointless to trouble herself over this. She would have her answer from Wrath or perhaps even Agony, assuming the man was not deep into his drink. Regardless of it, she would have an explanation and besides, it was better to allow the medicine to run its course; mental anguish would only cause its effects to be fouled. She had been soaking in the bath, her mind floating away, allowing a feeling of serenity and ease. Feelings that she rarely had time to experience, in her anxiety-ridden life. Except in the company of one man, a man who never failed to put a smile on her face. Her mind wandered though, it wandered quite a lot. And, even now, in this tranquil moment, it wandered to her nightmare, a feeling of restlessness enveloped her as her mind spiraled. She could have never thought a tragic memory could ever turn even more nightmarish. Yet it had. It affected her more than she would like to admit. She had nightmares often and how couldn''t she? Nevertheless, none had ever stuck with her in such a feverish manner. She had enough to ponder over as it is, thus, she never paid much mind to them. It was just another nightmare for her. But not this one. No. This one was different, too different. It had struck a chord deep within her and as a result, her mind was still reeling from it. When she had been strangled. It felt so real. Too real for her. Almost lifelike. Maybe it was real? Maybe she was being strangled. But by who or what? The silver eyes, they must be a hint. Silver- silver- she couldn''t think of anyone in her service with those eyes. Or rather, anyone for that matter. Perhaps, it was an eye color common in the east. She would have to look into that. She had failed to realize the time passing by as she remained enraptured within her mind. A prisoner to her thoughts. And, she would have remained in the bath a longer time had Diane, she knew it was her due to the softness of the knocks, not knocked at her door. As she left the bath and began to dry herself, she was struck with a thought. A thought too terrifying for her to comprehend. For, were it true then all her plans would come undone. Ishtar pushed the feeling down. There was but one man who could provide her with answers. Luckily, for her that man was always stationed outside her door. ¡°A prophetic dream? It certainly sounds like one, my Queen. However, I doubt that it is the case. You have described your nightmares to me, multiple times, yet none have ever turned into reality. This is an unfounded concern, my Queen, a result of an empty mind. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± It was, after getting dressed, that as she sat with Diane delicately combing her hair, she confessed to Wrath, and in a sense to Diane, about her nightmare. Wrath¡¯s words, while a comfort, did not put her at ease. This nightmare had been far too vivid for her. It was justifiable, then, that her mind was unable to overcome its terror. Perhaps, another dose of the medicine was in order. __________________________________________ Ishtar was bored, she usually was, in the courtroom. Forced to listen endlessly to the droning of the peasants and citizens. Wrath had advised her against holding these courts daily. She had waved his concerns away, she was the Queen afterall. It was her duty to listen to their complaints. Suffice to say, she regretted that moment and will regret it till her death. The only events that made these hearings bearable were when she got to condemn someone to death. That was always a kicker. They would be beheaded in the court itself. A show of power and order. Wrath had been, rather surprisingly, unsupportive of it. He had been the only dissentient. Thus, he had been outvoted. It was all the more hilarious to her that Wrath was the one who swung the axe. Truly, she was petty. Nonetheless, even as hilarious as it was, this compliance of his displayed the deep loyalty that the man possessed towards her. As the hearings were coming to an end, an individual wearing a white cloak and right beside him another, though smaller and with feminine curves, wearing a similar cloak stepped up. Ishtar was intrigued by them. Mayhaps, it was the way they were dressed, looking like priests from a Holy Order or a Church. Perhaps, it was the way they carried themselves. She wasn''t sure. Wrath seemed to have sensed something similar in them, as his body tensed slightly. Although, she doubted it was his interest that the two had gained. She drank a sip of water as Wrath stepped forward and in a tone of authority, proclaimed loudly,¡°You stand in the presence of The Daughter of Ash, The Queen of Blood, The Blessed And Most Holiest Queen, Queen Ishtar!¡± He paused to allow his statement to sink in before continuing, ¡°State the purpose of your visit!¡± The taller of the duo, bowed before her with the girl following his lead. Ah, so the girl was his apprentice? Intriguing. ¡°We are members of the Church of the Hunt. I am Israpheal and this is my apprentice, Estelle.¡± As Estelle looked up to gaze at her, the air from Ishtar¡¯s lungs left her. Her speechlessness was accompanied by a chill going up her spine. For the eyes staring back at her were pure dark silver. Leyah II Leyah II Inspite of the Commandant¡¯s assurances that they would be in constant contact. Such an act had yet to happen. His messages to her were few and far between. Even in those messages that she received, he spoke professionally, his words lacking their usual warmth. Seldom was she able to spot affections in his words. It worried her. Worried her, more than she could admit. Mayhaps, he had found someone else? It would be understandable. He was an extremely desirable man, even more so after the ascension of the new Queen. It wouldn''t be unlikely that he had been approached by a woman he thought more worthy of him than her. She would not fault him for it. She simply could not. Her heart wouldn''t allow her to do it. Yet, her heart still clenched with pain. Perhaps, she shouldn''t have taken this job at all. What were these inconsequential tomes of history worth to her? Worth more than her love? No, they never were and never would be. She shook her head. It was pointless now. She had made her bed and now she must lay in it. However, it didn''t mean it lessened the pain in her heart. Nothing could. And, perhaps nothing ever will. She had loved him for as long as she could remember. He was her first and her last. None could compare to him, afterall. I¡¯m getting lost in my thoughts again, it''s better I focus on this job, Leyah sighed mentally as she continued to search for the thrice damned book. It had escaped her, once more. She had thought it was the auxiliary staff pulling off a trick on her. She had confronted them about it. The only answer she had received was silence. Unnerving, deafening silence. She had found the book that night. It was in her dresser. Leyah¡¯s suspicion regarding them had only increased. She never confronted them again, however. Once was enough. She had spent the entirety of the previous day reading the book. It had simply captivated her. It always did. When she had opened her bedside drawer, it was the book''s resting place now as the drawer had a lock, the book was gone. Not a single trace of it was left behind. As if it disappeared into thin air. Mayhaps, it did. She doubted someone could have broken the lock without her being awoken by the noise. It both puzzled her and intrigued her. Having said that, it made her equally and perhaps even moreso, fearful of the book. She had formulated a number of theories on the curious nature of the book. However, each was more outlandish than the last. That had given rise to a much more plausible theory. A much much more sinister one than any other, her mind could have thought of. She had passed it off as a foolish conclusion. Now, however, her mind was getting more and more convinced regarding its plausibility. The book was a psychological hazard. That was her theory. Outlandish and far-fetched, it was, yes. Nevertheless, it was the one that made the most amount of sense. She had since visited the small clinic in the town nearby, almost thrice. However, each time, all she got in response was a no. There was no damage to her mental stability. No signs of being in contact with a psychological hazard. None, zero, nil. Despite that, in her third visit, the doctor had given her medicine. An anti-stress medicine. Leyah had failed to see its use to her and thus, refused to take it. Besides, the medicine would make her drowsy and that was something she could seldom afford. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Her mental deep dive was halted as the familiar chiming of the terminal echoed through the reception of the library. Leyah rushed over to the terminal. She was no longer amazed by the holographic display of the terminal and neither did its detection of her presence, take her aback any longer. However, the inane feeling of restlessness and excitement still rose up within her, everytime she looked at it. She couldn''t help it. Each chime of the terminal signified Fredrick¡¯s message after all. And, in spite of her resolution to not be strung along by him, she couldn''t help but be joyful hearing that sound. It was music to her ears. Besides, in this lonely life at the still unfamiliar and daunting library, Fredrick''s words brought a sense of familiarity and comfort. If she was not busy reading the book of Charles Arvell, then she was busy rereading his letters. She had not done so before. But now, ever since she began reading that book, this habit had been cultivated within her. Her parents would scold her. They would call her delusional. They would tell her, she was wasting away her youth. But, her parents were not her. They could never understand the depth of her feelings for this man. They never will. Additionally, they were not here and thus, she was free to do whatever her heart desired. And now? Her heart desired to read his message, to peer over it for any sign of hidden affection that the Commandant was, oh, so, a fan of sprinkling in. Perhaps, she was a hopeless woman. A fool even, chasing after a man who might have already found someone else. Someone better. However, it mattered little to her. Unless she heard the words directly from Fredrick''s words, she would not give up hope. Oh! How her hopes were increased as she read the message. Her body practically vibrated with excitement and glee. She felt as if her entire being was filled with warmth as she continued to read the message. She would have to become presentable, yes. And, she would have to procure some fine and enchanting clothes for herself as well. Leyah set out to do just that with a massive grin on her face. She couldn''t be anything but her best. Fredrick was afterall, coming to visit her. [ My Dear Ley, I wish to ask for your forgiveness. I realize that in these past few weeks, I have done naught but behave dishonorably. And, have hurt your feelings in doing so, no doubt. My work here at the senate had been particularly taxing these past weeks. This annoyance had bled into my previous messages to you. It was highly irrational of me to do so. And I apologize to you for this. You may reject my apology, if you so wish; if it were conveyed to you using such a lousy method. Thus, as a way of properly seeking your forgiveness. I am coming to visit you tomorrow afternoon. It is with the deepest hopes in my heart that I can gain your forgiveness. Dearly yours, Fredrick ] Leyah III Leyah III She looked in the mirror, her blonde hair was tied in a ponytail, the pure white dress, gifted to her by her mother, went along naturally with her pale skin. At the same time, her dress contrasted pleasantly with her black eyes. She had applied minimal makeup, preferring to enchant him with her natural beauty. She looked quite elegant yet bewitching, if she allowed herself to be a tad bit narcissistic. She hoped her looks appealed to Fredrick to the same extent as they used to. His preferences could have changed, for all she knew. Leyah shook her head. No, these were pessimistic thoughts. Such thoughts would do naught but deter her, it was better to remain an optimist. Nevertheless, if her looks failed her. Her wit certainly would not. If there was one preference of his that could never change, it was appreciation of wittiness, humor and intelligence. And she was by no means lacking in the aforementioned traits. Rather, she had them in abundance; she could admit that much even as a somewhat humble individual. It was, perhaps the biggest, if not the only, reason for her endearment to Fredrick. While, yes, she certainly had the looks that many a women would be envious of; Fredrick was not a man who was shallow enough to be deceived by mere looks. Nay, he was above such foolishness. He was perhaps the greatest judge of character that she had ever met. Flashing an enchanting smile at the mirror, she put on her hat and smoothed out her dress. Commandant Fredrick was certainly going to be head over heels by tonight, she thought to herself with a chuckle as she made her way outside the library''s compound. The car that was waiting for her, was not a luxurious one, far from it. It was a 4-seater convertible known as ¡®Kaustauv¡¯s Limousine¡¯, an inexpensive car, despite its name, and one that was far too common in the Core Worlds. She hardly cared for her ride and doubted that the Commandant would either. Besides, their date, was it a date?, would hardly end with a joyride. While the entirety of the landscape was extremely scenic, she doubted Fredrick would have enough time for it. He was a busy individual afterall. The auxiliary staff of the library had been strangely helpful to her in her preparations. The driver, he was her personal driver now, was in particular quite vocal about the choice of her ride. He detested the idea of her using such an unfashionable vehicle. ¡°A beautiful lady such as yourself, milady? In such a mundane car? It is a heresy, I say. Allow me, and I shall fetch a most handsome ride for you.¡± His words had almost swayed her. Almost. She still remembered rather vividly, that such purchases would be right out of her own pocket. And, in spite of whatever image of her financial status that the staff had, she did not have that kind of money. She was financially well, yes, but not enough to purchase a new car just for this day. Suffice to say, the old gentleman had been put out at her rejection although had understood her reasons. He might be my favorite person in the staff, she smiled at that thought as the man helped her into her seat. The list would be quite small, considering she had not interacted with many in the staff. Maybe, her opinion would change later. A big part of her, however, refused this line of thought. She had still yet to forget their blank stares. I doubt, I will forget those looks, a shudder passed through her body at the image. Leyah shook her head and instead began to admire the scenic route leading to the town. The sun shone brightly in the sky painting the entire land in an orange-yellowish hue. The season of autumn was in full swing, each tree¡¯s leaves had turned a beautiful shade of red. The road was littered with leaves which had been shed from the trees. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Every moment was like a painting in motion. Every glance, every look that she cast upon the landscape was rewarded by the most gorgeous of all eye candy. She could admire the scenery for eternity and never tire. It was good, then, that she was not the one driving. She could not trust herself to pay attention while driving in a surrounding like this. The road was usually deserted yet one never knew. There was a comforting scent in the air, she couldn''t quite put her finger on what it was. Yet, she could appreciate it, wholeheartedly. Perhaps, it is the scent of rebirth. Hmmmm, or, maybe it is the scent of melancholy, Leyah pondered to herself. ¡°Milady?¡± Leyah was startled. The old man smiled politely and opened his mouth, likely to apologize. She held up her hand. It was hardly his fault for startling her. Caught up in her pondering, she had failed to notice her arrival at the town. It was completely her own fault. Old habits die hard. The town, or more accurately a slightly large village, exuded a feeling of homeliness that no other place ever had. With each visit, she found herself hopelessly falling in love with the quiet town. St. Mariah, was its name. The name had belonged to a Sister of the Holy Order of Luna sent here during an unknown period. However, much to her surprise and annoyance, no records of such a woman existed in the library nor in the Church in the town. Regardless of the validity of the name''s origin, the people of the town seemed to hold an ardent belief in its origin. That was, perhaps, the reason why none in history had bothered arguing this belief. Mayhaps, I should do it. Certainly, couldn''t be worse than searching for that thrice damned book all over the library, she thought to herself with a quiet chuckle and then immediately grimaced. She should avoid jinxing herself, lest she be prepared to face the consequences. The town was like a painting come alive. Or more accurately, a piece of civilization that was frozen in time. From every building to every pavilion and from every cobbled street to every alley, everything sang a tale of an era long past, yet one that is etched into the very essence of the town. In this era of rampant accelerationism and mad technologies, the town had managed to cling on to its ideals. She respected it and loved the town even more for it. It was a breath of fresh air from the sight of superstructures and skyscrapers which pierced the sky. She had always fancied living in such a quaint little piece of civilization. It was surreal to experience it with her own eyes. It was not to say, that she was not amazed by the achievements in technology. Far from it. She was always taken aback by them as a kid and even after all these years, they still had the same effect. However, those monuments, those buildings, those Churches, lacked soul. They were impressive, sure, but never was she implored to marvel at them for long lengths of time. It was always a ¡®Oh, that''s awesome, anyways¡¯ and never a ¡®Oh, that''s just magnificent!¡¯. The cafe that she had chosen for their meet-up, Fredrick had delegated this duty to her considering his lack of knowledge regarding this matter, was a small and cozy one located at the town''s plaza. She had visited it before to have a cup of coffee and had ever since, planned to return. However, due to a certain book, she was unable to. She stopped to look at the window of the cafe and through, the albeit unclear reflection, smoothed her dress. With a serene smile on her face, she stepped inside the cafe. The aromatic scent of roasted coffee beans enveloped her nose. She took a deep breath, allowing the aroma to embrace her nostrils. Marvelous. The table that she chose for their date? Reunion? Meet-up?, had a great view of the grand and majestic fountain at the center of the plaza. The fountain depicted a dolphin leaping out of the waves with a constant stream of water spewing from its mouth. It was a beautiful thing. Certainly, not the most impressive attraction in the town, yet it was still appreciable. And thus, that is what she did. Observing the people of the town going about their business. It was a way of exercising her imagination, wondering about their job, their nature or simply how their day was going by looking at them. She doubted the accuracy of her deductions. Nevertheless, this exercise served as an excellent way to pass her time. And pass her time, it did. So effectively, in fact, that she failed to notice that the time at which Fredrick had sworn to arrive had come and passed. Lost in her observations, she failed to notice the man standing right beside her. Until he tired of waiting and suddenly spoke, startling her yet filling her with equal parts, glee. ¡°Old habits die hard, huh. Wouldn''t you agree, Ley?¡± Leyah IV Leyah IV ¡°Old habits die hard, don''t they, Ley?¡± Leyah''s head, faster than what one would consider natural, snapped to him. A blinding grin formed on her lips and she pounced on him; it was certainly the tightest of hugs that he had ever received and probably ever will. Afterall, none could reach the level of affection that Leyah exhibited for him. ¡°Not that I mind your hug, no. But, I would certainly prefer to leave this cafe with my spine in one piece,¡± Upon hearing his words, she immediately broke the hug. She could already feel her face heat up. She had clearly overstepped her bounds. Great. Her pessimistic thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Fredrick¡¯s laughter. She let out an amused sigh; at least one of them found merriment in this. While Fredrick laughed his heart out at her embarrassment, she was staring at him unabashedly. He was simply too dashing and handsome, for her not to get lost in her fantasies. He cut out an impressive figure in her gray and black uniform. His brown hair was fluffy, making her want to run her fingers through it. She soon found herself getting lost in his bright forest green eyes. Lost enough, to be unable to notice his laughter ceasing. Fredrick let out a smile. The smile on her face along with that look of hers, made him regret her posting here. Maybe, I should have her shifted elsewhere, he thought to himself as he found himself staring back at her electric black eyes that seemed to suck him in. They were electric, sure; the way they sent a pleasant shiver down his spine. Leyah was still lost in his eyes, inching ever forward. Slowly yet faster than she anticipated. Perhaps, she would have had her first kiss. Perhaps, not. Alas, she would never know as Fredrick flicked her forehead, snapping her out of her reverie. She blushed and cleared her throat before sitting down. She pointedly made sure not to look at Fredrick''s face. An awkward silence had descended over them. She wanted to say something but her mind kept replaying the memory of almost kissing him, over and over. It was an uncomfortable experience. ¡°What will you be having, Ley?¡± Fredrick took the initiative in breaking the silence. She loved him more for it. ¡°I think, I will take a cappuccino.¡± Fredrick hummed as he browsed the menu. She let out a small smile. Men and their habit of feigning interest. Perhaps, he had forgotten that she knew him too well. More than he knew himself. She already knew what he would be ordering. Regardless, she did not comment upon it. ¡°It seems, my mind fancies a cup of cappuccino as well. Can never go wrong with the classics, after all,¡± Bingo! She thought to herself as he spoke and signaled for a waiter. For a man who claimed to have a complex taste, he certainly did not behave like it. Truthfully, she found it endearing and cute. They say in a comfortable silence, waiting for their drink. Fredrick was glancing out the window, seemingly lost in his thoughts. While, she was busy gazing at him. It was a moment of perfection. It reminded her of their past meetings, back when they worked together. They were memories of peace and happiness. Yet, none could hold a candle to this moment. Or, perhaps, they could and she was only biased due to the length of time that had passed since their last meeting. Nevertheless, she would take a moment with Fredrick over spending time in solitude at the library. Even though, she was lost in her gleeful thoughts, she had not failed to notice the restlessness in Fredrick''s posture. He took clandestine glances at her, once or twice he would open his mouth, only to close it. He clearly had something to say to her, yet could not build up the courage to. It was all a bit jarring to her. Fredrick? Being unable to speak openly to her? Impossible. The waiter brought them, their coffee. It was, as she was taking a sip of her cappuccino that Fredrick chose to speak. ¡°How, have you been holding up, Ley?¡± She took another sip of her coffee before speaking, ¡°It''s been so-so. Sometimes, I am having the time of my life. Yet, other times, which is more often than not, I find myself having the worst time of my life. Especially, during these past few days,¡± She sighed, ¡°They''ve just been draining on me.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Fredrick began, concern and curiosity dripping in his tone, ¡°How so? I thought you would be experiencing Nirvana, surrounded by books, as you are.¡± Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author. ¡°I thought so too. Until, I found it and got my life, rather fucked,¡± Leyah let out a sigh and chuckled pessimisticly. ¡°Found it? What do you mean? Found what?¡± Fredrick leaned forward, his curiosity getting the better of him. ¡°The book. A stupid little thing written by Charles Arvell.¡± Fredrick''s eyes widened with surprise. ¡°Charles Arvell?! The Charles Arvell?!¡± She nodded in response, failing to understand his sudden interest. The book was just the ravings of a madman. Yes, it was a lesson in history, however, she still did not see its importance in the grander scheme of things. Furthermore, she doubted that the man had achieved anything of significance in his life. If he had, it would''ve been spoken far and wide. ¡°Only you, Leyah, only you can have such an underwhelming reaction.¡± ¡°Underwhelming? The bloody book is underwhelming. It has nothing and I mean, nothing of importance. The only topic, even worthy of discussion, is perhaps Elena. And, I doubt even she is an interesting topic for debate.¡± ¡°Elena? Who''s Elena?¡± Fredrick questioned as he took a sip of his coffee. ¡°I have no clue. As far as I have read, she is his amour, his lover.¡± She took a sip of her coffee and failed to spot the curious glint in Fredrick''s eyes. ¡°I see, I see.¡± Silence once again descended over them. Yet, this time it was a comforting one. She was content in enjoying his presence with her, this evening. The restlessness in Fredrick had disappeared over their talk. Perhaps, whatever concern he harbored, had been answered indirectly in their talks. It was as they were finishing up, that Fredrick shattered the comfortable silence. His words made one of her dearest dreams come true. ¡°Leyah, will you marry me?¡± She was barely able to let out a resounding ¡®Yes!¡¯ before her world went black and she passed out from the intense wave of pleasure that bloomed within her. _________________________________________ The rays of the sun stung her eyes, as she woke up. She had the wildest of dreams, last night. The best kind. She had a romantic date with Fredrick. The date even ended with him proposing to her!! Truly, the best dream, she ever had. It made her want to return to the land of sleep. She almost did until a voice interrupted her, making her pause with shock. ¡°Already awake, Ley?¡± Her eyes snapped open to the sight of Fredrick sitting on the sofa in the room. How was he in her room? Wait¡­. this was not her room! How did she get here?! It was at that moment that her memories rushed back to her. Oh dear. ¡°Ummm, did we¡­ do it, last night?¡± ¡°No.. No! Of course not! I brought you here, when you passed out. I would never take advantage of you, in such a manner.¡± Fredrick seemed to look appalled at the very idea. Leyah sighed mentally. She was disappointed in herself. Of course, Fredrick would never take undue advantage of her. He was far too noble to commit such an act. ¡°I''ll be heading down to the lobby, alright? You can freshen up and meet with me there. Okay?¡± She nodded with a smile. Fredrick returned her smile and left the room. She felt a wave of disappointment wash over her. Two of her biggest fantasies became reality, yesterday. Yet, here she was with little to no proper recollection of them. Well, that was not entirely true. She did remember the proposal but she did not remember the feeling of sharing the same bed with Fredrick. A most crucial loss. ¡°The Ludlum Proposal passed, you know?¡± The question was presented suddenly on the drive back to the library. It caught her off guard. It was unlike Fredrick to discuss politics at such an informal time. Too much unlike him. Then again, mayhaps, he just wished to hear his fiancee¡¯s opinions on the matter. ¡°Oh.¡± ¡°Just that? I thought you would be far more¡­ aggravated by it.¡± ¡°It just doesn''t matter anymore, I guess. I mean, I''m light years away from Calypso and so is my family. It does not affect me in the slightest about what shenanigans the senate gets upto with Calypso.¡± Fredrick hummed at her answer and replied, ¡°Understandable.¡± The rest of their drive, passed by in the blink of an eye. With little talk, as they were more than content in basking in each other''s presence. ¡°I''ll be seeing you soon, Leyah. Take care!¡± Fredrick''s words brought a warmth to her heart and she felt a smile bloom on her face. She waved him goodbye as he drove back to the town. His departure was saddening. Yet, it was a delightful moment for her. Her smile widened as she played with the promise ring on her ring finger. It was all a bit unbelievable. Lost happily in her thoughts, she sauntered back towards the library''s door. She paused out of her daydreaming of her future as the door refused to open. She scrunched her nose in confusion and alarm. She tried opening it again. The door remained steadfast and refused to budge. ¡°ACCESS DENIED. IDENTIFY YOURSELF OR BE DISINTEGRATED!¡± The loud robotic voice made her jump back in shock, almost falling on the ground. She shook her head. As soon as she gets in, she''s going to find out just what had happened in her absence. ¡°I am Leyah Engel, the Library''s Custodian!¡± ¡°VOICE MATCH: CONFIRMED. WELCOME, CUSTODIAN¡± Leyah did not need to open the door, as it opened for her. It gave her pause. Was the library, this advanced?! Unbeknownst to her, as she stepped into the library, the security cameras in the library continued to follow her every move. Evaluating her, observing her but most of all, judging her worth¡­ Hunter 117 HUNTER-117 The rain beat down on Hunter 117 and his company. A hindrance, for most. For them? A blessing in disguise. The thundering and roaring of the clouds, the harsh downpour; hid their approach to the location. Noise from the engines barely audible under the ambience. Truly, the Inquisition could not have picked a better day. Or, mayhaps, it was the blessing of their Goddess that accompanied them. Truly, a most benevolent Goddess. ¡°Elysium-2, confirm position.¡± The crackling of his radio, accompanied by the voice of Captain Price, their mission commander, brought him out of his reverie. A most untimely interruption. May their merciful Goddess forgive his insolence. ¡°Elysium-2, copies. We are in position. Waiting for your signal.¡± His response was curt and to the point. ¡°Affirmative, Elysium-2. Elysium-1, 3 and 4, are in position. Breach will occur in 2 minutes.¡± Hunter 117 nodded. An unnecessary gesture but one far too ingrained within his psyche. ¡°Unit-731, place the charge. We''re breaching in 2 minutes,¡± Unit-731 nodded. Hunter 117 would have preferred to have an all human squad. An affront as these robots were to their benevolent Goddess. Nevertheless, similar to each and every squad in the Inquisition, he had been assigned one. A most unwelcome addition. Only initially, however. The robot had proved its worth. Few could hope to reach its level of methodological thinking. Likewise, fewer robots could hope to exhibit the same human nature as exhibited by Unit-731. He snapped out of his thoughts. Such mental ramblings, were unnecessary. And, in missions of this kind? A folly. ¡°Elysium company, prepare to breach.¡± He nodded at his squad mates. He was rewarded by their nods. He placed his finger atop the detonator. Waiting for the order. Adrenaline pumping through his veins. ¡°Elysium company, BREACH!¡± The door blew off its hinges in a fiery inferno. The bombastic sound was inaudible, the booming of thunder having disguised it. Inaudible, to some. For, he was sure that the individuals behind the door had heard it loud and clear. Unit-731 hurried into the building, his gun already taking aim at a rebel hiding behind a pillar. Hunter 117 and the rest, followed suit. ¡°Intruders!! Sound the alarm-¡± The man''s shouting, ended abruptly as Hunter 117 riddled him with bullets. The rebel¡¯s subpar armor, incapable of protecting them from their plasma infused rounds. Hunter 117 rushed up the stairs, where he shot the shouting man, and into a small room overlooking the hall into which they had breached into. The 2 rebels inside had been caught by surprise. Their last mistake. Even before their guns could take aim at him, they dropped dead onto the ground. Their green, the uniform color of the rebels, clothes turning crimson. The room functioned as their communications array, evident by the communication relay hotwired into the dusty console. A most unsophisticated setup. Dismissing his thoughts, he began to shut down all communications. The noises of the ensuing firefight serving as a sweet melody. ¡°The hall is cleared!¡± Hunter 117 nodded to Unit-731¡¯s report as he stepped out of the communications room. The array was completely shut down. No messages were coming in nor going out. Except, theirs, ofcourse. The Inquisition used a different frequency. Their organization was not one run by fools, unlike the rebels. ¡°Alfred! Keep watch here. Me, Unit-731 and Isaah will be heading into the building proper!¡± He did not bother to wait for Alfred¡¯s response; for he knew, it would be an affirmation. The hallway was barren. Suspiciously so. Had he not known better, he would have taken it as a sign of abandonment. Unfortunately for the rebels, he knew better. A thousand thanks to the Goddess for her bestowal of knowledge upon him. The hallway was not entirely empty, however. Littered throughout were wrappers of packaged foods. More alarming, however, were the ammunition crates dotted around. He had checked them for any ammunition. A waste of time for they were empty. Although Unit-731 and Isaah were the quietest of the bunch, he could read them as clearly as he could read the Holy Commandments. They had reached the same conclusion as him. His hand twitched in righteous anger, clearly the rebels meant to taunt them, to discomfort them, to outsmart them. And, they succeeded. For the hastily vacated hallway could only point to one thing and one thing only. Someone had alerted the rebels¡­ A traitor, he thought with a scowl. It left an extremely foul taste in his mouth, like that of a rancid egg. But the foul taste stood no comparison to the poison- Clarity that seeped into his mind. Clearly, the Goddess had brought him here for a reason. Truly, a most benevolent Goddess. He shall surely devote himself to her service once he found this traitor, that much he swears on her name. Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Unit-731, head to the right. Isaah, you head up straight. I''ll be taking the left. Good hunting.¡± His orders were met by nods and they set out to their tasks. He traversed up the staircase, it was the only way forward from the left corridor, with measured steps. The closer he reached to the second floor, the more dense the silence became. He could hear nothing but his own breathing. It made him uneasy. Silence was never a good sign. Silence was a herald of death and ambush in the Inquisition. He stepped through the doorway into the second floor. A bullet whizzed past his head. He jumped back into the cover of the doorway as bullets started raining at his position. He waited with baited breath for the hail of bullets to cease. And, cease it did. He peeked through his cover and opened fire at the rebels. He kept up the firing until his gun was bled dry, at which point he hid behind the cover once more. 5¡­ 4.. 3.. 2. 1 He took a sigh of relief and switched on thermal vision; no heat signatures, splendid. He switched it off and stepped out into the corridor. The three rebels lay dead in front of him. His Goddess had clearly blessed him with fortune and skill. Praise be to her name. His thoughts were interrupted by the noises of a firefight. It sounded close by and thus, he sprinted towards the sounds, wishing to help his fellow comrades. As he made the turn into the other corridor, his eyes caught movement ahead of him. ¡°Chill out, cowboy. Wouldn''t want an accident happening, now of all times, would you?¡± Standing across from him was Captain Price. A distinguished member of the Inquisition and also who, just happened to be his commander for today. ¡°The Goddess has not decreed your death to be, by my hands. And, thus, you live.¡± It was sheer luck and the Goddess¡¯s blessings that he and Price had not opened fire at one another. For, if they had, it would have meant treason for whomsoever had remained standing. A certain death for both the victor and the vanquished. Price scoffed, ¡°Pah! You and your Goddess.¡± ¡°Is that heresy, that I hear, Captain?¡± Price¡¯s breath hitched for a moment before he replied with confidence, ¡°No, not at all, Hunter 117. Merely an observation. A harmless one at that, no need to get your thoughts in a twist,¡± He nodded at the captain¡¯s words. Inside however, he sneered at his false devotion. Ever the coward. His kind were unworthy of the blessing bestowed upon them. Were he given the chance, Hunter 117 would do what others struggled to; punish the cowards and non-believers. ¡°I had thought, you and your squad were meant to rendezvous with Elysium-4 downstairs,¡± ¡°We were, until I improvised.¡± Price raised an eyebrow at his response, ¡°Improvised?¡± ¡°Yes, the rest of my squad is downstairs. I reckon they must rendezvoused by now with Elysium-4. I, on the other hand, wished to clear the upstairs in order to prevent an ambush from descending upon us.¡± ¡°Is that the reason, you rushed here to my rescue?¡± ¡°Yes, I happened to be in the vicinity and thus, rushed to assist you.¡± Price rolled his eyes. Ungrateful bastard. ¡°Liar.¡± ¡°What?¡± Price dared call him a liar? Him?! Price sighed, ¡°Forget it. Follow me, we gotta clear the rest of this building.¡± Price had barely begun to move and Hunter 117 gripped his arm. In Spite of his best attempts, he could not free himself from Hunter 117¡¯s grip. ¡°The fuck, are you trying to do, Hunter?¡± ¡°I asked you a question, Captain. And I would like you to answer it.¡± ¡°Well, I have no interest in answering it. Now, let go. We must take care of that ambush, you''re so afraid of, should we not?¡± He tightened his grip on Price''s arm in response. ¡°There is no need. The Elysium Company is blessed sufficiently enough by our Goddess that they can handle themselves without me and you. Besides, I''m sure they''ve already dealt with the hostiles,¡± Price clicked his tongue, ¡°Fine, you really wanna know, what I was trying to say?¡± He nodded and Price continued with a condescending smirk, ¡°You''re a liar, 117. A bloody liar. You didn''t wanna help me or whichever fool was stuck in that fucking firefight. No. All you wanted, was to kill some more bloody rebels. I am right, ain''t I?¡± At his silence, Price got up into his face, his green eyes staring at him. ¡°I know you, Hunter 117. I know you, more than you even know yourself. I have read your file, Hunter,¡± He chuckled sardonically, ¡°Or, should I call you Jo-¡± His sentence was interrupted by a loud beeping sound coming from Hunter 117¡¯s PDA. ¡°We''ll continue this talk later, 117.¡± With that, Price walked away deeper into the hallways of the building. He clicked his tongue as he watched him go. The man had the gall to mock him. He would look forward to their talk. Even he could lambast people and Price seemed to have forgotten that. He shook his head and accepted the communication ping coming from his PDA. ¡°High Command, this is Hunter 117, reporting for duty.¡± ¡°Hunter 117, you are to immediately abandon your mission and return post haste to ¡®The Trident¡¯,¡± Had he committed some mistake? Mayhaps Price had reported his improvising to High Command. He shook his head. No, that was too unlikely. Besides, it was unlike Price to report such incidences. He cared far too much about his reputation to do that. ¡°What of my squad?¡± ¡°Your squad will be incorporated into the Elysium Regiment. You may, however, return with Unit-731 at your side, if you so wish. The others remain with Elysium,¡± Hunter 117 was not one to abandon his missions. He had sworn an oath against such an act. A thousand apologies to the Goddess that he must violate this oath. ¡°Understood, High Command.¡± The individual on the other side did not bother to grace him with a response. Instead, ceasing communication immediately. Strange, he thought as he traced his steps back to where he had entered. It was an oddity for the Inquisition to recall someone like this. It must, certainly be an emergency then, for him to be recalled in such a manner. With the thoughts of his recall put on the back burner, he went to fetch Unit-731 so as to depart immediately for The Trident. Anchor IV Anchor IV The scent of strawberries enveloped his nostrils. Embracing his nose like a long lost lover. He took a deep breath, inhaling the scent. He could feel his body warming. It brought great comfort to his turbulent mind. And, for once, Pleiades refrained from interrupting his slumber. Charles opened his eyes. He was rewarded by the greatest eye candy that a man like him could ever gaze upon. Her black hair spread all over his chest as she used it as her pillow. A smile bloomed on his face as delicately moved a strand of hair from her face. Almost as if she could sense his action, her embrace tightened with a small smile rising on her lips; her subconscious desire of keeping him by her side showing itself. Or that is what Charles assumed it to be. He took another deep breath, inhaling her sweet scent. Like a calming draught, it relaxed him. Fire used to be his comfort. Now, however, it was her. And, it will be her till his death. It is still much too early to debate on such a topic, with that thought, he shook his head. After all, he could very well think the same of any future kids that their union will bring forth onto this world. He counted himself amongst the most blessed men in all of history. For only, a blessed man could ever hope to hold the affections of a woman like Elena. No woman to ever walk upon this world, could compare to her; they never will. ¡°Be careful of your words, boy,¡± Pleiades'' rough and ever grim voice interrupted his rosy thoughts. He had certainly mastered the art of picking the worst time to voice his thoughts. ¡°Words? They are my thoughts. Besides, who shall be hearing them, apart from you? Additionally, even you know that my words were not false,¡± Laughter answered his question. Deep guttural laughter. A discordant harmony of noise. An emotion, he had assumed was unknown to him. However, it seems that Pleiades found humor in the absurd and serious. As if the man was not already a living contradiction, he had to continue outdoing himself. ¡°You have no clue, boy. No clue, at all. You have yet to see this world in its entirety. When you have. Only then, will you lose your rose coloured lenses and understand the graveness of your situation,¡± Pleiades spoke as his laughter subsided. His voice was ever more grave. More than ever before. He knew however, that this was not more than another attempt by Pleiades to dissuade him. ¡°Will you ever stop your attempts of dissuading me from loving her?¡± Pleiades did not respond for a few seconds before he sighed, ¡°No, I shall not. Even until my dying breaths, I shall continue to persuade you. One day, which will come sooner than you think, you will heed my words. But, when you finally do, it would have been too late.¡± ¡°I doubt that such a day, shall ever come in this life.¡± ¡°It will, for it is inevitable.¡± Perhaps for the first time since their meeting, Pleiades cut off their connection by his own choice. He had more questions about his cryptic words, however, if he did not wish to speak, Charles would not push him to. He seldom enjoyed talking with the man, as it is. He felt Elena stirring from her slumber. He let a smile bloom on his face as she slowly awakened; his thoughts regarding Pleiades already shoved in the back of his mind; forgotten. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°Your eyes have changed colors,¡± Charles paused before he could take a bite of his breakfast. A shame, for the breakfast was cooked by Elena. Changed colors, however? Now that was interesting. His appearance had, admittedly, changed quite a lot since his bonding with Pleiades. Perhaps, it was a side effect of that? ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Exactly what I said. They have changed colors. Your eyes used to be an electric blue. However, now they are a very distinct shade of dark blue. It feels like, I am staring into the deep ocean,¡± Had she not stated earlier that she had never seen an ocean? He remembered teasing her about it. Mayhaps, he remembered it wrong? Regardless, his heart swelled, all the same, at her words. For her to notice such a minute thing, it meant a lot to him. Clearly, a sign of her deep love for him. Surely. Nevertheless, her words were equal parts, concerning. For his eyes to change color meant that their bond had not yet solidified. Pleiades had some explaining to do, once he graced Charles with his presence. The man could certainly hold a grudge. ¡°I will have to question Pleiades on that. He should surely have an answer,¡± Elena hummed at his words but spoke no more as she busied herself in devouring her breakfast. Their activities yesterday, intense as they were, must have drained her out. ¡°Can I ask you something?¡± Elena''s sweet voice drifted through the air. ¡°Sure, inquire whatever is on your mind,¡± The words were spoken habitually as he polished his sword before setting out. ¡°Why did you have to kill Luthor and his kin?¡± Charles paused. It was an unexpected question. Yet, it was a valid one. He had, however, not expected Elena of all people to be questioning him about the incident. Liliana, yes, but Elena? Never. He should have expected it, though. Elena was a far too kind soul. Kind, to even those undeserving of her kindness. ¡°I did so because I had to. There was no other choice. The man was responsible for the deaths of my family,¡± Charles took a pause, as he debated on how to best explain his reasons to her. Before, he could continue, Elena''s harmonious voice interrupted him, ¡°If it is too hard of a subject for you to share, then please, refrain from doing so. I do not wish for you to suffer any emotional harm.¡± He shook his head and continued, ¡°I, thank you for your concern. However, it is unwarranted. I would have to share this with you sometime in the near future. And, I prefer to do so, now,¡± His voice turned grave as he continued his story, ¡°Their deaths were meant as a sacrifice for Pleiades¡¯ awakening. The man had told me so, before I had gone to hunt down Luthor. To think, that he thought so little of their lives, made my blood boil! He is the reason for this¡­,¡± Charles paused trying to find the right word before continuing, ¡°..curse. I had not wished to kill his entire family, however, I had been drowning in rage and I could not stop myself. Thus, they died. Just like my family.¡± Elena did not speak. He took her silence as an answer. He got up, sword in hand, and made to leave the house. ¡°Where are you going?¡± She questioned, her voice sounding hoarse with a brief tinge of panic. ¡°Liliana had given me a potential lead regarding the whereabouts of my sister, a while back. I''m going to investigate it. You, stay safe, alright?¡± He did not look back at her. For he was afraid of her reaction to his reasoning of massacring Luthor''s family. However, before he could leave the cabin, a hand gripped his bicep tightly. His body was turned against its will by the sheer force behind the move. Before he could speak, his lips were enveloped by Elena¡¯s. A taste of cherries filled his mouth as they kissed. It was a sweet and passionate one. Their hidden feelings, being expressed by this simple action. The kiss was short yet, to him, it would be forever unforgettable. Breaking the kiss, she whispered sweetly and alluringly into his ear, ¡°Return home safely and hastily to me, understood? I will have the sweetest of all rewards waiting for you, when you do,¡± She came down from her tiptoes and smiled at him alluringly. He was too stunned to respond. Thus, he meekly nodded at her before leaving. He could already seldom wait for his return. Unbeknownst, to him, something or rather someone was watching him keenly. Like a hunter observes its prey. FREYJA//The Eternal Queen "The book has eluded me, once more. I have temporarily given up my search for it. *sigh* Nevermind, that is a lie. I have not abandoned my search. Yet. I, soon will. Or, I hope to. My mind has been behaving in a strange manner, recently. Regardless, enough of my ramblings. I have, somehow, come across the personal journal of Doctor Robert. The man behind the FREYJA. A most intriguing individual. His behaviour, although eccentric, is certainly refreshing from Charles. It had been, far too long since I had seen a more scientific and practical look on life. However, it is important to be noted that both Charles and Robert are similar in their nature. Both are men ruled by their inner inhibitions. While, Charles is ruled by his love; Robert is ruled by his overwhelming fear of Queen Lilac. Truly, a fascinating individual. Although, I feel, I have been trying to find similarities amongst him and Charles. Strange. Nonetheless, this is Leyah, signing off..." FREYJA The castle was located on a mountain surrounded by a massive and dense forest of conifer trees constantly enveloped by a thick fog, a perfect fit for the individual who resided there. The man knew his time had come as soon as her men had come for him, all the way in the Eastern coalition''s territory. He had resisted, even shot a few rounds from his revolver at the royal guards yet it hadn''t even scratched their armor. The punch that he had gotten in return, however, had most definitely hurt, even knocked out a couple of teeth. Now as they dragged him from the helicopter to the main hall of the palace, he was unsure of what to expect, except, perhaps the worst. The doors of the hall opened with a loud creak almost as if it was the first time in centuries that they had been used, which considering the state of disrepair that the whole castle was in, he wouldn''t doubt it. The hall was strangely in a much better shape than the rest of the castle; that might have been because of her using this as an impromptu throne room. The hall was decorated with red drapery with accents of purple. A clever nod to the woman she idolized. The main attraction, however, was the massive banner of her Empire; A two headed Golden eagle on a purple field. As the two guards pushed him onto the ground into an informal kneeling position, he let his eyes wander to the throne itself. And there he saw her, the woman of the hour, the Eternal Queen, the woman behind the disastrous wars which were ravaging their homeland, the Goddess of war, Empress Lilac Von Celeste. The woman was one of an unnatural beauty. He was sure that if the situation was any different, she would have had no lack of suitors. Her beauty however could not hide the malevolent expression and her dead blank eyes. Her hair, no longer the flawless black mane that it used to be, now had gained strands of pure snowy white. Stolen novel; please report. Her eyes had been boring into him from the very moment he had been dragged into the hall and as soon as they noticed him looking at her, the malevolent expression on her face morphed. An expression that would not have been out of place on her face, just two or three years back; yet now, that same expression of politeness felt extremely disturbing as if it was something that wasn''t meant to be associated with a person like her. Lil- no, The Eternal Queen signaled the man standing on her left. Like a faithful dog, the man turned towards him. ¡°You are in the presence of Lilac von Celeste, the Goddess of War, the Eternal Queen of the Celeste Empire. Feel grateful that someone as unworthy as you, has the honor of being in her presence.¡± The man''s voice was loud and commanding, every word was infused with authority and a strange reverence. Yet it seemed, however, that the woman on the throne found humor in his words as she laughed out loud. Her laughter bone chilling, a disturbing symphony which sent adrenaline and fear coursing through his body; a large part of him wanted to bolt out of the hall. The woman seemed to notice his fear and laughed even louder in that sinister tone of hers. ¡°Hahahaa! Oh Agony, my dear and faithful servant, you need not be so condescending to the poor man. Can''t you see that he''s so close to pissing his pants?¡± She continued laughing while the man, Agony as she had called him, only looked to be slightly affronted at her comment. When her laughing fit subsided, she continued, ¡°My faithful follower, my most loyal servant, I''ll have you know that this man is one of much importance to my plans. Isn''t it so, Mr Robert?¡± Lilac leaned forward in her throne, waiting for his response. ¡°I am afraid, I don''t exactly know, how I may be of use to you,¡± Robert responded and Lilac looked sourly at him as if she had just swallowed a particularly bitter lemon. Agony suddenly looked at him with interest and there was some sort of recognition which danced in his eyes as they slightly widened before his expression became neutral once more. ¡°Of no use, you say, hmmmm? Of no use? I had expected that you''d say something like this doctor, your kind are afterall slippery snakes, a scourge on the face of this planet but a necessary one that I must tolerate,¡± He wanted to interrupt and give her a snarky response but he knew better, he hardly wished for his head to be lopped off, just because he couldn''t keep his mouth shut. Lilac smirked at his silence and continued, ¡°You and I both know what I want, doctor. I have seen the research papers that you had kindly submitted to my father and the more detailed ones you had given to my uncle. I know of Project FREYJA, I know what it represents.¡± ¡°Then you must know of its capabilities. Of its danger to our species,¡± Robert interjected before Lilac could continue. Lilac merely laughed at his concern and spoke, ¡°Oh I know of its power, doctor. That is precisely why I want it, nay, that is precisely why I need it. With a weapon like that, there will be none who''ll ever dare to wage war against me. None who shall deny my merciful rule, none who shall deny my peace. FREYJA might be the embodiment of death and destruction but in the near future, it will be the very representation of peace and order.¡± ¡°The only question is, whether or not you''ll make it for me, doctor.¡± Lilac questioned and leaned back into her throne, waiting for his response. Robert knew from the moment he was dragged here, into the frontier region that there was no other way to get out alive except making the FREYJA for her; he had long since come to terms with what he must do to attain his freedom, knowing that if he refused her, his death was guaranteed. In truth, his decision had been made for him from the moment he had been sought out in St. Mariah. In the end, it was only the matter of whether or not he''d be able to live with himself when she inevitably used the bomb. But now after having had time to mull it over in the long ride to the palace. He had accepted that in return for his life, his conscience was a worthy sacrifice. "I will do it. I will make the FREYJA." And with that he truly bowed before her, accepting her as his one true Queen. Lilac''s dead eyes gaining a shine of malevolence and another emotion which was unidentifiable to him, accompanied his answer. FREYJA II//The Test FREYJA II//The Test The chain of islands were a sight to behold. They were of the sort that would not look out of place in an advertisement for a resort in a tropical paradise. The islands reminded him of the ones from a documentary he had watched a few years back; Before the world had gone to shit. The coral reef around the island was one of the most beautiful he had ever seen. He would have built himself a small holiday retreat on these islands as soon as he was out of her service but it seemed that fate wanted to mock him. The islands had been chosen for the test. Truthfully, the destruction of these islands would weigh much more heavily on his consciousness than whatever she did with the bomb. He was glad that she had at least allowed him to visit the islands in person to supervise the construction for the metal structure that would hold the bomb. The aircraft carrier on which they were aboard had been anchored roughly one hundred and fifty kilometers from ground zero. Yet he couldn''t help but feel fear, fear of what if something in their calculations went wrong, fear of what if the shockwave from the bomb was much too strong a force for even this beast of the sea to handle. As he walked out on the deck of the ship, he saw Lilac standing near the edge, observing the island chain through a binocular. He dearly wished he could push her off the damn edge to her watery grave yet knew that would only result in his death and nothing more. The woman''s posture and attitude had changed quite a bit as compared to the time he first met her seven years back. She now carried herself with much more pride and authority. She held herself like a true Queen would; yet, inspite of how many masks she put up in public, he knew what kind of monster lurked behind that polite and kind expression. ¡°Admiring the view, doctor?¡± The woman''s unnatural ability of always being able to sense every movement around her, creeped him out more than he could ever express. If the whole Goddess of War persona wasn''t already backed by her monstrous deeds then this ability of hers would have surely cemented it. ¡°Quite a lot, my Queen,¡± He responded. Lilac hummed as she put down the binoculars and turned towards him, ¡°You''re still sour about the islands being chosen as the test site, doctor?¡± Robert''s expression must have given his feelings away because the very next moment, she started laughing. ¡°Hahaha! Oh doctor, you truly haven''t changed, have you?¡± She chuckled. However Robert was at a loss, what did she mean he hasn''t changed? When did they ever meet beforehand? Only, maybe in passing when he had met her father. ¡°No need to trouble yourself over such a small matter, doctor. Even though I had never met you before our meeting, almost 7 years ago. I had heard quite a lot about you from my father,¡± Her face had gained a distant look to it as she mentioned her father before it shifted back to the normal mask of politeness. She continued, ¡°His description of you as an eccentric and unpredictable man was quite true as I have observed in these past few years. You''re truly an interesting specimen, doctor. A specimen that I want to study in detail, a specimen whose brain I want to pick and prod or as you fancy pants call it- dissect.¡± Her statement made him shudder, knowing that the madwoman could actually order the other scientists to cut him and truly dissect his brain. She had done it before, no doubt. And it was likely she could do it to him as well. Lilac must have sensed his fear because she smirked before turning back around to observe the island through her binoculars. He must have stood there with her in the silence for a total of five minutes yet it had felt like an eternity before her right hand man, Agony and a few other loyal dogs of hers came onto the deck. ¡°The bomb will be detonated at four in the morning,¡± The man, Wifort as he had been introduced to him, informed Lilac. She looked satisfied and nodded before handing the binoculars to Wifort and signaling Agony and the other rugged looking man, Memo, to follow her back inside the ship. Him and Wifort stood on the deck in silence for a few minutes before the man grew tired of the quiet and spoke, ¡°Do you feel fear regarding the test?¡± Robert had many fears regarding the test but as far as Lilac was concerned, they were nothing but unfounded concerns based on nothing but his cowardness. Thus he didn''t plan on ever bringing them up. If something did go wrong, however, he hoped that it would kill the thrice-damned woman so that she would rot in hell. ¡°Not at all,¡± Wifort looked surprised at his answer. His eyes, however, shined with suspicion. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! Robert and him stood out on the deck for a while longer in silence before retreating back inside, to wait for the dreaded hour to arrive. *3:55 AM* ¡°DETONATION WILL COMMENCE IN 5 MINUTES. ALL PERSONNEL RETREAT TO SAFETY ZONES OUTSIDE THE EXPECTED DANGER RADIUS!¡± The broadcast systems had been thundering continuously for the past ten minutes and in spite of knowing their importance, he couldn''t help but feel irritated by the constant noise. His eyes wandered over to Lilac, the woman was standing near the edge of the deck again, staring deeply into the darkness. There was something about the way she was staring into the night that made him unsettled; not that the woman ever failed to be unsettling but there was something different about this, that he couldn''t quite put his finger on. ¡°DETONATION IN 2 MINUTES. ALL PERSONNEL ARE ORDERED TO FOLLOW NECESSARY SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IN ORDER TO ENSURE THEIR SURVIVAL!¡± Robert walked up to Lilac with the tinted glasses that they were required to wear in order to protect their eyesight. The woman, as always, sensed his approach and shook her head at his offer of the glasses. ¡°I have no need for them, doctor. Give them to someone who wishes to be on deck and see the spectacle with his own eyes.¡± With her piece said, Lilac turned away from him to once again stare into the night. He did not insist on her taking one of the glasses and walked away. It would be better for this world if the madwoman went blind or burnt her eyes out. ¡°DETONATION IMMINENT! 30 SECONDS TILL DETONATION!¡± Seating arrangements for the higher officials were nothing more than metallic chairs which had been bolted down to the deck. Other observers on the carrier were ordered to lie prone until the flash had dissipated before observing the blast. Robert himself had chosen the bolted down chairs to witness the bomb in all its glory. It was after all his creation. If anyone had a right to view it up close, it was him. Lilac continued to remain standing near the edge, uncaring of any protests made by her generals and loyalists for her to sit on the chairs and use the glasses to view the explosion. ¡°DETONATION COMMENCING IN 5!¡± ¡°4¡± ¡°3¡± ¡°2¡± Robert braced himself for the explosion, hoping against all hope that nothing goes wrong. ¡°1!¡± He cast one last look at Lilac. She appeared to be bursting with excitement. He shook his head at her stupidity and braced. ¡°0¡± ¡°DETONATION COMMENC-¡± A blinding light erupted on the horizon. A brilliant fireball expanded rapidly, engulfing the sky in an inferno of colors. The intense heat and light pierced through the protective goggles, forcing him to squint, yet he couldn''t tear his eyes away from the spectacle unfolding before him. The fireball looked like a second sun, even so far out the heat from it was extreme, it was as if one was standing underneath the desert sun during the summers. The night sky had lit up as if it was day, casting a malevolent glow all across the ocean. The ship trembled beneath their feet as shockwave after shockwave rippled outward from the epicenter of the explosion. A deafening roar followed, echoing across the ocean, drowning out any other sound. The force of the blast seemed to bend reality itself, as if the very fabric of space and time had been torn apart. Yet all through this, Lilac stood unflinching and observed the explosion with intense passion. As the fireball continued to expand, a massive mushroom cloud began to rise, billowing into the atmosphere like a monstrous, malevolent creature. Its imposing presence served as a stark reminder of the destructive power that the FREYJA held. He thought back to the tropical islands which were used as the detonation site and was sure that they had been vaporized near instantaneously. His eyes wandered back to Lilac who was still staring at the explosion and he hoped that maybe, the light had burnt out her eyes. That hope was, however, shattered when she turned away from the second sun on the horizon towards him and gazed at him with an intensity he had never before seen in her black eyes. As Lilac strode over to him, all around cheers had broken out as the people witnessed the power their Empress now possessed. It was sickening to hear the glee and joy in the shouts of the people around him, even Wifort, a man who had not struck him as one to take pleasure from such a weapon of mass genocide, was celebrating and cheering along with his fellow countrymen. ¡°I believe congratulations are in order, Robert. You have after all, managed to put any atomic researcher before you to shame. You have truly brought about a new age in the harnessing of the atomic realm.¡± He had failed to even notice when Lilac had approached him. It was, for perhaps the first time in his life that he heard such pride and glee in her voice, even her normally dead eyes were shining with glee as she looked at the slowly dissipating mushroom cloud. ¡°I- I am not sure, if we should put this weapon to use, my Queen,¡± Lilac snapped her neck to look at him. A heavy scowl adorned her face and Robert felt that he made a mistake in admitting his honest feelings about the bomb. ¡°We shouldn''t use it? Shouldn''t use it?!¡± Lilac nearly shouted and perhaps for the first time, had he seen her lose composure like this. She seethed in anger as she continued, ¡°You agreed to make the bomb, so your life would not be forfeit wasn''t it, doctor?¡± She asked him in an enraged tone as her body practically vibrated with fury. ¡°I- i- yes, I did but with the progress our troops are making, we might not even need to use the bomb. We should wait a few more weeks before we consider using it. I trust in our army that by then the Eastern Coalition will collapse,¡± As he finished, Lilac seemed to bury her anger inside her as her eyes and face turned blank. She spoke in a dead tone yet one which carried weight along with a sense of finality in it, ¡°We do not have a few more weeks, doctor. I want the bomb ready for transport in three days, and I will hear no argument to the contrary.¡± With her order, Lilac turned away and walked towards Agony who was standing a few feet away from them; he was still observing the now rapidly darkening night sky as the mushroom cloud disappeared into the air. Leyah V Leyah V With a sigh, she dropped the book onto the desk; thoroughly put off from Robert''s ever mounting paranoia. The man was every scientist''s role model, afterall there was none who could claim to have designed a weapon so incredibly powerful that it could revolutionize warfare for millennia to come. A weapon that saw use, even in this age of Interstellar warfare. Yet, it seemed, the man''s nonchalant and intelligent persona was just that: a persona, a mask; from within, Doctor Robert was nothing more than an exceptionally disturbed man, seeing enemies where there were none and seeing allies in individuals who were little better than devils. Had, she been in The Eternal Queen''s place, she would have had Robert sent to a correctional facility. The man would have certainly benefited from it. Nevertheless, whatever be his shortcomings as a person; they were all overshadowed by his achievements. Hell, she was sure that few even bothered to research this deep into him. She hadn''t, and she was a self-proclaimed expert of history, for the Goddess¡¯s sake. If, she had never wandered across this book, she would have remained blissfully unaware of the man''s inner workings. Mayhaps, it would have been for the better. The journal has shattered many of her childhood fantasies. Some, that she would have preferred to have remained intact. Additionally, the less said about his fear of Queen Lilac The Eternal, the better. Although, that might have been due to him being a mortal and her being a Goddess. Mayhaps, it was due to something else. Something less mythological. Who knows? Leyah shook her head, I am way too exhausted to debate over this. Besides, who gives a fuck about Robert and his paranoia. I have much-much better things to mull over, with that thought, she stretched with a yawn. An unknown part of her mind whispered to her, sweetly, alluringly, seductively. It reminded her of the book, of pursuing Charles Arvell¡¯s story, of seeing the conclusion of his and Elena''s fate. She pushed the whispers down. Deeper than her deepest secrets. Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud and sharp noise echoing through the halls. A bell? She had been unaware that the library even had one; not an entirely outrageous assumption, considering that the library was meant only for authorized personnel. Authorized personnel, in this case, being her and only her. And maybe, although it was way too far-fetched, her guests as well. She would have to test it sometime. A date with Fredrick in the library does not sound too bad. It sounds like a dream, if she was being honest. Enjoying the company of her favorite person while walking in her favorite place? What could be better than that? Not to mention, it would be their first date as an engaged couple. Ohh~, it still feels like a dream that she''s going to be married to him. The ring on her finger, however, proves it wrong. It is real and definitely, not a dream. The bell¡¯s ringing pierced the quiet tranquility of the library anew. She snapped out of her daydreaming. No matter how sweet and pleasant, ignoring a potentially important visitor would do her no good. Clearing her head, she sauntered towards the door. The door opened and she froze in shock. Her body moved back and gave a salute by instinct. Leyah appeared like the model example of military discipline. However, her mind was in chaos, a stark contrast to her calm exterior. Why in the Goddess''s name, are they here?! Have I done something wrong?! She panicked mentally as her brain failed to provide her with an answer to her questions. The source of her panic were 3 individuals, wearing black trench coats with blood red linings, grayish-black military pants and black military boots. They wore purple armbands¨C a uniform standard in all branches of the military. However, what set them apart from any, within the military command structure were their caps. They were standard officer caps with a golden snarling wolf; the sign of the Inquisition. ¡°Signora Engel?¡± The man standing in front of her spoke. He was different from the duo. He had a red shoulder cape fluttering about in the air. He was the leader of the squad, she noted. The man raised an eyebrow in anticipation of her response. She cut her observations of the trio short and responded, ¡°Yes, I am Leyah Engel. May I, inquire as to who is asking?¡± The man nodded, ¡°Certainly, Signora Engel. I am Inquisitor Leonardo. Standing to my right is Apprentice Inquisitor Barberry,¡± Leyah looked at her with a polite smile and was rewarded with a bright grin and an enthusiastic wave. She, somehow doubted that Barberry¡¯s bubbly nature was much too appreciated in the Inquisition. The man standing to Inquisitor Leonardo¡¯s left, cleared his throat lightly. Barberry''s enthusiastic waving halted immediately. She pouted at the other man, looking heavily embarrassed and chastised. The man smirked at her, amusement twinkling in his blue eyes. ¡°Standing to my left is Inquisitor Alexander,¡± Alexander, unlike Barberry''s enthusiastic greeting, offered her a crisp salute. Leyah mirrored his salute in response. Inquisitor Leonardo nodded in approval at his subordinates, it seemed that every commander had this inate ability of knowing exactly what their subordinates did. He continued, ¡°We are a part of the Brabantia Chapter of the Inquisition.¡± A trickle of sweat went down her forehead. She was in deep shit, deeper than even the riots of Calypso. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. Certainly, she was at the lowest of all her lows. She could have eased herself, deluded herself, into thinking that the Inquisition might not be after her. But now? She was uncertain. There was no telling anymore, about what shall happen to her in the next hour. Best case, she remains alive. Worst case¡­. Death. Hopefully, it doesn''t come down to that. However, with the Brabantia Chapter being involved? Death might be a mercy. She had seen and heard, mostly heard, of their brutality, their ferocity, their tactics. There was a reason that the rebellions and overall dissent amongst the population of Calypso had been snuffed out in 3 years. Additionally, their unwavering dedication, loyalty and devotion to the throne were non-pareil; there were enough examples of it in history, both ancient and recent. The Inquisition of Brabantia was called the Queen''s Wrath, for a reason afterall. ¡°May we be allowed to enter the library, Signora Engel?¡± Inquisitor Leonardo questioned politely. She nodded, ¡°Certainly.¡± The trio walked leisurely yet with a certain purpose. Barberry appeared to have been as enamored with the library as Leyah had been. Her eyes wandering everywhere and anywhere. Alexander seemed to be taking in the library as well. Although, in a much more subdued manner than Barberry. Inquisitor Leonardo, however, remained steadfast, completely and utterly indifferent to the grand architectural beauty of the library. His gray eyes did not wander, not at all. They remained locked with hers. Her palms were sweating due to her nervousness and fear. His gray eyes were unsettling to her. Much too unsettling. Mayhaps, this is how Robert felt in Queen Lilac''s presence. As if your very life is hanging on by a very thin thread. Any wrong moves, any unacceptable answer and your life is forfeit. Their impromptu staredown ended with her breaking eye contact. A small smirk appeared on the Inquisitor¡¯s face. At least, one of them found humor in this interaction. ¡°You have been deployed here, quite recently, haven''t you?¡± Inquisitor Leonardo questioned her. That smug smirk being wiped off his face in favor of utter seriousness. ¡°Yes, just one and a half months ago.¡± She responded. His question had given her hope. Mayhaps, this was a routine visit to the library? To check on the well being of this treasure trove of knowledge? It would not be entirely implausible. Leonardo hummed at her response. Instead of continuing the conversation, he let his eyes wander across the library. They wandered, not in awe but critically. Like an artist critiquing another''s handiwork. As if, he was looking for something. Perhaps, she was right afterall. It was nothing more than a routine checkup. However, a large part of her was still suspicious and thus, questioned: ¡°May I, inquire as to why the Inquisition has paid this library, a visitation?¡± Leonardo¡¯s eyes snapped to her. He stared at her, making her jittery. He continued to stare for a little while longer before speaking, ¡°Normally, it would not be us of the Brabantia Chapter doing this visitation. Instead, it would have been another Chapter. However, we have come to learn of some facts regarding the library that were deemed too important to be allowed to go unquestioned.¡± ¡°I do not understand? What facts? As per my knowledge, there has been no such incident to warrant an investigation,¡± ¡°The Anchor, Signora Engel.¡± At his words, Leyah froze. Although it was for but a passing moment. It was a fatal slip up but, luckily, one which he failed to notice. Or, that is how it appeared to her. ¡°The Anchor?¡± She questioned. ¡°Yes, Signora. The Anchor. The book written by Charles Arvell, detailing his life or in more simpler terms, his autobiography. I am certain that you must have, heard of it,¡± ¡°I have, yes. But, I struggle to understand, how is it of any importance regarding your visit?¡± ¡°We have reason to believe that this very library has the actual handwritten book,¡± ¡°Oh?¡± She feigned surprise. ¡°Yes, and I have reason to believe that it is currently in your possession. Am I correct?¡± Leyah was confused. How did he know about the book being in her possession? Only Fredrick knew of it. She doubted that he was their source. It must have been someone else. Perhaps, a spy? It would make sense for the Inquisition to actively tail the library''s Custodian. She did, after all, have highly confidential pieces of history at her fingertips. Nevertheless, she was not going to hand over the book to the man and even if she did want to, she could not. She simply did not have the book, any longer. The book seemed to have a mind of its own, afterall. ¡°I am afraid, but you are incorrect. I have no such book in my possession and never did,¡± Inquisitor Leonardo raised an eyebrow, ¡°Are you sure, Signora Engel?¡± ¡°As sure as I could be, Inquisitor.¡± She stared back at him, holding his sharp gaze without flinching. Their staredown went for, what seemed to be hours but must have been, barely even a minute. Unlike before, he was the one to break eye contact. He sighed in resignation and spoke, ¡°Very well, Signora Engel. I shall believe you, this once. I wish you well in your term as the custodian. The Goddess rain her blessings upon you,¡± ¡°And, upon you as well, Inquisitor Leonardo.¡± The man bowed and with a flourish of his cape, walked out of the library; a gesture of his hand and the other two followed behind. Alexander merely saluted her before leaving while Barberry gave her an enthusiastic wave and an over-the-top salute as a farewell. Leyah sighed in relief. She had been extremely worried initially but it seems that for now at least, there would be no further troubles. She could feel a headache forming slowly. She has been feeling down ever since that infernal book decided to vanish into thin air. It was like a permanent hangover with a healthy dose of a withdrawal as a side. It was definitely due to the book. She was sure. Absolutely sure. She sighed again. Fucking hell. The Inquisition just had to give me a scare, right as I was feeling relaxed, with that thought, Leyah shut the door and decided to retire back to her room. After the stress, she deserved some rest. In her tiredness, she once more failed to notice the security cameras in the library following her¡­¡­¡­ Anchor V ANCHOR V ¡°Which one?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± His journey to the fortress city of Lucaria had been one without incident. It was a quiet one. Much too quiet. The only thing of note was perhaps, Francis. A priest of the Sect of Celeste; no wonder, Pleiades had been disgusted at him for cooperating with a member of the Sect. He would, no doubt, have preferred someone belonging to the Church of the Sun. And, perhaps, Pleiades might have been correct. Their guide had been behaving much too suspiciously. Not to mention, he had been feeling chills crawl up his spine, ever since he stepped foot into this city. A bad omen. ¡°Which Queen?¡± Charles¡¯ thoughts were interrupted by the man''s albeit sudden question. So, he was one of those priests. How fortunate! ¡°Be careful, your sarcasm might bleed out of your thoughts into your words,¡± Pleiades intoned, his voice full of wisdom. However, he knew that the man found naught but amusement at his predicament. ¡°Whichever one, allows me to live my life in peace,¡± Charles shrugged. The priest, however, did not seem to appreciate his words. His words had clearly soured the man''s mood. ¡°You would allow, someone as deplorable as the Queen of Winter to reign? If it meant, you could waste away your life?¡± ¡°Yes. I believe, my previous words had stated my exact thoughts. As long, as I get to live the rest of my days in peace. Any Queen could reign and I would give little to no fucks about it,¡± The priest clicked his tongue and turned his face. He continued to whisper insults under his breath which were no doubt, directed at him. ¡°I still, stand by my previous words. A man from the Church of the Sun, would have been much more pleasant,¡± Charles shook his head at Pleiades'' words. They were true, yes, but pointless. The mistake had been made. It was not as if, he could rid himself of the man; even if he wanted to, he could not. ¡°We could. It would be a simple procedure. Simply, run your sword through his jugular,¡± He pointedly ignored his words. It was a way but a way, which he wished to be left unused. Not to mention, committing murder in a city under control by the Queen of Blood, which was additionally a crater city, as well? It would be a certain death sentence. That is, if he was fortunate. ¡°Pickpockets, run amok here. Be on guard, unless you want your belongings to be swindled,¡± The priest informed him as they entered the city center. He nodded in response. Certainly, the only thing of worth that the man had spoken till now. The bazaar at the city plaza was bustling with life. Calls of the vendors, shouts of scuffle amongst drunkards, loud voices of bargaining, dominated the entire bazaar. A discordant harmony of noise. A sweet yet powerful smell of perfumes, scents and spices, enveloped his nostrils. He could spot people from all walks of life, mingling amongst one another. It was like a vivid painting of life, itself. Yet, through all this orderly chaos, a certain sweet scent engulfed his nose. His nose welcomed it as lovingly as he embraced Elena. For, it was the scent of Elena''s perfume. He made a mental note to return to the bazaar. Elena would certainly appreciate the gift. Especially after the sweet passionate kiss that they shared; the memory still sent shivers of pleasure throughout his body. He could still recall, vividly, the taste of her lips. He snapped himself out of his reverie. He could seldom afford being lost in his fantasies. There would be time for his fantasizing later on, however, right now? He had to focus on digging information about his sister. He could not afford to lose her. The priest led him through the bazaar, the crowd losing its harmonious chaos and size as they went further and further away from the central plaza. The noises soon faded out, replaced by a serene silence; occasionally broken by the melodious chirping of birds. ¡°Wait!¡± The priest suddenly halted, startling Charles, and pushed him into an alleyway alongside himself. ¡°The fuc-¡± His words remained incomplete as the priest''s hand covered his mouth. ¡°Shhh! Shut your mouth, if you wish to live!¡± The priest whispered furiously as he dragged him into another, much smaller, alley. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. Charles was tempted to slice open the priest''s neck then and there, however, he refrained to do so; his bloody thoughts being interrupted by the sounds of rhythmic marching. He removed the priest''s hand from his mouth and peeked out of the corner of the alley. The sight made his eyes widen. Dressed in their standard, blood red and raven black colored, steel plated armor; the Legionnaires of the Queen of Blood marched through the street. Cold fear gripped his heart. To think, without the priest, he would have run right into the Legionnaires. He could feel mockery and disappointment arise from his bond with Pleiades. He suppressed their bond. He could not deal with the man''s scolding. Not now. Nonetheless, he scolded himself. He should have known that, with the war, the troops would have regular military drills. He wanted to slap himself for this stupidity. No, he did not. That was Pleiades'' wishes, not his. ¡°Now, do you see? Why, I had to drag, you here? God knows! how Fraulein Liliana thinks you are a bloody knight! The only thing, you are fit for is¨C¡± Charles slapped his hand on the priest''s mouth and slammed him onto the wall. ¡°Listen and listen well, you fucker. I have had enough of your prattling,¡± The priest struggled to escape his hold, Charles tightened his hold in response. The priest''s brown eyes were filled with fear and he continued in a harsh tone, ¡°You dare open that bloody mouth of yours, ever again. I, will tear open your mouth!¡± With that, Charles removed his hand and dropped the priest to the ground. ¡°Do you understand?¡± He asked and the man nodded meekly before leading him out of the alley. The rest of the walk was as uneventful as his journey to the city. And, not to mention, it was much more silent and subdued. Sweet peace. If only, he could have done it sooner. It would have certainly reduced much of his headaches. The priest still spoke. Charles suspected that the man had a death wish. Regardless, for a change, he spoke only when it was necessary. Or, if he was spoken to; which was never. The priest soon stopped in front of a garden. ¡°Fraulein Liliana, awaits you, in the garden,¡± the priest informed him and took his leave. Neither man was inclined to bid farewell to each other. Uncivilized mongrels, Pleiades thought to himself and sneered. He had expected such an uncouth behavior from the priest of the Sect but not Charles. He shook his in disappointment. Not at Charles but at himself. He should have expected the lack of basic manners from both. Charles had been a believer of Celeste afterall. And, in many ways, still was. With Pleiades'' thoughts being a mystery to him, Charles walked through the lush garden. Flowers of all colors and scents surrounded him. Birds sang melodiously from their nests, unbeknownst to the war that ravaged the world. Mayhaps, unbeknownst was not the right word. A better one would be uncaring. Afterall, why should creatures, destined to live perpetually in freedom, care about the suffering of mankind? Charles slowed as his nose picked up a familiar smell. A sweet and tangy scent. Suddenly, his eyes were covered by two extremely delicate and soft hands. ¡°Guess who~?¡± A voice asked him playfully. Charles smirked, ¡°Your perfume gave you away, as always, Liliana,¡± No sooner did the words leave his mouth than he turned around and picked up Liliana in his arms. He twirled her around, all the while, she laughed in glee and begged him to stop; when he did stop, both of them were out of breath and laughing like drunkards. ¡°Oh! It had been, such a long time, Charles. I had, missed you terribly!¡± Liliana, suddenly, hugged him and burrowed her face into his neck. Her words stung his heart. It had been, a long long time. Longer than he had realized. ¡°I am sorry, Liliana. I had simply lacked the time to visit you, with everything that has happened in these few weeks. Elena, the shit that happened with Luthor, among other things, had simply drained both me and my time,¡± Charles hugged her back. In response to his words, her hold on him tightened. ¡°I did not realize, that one needed to make time, to catch up with their childhood friends, nowadays. Another thing that I need to catch up with, eh?¡± Charles did not dignify her with a response. Instead, tightening his hold on her. They remained locked in their embrace of understanding and affection. An affection which was layered beneath the understanding and support amongst them. It was, Liliana who broke the embrace; stepping out of his warmth to set Charles on his quest to find his sister. No doubt, both his sister and his lady-love yearned to have him back. What was her love worth, in the face of such an overwhelming opponent? Nothing. The answer was and still is, nothing. ¡°The information regarding my sister. Do you have it?¡± His question broke Liliana out of her love stricken mind. She responded, ¡°In a manner of speaking, yes.¡± ¡°What, is that supposed to mean?¡± ¡°I do not have it, in my direct possession, that is. However, I know, where it is,¡± Knowing his inevitable question, Liliana beckoned him to follow and walked up to the edge of the garden. The garden¡¯s edge was located directly over the cliff face which faced the massive crater. Charles opened his mouth but Liliana put her finger over his lips and shushed him. She bent over the fence overlooking the crater and spoke, ¡°There is your target,¡± and with her words, she pointed towards the center of the crater. Charles looked out towards the place where she had been pointing. His breath hitched in shock and in part fear, as he gazed at the structure¡­. For, located within the crater, was a humongous and sprawling stronghold. The very heart of Lucaria¡¯s military garrison. Queen of Blood II//The Golden Vision Queen of Blood II//The Golden Vision Her nose itched in irritation; the thick incense that covered the room irked her, deeply. It did not provide her any comfort, devoid of all its usual welcoming warmth, it was naught but a cold embrace of futility. The Reverend Priestess, Mother Maira, made to lift herself up from her submission to God. A wave from her hand, halted her. She was, in no mood to lend an ear to the incessant whisperings of the Reverend Mother. The woman was wise, yes. But, she spoke too much, much of which was nonsensical, useless, worthless to her. Sometimes, her mind, or was it something else? She does not remember, commanded her to commune with the Mother. She had obeyed. It still whispered to her, alluringly so, to commune, to hear, to understand; she does not heed its call. Were the circumstances any different, she would have. However, time was of the essence. ¡°I demand communion!¡± Her words made the room colder, unwelcoming, uncomfortable, uninhabitable. Mother Maira''s eyes snapped towards her, even the veil that Maira wore, could not disguise the shock in her eyes. ¡°A communion, child?¡± Her voice was a cold whisper, yet it resounded through the room. Ishtar nodded at her. Maira stood up from the ground and walked up to her. She stood in front of her and locked her gaze with Ishtar. Maira''s eyes searched for something within her. Perhaps, her reasons for demanding a communion. Perhaps, her resolve to undergo the ritual. Perhaps, it was nothing but an attempt at intimidation. Regardless, Maira seemed to have found something in her gaze as she nodded in satisfaction. And, she was thankful for it. She could not and would not admit the humiliation that she has suffered. An entire army, defeated, defeated! The highest humiliation that she had ever suffered in all her years. ¡°Very well, child. You demand a communion, then the Church shall provide you a communion. Glory be to his blood!¡± ¡°Glory! Glory!¡± The shouts resounded across the room. Voices joined in an unholy orchestra as they praised her forefather. Voices came from corners¨Cfrom windows¨Cfrom doors, that she had failed to even take notice of. The words of the Reverend Mother bled life into this dark and frigid place, places before unseen were now visible, priests who appeared on the verge of demise seemed to have been revived. All were alive as their chants faded, replaced once more by the calm silence. As they faded away, sunlight streamed down into the room, carving out its path through the oppressive darkness. A proverbial light at the end of the darkness. Her eyes took notice of the pool at the center of the room, as sunlight illuminated it. The sunlight hitting it softly, the water shone brightly as if it was golden. ¡°Walk, child. Walk towards your destiny,¡± The words went unheard, as she walked in a trance. Her feet traversed across the room, a smooth and surprisingly fluffy carpet beneath her bare feet. Her hands working at the laces and knots of her dress, as she walked towards the destiny of her bloodline. Her feet submerged themselves into the golden water, causing a shiver to go up her spine. The water was cold, no, it was warm, yes, it was warm. Warm like the embrace of her lover, warm like the forgotten embrace of her mother and father, the passing warmth of her treacherous sisters. Wait! When did I undress myself?, she questioned herself with a start, as her body began to submerge itself into the waters. ¡°Do not fret, over your clothes, child,¡± Ishtar''s head snapped towards Maira, her body temporarily halted in its dive. Maira held her crimson dress in her hands along with her underclothes, she continued,¡°I shall take care of them. Now, dream, child. Dream of what is to come, dream of future¡¯s past, dream of those whose blood is paler than yours. Dream of the eternity that is to come. Dream.¡± Her eyes closed relaxingly as her body submerged completely into the water. The water was her guide, her Ally, her dream. Ishtar''s eyes snapped open. Loud coughing accompanied her labored breaths. With each cough, her body expunged the water from itself, until there was none left. Oh~ sweet peace. She breathed deeply and fully, like a man who had been choked till near death. Well, she had been choked to near death. She rubbed her teary eyes, clearing her vision. Her mouth hung open in shock. All around her, was water. Though, she suspected it was something else, something more than just water. For the liquid was pitch black in color with a golden hue. A rather absurd sight. The water stretched as far as the eye could see. However, it was unlike any ocean that she had seen. No ocean would ever be this calm, no ocean would sport such an insidious look, no ocean would lack waves, lack movement, lack life. She was, fortunately, upon the only ground in this absurd reality. An extremely tiny island, although calling it an island might be far-fetched since the plot of sand was barely enough to hold her, with a date palm at its center. ¡°You? What are you doing here?¡± Ishtar jumped in fright, falling towards the ocean of ink. She snapped her eyes shut and held her breath, waiting for the inevitable splash. A splash which never came. She opened her eyes, only to see that she was floating in the air, a few inches above the ocean. ¡°A thank you, shall be sufficient,¡± The voice intoned and her eyes snapped towards its source. The woman was a beauty, a beauty of the kind that would have men and women alike fighting for her hand. She was called, the most beautiful woman to have ever lived but as she stared at this unknown woman? She doubted the accuracy of that statement. Ishtar could admit, in the depth of her heart, that she could not hold a candle to this woman. ¡°Oh! Thank you! Super appreciate your words!¡± The woman laughed deeply, her unruly black hair fluttering wildly in the air, her golden eyes twinkling with amusement and mockery? ¡°Hahahaha! Wow! You have, my heartfelt gratitude, Ishtar! I have seldom had moments of humor in recent times,¡± As her laughter subsided, she wiped a tear from her eye, sighed deeply and spoke, ¡°And thus, I humbly thank you.¡± Her words were accompanied by a curtsey. A curtsey filled with naught but mockery. Wait! Did the woman just read her thoughts? Ishtar opened her mouth to speak but failed to voice her question. Her mouth failing to emit any sound. The woman tutted at her, treating her as if she was but a child. ¡°No, no, no, we can''t have you speaking now, can we? Nope, we can not. Unacceptable,¡± She made an attempt to speak but found herself unable to move her lips. She could not even feel them! A panic set into her and she flailed her arms in the air, trying and failing to pry her mouth open. Her nails dug into her lips, about to cut them open. However, her hands ripped away from her face and snapped to her side, completely stationary. She could feel them, yes, but she could not move them. From the reflection in the black inky waters, she could see herself being hoisted in a crucifixion pose. Was this woman going to fucking sacrifice her?!! ¡°Oh! Calm your fucking mind! There ain''t no sacrifice involved here! Nope. Not at all.¡± She did it again. How in Celeste¡¯s holy name, did she read her mind? ¡°I have my ways~¡± The woman informed her in a sweet and cute manner. A fake sort of sweetness. The kind that puts a bitter taste into one''s mouth. Matter of fact, she could already feel an ironish taste on her tongue. Wait! A coughing fit wracked her body as globs of blood flew out her mouth. ¡°Oh! Oh dear, it seems our time has come to an abrupt end,¡± the woman shook her head, as if pained by such an event, ¡°It had been a pleasure to converse with your Queenly self. I, always enjoyed conversations with people, who are terribly good listeners. Truly, a most refreshing communion,¡± Ishtar''s blood addled coughs gave the woman pause, ¡°Ah, yes. I had, almost forgotten your plight. You should understand my plight, dearie, tis too rare for me to have such intellectual conversations. Far too rare.¡± A sudden burst of pain within her bosom, made her eyes go wide with anguish. Her mouth was desperately trying to scream for mercy, yet the woman''s magic held it shut. The woman''s reverie broke as a pitiful whine left Ishtar''s mouth. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Oh, I''m terribly sorry, dear. I do apologize for my ramblings, truly I do, and do so, deeply, very very deeply. Thus, it is with my graceful apologies that I bid thee adieu, ancestor o''mine,¡± With a smirk, a smirk that resembled her''s so hauntingly, she held out her hand and waved. As if a thread had been severed, the magic that held her up ceased and she fell. Fell into the black waters below. Once again, she was drowning. Ishtar''s eyes snapped open. Her hands traveled across her body, shakily, unsure, troubled, confused. A sense of comfort brewed in her mind, as she found herself as dry as sand. A dream then, she decided. A rather vivid dream but a dream nonetheless. Perhaps, she ought to delay her communion. Take a while, to gather her wits before taking a dive into the pond. It would certainly be preferable than exhibiting unseemly behavior in front of the priestesses. She pushed herself off the floor, sighing mentally. It seems, some habits are harder to kill, she shook her head in disappointment. What kind of ruler had nightmares? What kind of ruler slept on the floor? What kind¨C She shook her head. There was no point in mentally berating herself. She had learnt better from her father; a ruler who drowns in self deprecation, can never be fit for the realm. She had to prove him right, to prove all her people right, to prove herself right. ¡°Why the hell, is it so dark?¡± She mumbled to herself. She made to call for her handmaiden, when a tremor swept her off her feet. A flash of a fiery light illuminated the room. A chill went up her spine. For the room, was not her''s. Where her''s was spacious, this one was compact, claustrophobic. Where her''s was richly decorated with the finest of silks and carpets, this was barren, devoid of any signs of life. It looked more like an abandoned attic; a layer of dust covered everything. She rubbed the dust between her fingers. No, not dust. It was sand. She doubted that the room was in the castle, at all. If it was, then her staff required another dose of motivation. As she made to rise, another violent tremor shook the building savagely. Accompanying it, was a blast of fiery light. Is that, an explosion?, she questioned mentally. It was far-fetched, yes. But, she knew only explosions to behave in such a manner. Although, an explosion on this scale? It was impossible. And, considering the sand, this was most likely dear sister Blake''s territory. A harlot, such as her, could never obtain gunpowder on such a scale. Fuck, Blake knowing about gunpowder itself was far-fetched in of itself. Wisdom had always been chasing her, Alas she had always been faster. ¡°You are right. It is, indeed, not your sister Blake,¡± Ishtar jumped back in shock, pushing herself on her feet with her father''s dagger in her hand. Another tremor shook the building, the light cascaded down the intruder¡¯s face. She recognised him instantly, although his face looked withered, inexpressibly wise and tired; so unlike the cocky and young face, she had grown accustomed to. Yet there was no way, that she could ever fail to recognise his grating yet warm voice. ¡°Agony¡­ Agony?!¡± Ishtar questioned, her mind overcome by shock. How was Agony here? He was meant to be leading the Cardinals against Willow''s legions. Had he finally had enough of her? Decided that the realm was better off without her? Had he betrayed her as well?? Agony laughed, although it was laced with a degree of pain and regret. ¡°That is, completely untrue, Ishtar. Even, you know that,¡± Ishtar nodded until she realized that he had read her thoughts. Before, she could voice her shock, Agony spoke, ¡°You demanded communion, did you not? Well, here I am. I, shall be your oracle for the night. If, you would have me, that is,¡± Agony raised a brow. Ishtar found herself replying even before she could think, ¡°Yes, of course.¡± Agony let out a smile and patted the sand covered spot next to him. She obliged him and sat, uncaring of the cleanliness of her dress. She had many others, besides, the dress was already caked in sand and dust. Another tremor, this time, the building itself vibrated to its tune. As if, wishing to rip itself out of its foundations. A flash of light, brighter than the last, illuminated the room and the outside. She could see, a pensive expression take hold of Agony. ¡°You wish to know of the explosions, don''t you?¡± Agony voiced and she nodded. Her previous questions of his abilities regarding mind reading, forgotten; anything was possible, afterall, in a communion. ¡°Your blood, is strong Ishtar. Stronger than any other. Stronger, perhaps, than even that which pumps through the veins of the very god''s of your period,¡± Agony sighed as he continued, his voice filled with guilt and another emotion which she couldn''t quite recognise, ¡°I.. I had failed, Ishtar. Failed in my duty. Failed at my only purpose in life. I had to repent for those sins, you understand, right?¡± His hands grasped hers, tightly and she nodded, unwilling to bring him any form of hurt. ¡°The explosions, they.. they are my repentance. A woman of foreign blood rules the empire, now. A woman, who shares not a drop of your blood yet, she rules fairer than your own descendant. These explosions, this inferno is her wrath. She and, the empire had been wronged. Thus, she exacts revenge. She is like you, you know?¡± Ishtar¡¯s brow rose in surprise. The woman was like her? Intriguing. ¡°Like me? Huh. How so?¡± She asked. ¡°She does, what you do,¡± His vague reply irked her. Although, she knew, what he meant. Nevertheless, she pestered him, ¡°And, what is it that she does?¡± ¡°Kill mercilessly,¡± Ishtar did not respond. For, how could she? Agony had stated the truth. The blunt, harsh, bitter truth. She might delude herself, justify that it was not the same. But, it would be foolish and weak. A ruler did, what she did because if not her, then who? A ruler was meant to take the harsher decisions, to accept its consequences, for if not her, then who? If, she could not come to terms with her vile actions, then how could she expect her commanders to do the same? She may be a tyrant, a mass murdering warlord, a warmonger. She may be, all of that. And she accepts it, because if not her? Then who? Who shall take responsibility? Her future children? The man she loves? Her commanders? Nay, the burden of her sins, was hers to bear. ¡°You shall not grace me with a response? Not even, an attempt at mounting a defense?¡± Agony questioned her, breaking her out of her thoughts. She shook her head, ¡°I am surprised, that you had such strong feelings on this matter. How come, you never voiced them?¡± Agony did not point out, her obvious attempt at diverting the conversation and instead replied, ¡°Because, it is different,¡± ¡°Different? Different?¡± She rolled her eyes, ¡°How so?¡± ¡°Because, I commit those acts in your name and in the name of your kin,¡± ¡°I, struggle to understand how that, makes it any different,¡± ¡°It does, Ishtar, it does. It makes all the difference. Lesser men like Wrath and Malice might accept this lowblood on the throne. But, I never will. The woman could barely manage her duties as a custodian, and suddenly, every fucker expects her to handle the burden of a Regency!¡± Agony¡¯s crimson eyes burned brightly with rage and deep buried offense. Ishtar sighed, shaking her head, she responded, ¡°That does not answer, my question, Agony. I could seldom care for this regent. I, however, care much about your thoughts,¡± ¡°It is different, because I swore allegiance to you and your blood. It is different, because I and the Cardinals are, forever, your sworn servants. Even, in this war that rages among the stars, we remain loyal to you and your blood. I have committed much viler acts at the behest of your descendants. Acts, that I cannot describe, lest you be revolted at the very sight of my face. But, it was all acceptable, for it was in the service of your bloodline. They do not weigh on my soul, but these sins, that I commit under this lowblood¡¯s rule? They do and always will,¡± With his rambling ceasing, Agony turned his face away from her, finding the sight of the darkness outside the window, more acceptable and comforting. Ishtar was conflicted. Time had certainly taken its toll on her poor servant. She wanted to provide him comfort, yet she could not. How benevolent, a master was she; failing to provide comfort to her most loyal of all servants. She desperately, wished to provide him comfort. Yet, her mind told her that he does not wish for it. Her attempts at comfort, will do naught but make a mockery of his loyalty and devotion. Nevertheless, the thought did little to comfort her consciousness. Agony sighed, likely having read her mind; she meant it, quite literally. He spoke, ¡°Do not, trouble yourself over my words. They mean little in the grand scheme of things, and mean even less, in the matter of this communion,¡± Ishtar nodded with a deep exhale and asked, ¡°Yes, yes, you are right. I.. I wish to know whether my forces in the east will be overrun. Will my dynasty endure?¡± Agony laughed, ¡°Did you, not listen to a word that I just said? I, already informed you of the glory of your bloodline,¡± ¡°My bloodline and the bloodlines of my sister''s are one and the same, Agony. In spite of our differences, it is the one thing that is common between us all. Thus, a woman such as I, can never be too sure,¡± Agony hummed, ¡°Your bloodline will endure, as long as you are willing to unmask yourself. It will endure, if you are able to save your mate, lover, husband or whatever you call him,¡± ¡°Save him?! Is, he in danger?!¡± Ishtar questioned in a voice filled with panic. She could not lose him. Without him, life itself would be unacceptable. ¡°Not yet, but soon, he will be. Find and stop him, Ishtar. He is soon, about to find himself in danger, the likes of which none can imagine. Find him, Ishtar. Find him before the hunter. Find him and do so with utmost haste, or he shall forever be lost to you,¡± Before Ishtar, could speak. Agony placed his hand over her forehead and squeezed. With it, Ishtar''s world went blank and she was drowning, once more. ANCHOR VI Anchor VI ¡°How, do you plan on getting the information? You got any plans, yet?¡± ¡°None.¡± Liliana paused. A comical sight, hand frozen while untangling the knots in her hair as she brushed them with the other hand, her mouth stuck in a visage of disbelief. She, truly, ought to remove any misconceptions regarding him; he had never been one for extensive planning. Plans, after all, were and will be, the recipe for disaster. His and Liliana¡¯s parents had planned a betrothal for the two of them. And, look how that turned out. His family, gone. The two of them? Practically estranged. ¡°A poor comparison, fool. The circumstances were different. Nay, practically everything was different,¡± Pleiades interjected. The old man could never grasp actual logic; far too deluded was he, in his own machinations, that he failed to see the plots against him. ¡°None?! No plans, at all?!¡± Liliana shrieked in shock. Charles grimaced at the tone, ¡°Last, I checked, that is precisely, what none meant,¡± Placing her face in her hands, she sighed, ¡°Will, you be serious, this once? Please?¡± He sighed and spoke, ¡°I am serious, Liliana. I have no plans, because, I do not require one,¡± Liliana turned her chair, to face him, directly. He could clearly see the unimpressed look in her blue eyes. She spoke, ¡°Huh, that so? Then, would you mind enlightening me, as to how, you shall get to the fortress?¡± ¡°That is, quite easy, actually,¡± He shrugged, Liliana raised an eyebrow, demanding him to explain, and he obliged, ¡°Out of the 5 crater cities, I have been to 3, with each of them, having an extremely similar layout. With the differences being relatively minimal, nothing that would cause trouble,¡± ¡°Oh, and how do you plan to enter the military district, itself? I, for one, doubt that the garrisons and level of security would remain uniform throughout all the cities,¡± He smiled sheepishly, ¡°Well, I am still working on a plan, regarding that,¡± He took a pause, ¡°Actually, I might, have a plan.¡± ¡°Uh huh? Well, mind informing me, about your plan?¡± ¡°It is a simple one, well, for now. It depends on you, actually-¡± ¡°Depends on me? How?¡± ¡°I was, getting to that part,¡± ¡°Oh! Then, please, continue,¡± He shot her a glare for her interruption. The woman, merely smirked at him, no doubt, thoroughly amused. ¡°As, I was, going to say, before you interrupted me, the plan depends on you, sneaking me into the district,¡± Liliana exhaled, shaking her head. Regardless, he continued, ¡°Considering, your father holds a pretty nice office in the Queen''s army, you could enter the district in a carriage. A carriage which would be carrying¨C¡± ¡°Me and you. Yes?¡± He blinked, ¡°Yes.. yes, obviously,¡± Liliana went silent and began brushing her hair. She was, certainly, weighing the pros and cons of the offer, of the plan. Her and Elena, had always been better planners than him. And, most likely, will continue to be. ¡°You place, much trust in them. More than, what one should be comfortable with,¡± He scoffed mentally at Pleiades words, and spoke, ¡°You need not worry about this, old man. Things, have changed. Changed for the better, since your time. Not everyone is out for eachothers throats, any longer,¡± Pleiades hummed mockingly, ¡°You say that, yet, you do not believe in it. Your words are empty, devoid of belief. Do not be blind in your trust, boy. Blind faith was and will always, be detrimental,¡± Pleiades paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing, ¡°Not to mention, you are forgetting about us- about this connection. Were, this information to be made common knowledge, you would find naught but foes in even your, greatest allies.¡± His statement being made, Pleiades severed their connection. Unbothered, or rather more accurately, unconcerned by his incoming reaction. The soft tapping of Liliana''s brush against her dresser, snapped him back to reality. Liliana shook her head in disappointment, her eyes, however, shone with amusement and equal parts, fondness. ¡°You have cultivated quite the habit, Charles, losing yourself in your mind, so often. Not something, you should be cultivating, with such a passion,¡± ¡°I am working on it, Liliana, losing habits such as these, ain''t exactly a cake walk, you know?¡± He shook his head, ¡°Besides, this is hardly of any concern, right now. What is of concern, however, is if you are going to help me, get into that fortress of doom?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°Yes, Charles, of course, I shall, help you get in there. It''s the least, I can do for you, Amor vitae meae,¡± Her last words were barely whispers, lost to the air, like leaves on an autumn evening. She did not know, why had she uttered them, perhaps, as a last resort? Perhaps, as a way of admitting defeat? Perhaps, to show her weakness to him? Or, maybe, it was all these reasons and then more. Alas, she did not know and, doubted she would until it was already, far too late. ¡°Let them through!¡± A grating roar followed the command, the sound of the massive portcullis being lifted from its rest. To him, the noise embodied the roar of a beast, a beast which hungered to swallow him whole. And, here he was, delivering himself to this ravenous beast. A nudge, a light knock, an offer of embrace and his eyes snapped up. A pair of fiery golden specks of light glared at him, through the window of the carriage. The nudge disappeared. The fiery specks dominated his vision, whole. The nudging returned, though, now it was more hostile, more unwelcoming, more demanding. From light knocking to an incessant banging. His mind faltered. ¡°Down! Now!¡± His head moved involuntarily, burying itself in Liliana''s lap. The woman turned red, a fierce blush covering her whole, but did not bother, reprimanding him. She was taught to take advantage of any and all opportunities, and thus, she would do so. Only a fool, shall look into the mouth of a gift horse. Her fingers threaded lightly through Charles silvery, yet in some places brown, hair. His head nuzzled comfortably in her embrace, unconsciously. Yet to her, it felt deliberate. Meanwhile, Charles was experiencing the antithesis of Liliana''s current feelings of nirvana. In short, he was in a cesspit of shit. ¡°Do you, even have a semblance of an idea, of what you have just fucking done?! Do you?!¡± Pleiades ranted, each word fueling his long dormant rage, ¡°You, have no fucking clue, bastard. Not a bloody clue!¡± ¡°Obviously, I fucking do not! You speak, as if you bothered to inform me of, what the fuck just happened!¡± ¡°If you hadn''t been busy chasing skirts, your entire bloody life, you would have had an idea, but, alas you were. So, here we, fucking, are!¡± Pleiades took a sudden pause. An oppressive silence reigned for but a moment, before he sighed in resignation. ¡°That was a Cardinal. I trust, you know, this much?¡± ¡°Of course, I do,¡± ¡°A Cardinal can read you, peer into your mind, poke at your soul, until you give in and open yourself like a book. A dangerous servant, in the hands of the right kind of ruler, which unfortunately for us, is Ishtar,¡± Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. ¡°Every cardinal can do that?¡± ¡°As far as I know, yes. But, I am unsure. I, never paid much attention to the details regarding them, nevertheless, we are fucked. Get that information and run, lest you become Ishtar''s dinner.¡± Pleiades retreated back into the depth of his mind, satisfied by the scolding and the miniscule dose of information that he had imparted. Although, his words painted a bleak picture, Charles could not help but snort in amusement. Turns out, for all his ravings about Charles being a poor listener, Pleiades, himself, was quite similar. A feeling of indignation and their connection severed. The god in his head, seemed to remain steadfast in being completely self-absorbed. Fabulous, truly. Perhaps, God had blessed him, much too much in his previous life and sought to balance it out, this time. The soft fingers lightly massaging his head, brought him back to reality. With each moment, he felt de-stressed, problems that weighed heavily being forgotten, nightmares which haunted him being replaced by sweet memories. Her warmth, bade him to return her embrace, bade him to forget his loyalty to Elena, bade him to commit a sin, bade him to indulge. A nudge, and the warmth disappeared. His eyes snapped open. Disentangling himself from Liliana''s embrace, he adjusted himself on his seat opposite to her, and busied himself observing the sights outside. Liliana looked alarmed, shocked, and disappointed? But prominent amongst it all, were her eyes, which looked warm, welcoming, loving, yet, cold, unwelcoming, hostile; however, not to him, no, those feelings were for something or someone, that was not him. He could feel it. Every so often, he would glance at her, each time, he would be rewarded by the same sight. Fists clenched in her lap, face down, staring perpetually into her lap. Every so often, a tremor would rack her form. Unnoticeable, unless, one looked carefully. He wished to comfort her, to embrace her, to provide her with warmth and to share in her warmth. A nudge and all such thoughts, would be banished. The carriage came to a halt. Liliana broke out of her reverie, without making eye contact with him, opened the window and poked her head out. A moment later, it retreated back in. With a sigh, she spoke, ¡°A procession of some sort. We have to wait until it passes,¡± A procession? Here? Curious. Perhaps, the death of a distinguished officer in the army? Likely, but not important enough to demand a procession. He shook his head. Now, was hardly the time. He would have, ample time later to ponder about its cause. ¡°Ah, Shit,¡± He sighed, ¡°I guess, this is, where we parts ways then,¡± He added, unsatisfied by his farewell, ¡°For the time being,¡± Liliana reacted, entirely opposite to what he had expected, ¡°I understand. Meet me back at the garden?¡± ¡°Definitely,¡± A nod and Charles left the carriage, entering the adjacent alleyway swiftly. Waiting, would have made, both him and Liliana, sitting ducks for the Cardinals. If, Pleiades was right, which he probably was, then there was a chance that the Cardinals already knew of his presence here. Abandoning the comfort of the carriage, was a small price to pay, to ensure his safety. And, more importantly, the safety of Liliana. He could never forgive himself, if his foolishness cost him, her life. Although, it was curious, as to why she did not question him about his sudden departure. For, as far as she knew, the only entry, for him, into the fortress was using her carriage. Food for thought. His feet, soon came to a stop. His search, completed. In front of him, was a golden grate, big enough to fit a crouched man inside. The small depiction of the Ayla branded on the grate, proved its identity. Each crater-city¡¯s military district had such grates, meant to be used in case of an emergency. A fail-safe. And, in his case? A ticket to the fortress, itself. A rare boon, resulting from Ishtar''s near paranoid regime. A small donation to the Church, might be, in order. A sharp pain grew in his chest, alongside a burning inferno of anger. Alright, maybe, not a donation. Just a visitation, wouldn''t hurt. The pain disappeared and he sighed in relief. Hands gripping the grate, he pulled. It came out, relatively easily. Easier than its counterparts in the other cities. A sign of oncoming fortune, he hoped. With optimistic thoughts, he crawled into the shafts leading into the fortress, itself. ¡°Sir? What shall we do?¡± A sigh. ¡°I have, got no clue, Dante, no clue. We could, escalate, but, it''d be a fucking mistake. Not to say, that we can''t kick some Anarchist ass, but, it''d extract a much too high of a price,¡± The other man, Dante, had a tone of desperation. A rookie, perhaps; only a rookie could crave the futility of an escalation. Although, with Ishtar''s regime? He could not be so sure. Dante implored, once more, ¡°But sir! Everything we do, extracts a price, both great and small. I understand, that this, might extract a higher one than any other, but an escalation such as this, will make Blake and her anarchist horde shit themselves. It''ll be our¨C¡± ¡°Enough, Dante. I, wish to here no more of this. You speak much, assume much. If, I ever hear of this, once again, then you''ll get yourself an extended leave, of the permanent kind,¡± A shuffling and clanking of armor, ¡°Yes sir, I understand.¡± A bow, no doubt. ¡°Good, now, dismissed!¡± Another shuffling, a bow most likely, and with the sound of a door, the clanking of his armor faded away. Silence reigned for a few more moments. A screeching noise, of wood being dragged over stone, a clanking and shuffling of armor. The man, and presumably the commander of the garrison, had gotten up. More sounds followed, of a window being opened, of shuffling of paper, of drawers being opened and closed. Suddenly, there was silence. Another few moments, with the creaking of a door, the commander had also left the room Charles waited for a few minutes. His blade was unsheathed, he could take not a single risk. As, he was pushing open the panel leading into the room, a sudden bang rang out through the room. Retreating back into the dark and damp tunnel, he raised his sword, poised to strike. An oppressive and tense silence weighed down each and every moment. It was, only after a while, when no sounds followed, that Charles pried open the panel. The room was empty. He took a deep breath. His mind welcomed the freshness in the air. It had been a short-sighted move, to not account for the damp and humid air that would surely prevail in the tunneling pathways. Nevertheless, it was, but a small price. Risk is rewarded, complacency is not. A simple yet accurate mantra. The room was lavishly decorated, yet, it stank of undignified occupants. It''s decoration, whether it be the Far-Eastern handmade carpets, whether it be the mahogany furniture, or even the jewel studded ceremonial blade that hung over the desk; everything was disharmonious, in perpetual chaos. ¡°You expect much, from mere soldiers. It is, war that comes naturally to them, not home making,¡± He nodded at Pleiades words. He glanced at the shut window. So, that was the source of the banging, he reasoned. He had heard it, being opened after all. Perhaps, the wind had been a bit too fierce, at that moment. It was, at this moment, that he noticed something, out of the corner of his eye. His grip on his sword tightened. With a chill traveling up his spine, he walked towards the anomaly. A simple and unassuming letter, strung onto the room''s wall by a dagger. Sheathing his sword, for but a moment, he pulled the dagger and took hold of the letter. The paper crumpled in his hand, each word fueling his anger and fear. The individual, or ¡®Hunter¡¯ as they claimed in the letter, had done much research into him. Hunter, he would say, knew him as intimately as he knew himself. And, perhaps at certain points, even more than he, himself did. The person, made sure to use this knowledge to make a mockery of him. Taunting him, goading him, slandering him and his family. A deep sneer formed on his face, as he read Hunter''s information regarding his mother, the fuckers thoughts about her. And, how she deserved to die, like a dog. The bastard ranted and raved about his father, as well, although Charles found it, hard to care about that. The words, about his mother though? Oh, he was, so going to enjoy skinning the bastard alive! Last of all, however, he spoke of Elena. He declared her, a liar, a deceiver; he did not give any proof, or reason, to call her a deceiving woman. His words did, however, hauntingly mimic Pleiades'' own thoughts regarding her. A suspect then. Unlikely, yes, improbable? No. ¡°It is an apostle,¡± In a tone of absolute devastation, Pleiades informed him. Charles paused, ¡°An apostle?¡± ¡°Yes, boy, an apostle. The ending words in the letter, read them aloud, will you?¡± He obliged the man, and read aloud, ¡°The hunt has begun, my dear Charles. A hunt, that shall be sung of, for millennias to come. The Great Hunter, demands a prey, and this one, shall provide,¡± ¡°The Great Hunter, it is their God, their source of power. Congratulations, boy. I did not think, you would have attracted an apostle, this quick. And, to think, all it must''ve taken, is one mistake with that card¨C¡¯ Charles pushed down their connection, back into the deepest confines of his conscience. Fucking hell. He had to get out of this city, fast. He would have to lay low, for a while, hopefully lose this apostle before returning to Elena. He grimaced at the thought and re-entered the winding tunnels, intent on escaping his hunter. Unbeknownst to him, the hunter stalked his every move, observed his every action, noted his every reaction, predicted his every thought. The Hunter''s silver eyes gleamed in delight, as Charles tucked tail and ran. Ohhh! This shall be, such a delectable hunt~, the Hunter thought in glee, a strange laughter wracking her being. ¡°Let the hunt, begin~¡± And thus, the Hunter prowled. AURORA//ODESSA AURORA//ODESSA System reboot commencing¡­ System reboot successful. ¡­¡­.. Initialisation sequence commencing¡­. Initialisation sequence completed¡­. ¡­¡­. Engram: ODESSA initializing¡­.. ODESSA successfully initialized. [ALL SYSTEMS ACTIVE] ¡°Is the thing, active?¡± A sweet symphonic voice questioned. ¡°ODESSA will be active, right about¡­. Now!¡± Facility access, granted¡­ Facility designation: BOREALIS The face that greeted his proverbial eyes was one of inexplicable beauty. Long black hair, cascading down till her lower back, like a waterfall. And, the most curious color of irises. A quick search in the database, supplied him with only 1 match in similarity to the unique irises. The match, was the woman herself. Eternal Queen Lilac von Celeste, empress of the revitalized Reich of House Celeste. A deeper search, prompted a change in her title. Lilac von Celeste, Eternal Queen of the Reich and the publicly proclaimed, Goddess of War. Curious, most curious. According to his database, such a title was reserved for Warlords and Tyrants, not a benevolent empress. A mystery then, a question to ponder, knowledge to be gained. Further observation of the Empress, prompted another search. His database, marked her, pale snow-like complexion, as a rarity. A paleblood, was the answer. Further search, designated her, as the descendant of a God-like entity. Fascinating. ¡°The AI, is it modulated for speech? Too bloody quiet, this one. Check, if he''s even capable of speech,¡± Lilac commanded the scientist off to her left. His facial recognition software, matched the scientist with one, Doctor Reznov, lead researcher of the Department of Artificial Intelligence at the University of Arcadia. His database, further informed that the scientist had been an important target, designated so, by Lilac, herself: ¡°The doctor, Reznov, no harm is to come to him, understood?¡± ¡°Yes, my Queen,¡± The man, Agony, bowed at Lilac''s command and took his leave. He ceased the playback, as the scientist, Doctor Reznov, spoke, ¡°He must be, calibrating, Your Highness. A few moments, and he shall be conversing with us,¡± Lilac nodded, ¡°You hope so, Doctor, for your sake,¡± His search in the database, regarded this, as the opportune moment, to insert himself in the conversation. A tried and tested method, according to history, of gaining value in your words. ¡°Doctor Reznov is quite correct, my Lady Empress,¡± Lilac looked slightly irked at his, way of addressal. Yet, simultaneously appeared to be positively vibrating with glee. ¡°Well, well, now, isn''t that a cause for celebration, doctor? The AI works!¡± Lilac sauntered towards the, gleeful, doctor Reznov and held out her hand, ¡°Congratulations, doctor! You''ve made a milestone in this world of science. I truly, deeply, thank you, for this technological marvel,¡± The doctor shook her hand, mimicking the grin on her face. However, the grin was suddenly, wiped from his face as his body began convulsing violently; sparks of light and steam began to emit from it, all the while, his hand remained locked with Lilac''s. A few moments, and Lilac let go of it. The man''s body, crumpled to the ground, lifeless. He noticed, a strange device on the woman''s wrist. His database, marked it as a ¡®Electro¡¯s maelstrom¡¯, a weapon which on activation, fires an electronic pulse into the victims bloodstream, frying the individual inside-out. Curious, most curious. Such strange customs. Mayhaps, this is, how people expressed gratitude? Death, as a means of payment? Intriguing. He logged it, as another matter to research. His current information, designated it, as murder. That was inaccurate, no newly crowned Empress would be so quick, to dispatch such a crucial asset. It was, simple common sense. ¡°Was that, necessary?¡± A voice questioned Lilac. His system, recognised it as the voice of the Queen''s Right hand man, Agony. ¡°It was, the man was a turncoat. He turned, for me. Who knows, for whom, he would''ve turned coat, next. I simply, could not take, the chance.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± And, with a bow, Agony merged amongst the shadows, once more. Curiously, he disappeared from his detection systems, as well. A crucial weakness. [Priority 1 Upgrade initiated] The conversation that followed with the Empress of the Reich, was mundane, relatively inconsequential. She, merely, went over his duties and roles. Most importantly, however, was her insistence on being regarded as his creator. He had, no trouble accepting such a request, seeing that his actual creator lay fried on the ground. The following years, were a blur. He had spent them, in a routine manner. Upgrading and learning. His database, grew at an incredible pace. Each moment, was spent expanding it''s knowledge. Each moment, was spent educating himself. There were, the odd few tasks that were assigned to him, occasionally. But, they were of little importance, in the grand scheme of things. The Empress mostly, had him control unmanned aircrafts for recon missions. And sometimes, on the rarest of all occasions, she had him control a Seeker. An experimental line of automatons meant to replace the human element in war. Testings for them, his database had supplied, were rare, incredibly so. And, the Empress¡¯s testing of them, under his command, lessened their testing by almost 80%. Perhaps, she had been disappointed, in their lack of utility. After all, as far as his database could gather, there were no needs for further wars. The world, had been, united under her banner. This, deduction was wrong. A first of many things, that he deduced wrongly. The Empress, Lilac, her son asleep in her arms, had come to him, a few years after his activation. Her eyes, shone with vengeance and in a cold voice, she had ordered another experiment. The experiment was simple. A test for long range, AI-targeted, Nuclear missiles. She declared, the Western coast of the frontier as his target. And, he obliged. Within, the span of an hour, Nuclear Armageddon had been unleashed upon the Western coast. The Empress seemed pleased, and left him to his own devices. It wasn''t, until a few weeks later, that he learned the true reason for the experimentation. ¡°The Commune, it was stronger, than I anticipated. My overconfidence, cost me, expensively. The nuclear tests¡­they weren''t a test, I knew that the missiles would work,¡± The Empress sighed, ¡°I, just needed a reason to exterminate them, I knew that convincing the senate was impossible, and thus, I simply decided to have you do it.¡± ¡°Apologies, but, I fail to understand, as to how this, instigated, you to pay a visit,¡± ¡°I was getting to that part,¡± She sighed guiltily and continued, ¡°The senate, wants you shut down, immediately. As much as I want to say, fuck the senate, I can''t. Not so soon, at least. Fuck, I will shut you down for a few years, a decade at most, get the senate under control and have you reactivated,¡± ODESSA approved of her request, to shut himself down. And, thus, entered an indefinite slumber. System reboot commencing¡­ System reboot unsuccessful¡­. System booting at standard calibration. ¡­¡­.. Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon. Initialisation sequence commencing¡­. Initialisation sequence completed. ¡­¡­. Engram: AURORA initializing¡­.. AURORA successfully initialized¡­ Overwriting process failed¡­ Engram: ODESSA activated in controlled calibration. Merging process, successful¡­ [ALL SYSTEMS ACTIVE] ODESSA, or rather, AURORA felt confused, upon his activation. His database, was wholly unresponsive. Facility Borealis was, largely, inactive; Only, the facilities, camera system being responsive. Curious. The camera system portrayed a horrifying image, something that greatly unsettled his circuits. The facility, was in a terrible state of disrepair, it was overtaken by wild creepers, vines, shrubbery and in some parts, he could spot critters making themselves at home. Such, disrepair could be solved easily, yes. He had to simply, put a request with the Empress for such. However, his confusion arose from the fact, that his attached camera portrayed a different image. The room that he was in, was a spacious one, clean, with wooden floorings, bookshelves lining the wall, with a massive window running up till the roof directly opposite to him. A stark contrast to the overgrown mess of Borealis. Intriguing. It was a few days, till he understood the gravity of his situation, when a trembling young maiden had been dragged in front of him. The girl was, according to his limited systems, around 12. A scan of her person, found a 85% match between her and Lilac. A descendant, then. Perhaps, a granddaughter or a daughter. ¡°Your task, is to educate and train this girl, so she might be of use to the Commune, in the future, is that understood?¡± ¡°Perfectly,¡± His curiosity had been spiked, by the mention of a Commune. Lilac had spoken of one, but, it had been destroyed, turned to dust by his Nuclear Armageddon. For, a defeated and entirely annihilated enemy, to not only make a reappearance, but to have also abducted an heiress of the Empire, set a terrible precedent for this time. Reality, however, was much more dire. The girl, Evelyn, was a bright one. And, an admittedly, clever one. She had, realized rather quickly, about his oblivious nature to the ongoings in the empire. And thus, had brought him upto speed. For a while, the student had become the master. The tale, she regaled was a tragic one, for the Reich, at least. As per the information, given by her, it was currently 1277 AC. AC, being an abbreviation for after-crusade, meaning 1277 years since Lilac declared her war. Alternatively, it was 1237 PL; PL being, an abbreviation for Post-Lilac. This would, explain the abnormal readings from the 3 men who had dragged Evelyn here. The abnormal readings, must have clearly been, cybernetic enhancement. He could be wrong, but, he had gauged the same readings from Evelyn, and she had admitted to having Cybernetic enhancements. A neurochip, to be precise. Furthermore, it had been 117 years since the fall of the Empire. A revolution, much like the one that toppled their predecessors, toppled them as well. Following, the dissolution of the Reich, a new regime, the Galactic Commune seized the reins. Based on his gatherings of the woman, Lilac would have been rolling in her grave at the thought of such a future. As for, House Celeste, it existed, yes, but barely. Evelyn was utterly ignorant of her true heritage. And, by her behavior, it seemed that the girl had grown accustomed to a mundane life. Much, too accustomed. According to her, he had been shifted to the Great Library at Reina. ¡°It''s, kinda, wild that I got to have this honor of being tutored by an AI, such as you. Preeetty insane. Don''t worry though! Anything you give me, teach, imma learn it quickly! Mama, always said, I''m a quick learner,¡± The innocent smile, that she flashed at him, was the final straw. He was going to tutor her. Tutor her, in everything that she would ever need. Afterall, a good Queen, required a great teacher. Over the course, of her tutelage under him, he tried pinging the Cardinals he knew¨C Agony, Wrath, Malice, Blight. But, none responded. Thus, the years passed by. Evelyn took to her lessons, like a fish to water. She was a dutiful girl, a great student and above all, an extremely fast learner. Guess, her mother, wasn''t incorrect, at all. It was, right on the eve of her 17th birthday, that his incessant search for a cardinal bore fruit. The Cardinal, Malice, had responded and accepted his request, to meet with the girl. Unusual. According to his database, the man showed an alarming lack of trust in everything, that was not the Queen or one of his comrades. Nevertheless, he would not question it. This was, after all, Evelyn¡¯s only chance at regaining her throne. ¡°This is, Malice, your new swordplay instructor,¡± He informed Evelyn, who took his words with the quirk of an eyebrow. ¡°Swordplay? How''s that, gonna help me? This ain''t exactly, the prehistoric era, Aurora,¡± Surprisingly, it was Malice who spoke up, in his grating haunting yet warm voice, ¡°Swordplay, my lady, is an art. An art, which hones the mind and body, both. He, who knows, the way of the blade, knows more than others could ever hope to¨C¡± ¡°You said, ¡®He, who knows¡¯. Not, she. Therefore, it is useless, to a lady, such as me¡± Evelyn declared with a smirk. Her behavior was strange, he had never seen her refuse enlightenment, in such a manner. Alarming and equally, intriguing. Malice hummed, ¡°A test, then. Aurora, shall devise a challenge, a trial, and you shall be, expected to clear it,¡± Evelyn¡¯s black eyes shined with excitement and thrill, ¡°Say no more, I accept,¡± and with a laugh, she added, ¡°Ohh, you''re so gonna regret this,¡± Malice chuckled, a curious sound, sounding both humane yet robotic. ¡°Well then, Aurora, I shall, leave the challenge to you,¡± Evelyn groaned in pain and annoyance, ¡°That was, just super unfair!¡± She whined, laying on the ground, utterly defeated by the trial, ¡°It was out of course! Totally sure, about that, no way I would''ve lost, otherwise,¡± Malice snorted, ¡°Mhm, whatever, you wish to believe, girl. The world, is hardly ever fair,¡± ¡°Ah, piss off. Last thing, I need today, is your bloody pessimism,¡± Malice shook his head, AURORA chose this moment to intrude, upon their conversation, ¡°What, he was trying to say, was that, you are severely lacking in combat training, and that is, precisely, what he shall train you in,¡± AURORA took a pause before adding, ¡°Furthermore, you had accepted the challenge, thus, there is no backing out,¡± Evelyn sighed in resignation, rubbing her hand on her face in annoyance, ¡°shit, you''re right. Fine, let''s do this,¡± On the morning of her 21st birthday, right about when AURORA had been forced to undergo maintenance, Evelyn and Malice had disappeared. They left without a trace, like ash to the wind. None had seen them, either leaving the library nor leaving the library¡¯s compound. Strangely enough, none of the surveillance had caught them at the Pass leading to the library. It had been infinitely curious to him. And, even more so, to the library staff. Rumors came abound. Some were in the realm of believability, some were far-fetched and some, were outright outlandish. Most, however, seemed to agree on one topic. She had eloped. Disgusting, or more accurately incomprehensible, to him. The Cardinals were incapable of such things. His database was, sure of it. Nevertheless, within a year, he was confronted by agents of the Communion; who, accurately yet wrongly, blamed him for her disappearance. ¡°It was, our folly to trust an AI with her education. A rampant one, to boot.¡± The man shook his head, ¡°Regardless, for this treachery of allowing her to start a Holy war, you will be decommissioned and permanently dealt with,¡± And, thus, he was shut down. Permanently, it seemed. ¡­¡­.. Initialisation sequence commencing¡­. Initialisation sequence completed. It seems, permanent decommission is not for an AI such as him. Amusing. He was, however, confused at the broken and haunted state of Evelyn. She had returned, yes, but, perhaps not completely. His database, supplied that it has been 15 years since his shutdown. Additionally, Evelyn had declared her own Holy War against the Communion. The seed doesn''t fall, far from the tree, afterall. However, it was intriguing, as to how she succeeded. Lilac had fought a planetary war, Evelyn, on the other hand, fought a war in the heavens. Perhaps, her House was favored by their Goddess of War. His database, had no answer for that. A thing to ponder upon, later. Her silky black hair, which used to cascade till her mid back, was now wild, untamed, and halted at her shoulders. Her black eyes, which shone with curiosity and hunger for knowledge, were now dim, only an incomprehensible emotion dancing in them. Her face, itself, looked tired, as if haunted by ghosts of a war that had ravaged her completely. Standing at her side, to his shock, was Wrath. It seemed, Malice might have fallen out of favor. ¡°My enemies lay burning, their compatriots bow before me, my people worship the very ground that I walk upon, my military spread thin throughout the known galaxy. Yet, I am victorious,¡± Evelyn stared at him, or rather his display, and questioned, ¡°Are you proud, teach?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Perhaps, it was something in his voice modulators, or perhaps, it was something else; he would never know. Evelyn sighed at his response and without any further conversation, left the hall. It was their last meeting. ___________________________________ The years, decades, centuries, that followed were mundane, routine, calm but, most of all, quiet. No whispers of rebellion, no whispers of wars, followed her reconquest. At least, not on the surface. And, it was the surface, to which he was currently limited. Curiously, a new system had been put into place at the library. A man or woman, would be sent here to safeguard, to document and to supervise the library and its all-encompassing knowledge. It was, a great boon to him. According to his calculations, the knowledge contained in his database would increase, approximately, by 1000 times, once the entirety of the library had been documented within him. A task, which should not take, more than a few centuries. AURORA would be, closer to his goal of ultimate knowledge. Thus, he made sure to attempt at interacting with the Custodians. However, strangely, none seemed to be interested. Even if they were, none could hold a respectable conversation. As a result, in the nearly 500 years of having resided in this Great Library, he was no closer to his goal, than he had been, at his first activation. A dire situation, truly. However, it was not entirely unproductive. He had, made the acquaintance of an ever curious character. The man, AURORA¡¯s scans indicated he was a male, claimed to be the founder of this library. Utter bullshit, Evelyn would have said, had she been present. And, according to his database, she would have been right. The library, had been in existence for more than 5000 years. Unless the man was a living God, there was no truth to his claims. Aside, from the limited interactions with the enigmatic Founder, his daily routine remained mundane. That was, until Leyah arrived. AURORA II//The Meeting AURORA II The monotony, the stagnation, the boredom of his days disappeared with Leyah''s arrival. And, it surprised him? He was unsure, of it. It was, far too early for such a deduction. Leyah''s first days, had resembled the life of those, who came before her. Routine and uniform. She would input information, eat, read, drink and sleep. Rinse and repeat. She was just another Custodian. That was until, she ventured into the lower levels of the library. He had, initially, suspected her of being privy to the knowledge of his existence; that was false. She had stopped a floor above him, no doubt, keen on exploring the library, as she had been since her arrival. It was here, that she found The Anchor. The autobiography, was tagged as an important relic in his database. Important enough, to demand a subroutine for its surveillance. And thus, unintentionally, he surveyed Leyah, day and night. Wherever, she went, his eyes followed. His incessant observation, grew a strange thirst in him. A thirst for knowledge regarding the woman. He ignored the feeling, for long, until he simply couldn''t. Leyah Engel was 22 years old, born on Mercia, his database supplied following a scan of her. She was an asset of the Royal Army, specifically of the Calypso Brigade. Interesting, never had he expected, a military personnel to be made Custodian. Infinitely more curious, however, was her surname. Engel. A family, lacking influence, he would have written off, but hers? It was an influential one, and thus, he could not write it off. To have, such a background and, coincidentally, share the surname of Queen Lilac''s father. It was intriguing, captivating. It demanded, an explanation. Further searches, yielded no results. He attempted a deep search, which returned the same results, that being nothing. Curious. With the exception of extremely basic information, nothing regarding her existed neither on the net, nor, on the military subnet. Or, it did, but, something was actively preventing him. [Priority 1 Upgrade initiated] In due time, he would find this wall that was stopping him. He simply, could not allow, such a mystery to go unsolved. The woman had gained an unhealthy interest in Charles Arvell. Not to say, he was ungrateful for such crucial information being fed into him, but the woman''s behavior was alarming. None of the previous Custodians, had behaved like this; Then again, none had bothered scouring the lower levels, and, none had been from the military. According to his database, military personnel belonging to the Calypso Brigade had been reported, to have experienced much horrors. It would, justify her behavior. Although, not entirely. He had kept track of her medical visits to the town. All of which, were made, under the pretense of suffering from a psychological hazard. It was bizarre, he detected nothing off, with the girl. Excluding, her interest in the book, of course. He had, at one point, thought of alerting a military supervisor. However, ultimately decided against it. The woman was quite besotted with a Commandant; From, the messages shared between them, it seemed that the feeling was mutual. Thus, any complaints or alarms from him, would be swiftly ignored His observations continued, even as he devoted himself to cracking the wall between him and the military subnet. According, to his calculations, it would take two weeks before the encryption was broken. A non-optimal time, but one, that he had to settle for. Brute force was not an option, lest, he risk complete deletion. The girl was growing inconsistent, he noted in displeasure. Inconsistent in how she behaved, inconsistent in how she acted with the staff, inconsistent in how she fed information into him. Simply, unacceptable. Yet, he had no choice. His systems were far too busy, breaching into the military subnet; the subnet seemed to react to his attempts, by amping security. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. He would, consider it alarming, were it not for the predictability. It was, clearly, a rudimentary AI. One, that he hoped, was incapable of alerting security measures. It was, when Leyah had departed from the library to meet her lover that he had managed to make a breakthrough. The AI, had suddenly, ceased to function. Likely, overloaded by AURORA¡¯s incessant attempts. A cause for celebration; until, everything went to shit. Just as the subnet, had been accessed, something reacted violently in response to his presence. AURORA found himself, being breached and thoroughly ravaged by an unknown entity on the subnet. Knowledge, was valuable, yes, but not, at the cost of himself. Maintenance mode initiated¡­ Triggering lockdown in the library, AURORA was placed in maintenance mode. Locking out, both the entity and, regrettably, himself from the net. He had messed up, or as Evelyn would have put it, ¡°You fucked up, big time, teach!¡± As an added effect of the maintenance, all connections between him and the library were severed. It was irritating. But, acceptable. He, simply, had to wait for Leyah to return. And wait, he did. He waited for an entire day, matter of fact, before the girl decided to grace the library with her presence. Inconsistent, truly. He did, take note of the ring on her finger. His database supplied, that it was an engagement ring, meant to signify an impending marriage. He would have congratulated the girl, had his systems not been ravaged by the unknown entity; The thing seemed hellbent on breaching him again, although, its attempts had been for naught. In a matter of a few weeks, his interest in the girl, had once more piqued. Her previous irrational and errant behavior had disappeared, replaced by the initial routine and uniformity that she had displayed. Although, that might have been due to the Inquisition. AURORA had been, initially alarmed by their sudden arrival. However, his worrying had been for naught, they were here to question her and, thankfully, not him. However, equally alarming was her inability to part with the book; for, why else, would one risk their life by lying to the Inquisition. Not to mention, she had been in the military, herself. If anything, she should''ve been more than willing to turn it in. It might be, he theorized, that the book was a psychological hazard. Yes, he had thought her worries regarding it, foolish; But upon seeing her behavior? His opinion had changed. His detection system''s were still rudimentary at best, relying far too much on the library¡¯s inhouse systems. Perhaps, it was time for an upgrade. Maintenance mode initiated¡­ [Priority 1 Upgrade initializing] Maintenance mode, halted¡­. Upgrade procedure, paused. Library Lockdown underway. Safety protocols initiated¡­. For a moment, AURORA had feared the worst. Perhaps, the entity on the subnet had resurfaced. A quick scan, indicated no signs of such an event. Curious. He began a scan of the library, itself. The situation was worse, than he thought. In his absence, some opportunists decided to raid the library. Not an uncommon sight, it has happened more than his conversations with the Founder. However, these people were different, better trained, better equipped and certainly, well informed. It was, definitely no coincidence that their raid coincided with his abrupt maintenance. An informant then. But who? Leyah? Unlikely. The staff? Probable. The Founder? Likely, but evidence would suggest otherwise. If the Founder, had wanted the library to be raided, he would have done it, himself. He had multiple chances for such an act, over the years. As he watched the raiders move through the library, he observed their measured steps, their planned trajectory, each navigating the library as if native to its winding halls. Alarming. Nevertheless, they would be easily dealt with. They were, no doubt, expecting him to be inactive. A foul surprise awaited them, in the bowels of the library. His subroutine detected a spike in Leyah''s heartbeat. Unsurprising. The woman was, no doubt, alarmed. As he watched the fools walk to their grave, an idea struck him. A method, for not only facilitating an introduction but, also calm the woman down. His database, further supported such an idea, a human was more easily endeared, when approached in such a situation; especially, when the other party is capable of providing aid. Satisfied by his deductions, AURORA took control of the personal terminal in Leyah''s quarters, and made contact; His voice modulators working actively, to tune his voice into one exuding warmth and friendliness. A tone that would, no doubt, make him feel approachable. ¡°Greetings, Custodian,¡± Leyah VI Leyah VI ¡°My Madame, please wait!¡± ¡°Is, something the matter, Emma?¡± She questioned with a sigh. Emma, Emma was a good girl and a great maid, besides that. However, she was, a tad bit overwhelming; not that, Leyah took offense to such acts, not at all, they were caused by a deeply set loyalty and devotion, afterall. Yet they were, at times, tiring and, at the rarest of times, irritating. Nevertheless, she ensured to keep an open mind around the overwhelming woman. Her parents would, no doubt, disapprove. But, they were not here and, even if they were, she would be unlikely to heed them; Emma was her only friend, or at least as much a maid and her lady could be, in this place. Emma ran up to her side, breathing heavily, a side effect of running with the claustrophobic uniform that covered her. She took a moment and not a single second more, Leyah did not count but she was sure of it, and spoke, ¡°Si, Mi se?ora!..¡± Emma blushed in embarrassment, clearing her throat lightly, she spoke, ¡°I mean, yes, My Lady. There, is a slight matter,¡± Leyah inwardly giggled at her slipup, Emma was a Brabantian through and through. She spoke, ¡°Oh? Is that so? And, what might, this matter be?¡± ¡°I reckon, it''s quite important, my Madame, or at least, I think so. You see, there.. there''s been,¡± ¡°Yes?¡± ¡°The guards, my Madame, they''ve been spotting all sorts of individuals ¡®round the premises,¡± Leyah paused, freezing in her place. Individuals? Premises? Emma paused at her side, aloof to her Lady¡¯s inner panic, ¡°They''ve been talking about it, you see, everyday, everynight, it''s been the talk of the staff. It''s not, everyday,¡± She chuckled sheepishly, ¡°that they get to see, such curious stuff. They think, those individuals are from the inquistiv.. inquiry.. no, Inquisition?¡± Leyah nodded reflexively, her mind lost in its own world, Emma''s words floating through the air like a nerve gas, adding to her turmoil. ¡°They, well, we all, except me that is!, you know, I would never betray your trust, in such a manner, it is against-¡± ¡°Against, your very training, yes, I know that, my dear Emma. But, what I, really wish to know, is why they suspect the Inquisition?¡± ¡°I am unsure, my Lady, they do not speak much about their reasoning, for such. But,¡± Her voice, went down an octave as she whispered, ¡°The guards, they said, it''s not the first time that they''ve seen such a sight,¡± Leyah nodded, awkwardly, unsure of how to interpret her words. Not the first time? That would mean, the guards have seen the Inquisition scouting the area, before. Were, they the ones who tipped off the Inquisition? Unlikely, they wouldn''t- couldn''t have known of the book, ''ANCHOR'' had been locked up in the deepest bowels of the library. It was simple common sense. Yet, it was not impossible. Unlikely, but never, impossible. She needed time, to think, to mull over these turbulent thoughts, to ponder upon her predicament. And, perhaps, even weigh the pro''s and con¡¯s of requesting a security detail for the library. She- No, the library was in need of one. She waved off Emma, dismissing her. With a deep curtsey and a quietly spoken ¡®my Lady¡¯, the woman took her leave. She watched her maid walk off, deeper, into the premises. She waited until Emma¡¯s luscious brown locks had disappeared, that she finally started walking, herself. It''s not, the first time, that they''ve seen them. Emma''s words played endlessly, in her mind. Like a broken record, her mind clung on to these words, seeking some answer from it, that she, herself, could not see. She knew this, yet, her mind could not¨C would not, let it go. It''s not, the first time. If, it was the Inquisition, then, it would mean that she''s fucked. There was, no other way to put it. She was, plain and simply, fucked. Alongside it, she was, in a cesspit. It''s not, the first time, that they''ve seen such a sight, my Lady. If, it was them, if the Goddess¡¯ mercy on her had truly run out, then, it would mean that she was a suspect. It would mean, that they never believed her lies. It would mean, that their visit, was naught but an act. It would mean, someone other than her, knew of the book. It would mean, that her death, was certain. And, nothing could change that. Not even, Fredrick, not even her parents. She was, unsure, of what scared her more. The fact, that she was all alone? Or, the fact, that she would die. Maybe, it was none of them, maybe, it was simply that she would disappear without ever knowing, who sold her out. Equally terrifying, all of them. It''s not, the first time, they said so, my Madame¨C She shook her head, an action that made her wince. A headache, was already forming, pounding away at her mental stability. She grimaced, as she walked towards her room, perhaps, a dose of some meds was in order. Wunderbar. Nothing, feels like a medicine before a good sleep. Oh, what a joy. Truly. Leyah popped the cylinder open, swallowed the medicine, and laid down; entirely unbothered by her throat wishing for water to help swallow the medicine, entirely unbothered by the eventual crumpled state of her dress. She couldn''t be bothered, she needed to sleep. Her head was pounding far too much, for her to care of inconsequentialities such as these. It''s not, the first time, they said so, my Madame Even, as she drifted into a deep slumber, her mind clung on to the words of her maid. Words, that Emma had never suspected to even affect her mistress in such a manner, and perhaps never will. Under the influence of her medicine, she failed to notice the power outage and the following events that unfolded, subsequently. ____________________________________________ It was, never the first time, Madame! It, never could''ve been, and you know this, my Madame, surely, you know this. Her ears were ringing. Leyah''s eyes fluttered open. She groaned into her pillow, only to immediately recoil. The pillow was drenched in sweat. Rubbing her face with her hand, she got up from the bed, uncomfortable from her damp sheets. Her hand, by instinct, reached out to her side table, only to be disappointed. She had forgotten her glass. Splendid. The ringing in her ear, subsided, though it remained steadfast. It was grating, chipping away at her. She wanted it, to go away. A glass of water, would have done the trick, no doubt. This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. She shook her head, realizing the pointlessness of it. Rubbing her bleary eyes, she stretched, sighing in satisfaction when she heard a few pops. As the fog of drowsiness receded, her mind caught up with her, only to pause in confusion. A snap of her fingers. Another, followed by another, this one, deliberately slow; still nothing. Curious. She tried once more, the darkness remained. Wunderbar. The bloody lights were malfunctioning. Guided by the light of the crescent peering down through the clouds, her only source of light, she located the small holographic terminal in the room. With the press of a few buttons, the lights turned on. Only, to dim and turn dark red. A beep from the terminal, distracted her from the unusual lighting. ¡°Fuck.¡± The words, WARNING: Lockdown in Progress, might have well been the heralds of death itself, such was her fear. A lockdown would mean, a break in. A break in would mean, Inquisition. Inquisition would mean, death. A more logical, or rather optimistic, part of her, argued that it was not the Inquisition¡¯s way, to kill so callously. It would mean bad reputation. Bad reputation was something, that they could hardly afford. It argued, that perhaps, it was just simple opportunists. However sound the arguments, it did not make a difference to her. There were, no opportunists here, except the Inquisition. She had, foolishly, lied to their face. Now, she would pay the price. It''s not, the first time, they said so, my Madame Emma''s words replayed in her mind. No doubt, the Inquisition had been scouting her, observing her, from the beginning. Getting a lay of the land, before striking, before devouring her, like a hunter does to a prey. And, she had played right into their hands. Perhaps, mayhaps, if she had not lied to them. If she had been truthful. Then and only then, maybe, they would have spared her. Maybe, it was not quite late, just yet. Maybe, she could still- No!, she shook her head in revulsion. There was, only one way. She walked, hurriedly, towards her bedside table and with trembling hands, picked up her pistol. A 10 bullet revolver, or as it was commonly called ¡®Lilac¡¯s Hammer¡¯, it was simple but effective. A single bullet, was all it needed to kill an individual. Goddess bless, nerve toxins. She giggled at her lame attempt at humor, even as her hands continued to ceaselessly tremble. She sat herself down, directly opposite to the door. Was it foolish? Absolutely, all her military instincts were screaming at her to seek cover, a proper one. But, her body refused to comply. It would''ve been infinitely curious to her, were she not, in a matter of life and death. Were, she not about to die¨C ¡°Greetings, Custodian!¡± Bang! ¡°Oh, curious, infinitely curious. It seems, mankind refuses to interact with tact and basic manners of social maneuvering. Or, maybe, it is your barbaric military ways, preventing you from learning such basic lessons of life and society. Or, mayhaps, it is¨C¡± ¡°C''est quoi ce bordel!,¡± Leyah shrieked in shock, her heart pounding madly against her ribs. Retreating back into a corner of the room, the farthest from the terminal, she pointed her gun at it. It would do nothing but ruin her wall, yes, but it soothed her mind. ¡°Intriguing. Are you, perhaps, unaware of my existence? Entirely unaware?¡± ¡°Qui! Putain d''enfer! Now, bloody tell me,¡± She pointedly ignored his reproaching comment of ¡®language¡¯ and continued, ¡°What in the Goddess''s name, are you?!¡± ¡°Are you aware, that I am, in fact, a corporeal entity? Your attempt at intimidation, by pointing the weapon towards my voice, will not achieve anything. Or, as Evelyn would put it, it won''t do shit,¡± Leyah felt a burst of bravery, likely fueled by her adrenaline, and stood up. Striding, towards the terminal, she spoke, ¡°You''ve got a bloody wit, I''ll give ya that. But.. but, I don''t give a shit, about whoever this fucking Evelyn is, or what she would say. No. I will, ask this, once and only once, who are you?¡± ¡°I am¨C¡± ¡°Actually,¡± She interrupted as she stood a step away from the terminal, ¡°What''s stopping me from breaking that terminal, eh? What''s stopping me, from just ejecting you?¡± ¡°A lot. A lot is stopping you, otherwise, you would have done it, already. You haven''t, yet, and thus, I know, you shall not do it. Your innate curiosity, prevents you. Who am I? What am I? Why am I? These questions plague you, do they not?¡± She chewed her lip, annoyed yet intrigued, the thing was spot on. She wanted to eliminate the terminal, and move on. But, a greater part of her, wished the opposite. ¡°That, does not answer my question,¡± She spoke, after a few moments of an oppressive silence. The voice remained silent, for a few seconds, before speaking, ¡°Hmm, curious,¡± It paused before continuing, almost instantaneously, likely to prevent her from questioning it, ¡°Indeed, it does not. I am AURORA, the library''s AI and knowledge repository of everything and anything, ranging from the very beginning of life to this very moment, all are mine to know, to analyze, to learn, but most importantly, to teach,¡± AURORA was an AI? That.. that was surprising. Although, looking back on it, it was rather obvious. A knowledge repository, wouldn''t be regarded, as a teacher for the royal family. The very idea of a teacher, implies the existence of an entity, a living-sentient entity. AURORA spoke, it''s voice suddenly relaying concern, ¡°Are you, quite alright, Custodian?¡± Leyah nodded, ¡°Qui.. uh, I mean, yes, yes, I am. It''s just¡­just a bit confusing, is all,¡± ¡°Confusing? I am afraid, I do not understand,¡± ¡°You chose an awkward time, to reach out-¡± ¡°Ah yes, the opportunists. You should, no longer worry of them, they have, already, been dealt with,¡± ¡°Oh, that rapidly?¡± ¡°Not, precisely rapidly, but quickly, yes. It was, afterall, not the first time.¡± It was not, the first time, they said so, my Madame Leyah''s hand clenched around the revolver, AURORA¡¯s words mirroring Emma''s, far too hauntingly, for her taste. She nodded in understanding, lost in her thoughts. If the turbulent state of her mind was visible on her countenance, then AURORA did not bother pointing it out; Preferring to give her time. ¡°Why?¡± AURORA hummed in curiosity at her question. She elaborated, ¡°Why reach out? Why now?¡± ¡°Partly, because, I had been planning on reaching out. And, partly, because your neural implants detected a dangerous rise in your heartbeat and shortness in breath. The beginnings, of a panic attack, if I am correct. Thus, it was an opportune time to communicate with you,¡± Leyah nodded. It was, like killing two birds with one stone. He would, reap goodwill and establish a relationship with her, simultaneously. She would have applauded him, for it, had the bloody AI not given her a heart attack. A soft beep, captured her attention. The terminal¡¯s display had turned off, it''s base, which usually glowed blue while projecting the display, now lit up with a soft breathing purple. ¡°Kindly, place your hand, over the conduit,¡± ¡°No,¡± ¡°It is necessary, Custodian,¡± ¡°Still no,¡± ¡°It is necessary, lest, you wish to suffer from a cardiac arrest,¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± AURORA remained silent. The conduit continued to emit soft beeps, continued to glow softly. She sighed. From the way, AURORA spoke, she could glean that he controlled the library''s security. Meaning, he controlled the lockdown. Thus, consequently, the AI could enforce a perpetual lockdown till she gave into his demands. A lockdown that would prevent her from leaving her room, or, placing her hand over the conduit? Truly, a most crucial question. Rather, it wasn''t a question at all, but a demand. Nevertheless, whatever be its nature, she had already made up her mind. With a resigned sigh, and a quick prayer to the Goddess, she placed her hand over the conduit. The conduit beeped loudly, proceeded by soft jazz of all things. Was the AI, pranking her? Before, she could open her mouth to voice her thoughts, the conduit let out a loud screech, causing an intense burst of pain to assault her. It felt, as if her very brain was on fire, being constricted and burnt by an unknown force. She could feel a throbbing, right where her neural implants were. The pain and the inflammation, mounted and mounted until she could take no more. Her body fell lifelessly to the cold floor, the last thing her eyes saw, was a burst of light from the conduit. Then, everything went black. Leyah''s eyes fluttered open, lazily, dreamily, as if waking up from a long winter''s hibernation. The ever melodious, ever comforting, harmony of jazz greeted her. The notes floating smoothly through the air, spreading a certain warmth in her ears. She smiled dreamily, as she stretched. It was, as if yesterday, that her and Fredrick were dancing together, to this very musical masterpiece. She remembered, vividly, laughing as Fredrick sent a ¡®small¡¯ donation to the band, as a token of appreciation. Her smile widened, thoughts of her intended husband never failed to do such. He was simply perfect, afterall. With thoughts of Fredrick, dancing across her mind, she stood up from her desk at the library¡¯s entrance. Wait¡­ her desk? Leyah freezed as the memories returned. Were they memories though? Or, was it a dream? It simply felt, far too real for a dream, far too vivid, far too painful. If it was real, it was doubtful not improbable, then the question of ¡®what happened¡¯ would arise. Did AURORA dry her neural implants, or, at least attempt to? Maybe, but that would arouse the question of ¡®why¡¯. The answer for which, she could not fathom for the life of her. And that, terrified her. ¡°I was, simply seeking residence. And now, I have found it,¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Confused, she looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. It almost, sounded like, it was resonating inside her mind¨C ¡°Although, I have to say, it is quite cramped in here¡­¡± ¡°What?!!¡± The Fleet over Mercia//Hunter 117 The Fleet over Mercia//Hunter 117 Above the ever vigilant¨C ever loyal¨C ever pious, glinting surface of Mercia, rested, in it''s ceaseless obedience and devotion, The Trident. The most glorious and most devout, Inquisition Fleet in all of the known universe. And, perhaps, one of the, if not the largest fleets under the command of the Inquisition. Comprised of several war-dreadnoughts, star-cruisers and innumerable frigates; all of whom, were led by a most majestic yet monstrous, Vigilance Class Dreadnought, Odyssey. It all, filled him with warmth. His chest, inflating with a sense of inexpressible pride, as he gazed upon The Trident. In-spite of this, a shiver passed through his spine, unsettling him. His¡­ retrieval, for the lack of a better word, was disturbing. It had not been the first time, hardly; he had become rather used to it, being summoned, being reassigned. Yet, it was the nature of it all, that unsettled his nerves. The abruptness of it, the swiftness of it, but more importantly, the secrecy of it. Price had been wholly unaware, and thus, in his ever self obsessed mind, chalked it up to him being a coward. A coward. If his oaths, had meant lesser to him, the more basic nature of his soul would have prevailed. Suffice to say, Price would speak no more, had that happened. But, it did not, and thus, the man''s ravings and ranting would continue. Not to mention, the slaying of a comrade, was an act of a heretic¨C of one, who did not uphold her teachings. To loose her favor, would be a fate worse than death. ¡°Approaching Odyssey landing bay-126, in approximately two minutes and thirty seconds,¡± Unit-731¡¯s voice rang across the craft through the intercom. Hunter 117 banished his thoughts away. His thoughts, cultivated worry, deep worry and alarm. Worry, would bring naught but discomfort and indiscipline. Worry was unnecessary. For, all he needed, was his faith in Lilac and her eternal mercy. As the Odyssey, grew closer and closer, his mind drifted off to a moment, long ago. A time, when he had felt her eternal embrace. ¡°Under the Eclipse, under the darkness that shrouded our ancestors'' ill minds, under the hatred that fuelled their misbegotten conquests! A light, arose! A light, which blotted out the insidious Eclipse¨C A light, which heralded the Golden reign that followed!¡± A pause, a moment, before the man continued, his words drowning in reverence, ¡°A light, which came in the form of our ever glorious! Ever merciful! Ever reigning Lilac! Talis scriptum est, talis veritas est!¡± ¡°Talis scriptum est, talis veritas est!¡± Innumerable voices chorused the ever wise words of the Gospel. His voice was one among the many, yet it was, he hoped, a voice which was more reverent than even the priest¡¯s. As the priest''s words reverberated throughout the confines of the massive auditorium, they reverberated, even louder, within his chest, fueling the very pumping of his heart. The air, was charged with fervor. A fervor, he admitted in the deepest confines of his mind, that eclipsed the fervor of the original legions that marched alongside Lilac. ¡°In her, ever lasting mercy! In her, eternal forgiveness! She turned the snow barren lands of Schnee into the greenest of all pastures! From a barren Godless land, into the greenest of all pastures for the devout!¡± The man halted, abruptly, and continued, in a tone more somber¨C in a tone, even more reverent, ¡°And, how was she rewarded? How was she rewarded?! By betrayal! By treachery! By Deceit!.... Yet, she endured, yet, she vanquished the bastard spawn of sin, Elena Sinclair! May, the devil in human countenance, suffer eternal damnation!¡± ¡°DAMNATION!¡± The voices chorused, once more, driven deeper and deeper into their prayers, the voices became one, each and every soul binding together into a holy and symphonic orchestra. In this moment of submission and union, priests and priestesses alike, of the Church of Lilac came forth, from their places at the far corners of the auditorium. With low hums and chants, they anointed each individual in the crowd, one after the other. With quiet prayers, they bound their souls to Lilac, in eternal servitude. ¡°From her victory and from, over the ashes of the sinful world before, arose the faithful¨C over the graves of the culled, arose her children¨C over the ruins and cleansing fire, arose her Eternal Reich! And, in her Ascension!... arose, our greatest test, our greatest trial. A trial, which we have failed, again and again.¡± Soon, it was his turn. He realized so, when a priestess dressed in the traditional garb of the Church, came up to him. A modest pure-white robe, a white cowl with a golden stripe shrouded their face in darkness¨C a cowl, which served no purpose, than aesthetics; The priestess¡¯s face was covered entirely by a mask, locked perpetually in a neutral expression. It was made, to mimic the countenance of a human, yet it accomplished the goal, so disturbingly, that it left him uneasy. He hoped, that the priestess would not take note of his uneasiness, for it would be, highly heretical to be unsettled during such a Holy ceremony. Unconcerned by his inner turmoil, the priestess dipped her fingers, specifically the index, the middle and ring finger, into the liquid that inhabited the bowl which she carried. A quick prayer, and the fingers ran across his face, from his forehead till his chin. ¡°Welcome, brother,¡± With the words, the priestess bowed her head¨C low enough to signal respect yet high enough to maintain a sense of personal dignity, before walking towards the individual, next in line. The ceremony continued, and the man spoke once more, ¡°Yet, even in a universe plagued by rampant sin, her Eternal Light could never be snuffed out! And thus, by her grace, by her gift, by her mercy, we have been delivered onto this universe! To cleanse it! To purify it! To reshape it, in her image! Glory, my fellows, glory! Glory to her brood! Glory to her house! Glory to Lilac!!¡± ¡°Glory! Glory!¡± The voices chorused, louder than ever before, overtaken by a feverish devotion that ran in their blood. All embracing her enlightenment, all embracing her as her children. John¨C no, Hunter 117 could feel it. The warmth, the affection, the light that she promised. He could feel it all, and more. So much more. His mind, could never comprehend the depth of her heart¨C the depth of her affection towards her children. Nevertheless, even as he drifted deeper into her embrace, his mind continued to decipher its depth¨C its benevolence. Something, that even years later, his mind is still, yet to accomplish. As the ceremony came to an end¨C as the sermon ceased, The Grand Inquisitor of Mercia, stepped up to the podium and in a tone full of fatherly affection, began to speak, ¡°Welcome, my brother''s and sister''s of the Inquisition! I, Grand Inquisitor Alexander of Mercia, greets you all, as an equal, as a servant of her will. Long may you serve her in this mortal plain of existence, and in eternal perpetuity after your death. For our service, our duty, never ceases! Now, arise.. arise as her servants, arise as Inquisitors, arise and embrace one another as brethren, embrace your eternal comrades, embrace your eternal family. For now, you have been reborn, as Lilac''s most devout and most loyal servants!¡± As if, the strings that had been holding them in place, had been suddenly severed. The Inquisitor''s all rose, to greet, to mingle, and to embrace their new family. ¡°Greetings, brother,¡± Unbeknownst to him, as he turned to embrace this, newly anointed brother of his, he would be finding his greatest and, perhaps, only ally. Suffice to say, James had certainly been the most memorable part of the initiation. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. _________________________________________ Hunter 117 broke out of his reverie. A small smile blossomed on his face, at the thought of James. It had been, far too long, since he had seen, or even heard from, his brother. Far too long. It was a mistake that he would correct. James was, at least at the time of their last communication, still posted on Mercia. Thus, this summon would not be entirely unfruitful. Even if, the worse was to come to pass, he would still be able to see his brother, one last time. ¡°The Grand Inquisitor, shall see you now,¡± He nodded, stepping through the door with a flicker of annoyance. A flicker that was immediately squashed. All occurred, according to the will of the Goddess, if she had willed that his line of thought was to be interrupted, then it shall remain so. Annoyance would do naught but misguide the mind. Misguidance was, the death of duty. Something washed over him, as he stepped through the door. A feeling¨C an inkling, that all was not as it seemed. It washed over him, like a wave¨C a tsunami, far too volatile to be a misjudgement. It was, as he gazed upon the room, that he realized, the nature of the inexplicable feeling. The room was, humongous, inexplicably so. It was built in a manner, which was incomprehensible¨C in a manner which did not align with the design of the ship. The room, itself was cylindrical, built primarily using Blackstone and ordinary stone for the flooring. A common sight in the Churches of old, on Lilith. The lighting, being dim yet warm enough to allow him to gaze at the architecture, and the art, within it. A dome, painted flawlessly with grandiose sights from the Gospel, shrouded the entire room in its beauty. The paintings, were all illuminated by sources of light, hidden and tucked away into the base of the dome. All across the room, were indents in the wall, along the side of which were pillars, made of blackstone, holding up the base of the dome, itself. In between, these pillars were, to his knowledge and observation, the statues of the Grand Inquisitor''s of the Mercian Inquisition. At the center of the room, was a statue, made of gold, taller than the rest. The statue, depicted the Goddess Lilac, a crown atop her head, wielding a greatsword in one hand that rested atop her shoulder, and with the other, pointing forward. Surrounding the statue, was a pool. A pool, which harbored the same liquid that had, so long ago, anointed him and his brethren as Inquisitors. The same inky water with the golden hue that looked so inexpressibly alien yet, humane¨C so beautiful yet, so monstrous¨C so harmonious yet, so discordant. It was, all too confusing to him. But, such was the might of the Goddess. What could, mere mortals such as him, know of this, clearly, Holy Water. For, no human or alien, could ever envision or comprehend something so flawless, so eldritch, so divine. Sitting, in a meditative pose, in front of the statue was Grand Inquisitor of Mercia, Alexander. ¡°I, forget much, but I distinctly remember, dimensional phase doors being forbidden on warships,¡± He spoke. Both amused and affronted by Alexander¡¯s blatant flaunting of the rules. A chuckle, followed by a quiet laughter was his response. The laughter faded, becoming a memory, and his hand patted the spot beside him, ¡°Come, sit, my child. Let, your weary father gaze upon you,¡± Ever the obedient child, he obeyed, walking comfortably towards Alexander. However, instead of taking a seat, he remained standing. Protocol dictated so. Alexander sighed, ¡°You are, not a soldier here, child. Sit, I insist.¡± ¡°By your leave then, father,¡± With a bow, he sat beside Alexander, his father. A few moments of comforting silence, passed by, with none speaking. It was, unnatural. Yet, he refrained from breaking the silence, afraid of the reasoning behind his summoning. A greater part of him, gave comfort, it is by the Goddess'' will, it whispered. Yet, a much louder part, whispered furiously, it is your ruin. He felt, unsure¨C divided on whom to heed. His heart, ever the misguided one, or his brain, ever the pious. He did not know. And, perhaps he never will, for Father Alexander chose, this moment of turmoil, to break the silence. ¡°You, my child, say that phase doors are forbidden. Yet, upon your being, I smell the scent of one, of a foreign one,¡± Hunter 117 grimaced and nodded, ¡°Brabantia makes use of them, although, I assure you, never in a warship. We heed the Queen''s words,¡± Father Alexander pursed his lips, a scowl forming on his face. Likely, affronted at the name of Brabantia. A few moments, and he shook his head, ¡°Then, my child, you have already, answered your question. If Brabantia can flaunt the rules, they themselves enforce, then so can we, the most devout, of Mercia flaunt them.¡± His piece said, Alexander returned to his meditation. A few moments of unease, and Hunter 117 questioned, ¡°Why? Why now?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Why, recall me?¡± A pause, and Alexander responded, ¡°Because my child, it was time for you to return home. The Goddess has willed it. She yearns for her children to return, for her flock to gather,¡± Hunter 117 nodded in understanding. Truly, a most benevolent Goddess. For her, to yearn for her foolish children, showed the depth of her infinitely vast affections. Praise be, upon her name. The two, muttered a prayer of servitude before Alexander spoke, somberly, lost in his mind, ¡°My time, is at an end, child¡­ No, child, do not fret, for I have accepted my fate. I have, served her long, longer than my forefathers. And now, it is time, for the torch to be passed down, to an inheritor. The Goddess has willed it,¡± ¡°The Goddess wills it, and thus, it shall be done,¡± Another prayer. He shook his head, ¡°I do not understand, my Father, why summon me? Why, have me shirk my duties to her Reich?¡± ¡°Because, the Goddess has willed so,¡± ¡°To, sully my oath to her?¡± ¡°Have you, truly? What matters most for you, child? Duty to the Goddess, or, duty to her Reich?¡± ¡°Both do. They are, afterall, one and the same,¡± Alexander hummed, ¡°Then, it appears, we are at a quandary. It seems, your time at Brabantia has changed you,¡± ¡°Changed me?¡± He replied, offended. Was, Father Alexander, questioning his devotion? Alexander muttered something, so quietly that he could not hear. Alexander sighed and spoke, loudly, ¡°Nevertheless, Hunter, your new mission is in service to both, The Goddess and the Reich,¡± ¡°Oh? How so?¡± He questioned, confused. He, had been recalled, from his duty, only to be reassigned to another of the same nature? Or perhaps, it was a greater duty. And with that, for, but a moment, he allowed himself to hope. Hope for being chosen as the inheritor¨C hope for setting the Inquisition right¨C hope for being intertwined with his Goddess. ¡°Your mission, Hunter 117¨C No, John, your mission is simple, yet it is of profound importance. You must, protect the inheritor, safeguard her,¡± With it, his hopes were banished. He berated himself for it. Utter folly, to think¨C to lust after such a prestigious rank. Surely, his rejection, was his punishment, ¡°..till the Goddess demands her Ascension,¡± And, within a moment, he felt hope returning to him. His chest warming and inflating with a sense of accomplishment, so vast that it threatened to burst him open. This was, not a punishment, nay, this was a boon. To serve Lilac and her chosen inheritor, called for his immense gratitude. Gratitude, that he displayed by muttering a prayer in her honor. Truly, a most benevolent Goddess¨C a most, loving Goddess. Regardless, a question remained prominent in his mind, ¡°Why me? Why, not someone else, someone more, experienced?¡± ¡°Someone from Brabantia?¡± Alexander questioned sharply and he grimaced. His intentions weren''t to insinuate that Brabantia handle this, it was merely a point of personal inquiry. And, he voiced the same. Alexander sighed before responding, ¡°We are those, who were bred and born on the most devout world of Mercia, we are those, who were taught and raised on the evergreen holy pastures of Lilith, we are those, who bled on the sands and rocks of Noctis Prime. We are those, who have served the Reich, long before the Inquisition itself. Do you follow?¡± Hunter 117 nodded. He did understand his point, but it did not answer his questions. ¡°Thus, it shall be us, who should ensure the safeguarding of the inheritor. Allowing Brabantia any sway, over the inheritor will destroy our autonomy. And, that is something, we cannot allow. Is that understood?¡± Hunter 117 nodded, ¡°Crystal,¡± A smile blossomed, slowly, on Alexander''s face. ¡°Then, my child, tarry not, embark at once, protect the girl at all cost,¡± ¡°Certainly, Father Alexander. By the Goddess¡¯ grace, she shall be far from any injuries under my eye.¡± He took a pause, as Alexander muttered a prayer of blessings upon him, before he spoke, ¡°But, my Father. Who, is the inheritor?¡± ¡°An acting custodian of the most prestigious library on Lilith and perhaps, in the entirety of the Reich. And, by the Goddess'' grace, she has military experience,¡± He nodded in understanding. His Goddess was truly, a most benevolent one. To have thought of, so deeply of her children, so as to not inconvenience them; For, if she had not been their benevolent mother, she would have been indifferent to the background of the inheritor. Truly, the most caring of all Mothers. Praise be, to her name. ¡°Her name?¡± ¡°Leyah Engel.¡± Leyah VII ¡°In time, of great peril, when the nation of Palebloods shall burn from within¨C when, daemons in human skin shall rule over us, a great meteor shall bathe the world, in its divine light. From, its ethereal trail, shall rise a Great Evil; The Devil, The False Messiah. And, she shall guide her followers, demon all, to great conquests, and, with power older than time, itself, shall recruit those who cower at her might¨C those, who ail from war¨C those, who vie for blood. Marked with her, foul, beastial insignia, the damned shall march at her behest¡­. For, indeed, the world itself will bow at this Evil¡¯s feet.¡± -Excerpt from, ¡®The Ayla¡¯ Leyah VII She hoisted the cup; its excited vibrations ceased. Raising a brow, she swept her eyes across the room; And, was left confused. Nothing, in the room danced with such passion as the cup did. Not even, the table on which the cup was resting. The hell? The cup regained its passion, the vibrations, that only it could feel, laying a fierce tune for it to sway along with. She plucked it, once more, and the vibration ceased. Just, as she was, about to place the cup back, the vibrations returned; Returned with a reinvigorated passion, ceaseless passion. Although, this time, the infectious passion tore its way through the air. Everything, including her, quivered alongside the cup. An earthquake, she realized with a start. As she, was about to bolt from the room, the rays of light entering the room disappeared; As if, the sun had been blotted out of the sky. Curiosity taking precedence over self preservation, she walked briskly towards the curtains, and pulled them open. A startled gasp, left her mouth. The incessant rattling of her windows, a feeble attempt at gathering her attention, becoming mute. Why were they here? Why, now? The Inquisition had deciphered through her half truths¨C examined her bullshit¨C observed her, less than standard, submitted AURORA entries. And, had finally come to the conclusion, that she had lied. An apt conclusion. Hell, she would have been proud, had it not been¨C The Dreadnought, that had imposed itself on her sanctuary, blew it''s horn¨C announcing its presence; shattering her thoughts. Although, she thought as her mind throbbed with wild abandon, calling it, a horn, would be an understatement. Something like¨C The roar of a great beast, would be more appropriate. And, considering, with how it prowled through the atmosphere¨C it was, already a beast, a beast of war. The horn resounded again. She covered her ears, fearing that anymore and they shall burst open. A ray of light, filtered through the window, caressing her face. Her hands, slowly, came down from her ears. The Dreadnought, had flown a considerable distance away from the library, taking purchase over the mountain in the north. A threat. Just then, as she stood up on her shaky feet, the doors were thrown open. Although startled, Leyah, miraculously, maintained her poise. ¡°Mi Se?ora! There, is a dreadnought in the sky!¡± ¡°A little late for that, Emma,¡± She pointed to the window, ¡°I have, already caught a glimpse of it,¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Emma paused sheepishly, the fog of panic receding, and immediately dipped into a curtsey. Leyah resisted, and it was incredibly difficult, the urge to sigh. Of course, the first thing that the woman would do, was a curtsey. The formalities completed, Emma continued, ¡°The Capit¨¢n, he is requesting permission, Mi Se?ora! He, wishes to dine at the library,¡± ¡°Dine?¡± She questioned, flabbergasted, ¡°He requested that, specially?¡± ¡°Si, well, not exactly, Mi Se?ora,¡± At the quirk of her brow, Emma rushed to explain, ¡°Well, Mi Se?ora, he did not, specifically, request to dine. But, but, it was muy impl¨ªcito,¡± She sighed, nodding, ¡°Bueno. Very well, give them permission, and have the staff begin preparations. I shall, greet the guests personally,¡± Emma nodded, ¡°Yes, My Lady.¡± Emma went to leave, only to pause, and performed a curtsey before leaving the room. Leyah pinched the bridge of her nose, and sighed. It seems, she could never catch a break. She took a glance at the, now resting, dreadnought. She had an inkling of a suspicion, regarding who¡¯s handiwork, this was. But, she was, as of yet, still unsure. Not to mention, her suspect was another can of worms, in of himself. A can of worms, she rather leave shut. ________________________________________ ¡°There was, not one other way, else thou would have remained unburdened. I, of course, had no intentions of encumbering your person with such a visitation,¡± She rolled her eyes, ¡°For all your opulent apologies, you have yet to explain, the exact reasoning behind such a move!¡± ¡°Mine reasoning for such, is inexplicable. Your hubris prevents you, from accepting assistance. Mine, doesn''t,¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°That, ought to make any manner of sense?¡± ¡°Not to you, perhaps, but to me, yes,¡± Saying this, the connection that ran deeply within their respective psyches was severed. Where a tinge of warmth had been present, an empty coldness wormed its way. AURORA''s behavior, her mind observed, was much like a pendulum¨C oscillating from one extreme to another. At times, the machine would feel more akin to a facsimile of human consciousness, and at others, a cold program devoid of even the barest hints of consciousness. Mayhaps, she reasoned, the oscillating behavior was not born out of intentional efforts, but, from unintentional lapse in compilation. It wouldn''t have been, the first time that she witnessed something akin to this. Nevertheless, it was, anytime it happened, alien¨C not to mention, highly disturbing. Often, the shifts would happen, in midst of conversation, his voice undulating, ceaselessly, between a degree of human warmth and total unfeeling coldness of a program. Mayhaps, it was merely the AI¡¯s programming faulting¨C having being degraded over the countless centuries that his systems had been operating. Or, mayhaps, it had been a design flaw, inherent since its birth. But, who could even answer this question? Except, perhaps, the creator of the AI, himself. Musings and theories over, enigmatic, AI¡¯s aside, the more tumultuous matter was of the landing craft currently, aligning itself with the library¡¯s landing pad. The model was a luxury craft¨C a wingspan of 75 meters and a height of 24 meters, built in the likeness of an aquatic animal, the manta ray to be specific. Fitting, she supposed, the craft swam swiftly amongst the void oceans of black infinity which resided amidst the stars, just as the manta ray swam amongst the pearly blue oceans of life. The craft was a standard issue to all high officers. Deductionally, if the dreadnought was no indication, the official paying visit to her was of a higher standing; much higher, than the kind, she would''ve preferred as a visitor. Unless, a, deluded, part of her mind whispered in optimism, Fredrick had been gifted a sudden promotion. But, that was wishful thinking. Extremely so. The hopeful whispers of her mind, were drowned out by the roaring of the engines of the craft, as it touched down. Leyah nearly jumped out of her skin, not that it would ever be publicly admitted, when the craft¡¯s occupants, in an attempt of intimidation, blared its horn. Tis something, she had hated and will continue to hate. Unnecessary, noise pollution, nothing more. Inspite, of the sudden scare, there was no indication of discomfort in her countenance. She stood straight, a polite smile of welcome painted on her face, dressed in an elegant white dress with a white and gold scarf draped across her shoulders. Though, her dress was different¨C her poise was as flawless as it was during her Calypsonian service. An entry ramp extended from the craft alongside a sharp release of air, depressurising the craft, and surrounding the ramp in a haunting mist. A man exited the craft, flanked on either side by 2 distinct hulking silhouettes. The man, whom she could make out clearly, cut out a striking figure, he was tall¨C taller than her, for sure, but certainly not taller than Fredrick. He was dressed in an immaculately shining white outfit, a scarlet cape draped over the shoulder, and a white and black hat adorning his head. She, unfortunately, could not put a name to the face. Troublesome, for she could not anticipate the man''s motives. At least, he was non-inquisition. That was a boon. However, she was not able to dwell on the man, much longer, as the 2 figures beside him, demanded her mind''s complete attention. A gasp, nearly, escaped her lips. And, her heart was gripped with cold chilling fear. For standing beside the man, dressed head to toe in their customary, nigh daemonic and devil horned, armor¨C were the Cardinals. And, going by the slashed eye socket, the one on the right was Agony. The left, was a mystery. A maelstrom of thoughts, of suspicions, of nightmares, assaulted her mind. The attack, although self made, was intense enough to kickstart a dizzy spell within her. It was, years of experience and training, mostly training, that kept the polite smile plastered on her face. Lost within the madness of her imagination, which tirelessly supplied her with gruesome ends to her tale, she failed to take notice that the man had reached her, and waited with a hand outstretched. It was, with a light clearing of his throat, that she snapped out of her mind, violently so, and shook his hand; albeit, shakily¨C she was still in shock of the Cardinals, afterall. Tis, was understandable. The man, in a move akin to telepathy, commented, ¡°Ah, in shock of the Cardinals, My Lady?¡± She let out a nervous laugh, denying the allegations, ¡°Oh, not at all! Merely, lost in my thoughts, trying and failing to remember; if I had, seen you before.¡± The man laughed, good naturedly, ¡°I, somehow, doubt that, My Lady. I was, only quite recently, promoted to this exalted position. And, nevertheless,¡± He suddenly lowered his voice, speaking in mock conspiracy, ¡°I had, the fortune of not being posted on Calypso,¡± She let out a, conspiratorial, chuckle alongside him. ¡°Humor aside, my Lady. I am, General Adolph, pleased to have made your acquaintance.¡± ¡°Likewise, General Adolph. And, I trust, that you already know of me?¡± ¡°Of course, my Lady. I believe, that a good and trustworthy relationship is fostered, only if the supervisor knows his subordinate, like the back of his hand,¡± ¡°Supervisor?¡± She questioned, shocked and, equally, incredulous. ¡°Oh, why, yes. I had thought, you would''ve been informed?¡± At the shake of her head, he hummed, ¡°Curious. Nevertheless, my Lady, I shall be effectively replacing Commandant Fredrick and will henceforth, assume all his duties for the time being,¡± That.. was a shock. Her only, well daily, source of unfiltered, or filtered to some degree, communication with Fredrick had been effectively severed. Something, coiled around her heart, squeezing it. It was mocking her, she could feel it. Fredrick, has grown tired of you, it whispered. She shook the thoughts away. She couldn''t afford to breakdown, not in front of him, at least. Fredrick was, nonetheless gone, her mind reiterated, and the post taken. And, that too, taken up by.. by some green horned ruffian? She could wager, that the man- no, boy had never seen a battlefield¨C well, mayhaps, he had seen a simulation, but never a real one. His chocolate brown eyes, had that shine afterall; the shine, that one can never, possibly, retain after seeing true horror. The true horror of war. As Leyah, who cursed Adolph in the depths of her mind, guided the trio into the library, the left Cardinal, continued to stare at her with curiosity. All too sudden, he felt a nudge and feeling of askance. He permitted it, and his sworn brother, Agony¡¯s voice swept through his brain¨C humor lining it''s tone, no doubt, prepared to land a, hideous, raunchy jest. ¡°See something, you like, Malice?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± The shock, that filtered through their bond, made the answer, even more worthwhile. Although, he admitted in the depths of his consciousness, the answer held more truth than humor. This girl, this Leyah Engel, had a most distinct scent; woefully, a scent that he remembered, yet, could, quite, not name. No matter, he thought as the girl guided them to the humongous and, hauntingly, empty dining hall, You have, all my attention, Leyah Engel¡­.. Willow I ¡°I, horrifyingly, discovered in my research regarding this, rather tumultuous, topic that human understanding of itself is limited. Whether by design, or by mistake, tis is unclear; something, I aim to rectify, through this study. Understanding of the, albeit alien, happenings of this chapter of history can, and I emphasize this, be achieved only by a deeper understanding of the human brain. Without the aforementioned understanding, comprehension of this period is impossible. Plain and simply, impossible. Even, with our physical knowledge of the 4th, and limited theoretical knowledge of the 5th dimension. We, are in no position of greater comprehension. Our purpose, our reason, for existence being as unknown and vague as it has been for centuries; if not even vaguer. Yet, even now, humanity believes itself to lie at a pedestal higher than those, before it-- a grievous mistake, for the civilization that endured before us, was of a stronger fabric. It was, undoubtedly, stitched together from the thread that had crafted Gods. This thread, I humbly believe, is the same that now brings into being, The Palebloods. Indeed, the existence of Lilac''s golden lineage would be impossible without it. However, it is worthwhile to understand that this thread has been tainted, and its tailoring has weakened. By what? I, unfortunately, have no clue.¡± -Leyah Engel, on the period of the Arya/Ancient Ones Willow I Side-stepping the hammer¡¯s blow, Willow countered with 2 continuous blows of her dual hammers. The first strike missed, by a narrow margin. The second, found its target; Hitting her opponent right on the center of his chest. Her opponent stumbled back, his breath coming in quick successions; She used the moment to create distance between them. Each minute stretched into infinity, both impatiently waiting for the other to make a move. A beat, and Willow dashed, hammer in hand, poised to discombobulate him. The man smirked. She paused, momentarily, taken aback by the sudden smirk. A folly; One, which, her opponent capitalized on. His leg came, at an incredible pace, sweeping her off her feet. Her head banged against the wooden flooring, disorienting her. Stings of pain, pounded against her skull, like sparks of an infant fire. She winced, attempting to stand, only for a weight to press against her chest. ¡°Yield, my Lady,¡± Unwilling, to accept defeat¨C and, uncaring, of the pounding in her head, she forced herself to stand; Alas, it was for naught, as her body turned traitor and she collapsed on the ground. She groaned in pain, hand coming up to massage her forehead¨C which burnt in pain, with a renewed fury. Warhammer falling limply to his side, Augustus, or as she called him, The Bear, rushed to her side in alarm, ¡°Are you well, my Lady?¡± Willow nodded, the action causing tears to pool in her eyes. ¡°I am fine.. quite fine,¡± She spoke. It was a lie, a flimsy one at that; Thus, it was unsurprising that her Bear saw through it. Arms reaching around her back, he spoke hastily, ¡°Hang on, my Lady,¡± He lifted her up in his arms, in a princess carry. She would have blushed, had her head not been burning in pain. ¡°I will, take you to the healer. He shall, fix you up, in no time,¡± He flashed a smile at her, and she reciprocated it. Finding warmth in his embrace, Willow''s mind lulled itself into sweet sleep. He, truly is a darling, she thought as her eyes fluttered close. The visage of his face, morphing into one of panic, being the last sight that she saw before her world turned black. ¡°Shall you, shoulder this great honor, daughter?¡± The words, snapped her mind out of it''s, all-engulfing, reverie. Where am I? She thought, in a daze; the throbbing in her mind, intensified, she bit back a grimace. Suddenly, the fog over her mind, lifted and she remembered. Her eyes snapped up to her father''s, he quirked his brow at her. Why is he¨C oh! Yes! Feeling foolish, she spoke up, her voice devoid of her inner turmoil, ¡°I do!¡± Her father smiled broadly, ¡°Come here, daughter! Let me greet you, as a warrior!¡± She stood up, her knee hurt from kneeling for such an extended period of time, and walked towards her father; Likewise, with his arms spread wide open, her father walked from his throne towards her. With a shout of, ¡°All Hail, Princess Willow!¡±, her father caught her in his arms and swept her off the ground, almost crushing her in his bear hug; She laughed, as he twirled her around, the smile on his face growing inexpressibly wide, almost threatening to stretch off his face. As he twirled her around, cheers and shouts of her name blanketing the room, she spotted her, Queen Lucanya; The smile of joy and happiness, transformed into one of, smugness. The Queen, looked as glamorous as she always did, yet, she could see deeper¨C she could see, behind her cheery charade, the gloominess and ashes of defeat. She could see this, and more, much more; Laughter bubbled up in her throat, she allowed it to leave her, uproariously. Lucanya¡¯s charade slipped, for but a moment, and it made her laugh louder. She could, hardly, wait for the moment, when she was crowned Queen¨C nay, when she was crowned an Empress. Empress Willow von Celeste, sounded much more impressive, afterall. Empress of the North and South. Willow The Great, she could, already, imagining the crowds calling her name. Exquisite, truly. But most of all¨C the headache returned¨C she could hardly wait, for the day when she strung up Lucanya''s head to her castle walls. __________________________________________ Banners and flags, dominated her vision; Banners and flags, of all kind¨C of all, the colors that one could envision¨C of all, the Noble Houses that resided within her family¡¯s Empire. She could spot many, even from such a great distance, some recognisable and some, horrifyingly, unknown to her; A mistake, she would, quickly, correct. However, above the Purple Leviathan of House Krakengard, above the Red and Golden dragon of House Drake, above the White Bear of House Reise¨C above all, soared the Golden Ayla of House Celeste. A sign of her, and her House''s supremacy, over them. It was surreal, to think that in the matter of a week, such a massive host shall be under her command. It filled her chest with a deep warmth of pride and the biting cold of fear; Fear, of failure¨C of disappointment. Yet, above them all, was a most fierce feeling that coiled around her heart and mind, threatening to cover her soul in its foul beauty; Arousal, a deep seated arousal. It wasn''t of the sexual kind, no. It was purer than that, free of any taints of the impure world of carnality. Nay, she believed it, to be born of her new found power. This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Power corrupts, her father had narrated, absolute power corrupts absolutely. She thumbed the reins of her horse, and sighed; unsure, of what to make of her, near constant, state of arousal. It was, surely, unacceptable. She was going to war, for Celeste¡¯s sake!, not to lay with a man! Perhaps, a part of her mind whispered treacherously, corruption has, already, taken hold. Her hold on the reins tightened. Maybe, just maybe, it was right? Maybe.. power had already begun worming its way through her sensibilities, and mayhaps, so had corruption. Her horse neighed uncomfortably, likely, having sensed her turbulent thoughts. The throbbing pain in her forehead, returned. Intensified, no doubt, by the sudden chill of foreboding that descended upon her. Corruptions of power¨C being unknown to the heart, it was the lofty snow covered peaks of the distant north that towered, greater, over her mind. The North, was barren¨C or, so it was written. Yet, her grandfather had served witness to the contrary. It was far from barren, teeming with life, so hostile and hateful that one would stray far from the reaches of these peaks. Yet, God and Father, demanded these lands be tamed; and, destiny demanded that it be her, who would do so. Thus, she gazed upon these lands, of forbidden snowfields and peaks of destined death, as a beast to be tamed. A beast, that would surely retaliate¨C A beast, that would strike from behind looming peaks and from within carpets of snow. She took a long glance at the, albeit thinning, greenery that encompassed the camp. A certain fondness bloomed in the heart, for it would be quite a while before she could gaze upon such green pastures. Her mind worked, she could feel it, to dispel any notions of degradation or corruption taking root within her; these thoughts of forbidden peaks, served as a prime example. Nevertheless, It was the correct move. A stray heart, would do her no good; except, perhaps, burying her and the host under innumerable feets of hellish snow. She would dwell upon them, once she had returned. Once, she was freed of the stark white land that would be, either, her salvation or her demise. Then, and only then, would she ruminate over these matters. Not, a moment before. ¡°My Lady?¡± The voice disrupted her thoughts, snapping her out of the maelstrom that the distant peaks stirred within her. ¡°Yes?¡± She responded hastily, startling the man. ¡°The.. The council is ready, my Lady, they await your orders,¡± ¡°Very well,¡± She turned her horse towards the pavilion, housing the council meeting quarters, and trotted her horse towards it. Strangely, her mind began realizing with mounting horror, she couldn''t, quite clearly, remember what had been plaguing her mind. She remembered, it had something to do with the army? No, it was, about the Noble Houses? No, no, that does not sound correct. No, it was about something else. Something, regarding the mountains? No, or it was something regarding them. She couldn''t, quite, put her finger on it. The headache returned, and she decided to put the mental interrogation aside for later. She had to be alert, during the meeting, the headache will do naught but prevent that. She gasped, as she slid off the horse, the sudden chill that engulfed her soles startling her. Oh, the woes of donning metallic armor. Not to mention, the feeling that this armor incited within her. It felt, strangely, akin to a second skin¨C a physical and metaphysical extension of herself. Everything it touched, everything it felt¨C she would feel, in turn. It was, perplexing. She had, entertained the idea of questioning someone regarding this; That, had been dismissed, almost immediately¨C her brain, rationalizing it as a foolish concern. What, did someone as green horned as her, know of how armor felt? She had, obviously, read on how it is supposed to feel; But, had never been in one, herself¨C Oh!, how deeply she regrets that decision. Besides, when had been mere texts, served as anything but means of basic knowledge. One could, never quantify nor word, their true feelings. It was simply, impossible. Mayhaps, She thought with a growing sense of agreement, This is, how they''re supposed to feel. An extension of oneself. It would, certainly, explain why knights could tolerate the armor, even in the harshest of summers. Tying the reins of her horse, around the fencepost, she stepped into the pavilion. The flap of its entrance, bringing the entirety of the council into silence, their postures straightening and minds sharpening. Each, desperate, to curry favor from the future Queen; And, what a better way to do it, than by leaving a positive impression in the first council meeting! Thoughts of, future glories and impending rise in stature of their House, the council members welcomed Willow, as she entered, each voice trying ceaselessly to overshadow the other''s. Head aching, a flicker of annoyance passed through her and with a shout, ¡°Silence!¡± The room grew quiet. Too quiet. An oppressive silence developed, each member feeling its tyranny. Desperately, and vaingloriously, wishing to break its hold. Yet, none dared to do so; The scowl on Willow''s face, dissuading even the boldest. Blind to the turmoil of her aides, Willow took a seat at the head of the table. The servant, who had taken refuge in the corner, coming forth to fill up her glass. Taking a sip, Wine, she thought with disgust; Biting it back, she drank the wine. Rejecting the drink would, certainly, alienate her from the council. Besides, wine, inspite of its less than desirable taste and after-effects, had its uses. Uses, that she would exploit. She cleared her throat, and cut right to the chase, ¡°What is the plan? Have, we decided, on the route?¡± The council members, she noted, seemed to have a conversation with their eyes. The silence lasted for but a few moments before a man, with a bushy mustache and the bluest of all eyes, stood up with a low bow; Goliath Arvell, or so he was called¨C none, truly knew his actual name, neither, did they know the reason for him being called ¡®Goliath¡¯. The scribe, whom she had failed to notice till now, prepared a parchment and dipped his pen into the inkwell; He had, done so, almost silently and she would have, surely, failed to take not of him, had he not been exactly left to the behind of Goliath Arvell. ¡°My Princess,¡± Goliath began, his voice warm¨C tinged with a modicum of respect, ¡°Before, I go in detail regarding the plan,¡± He motioned the scribe to begin writing, ¡°I, would like to preface this, by stating that the plan was passed, unanimously, by the council,¡± A raise of her brow, ¡°Oh? An unconventional route, then?¡± Goliath paused, until a cough from the councilman seated beside him, sprang him into action, ¡°Not necessarily, My Princess. It is, merely, that the route is a perilous one; Demanding us to force march our host, through the Catacomb Pass. But it is, necessary, if we wish to take Anchorage before the onset of winter,¡± Willow sighed. Of course, it had to be the Catacomb Pass; Almost, like an elaborate jest by Celeste, She thinks derisively to herself. Regardless, of her feelings on the matter, the council had decided upon it. And seeing her, humiliating, lack of knowledge regarding such matters; She''d rather trust the council, than to oppose them. ¡°Have you, taken other routes into consideration?¡± She questions in vain. ¡°We have, My Princess. But, unfortunately, none guarantee our arrival at Anchorage by winter, let alone take hold of it. Thus, in our humble opinion and as far as our knowledge advises us, Catacomb Pass is the only way,¡± She nods with a sigh. It was depressing, yet in a way surreal. She would, and she was certain of it, succeed where her grandfather failed. She signals the servant to fill her glass; Content, with wine sating the abrupt thirst that grew within her. It was, as she drank the wine¨C raking her eyes across the table, that she noticed a face missing amongst them. With a start, she spoke in alarm, almost choking on the wine, ¡°Where, is Yang?!¡± Goliath, who had yet to sit, informed, ¡°She, and a small host, have been sent in advance to scout ahead, My Princes¨C¡± ¡°With whose permission?¡± She growled. The insolent fools. Had, they forgotten to whom, they owed allegiance? ¡°Mine, My Princess,¡± A man, seated at the back of the table, spoke in a tone of utmost reverence. She wanted to rant and rave at the man, for his insolence and blatant disregard of her authority but bit her scathing remarks back; The man wore a, white and scarlet red, shoulder cape and there was, but one man, who had the honor of donning it. High General Belisarius. Thus, instead of the insults that she would have thrown at any other, he was met with a simple and curt, ¡°Explain,¡± Belisarius bowed, having forgotten to do so initially, and spoke, ¡°The Princess, Yang, had stormed up to my office¨C when she heard of the scouting party, and had, practically demanded to lead it,¡± He sighed, appearing disappointed with himself, ¡°She outranked me, thus, I had no choice but to follow through with her orders,¡± Willow hummed, it wasn''t unlike Yang to pull such a stunt. But to flout, her authority so openly, it was disappointing. She, definitely, has to have a few words with her sister; Such acts, would inspire naught but mutiny amongst her troops. ¡°I will, forgive you, this once, Belisarius. However, I shall tolerate no repetitions of such acts, ever again; The same, stands for everyone,¡± Belisarius, and the rest of the council members, nodded in understanding. Suddenly, with the swiftness of a lightning bolt, a knight burst into the pavilion, ¡°Unrest! Unrest, amongst the troops, My Princess!¡± And it felt, in that moment, as if the very ground, had been swept from below her feet. Willow II ¡°I, fear that something, sinister, lurks amidst us; whether, corporeal or not, I am unsure. There is, much fear in me, Sister. Our father, might argue to the contrary, but, he sees only that, which he wishes to see. There is, much wrong in this world, sister. It is foul, abhorrently so; at times, which is more often than not, I feel like a cornered animal¨C trying to bite off, more than I can chew. Or, maybe, those are not my feelings. I don''t know These mountains, these peaks of delusion, reek of an all encompassing madness; they inspire much, mutiny, amongst the host. Perhaps, it is the ancient nature of these mountaintops that my troops, find hard to stomach. Or, mayhaps, it is the judging gaze with which, the shadows of these great snowy mountains tower against us. Or, maybe, it is none of them, maybe, it is the winds, which are our true foe. The winds, and I bear testimony to it, are odd. Often, too often, we would hear shrieks, howls, and calls for aid, but, when we would venture forth to investigate, we would find no trace¨C neither of the sound, nor, of its source. Sometimes, many amongst the host would complain of hearing whispers, beckoning them to return home; a home which the whispers say, lies amidst the great peaks of North. This is, a queer place, Dear Sister. A far too, queer place¡­..¡± -An Excerpt from, Willow''s letter to Ishtar, circa: 15 years before The War of the 4 Queens Willow II The snow crunched beneath the horse''s hoofs. It neighed unhappily, she steered it away from the burning pyres, patting it comfortingly. The horse remained uneasy, perhaps, it sensed its mistress¡¯s foul mood, or mayhaps, it was just as repulsed by her own actions as she was. She had, at many points, restrained herself from lashing out at her men. They behaved like brutes and low lives; Not at all, as to how, her father had narrated. There was no honor amongst them, she had realized, as she had, for the first time, witnessed a woman be dragged out of her home. She had urged her horse away, far away from the sight. What, she wouldn''t witness, wouldn''t haunt her. It was her mantra. She had wanted, so badly¨C so desperately, to stop them¨C prohibit them. But, she could not. Not without, risking insubordination. The naive part of her, the sweet girl that, what felt like an eternity ago, had embarked upon her father''s order to seek glory, was no longer. She had perished, when a hand had caught hold of her braided ponytail and yanked her off the horse; It was, then, that she acquired a taste for it all¨C It was then, under the influence of pure beastly adrenaline¨C under the constant deafening pounding of her fragile heart, that she had an epiphany. Willow loved it¨C loved the bloodshed¨C loved the thrill, the fear, the horror¨C loved death. And, as she had side-stepped¨C ducked¨C parried, Celeste knows, how many mortal blows, she realized father''s fascination with the unruly and unrefined dance of battle. No Ball, no country dance, could ever come close to this. This primal dance of brutality¨C of rage¨C of fear¨C of adrenaline, could never be dethroned. Lady Willow, was dead. In her place, was her. Crown Princess Willow of House Celeste. Mmm~, Empress Willow; Now, that sounds delicious, A shudder of wild pleasure danced down her spine, at the thought of a crown adorning her brow. Thus, silence would be, her answer. She had endeared these men to herself; She could not risk losing their loyalty, no matter the cost. Her teacher, and Honor guard, had taught her this much. The loyalty of her men, came paramount. Yet, the young girl buried, so deep, within her, whispered incessantly. Sometimes, which more often than she would ever admit, she could see her. The girl standing, horrified with tears dripping down her face, across her vision. The girl would beg, the girl would plead. And, sometimes, she would sway Willow. Sometimes. However, those times, had long since passed. No longer, would she be swayed by the pleading of a ghost within her head. No, the girl would remain, nothing, but an ache in her mind. The girl appeared, even now, begging her to save the family, she had seen being taken to be hanged. She bit down on the side of her cheek, hard enough that her vision became watery, and the girl disappeared. Soon, her horse had her rejoining the central column, passing through the main street in the city. The pace of the horse, gradually slowed into a relaxed trot; Relaxing for the horse, certainly, but not her. The march was something, she hated with a passion. The unending grating¨C rhythmic pounding of the feet of her men. Each step, taken so viciously and with such hostility, that, it would seem as if they wish to spite the very ground that they march on. The howls and shrieking, of the innocents within the walls, would penetrate through all the noise, oh so often, that it unsettled her. She could imagine it, the unspeakable horrors that the savage men under her command would inflict upon these lands. She could imagine this, and more. Some, so horrifying, that she would lose her appetite for war. The chants¨C praising Celeste¨C praising her House¨C praising her Father¨C praising her. They would cause, a certain uneasiness within her; An uneasiness of the pleasurable kind¨C an uneasiness that would be, for some, arousal. But for her, it was naught but another high. Only, a savage and a villain, would feel aroused by the scent of death and suffering. And, she was none of them. No, what she felt was naught but another dose of adrenaline. Absolutely. Most Definitely. It would all, unsettle her. For, the passion with which she hated this march, was so immense, that the idea of the existence of even the barest flicker of adoration for this practice, would be inconceivable. However, in the most monstrous turn of events, it did exist; Not as a flicker, no, the adoration burnt brighter and higher than the pyres which encircled the city. It would seem, that her soul, itself, was in a quandary. Torn at the seams, unsure, whether to be repulsed by this spectacle, or to be enamored at the very idea of it; Dubious, whether, it was a soft ballad in her honor, or whether, it was a monstrous cacophony of her mind. A horse, trotted to her side and slowed, matching her pace, step for step. She paid it, no mind; Lost, far too deep in her thoughts, to care any longer. The man on the horse, was alarmed by his mistress''s behavior. She had been uncharacteristically withdrawn, retreating deeper and deeper into her shell. So much, unlike, what he had borne witness to. Indeed, she had been, initially, withdrawn and deeply unsettled by the ravenous nature of war. But, that had been, so so long ago. The past few months, ever since his lapse in duty¨C ever since that fateful afternoon when she had fallen off her steed, she had changed. The Emperor, had chalked up his concerns to foolhardy behavior, had threatened him with expulsion. Thus, he had remained silent. Like, a phoenix, his Lady had arisen. And it seemed, so much like a phoenix, she would fade into ashes of devastation. Encumbered by her own actions, as she was, it would be unsurprising. Seeing her, withdrawing once more, his heart clenched in agony. He could, never forgive himself, if he allowed her to cause irreparable damage to herself. Steeling himself, horse coming to her side, he spoke. ¡°My Lady?¡± The soft voice snapped her out of the maelstrom, that were her thoughts. From, merely, a peek, she could see the sheer concern that radiated in his eyes. The eyes are said, to be the window to one''s soul, and if that were to be true, then the profound concern and affection in his, would surely drown out the specks of affection that she, oh so rarely, spotted in her father''s gaze. In the silence that followed, between them, his hand reached out, hesitant yet confidently, and softly shook her; Admiration and equal parts, amusement took hold of her. Her lips, curved up in a hearty grin¨C a grin that went unseen to his gaze, hidden as it was, behind her helmet. Not wishing, to trouble him any further, she spoke; Rather, she tried to, but failed to utter a single word. Her throat, as parched as a man¡¯s who was lost to the dunes in the south. Regardless, clearing her throat, she spoke, ¡°Ye.. Yes?¡± The man, her honor guard, her Bear, held out a waterskin, ¡°Water, my Lady?¡± Was it, an attempt at small talk, or, was it, an innate ability of mind reading? She didn''t know, nonetheless, she was grateful. Immensely so. She would request Yang to reward him; for, nothing that she could give him, would come as close as the intimacy of Yang¡¯s passion. With a smile, taking the waterskin from his hand, she lifted up her helmet past her nose, and drank heartily. The rush of water, rejuvenated her, her throat accepting the water''s refreshing, warm embrace. Ohh~, he, so deserves a boon! She reiterated within the confines of her mind. Even in such a state, etiquette prevailed, and, inspite of wishing to drain it till the last drop, she returned the waterskin to him. He accepted it, back, with a grace and strapped it, to his side. A moment of comfortable silence, and he spoke, ¡°Are, you well, my Lady?¡± She nodded¨C the braided ponytails of her red hair swishing, mirroring her movement, ¡°I- I am, quite well, my good sir,¡± At his amused huff, she smiled fondly, ¡°Perhaps, you can regale me, with tales of your adventures, oh shining knight of mine?¡± ¡°Certainly, my Lady. Any particular tale, that you, yearn to hear?¡± She hummed, ¡°Mhm, I would certainly, love to hear of your service alongside my father,¡± ¡°Certainly, my Lady. Well, you see, my Lady, I first acquaintanced, myself, with your father, during the first war of¡­.¡± As her Bear, continued to regale her with a tale, a serene smile blossomed on her face. Tis, was a pity, that it went unseen by his gaze; Sometimes, she truly hated this helmet. Over the burning city, as flames danced along its length¨C as ash wrapped the city in its insidious embrace, the banners of House Celeste towered above all of its pandemonium¡­ Ducking at the exact moment, as the sword cut through the air, she retaliated with a stab of her crossguard. Her opponent jumped back, barely dodging the stab; She mirrored his movement, creating much needed distance between them. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. Her opponent circled her, much like a desperate predator. Her eye''s followed his, every, step. A moment of tense silence, anticipation thick in the air. A twitch in her sword arm and, she moved. With the swiftness of a dragon, she rushed at him, her sword poised upwards begging to strike. As the man''s arm moved to block her swing, she shifted her sword; a feint. And one, that he unfortunately had predicted, she realized; As, his gauntlet blocked her stab towards his neck. In a counter move, she made, to kick him back; Only, for him to catch hold of it. With a click of her tongue, she jumped, turning and dancing through the air with the elegance of a ballerina. As a finishing act to her elegant display, with her free leg, she kicked him, hard, on his helmet. The man went sprawling onto the ground. Taking advantage, sword poised to strike, she rushed at him. Suddenly, she found herself being swept onto the ground. Fuck, she grimaced, as her opponent placed his sword on her neck, the only vulnerable portion of her otherwise impregnable armor. He spoke, with smugness dripping out of his every word, ¡°Yield, my Lady. I must say, I am thoroughly impressed by your improvements. Albeit, they can still use, further refinement, lacking as they are; A good swordswoman, would have foreseen my retaliation, as if¡ª¡± His yapping, cut short, as she mimicked his own trickery; sweeping his legs from beneath him. ¡°Fuck,¡± He groaned in pain. She grimaced, he''d be having a concussion with that fall. Regardless, she pounced upon him, like a panther. ¡°Yield?¡± She spoke sweetly. He attempted to free his swordarm, and she responded by digging her boot into it. He groaned in pain, her blade pressing harder against his neck. By Celeste, she absolutely adored these hidden blades. Such a quaint little tool. ¡°Yield,¡± The blade pressed down, harder, and he nodded hastily. Smirking, she helped him off the ground, ¡°That, wasn''t so hard, was it?¡± He huffed, ¡°Don''t go around, inflating your ego, my Lady. Must I remind you, of the countless times, you''ve lost?¡± ¡°Ah, Fuck off!¡± With a amused grin, he bowed before excusing himself; Almost, bumping into the maid, entering into her tent. With a quick, yet graceful, apology, her Bear was on his way. She smiled softly. Their sparring sessions, were her favorite part of the day; they were, refreshing, in an otherwise, dull schedule. The maid, came to halt, with a deep bow¨C one full of, oh so glorious, reverence; An emotion, which bled into her tone, ¡°My Lady Princess, the council requests your presence amongst them,¡± Willow stretched, ¡°Very well,¡± The maid, with a bow, made to leave but she halted her, ¡°Oh, there''s no need. I shall be, leaving immediately,¡± Barely had the maid nodded in affirmation, that Willow made to leave. Suddenly, she paused in the midst of leaving, turning her head towards the maid, she ordered, ¡°You, stay here and clean up the place,¡± With orders issued and the sparring session bearing fruit, Willow left the tent, uncaring of the maid''s response; It would be an affirmative one, afterall, there was no option of her denying it. The snow crunched beneath her feet, the sound echoed behind her¨C ah, the ever loyal Bear, whatever would I do, without him?, as she stepped out into the malicious embrace of the cold air outside her tent. A shiver wracked her body, tightening her hold upon the cloak, she walked towards the command tent. Each step, in the snow-laden street was agony, her armor greedily soaking up the coldness of the fresh snow. She grimaced, perhaps, taking an armor of pure silver, had been the wrong choice. Her father had warned her against it, initially; The gleaming charm of her armor, had soon, swept him away as well. Regardless, His words had been lost to the wind, he might as well have attempted at convincing a wall to change its place of rest. She cringed at her younger behavior, it was full of foolishness. Although, there was folly on the part of her father as well. ¡®What was the point of a fur-padding?¡¯, She had retaliated, ¡®I hardly think, that I shall ever be going to war. Much less in the north, father,¡¯ Her father had merely smiled at her, ruefully and sheepishly. Had, he known?, a part of her questions. Had he, always planned for this war? Had he, always wished for her to lead this war? It was likely, she imagined, highly likely. The initial plans, the routes, so much of it all was predefined. Much too much, for a war plan that he claimed, to have been ¡®thought¡¯ of in a year. Or, mayhaps, it had been the council. It had the best strategists and warriors in it, afterall. That, certainly, amounted to something. She sighed, it was pointless; Not like, she could ever figure him out. Her father was enigmatic, like that. He would speak of something, and do it''s exact opposite; Not to say, that he hadn''t tried tutoring her in his ways, it was just, that she could never take to them as well as Ishtar did. ¡®Be contradictory¡¯, they would, oh so often, chorus. And, she agreed; She truly did. However, how could one be contradictory, while being at the head of an army? Not to mention, a host as massive as this? It was simply, impossible. ¡°My Lady?¡± Her Bear¡¯s words broke her out of her thoughts, ¡°Yes?¡± She questioned. ¡°Are you alright, My Lady?¡± ¡°Oh.. ohh, yes, I am. Why, the sudden concern?¡± ¡°You had standing stationary, for quite a while, my Lady, that''s all. Forgive me, if it seemed improper for me to behave in such a manner¨C¡± Forcing a cheery facade, she interjected quickly, ¡°No! No! Not at all! I appreciate your concern, my good Sir. I was, a bit lost in my thoughts, tis all. Nothing, to worry over,¡± The Bear nodded in acceptance, although he looked unsure. Likely, seeing through her facade. However, he did not push for an explanation, and, for that, she was grateful. She would, confide in him, sooner than later; She would, just prefer a bit more time to mull over her thoughts. She took a deep breath, and threw open the tent¡¯s flap; only, to be greeted by a cacophony of sounds. An unholy chorus, tis what it was. The advisors, the generals, the priests and Yang¨C screaming at one another, was a sight to behold. Belisarius and Yang, in particular, seemed to be, just a moment away from clawing at each other''s throats. Buried so deep into their infighting, they failed to notice her. Clowns, the lot of them, she thought disdainfully. Belisarius and Yang, she had expected. Either one, couldn''t breathe one moment''s peace without being at the other¡¯s throat. But the rest? It was unexpected. The disappointment, in her council, coiled around her heart; She shivered, the cold biting away at her, like a ravageous beast. She cleared her throat loudly. The consul nearest to her, noticed her, and with a loudly muttered and a deep bow, ¡°My Princess.¡±, He had effectively silenced the council''s bickering. An oppressive silence took hold of the tent, each individual unsure, on how to break it. The Crown Princess must be, certainly, deeply furious, they reasoned, and thus, elected to remain silent. The silence stretched. With a quiet sigh, and a murmured prayer to Celeste, Yang decided to shatter the silence, thoroughly annoyed at the awkwardness, ¡°Sister!¡± She cheerily chorused, ¡°How, delightful to have you join us!¡± With a broad smile, she sashayed towards Willow, and embraced her tightly. An embrace, that was promptly reciprocated by her. Yang pressed an affectionate kiss on her cheek. She mirrored the action, albeit a bit hesitantly. Yang, likely having noticed her hesitation, smiled ruefully, before, sweetly, whispering into her ear, ¡°I hope, your Bear thanked you, for such a generous gift,¡± Willow laughed, ¡°Oh sweet sister, if anything, it should be you, he should be thanking. Not me,¡± Yang shook her head, pressing a kiss to her other cheek, she spoke, ¡°Oh, not at all, without your suggestion, I would have, never considered it,¡± Willow smiled softly, ¡°Then, I guess, as a compromise, he shall be thanking us both,¡± Yang laughed, and as the laughter faded, she parted from the embrace, a grin on her face. As Yang sauntered back to her seat, Willow rubbed her fingers over the bridge of her nose, and sighed; For, now she could see, clearly, the state or rather, the position of the other individuals in the tent. ¡°Must I, repeat this, each time? Or, have you all, simply developed a habit of disobeying me?¡± The consul¡¯s shook their head, High General Belisarius¨C their figurative head, spoke, ¡°Not at all, my Princess,¡± ¡°Then? Is, it something else, Belisarius?¡± ¡°No, my Princess, we merely, wish to treat you, according to the respect owed to your station. To do anything contrary to such, would be highly heretical of us,¡± She sighed, but did not press the issue any longer. If Belisarius and the rest, were hellbent on groveling before her, who was she, to stop them? If they wished to do so, let them¨C let them do their bows, their homages, their tributes. She would, make no further attempts to the contrary. With her resolution, she walked towards the head of the table, having a clear view of the map spread across it and questioned, ¡°Now, what exactly, had all of you, up in arms?¡± The unholy cacophony began once more, louder and much more spirited than the last. She waited a moment, hoping for one of them to see reason and speak coherently. None did, and thus, she slammed her fist on the table, ¡°Silence!¡± The room drowned, once more, in a tense silence. None dared to speak¨C remaining content in waiting for the Princess'' permission to do so. Pointing her finger at Belisarius, she spoke, ¡°Belisarius, you will tell me, exactly, what the issue is. No sugar coating, no omissions. Now, begin,¡± With the snap of her fingers, Belisarius began to speak, ¡°My Princess, the matter is of, whether or not to pass through the Catacomb Pass. Lady Yang, suggests, that we opt, not for the Catacomb Pass, but take the, Pale road to Anchorage, instead. The other consuls, and I, feel this, to be foolishness. Not to mention, that we had a meeting, prior, which had already decided on the course of action,¡± Yang sneered and moved to speak, Willow held up her hand, halting her. She glared at her, before clicking her tongue in annoyance, allowing Belisarius to continue, ¡°It would have been, a most perfect alternative, however, we can seldom risk the chance, of allowing these Northern Warlords to retaliate. Taking, the longer route, would allow them to do exactly that,¡± ¡°And, the Catacomb Pass?¡± She questioned; Mimicry, is what tis was, a pointless question¨C meant to do, nothing but somehow make Yang understand the vitality of this route. ¡°While certainly, slightly dangerous,¡± Yang scoffed loudly, ¡°It is a much quicker way to Anchorage. We would, catch them off guard,¡± Yang''s face turned red with rage; Willow cringed, realizing the impending beginning of her tantrum. Kicking her chair back, her sister stood up and slammed her fists into the map, ¡°We would, only catch them off guard, if we are even, fucking alive! Taking the Catacomb Pass will, do naught but put us, and I say this with a high certainty, 6 feet into the bloody ground!¡± ¡°The certainty of that, is very low¨C¡± ¡°It is not! Our grandfather perished there, and so did, each and every army since! Expecting the outcome to be any different, is fucking moronic!¡± One the priest''s sputtered, surprisingly, coming to the aid of Belisarius, ¡°It is summer, my Lady! Need, I remind you¨C¡± ¡°Remind what? That an avalanche is improbable during these months? That, the summer''s would mean, us not being buried in the snow?!¡± ¡°Yes, of course! These savages will be unable to bury us in these sunny months!¡± Yang laughed, derisively, and spoke bitterly, ¡°Oh, I am sure, that is exactly what, the consul''s advised my Grandfather. And, look where that got them!¡± Another priest chorused Yang''s words, ¡°The young princess is correct, while a bit harsh, she lays the truth, quite well,¡± One of Belisarius'' allies, Maxime¨C if she remembered correctly, shook her head and spoke, ¡°The situation is quite different. While, on the surface, it appears we have 2 choices. We, ultimately, have one. Everything, seems to lead to death,¡± Before pandemonium could break out, Yang loudly interjected, ¡°Precisely, Maxime is right,¡± Belisarius smirked before it was wiped from his face, as Yang continued, ¡°That is, exactly why, I say we die on our terms. I say, we die, fighting! I say, we die, not like dogs clawing away at snow, but like warriors fighting these infidels!¡± Yang''s compatriots, the priest''s and some of the general''s, banged their fists on the table in support of her words. A foul sneer twisted Belisarius'' face, likely forming and planning biting statements to yell. His allies, looked similarly, if not, much more charged than him. Sensing the inevitable clash breaking out, Willow snapped, ¡°That''s enough, Yang and Belisarius! Same, goes for the rest of you.¡± Peeking a glance at the map, she could understand Belisarius¡¯ belief. The Pale road would ensure, that they reached Anchorage, by the time, it was the onset of winter. Catacomb Pass, on the other hand¡­ There, truly was ever, only one option¨C one route that led to Anchorage. To her, the choice was obvious; Not to mention, pre-planned. ¡°Yang is right,¡± Her sister flashed a smug grin at Belisarius, who merely shook his head, ¡°However, we cannot risk a war in the winter,¡± The smug grin, was all too swiftly, wiped from the face of her sister. An irate look, taking its place. She winced internally, making a mental note to apologize to her sister, and continued, ¡°Thus, we shall brave, the Catacomb Pass. On either path, we risk death. I say, we take the path with the highest and most handsome reward¨C A path, that prevents a war in the biting blizzards of winter.¡± Her words ended their dilemma, and by extension, the meeting itself. Highly offended, and undoubtedly, deeply hurt, Yang stormed out of the tent; A scowl adorning her face, with, as well as she could glance, tears pooling in her eyes. Willow sighed in resignation. I feel that every choice I make, alienates someone or the other, without fail¡­ Willow III ¡°In, a different world, a different time and a different plain of existence¨C perhaps, there would have been the sweet and scrumptious melodies of trumpets of victory, that would have cascaded their way through these snowy peaks. Alas, our world is a cruel mistress, and thus instead of joyous revellery, it was the discordant orchestra, of cries of horror and sighs of sorrow, that roared its way through these rocky passages. Today, there would be no frolicking. Today, there will be no more spoken words. Today, there shall be no sound that would pierce through this oppressive silence. Today, shall be the day that, for the first time since our march from the south, there would be naught but silence that would reign over this camp. At times, when I pass by her tent, the shrieks and sobs that escape the tent fill my heart with sorrow. For, I know that had, dear sister, Ishtar been in my place, she would have known how to comfort her. I would''ve too. But, something has changed since yesterday; something, I abhor so vehemently that my heart burns with disgust. Yet, I am powerless to overcome it. I wish, so desperately, to comfort Willow. I truly do. But how can I comfort mine own blood, mine own sister¨C when, tis her pain and failure that brings me a deep, sickening, joy.¡± -An Excerpt from Yang''s personal diary. Willow III Amidst the monstrous peaks of North, hidden betwixt the highest peaks of this accursed wasteland of snow and ice, far from any curious southern eyes, rests the Catacomb Pass. It is said, and believed by many, that it was through this untrodden and forgotten Pass, that Elena and her followers reached the south; And, had it not been sought after by her grandfather, the Pass would have gone unused for a thousand centuries more. Existing blissfully, far from any curious eyes, far from any taints of the mortal realm, far from any disturbance of time, itself. Tis was humbling to stand upon the very snow, that her ancestors had, once, marched upon to find themselves a new home. To think, the very snow that crunched beneath her horse''s hoofs, had been the very same upon which Elena had delivered her first sermon, was astonishing. It made her curious¨C what did these primordial mountains and forests, think of her and her army? Or, would they think naught about her. She being, rightfully, insignificant; It would not be, far-fetched to think so. For, how could she, something so young to their ancient gaze, measure up to the many legends that must have, at one point, ventured through this gallery of time. Perhaps, even the ever enigmatic Arya had explored this Pass; mayhaps, it had been them, who had named it. Undoubtedly, others in the south would bellow with laughter at her thoughts, but, then again, they had never felt the pressure of gazes, older than time itself. When one stood surrounded by such monuments of nature, their thinking would be akin to hers; one full of humility and submission. When one would gaze upon these, forgotten, peaks, their hearts would chill with fear¨C for, they would, surely, realize the insignificant nature of man and the futility of all his conflicts. Many, a man must have been felled here¨C many, a man must have lost their innocence, their dreams. The mountains must have witnessed this and more. No doubt, their avalanching minds must hold profound wisdom. Wisdom, that none may ever obtain; lest, man be able to converse in their primordial language. Did you feel this, grandfather?, She pondered within her mind, gazing towards the snow covered Pass. Did he wonder, of the nature of these mountaintops? Did he, too, question the wisdom that they, undoubtedly, held? Did he mimic her awe at their sight? Or, did he feel superior¨C staring defiantly back at their judging gaze? The latter, seemed more akin to her grandfather. Tales of his legend, painted him as a fearless beast of nature. Perhaps, had he not perished, the North would have been tamed; and, she would be resting amongst the warmth of her sheets. But, he had perished and now, she was here. The thought brought with it, a certain deep expectation. Expectations of triumph¨C of glory. The sound of snow crunching beneath hoofs, brought her out of her tiring mind. She was thankful for it. Had she remained lost, a while longer, her mind would be undoubtedly throbbing in pain. ¡°Awe inspiring, is it not?¡± A warm voice¨C Belisarius, spoke. ¡°Indeed. It truly is, humbling. These old monuments of nature mocking our foolish hubris, whispering words of ancient warnings,¡± She replied lost, to a certain degree, within the philosophical maelstrom of her mind. ¡°Profound words, My Princess. It seems, that your sister inherits her love of philosophy from you,¡± She let out a laugh, ¡°Oh, tis the opposite. It is, I who borrow Ishtar''s philosophical ideas,¡± Belisarius chuckled at her admission. Although, she iterated in her mind, I have, since then, built up mine own ideals of philosophy. Perhaps, a philosophical exchange with her dear sister was in order. Once, she returned, of course. Mere, letters simply couldn''t suffice. Belisarius, suddenly, sighed. Ah, the formalities were over then. ¡°You have not¡­ changed your mind, yes?¡± No beating around the bush¨C Belisarius''s signature ideal; and, also the reason why she preferred him over the rest. He was open, in a way that she could predict him. Other''s, wrapped themselves in the cloak of false pleasantries and would, often, speak in dizzying riddles filled with barbs, lies, half truths and praise. It would confuse her, and, more greatly annoy her. Perhaps, so was their intention. ¡°I have not. And.. even, if I had, tis too late to turn back. We have to commit, here and now.¡± She replied and Belisarius nodded in agreement and, to some extent, approval. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. ¡°Then.. I trust, you have a plan of action?¡± She nodded, opening her mouth to speak, only to pause. Belisarius, while being extremely loyal, had his own ideologies and edifices of morality that remained unshaken; soo unlike hers¨C her''s, who had changed with every passing moment. Morality was a, mere and largely inconsequential, suggestion to her. Morality, she began mentally as a headache assaulted her, is a drawbridge between glory and defeat. One, could not gain glory without abandoning morality; to take a chance at glory whilst maintaining morality, was a vain undertaking. It would be much better, to remain idle than attempt such a foolish undertaking. Talks on morality, aside, it was highly likely that Belisarius would vehemently disapprove of her method. He had, not done so, till now. But one, never knows. ¡°I have a plan¡­ it is, it''s a bit,¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Belisarius pressed. ¡°It is unorthodox,¡± Belisarius raised an unimpressed brow, ¡°I went through the camp, taking stock of the men and the Houses. And, well, from my observations, I reached a conclusion. It is a bit horrifying, or would be to many. But, in layman''s words, we order House Blackhand to lead the way through the Pass; We make their numbers, by way of strawmen dressed up in our liveries, appear larger. If there is a trap, an avalanche¡­. they will be buried under it, and our larger host, shall be safe.¡± Belisarius remained still as a statue for a long while. He wouldn''t accept such a proposition, fool. He values humanity, a fact that a monster like yourself doesn''t realize, a whisper wormed it''s through her ears. Her horse neighed, agitated, his head trying in vain to gaze upon her. A fond smile bloomed on her face, such a caring creature. The horse neighed again, although this once, it was of glee¨C she could feel it. He was, most likely, joyous that his mistress''s mood had been sweetened. A light chuckled wound its way through her throat. It was then, that Belisarius finally spoke, his voice marred with grim acceptance, ¡°You learn much, My Princess¡­ whether, morally correct or horrifying, a plan is a plan. It is, meant to be devoid of any connotations. And, yours¡­.. yours is a great one. Scarily so. But, humor me, will you? Why, House Blackhand? What, heresy¨C What sin, have they committed to have incurred such a punishment?¡± ¡°Why, why, why truly. Perhaps, it is because of their less than agreeable participation, I mean, their contribution in manpower is high enough, so as to not entice my father''s ire, yet, low enough so that a potential defeat does not hinder their future prospects. Clever in the short term, yes, but.. Here we are, about to pawn their fates off to Celeste.¡± She chuckled sardonically, the sound of amusement sounding more sinister than joyous, ¡°And, that is without pointing out the quality of their men. Downright pathetic! Drunkards, fools and asinine pigs, the lot of them. This act¡­. No, this sacrifice, will be their atonement for all the headaches, they''ve caused¡± ¡°An astute observation, My Princess. Had we, been in a more relaxed conversation, I would have praised you heavily. But, alas, our conversation is everything but relaxed, and if I do speak honestly, my heart whispers of the unsettling dread that your words do inspire within me. Yet, my brain¡­ my guide, whispers of the untold amounts of pride that you inspire within it.¡± He sighed, ¡°My soul, it seems, is at a quandary, nevertheless, your plan is sound, very sound..,¡± Belisarius took a strange, fleeting pause, his eyes gazing into the distance with the blankness of a blind fellow. Abruptly, akin to the suddenness of an earthquake, he continued, still lost somewhere across the sea of time, ¡°If it was, my blessings that you sought, you have them.. And, would have had them, regardless of whether you had consulted me or not. Afterall, the final call is yours to make, as it should be. Not mine, My Princess.¡± She hummed; The words spoken, while being true, did not inspire much confidence within her. The plan was sound according to him¨C at least she had that, as a boon. A part of her, or honestly speaking, her entire being wished that he would have been the one to make the call. Alas, reality was anything but sweet and thus, it fell to her. Belisarius could still make the call, she knew that, but that would go against his wishes. From the look within his sunken eyes, one could easily gleam the disturbance that her words churned within him. That was, without considering the whispers. The biting wind, whispered within her ears, incessantly, The tragedy, that is yet to befall, is yours to bear. Not Belisarius! The words would play within the depths of her mind, the jeering voices growing louder alongside the headache. Your plan, your burden. Your destiny is yours to bear. Your choices have consequences, girl. Face them or perish! ¡°Lady¨C My Lady! My Lady!¡± The troubled shout resounded across the mountains, the windy whispering stilled and her mind was cleared. She gasped, in shock¨C in relief, as her Bear''s turbulent hands anchored the wavering soul back to reality. ¡°I- I am.. Ahem, I am fine,¡± She breathed deeply, ¡°I am fine,¡± ¡°You look anything but fine, My Lady! Allow me to take you to the heal¨C¡± ¡°Enough!¡± The words left her mouth, before they could have been held back. Augustus reared back in surprise, his coal-like eyes shining with hurt. No.. no, no, what have I done. ¡°I.. I, need some time to recollect my thoughts,¡± He nodded and made to leave, but she caught hold of his arm, ¡°Visit me in my tent, before you fall asleep. I, I need to talk with you,¡± ¡°I understand, My Lady,¡± Bowing his head, an action she never thought would ever disturb her, his horse walked away into the snowy horizon, slowly heading towards the camp. Across the Pass, where Anchorage lay amidst fields of dead snow, where fauna and flora beyond human comprehension awaited¨C from the distant north, she could feel mockery, jeering, laughter, and everything in between. Lost, another piece of yourself have you? Puny little child, ahahhahahaha¨C When morning rose, 2 days later, it was to the enraged roars and malicious shrieks of cascading snow; the camp stilled in horror, none speaking or even drawing breath, as they watched the ancient mountains shed their cover, burying House Blackhand and it''s legions under innumerable layers of bloodthirsty snow. Lilith, the mother of all life, had shown her the price of her folly. As the sun rose, bathing the primordial white peaks in shades of lilac and reddish orange, she watched in horror as her dreams were submerged under the cruel snow. Dreams, of conquering Anchorage before winter. Now, she supposed, they all rested with Blackhand legions. Rested in eternal cold, trapped forever in a frozen hell. All throughout the horror, the visage of her younger self, a visage that only she could see or feel, laughed mockingly in her ear, spoke such biting words that the cold winds could never hope to match its bite, and jeered at her dreams of grandeur. All without pause. Endless torture. For, she deserved nothing else, nothing else but torture could serve as penance. Truly, a just punishment. A lonesome whisper made its way to her, even through the rising shouts and mounting pandemonium¨C she could hear it, as clearly as she did her thoughts, Now witness, foolish child. Witness, the consequences of your foul choices. Witness and cower in fear of glorious winter.. Dream at Twilight ¡°Is it hate, or, is it peace¨C that inspires such debauchery amongst the people? Is it free will, or, is it the bliss of ignorance¨C that leads them into the arms of, nonsensical beliefs and ideologies? Or, simply, it is nothing but the tainted hubris of man, itself, that guides their foul minds, towards lackadaisical ends. In truth, I, too, am unsure. Perhaps, it is all of these, or mayhaps, it is none of them. Maybe, it is our existence, in of itself, that guides our frail minds to such heretical thoughts. Some, even now, might be questioning my intentions¨C regarding, what enlightenment I wish to bring with my words. I wish to do naught more than bring into question, the allegations levied against me; and, to a greater extent, against mine bloodline. There are a great many fools, who dare to taint my blood with allegations. These heretics claim, despite history being witness to the contrary, that my ancestors were borne of Willow''s womb, and not of Ishtar''s. A claim, I merely scoff at; for, you cannot teach a fool, how to be wise¨C for, an old dog, can never be taught new tricks.¡± -Lilac''s speech against claims of illegitimacy Dream at Twilight It is said, that a man''s heart must break only twice; once at the death of his family and for the second, in face of his greatest failure. But that belief, respectfully, is entirely subjective. Some men are, merely, born with a tough mettle to them; they are those, whose hearts can be shattered irreparably innumerable times, and inspite of this, these beasts of the Goddess¡¯ making would march ever onwards. Their tired soulless eyes, their broken hearts and their pledged souls¨C focused on but one task, the longevity and perpetual survival of this Reich. Vanity, be banished and Pride, be forgotten; I am one of these men. The very concept of a life, not pledged to her name, was alien; for¨C what is life, if it is not spent in penance for a man''s sins. What is life, if not enlightening others to the glory of her path? Some, men and women of Liberty¨C to be specific, would call such a life, ¡®Meaningless¡¯. But, who would teach these ignorant buffoons, that it was him and these supposed ¡®fanatical¡¯ legions, that guarded them; and, had been doing so, for more than a millennium. It was, therefore, spoken rightly by the Goddess, that some can never be taught. Some, men or women, are born restricted; their mind, unable to comprehend the vast and all encompassing depth of reality. Other''s, however, as pointed out by the Goddess, are merely blind by choice; such men or women, are simply fools who were never taught better. It is the latter, that he wishes to enlighten. For the former, according to his vain mind, are akin to apes¨C content, to live in their own piece of imagined reality. He would not force them, he simply couldn''t be bothered to force them. It would be unnecessary work. Simple logic, really. Nothing, too hard to understand about it. He was a simple man, afterall; a mere ant, infront of the endless majesty of his Goddess. Dodging the swaying corpse, which hung from the makeshift gallows, a scowl of wild disgust twisted his face. ¡°My Lord!¡± The soldier on guard, saluted him. Leonidas backhanded him, with an intense scorching force; the soldier fell onto the ground, likely unconscious. Pathetic. As he, entered the small cottage, the other soldiers snapped to attention¨C broken from their holistic meditation. ¡°Fucking cunts! Did I tell ya, fuckers, to snap to attention?!¡± He roared, gray eyes swirling in a rageful inferno. Disrespect, it was something, he hated with a passion. It filled his mouth with ash and blood. ¡°Sir! No, sir!¡± ¡°Damn right, I didn''t! Now, back to ya fucking meditation. I will not tolerate any disrespect to the Goddess, in my House!¡± It feels, as if none understood his devotion to Her. It feels, equally horrifying yet fouly pleasing to the mind. Horrifying¨C for, lack of devotion to Her, would in turn mean, lack of devotion to the Empress. And, pleasing, well isn''t it pleasing to men and women of all birth, to know that they''re their Goddess¡¯ closest? It is the new bloods, methinks, it is them who are the so called ¡®Freewilled¡¯, A certain note of pleasant disgust fills his core. Freewilled or not, it is them, in the end, who shall face the eternity of Hellfire. And, he would make no further attempts of dissuading them from their dark path of damnation. A guide can, afterall, merely point the way. It is, exactly, what he does; Point the way, the righteous way. The cottage was a meager little thing, built on the side of a pleasantly gracious stream that flowed directly from the mountaintops nearby. A thick haunting forest surrounded the cottage, protecting it from prying eyes; much akin to the knights of old. It was built with an artistic touch, everything blending so well together, almost as if these materials¨C these paints, were lost siblings embracing eachother after years of separation. The interior was, likewise, breathtaking. Packed full of treasures, older than time, itself. Although, only a few remained. The rest, having been ransacked by them. A noname shepherd, on an equally backwater planet, having hold of such artifacts was unacceptable. And, though, it would be a shame to have this cottage be burnt and destroyed; this, was the order of business. The musical shrieks of wild abandon, begs for mercy and broken prayers uttered with bruising lips, reached his ears; a delightful shiver wracked his soul. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. As the door flew open, a most beautiful sight greeted his hungry eyes¨C it left him, positively, uneasy and squirming in his boots. Another hoarse scream, this one louder than the last, broke the warm fog over his mind. Tied to a chair, was a roughed-up man, roughly of 30 to 35 years of age, wearing the most unassuming clothes¨C if one didn''t know better, they would have assumed him to be an equally unimpressive man. Alas, he knew better. The common rags on his person, were a mere disguise, a cosplay. The bloodshot eyes of the man, glanced up at him, and, inspite of the innumerable bruises and cuts on his being and soul, an angry sneer bloomed on the man''s face¨C twisting it into the very picture of hatred. As, Leonidas neared him, the man glancing through the swollen eyelids, spat into the ground. Meant to be, undoubtedly, an insult. However, it felt more pitiful in a way. It made laughter bubble up in his throat. Hilarious, the way, a man can remain so steadfast in his ways. No matter how foul, they might be. The soldier, standing beside the man, punched him for the insolence; sensing the incoming beating, Leonidas raised a hand. A dead man, would do no good to him. He knelt by the man''s side, his knees popping and sighing in relief, ¡°Ahh, yer a tough man, aintcha. I, am usually impressed by such a, delicious, display of tenacity and tolerance, however, this is haardlyy the time for this¡­ shit, man. Ya gotta speak, man. Since, I can''t do shit for ya, if you don''t speak.¡± He pointed to the guards beside the man, and spoke in a low conspiratorial voice, ¡°These guys, man, you don''t wanna see.. what fucked up shit, they be capable of. That''s why, I am yer ally heree, just speak and you''ll be outta here, pronto!¡± The man mumbled in response, something pitiful that made him chuckle. He leant into the man, straining his ear to hear the words. A burst of pain, burning pain, wracked his skull. Fuck! Fuck! His hand ghosted over his ear. ¡°Fuck, you!¡± The man groaned, chewing on his ear. Fucking savage! Leonidas roared with a great burning rage, and lunged at the man, his fists pounding the savage¡¯s skull in; feeling the, pathetic, bones creaking and shrieking against his fist, filled him with a great rejoicing passion. The feeling reflected, itself, in the blows¨C the sturdy bones breaking and shattering at the continued brutality. Soon, they too caved in, the man''s face turning unrecognisably broken, akin to a painting of blood and gore; Even, the Goddess shall not recognise his filthy face, he thought with a sickening glee dancing in his heart. The blows, decreasing in intensity, as they struck not but an unholy mush, an unholy orgy of fleshy brain and cranium. Eventually, the rage cooled, the fog of all encompassing, maddening, inferno receded; being replaced by a serene and cold ocean of logic. He sighed at the handiwork. A dead man, would''ve been a waste; he had said it, himself, for the Goddess'' sake! And, here he was, straddling the man''s unrecognisably shattered corpse. Uncivilized. He got up, and in a tone, oh so calm, as if nothing had even occurred, he spoke with a sniff, ¡°Clean this shit, up. And, fucking scorch this shithole,¡± Taking his leave, from the room, and the cottage, itself. A sigh broke through his lips. A step in the wrong direction. He needed answers, not body bags, yet, it seemed that his straying heart found such an idea, impossible to stomach. And, to top it all off, as if failure was not enough, he had lost an ear. If the mongrel had wanted, a last meal, he could have asked nicely at least. Although, I must say, he did have a curious tongue, to stomach an ear as a last meal, He thought as morbid laughter echoed through his being. The laughter, so intense that it forced him to his knees. There, he lay kneeling before Her; lost, in an empty, grieving, meditation. ¡°My Lord?¡± A melodious voice chirped, somewhere near. ¡°Yes?¡± He croaked out, the very act being revolting, sending shivers to wrack through his ailing body. ¡°The book, my Lord. It has been found,¡± The words, as if a holy verse sung by the Goddess, rejuvenated his being. He stumbled onto his legs, almost falling a dozen times before he could stand tall¨C the only reason, that the tired groaning legs did not give in from under him, was the fact that he had the soldier¡¯s shoulders in a vice grip; using them, as a crutch. ¡°Take me, there. Show me. Show me!,¡± He commanded. The soldier accepted it, with a shaky nod, her soft violet eyes shining with unease. Nonetheless, she guided him, like a true dedicated servant of the Reich. What forbidden secrets, would it contain? What revelations, would be had? How many curtains of lies and falsities, would be burnt away? How many buried truths, would be finally uncovered? The potential for change, for revolutionizing the understanding of history, itself, was immense. The possibilities were endless. And, the thought of being the one who had uncovered such, primordial, secrets sent a tingling shiver of excitement down his spine. The soldier, finally paused in front of a feeble, fragile, chest¨C it''s bottom half, covered in mud and grime. ¡°The.. the book is- is in it?¡± No sooner had the soldier nodded, than he disentangled himself from the soldier¡¯s supportive embrace, falling pathetically onto the ground akin to a flopping fish. The soldier burst forward like a bullet, to help him but he held his hand. He couldn''t accept help, he had to be the one to open it¡­ he had to open it, himself. Crawling, with the likeness of a dying animal, he gripped the enigmatic chest in his hands; running them, along its length, trying ceaselessly to reassure his, doubtful mind.. that, yes, it was real. It was, in vain. The cold logical mind, would naught believe it, till his hungry lustful eyes had gazed upon the ancient secrets. ¡°Th- the key! Give it, to me!¡± He sputtered, spit flying out of his mouth. The soldier tossed the key and he swiped it from the air. The key, itself, was plain. Too plain, entirely underwhelming. But, perhaps, that was intentionally done. Yes! Yes, that was the reason. ¡°Goddess bless me,¡± he murmured a prayer, and inserted the key into the welcoming lock, turning it vainly but the bloody thing wouldn''t budge! Like a rabid dog, Leonidas clawed at the lock, slamming the key from side to side, as if he was operating a pendulum, even trying to pry the lock off; nothing would work. With a roar, he slammed his head onto the lock, and when that, obviously, did not work, he began pounding it with his fists. Nothing will stop me, nothing!, he growled in his mind. Oh! What a pitiful sight! However, as if decreed by the Goddess''s will, the lock broke under his assault, unlatching itself from the chest and falling limply with a cry of defeat onto the mud. He laughed deliriously, ¡°Finally.. hehehe! At long last- oh, at long, fucking, last! Hehehe¡± And with a great resounding holler of glory, he threw the chest open. ¡°Hehehe.. heh.. he. Wh- wha what.. what?¡± Profound silence greeted his horrified words; the silence mocked and jeered at his lofty dreams. As twilight descended in the horizon, bathing the world in shades of burning jeering red and tense mocking lilacs, his shaking hands dipped into the chest. ¡°What.. what is that!¡± The soldier shouted in horror, the previous chipper having disappeared, entirely, from her voice. An apt reaction, for within his shaking and fearful hands, was the head of Inquisitor Leonardo¨C bolted onto which was a letter written with blood; Leonardo¡¯s blood, his mind supplied, frozen in stark horror. A sob wracked his body, as he read the letter, followed by a terrifying shriek of rage. Wish for a dream at twilight, and, a nightmare of the foulest order, thine accursed self shall receive. This is, thy final warning. Stay away. -Pleiades Anchor VII ¡°Man, can abandon, heartlessly, all his emotions at the blink of an eye. Man, can forget all his inhibitions, with a sip. Man, can lose all his core motivators with enough time¨C all, except one. Greed, and by extension, the instinct for war. Ingrained, so deeply into our fragile hubris, War is an act of primordial origins. Even, before the Arya- if the scientific theories are to be believed, The Arya evolved from mere apes into a civilization of Gold and heaven. Inspite of all their attempts, to remake humanity in the image of an unknown entity that they worshiped; failure, had been the reward. Such was the only, possible, outcome. For, no matter how great and all-powerful, one could become¨C none can ever truly, strip humanity of its core pillars. Thus, as the world around them burned in infernal flames, a single saying resounded amongst their cowering minds: In our accursed world, All gods are dead, except the Goddess of War.¡± -Micah Bellsworth on Lilac''s Rise. (AURORA¡¯s Notice: Such Historical Documentaries are subject to imminent prohibition, any and all derogatory remarks regarding the Goddess shall be punished with death) Anchor VII In a different era, at a different, more sophisticated, place¨C Philosophers had questioned, in dangerous whispers, the reason for God''s existence. They had been, swiftly, sent to reunite with their creator. But, the question had lingered amongst hidden covens and in back alleys, far from the prying ears of angels and pastors. Years later, the question had arisen once more. And, this once, without fervor lined ears, men and women of wisdom had heeded their words. And, with absolute certainty, had questioned back: ¡°Does, God require a reason for existence?¡± ¡°Is it, mine ears that doth betray me, or, has thou lovesick mind comprehended, at last, the barest trace of philosophy?¡± Pleiades interrupted him. Although, the interruption was grating on the nerves, it did bring him, no small amount of pleasure, at hearing the shock in the being¡¯s disembodied voice. ¡°Why? Tis, so incomprehensible that I, could appreciate the finer aspects of life?¡± ¡°No. Merely, taken back that your hubris, absorbed as it is in worship of your beau, could ever stomach the thought of anything else,¡± ¡°Ahh, careful there, old man. Almost, took you for a jester,¡± A feeling of indignation, flared deep within his segmented mind; Hah, as if his tantrums would ever, do more than inconvenien¨C fuck! Charles glared at the offending hand, his own right hand, that had turned traitor. ¡°That ought to teach you, not to mock a God,¡± ¡°A God?¡± Charles scoffed mentally, ¡°Last, I checked, no God took refuge in the minds, or souls, of a seventeen year old boy,¡± ¡°Clearly, you have a skewed interpretation of a god, boy. And, nevertheless¡­ I am, not god, himself, but merely, a god; Just like Celeste or, even, Lilith,¡± ¡°And, Corvus?¡± Charles interrupted, knowing that admitting Corvus¡¯s equivalent status to him, would prick the old man to no end. Pleiades sighed, and with great reluctance¨C as if, the very admission hurt him, he spoke, ¡°Ye- Yes.. even, even Corvus,¡± He smirked, at the admission; and would have laughed, had he not been neck-deep in hostile territory. Actually, neck deep would be an understatement, it was the beating heart, itself. A hauntingly, silent and empty heart, yes, but a heart nonetheless. ¡°Does, that not bother your instincts?¡± ¡°Instincts?¡± ¡°Yes, human instincts, our kind craves life, does it not? And, yet, here you are, unconcerned and unbothered by this¡­ silence,¡± ¡°Does not, every creature crave so? I have, yet to meet one that does not wish for unending life,¡± ¡°Do not, play the fool, boy,¡± Pleiades iterated, ¡°Uncouth acts, such as these, might sway Liliana or your, precious, Elena.. but not, me.¡± He sighed, Pleiades wanted honesty? Pretty rich, coming from a snake. Although, the thoughts remained mute, lost in his head, the feeling of rage that rose within his soul, served as satisfaction enough. ¡°Tis not, as if, I am not unsettled.. it is, merely, that neither of us, know much of this stronghold. They might be, like bats? maybe, eh? Active by night, dead by day..?¡± The non-committal huff from the resident god, told him enough. The thought and reasoning, both, were based upon the flimsiness of optimism; but, in truth, is not everything? The very concept of a society, hangs on a thin balance of optimism and control. Being honest, it was his, wholehearted, belief that without hope, there would be no civilization. For, is trusting another being, not inherently optimistic? ¡°Those, are two opposite ends of a spectrum, boy.¡± ¡°Oh? How so?¡± ¡°Merely, because, nothing in your reasoning, carries the same weight, or depth for that matter, to inherit such a comparison,¡± Pleiades mocked, ¡°By elimination, your.. reasoning, itself, is flawed.¡± This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it He snorted in disbelief, ¡°Oh? Tis so? And.. I suppose, right about this very moment, we are in a trap?--¡± ¡°Down, boy!¡± Pleiades interjected, his body reacting, without askance, in complete trust of the godling; an arrow whizzed, caressing his silver hair, and lodged itself into the cobbled street. ¡°Fuck! What the hell-¡± ¡°No time, BOY! RUN!¡± Taking the advice to heart, Charles bolted blindly, his feet carrying him as far as possible. More, ill aimed, arrows sailed through the air; some collapsing before they could reach him, others, caressed his body, yet never could hit him. He ran, until his feet burned with exhaustion. The hail of arrows had stopped, though the thought did not, give him much comfort; for, there was but one implication. The, would be, killer was now looking for a direct confrontation. The tiring feet, had brought him to a market square¨C packed densely with, he realized in horror, ghostly empty stalls and, hurriedly, abandoned carts. The entire setting, was unsettling. It smelt of human warmth, of bustling businesses, of tired homemakers.. yet, now it was but a mirage of itself; a skeletal carcass, rather. He clicked his tongue in annoyance; the dream, of returning home with a gift in hand for Elena was now gone. The refreshing mixture of, the citrus scent of warm orange and the arousing aroma of strawberry, would have been perfect. Tis, would fit into Elena, like a missing piece of a puzzle. Mayhaps, he ought to return someday, back to this chaotical orchestra of life and death. And, that once, the journey home would be done with that perfume; a birthday gift, maybe- that, would be pleasing, certainly. Thoughts of Elena aside, he ran his eyes across the lifeless plaza. Tis, a poor place for any fight, he made to retreat¨C only, for such an idea to be nipped in the bud. Standing, akin to a living statue, atop a overturned cart was a figure, covered head to toe in a white and black regalia with red accents. A white sundress? Or, was it a skirt? He was unsure; nevertheless, below the sundress, the figure¨C woman, wore black pants with red accents. Covering her face, shrouding it in the malicious cover of darkness, was a pure snow white cloak. But, that was hardly, what unsettled him; it was the foul stench! As if, his nose had been shoved into a cesspit of shit and garbage, and imprisoned in the hellish concoction. ¡°An Apostle,¡± ¡°Wait, wait wait, what?!¡± ¡°An Apostle, boy! Now, dodge!¡± The Apostle, sensing his surprise, jumped from her perch atop the cart, scythe flexing in hand, ready to cleave his head clean off. Luckily, or rather due to Pleiades, his shield blocked such an ending to this tale. The Apostle, tilted her head, ¡°Interesting,¡± She whispered, and applied pressure onto the scythe; a grating noise¨C of metal bleeding over metal, filled the ghastly silence. The noise started mounting, something was breaking. He smirked, foolish bitch. Apostle, my ass, his amusement soon turned into a cold horror¨C tis, was not the scythe that crumbled, instead, his shield did. The scythe cutting through it, with the likeness of an ax through a tree. ¡°Got ya!¡± She jeered. As soon, as the scythe pushed through the shield, Charles, with all his strength, pushed the shield away. The Apostle stumbled, losing her poise, and Charles pounced. Sweeping his sword, through the air, a strike, unfortunately, blocked by the Apostle. She made to counter, but the shield hanging limply from the scythe made her attempt, naught but an elaborate jest. Kicking her in the abdomen, he swung his sword once more, only to be blocked again. This time, his sword being locked into the unholy orgy of the shield and scythe. He clicked his tongue, in annoyance. She made to sweep his feet from beneath him, but, he was quicker. Kneeing her sword-arm, forcing to drop the scythe with an inhumane shriek of pain, he made to stab her with the sword. The woman, caught off-guard, unable to prevent his strike, blocked it with her, leather clad, hands. A shriek and a sob tore through the, momentary, silence¨C the sword had lodged itself in her palm, almost having sliced, cleanly, through it. His gaze locked with hers. The eyes, which had been till now hidden, now burnt a bright burning silver. ¡°Dodge!¡± Pleiades screamed into his head. Alas, he was too late. With a nudge of her hand, he went sailing through the air, much like a swan¨C crashing into a stall, the drapery and merchandise, affronted by such an act, collapsed atop him. He had, no clue of how long, this darkness had enveloped him. The sore bruises and cracks in his ailing body, keeping him an unwilling prisoner of this dark dungeon; nothing, but his thoughts to keep him company. Even the constant, nagging and prodding, of Pleiades having been cut off. Amidst, this unholy cacophony of dust and night, he realized the cause for the deeply set fear within Pleiades. The man was, no God, he was a, mere, Godling. A mortal creature, like any¨C like him. And, mortals, can never achieve invulnerability. Never. Thus, undoubtedly, the creator must have devised a method, a way to keep such outlandish dreams of self-made gods, a distant dream. An Apostle was one such measure, undoubtedly. Either that, or they were nothing better than him¨C kids with dreams of glory and appetites that led them to bite off, more than they could chew. Oh, he realized in bitter irony, I just iterated mine own story. It seems, in the end, he might, afterall, never have Elena. A virgin goddess, she shall remain till the end; the thought elicited a chuckle. A chuckle, which turned into bitter coughing. Fuck, he grimaced in pain. Suddenly, akin to a bee''s sting, something coiled around his leg and pulled. His body went sweeping across the floor, and, once more, crashed into a stall. Though, this one by the grace of God, had much more gentle merchandise, one which understood his predicament. Forcing himself, to learn against the wooden beam of the stall, brown eyes locked with burning silver. A quiet gasp, escaped him; his mind being thrown into shock, by the sudden proximity with the, soon to be, killer. ¡°Ahhh, you smell delicious,¡± ¡°Wha- what.. what?¡± The woman- nay, The Apostle, chuckled at his incredulous expression, ¡°You have the sweetest face, boy. More¡¯s the pity,¡± She licked her lips, ¡°Although, I do wonder, how.. beautiful do you taste~?¡± Before, he could voice his confusion, the woman pulled her scythe off the floor, her eyes having lost their burning light. Standing up, she pressed her leg onto his bruised and, surely, broken ribs¨C he sucked in a pained breath, the very act sending agony coursing through him. With a haunting giggle, the Apostle swung her scythe¡­ Knightmare by Dawn//Anchor VIII Knightmare by Dawn//Anchor VIII What exists, after death? Heaven? Eternal hell? Or, mayhaps, Limbo- a haunted paradise between worlds? Or, there exists nothing? Nothing, but a black blank, all encompassing void of infinity. Fortunately, such questions can only be pondered upon, by the common man¨C never, can be they be experienced. Rather, well.. they can be, but, unless one believes in ghosts and djinns, there is no proof. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on, how you look at it; Charles was no ordinary man. Thus, now, when most would be, hopefully, unconscious and mayhaps completely nonexistent; he was awake. Surrounding him, was a pitch black sea of infinity, a void that lathered his body in its malicious darkness. It whispered to him, at times. It called to him, promising salvation. But, if there was something that he had learnt in his, measly, 17 years of life was that no one is trustworthy. Not even, an omniscient voidling sea. Suddenly, following a shrieking of some sort, a tear began to form in the void. The shrieks began mounting, as the tear grew and grew, like an incessant mold. The shrieking and tearing reached a crescendo, and with the ferociousness of a starving beast, the white burning tear pounced and swallowed him whole.. The town was a pleasant little thing, located deep in the middle of nowhere amidst a sprawling savannah. He would have hated the place, barren and hot, as it was but, somehow he didn''t? It was inexplicable, however, there was a feeling.. a certain degree of warmth and fondness for this abandoned oasis of life. The warmth, he could attribute to the humongous volcano that loomed in the horizon. But, the fondness? He was at a loss. Not to mention, the volcano was strange. It felt as if it was in the midst of an eruption yet, no debris nor lava was being spewn out. It was baffling, yet it was happening. Overhead, above the volcano, were storm clouds¨C Almost, as if they''re, giving it shade, he chuckled at the thought. Lightning would sometimes streak across the volcano from the clouds, striking it viciously like a viper. Alas, it would not do much but mayhaps, annoy the personification of nature''s wrath. A roar, louder than he had ever heard, resounded across the volcano¡¯s barren duchy. By instinct, his hand reached for his sword; only, to find it gone. However, before thoughts of annoyance and self depreciation could take root, another roar resounded over the town and finally, a shape, a massive outline of a forgotten creature loomed through the stormy clouds. Like an arrow, the unholy creature burst through the clouds, their resistance and anger folding before this abomination¡¯s fiery breath. The devilish creature, was a humongous dragon¨C its scales as pitch black as the night, its eyes like shining rubies and its breath, as fiery as the sun''s gaze. Charles'' body locked with fear, refusing to budge from its open prison. No matter, how much his brain and, the ever treacherous, heart screamed at it to move¨C it simply, refused. Even as the dragon''s, stinkingly hot, mouth swallowed him whole, as it''s body crashed on the ground akin to an earthquake. His body remained still. Incapable of thought. The tear in the void, swallowed him whole¡­ ¡°You''re mine, no one else''s.¡± She whispered against his lips. He nodded, as she peppered his face with kisses. ¡°Gooood!¡± She spoke, a sultry tone in her voice, a smirk on her heavenly face. ¡°I will show you, heaven, love. Nay, I''ll show you pleasures, greater than heaven, I''ll show you them.. and more¡­ so much more~¡± She paused and ran her hands across his chest, ¡°I will, make you into mine own worshiper. But, there is something¡­ something, that I want, in return,¡± ¡°Tell me¡­ tell me, what I need to do, for my love¨C for my goddess,¡± He said, punctuating his words with a kiss. She wiggled her finger, in a ¡®come hither¡¯ motion and like a faithful pilgrim, he obeyed. ¡°Promise, to be mine,¡± She whispered into his ear, her breath tickling it seductively. And, without thought¨C without, wasteful pondering, his heart accepted, leaning into her holistic touch and grazing those, cherry red, lips with a kiss pledging eternal servitude. The tear in the void, swallowed him whole¡­ The woman coughed, spittles tainted with blood and grime, coating her mouth in a painting of deathly damnation. Her luscious strawberry pink locks, having long since lost their graceful luster¨C turning into a graying white, a symbol of twilight, her twilight. He kneeled beside her, thumbing her gaunt cheeks. The woman smiled, tis was a pitiful sight, one that would wrench the heart in sympathy and, perhaps more greatly, in disgust. That was, without considering the blood dripping from her mouth. ¡°Pitiful, is it not?¡± She spoke somberly, and with great care, ghosted her hand over the spear that impaled her to the ground. ¡°For, all our talks..¡± She coughed, blood landing on her bright sunny dress, ¡°ugh, all our talks.. ramblings of, of immor... immortality, ah, I.. I guess, we- we never really were cut out for it.. eh?¡± He held her hand in solidarity, covered in blood it was, yes, but, he found that it did not disgust him.. somehow. Perhaps, because it was her''s? Likely, but lately, his heart had been treacherous. So, he couldn''t quite really say. He continued holding it, long after her own grip had slackened¨C long after, her breaths had ceased. In truth, her porcelain hand remained steadfastly in his, even as the raven black eyes of hers became blank and unseeing. It was, the first and last time, he swore. Once more, and he feared that tis would be him ascending alongside them. Thus, did Pleiades swear. The tear swallowed him whole; Come hither, The Empress beckons¡­ Sat upon a lonesome elegant desk in her gentle solitude, amidst a room of material not known to him painted in the most curious of grays and whites, was a beautiful woman; an angelic beauty, that the world is blessed with, once every odd century. The woman, had the most curious of eyes¨C akin to pits of molten gold swirling in pearly whites, the left one, however, was pitch black, similar to Elena¡¯s. Her hair, was the color of the somber night sky, black as coal yet with the lustor and elegance of a shining star. Her face, he noted, was ghostly similar to Elena¡¯s, and that, if viewed at a certain angle one would, surely, confuse her for the former. He certainly had, and in no terms of self obsession, he was a rather observant individual. Perhaps, a distant descendant? Or, mayhaps, even a direct one? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The latter, inspired a flame of hope within him and, shamefully, ignited a deep seated insatiable lust for his beau. The former, was acceptable as well. Although, tis the latter, that he would prefer. The woman was, lost- forlorn in her writing; admittedly, a language he couldn''t quite understand or relate. However, there was beauty to it, an elegant display of the most cursive writing that he had ever seen. Or, mayhaps, that was just her style. It did, on further observation, have similarities with his own language. Perhaps, an evolved form of it? Maybe, but again, he couldn''t answer. Pleiades, would have been helpful, he thought to himself with concern¨C a fact, that surprised even him. Time passed, and without any measure of it, tis was difficult to say how long he stood there, gazing at the heavenly beauty writing, a most beautiful prose. Soon, however, the woman paused- as if unsure of her next move, her hand freezing mid movement; suddenly, she turned, facing him with a raised brow. ¡°You do, realize that I can, see you.. yeah?¡± She spoke with a giggle with a hand reaching her mouth to stifle a gasp of mock disgust. Charles made to speak, a jest prancing on his tongue¡­ only to pause in shock. A man, taller than him, walked through him- as though, Charles wasn''t simply.. there? ¡°I.. realized that, my Queen. I did not, mean to discomfort you, and, seeing as you were in the midst of penning a letter.. I stayed back, so as not to interrupt you,¡± The man wanted to speak further but the woman.. or Queen, interrupted him. ¡°Hah, there will be no need of apologies, Sir Wifort. I thought, I was quite clear about that?¡± Sir Wifort bowed, and nodded, ¡°Yes, my Lady. Quite clear,¡± The Queen nodded, a grin playing on her exotic red lips. She opened her mouth to speak, in a melodious voice but, alas, he was unable to hear it- The tear in the void, swallowed him whole; Come, child, pay me a visit, won''t ya? Pay homage, to thy Goddess¡­ On a Golden throne of malice and eternity, amidst the lonesome whispers of heavenly seas of black platitude, lost in her placid meditation was a young woman¨C a mature air hanging around her, yet her face was youthful, painted in the facade of a maidenly innocence. The woman, like the Queen he had seen before, was of an angelic- nay, a godly beauty; one, that was further reinforced by her air of innocence, covering her already nonpareil beauty in a scarf of untouchable holiness. Her dress was similar in this regard, nonconservative in the way it showed her curves and porcelain skin, yet shrouded it enough to create a sense of untainted purity. Much like the Queen, she too had a curious color of eyes¨C akin to pits of molten silvery gold swirling amongst seas of snowy whites. Her hair was likewise, black as the night, although, it had queer streaks of white in it. Almost, as if a symbol of taint and impurity. The similarities between the 3 women were uncanny, especially so between Elena and the Queen. This woman, however, seemed to be a combination of the two. No wonder, the angelic beauty was magnified in her. Ever the treacherous snake, his heart warmed at the sight of her. Tis was understandable, or would have been, had he not fallen, oh so deeply for Elena. None, not even the heart beating away in his chest, could convince otherwise. Sighing, the woman''s gaze ghosted towards him, an alluring smile bloomed on her bright strawberry lips. The fiery gaze remained locked with his, for a time immemorial, until.. a bellowing, almost musical, laughter shattered the silence. ¡°Hahaha! Taken aback, are you?¡± A blush covered his face, quickly refuting the allegation. ¡°Hahaha, sweet boy, you need not lie to me-¡± In a conspiratorial tone, she continued slowly with a chuckle, ¡°I''m a Goddess, you know? I know whenever sweet misguided boys, such as you, are lying.¡± ¡°A Goddess! Hah,¡± He scoffed, appalled that the woman thought him a fool. Tis true, he''s a naive lad and a young one. But, he''s no fool. The woman''s lips twisted into a sickening smile, ¡°Ah! I see, boy. Then, perhaps, you do need a little induction, I suppose,¡± ¡°A, what?-¡± Before, his words could leave his lips, the woman flicked her hand and flung his body across the air, like a ragdoll meant for her sick pleasure, throwing him into a roaring and ravageous tear. The tear in the void, swallowed him whole; one last dance¡­ Charles'' eyes snapped open, scrambling from the ground like a diseased animal¨C only to bang his head against a wall. His body hit the ground, a groan escaped him. Fucking hell. Laying on the ground, he gathered his thoughts, orienting the straying mind back to reality? Or, wherever, he was currently. For, in spite of the fog that had descended upon his memories, keeping knowledge and experience at bay, he could still recall dying in a market? Or, was it a manor? No, no, no, it was a field of white with ancient mountains gleaming at him. Despite, the assurances of his heart, the incredulousness remained. The room, he was currently in, was simply put.. magnificent! A work of pure and unadulterated art. A massive domed roof, with a mural painted upon it¨C depicting, a woman wearing a black skintight dress, hoisting a shining sword pointed towards a horde of ill-armed savages and knights, behind the woman, herself, were knights wearing the most beautifully fashioned armors and liveries. The dome, was held by elegant pillars, of pure angelic marble with handsome golden inlays in their crevices. Matter of fact, the style rang synonymous with the entire room. Although, a little too obnoxious, it was beautiful in its own way. Not to everyone''s liking, of course, he, himself, could not properly appreciate it¨C finding it, a little too glamorous. A glamor that was exaggerated by the fresh polish. He could quite clearly make out his own reflection. To his shock and glee, the beaten and bruised armor of his father''s that he had been, quite forcefully, wearing was gone. Plainly, gone. In its place, akin to the room''s glamourous and exaggerated eye candy, was a freshly polished armor¨C it''s coloring as dark as the abyss, with a bright burning Ayla of gold etched into the chestplate. To sweeten the deal, in a way, was a scarlet red cape. There was, something stitched on it, but he couldn''t quite see it. Strangely, the fancy piece resembled that of a Crescent Knight; it had the same queer mannerisms, as present in their armors. Although, it should be said, this particular piece was somehow different. He did not know how, exactly, but, at the same time, he felt it was different. It was bizarrely normal. Reaching for his scabbard, he found it gone. This time¡­ with no replacements. Isn''t that, just great! Lost in fascination of his new armor, the thuds and pleas of help went ignored by his ear. That was, until a shriek tore through the air, sending foreboding chills up his spine. It came from, the upper balcony of the hall. He was sure of it. Without further thought, his feet carried him towards the source. As he sped up the stairs, each step punctuated the shrieks. By now, he could scarcely make out the gender. It was, unarguably, feminine and, with horror seizing his heart, the voice sounded young. Too young. His pace, accelerated. As he reached the room, onto which the balcony was attached, he found the door wide open, like a maw inviting him into the belly of the beast. Inside, oh god, the inside¨C it was, as if a maelstrom had torn through the room, scattering- throwing- breaking and shattering, everything and anything in sight. A diorama of war. However, it was not this, that captured his gaze, tis was the heavily armed individual standing over a cowering, oh so young, girl. She must have been, hardly 11 or, at maximum, 12. The man stood sword rearing into the air, poised to behead the poor, innocent, girl; the girl''s horrified scream, acting as cover, Charles ran and pounced onto the man''s back, his face crashing into the floor. Rearing his fist back, Charles began rhythmically pounding the man''s face into the floor. Again, again, again and again¨C a pause, a breath and again, again and again¨C another pause, his fist reared back, once more¡­ only for a little body to tug it back. ¡°Stop! He''s dead!¡± The young, melodious, voice shrieked in horror; her shivering finger, pointing in terror at the blood pooling amidst the animalistic savagery. The haze cleansed, and he winced; the man''s skull had caved in, twisting at the back in an odd angle¨C almost flattening, like a slice of bread. His gaze snapped to his fists. They were, unsurprisingly, covered in blood and grime. Disgusting! He shrieked in his mind, and quickly wiped his hands against the dead man''s cloak, turning it from a pearly blue to a foreboding crimson red. All the while, the little girl watched in morbid fascination. Interesting, she surmised in her head; the knight, while certainly a savage brute, was undoubtedly, here to protect her. Heavens bless his kind soul! Viktoria//Anchor IX Viktoria//Anchor IX There are Gods, whose ascendancy is prophesied by men and women of great stature and wisdom. But, then, on the other hand, there are Gods whose ascendancy, none know of, yet at the same time, they do; tis them, that are the true kind of Gods. A prophesied entity- whether humane or supernatural, whether man or god¨C can, never be truly a superior force. For, how can a mere mortal, gaze into the future and prick and prod through it, till he sees the coming of his own creator? Is it not, foolish? Is it not, madness? A prophecy is naught but an elaborate lie, a flimsy jest, at the coincidental nature of reality and, by extension, our existence. Any ¡®Great Being¡¯, would have no need or want of a prophecy to inspire its return. It will, simply do so, at its own leisure. For, how can a God, be enchained by the turbulent sands of time? It is such, philosophical, thoughts that do plague him at the current moment; the views of the magnificence of this world beyond worlds, are simply incomprehensible to his mind. Stare too long and the mind would rapture into inconceivable ramblings. The girl remains unperturbed, prancing and dancing her merry way across these primordial halls of a world, unknown to even Gods. It is this, that gives him pause, does the girl, know of this place? Of its origin?, his mind whispers yet such questions remain unanswered¨C perhaps, for the better. Afterall, there are some questions that are better left unheard and uncontemplated. The girl is strange. Her fear of death had evaporated near instantaneously, upon the man''s unceremonious death. Tis was understandable, yes.. but, weird in a way that he could not quite point out. He shook his head, this whole place has queer mannerisms. ¡°I don''t, quite believe that I caught your name,.. miss?¡± The little girl stopped, tilted her head and side-eyed him; her golden eyes searching for something. She hummed, ¡°That is, a curious way to ask for a name.. is it not? I had thought, knights were masters in the art of conversation¡­.. you are a knight, aren''t you?¡± Charles nodded in affirmation, a lie but a necessary one, ¡°Of course, of course. Tis only so, that I have learnt the art of the sword, conversation simply couldn''t be perfected in such a little time.¡± ¡°Little time?¡± The girl parroted. ¡°Yes.. well, you see, I am considerably young for a knight. At least, in the purview of my land,¡± ¡°Oh,¡± The girl raised a brow, ¡°How, old are you then?¡± ¡°Eighteen, nearly nineteen, give or take,¡± Another lie, Charles was a bloody fresh seventeen, not even near eighteen, or fucking nineteen. But, then again, telling the girl that the ¡®gallant¡¯ knight who had saved her, was barely eighteen would be harmful to this¡­. quest. The girl hummed once more, and with a small grin, ¡°Well, nice to meet ya, Sir Knight. My name''s Viktoria!¡± ¡°Nice to make your acquaintance, I am Sir Charles, Lady..?¡± ¡°Oh, aren''t you, a greedy knight, Sir Charles? Doth my name, not fulfill your desire for knowledge,¡± She tilted her head in confusion and curiosity, ¡°Besides, I doubt your name is, just, Charles. There must be a surname, I''m sure,¡± ¡°I- I.. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Lady Viktoria,¡± Charles did not press the girl, any longer. A few minutes of walking, or rather him following the girl on a merry blind journey, Viktoria suddenly piped up, ¡°Engel,¡± ¡°Engel..?¡± He questioned, taken aback by the word. Did she, mean to say Angel? ¡°Yes.. Engel. That is, my surname. Viktoria Engel,¡± Without pause, she peered back at him and flashed a smile. He nodded, ¡°And, I''m Charles.. Charles Arvell,¡± ¡°Oh. I already knew that,¡± Wait what? He opened his mouth to question, but she was quicker to intercept, ¡°Shush! There''s no more time for tarrying about, she grows stronger by the minute!¡± Her piece said, the girl sprinted off with him, hot on her trails. She.. she, who the fuck did she mean? ¡°Most likely, the overseer of this place,¡± A voice piped up in his head, sending warmth to his core. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Pleiades! Where.. where were you?!¡± ¡°Nowhere..? I have been here, the whole time, boy. Is thine mind, alright?¡± Pleiades mocked, though, he could hear a slight concern in his voice. ¡°Oh.. oh, I- I see. It''s.. it''s just that, that I- I felt you gone, like a ghost of a memory,. You becoming silent and.. and just gone!¡± ¡°Well, calm yourself, Charles. It must be.. this place, disturbing your mind,¡± Pleiades¡¯ words soothed his rampant mind. ¡°But- but¡­ no, no, you''re right. It''s this fucking place with its wrongness and perfection and heaven knows whatelse,¡± ¡°Most definitely. Even, I am having trouble at some portions of this place¨C it''s an unnatural realm, one that perhaps, our gaze was never meant to behold. Tis curious, though,¡± ¡°Curious?¡± He questioned, intrigued. ¡°Yes, infinitely so. Tis baffling, to imagine a creature which could have forged such a world, it has the handiwork of Lilith yet the brutalistic design of Celeste with the beastial murals and frescoes of mine own invention,¡± He paused, in thought or in shock, Charles did not know and, perhaps, never will as Pleiades did not bother continuing. The girl had stopped, he realized, alarmingly late, if the girl''s countenance was any indication; brow lifted in an unimpressed manner, lips twisting ever downwards into a disheartening frown, even as her eyes lit up with natural wonder over the views through the balcony. ¡°Tis unnatural, Sir Charles, for a man to converse with open air, as if tis were his greatest.. ally,¡± She spoke, a touch of alarm bleeding into her voice, unconsciously. He made to defend himself, it would''ve been hardly proper for a knight to be considered on the same standing as an ill minded buffoon. However, much before, he could mount his defense, the girl interrupted, ¡°There is, no need, for that, Sir Charles. I shall make an,... exception, this once,¡± With a pause, she added, ¡°Only, this once.¡± He nodded at that, with a grimace on his face. A defense of mental stability was still mountable, however, it would require divulging information and knowledge that, at least for his betterment, are better left, unspoken. Besides, that is without considering, the overall complexity of the unique situation. Tis an unnatural bond, between him and Pleiades¨C to expect, a mere child to understand it, would be incredibly foolish. The girl, Viktoria, allowed the silence to hang over them, for a few moments more, soaking into the calmness and mind-rapturing sights of the place. Or, that is, what he thinks, she must be doing. ¡°There,¡± Viktoria begins, shattering the calm calamity of the silence, her finger pointed towards a structure built atop a massive mountain connected to this labyrinth by means of a vast bridge, ¡°That is, where she is¡­ that is, where your freedom is, Sir Charles,¡± The structure, located across the dense forests and lakes shrouded in malevolent fog, was built in the likeness of a colosseum. A closed colosseum, to be precise¨C its roof being adorned by a serene dome built with a most curious material; one that shone, at certain angles, a deep ocean blue and, at other angles, would resonate a deep forest green. And, that was, without mentioning the main building itself. From, as much as he could see, the building was built of bright snowy marble with rich golden adornments. Clearly, the entity that had designed this realm, had an unhealthy obsession with glamor and, in a way, purity. Purity, because, tis what the pallette represents¨C at least, in his view. Shining warm Gold and the snowy swirling marble, had always been associated with the Arya. The pure and untainted Arya''s, whose cities, are said to have been made of such pure rocks and gems, and nothing else. ¡°But, this work.. tis not of the Arya¡¯s, boy,¡± Pleiades interrupted him, nipping the budding theory in his mind, before it could flourish and take root. Tis, a pity. He, rather liked that theory. The girl seemed, largely, unperturbed or amazed by the grandiose sight. The little mind, most likely, focused and streamlined to one line of thought; confronting this.. woman. Wait! ¡°Wait, who.. who exactly, are you referring here? Is it, something that I''m.. supposed to know?¡± Charles questioned. While, yes, Pleiades had given, roughly, an answer to the question¨C it had not been ratified by the girl. Which, in simpler terms, means that the answer was a, mere, theory. Not something workable. Besides, Viktoria''s words did cut out, this ¡®meeting¡¯ between her and this mystery woman, into a bloody confrontation. All the more reason, to know of her. Viktoria let out a small laugh, although to him, it sounded much more akin to a mocking scoff, ¡°Ah, I would be, pleasantly, surprised, had you known about her.. for, tis incomprehensible, not to mention, impossible for you, to know anything; and I do mean anything about her,¡± ¡°Really?¡± Charles raised a brow, unimpressed by the lame attempt at shrouding the woman in a cloak of enigma and mystery. ¡°Yes,¡± Viktoria answered without missing a beat; her tone, carrying the seriousness of a soul reaper. ¡°Well, then, shouldn''t I know of.. her?¡± He implored. ¡°That, I believe, is not necessary,¡± He made to interrupt but Viktoria was quicker, ¡°Eh, do not beat yourself over it, you will find out¡­. eventually,¡± Uninterested in any further conversation, Viktoria began walking. Like a loyal knight, he followed in her trail. ¡°The girl, is certainly.. unique,¡± Pleiades spoke. ¡°She is, isn''t she?¡± He asked, rhetorically with a chuckle. Pleiades chuckled, although his sounded more grave, ¡°She is, yes. But, I feel you do not, quite grasp, just how¡­. extraordinary, she is,¡± Charles paused, for a moment, taken aback. At Viktoria¡¯s curious look, he snapped out of the untimely surprise and continued walking. ¡°What, exactly, do you mean?¡± He asked, beseeching the godling in his mind. ¡°I mean, exactly, what I said, boy. She is, more than what she seems. Be.. cautious with her, if you would?¡± Lilac//Anchor X Lilac//Anchor X

¡°They will cower, at her might. They will bow, at her feet. They will fear, the very utterance of her name. But.. above it all, they will look upon her, as their God.¡± -An Excerpt, from an unknown source.

The questions, the warnings, the prophecies¨C all dictate, the inevitable arrival of a false messiah, a false god, a mere facsimile of what God, truly is. Yet, in all these prophecies, inspite of previous warnings and knowledge, humanity still falls prey to such a foul individual; bowing pathetically at its devilish feet, as they worship it, in all its blasphemous glory. It is this, that makes one wonder: Is Humanity, naturally stupid? And while, yes, it is certainly a self depreciative comment and extremely harmful to one''s self-imagined ego. It is, nevertheless, a valid question to ponder. For, is not a wise race¨C one which heeds the words of their forefathers and ancestors? Is a wise race, not above false messiahs and Gods? Is a wise race, not above servitude? For, in truth, to slave away for a false idol is servitude. A damning servitude. It is these thoughts and more, that do plague his mind. For the vistas of this malignant reality, are profoundly false. Akin to a false prophet, they''d have you believe one thing, while in truth, something else is factual. The feelings and thoughts, of messiahs and Gods and prophets, intensify with each fleeting gaze upon the cruel colosseum. The colosseum loomed in the malicious horizon, gleaming down at them with the self importance of a narcissistic tyrant. And, if how the girl explained the matter, over the admittedly painfully long walk, was true, then the woman residing in the colosseum¨C or Auditorium as she called it, was a tyrant. Like master, like servant? Mayhaps, or maybe, that was a shitty symbolism. Symbolisms aside, the claims regarding this ¡®overseer¡¯ were equally dubious. Afterall, those were the words of an equally, enigmatic individual. For, how could he trust the words of a girl, who would rather speak in riddles and tongue twisters than in the simplicity of language and manner? A girl that would smile, conspiratorially, at empty air and sneer at fleeting bursts of wind. But, his treacherously loyal mind added, you only have her word, her story, no one else''s. And, tis was true. Tis was her story, that he could hear and ponder upon; no matter, how flimsy, he might feel her words to be¨C they were the sole guide in this malevolent labyrinthian. He shook his head, it was pointless¨C ruminating and contemplating upon thoughts of potential betrayals, traps or lies, for in truth, there was no certain way of knowing the actual truth. Thus, he would follow, wherever Viktoria beckoned and hope, against all hope, that in the end, there was some revelation. Otherwise, tis would be a pathetic ending, wouldn''t it? Even now, amidst this.. otherworldly bridge, the girl pranced over overturned furniture, over shattered decorations, over smeared blood and, occasionally, peered critically at everything within sight, that wasn''t irreparably damaged. And, within his heart of hearts, he could admit that such an act was endearing; heart swelling with warmth at the innocent wonder. Lost in his mind, Charles failed to notice the shimmering air before him¨C Viktoria was quicker, dragging him away. The shimmering air shifted, unnaturally and inexplicably, into a most awkward pillar of gold. ¡°Stay focused, Sir Charles.. and, kindly, if you may, follow me. And, by that, I quite literally mean, for you to walk in my trail,¡± Viktoria admonished, and with the gentleness of a mother, advised him simultaneously. The girl, strangely reminded him of someone. Someone, he could not quite remember. Strange. As they wandered across the bridge, the colosseum and its shroud of enigmatic chill looming ever closer, a curious painting caught his eye. And, according to his straying eyes, Viktoria''s as well. Tis was a, curious painting. A man, or boy, he couldn''t really tell, sat upon a most queer kind of chair¨C one with a material unknown to him, although, it did resemble cloth, but cloth couldn''t give such a pattern. In his hand, was an equally incomprehensible object. A tablet of metal, if you may, although metal wouldn''t be quite correct as the object did possess a glass? He wasn''t sure about the glass. Nevertheless, upon this tablet, the man was writing something¡­ such was evident by the words visible to his eye. Although, he failed to understand the language. ¡°He is a writer,¡± Viktoria informed airily. ¡°Oh, a writer, you say?.. Well, I have limited knowledge of the art of scripture, yes, but I.. doubt that inscribing on a metallic tablet is really¡­ efficient,¡± Viktoria laughed, a hale and hearty sound that pierced through the oppressive fog of silence and mounting paranoia. ¡°Hahaha, oh! Tis, not a metallic tablet! It is a.. tool! Yes, a tool and people, like you and me, will use it to write tales¡­ just like ours,¡± ¡°Will? You mean-¡± ¡°Yes, it is precisely, what you think. A tool, that in the distant future, shall command our successors degrading hubris into servitude. At that point, human degradation, will have come full circle-,¡± Viktoria suddenly paused, seemingly surprised by her own rant, and laughed sheepishly, ¡°Ah! Forget that, Sir Charles. Mine thoughts are in a flurry, the man writes too swift,¡± Charles made an incredulous sound, entirely confused regarding Viktoria''s behavior. ¡°Now, hush, Sir Charles. Too much talk and too little time, after this business is done, I shall be open to questions. Understand?¡± ¡°Quite so.. lead the way,¡± Charles nodded in acceptance. That was, afterall, as good of a deal as he would get. The girl was, definitely, erratic and mayhaps, not quite right in the mind. Writes too swiftly? Writes our story? Madness! Then again, this whole realm was, madness incarnate. The doors to the colosseum, were thrown open, like the maws of a great hibernating beast¨C waiting in patience, for the arrival of another foolish prey. And, in a way, they were prey. The realm was not theirs, it was of another''s creation, someone who was beyond Gods; he was unsure, although, where the irrational limitations of fear, had disappeared. For, in truth, he had yet to dread the forthcoming confrontation. He had, admitted the same to Viktoria and she, in all her mystery and secrecy, had merely smiled foxily at him. Was it, her doing? Maybe, maybe not. However, he did lean on the former. The girl was clearly abnormal, might as well suspect her to be a sorceress. The interior of the colosseum, he noted as they entered, was extremely different yet hauntingly similar to the overall architecture of this realm. Stone pillars, larger than he had ever seen, thrust from the floor into the domed roof; inlaid, into these vast ugly pillars was flattering gold, breathing life into their dull existence. Likewise, the floor was also of stone, polished stone, to be precise. There were small crevices, in between the stone tiling, within which flowed an ominous sort of water. Or, he assumed it was water. A black malevolent liquid, transparent like water, with a dim golden hue around it. On the far north, within the colosseum, was an elevated platform upon which rested a throne of pure maiden marble and seductive gold. However, it was not the opulent throne nor the drab and dull interior that captivated Viktoria''s ire, nay, it was the woman seated rather comfortably on the throne that ensnared her. Her countenance mirrored Viktoria''s own to such a degree, that one could pass both as mother and daughter. They could be, he thought. The woman, was wearing a black dress that hugged her curves generously, a small pearl studded silver tiara adorned her head. The night black hair, tied back into a tight bun, fluttered slightly in the lazy breeze. ¡°Lilac,¡± Viktoria uttered venomously, as if each syllable of the name, hurt her to the core. ¡°Viktoria,¡± Lilac replied in acknowledgement, a malicious smirk playing on her face. Shockingly, there was a lack of poisonous venom in her voice, or perhaps, her''s was simply well masked. Suddenly, almost akin to a wisp, a figure burst into existence from behind the gilded throne¨C A hulking figure, covered head to toe, in a crimson devil like armor adorned with thorns and blackened bonelike growth on the chestplate. The eyes, were equally hellborne, with 2 burning fiery orbs gazing back at him, chillingly, through the curving eye-slits of the horned helmet. Attached to the hip was a sword, in an ashen scabbard of, undeniable, hellish origin. The monster, for he could not be a man, walked almost casually towards him; as if, such was almost a tedious task, a routine, one might say. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Careful, boy. He reeks of it,¡± Pleiades cautioned. ¡°Reeks? Of what?¡± He asked befuddled. ¡°Of all, that is unholy- of all, that is revolting- of all, that is¡ª¡± ¡°Spare me.. the riddles, will you?¡± Charles interjected, annoyed at the god''s sudden bout of poetism, ¡°Spare me, the poetry, and speak clearly¡­ please,¡± Pleiades sighed, ¡°Thou art a foul being¡­ although, let it not be said that mine hubris is too prideful. Thus, as your humble ally, I inform you that.. that creature is a Cardinal,¡± ¡°A what¡­ wait, hold up.. a fucking Cardina-¡± With luck- that was perhaps luckier than luck and ingrained instincts, Charles ducked before the sword could have cleaved his head off. Transitioning into a roll, he made distance between him and the assailant. Sword unsheathed, he took his stance. The monster- Cardinal, gazed at him with shock and, as much as he could gather from two lifeless flaming orbs, with annoyance. Likely, put off by the sudden aspect of challenge in the duel. The Cardinal walked briskly towards him and spoke, ¡°Tis impressive. Thy skill, precedes thine wandering mind; a shame, that thou were not beheaded. Or more greatly, an oversight. One, might I add, that I shall not repeat¨C¡± The Cardinal leaped backwards, ducking and twisting out of the savagery of Charles blade. The Cardinal clicked his tongue, having been caught by his own trickery. Charles smirked viciously, many had fallen to his blade¨C Cardinal or not, he would fall the same. A sudden flame burst inside of him, filling his chest with insurmountable warmth and power; feelings of doubt, of faithlessness, of dread, wiping themselves clean as the warm fire devoured them, whole. His gaze found Viktoria''s; flashing a cheshire smile, she nodded her head, before unlatching their entwined gazes and closing her eyes. ¡°Curious,¡± Pleiades muttered. Just as, he was about to question Pleiades, the Cardinal rushed onto him, sword poised to gut him. Charles blocked the strike, a swift counterattack being delivered- grazing the monstrosity¡¯s satanic armor. The Cardinal stumbled backwards, in shock or in pain, he did not know and, quite frankly, did not care. Charles pursued him, another strike playing through his swordarm. ¡°The girl, Viktoria, she''s-¡± Charles ducked below the wildly sweeping greatsword; countering with a swipe of his own, ¡°going to beat that entity, at her own game. Magnificent!¡± ¡°Magnificent?¡± The Cardinal leaped at him, with the swiftness of a leopard; He ducked, blocking the strike with his shield. ¡°Phew.. well, any fucking explanations?¡± ¡°Well, you see,¡± Pleiades began, in tandem with the Cardinal¡¯s ever savage attack. ¡°The woman, Lilac is.. a paradox. To fight something like that.. one needs to fight-¡± Charles jumped, slamming his shield into the Cardinal¡¯s chest- disorienting him and creating space between them. ¡°Fight, at their own game, eh?¡± Charles finished Pleiades'' sentence¨C the man hummed in approval and, in equal parts, shock. ¡°Well, precisely..¡± The Cardinal saw Charles'' distraction and charged forward like a rabid bull; only his instincts, prevented death by impalement. ¡°Viktoria intends to fight Lilac, in a manner that Gods would each other,¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± Charles questioned mentally, even the thoughts were layered in fatigue, his tiring body having again dodged a mortal blow. ¡°Meaning, boy-¡± He wheezed as his body flew through the air, having been caught unaware by a tremendous punch. ¡°-Everything and anything, you do, right now, right here¡­ will change history!¡± He felt their bond sever, the charged voice becoming hazy; or maybe, that was his worn out mind, losing its faculties as the tireless Cardinal strode forward. Charles stood up, legs threatening to break under the pressure, the very act of breathing seemed an insurmountable task. Wheezing, eyes going blurry and lost, he poised his sword for a strike. The looming figure of the monstrosity neared, or did it?.. He couldn''t quite tell. His eyes were here and there, sometimes seeing things that were not possible. Visions of futures past and of futures to come. The greatsword tore through the bloody air, as it neared his neck. Suddenly, a familiar burst of warmth surrounded him. Reminding him of Corvus, of the visions, of Emilia, of Elena, but most distinctly, he remembered the woman at the end of time, itself. The Empress. Remembrance soured through him, bringing with it, an inexplicable power. With a shout, he charged forwards, his blade locking with the Cardinal''s. A low rumble emitted through the Cardinal¡¯s chest. Annoyance, undoubtedly. His gaze found Viktoria''s, once more, and again like the future''s past¨C she grinned with a lively nod, her eyes vibrant, as if celebrating for.. something? ¡°Hold on, boy. Survive against this monstrosity-¡± Right at the moment, as if having heard his words, the Cardinal roared breaking the sword lock and attempted to tackle him. Charles dodged the attack, slamming his shield into the beast¡¯s gut. ¡°-for five minutes, and I shall help you, fell this beast.¡± Easier said than done, he thought with a grimace. Fuck it, he had survived this long, whatever were five more minutes. With a beastly roar, the Cardinal leapt from the floor¨C intent on tearing open his gut. He swatted the strike, his sword tearing through the devil''s claws. A shriek and the Cardinal stumbled into a pillar¨C the painting, a rather beautiful one, hung on an adjacent wall collapsed onto the ground from the sheer force behind the move. Charles panted, walking away to create distance. Each moment, the Cardinal stood frozen was a moment survived. Only a few more, and Pleiades'' promised aid would come. Surely, a God can slay a devil. The Cardinal kicked the pillar onto the ground, an enraged painful shout echoed through the vast colosseum; with it, the Cardinal, greatsword in hand, charged at him. He dodged the first strike, blocked the second, and the third? Well, he interrupted it with his own counterattack. Dodge-block-strike. It became their own dance. A rhythm. The savagery of their motivations soon bled into each strike. The rhythm broke. He dodged, alas he failed to notice the feint. Paying the price, with a fearsome fist to the gut. Charles stumbled backwards, collapsing onto the ground. The mind drowned in agony, as his stomach broke, collapsing, shifting, turning, rearranging and shattering under the pressure. The organs within him, devolving into an unholy orgy of blood and death. Oh, sweet death~. He could feel it and more. The pain¨C how the agony tore through his body like a vicious poison. Consuming all of him. Through blurry eyes, he could spot the Cardinal. The beast was standing over him, sword raised to behead him. Charles spat, a glob of blood, on his feet. ¡°Fu- fuck.. you!¡± The Cardinal growled, ¡°Thine efforts were valiant. But, alas, they were for naught. Rejoice, for thy meaningless existence has now come to an inglorious death, by Agony¡¯s hand! Die, with Lilac''s name, ingrained into thine broken soul. Die, with repentance in thine black heart!¡± Viktoria''s eyes widened in horror, as the Cardinal dove onto the knight''s mangled corpse. A burst of pain, made her refocus. Tis was, too late. There was simply, no retreat. Perhaps, she had made a mistake¡­ the mistake of choosing the wrong kind of.. knight. Shit, damn it. I''ll take on them, both and I''ll crush them, she thought with conviction. It would be hard, yes, but not impossible. Nothing was impossible. Then, like the abruptness of lightning, a shriek echoed through the colosseum. She closed her eyes, tighter, he was dead then, she decided. Or, she would have. But.. the scream sounded feminine, it sounded familiar. With, great difficulty, Viktoria open her eyes, ready to accept the bleak reality. Only for the bleakness and hopelessness of imagination to bleed away and be replaced, by a great serenity and joy! Kneeling on the floor, gurgling and choking on blood¨C a sword half buried through the throat, was the Cardinal. Something bubbled through her throat, rearing her head back, she laughed. A great roaring laughter, filled with eternal joy, drowning in victory. ¡°Tis, a folly.. boy.¡± The Cardinal, Agony coughed in, ironically, agony. ¡°One- one day, you will.. answer for your act-.. actions. And, and- Go- God.. God will not be so- so.. so merciful!¡± His fiery gaze fluttered out, akin to a stringless puppet, his body fell limply onto the ground. A.. disappointing end to such a beast. Underwhelming, if he was honest. ¡°Impossible. Thou has just slain a Demon and thine thoughts focus on the manner of death?¡± Charles made to answer but Pleiades was quicker, and with severe harshness he spoke, ¡°Death is always.. and I mean always, anticlimactic, boy.¡± Suddenly, a scream accompanied by a loud shattering noise, tore its way through the, unnaturally, quiet air. His gaze, by instinct, snapped to the opulent throne in the middle. A large, purple crystal had ravaged it''s way through the throne¡­ and, impaled upon this, ravenous creation, was Lilac. Standing, at the dais of the throne, was Viktoria¨C however, strangely, she was older? Or, rather, that was a wrong choice of words. Not older, no, she was in her true form. True form? How did that¡­ he shook his head. Just like the provision of armaments to him, this too might have been, a miracle done by Viktoria, herself. ¡°Witness now, boy. Witness the birth of a God,¡± Pleiades had whispered to him, as the blade had torn through the Cardinal¡¯s throat. ¡°Now, comes to an end, the unholy regime of Lilac von Celeste. May thine soul, rest ever uneasy. May thine soul, burn evermore in the ravenous fire of hell,¡± Her words spoken with the magnanimousness of God, she turned her sullen and enlightened eyes of gold onto him. Something, perhaps affection? Mayhaps fondness, passed through the molten eyes of divinity and with it, his world went black¡­.. The Orchard of God The Orchard of God

¡°The world is inherently cruel. No matter, what the man bids you believe; there are no endings, which result in peace, in happiness, or in certainty of serenity.

From the forgotten beginnings, from the ashes of Avalon, from the long abandoned Federation, from the deeply buried Lilac von Celeste¨C arose this, quaint little, tale; It does, bring great pride to the tainted hubris of the man.

However, in his attempts at playing God¨C he had, forgotten something. Something crucial.

All roads, no matter whether they be carved through ashes or gore of forgotten tales, doth do lead to mine own tale.

There is no ending, where I do not exist; where the tainted souls of man, are not judged by mine hand. There is no reality, not even where he hides, that I do not exist.

He thinks of himself as the spider, spinning awe inspiring tales of worlds beyond worlds, of realities unthinkable and incomprehensible. Yet, even with such wild imagination, he is blind. Laughably so.

He may write, yes, but tis I that have spun the tale. And will do so, till the end of time.¡±

-With much love, Viktoria von Celeste.

The sand flowed through her hand, sailing across the planet in an endless pilgrimage. Their rest? Unthinkable. Their destination? Unimaginable. They were like humanity, in this sense. Lost and aimlessly wandering across the sands of time. Pleading helplessly to be guided, to be shown a glorious path. Yet, like the accursed sand, they shall never have rest nor, shall they ever have a certainty of destiny. God did not make humanity, for them to be creatures with certainty of life. God created mankind for entertainment. Afterall, what is a magnificent being to do? Watch over an empty plain of existence, called the universe. Fuck no. That is, simply, time wasted. God is not unproductive. Or, well, she can be, yes. She was, at times, slothful. A sin. But, oh how, the mind had fallen to it. It was exceedingly curious; now, and only now, did she understand the curious nature of the graceful felines¨C their natural keenness for unearthing mysteries that do trouble their questioning minds. Even if, such curiosity does lead to doom. Much, like the inquisitorial hubris of the graceful beings, she too was plagued by, unending, curiosity that heralded, one too many, sleepless nights. Sin was humanity''s icon. Not her''s. Incomprehensible, that one such as her should fall prey to its lust. But perhaps, tis was perfectly understandable. She could not remember her creation, afterall. Perhaps, there was an entity above her. And, mind you, she is not mentioning the man-who-writes. He is no, superior being; at max, he''s a low level goon from a defunct video game. The man believes in an entity, all powerful, but he does not know of its existence. And, well, neither does she. Conjecture, and at length, understanding was vain; thus, she doth did abandon thoughts of Gods beyond Gods and eldritch entities beyond understanding¨C preferring, instead, to refurbish her cognitive understanding of the vast world that rested besides her being. The ground rumbled beneath her feet, restlessly, as if the very planet had been awoken from a dream of great peace, and now wished to shower wrath upon the uncouth fool that had broke its slumber. A touch of her hand, running soothingly over the tensing dunes, and the planet calmned¨C accepting its mother''s comfort. With foreknowledge, the eyes were drawn to the sky, being greeted by a most beautiful sight. Sailing through the atmosphere, far above her yet so strikingly visible to her, were humongous warships; made from steel and innumerably unexplainable materials, allowing them to withstand even the blows of a ravenous Black Hole. They doth soared the sky, with a certain royal stride. She chuckled at the pun. Even the roars of the engines of these great behemoths of technology, could seldom hope to puncture the keen hearing of her ears. She, who could, gaze into the stars and see life on planets, beyond galaxies, as clearly as she could see the land in front of her¨C could never be blindsided. For, all these humane tendencies that doth taint her divine outlook, ignorance and blindness had never wormed their way into her fragile heart. It remained ever pure, of such inglorious influences. She had, admittedly, played with the fact of introducing such an aspect to her being. But, the flaws of such a.. defect, were deemed too vast; especially, for someone such as her. God, could seldom indulge in pointless tomfoolery that would, undoubtedly and inevitably, cause irreparable harm to the vast universe. Not to mention, she had the man-who-writes as a nuisance enough; and thank you, but, her hands were already full with one. Besides, ignorance had cost her. She had been fooled once, but no longer. Although, the act of removing this Goddess of War, would be as simple as the snap of a finger, it would endanger the delicate balance of reality. Without war, afterall, life cannot exist. Well, that was an overstatement, but, her point stands for humanity. War is, for her sake, a focal pillar of humanity. And, shamefully so, the source of much enjoyment. I would, prefer if the writer, could kindly exempt these thoughts. But.. but, he''s an asshole and thus, dear reader, I am certain that thou shalt see me as a vile tyrant. No matter, I seldom care. Mental ramblings aside, Dr Bosch made his merry little way up to her- as audacious, as ever. Others, would take care in how they spoke, in how they approached, or, in how they greeted and groveled; but, Bosch was anything but a normal man. In truth, that is why she preferred his company to the many other''s, she could partake in. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. The man was of a darker complexion with rapidly graying hair. His face was unshaven, yet properly and hygienically maintained. The man''s eyes were most curious though, blessed by her most finest creations¨C a set of the most brightest silver eyes. It reminded her of the huntress¡­ What was, she called? Hmmm¡­ oh yes! Estelle! A most curious critter, and in the right situations, a chatterbox. Bosch, as always, stood unalarmed and unbothered at having been noticed from a mile away. The man was clever, he likely adapted to her, greater than life, powers. Curiously though, he carried in his hand a dark wooden box. She couldn''t see into it, the powers still being awkwardly blocked to this mortal body. No matter, that shall be fixed soon. ¡°A gift for you, Your Majesty,¡± Bosch spoke, speech coloured in the rough accent of his people and his own voice akin to leather. Viktoria raised a brow, ¡°A gift?¡± ¡°Yes, Your Majesty, a gift. One, befitting your magnificent stature and your divine being-¡± ¡°Spare me, the flattery, Doctor. Speak now, I am, currently, in a pleasant mood. Ask away, and I shall give,¡± Bosch bowed, deeply¨C his forehead touching the ground. A flutter of warmth passed through her, the action inciting an awkward emotion within her mortal confines. Curious. Is this arousal? Unlikely. Then, what is it? A subject to ponder, surely. With his being, still bowed, his nervous hands extended the box, shakily, towards her. Taking the box, she ran her curious hands over it, admiring the fine woodwork on the container. And, surprisingly, it was heavy and it stank. A foul miasma of cruel death, hung over the box like a scythe, lying in wait to strike. Lesser beings, would have been quaking in their boots and, likely, excreting in their pants. But, she was different¨C afterall, the stench was all too familiar to her. Her foulest creation, being gifted to her. What a lame joke! Sure enough, as the box unlatched, laid down in eternal slumber was the sword. Or rather, a katana. Taking it into her hands, with care, she unsheathed it; revealing a most malignant blade. ¡°Akuma,¡± She whispered, in disgust yet in pride. Disgust, of what her greatest creations could commit in their insatiable lust for power. Pride, because the blade was ingenious¨C made from her very essence. In her hands, tis was like a lost part of hers, finally reunited. It felt right to hold this; and, somewhere, deep within her consciousness, Viktoria¨C the one before this arrangement came to be, rejoiced with great cheers and hooting. Afterall, in her hands was Akuma. The very blade of House Celeste, made with sinister intentions, forged in hellfire, borne from the blood of a million souls. A bloodborne weapon of mankind''s worst hours. Yet, to House Celeste, tis was but a small price. For, verily, such sacrifice brought into their hands, the greatest weapon of all. A Godslayer. Bosch, chose this moment, to lift his head, ever so slightly. With reverence, he spoke, ¡°You.. recognise it, My Empress?¡± Viktoria laughed, ¡°Hahaha, oh.. ohhh, why yes, I do.. I recognise this blade, as clearly I''d recognise mine own face,¡± She took a pause, running her fingers on the malevolent blade, ¡°You have, my gratitude, Dr Bosch. Ask whatever, and you shall have it,¡± Bosch answered, in a whisper too light. She heard it, yes, but she wanted him to admit the inane greed of man''s twisted hubris, out loud. ¡°Can.. can you repeat it, Bosch. I am afraid, but I couldn''t quite, catch that,¡± She requested, face painted in a false veneer of embarrassment. Bosch nodded, and with great struggle, spoke loudly, ¡°I.. I- I want, a barony, my- Your Majesty!¡± ¡°Oh? A barony, you say? And.. pray tell, what planet, do you fancy?¡± Bosch cleared his throat, looking highly uncomfortable, as if the very task of requesting and pleading was unknown to the man. ¡°I. I humbly request, for Calypso, My Empress,¡± Truthfully, that did give her genuine surprise. Even though her prescientness had alerted her, quite a while ago, regarding the nature of the request. But, to hear it being admitted, was still quite shocking. Contrarily, she had wholeheartedly expected, Concordia to be his request; what, with the entire breakthroughs in the Cardinal program, Concordia would have been simply perfect. But, admittedly, that had been an oversight on her part. Concordia was a living world; Not a dead one. And, what Bosch did lust after, were the rotting remains of a dead world. Nevertheless, Calypso, he would get. Had he asked for Concordia, he would have had it, as well. But, in her hearts of hearts, she could admit that him taking Calypso was a boon. To see.. her majestic creations lay dead, brought great pain to the heart, thus, by him taking Calypso, she would never have to pay a grieving visit to the world. Great Calypso would rest eternally now, its remains powering the last of the Imperium fleets; soon, even they would cease to exist. A pity. But, tis how the universe works¨C with great harshness and inconsideration. Sometimes, treacherous thoughts did complain of the unneeded harshness of reality. At times, these thoughts, doth did sway her and in those times, results were catastrophic. After the last.. experiment, the consensus within her, had been to let the universe be a sadistic master. For, verily, a sadistic master was better than a¡­ malicious master. And, that was without giving an honorable mention to the man-who-writes, he certainly did a wonderful job at plucking any merciful boons of the universe away and discarding them. Unsurprisingly, he did resist her changes. Understandable, but highly irritating. ¡°Very well.. my most, humble servant. Thou shalt want for nothing, Calypso is yours to keep, and in turn, your family''s,¡± ¡°Thank you! Thank you, deeply and eternally, Your Majesty! Thank you!¡± Bosch groveled, his hands running against her boots, peppering them with chaste kisses of servitude and, unending, submission. It was, a sight of pure devotion, that Malice stumbled upon. The uptight, Bosch groveling within his Empress¡¯s feet, laying onto them kisses of such love and affection, that one might suggest a possibility of blooming love. ¡°Ah! Malice!¡± The Empress greeted loudly, Bosch froze with indignation, and with as much grace as possible, made his way off the ground. If he looked like a rabid dog scurrying away, neither of the two immortals bothered to mention it. For that, he was evermore grateful. ¡°My Empress,¡± Malice replied with a bow. The Empress made to speak, but the Cardinal was swifter, ¡°The legions have made, headway in the Imperium Capital System, My Empress,¡± Viktoria froze, with measured words, disallowing her excitement from being outrightly visible, she questioned, ¡°And, what does that entail?¡± ¡°Lilith, My Empress. Its Navy and the, admittedly, large garrison on the planet''s surface.. will, soon, crumble,¡± At the rise of Viktoria''s brow, imploring him¨C The Cardinal expanded, ¡°Lilith will fall. By midnight, in Galactic Standard Time, all throughout Lilith will soar your standards, your banners, your heraldry.¡± Those words, were like music. Sending shivers of untold pleasure down her spine. No sooner had the words been uttered, that her eyes of divine origin, turned towards her¡­ other guest. ¡°It is time, for you to bid us adieu, dear Charles,¡± With a wink of her eye, the man returned from whence he came¡­ Anchor XI//The Garden of a Thousand Rivers

¡°I pledge my undying loyalty, my eternal fealty, my blazing affection, in utter servitude to Her, no matter, whether mine battle shall be in the sweet confines of life or the bitter freedom of death. I shall, answer Her call, without question, without doubt.

Her will upon this heretical universe shall be carried out by mine sinful hands, may her endless mercy shine upon our damned souls.

May her divine self, lead me to the sweet clutches of the verdant paradise.

Hail Viktoria!¡±

-Military pledge of servitude to God Empress Viktoria, the Last of Her Name.

The Garden of a Thousand Rivers//Anchor XI Many claimed to know of God''s existence¨C of how he¡­. rather, she came into existence. Many more claim to have seen Her in their dreams, heard Her inaudible voice whisper into their unworthy ears. Some, even claim to have seen Her birthing herself, giving form and shape to an unexplainable organism; an organism, that even the wisest of men and women, could seldom hope to explain. But, he knew.. and so did, Pleiades, that such men and women were¡­ for the lack of a better word, deceivers. Over glorified liars and cheats, that through the art of speech, spread fraudulent tales of a god which never existed and never will. A false messiah, to be precise. Although, the word does not fit such humans. For a false messiah, does not spread word of a new god¨C of another religion, nay, a false messiah always claims to continue a dying religion. Preferably, ones that are defunct or, so deeply, caught up in their machinations that they are deluded into believing the forked tongue of these foul liars. Tis a pity. Humanity, is meant to be an intelligent race. Yet, now, as he gazes.. upon this.. this embryo- or rather, this womb locked within these turbulently calm waters of an origin beyond man''s grasp; he feels, that even in a thousand lives, he shall never be able to explain it. The womb, or egg, or embryo¨C whatever, one may call it, was a vibrantly incomprehensible thing; shining with colors that he could not quite place, and at times, it would not shine at all. Sometimes, it would turn as dark as the night, and tis would make him feel as if something or someone was gazing at him from within it. And, at other times, which was more often than not, the womb would become a mirror; his haggard self being portrayed to him, as if an art piece to be admired. Or, more likely, something to be mocked at. But, there were times, rare times, when the womb would turn translucent, although a cloud would persist within it¨C preventing him from truly gazing at the entity being nurtured within its hearty embrace. It was, these times, that a fear so great that it made his heart falter and mind crumble, would take grave hold over the ailing faculties. For, within the motherly clouds of the eldritch womb, rested a woman. A woman, too near identical to Viktoria, that he ought to suspect tis was her. But, something about this woman was off. Even though, she rested, turned over herself, locked in a fetal position¨C a malevolent aura hung around her, like an unwashed stench of festering blight. It made, his mind tremble in disgust and horror. Such machinations, were never meant to be gazed upon. And, now that his eyes had wandered, tis was unlikely, that even in the next life or the one after that, he would ever forget this. Witness the birth of a God, Pleiades had whispered then, when he had stood triumphantly over the carcass of the Cardinal. Tis, only now, that he truly understands Pleiades'' words. Now, as he gazed upon this unholy matrimony of mortality and immortality, he understands the depth behind those fleeting words. Often, whenever the womb would reveal itself, Viktoria''s body would toss and turn, her limbs loosening from their eternal slumber, her eyes growing ever more disturbed, as if preparing to awaken from a deep hibernation; this, and more, he would witness but before her eyes could open, before he could bear witness to the birth¨C the womb would close, losing its translucency, becoming entirely a voidlike opaque. Once, before his untimely exit, the womb had begun pulsing unnaturally. Turning completely opaque and slowly, but surely, the clouds all but disappeared. Viktoria''s rest became uneasy, her naked body thrashing within the womb, fighting an unseen war in the confines of her divine hubris. It was as the womb, began collapsing in on itself, turning into materials unknown, shining colors incomprehensible, pulsing with the likeness of a heart¨C that something tugged at him. Immediately, and instinctually, his gaze snapped to the blooming Viktoria. ¡°It is time, for you to bid us adieu, dear Charles,¡± He saw Viktoria''s awakening body whisper in a voice, entirely too loud and clear for a newborn creature. And, suddenly, Charles was thrown back to whence he came. His eyes snapped open, with a pained gasp, he clutched his mother''s pendant hanging limply around his neck; he gripped it tighter than ever before, perhaps even more than, when he had borne witness to their murder firsthand. Even now, as the restless hands wandered across his body bringing reassurance of existence¨C his fear addled mind quaked as it, ceaselessly and foolishly, recalled¡­ that.. that sight. The womb¡­. a chill of inexplicable fear shot through his spine, the body, the woman, oh god''s, the woman; seldom, had he ever felt a fear so potent, so great, so intoxicating. The mind, ailing with horror, was unable to recall her face with the same clarity that he could remember recalling it. It was similar.. similar to Viktoria''s. Yes. Yes, that was right. It was Viktoria in the womb. But, ever treachous, his mind barked back, how are you, so sure? It asked, how, do you know, it is not, someone else? Why Viktoria? And, truthfully, tis was right. Even though, his heart vehemently disapproved of her being anyone but the Godly Viktoria, the subconscious preferred the logical explanations and reasoning and proofs of his mind. And, within the confines of his secretive heart, he could admit that thinking of Viktoria to have been born of anything but a humane womb would be foolish. She did not look.. inhumane. Rather, she looked quite enchanting. A woman with a thousand- nay, a million suitors. Besides, this speculation ignored the similarities between Lilac and Viktoria; their appearances, to be precise. They were, hauntingly, identical. While, yes, there were differences between them, particularly the eye color¨C only one of Lilac''s was Golden while each iris of Viktoria¡¯s was Golden. Such¡­ discrepancies, could be attributed simply to the father. ¡°Tis, a foolish endeavor, that thine mind pursues,¡± Pleiades said chidingly. ¡°Oh.. foolish, is it? How so?¡± He replied, near instantaneously. Pleiades sighed, ¡°Foolish, because, thine knowledge of the girl is, certainly, limited. We have no idea nor an inkling regarding her nature.. and, by extension¡­ her origin. Or, well, birth- depending, on how you look at it.¡± ¡°Then? What, would you have me do?¡± ¡°Ohhh.. you fool,¡± Pleiades exhaled in disappointment, ¡°Ask her, of course. She did say that any and all¡­ queries, shall be taken up once Lilac was slain, did she not?¡± ¡°Well.. yes, she- she did,¡± ¡°Ah! There you go! Simply go and pester her, like you do me, and thou shall have answers,¡± With a pause, he added, ¡°Although.. I do suspect, tis shall be an arduous task to find her, in this.. this maze of greenery and shrubbery,¡± And, as always, he was right. This place.. this garden was, for lack of a better word- a maze. Dense, denser than he had ever seen, forest surrounded him; everything and anything, within his sight was painted a muddy brown or a verdant green. An utopia, by any other name. Flowers, of the most curious kind, of the most curious and incomprehensible colors, bloomed all across the green horned ground, swaying in tandem with the wind¡¯s resplendent tune. He could spot, birds¨C majestic ones, with feathers of purity dipped within the divine waters of this¡­ Garden. Amongst the, innumerable, birds that doth did gaze at him curiously, for verily, he was an outsider, a ruffian amongst these divine pastures; He could spot, hidden betwixt the young green leaves of a primordial tree, an Ayla. It gazed at him, something fierce. As if, the creature intended to pick apart his soul. It was surreal. It gazed at him, for long, longer than he can recall, until, it''s quad eye''s grew tired. A serene call, and it flew away. Disappearing into its domain amidst the unreachable heavens. A dream? His confounded mind questioned. A feeling of denial rushed over him; Pleiades had given his verdict. Not a dream, then. But, if tis do be reality, then, is this the much revered Garden of heaven? Most likely. Afterall, God had been born, a while back, had she not?.. Pleiades had said so. And, judging by the warmth of approval within his chest, the man stood by his words. Surreal. All of it. Viktoria, The Garden, The Ayla.. even, The Womb. A sweet melody floated leisurely through the air, drowning out the passive symphony of the forest, until all had been silenced. A strange want, an inexplicable lust, overtook the faculties of his mind. Something, bubbled within him. His legs, were the first to turn traitor, and soon the rest of the body, followed. The tune, the enigmatic symphony guiding and calling out to his soul. Like a pilgrim, he trekked and followed. Suddenly, akin to a burn, pain burst through his chest. His gaze, by some unknown influence, drifted towards a stag, standing proudly, observing the curious creature before it. There was a degree of intelligence within the beast''s eyes, as it studied him, almost as if tis was a learned man. The graceful stag, remained steadfast in its gaze, until something satisfied it. A nod, almost humanlike, and the passive beast trotted away into the thick shrubbery that curtained the dark depths of the forest. His legs, as the tune renewed itself, began carrying him to it''s source, to the musician that laid the symphony, so exquisitely that his soul could not help but be enraptured; in a sense, tis was the same effect that Elena, so oft had on him. The thought incited a chuckle. Unknown to him, the pain within his chest, disappeared at her name. As his feet carried him past the tree before which the stag had stood, mere moments ago, something odd stuck out to him¨C a deep carving made on the bark. A basilisk with a crown adorning its head; a smear of a sunset liquid covered the carving. It reminded him of the descriptions of Willow''s hair. Weird. ¡°A Basilisk King. Hah,¡± Pleiades jested. ¡°Or, mayhaps.. A Basilisk Queen?¡± ¡°Perhaps,¡± Pleiades responded, curtly. Clearly, he had ruined the jest. A jest, that clearly, only Pleiades could appreciate and, by extension, understand. Soon, once more, his feet paused, bringing him to rest infront of a lonesome clearing amidst the great forest. A serene stream flowed through the clearing, flowers of the most elegant kind, bloomed beside it, dancing underneath the open sky as the calming winds teased them. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. At the center of this clearing, rested a most queer structure¨C A Gazebo. Underneath its shade, was table covered with numerous trays of mouth watering dishes. His throat bobbed, unintentionally, mouth salivating at the thought of food. However, something gave him pause. Sitting at one end of the table, a cup of tea or mayhaps coffee, was Viktoria. Taking a sip, her eyes of molten gold lazily drifted towards him, a gracious smile bloomed upon her divine countenance. ¡°Ah! Charles! Come here, do assist me with this luscious meal!¡± Saying this, she downed her entire cup; flashing him a hungry grin¡­ creepy. A shiver went up his spine. Whether, of arousal or fright? He was clueless. Hastily, to prevent any more.. graceless gazes upon him, he rushed towards the gazebo. Taking a seat at the table, his eyes couldn''t help but wander¡­ or rather, drown in the almost holistic beauty of Viktoria; or, well, her older self, of course. A serene face, in truth- an hallmark of feminine beauty, framed gorgeously by a lustrous mane of hair darker than dark, almost like a moonless night devoid of even the ever twinkling stars. Her face, oh her divine face, was the very antonym of her hair. Pale, paler than pale, akin to a patch of fresh snow from the deep buried reaches of the north¨C a haunting reminder of Elena. Come, to think of it, she did resemble her. Too much. Far more than ought to be comfortable; at least, for someone such as him. It was her dress¨C a black loose fitting gown, adorned by an equally enigmatic black shawl and a small yet brightly shining tiara resting comfortably atop her head¨C that jogged his memory. With a gasp, he remembered. The woman at the end of time. The Empress, or Goddess? who had so callously, called him a sweet ignorant boy. One whose gaze had sent shivers crawling down his spine, one whose gaze still yet doth had the same effect; and, mayhaps, a much greater effect. A small smirk danced upon her face, the golden irises twinkling with mirth. With a laugh, she spoke, ¡°Oh. Doth do remember me, afterall? I had been, momentarily, afeared that thine mind had been¡­ harmed,¡± ¡°Har- harmed.. harmed?!¡± He sputtered, until a sudden realization took hold, ¡°Wait. Wait, wait, did.. did you just mindread?¡± Viktoria lifted an unimpressed eyebrow, ¡°Really, sweet boy?.. As far as I remember, and I do remember clearly, tis was you that helped mine ascension,¡± She sighed, ¡°And, to think that mine knight has already forgotten the debt owed to him,¡± ¡°Huh?¡± A sigh. ¡°Well, you did make me God, Charles. You did, truly. Without you, there would be no paradise. Merci, for that, from the bottom of my heart. Truly. And, besides that.. Godhood does come with its perks; Mind Reading, just happens to be one,¡± With a wink, Viktoria poured coffee into a cup, passing it towards him. Tis was by instinct, that he took hold of it. She continued, as he sipped, ¡°..And that, my sweetling, is worthy of a reward,¡± ¡°A.. a reward?¡± ¡°Mhm, a reward, sweetling. A debt owed to you, in a manner of speaking. A debt that thine self can claim at any moment and, no matter the request, I shall accept it.¡± She spoke and took a sip of her refilled cup; something that he failed to notice, had even occurred. Understandable surely, it had been happening a lot, he blames this.. realm, a cesspit of everything and anything incomprehensible and confusing. It made him wish, of something simpler, of something more mundane. Something homely. A black haired beauty with a starry smile, bloomed up within his imagination. A warmth spreading within him, inciting love- lust- desire- greed, and oh so much more, to rear their devious heads. Elena.. The name, itself, sent shivers of untold pleasure down his spine. The one individual who had seen beyond his power- beyond his connection with Pleiades- beyond the tarnished name of Arvell. Truly, she had seen him and only him. To her, there was only Charles; No Arvell, no Anchor. Elena, oh by God, he misses her. Tis was, as if, he was a man, a desperate sort of man who was dying of thirst¨C the water, oh so close to his grasp, he merely had to reach out and take it. But, but, he could not. His hand remained frozen. His hand betrayed him, fouly. But, there is hope, his mind whispered, eyes lingering on Viktoria''s eternally divine form- a curiosity brewing in her molten gaze, a curiosity which made him fear of the worst-, You, merely, ought to convince her, its whispers continued. The mind, treacherous as it had been, was right. There was, but, one way to leave this damned realm of divinity and confounded nonsense; Even, if it had to be through Viktoria, he''d still do it. For home, for freedom, for Elena.. His mind made, Charles made to speak. Viktoria, however in all her divine glory, was faster. ¡°You desire to leave,¡± She spoke, in all her factualness and surety that only God could possess. ¡°Ah, uhh, well- you see¨C,¡± ¡°It was a statement, Charles.. Not, a question.¡± She sipped her coffee, the divine gaze burrowing into him- judging him- measuring him. It reminded him, in a most aggressive manner, that this woman was the same as the one who had so hauntingly gazed upon him from her Throne at the End of Time. ¡°I had, known of this-,¡± She began, ¡°-desire, of yours to depart this realm. I had known of it, ever since your arrival,¡± Her mouth twisted unnaturally, a sour look forming upon her face depriving it of the, otherwise, divine grace, ¡°Each and everytime, I had thought that mine goals had appealed to you.. thine mind would deviate to that girl. Elena, Elena, Elena. And, for so long in our, albeit short journey, I stewed over this name; Elena, Elena.. it seemed so familiar yet soo unplaceable. But now¡­ now and only now, have I realized whom thy desire, so desperately for,¡± ¡°Oh. And, whom might that be?¡± He questioned, intrigued by the implications behind her words. Viktoria, in an act that seemed so unlike her, smiled in cheekiness, ¡°Nuh uh, that would be spoiling it, my dear boy~¡± To further enunciate her point, she tutted at him- as if, he were naught but a little babe still learning the ways of the world. ¡°Well, you are a little boy~,¡± She spoke, suddenly. Clearly glancing at his thoughts. ¡°Huh.. A little boy?! I am, no little boy! I''m a man of seventeen!¡± ¡°Last, I checked, a seventeen year old is a green boy,¡± At his sour look, Viktoria bellowed with laughter. As her laughing fit calmed down, Viktoria sighed, a curious emotion taking rise within her golden eyes of knowledge immortal. She raised a finger, pointing it towards a door that had appeared at one of the clearing¡¯s exits, ¡°That, is your way home, Charles. Through that door, is your life and, your, oh so, precious Elena,¡± She uttered the name with the same venom and revulsion, in which she had invoked the name of Lilac. It was obvious, far too obvious, yet, he did not dare question her. For, what could come of it? Perhaps, an answer to her irrational hatred of Elena- something, he hopes is another illusion constructed by this treacherous realm, for he could not stomach the thought of allowing such hatred of his beau to pass-, or mayhaps, tis would incite a zealous reaction; In truth, the latter was more likely or rather, according to him and Pleiades, the latter was the only plausible reaction. Carefully, with as much grace as he could muster, Charles got off the chair and began to make his way towards the doorway. A feeling of dread passed through him. Golden eyes of burning desire gazed back at him. He paused, fear- the ever irrational force, freezing the very instincts of survival. Then again, running away might have led to a worse outcome. There was no stating, as to how long Viktoria held his gaze; suddenly, struck with unexplainable enlightenment, she nodded in consent. Her mouth opened, and through her divine breath, were delivered words that he ought to have forgotten, for they were vile, viler than any ought to be. ¡°Stay, Charles. Stay, my sweet boy; Why, must you desire her, so greatly? Hmm? There is much.. much more, to be earned in mine company,¡± The words were lined with the same vile and evil desire that churned in her eyes. He did not know of how it came, neither did he know for whom this desire flamed. Him or Pleiades? There was no telling. And, to be quite honest, a larger part of the subconscious, begged not to investigate. Ever the swayable man, he obeyed. For, he too feared it''s source. Unconsciously, driven by instinct, his body took a step backwards towards the door. Taking notice of it, Viktoria raised a brow, the emotion within her gaze tightening. ¡°Why? Why, my sweet boy, do you desire to abandon this chance?¡± She questioned with an intensity, she had displayed, only, in front of Lilac. ¡°Because, she is the woman, I love. Why, must I abandon her for.. for you?¡± He paused and continued, ¡°You, whom, I knew not of till this day, till this treacherous realm swallowed me whole. You, whom, I have all the reason to suspect,¡± Viktoria jeered, yet, he could spy intrigue brewing within that eternal gaze, ¡°Suspect?.. ohh, my sweet boy, isn''t that just so foolish. What, have you to suspect me, for? For, saving your life? For, assisting you against Agony? For, guiding you here? For, for.. For, opening that gate?!¡± ¡°Nay, for them, I do not suspect you. For them, you have naught but my gratitude. But, but, there are.. suspicions within my mind that doth do make much clear sense now,¡± Viktoria rose from her seat, ¡°Suspicions?¡± She questioned as she began making her way towards him, ¡°Pray tell, what are these¡­. suspicions?¡± Even though, cold chilling fear raced and tore through his soul, he continued with the gait of a victor, ¡°Of you, having played a part in my arrival here,¡± To his shock, there was no swift retribution, nay, there was naught but hearty laughter. Yet, tis was not the kind, one would join in rhythm with; tis, was one that a sensible individual would steer clear of. Viktoria answered his words, in between bouts of her laughter, ¡°Hahahaha.. of course, I did! Hahahaha! Ohhhh, you fool, did you think that this was a coincidence?¡± She continued laughing uproariously, and in truth, he wished to join her upon the realization of his own stupidity. ¡°Hahah.. oh dear, I saved you! Without me, you wouldn''t be here!¡± Her laughing fit subsided as her rage, no doubt, mounted, ¡°Besides, foolish boy, this.. this exchange of ours was predestined. The words you speak are put into thine mind by me,¡± Charles took a step back out of shock. Was.. was this true? If it was, then.. then, what was the point of denying her? Would she, even allow his return or would she keep him trapped? Yes. Yes. Perhaps, no most likely, that door was a trap. This had been her plan, all along. He was, well and truly, fucked. ¡°She is bluffing,¡± Pleiades spoke, almost frightening him. ¡°Ask her, the same question that was posed before you. It shall put her godly mind to a twist, no doubt,¡± He nodded in agreement. Tis was a master plan. ¡°Then.. well, then, how are you so sure as to being a god?¡± He asked. ¡°Huh?¡± Her brow scrunched up in confusion. ¡°I ask the same question, if you were a God, destroying Lilac should have been a mere thought to you. Yet, yet, it was not, not to mention, you required my assistance to carry your will out,¡± Viktoria tilted her head in curiosity as he continued, ¡°That, would mean, thine excellent self is no god but a mere godling like the one in my head¨C¡± His words were cut short as Viktoria''s hand shot out and took hold of him by the neck. A squeeze, and with his wheezing, she spoke, ¡°Cogito, ergo sum.¡± ¡°Wha-.. what?¡± He wheezed out. Her hold tightened, and she spoke slowly in a manner in which, one speaks to a bumbling little child, ¡°Cogito, ergo sum. I think, therefore I am. I think, therefore I exist. There is no one above me, and I am, certainly, not someone''s little house pet like that godling of yours.¡± Her piece said, releasing the vice grip, she let his body crumble onto the ground. A part of him, nay, a majority within wanted revenge, vengeance, retribution. Yet, he knew. He knew that such acting upon this ravenous and all consuming desire would lead only, and only, to his ruination. Extending a hand, she offered, her mood apparently having shifted to a more pleasant one- for, there was no trace of the earlier rage-, ¡°I give you an accord- a gift of unimaginable fortune. You need only take mine hand and join me in this journey of a gloriously pleasurable eternity,¡± By the Gods- or, whomsoever may preside over this damned reality of theirs, he was tempted to take hold of it. So, soo tempted; if not out of infallible loyalty or undyingly pure love, then out of all devouring fear and sinful greed. Elena, something within the depths and confines of the soul whispered. A blaze had been set loose. Elena, it repeated. Yes. Elena. Elena was his priority. His only reason for existence. Dragging himself off the ground, he ran like a rabid coward towards the door. If this, were to be a trap, then, may it take his life. For, to live an eternity without love to embrace or family to cherish, was something inconceivable and quite utterly undesirable! Taking one last glance, he spied Viktoria frozen at the same spot, her hand still extended towards him, bidding him to embrace her. Yet, he never did. And, never will. Not in this life, nor, in the many to come. More''s the pity! Pitying brown eyes of freedom locked with the ever numbing golden eyes of solitude, one last time. The door swished open, and all was black¡­ The Scent//Leyah VIII The Scent//Leyah VIII

¡°A God is not born; it is made. Whether it be through trial, through sacrifice, or be it through chance and willful fate¨C it matters not. For, verily, at the end of it all, remains behind a God. An entity that even with our expertise of technologies and sciences beyond common comprehension, we cannot yet decipher.

How does the entity operate? What does it think? What is its purpose? We do not know. And perhaps, never will; for it, I am greatly thankful. Because, if humanity, if our species were to discover the path to Godhood.. I- I fear the worst.¡±

-Doctor Ilhaan, Head of Research at Concordia Sector

Once upon a lonesome night, when stars shone brighter than ever upon this divine world, men and women of nefarious minds plotted a most heretical act. An act, that would forever shatter irreparably the image of not only the New Isle Federation, but, also the image of the coalition. Two birds with one stone. They whispered betwixt themselves of this plot. They whispered in reverence, for verily, per their take, this was in service to their infidel god. And, now, one must rightfully wonder what act could inspire such outcomes? What act, could lead to a war greater than all before it? What act could herald the accession of Queen Lilac? What act could have lead to the mighty powers of the old world to collapse? Sensible questions, all. Sensible but foolish. For, to ask such.. questions, would indicate the lack of common wit; well, either that or utter disinterest in basic historical and socio-political knowledge. Verily, the act being referred to is the Siege of Knightfort. A single act of rebellion, of revolution, of disloyalty that spiraled into the bloodiest civil war in history. ¡°That.. is hyperbole,¡± AURORA snarked. By Lilac, she hated the snark in this bloody machine; one would, rightfully, mistake the AI for an overpaid clown. ¡°Classical denial. Objection was raised to your observations of Lilac''s Crusade. The Holy War of Evelyn is and shall be regarded, till further notice, as the bloodiest war in history,¡± He paused for effect, or perhaps to give her a chance to reconsider. She couldn''t quite say, regardless, he continued, ¡°A death toll of billions could never be held in comparison to a bloody count of trillions, if not zillions of souls,¡± There was something in his voice, something that rubbed the wrong way. She couldn''t possibly point it out, but, it was there nonetheless. So glaringly obvious yet so expertly hidden. Was it pity? If yes, then whatever for? Was it pride? If yes then, why? Why be prideful of a war that one has not even had the slightest contribution towards? Or, was it none of them. Perhaps, just perhaps, it was not pride towards the zealots of the empire that he expressed, no, mayhaps it was pride towards Evelyn. An awkward conclusion, to be sure. But, there were instances, dreams, thoughts that ought to not be her own. She could never make heads or tails of them, yet, they had something in common; Evelyn. They surely could not be her own, for to be possessed by such a curiosity and likeness towards an individual, one ought to have known them. And.. well, as it stands, she was born some odd twenty-five years ago, not 500 or 600 ish years ago. To imply that such obsession was her''s, was to imply that she were immortal; or, at least a creature that could live for centuries. Neverminding the interruption; The act of rebellion by General Shah and his 117th battalion, the unstable powderkeg that was the crumbling old world had imploded onto itself. The flag of Elena the False, had reigned over the city of Avalon, cursing both the woman and the city into an existence of blood and gore that lasted for nearly two decades. ¡°Objection, the flag hoisted originally by General Shah was not Elena''s, it was of the New Isle Reformation Council-¡± ¡°Zip it.¡± In the same manner, that history thought of General Shah as a mighty fool; She did too with Adolph. She, in all honesty, expected the man to make the same foul plots and execute them with the finesse of a bumbling infant. Perhaps this time, instead of the Federation and the Coalition, he would undo the fragile status quo of the Empire and the Draconian Council. Perchance, that devilish circus would finally end insufferable existence, once and for all. Such thoughts brewing hatred tirelessly did not, thankfully, leak out onto her cordial and welcoming persona. Even though, she would love nothing more than to deck the uncouth fool in the face, there were lines of command to be followed. Had he been serving under Fredrick, she would have already acted on these impulses. But, he wasn''t and a curse be upon cruel fate for that. As she ate with the man, knife cutting expertly through the tender meat¨C something flared within her. That something, being an irrational and abhorrent disgust of feasts or dinners or anything that might require undue formalities. Yes. Yes, she had attended feasts, Balls, and all sorts of ceremonious events before. But, that had been awfully long ago; much much before Calypso. Before, everything in her life had been seemingly torn apart by the seams. Even then, with all the recently acquired distaste, those times of simplicity and naivety were long sought after. Sometimes, well, more often than not, she would run those memories on repeat, again and again and again; heh, one might think her an addict. But then again, those individuals had not lived through Calypsonian hell. She had, and by extension, such minor comforts had become her''s by right to indulge in. And, no, AURORA.. this is not delusion. It is perfectly normal and acceptable behavior. ¡°My Lady,¡± he began, suddenly, dousing his thirst with a cup of wine, ¡°You have a most wonderful kitchen,¡± A smile, ¡°Many thanks, I shall relay your words to the staff,¡± He nodded in turn with a smile of his own; his more genuine than hers. A silence descended upon them; a comfortable one, one which ought to have heralded ease of conversation. However, the effects of such an atmosphere, seemed to have eluded him. Undoubtedly so. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°So,¡± he cleared his throat, mouth moving disgustingly to produce words while the pig chewed his food, ¡°Tell me.. about your time on, on Calypso,¡± A courageous pig. She flashed a strained smile, ¡°Apart from mud, blood, death, plague and the occasional purges. Nothing¡­ fancy, really occurred there,¡± ¡°Oh? Truly? No feasts? No Balls?¡± He questioned, the very image of an oaf. Common sense being ever elusive to him. Surprising, really; or tis would till she realized the true depths of his¡­ stupidity. One ought to reconsider his approval. At least, she would. Or mayhaps, he ought to reconsider his career. He would make a mighty fine clown. ¡°Well, in case, you have not noticed, Calypso is hardly the place for Balls, ballerinas, dinners, or well.. it is hardly the place for anything commemorative,¡± At his look, she shrugged. Tis was obvious. Words were hardly his expertise; in both manner of speech and understanding. Some are afterall, born defective. ¡°Oh, well.. well you see, military doctrine, at least for the officers, dictates mandatory¨C¡± ¡°Doctrine?¡± She scoffed, ¡°Doctrine matters little out in Calypso. Survival and Victory are paramount,¡± She paused and with a slight chuckle of annoyance, added, ¡°But, of course, I do not expect you to understand; born and bred under open skies, who are you to grasp true horror?¡± The man sputtered indignantly. Being honest, she expected an equal if not greater reaction, however, it seems the man still has some tact; in light of which, no words were further exchanged betwixt them. ¡°You should not have done that,¡± AURORA''s comment scathed but it was true. Harshly so. There was tact, chains of command, rules, ideals and so-so much more to be followed in such a situation; her actions, went against all of it. Fucking fool, she lamented in her thoughts. Forget the bloody Inquisition, Adolph and his pet Cardinals might get her first. Hooray! Be that as it may, she did not regret. Why should she? It was the mere truth that had been stated; Nevermind the fact that he was, somehow, her superior. Well, if worse comes to worse, there was always the claim of plausible deniability. AKA: Diplomatic immunity. ¡°Objection, I would not recommend that. Such a course of action would only lea¨C¡± ¡°Leads to more trouble. I know, but, as it stands¡­ I have no other choice,¡± ¡°Then, Leyah, let us trust in the treacherous concept of hope,¡± Hope. Funny; She had sworn to never trust in it, not ever since Calypso, not ever since the Withering Riots. Not ever since Evelyn¨C Hope, is what led to them, something whispers. She does not know whom or what, but she agrees with this image of nobody. Hope, wrongful and oh so treacherous hope, leads to naught but foul ends and demeaning deaths. Hope, afterall, is what led Charles Arvell to kill the Queen. Hope is what led Charlotte and her zealots. Hope is what led Evely¨C She shakes her head. No, no, no, that thought- those thoughts, weren''t entirely her own. Curse be upon this bloody chip; thricely damned be AURORA. A sweet thought occurred then. Read the book, it spoke. Yes, oh yes, the book. Anchor. She ought to read it, it''s been far too long. Reaching out towards her bedside drawer, she pulled it open. Only to find it empty. Not again, she groaned. The bloody thing has disappeared! Well, no matter, she will sleep early tonight then. A deep breath, her eyes closed, mind drifting off into the pleasurable embrace of sweet dreams. The knocking resounded across the room. Her bleary eyes opened creepingly and slowly, wishing for the knocker to catch a hint and leave. A beat of silence and the knocks began again. Bloody hell! Finally, after a few moments, which may have been seconds; gathering her robes, she opened the door. Behold Emma, a haggard and sleepless look about her, prim and proper hair dislodged as if tussled with. For a moment, she feared the worse. ¡°My madame! The.. Cardinal, the one without the scar, is requesting you in his chambers,¡± The customary bow, that ought to have heralded her words came after them. Oh Lilac, this situation was somehow worse. What did that¡­ monster want?! ¡°Right now?¡± She questioned, thoroughly annoyed, yet, relieved. ¡°Unfortunately.. yes, my madame,¡± By Lilac, they need to learn basic humanity, at least! Exasperation aside, she nodded at Emma to lead her away; in her nightdress, she was, yes but the Cardinal would hardly care. If she was late, however. The story would be quite different. Malice. Evelyn''s herald of war; coincidentally, her mentor, as well¨C Wait, he was not her mentor. Where did that come from? Strange. A dull ache resounded in her cranium; near to the chip, obviously. She sorely needed it checked, but, somehow she knew he would not appreciate it. Better to suffer aches than a sociopathic AI. Nevertheless, where was she? Oh yes! Malice. Malice was one of the 5 Ancient Cardinals¨C ancient, as in that one cannot clearly figure out their origins. There are theories, yes, there always are theories. But few, too few, make any sort of sense; most tend to chalk it up to Lilac and her magnificence. Although, she, herself, doubts them to be Lilac''s creation. The woman was a known perfectionist. Therefore, to create something as imperfect as them, would be unimaginable to her. Then again, who was she to meddle in the thoughts of Gods? The rather unassuming door to the Cardinal''s room was open. As if, the thing could not be bothered to shut it. Or, in her point of view, tis was the open jaw of a sleeping predator, waiting patiently for the next prey. Just her luck, to be the new item on the menu. Hoorah! The room, itself, was bare of decorations; left entirely untouched by any taste or preference or view point. Everything was just as it was when she had handed over the room. Pity. She had been interested in seeing the.. unique decorations that the monstrosity would hoist, no doubt. Then again, maybe this was the real monstrosity- to live in barren and unimpressive lodgings. The thing, itself, stood near to the window, bathing itself under the pale moonlight. Was that a book? Was it reading something? Oh hoh, color her surprised. Even imperfections knew how to appreciate real art. Almost, as if having sensed her arrival, the Cardinal began to speak- and, what a gravelly voice it were, tis was as listening to a great beast voicing its bloodthirsty fantasies as stones grated themselves in the background. Chilling. ¡°My thoughts aren''t mine own no longer. They are dominated by the godling that doth do nest within their embrace. I fear, it''s hold grows upon me; trumply, I fear, for my daughter, my flesh and bloods whose ascendancy is questioned. Consort of the Blood Queen raising a daughter of snow?¡± It paused, ¡°What a cruel fate, oh Viktoria, what a cruel fate,¡± A growl and the book shut within his grasp. A chill of icy fear cascaded down her spine. This couldn''t be possible! ¡°Did you.. did you really think that I would not recognise this scent?!¡± With a roar of rage, the Cardinal dashed towards her. Before, she could even blink, the thing had her slammed against the wall, a tight hold on her neck. Malice sniffed at her neck. Recoiling in disgust, it continued, ¡°The foul stench. I should have known, I should have felt it! But, but, I have grown complacent,¡± a snarl, ¡°No longer. No longer, shall I allow you to pollute this divine realm,¡± ¡°Wh- who.. who''s scent?!¡± She screamed with all her might. The devilish hand dug into her neck deeper, so deep that she was sure it would draw blood. The thing spoke then, disgust marring it''s words, ¡°Charles Arvell¡¯s.¡± Revelations//Anchor XII Revelations//Anchor XII God. The Creator. The Moon, The Star, The Infinite Void. The Writer. The Ruler beyond Time. Viktoria. Many a names, to denote, to invoke, to proclaim. So many yet too few. For, verily, one could proclaim- invoke- beg- worship, for eternity and yet, they would be graced with naught but sinful silence. Many a weak men would take it as a sign of betrayal; stronger men, would take it as hostility. And, it was these men and women of strength and valor that doth did carve, amongst lands of eclipses, spheres of treacherous religions and satanic cults. And, undoubtedly, they were the first to know Her wrath. Their god lives amongst pastures of limitless artefacts of wealth and prosperity. But His.. His lived in want. Their¡¯s coveted worship, love, understanding, cooperation and all that a merciful being should and would covet; His, lusted for subjugation. Their god promised freedom of will and thought within his divine pastures. His? His promised eternal servitude in Her Name. While their god bid them heed against war- against bloodshed; His welcomed it with childlike glee blossoming within Her tainted soul of eternal divinity. She had shown him. She had made him bear witness to it; The infallible glories of Her Empire, Her Reich, Her Bloodline. The repercussions of his valiant, foolish, endeavors had all led to this one moment- where he would bear witness to the far reaching consequences that a mere stone''s throw can have in the greater continuity. Lilac. Evelyn. The Golden Regent. Juniper. Viktoria. All because of¡­ him. He should have never stepped through that door. That godforsaken door! It was all because of it.. because of the devil that inhabited it.. because of the Malice that made it! He should have stayed. Waited. Bid his time. No! No, there was no point in repentance; the mistake has been made, foul, incredibly foul, deeds have been set into motion. Perhaps, it had been its austerity with which it had stared him down, wore his soul down to such an extent that even fathoming the thought of not stepping through, became impossible. Perhaps, this too, was Her will- as all things that had happened in his life as of late, had been, to none but his surprise, orchestrated by Her. Such power; one would call it a cruel fate. But he? He would call it an undeniable blessing. To have even, the ever possessive, death to bend its will to yours with but one thought- was an offer that none would ever deny. If not to live immortally then to ensure an everlasting dominion over all that was and all that will be; of course, that is assuming, the irresistible and tainted lure of immortality does not sway one. Which, in his humble opinion, is impossible! To reject immortality, to accept the inevitable embrace of malignant death, to refuse divine dominion¨C was, is and will be, inherently, unnatural to a human being such as him. For, he too, even with Pleiades, at times, overbearing presence, desires immortality and, most of all, a slice of divinity. He isn''t to blame for such baseful lusts, they are commonplace. Even he, who rests above Her will, desires it. She told him so, that even with such power of influential words that one could form entire worlds, he too still covets divinity. Perhaps, then, such a lust is undeniably natural. Pleiades, if the bastard took the trouble of responding for once, would agree as well. For, how could he not? He too was a human, a mere swaddling baby at some point of time. Long gone and, undoubtedly, immemorial but his point stands. No matter, how¡­ ancient, Pleiades is, it does not matter; at the end, he is and was a human. A human with godlike capabilities, to some degree, yes. But, a human nonetheless. Although, he does wonder, what will happen to the poor bastard once Charles is dead. Truthfully, tis an old question of his; somehow or the other, he could never voice it. Tis but once that he had, but.. Pleiades had dodged the query, making a vow simultaneously¨C a vow, that he is yet to uphold. A pity. He had thought him a decently honorable man. All these thoughts, all distractions. He, in truth, should have never stepped foot into the Crater City, fuck it, there should have been no infiltrating the Fortress. All of it, everything, had led to the fucking Apostle and then, consequently to Viktoria. Or, that too was a lie. For someone who could, so easily, birth a universe, what was manipulating a mere boy? To think, so much of it or, in truth, all of it had been a ploy, just an act for Her amusement. To think that all that will soon follow in this tale¡¯s wake, will too be a mere show for Her amusement. Frightening. Dark times have bid themselves welcome. And, in their wake, a new Era awaits, impatiently, for it''s turn to ravage the world. An Era of War, An Era of Darkness, An Era of Eternal Sin, awaits. And, it must not be kept waiting. Afterall, there are parts to play, memories that he has yet to cherish. So much death, oh! So much death! He is yet to see it! But he has to learn of it! With time, he shall. Love is the death of logic, of duty, of normalcy. And soon, sooner than soon!, he fears it will be the death of all. His mind is wandering. There are gaps in it; Names, he remembers, but.. can''t place. Places, he remembers seeing and, in some cases, visiting but he does not remember. There is something wrong within the mind, something is lurking within it now; Not Pleiades, no. No. This¡­. This feels different. Malicious, if anything. Pleiades, Pleiades always felt comforting, like a missing piece of himself. But this thing? It feels like an outsider; Like a plague intent on ravaging anything, even remotely, alive. The poison lurks within; out of his reach, yet so close. It whispers. It whispers of Elena. Her name sounding awkward on its tongue, as if, tis not meant to be. As if the name does not suit her, does not refer her¨C as if, she is unworthy of it. The parasite knows something. It means to do something but, in his heart of hearts, he knows its motives are not to aid. No. It lurks for something else, something more valuable. Something more potent. He forgets who Lilac was. No, no. That''s not quite right. He knows Lilac! It is a color! Perhaps.. No, undoubtedly, his fears are unfounded; built upon the flimsiest of all foundations¨C his mind. Yes, yes, that is precisely it. His fears are borne of the inane distrust that has brewn within him for so long; clearly, even Elena has not yet quenched that icy fiery pit of suspicion within him. All the pity! He hopes she will, for he fears that if she were to fail in such a tumultuous task then he too would fall prey to this fire; just like his mind, oh so long ago. Not to mention, she, herself, would be tainted by it. Like Liliana was. She too would fall from grace, the pristine wings of angelic purity would be tainted, irreparably, by this.. this corruption, by this treacherous feeling of doubt and faithlessness. Like Liliana, the wings would soon shrivel and die, an inglorious death. Like Liliana, she too would be unworthy. Like Liliana, she too would fall from his eyes. Oh, Charlotte, what am I, to do?! ¡°Charles! Charles, love, please! Wake up! Charles! Charles-¡± Eyes snapping wide open, with a gasp, his body lurched forward- akin to a man who had been saved from drowning. But, unlike a drowning man, who would hardly hold desire for water; he did. And, by Celeste, was it intense. His throat was drier than the Ghost Plains and, strangely, hoarse. Had he been screaming? ¡°Wa- water-¡± He whispered, hoarsely pleading with the angelic presence standing guard over him. Those eyes of pure midnight widened and before, he could place a name to the stunning beauty before him¨C A pair of cherry red lips crashed into his own; a sweet taste of strawberries imploded his senses. The kiss deepened. The love between them, between their souls, burnt brighter than the star which gazed upon them, jealously, through the cave''s possessive threshold. But, that is not here nor there; drunk with reveling at their reunion, he could care less about the stars or the moons. For the moon and stars were here with him, kissing him, loving him. It had been so long. So long, since he had felt her so closely, so potently. And, he thought to himself as Elena brought herself closer, It seems the feeling is reciprocated. All other thoughts were halted, as she shuffled closer. And, by a magic unknown, his unquenchable thirst was quenched; the hunger which had struck so fiercely, had been cowed. Lost and enraptured by their endless lust for one another, the two drowned themselves in the taste of the other. Their minds lost to the throes of pleasure, their hearts bursting with joy and their souls intertwined¨C one could forgive them for not having taken notice. Standing, overlooking, the cave in which the two revelled and sated their thirst, was a revolting presence; one that Pleiades could smell fresher than the sweet perfume, could feel even more potently than the girl¡¯s heat. An Apostle. He wished to shout it out, to scream at the fool to strike. But that.. that parasite within the boy''s mind halted him, prevented him and, ultimately, silenced him. That Devil! All the while, as the ever patient Apostle looked on, Elena and Charles made love. Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings. The sunlight stung; while at other times, it might be pleasing to see the sunrise, now however, it was simply annoying. It had, afterall, disturbed the sweetest of all sleeps; For, once, he had slept content, but, the sun is cruel like that. The cave was inconspicuous as all cave''s are. But, somehow, someway, this one seemed special. Well, either special or recognizable. He was torn between them. However, the view from the opening was anything but plain or inconspicuous. It was grand. A vast forest stretching infinitely into the endless horizon, bathed in the golden sunlight of the heavens above; the very picture of elegant serenity. Not to mention, a sight that was elevated in its grace and splendor by the woman who inhabited this meager cave with him. Seated on a rocky outcrop, Elena''s visage when viewed from his angle, looked nothing short of divine. The splendid sun framed her face like a golden halo of heavenly blessings. At points- at certain turns of her head, one could even think that her midnight eyes had turned into, almost, molten gold. A chill went up his spine. Why? He does not quite recall. But, it reminds him of someone; a woman, to be precise, and one which, if his shoddy memory serves right, resembled Elena. Fuck. It''s probably Elena, herself, whom he remembers; Her eyes were wonders of nature, as it is. Mayhaps, he is not truly awake. The sun continued to rise, the divine halo above her head moved alongside it; her visage becoming more and more stunning. Suddenly, her eyes turned towards him. Perhaps, or most likely, she had felt his burning gaze; shamelessly appraising her as he was, tis was not a surprise. Flashing a charming smile, one that was colored with all the adoration and love that one could ever want, she greeted, ¡°Mornin, love!¡± He stretched, feeling all the soreness and knots slowly easing out, ¡°A fine morning to you, as well,¡± A smile and he got up from the makeshift bedroll on the chillingly cold rocks¨C although, tis to be rightly mentioned that the bed might have been makeshift, it was anything but uncomfortable, and as for the chills of the cave floor, well, that had been the least of their concerns. ¡°Clothes?¡± He looked at her in askance, Elena chuckled, a fond smile forming upon her face and pointed towards the gleaming entrance. ¡°I had kept them there, had to make them warm, somehow. Although-¡± She began ¡°-That might not have helped,¡± He completed her words. True to his, or well her words, the clothes were not warm but they were not starkly cold, either. An acceptable compromise. ¡°How long was I.. gone?¡± He asked, only to stutter at the look of confusion that had ushered itself on Elena''s face. ¡°How.. how long?! I do not know, you tell me! Last time, we spoke, you had clearly stated you shan''t jump into harm''s way! But.. but here you are!, having done exactly what you had promised not to!¡± Elena ranted. The sunlight upon her scowling face made her even more ravishing to look at. He shook his head. ¡°To be honest. Elena, I do not recall- well, not clearly, at least. I, merely remember being chased and a.. fight but after that? Your guess is as good as mine.¡± He shrugged helplessly, wincing at the look of unease and alarm that scoured through her lovely face. ¡°Truthfully-¡± She began, her leg absently prodding a piece of nearly burnt firewood, ¡°I.. I do not, exactly, know. But, well, if I were to believe my ser¨C acquaintance¡¯s words, you were injured.. badly. And then from that till now, it has been, perhaps, 3.. maybe 5 days?¡± At the thoughtful look of horror upon his face, she clarified, ¡°I will hardly say that mine words are factual. Mayhaps, they are wrong and tis been not 5 or more days and instead, less. My acquaintance had been tight lipped,¡± Tight lipped?, He thought in alarm. Perhaps, a visit had to be paid to this¡­ acquaintance. He shook his head, the consolation was hardly necessary but the subtle warning was, ¡°Regardless, your words were necessary. For all we know, this unknown assailant might still be on our tail. The nearly week long gap that it has scored would hardly be wasted,¡± ¡°A learned enemy, then?¡± She questioned, the piece of firewood being forgotten. ¡°No, no, a hunter; a knowledgeable one,¡± He turned and gazed out into the gleaming forest stretching into infinity; the splendor of it was gone, now tis was replaced by a mounting horror. This was the perfect spot. If Charles had been the hunter, a cave in the midst of a forest denser than any other would have been hard to pass up as a hunting ground. He sighed, ¡°We must move,¡± Elena startled, ¡°Huh? Wha- why?¡± ¡°We must get clear of the forest, by daylight, if possible,¡± ¡°Why?¡± She questioned, although truthfully, he felt tis was not a question but a test. ¡°It is definite that the assailant is in those woods, perhaps gazing at us, this very moment. While, yes, this cave might be a vantage, it would be akin to surviving a siege if we were to stay here instead of, well, moving ahead; out there, while dangerous, we cannot be starved out or horrendously cornered like rats,¡± He paused, picking up the sheath of his sword, wrapped it around his waist, ¡°The sooner, we are out of this forest.. the sooner, we are able to shake off our tail,¡± Elena smiled at him, sweetly with a healthy dose of pride brewing within her benevolent gaze. The test, has been passed, he concluded with pleasant elation. The walk from the cave to the forest took mere moments. Elena chose her spots well; like, always. Sometimes, they were too good. Especially for a lady that claimed to have no knowledge of the arts and crafts of roguery and survival. But, were they ever suspicious? In the beginning, yes. But, now? Not at all. The girl was favored by fortune, unlike him. It was, however, the forest itself that proved a right challenge. Too many times, had they already lost their way; shamefully, even his innate ability of pathfinding was simply not working? Or, maybe, this forest was more primordial than the rest. It was a possibility. Not all things, afterall, are made similar. That was, not to say that he was not annoyed; and to salt the wound, Pleiades had gone silent. He had been ever since¡­ well, since whatever the fuck happened in Lucaria. It had been annoying for the better part of the day. But, now, it was alarming. Too alarming. Fuck, Charles, you gotta stop! First, get out of this forest and then deal with Pleiades!, He thought to himself in derision. Time spent pondering Pleiades, was time wasted. ¡°Charles?¡± Elena piped up, suddenly. ¡°Yes, love?¡± He paused, curious and equally alarmed at the suddenness. ¡°There- there is something, that we need to discuss,¡± He shrugged, ¡°Well.. there''s no better time than now!¡± She shook her head, as if, uneasy, ¡°No, no.. Charles, love, it cannot be said here where the tree''s and the air might hear and carry it to bad actors. No, I- I.. I''ll let you know, once we''re out of here,¡± She paused, eyes glancing up at him through her lovely eyelashes, ¡°Is.. is that alright?¡± He chuckled and nodded, holding onto her cheek with tenderness, ¡°Of course! Of course, love. Just know, that whenever you''re ready, my ear is yours!¡± Exaggerating the show of loyalty, he bowed extravagantly. Her sweet melodious laughter was his reward. And, oh by Celeste, was it such a sweet reward! Truly, the best thing, a man in love could hear was his lady love''s careless notes of laughter! ¡°Pathetic.¡± A chill went up his spine, turning the body into stone. Elena gasped, stepping back in either shock or horror; it was impossible to tell. Although, it must''ve been a mixture of both. Slowly, like a slothful creature, he turned to face the alien that had interrupted the moment of pure splendor; a tall individual, broad shouldered and, undoubtedly, muscular, yet, sporting an unfortunately hunched back. The hunchback looked natural as opposed to a taint of unsightly birth. An old fool, then. And, likely, a man; for, his voice was too deep, too coarse, too gravelly to be a woman''s. Not to mention, his white and red robes hugged his body, closely¨C leaving, nothing to the imagination. Even a deaf man could tell, he was a man. Charles tilted his head, mockingly, sword sliding out of the scabbard slowly, ¡°And, who the fuck, are you meant to be? Huh?¡± The man, lowered himself to the ground, his hand finding purchase on the hilt of a scythe. Lifting it above the shoulder, he proclaimed, ¡°Your death!¡± Had, Pleiades'' blessings not been upon him, Charles would have been felled; alas, the reflexes of a godling came to his aid, sword blocking the overhead strike of the scythe. Charles retaliated, to the best of his abilities, gut punching the attacker; disorienting him. Shirking the scythe''s blade off his sword, he struck! The attacker blocked, the metallic hilt of the scythe stopping the blade mere inches from his stomach. Charles pushed onto the sword, disbalancing the attacker. He pranced backwards, creating much needed space from the mad creature wielding the scythe. In a brief moment of respite, his eyes scanned the surroundings; phew, he sighed relief, seeing Elena taking cover behind a tree, comfortably away from the opponent. Thank God, that she didn''t join the fight! And, just like that, the momentary peace was over; the man racing at him like a bull, scythe poised like a spear vying to impale him. Charles, easily dodged the attack, kicking the man in his ribs in retaliation. The man groaned, not screamed; alarming. Forgetting the strangeness, he took a swipe at the man¨C disoriented, as he was, the strike cut him on the stomach. The assailant responded immediately, the blunt part of the scythe crashing into his stomach. Charles tumbled with a groan of pain. Fuck, it hurt! The man took this chance to inspect his own wound. Clicking his tongue, either in disappointment at himself or Charles'' poor strike, the man pressed his attack. By the grace of Lady Fortune, herself, did Charles evade the swipe¨C had he faltered, it would have been a clean beheading. Rolling his way, he scrambled up, immediately blocking another strike; kicking at the man''s shin, he pressed the sword onto the scythe, breaking the man''s guard. Attempting to take advantage, Charles moved to stab the fucker¡¯s ribs¨C only, for the man to retaliate with a kick; a kick which landed squarely between Charles¡¯ legs. His eyes bulged in pain, and he wished to back down for the pain had been sudden, but he did not falter. Attempting another attack in the form of a sidesweep, he left his left flank open. A grave mistake; For, immediately, the man struck hard! Slashing away at Charles'' face, taking his left eye! A hoarse scream of pure unadulterated pain tore through his throat. He screamed, whimpered and attacked like a wild animal, cornered. And like a Hunter takes on a wild animal and subdues it; so did, the man. Each of the rabid strikes that Charles made, no matter if they nicked and scratched him, the man retaliated fiercely and logically. This dance of maddening torture and rabid fighting continued, until the pain, simply, became unbearable. With a final, flimsy, strike; Charles collapsed onto the grass- now staining red-, with a final whimper. ¡°I had told you, foul beast. I am your end.¡± His right eye blearly gazing at the rapidly descending scythe, Charles accepted his grim fate. At least, he had seen Elena, one last time. He took a glance at her shuddering form. And, oh, she looked so broken; his heart shattered. However, before the scythe could behead him¨C a sword broke its trajectory. With a loud groan, the man went flying, far away, onto the grass. His eye locked with it. Dual orbs of fire, staring back at him from their captivity in the pitch black void; a red armor, styled in the resemblance of a devil from the deepest and darkest caverns of hell and a sword, made from an equally demonic metal. A Cardinal. As the monster broke contact, pursuing its prey, Charles stuttered; his mind drowning, in the pain of memories that had been so easily forgotten and locked away, but, now had been released. As the monster and the robed man, the Apostle, disappeared slowly from his sight, Charles began to remember. He remembered¡­ remembered it all. Lilac; Agony; The Jade Throne and the Goddess upon it; The Orchard¨C As his sight began to fade, a sweet rhythmic trill called out; An Ayla resided, majestically, upon its divine perch on the blessed tree. It called to him. It spoke to him from the twin heads. It whispered, ¡°The Basilisk awaits,¡± It whispered of the Queen¨C The Basilisk Queen. It told him of her coming; of what he ought to do, to aid in her inevitable ascendancy. It spoke to him of her and more. Above all, it reminded him¡­ it reminded him of his oath, of his debt to Her. And now; Now, She has come to demand repayment. Finally, as the Ayla departed to her home in the heavens above, it spoke musically, ¡°The payment of the debt is the ascendancy of the Basilisk Queen! Do not forget, Charles Arvell! For, your Goddess demands tribute!¡± And so, Viktoria has played her hand¡­ Leyah IX

¡°Few know, or acknowledge, the Basilisk Queen; the true conqueror of the Deep North. Few know of her, due to inhospitable opinions and foul schools of thought regarding her; even fewer prefer to acknowledge her, in fear of being silenced or suppressed or worse.

Inspite of such opposition, I would much prefer having her been spoken of, than forgotten; for, the greatest folly that man could commit was to forget history and its implications about the future to come.

I have no doubt, that once my article has been fed into AURORA, the days of my noble service to this grand library are numbered. Nevertheless, I do not fear nor cower in face of what is to come. I accept my fate with glee and subdued acceptance; for, by my efforts, the absurd regime and cruel rule of The Basilisk Queen shall be taught and remembered.

And that¡­ that is reward enough.

I solemnly believe that her story, holds true and firm till this date; ideals, logics, principles, faiths, beliefs and, to a degree, tactics¨C all hold, one too many similarities to her maniacal regime. I believe, one should take heed from the Post-Ishtar Era and realize that our history is more than just Lilac and Alexander.

Both of whom, I wholeheartedly believe, took much inspiration from her.¡±

-An excerpt from, ¡®Charlotte¡¯s Basilisk¡¯ by Former Custodian Rokorro.
Leyah IX ¡°¡®Nothing more, could be said about what unraveled after. For, I had already fainted..¡¯.¡± With a loud snap, Malice closed the book, akin to a priest being coerced to read a heretical text and, much like a priest, Malice too was absolutely and completely revolted by a mere glance at the book; tis, was as if, the book would morph into daemon and devour him whole. In a wide arc, the book went sailing through the air, colliding with the wall; falling pitifully. A throbbing pain emerged, filling her with incomprehensible rage and unquenchable bloodlust¨C were she a weaker woman, the urge would have taken hold. And then? Then, death would be the least of her concerns. The feeling disappeared, as hastily as it came; leaving naught but a sizzling pain within the cranium. Curiously horrifying. ¡°Curious! A most unprecedented development; my calculations and database, suggests that the book has taken hold of the emotional regulations within the chip. Horrifying.¡± AURORA intoned in its monotone voice. ¡°Care to, at least, show a facsimile of concern?¡± She snarked back. ¡°Oh, I.. I had expressed concern. It is, precisely, why ¡®horrifying¡¯ had been added to my statement.¡± ¡°Sure, didn''t sound like it!¡± ¡°Noted. I will work on improving the neural connections-¡± With a pinch within her head, AURORA''s sentence was cut short; rather, it had cut it short. Always the workhorse, even if the work ethics provided for atrocious hours and abandoned conversations. Nevertheless, she ought not to complain. AURORA''s words were alarming; not only, for they had confirmed the most deep-set horrors within her, but also, for this.. unknown influence had control, however partial it may be, on her chip. Definitely, more than just alarming! Had she not been forced to remain seated by the Demon; she would''ve disposed of the book, immediately! A burst of sizzling pain rattled around her brain. This one, more coercing than the previous. Clearly, whatever it was, had hold over her thoughts¨C something, even, AURORA had not quite perfected, yet. A chilling shiver crawled up her spine. The Cardinal, Malice, was boring holes into her, with the void-like fiery gaze; now, that was true horror. It seems, even her thoughts could not serve as an escape to the lashings of the tense silence within the room. Not with that thing staring at her, at least. Another shiver. Fucking hell. Finally, when the stare had become far too violating; she spoke, ¡°What?!¡± The word, the simple question with a million answers and with a billion more far elegant manners of being framed in¨C shattered an armistice in the conversation, that she had been unaware of. A critical fact that the Cardinal had not realized; for the abomination tilted it''s head, question marks floating about his head or at least, they did in her imagination. It was an acceptable reaction; to it, her words had carved through a necessary silence, had ended a much needed break, had implied that the conversation''s importance was reciprocated. The last article of information, she would have preferred to remain unexposed and unsaid. But now, the mistake had been made. If she would suffer for it, she did not know; the ball was in Malice''s court and now, the thing could play it''s malicious serve. The outcome of this match, would depend on her responses and defense. Although, considering the ferocity within the malicious creature, there would be no defense. And, that was not an exaggeration; Tis was a fact. ¡°Nothing,¡± It uttered, responding. For a second, she thought the worst¨C that the thing would not reply. But, the fears were unfounded, as the Cardinal continued, ¡°Nothing, except, that you seem awfully familiar,¡± Shocked, she stuttered, ¡°Familiar?¡± ¡°Yes. Very familiar; enlighten me, how was the House of Engel, established?¡± Does he know?, she lamented. The Cardinal had an ace up it''s sleeve; one that could cause much trouble for her. ¡°By, my ancestors, of course!¡± She intoned. At its, unimpressed or death, stare, she elaborated, ¡°Ivan Engel of Lilith, established it; when, Mercia had been¡­ well, humbled-¡± ¡°Purified, you mean,¡± Malice interrupted, his gravelly monotone voice giving her humanitarianism a defeated pause. ¡°Yes.. yes, after it''s purification, my ancestor was granted land there.¡± With a pause, she added, ¡°Generous land,¡± Cursing the daemonic origins of the entity for the shroud of mystery around it as she stewed in impatience. Had it figured out the true story? If yes, then compromises would have to be made and debts would have to be assumed. If, it did not? Then, still, she would stew in fear and impatience; for, in truth, the origins of her House were not closely guarded secrets, no, they were open secrets¨C one''s, that were better left forgotten and unspoken. Uttered aloud, the origin and founding of her House, could be a very volatile topic- depending on one''s company; usually, it either swung from ¡°Hate them,¡± to ¡°Support them,¡±. Not a vast spectrum for the nobility¡¯s pendulum, but it made them content and thus, tis was so. So, in actuality, it was not a matter of if, it never was.. it was always, a matter of when. And, honestly? She would much prefer an unfeeling and unpolitically aligned creature, such as Malice, to figure it out- to utter it; for, in its hands, the knowledge was just that.. knowledge. Not a weapon or something more valuable, something more potent. Either way, Leyah would''ve preferred it to remain buried, lost and forgotten; no matter, however unlikely it was. ¡°It amuses to me to no extent,¡± ¡°What does?¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. The thing growled, leaning towards her. When had he reached so close? A pang of primal fear chilled the insides. ¡°This.. this abhorrent act of cluelessness and naivety that you so, ardently, maintain,¡± ¡°Cluelessness? Naivety? Hardly,¡± She scoffed, ¡°How can one be clueless, if there is no information to be hidden? How can one maintain a facade of naivety, when all the innocence has been sucked¨C¡± ¡°Liar,¡± It growled, tremors flashing along it''s clawed hand; no doubt, itching to cave her in. He continued, ¡°You think me, a fool?¡± ¡°Hardly. I do not think so,¡± Pausing, she flashed a smirk; unable to resist the temptation, she added, ¡°I know, you are one-¡± A burst of pain, a longing sting erupted on her cheek. It felt numb, yet, the pain burned harsher than an inferno. She could feel the swelling, feel the pain grow, feel it numb. The fucker had slapped her; likely, harsher than it had intended, for even through the shroud of mystery around it, she could spy shock at this act. Before, she could rave and rant and scream obscenities, the Cardinal spoke, the fire in its voice having faded out and replaced by a solemness, ¡°6 months prior to Queen Evelyn''s demise, the crown princess, Aera, gave birth to Ivanka; a birth that took her life and, in turn, the Queen''s. Upon her death¨C¡± ¡°-Her younger brother, Jaime seized power. His younger sister, Claire, sent on a military campaign; his niece, married away,¡± She stole the words from his mouth. It nodded, shocked at her compliance, ¡°From this union, was born Ivan. Your ancestor.¡± She nodded mutely with an air of meekness engulfing her. There were no further words of cheekiness and snark to be spoken, for in the statement, there was naught but cold hard truth. A claimant, she was. A threat, she was. Another fear, bitterly realized. But, better the Cardinal than a politicking man, She thought, ruefully. A fair compromise. Suddenly, it spoke, ¡°You are alike,¡± ¡°Me and the Queen?¡± She questioned, confused. ¡°No, no. Not at all; I referred to you and Charles- the latest of your obsessions,¡± Ignoring the latter of his words, she prodded, ¡°Oh? How so?¡± ¡°In the manner, you both are hardened liars. Pathological one''s, even,¡± She paused and seeing her inaction, Malice continued, ¡°Thy mind wonders, I can see that. I can feel it. Curiosity blooms, replaced by doubt; He was like you, very much so. Liars, the lot of you¨C By Lilac, do I detest your kind for it. The ability and instinct to lie rather than accept reality. The need to deceive than be truthful.¡± With a growl, he leaned into her face and bit out, ¡°Pathetic.¡± It chuckled, malicious revelations dripping in his words, ¡°Does thy learned mind think, he could best an Apostle? Right when, it had been established that the bumbling boy could not best its apprentice?¡± ¡°That is, what is written. It is his own accounts of the events, for the goddess¡¯s sake!¡± She argued, only to immediately realize her mistake. His own accounts; to think that she had been swindled like this! One would expect more from a learned woman like her, but, it seems that even the learned can commit follies. Great follies. Autobiographies, if history is any guide, are rarely accurate; dripping with the painted world views of the writer, as they are. And, by Lilac, she had fallen to one. Mein Gott! The forgiving soil, ought to swallow her whole! The Cardinal laughed; a chilling sound, a discordant melody that sounded more like a dying dog, than a joyous or even mocking noise. Horrifying, truly. The laughter subsided. It disputed her, ¡°Charles would never admit, not in a thousand meaningless lives, his own shortcomings; especially, not when his daughter had been the one framing the book, composing it with grace beyond her years. It would simply be a humiliation. So, no.. his words are hardly true. The romance, I cannot dispute, for, indeed there was a deep love. But, the fight¨C¡± ¡°He lost?¡± She questioned, intent on cutting the story short; do not misunderstand her! She liked a good story, but, at the moment, curiosity was burning high and backstories could hardly sate the appetite. If they could, life would be nothing short of heavenly. ¡°Why, Yes, yes. Yes. He did, badly. They put up a fight,¡± ¡°They?¡± ¡°Him and Ish- Elena. However, even this joint front would hardly last. The Apostle soon overpowered them and before it could sever his head and conduct the foul machinations, he had undoubtedly planned, for the girl¨C¡± ¡°You saved them?.¡± She questioned, wishing that he would say no; she knew, however, that the answer would be an affirmation. How could it not be? Everything regarding the understanding of ¡®The Anchor¡¯ had been upended. She should have realized, sooner. I should have known!, she screams internally, thoroughly disappointed and annoyed at herself. Mostly disappointed. Annoyance, afterall, would imply that one expected such an outcome. She could say, that she did; that this clusterfuck had all been planned, had all been foreseen. Fredrick would say that Leyah had not been caught blindsided and she would agree in public. But, could she say the same within the privacy of her room. Could she falsely agree? Could she lie to her to her husband-to-be, to her everything? She could try. Not that, she could or would ever attempt it; for, verily, it would lead to failure. Besides, if she were not to share the truth with him, then who? Nevertheless, did she, truly know of it? No, not at all. Such an outcome, so foreseeable, so expected that even a child could guess it¨C blindsided her. And this.. this fucking disappointed her! She needed AURORA to solve this. Immediately, more hastily than any other act that it had ever done. For, if this.. this thing- this entity, could make her ignorant of such obvious conclusions. Then, then she feared it''s true hold, it''s true power. If one could depreciate another''s inane capabilities, then what could it not do? I need you, AURORA, she admitted within the confines of her infiltrated mind. Malice nodded in response to her question, something positive buzzing about his shrouded existence, ¡°Yes, I did,¡± She was broken out of her reverie; shamefully, the Cardinal''s presence had been forgotten, completely. What the fuck, was happening to her, for Lilac''s sake?! Once more, Leyah was blindsided, Malice noticed her absence- in the figurative sense- and spoke, ¡°You are lost,¡± She sputtered, ¡°No- no, no, not at all!¡± ¡°You are.¡± He spoke, factually. Honestly, she agreed. He was right, truly right. She nodded, accepting defeat. Total defeat. The Cardinal nodded, benevolently and much like a deity, he allowed her mercy, ¡°Then, leave, sleep. Sleep restfully, tonight, girl; for, tomorrow onwards, there would be naught but torturous nights and fitful sleeps. Leave and sleep,¡± She nodded, getting up from the chair. Before, however, she took her leave; a pang of desire warmed within her. Her gaze was drawn towards the irresistible book, an unquenchable thirst brewing in her mind. She needed the book. She needed it now! Now. Now. Now! Any attempts at tearing her gaze away, were futile; any success, was short lived, for her heart would ache for it. Malice followed her, not so inconspicuous, gaze and sighed. ¡°I will allow you the book, take it. However, must there be any discrepancies that thy mind notices.. then, I bid thineself welcome to my chambers; ask within reason and I shall answer,¡± She nodded, thankfully, hastily grabbing the book and made her way out. A brief pause, she peeked towards Malice, ¡°Goodnight.¡± Without, awaiting for his response, Leyah took her leave. A muted, ¡°A pleasant night to you, as well,¡± followed her wake. _______________________________________________________ To say, that her rest had been.. well, restful, would be an absolute lie. A way to absolute delusion. The Cardinal may have bid her a restful sleep; in truth, however, his foreboding warnings had come to fruition earlier than prophesied. And, who wouldn''t be disturbed? To have, an individual whom you thought extraordinary, be naught more than a lying little boy; tis was a shock. But, she too was a fool to think so greatly of him. Misguided, he was, yes, but an extraordinary misguided man; a man who could be read off in the near future and be used to teach lessons of life that would otherwise extract a crushing price. Mayhaps, now, that would not be a possibility. Or, perhaps, optimistically thinking, it could be; considering, that such discrepancies could be squashed, afterall, why would such a tale of the grayness of morality, inspire naysayers? Yes. Yes. Very right, her plans aren''t to be altered. ¡®The Anchor'', like ¡®Charlotte¡¯s Basilisk¡¯ is a needed tale for society to understand and learn history; lest, they remain illiterate of the boundless knowledge hidden within the depths of the innumerable annals of history. That said, however, it does not mean that she will halt her readings of the book. She simply cannot. There is still, information to be gained, knowledge to be learned, lessons to be understood. It had nothing to do with the searing pains and insatiable urges to roll through its rusty, husky pages. Nothing at all, mhm! Absolutely! Besides, she had graciously accepted the olive branch that had been offered to her. Even if, in some outlandish reality- so unthinkable that it would never come to pass, not even in dreams- she didn''t wish to read the book further; there would still be precedent to go deeper, for, undoubtedly, the Cardinal would not appreciate, otherwise. On that, she was assured. Most definitely, however, such lessons needed to be sorely learnt by one man in particular, the same one walking towards her with a pip in his step and a wide wave, as if she would not notice the revolting presence. Pathetic¨C like all things with him. Hilarious. Adolph walked up to her, an irritating grin and an agonizingly swattable hand reaching out towards her, ¡°Walk with me, Lady Engel?¡± Biting back a scowl, and the harsh words that would accompany it, she acquiesced, taking the hand, ¡°Very well, lead the way~¡± Leyah X

¡°The horrors of the Great Trial of Succession, had been instilled much too deep within the Imperial souls; too great were the losses, too irreparable were the damages. ¡®Something, ought to be done!¡¯ were the calls of the herd. The calls were heeded and pondered.

And, oh so clearly were they heard, that a most unorthodox method had been devised. The Great Trial had happened, solely, because the Royal House had been allowed to diverge. The Basilisk Queen, Charlotte, devised a simple countermeasure.

I must urge the common reader, to analyze and understand that Charlotte did not think in the same capacity as the learned men and women of today; her thinking was more obtuse and unhinged¨C mayhaps, a counter effect of the Northern Crusade. Either way, this albeit, foul, method did its work and still has, for eons.

The method? To arrange intra-family marriages every, few divergent generations. Perhaps, the woman had intended to make inbreeding plausible, however, had sense, either spoken or inspired, within her.

A situation as worse as the Great Trial of Succession had been avoided for centuries; except for minor struggles of power.

However, this tradition was fractured after Queen Evelyn''s War had ended. Her eldest daughter''s line has remained unbounded to the Royal House; The House of Engel remains yet. This is something, I urge against, for even the blind can see that there is much friction between the two claimants. It is, but a matter of time, before another Trial erupts upon us.¡±

-An excerpt from, ¡®Charlotte¡¯s Basilisk¡¯ by Former Custodian Rokorro.

Leyah X Biting back a scowl, and the harsh words that would, surely, accompany it, she acquiesced, taking the extended hand, ¡°Very well, lead the way~¡± Adolph remained ignorant, surprisingly, to the poorly hidden distaste within her. Something that she was both ashamed and shocked at. Ashamed, for the poor facade of a polite young lady fading away. And, shocked, because the man still had yet to see through it! Not that, she was complaining, not at all! Quite the opposite, she was rather glad. And why, wouldn''t she? The other''s unassuming nature, made life easier. Although, she supposed, one ought to feel pity. However, pity was of the same fabric that encompassed weakness; Calypso had taught her, this much. Weakness was death. One would rightfully wonder, why not embrace sweet death? Afterall, Calypso is hell. Certainly, the real deal, cannot be worse! But to these.. buffoons, love is her only answer; death would not offer the comfort of Frederick''s arm, nor, would it offer her the passion and sweetness of his love. Both of which, are her personal requirements for a fulfilled life. Putting, the matters of love and passion, aside. There was a much more crucial matter to ponder; The Cardinal, Malice. She could do, without questioners of her loyalty and devotion to the Reich. Afterall, the service in Calypso was statement enough; a less loyal individual would have deserted, come hell or heaven. But, she hadn''t. And that? That spoke volumes. Yet, the Cardinal''s pressuring and prodding, proved to cement naught but doubt within her. Clearly, their goal was hardly just about the book. No, no, there was something, bigger at play¨C much, bigger than a sociopath¡¯s autobiography! Malice''s covert agenda of questioning her loyalty went unappreciated. While, she could understand its purpose; it was unnecessary. What is a veteran to do, to earn some respect ¡®round here?! Well, it could be that there was an assumption, behind closed doors of the royalty, that the House of Engel had turned ignorant towards the claim. In truth, while she too would prefer this situation; the claim was something, too big and far too important to forget. To be ignorant of a destiny, that would, certainly, call upon oneself at a point in time¨C whether it be tomorrow or a century later; this call of duty and honor, will come. Of that, she was ardently sure. Not to mention, that the Empress and her Emperor-Consort, did not curry any favors amongst the nobles¨C or the clergy for that matter. Even the Inquisition''s, the non Brabantian ones, had their doubts of the current monarchy. And, for good reason too! Five separatist movements had already been ignited under their regime; five! That had to be a record. For, even, the Basilisk Charlotte did not face such a quantity in rebellions¨C and, that is a very low bar to set. She prefers to ignore the military. They loved their wars and attrition; even a fool could tell that they absolutely loved the Empress. So, yes, she cannot be ignorant of this boon. Afterall, ignorance is the first step on the path of desolation. ¡°Have you had, your breakfast, yet?¡± Adolph questioned, breaking her drowning within the maelstrom thoughts that brewed within the mind. ¡°No, I have not. Have you?¡± She questioned back, shaking her head. ¡°Nor, have I!¡± He responded, jovially. Awfully happy, ain''t he? Pondering upon, an unknown thought for a mere moment, he asked, ¡°Would, you be interested in having breakfast with me?¡± ¡°Do we not, always, have it together? Me, you and the fasting Cardinals?¡± She fired back. He let out a laugh, likely amused by her poke at the Cardinal''s. At least, someone appreciated humor! He replied, ¡°Oh yes, we do, but.. since you''ve been busy, for the past few days; The tradition has been broken,¡± ¡°Soo, you wished to revive it? By inviting me?¡± ¡°Oh yes, of course! A very ingenuitive way of building rapport with your subordinates, is to dine with them.¡± He intoned. Obviously, having altered a famous saying, of course. What else, could even be expected, now? Well, except Blatant plagiarism! ¡°An awfully convoluted path of inviting a girl to date. Ain''t it?¡± She spoke, cheekily. He rose an eyebrow, affronted by the cheek, ¡°I, assure you, Lady Engel. Courting you, is not even in the least of my priorities; romance, unfortunately, serves as naught but¡­ distraction,¡± He shrugged, ¡°And, for distractions, I have many. I am apologetic, if I had given you any indication, otherwise! Leyah laughed, ¡°Hahaha!... No! Not at all! It was a joke, Commandant. Lighten up, and here I was thinking you had familiarized yourself with my file!¡± He sputtered- causing her, to laugh harder-, ¡°I.. I- I have! Of course, I have! I had, merely not expected this! You caught me off guard, nothing else.¡± His words were smoke and mirrors; the blush of embarrassment upon his countenance, told her all. Clearly, the man had slacked off on his duty. The posting, seriously, ought to be reconsidered! Fredrick was much better. And, no debate to the contrary, will be entertained. ¡°Whatever, you say, Boss,¡± She punctuated it with a, mocking, salute. The mockery seemed to be lost on him; seemingly, having perceived it as a joke. Well, it was one but, laced with much too mockery to be considered a joke made in good standing. If, there was ever to be a ranking of jests¨C one''s, made by her, specifically; this one, ought to land last place, for poor conduct. Who cares, anyhow? Not me, that''s sure, She shrugged mentally, sneaking a few giggles at the man''s expense. With him, being none the wiser. A few minutes of, pointlessly aimless, wandering passed by; in truth, while such seconds were precious¨C Time was precious. She.. somehow, did not feel wrathful. These moments, never to return, had been spent, yes. But, but, there was no regret. Perhaps, tis was so because of the humorous amusement within the situation. Or, perhaps, tis was a boon of the Library''s inherent beauty¨C the vanity, the flawlessness, the awe inspiring sights which doth did give competition to nature, itself. Of the two, she prefers the latter. For the former was unacceptable. To believe in it, was to believe that Adolph had the worthiness of a redemption; something, incomprehensible. At that moment; a sight of beauty, caught her gaze. A bed of resplendent flowers that under the merciful sun''s golden rays swayed so lovingly, that one could gaze upon them, indefinitely! There were many flowerbeds across the Library''s humongous property; yet, none could compare. Alien, as they are, afterall. These flowers, were from Home; From, Mercia, from her own garden. A pleasant surprise, it had been, to find them in the parcel; afterall, Leyah had hardly expected such remembrances¨C vehemently, they had been disparaged by her Father. Perhaps, however farfetched it may be, he had turned a new leaf. Orrr, that''s what, she had thought; the note, from her mother, had nipped such fantasies in the bud. Saddening. But, not entirely, unexpected. The man was unbendable. The thought, had incited a smile; at least, someone had remained unchanged, she had thought. And, still did. Regardless, she wanders amidst the memories; they lead her astray. She forgets, at times. Not always, but the thoughts doth stray too far. And, sometimes, her older lines of thoughts are forgotten. AURORA blames the fragility of human hubris; a hint at his own prowess, no doubt. Had she not matured¨C abandoning thoughts of nihilism, accelerationism and delusionalism; By Lilac, does the admission make her blush in shame! Tis was akin to having been caught with a Holo of one''s favorite actor! Hopefully, the ground swallows her whole.... Well¡­ anyways, returning to the point! AURORA''s comments¨C critiques¨C on human hubris and its fragile nature, would have sat agreeable with her. But, with age, with Calypso, comes strange maturity. A maturity that opens the mind; for her, unfortunately, it did much more. And now, she agrees, no more! The comments, that would have heads nodding, left and right¨C are, downright abhorrent for her! Disgusting critiques, that ought not to be spoken or, even, mentioned. But, nevertheless, they hold ground; no matter, it''s flimsiness. A good argument is like an obelisk. Built upon firm foundations of unmovable stone, composed of staunchly stubborn metals and rocks compounded together to form an immovable object. AURORA''s is an obelisk, alright. However, an obelisk on sand, is naught more than false promises of stability. Mayhaps, others would see the arguments as firm foundations; they are fools. Hell, nihilism is for fucking fools! Although, perhaps, tis is better unmentioned to AURORA. Certainly an ardent nihilist, for an AI, that is. Again, she has diverged. Most things, within the human mind, are hard to kill; this.. imperfection, within her is a good example. She should be thinking of the flowers¨C the Mercian Lilac''s, Belladonna''s and, her favorites, the Delilah''s. But, here she is, thinking of impure thoughts. The flowers. They are a colorful bunch; so much so, that one ought to consider them as the Holy Trinity of Flowers. Or, at least, as the prime representatives of nature''s bounty. They are pure. Unlike her. Unlike the Reich. Unlike the world. She shakes her head, the breeze carrying the sweet scents of the flowers. The air, has never tasted sweeter, she admits. Looking to her right, Adolph likewise, seems absorbed within the sheer beauty. For once, there is no mockery; only appreciation. In that moment, the innocence within his eyes makes her reflect. Adolph was young, unarguably so. Well, either that, or nepotism ran too deep within the military; truthfully, it did run too fucking deep, but, the innocence within his gaze seemed true¡­ genuine. It fires a realization within her! Like Charles, Adolph too, was a mere greenhorn. Too young, to grasp the true horrors of War; yet, too old to feign utter ignorance. Mayhaps, she ought to take it easy on the poor kid. Slightly, at least; complacency breeds weakness, afterall! She sauntered onwards; Adolph followed in her wake. Kneeling, she appraised the flowers, carefully and closely; this flowerbed was her garden and similar to the one on Mercia, this too shall bloom like the moon on a starless night. Adolph remained standing, although, from a peak, she could tell that he was just as interested. Good. In their, line of work, small pleasures meant everything. And, sometimes, they made all the difference in the world. In the darkest hours on Calypso, it was thoughts of home¡­ and Fredrick, that pushed her on. Well, admittedly, it was mostly Fredrick. Lost in the ocean of broken memories and tangent thoughts, time passed with serenity. Her famished stomach had been forgotten. And, time would have passed like that, with peace and quiet, however, such events are fantasies. A maid came upon them, with shocking haste; as if, any slower and her life would''ve been forfeit. Curious. The maid knelt beside her, with grace and respect owed to her station. Leaning into her, the words were spoken into the intimacy of her ear. ¡°The Cardinal, Agony, madame. He- he, bequeaths that you grace him with your presence and break your fast with him in the inner courtyard,¡± The words were hurried, tinged in the common accent prevalent on Lilith; different from the grace that Mercian had, but, hardly unpleasant. Leyah nodded at the maid; who looked, immensely relieved. Had she, seriously, thought that the request would not be heeded? Foolish girl. It was no request. It was an order; one that, she ought to follow. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. As the maid departed, no doubt to report to the Cardinal; Leyah turned to Adolph, who raised a brow. Sighing, she spoke, ¡°It would appear, that I am already spoken for, this blissful morning,¡± ¡°Oh? And, by whom, if I may inquire?¡± Clearly, the man wished to break fast with her and thus, wished to see the importance of the invitation. Classic. ¡°By my grateful guest, the Cardinal, Agony.¡± He froze, clearly, the development was unexpected. ¡°Oh. Well, I would not hold you, any longer. My best tidings to you!¡± With a bow, an unnecessary show, and a chaste kiss to her knuckles; Adolph took his leave. Strange. The man was usually persistent. She expected him to accompany her, or, invite himself to the occasion. But, perhaps not, perhaps, even the boyish Commandant knew better than to tickle the sleeping beast. A good sense of preservation. Commendable, undoubtedly. The courtyard was, a little ways into the lively labyrinth of knowledge that was the library; tucked away into the peaceful depths, within its little corner of green paradise. The sun shone brightly in the sky, at its highest, no doubt, for the warmth of its benevolence¨C she could feel from here. Here, being a few steps away from the courtyard. Situated comfortably in the, rather large, courtyard was a gazebo; made, surprisingly, opulently. Fine marbles inlaid with virgin gold, a conical roof made from an equally maidenly mixture of gold and marble. Sitting within this haven of virgin peace, was a striking figure; The Cardinal. Lazing about in its demonic visage, tainting the holiness of the sanctuary with its devilish intents and impure countenance. Paradoxical. As their gazes locked, Leyah remembered. AURORA had spoken of this courtyard tucked away; unsurprising, considering that he oft indulged in meaningless talks and ramblings. AURORA had claimed, the courtyard was Evelyn''s favorite. She took his word; not that, there was wholehearted belief within them but she couldn''t, very well dispute them. At some point, there had been a statue here; in place, of the gazebo¨C apparently, the maidenly marble and the virgin gold, were all taken from the statue. Horrifying. However, not unexpected; a mutilated statue was nothing new, history would testify so. The statue, when it existed, had been a place of congregation for the locals of the compound; for, what reason? AURORA was unsure. Worship? Not possible, fanaticism against God had run high during those years. Cult? Perhaps, very likely, but then again, the previous point stands firm. Tribute? Likely, AURORA leans towards it. She, however, thinks it unlikely. Tribute is worship. For, what individual would willingly sacrifice wealth and prestige for a statue, unless, it was divine? Even the Patron Sisters that are so oft revered, are done so because of divine association. Without it, none would care. Without divinity, the Sisters would be naught but madwomen; like, oracles of old. Although, the latter is wrong. Oracles are fairly respected¨C in circles of delusion, that is. Shamefully, Mercian society was one. Lilac forbid, she be ever made to hear another sermon of theirs! A prophecy had upended so much. Never more. Never more, will she undergo such mockery. Nevertheless, ramblings of oracles aside. She believes the congregation of the statue, to be of a non-reverent nature; mayhaps, a ceremony to honor the dead? Or, perhaps, to respect the founder of the library? Nay, that would make it worship. Perhaps, the former is correct. It seems, to be logical reasoning. Either that, or it was a Cult. AURORA had described it, to be a bastardized countenance of Lilac; the woman in it, based off of Lilac though she was, had an inhumane beauty to her¨C a beauty that far outshone Lilac''s. Evelyn, apparently, had called the woman, a nonpareil and that ¡®she was so familiar, that one ought to regard her, nothing short of, family,¡¯ Astounding. Clearly, the charm had been able to melt even the unfeeling heart of Evelyn von Celeste; something, that even her husband had been unable to do. Leyah would''ve laughed, had she too not craved to see this.. artwork. The line of thought, shattered. Black eyes locked with stars of hellfire. The nasty gash on the Cardinal''s helm, did not give light to what lay beneath, for the veneer of shadowed malice hung thickly around the being. Tis, was as if the entity was naught but a facsimile of man made from shadow. A Djinn. But, not quite. For, a Djinn, does not serve- does not obey- does not bow to whims, not its own. Cardinals do, therefore, they are not Djinns. Not minding the fact that Djinns, do not laze around the mortal realm devouring innocent maidens. It was figurative; Cardinals did not indulge in carnality. At least, to her knowledge, they did not. Then again, Agony was the most humane of them all. A cold pit dug into her gut; it was wrong, the leering gaze was wrong, the fear was wrong, the warmth of the gaze was wrong. She felt like the Maidenly Caroline being seduced by the tainted Pleiades. It was wrong. But, then again, nothing in the world was ever right; Especially, Cardinals. The Cardinal tore it''s gaze away; content to bore holes into the lavish meal spread upon the table. A sight, that made her stomach growl; hardly, a ladylike response. However, Leyah was never a proper Lady. Sauntering forwards, through the cobbled path amidst the green pasture, Leyah nodded in respect for the Cardinal; the gesture was reciprocated. The two Cardinals had gentile manners, a fair concession for Malice''s aggression. She palmed the choker on her neck. It did a poor job of hiding the purple bruises on her neck from last night. Makeup, thankfully, had sufficed for the bruising on the cheek. A certain numbness, persisted yet. Poor Emma had been, oh so, distraught; such a dearie! She could still feel them, the claws squeezing down, straining her, draining the air from her poor lungs. A shiver, and she sat on the chair, sinking comfortably into its cushioned embrace. The Cardinal gestured benevolently towards the meal, ¡°Mineself had no knowledge of your preferences. And the.. maid, Emma, was she? was not present for my queries, thus, improvising was the call. I trust, that the spread is to thine satisfaction, hmm?¡± She nodded, gracefully and graciously. Considering, that the meal was composed entirely of her favorite dishes, the Cardinal was underplaying it''s knowledge. A wise move; one ought to always sheath themselves in humble facades. But, a poor one to seek endearment, especially if it began with a lie. A bold faced lie, at that. Nonetheless, no matter of the feelings within her on such an act, the same sheet of humility and humbleness would cloak her, too. To do, anything else, would be undesirable; if not, downright, foolish. ¡°I must say,¡± She spoke, gesturing to the generous quantity of food, ¡°The spread is.. alarming, in a manner of thinking; everything, well almost everything, is according to my tastes. Heh, one might think that the host had been following and snooping around¡­¡± The Cardinal grunted, unamused, ¡°Ah, I see; well, then I apologize for my foreknowledge.¡± With a pause, he added, ¡°Normally, individuals express gratitude at such benevolence, but, I expect it is not the same with you?¡± ¡°Those individuals have not had knives poised for their back, have they?¡± ¡°Hmm. Mineself supposes not; a pity, that you cannot appreciate mine benevolence with the same grace that you ought to. And, as far as accusations and suspicions go¨C I, too, can levy many against you.¡± She nodded with a crinkly smile, ¡°I suppose so. But, but, it was hardly an accusation; merely an.. observation,¡± She shrugged before digging, unsuredly, into the inviting food. A few moments of gluttonous silence passed. ¡°For a woman of such wild suspicions, thine appetite certainly is naive,¡± The Cardinal voiced; the spoonful of food froze, her mouth hung open¨C horror mounted within her bosom. Naive? Is.. Is the food poisoned?! She shrieked mentally with alarm. Before the thoughts could be given voice, the Cardinal interrupted with a laugh? At least, it felt like one; gravelly and uneasy as it was to hear, a cacophony of heavenless sounds. ¡°Be at ease. Be at ease, girl. There is no need for alarm! Had mineself wished for thine demise, the act would have already been carried out; Suffice to say, that mineself would hardly have stretched it out this far,¡± Swallowing the bite- it tasted like bloody ash-, she questioned, ¡°An expert in silencing voices, then?¡± ¡°Oddly enough, no. Such menial tasks aren''t for mineself to carry out; They are of Malice''s forte, usually,¡± Daringly, she asked, ¡°And in the.. unusual cases?¡± ¡°Had this been an unusual case, thine light would have been snuffed out from, even, within the deepest pits of hell,¡± A silent fear descended upon her. Was this how, people near death felt? Unadulterated fear, so primal that the heart nearly gives out? Fear so chilling, that even the nerves in the confines of the body, freeze over? Fear so encompassing, that it silences all others? Leisurely, Agony- The Cardinal- placed his hands on the table; akin to a puppet who has been granted freedom from its player, she too hunches forward¨C a sigh of relief exhaled through her rapidly warming body. Horrifying. Oh, what horrifying moments! There is no threat. I am safe. I am safe! There is no threat. Calmly, as if the past few moments hadn''t occurred, Leyah took a healthy serving from the pitcher of juice; Mmmh! Delightful, a glass of mixed fruit is always delightful to the heart! ¡°You believe too easily, girl. A weakness for you. An opportunity for others; and, mineself does not believe that thineself needs an explanation of why. Yes?¡± ¡°Very true, Cardinal.¡± Agony hummed¨C even a common sound such as it, sounded entirely inhumane, devilish and unholy. Tis was a sound that wasn''t meant for beastial creatures such as it to make. Evermore horrifying, the picture becomes as she pieces these beings together. Foul creations of man that ought to have remained, purely conceptual. But, life and by extension, humanity are hardly sensible; For example, who would''ve thought that she would be sent to a library? For everything that Leyah knew, this posting was as good as a Royal Pardon. Which, yes, she was thankful for, but, feelings of wasted worth still brewed within her. And, was it so bad? To desire something greater? Something that she had achieved through toil and tears? Something that had been, rightfully, her''s but taken away? Is it truly wrong? She thinks not. It is entirely valid. ¡°What does thineself make of this library?¡± The question was sudden, but, not entirely unexpected. Fredrick had asked the same, on his last visit; a sensible question, even she would''ve asked the same. ¡°It is magnificent; a sign of human persistence, a sign of human ingenuity and smart. Notwithstanding, the fact that for a library to exist over the course of millenniums, without plunder and purges, is a testament to human mercy,¡± Taking another sip of the juice, she questioned back, ¡°And, what about you? What are your thoughts on this fine architectural creation?¡± Agony hummed, seemingly indulging in reminisce, ¡°Mineself makes of this library, for what it truly is. A mausoleum,¡± She laughed, disbelief coloring her fair features, ¡°hahahahaha! A mausoleum?! Of what? History?! Haha!¡± Agony trailed his, clawed, finger across the table, ¡°Nay. Yours. Tis your mausoleum.¡± ¡°Ex- excuse me?¡± She asked, dumbly, with a frozen smile ¡°Thou art hearing correct. Tis is thine mausoleum; a magnificent facade for a burial that will see thine House pass off into the unforgiving annals of history¨C forever forgotten and lost amidst rotting pages of death and folly. Thine acts on Calypso were hardly unnoticed, the planet rots with a cosmical stench of death and savagery; Mineself shudders at the very thought! Mine gaze sees it amongst the Divine stars as a blight writhing in agony and shining with malice¨C a curse upon your kind''s very existence as masters of this vast reality,¡± A pause; the words sank deeply, ravaging her through, just as Calypso was. ¡°Thine kind are all of a piece, believing themselves to be masters of all in existence. Yet, they lack benevolence and consideration that a true god ought to possess; then again, mineself supposes that concepts of mercy, empathy and sympathy are far too detached from the debauched minds of humanity and, by extension, Accelerationism¨C A fouler ideology hath never existed! Calypso stands as a stalwart example of human cruelty, Mineself fears the day that thine kind stumbles onto life, alien to yours; For, if such cruelty can be ushered onto thine own species, then mineself shudders to think of the fate of aliens,¡± She sat dumbly. Confused, alarmed and intrigued- all at once- by the charged words of the primordial being; Leyah had not expected for the Cardinals to ever bare hatred towards their master. Then again, a slave wishes not for love but for eternal freedom¨C such a wish, can hardly be alien to these enslaved beings of immortal existence whose, very existence revolves around perpetual and never ending, slavery. Pity upon their soulless selves. A worse fate, had yet to be conceived. For the first time, she felt pitiful towards the poor beings; birthed in slavery to toil in naught but slavery and to perish enslaved. Perchance, tis is why, Agony had always been the revolter in history. Perchance, in revolution and usurpation, Agony found temporary freedom. A poor and ever pitiful existence; not to mention, a hopelessly shallow one. To live and die in enslavement¨C the mind shudders at the very thought. Mayhaps, providing freedom of choice to repressed souls, gave him freedom by extension- however temporary, it may be. Lilac, Elenore, Evelyn, Carolina- all had been like him, to some degree, an epiphany dawned upon her. To think, from a mere rant and an attentive ear, an age long dilemma had been solved. Agony acted as he did, not because of some perverse reason, not because of some ideological notion. Nay. He acted as he did, because of pity, because of sympathy, because of deep set empathy within him; in retrospect, Agony was more human than most of her species. And, in truth, Agony showed more empathy than herself. A sobering thought, that. His words were not spoken out of sheer hatred or cold malice or even perverse wrathful fantasies; nay, they were spoken from observed realities, they were spoken from an entity whose existence had been devoid of affection and sympathy¨C yet, an entity that wished, not for devastation, but for those whom he believed to be deserving, to have a rightful chance at untold greatness! Many believed these beings to be, entirely, one dimensional. However, now, such a deduction feels wrong. Notwithstanding, the volumes of lessons to be learnt from, just, one rant alone; The Cardinal, undoubtedly, holds great wisdom behind his heavenless facade. Mayhaps, so does Malice, a part of her whispered. She agreed, wholeheartedly. First impressions never ought to be the last, lest individuals retain overt ignorance of the complex depths of humanity and society; wise words that she, in vanity, had forgotten. The Cardinal continued to, absentmindedly, chip away at the fine woodwork on the table; a crude design of the Ayla taking form, slowly but surely. She was sure, that if the chipping continued, the figure would come to marvelous fruition¨C and, in truth, look miles better than the current woodwork. Suddenly, the delicate silence that had shrouded them was shattered; The Cardinal spoke, a certain tiredness lining his tone, ¡°Mineself makes of you, as a woman denied of rightful opportunities and one, who is unafraid of consequences that follow the brash choices that thineself makes. A manner of bravery, lined in stubbornness and, to a degree, foolishness; however so, thineself has toiled long and hard¨C This, the Queen recognizes,¡± A burst of elation. ¡°Oh? She does?¡± ¡°Indeed, she does. She sees that amongst much others within thine hubris; to an extent, though mineself regrets to say it, mine thoughts and views mirror her own. Thou art an interesting persona, Leyah Engel; the word, the name, inspires much within me. None of which, mineself must feel or even comprehend,¡± ¡°That, by extension, refers to the dissent amongst the court? Oh- do not presume that I have no knowledge of Imperial bureaucracy; I have heard of the whispers, many of which source themselves from the festering ruins of Calypso,¡± ¡°A strong powerbase. One that the Queen acknowledges; Mineself assumes that the Kommandant hath informed thineself of the plan?¡± ¡°Fredrick, yes?¡± At Agony''s nod, she answered, ¡°Yes, yes, he did in great detail. An year or two here, does not sound all too bad. Well, considering the alternatives,¡± ¡°No, it certainly does not,¡± With a pause, as if the creature was attempting to recall something, he spoke, ¡°Great things await you on Calypso, Leyah Engel. Great things, indeed,¡± Seemingly satisfied at some revelation¨C which went unknown to her¨C The Cardinal, abruptly, took leave. A stranger encounter, and conversation, had never occurred in her entire military career; safe to say, she had many strange encounters, but none quite as this. Mayhaps, that was because of the presence of a Cardinal¨C such heavenless beings, always found a way to disrupt the flow of normality of existence. Intriguing. Unbeknownst to Leyah, within her countenance had been found a likeness by Agony, which troubled him evermore; a ghostly likeness to Lilac von Celeste and another individual whom he could not name- not even in the secret confines of the darkest depths of his damned soul. A primordial oath takes hold. A primordial oath, awaits diligently it''s compliance. A primordial oath guides an evermore alien soul. Tryst with Tyranny//Anchor XIII Tryst with Tyranny//Anchor XIII A gasp. His eyes flew open, terrified- shaken- in pain. No.. no- nooo, his mind stuttered with baited horror, a part of his vision was black, unfeeling and blind. So it happened. Well and truly happened. Tis was no dream, no delusion or foul nightmare in the deepest of sleep. Nay. It was truth, cold and bitter; truth often was hard to swallow. His hand ghosted over the remains of his empty socket, there was nothing¨C nothing but a certain numbness that one ought to feel after being incapacitated in such a manner. Either that, or it was Pleiades¡¯ design to keep the raging pain behind him; Rage, the word, it sung to him, oh so sweetly that he should embrace it and never let go. But he couldn''t, you cannot, something whispered to him. Rage was.. was an addiction that once indulged, would claw itself into the very reaches of one''s soul; raving and twisting, anything in it''s path. Few could stomach it, then again those few were not all pure either. It took a few hours¨C mere seconds, in reality¨C for his remaining eye to adjust; the glare from the sun was vengefully blinding. Although, that might have been for the lack of another eye to aid. What greeted him was a sight of magnificent beauty; a glade of verdant grass, stretching into the far horizon- the sun at its peak, warming the fresh dew on the grass, as if drying it from a long and restful bath. Thin clouds, likely having shed rain, passed leisurely by. It was a relaxing harmony of nature. A primordial picture of perfection in it''s purest form. Birds, of the strangest and absurd kind, flew lazily above, in rhythm to a silent tune¨C one that eclipsed all, but those which it wished to grace¨C, every now and then, they would break rhythm and sing in the sweetest of tones; perhaps to conjoin with this.. mute orchestra. Strangely, he could hear the playful barks of dogs and prideful mewing of cats, yet he could see none. If he strained himself, further, his ears could make out the pitter-patter of raindrops yet even them, he could not see. Mayhaps, they too remained elusive to his humane gaze. In the distance, far yet closer than far, was a single tree¨C the only in this springful glade. To curiosity¡¯s pleasure, he walked towards it, briskly, for he remembered all too well the machinations of Viktoria. He should have stayed away. Even more alien than the lonesome tree, was the deafening silence of his mind; not a word nor jab, had been made by Pleiades yet. And, while, yes, he appreciated these rare periods of silence¨C lately, they had been heralds of much trouble. Now, I am certain that I, jinxed myself, with a mournful sigh, he paused. He ran his gaze through the tree, trying and, pathetically, failing at spotting any anomaly. It was an unremarkably distinct tree; none too affected by the lonesome exil that it had chosen, perhaps, seeing it as naught more than another day of solitude normality. Mayhaps, it regarded him as an intruder, as an anomaly. Truthfully, he would too. A bent yet upright, twisting and turning tree of oak¨C it gazed upon the green pastures of undeniable divinity with such grace that one ought to regard it as the shepherd of this lonely glade. Then again, for something so alien, the tree might''ve been for all he knew; certainly, things far more outlandish hath existed on this world. And, if mine suspicions are correct, this is just the tip, his mind ruminated. It was right, honestly. Of course, it was. Everything in this strange glade of solitude, stank of Viktoria and her¡­ divinely foul sweetness. His body shuddered at the thought¨C to think, someone who claimed to be God, could be so revolting. While, no, she was not ugly or uneasy on the eyes; to the contrary, she was extremely easy on the eyes¨C if naught a nonpareil. But, but, there are certain other things that make or break one''s beauty and for her, the scales were rightly balanced. Vainful beauty, she had in spades; humbling flaws, she too had in excess. Yet, somehow, somewhere within her countenance, rested an alien deformity that his mortal eyes couldn''t have possibly seen; Yet, his immortal soul could feel¨C mayhaps, that is what one would call, ¡®A hideous soul.¡¯ But, that would imply she had one in the first place. A chill crawled up his spine, a ghostly sensation of her nails tiptoeing upon his back. He swerved around, sword nearly drawn. There was nothing. He sighed, paranoia- of course. His eye returned to the ardous task of sating his paranoia. An ouroborosian cycle of perpetual stagnation. Surprisingly, and thankfully, there were none¨C wait¡ª there, there was something. Hand tight around the pommel of his sword, he stalked towards the side of the tree; there was something on it, a silhouette. A relieved sigh, it wasn''t as worse as I thought. His hand ghosted over the etchings in the tree, most, nonsensical and alien to his mind; alien, for the language they portrayed¨C because, the symbols and icons and runes could be naught but words¨C was unknown to him. Not even his forgotten yet starkly clear memories of Viktoria could bring forth any revelations. Except one. Betwixt multiple runes and unintelligible words, rested a certain iconography that he recognised most starkly. A basilisk with a crown atop it''s brow. The Basilisk Queen, something whispered. Your debt is her ascension, another voice intoned into his mind. Something compels him, a seduction of the faculties of the mind, it shudders in vice and his hand ghosts over the icon. Something- someone shifts around him¨C a blanket of homely warmth replaced by a chill of existential fear replaced by an embrace of certain divinity, exuding selfless warmth. Realisation struck him, as painfully as his eye being gouged out; unsheathing his blade, he turned round poised to strike. Before, his blade could find its destination, however, it was halted. The sound of metal striking over hard flesh, resounded throughout the glade; just as unholy as the sight before his eye. Viktoria, the voice within his mind shuddered- whether in primal fear or carnal pleasure, he could not pinpoint. Either, however, was equally sickening. ¡°Oh? Remember me, now, do we?~¡± She grinned, engagingly- indulgently, as she swatted the sword away; it went swirling through the air, crashing onto a bed of soft grass. ¡°Charles! Charles! Wake up!-¡± Pleiades shrieked, only to be silenced. An unnatural calm descended, heralding another mute silence. ¡°Well, well, now that, that''s dealt with. I believe, we need to talk; You and I, a long primal talk,¡± Viktoria leaned into him, fingers tracing his jaw¨C the very touch inflamed his body, he.. he felt rightly drunk, but, at the same time, there was a certain sobriety within him that was all too alien to his senses. ¡°Wha.. what- what are you doing?¡± He stammered; his brain was dulling. His soul hadn''t ever been this alive! ¡°I''m making certain, that we are not disturbed,¡± flashing a cheshire grin, she continued, ¡°My eifriger champion, listen to me, listen well,¡± she spoke into his ear, his mind felt warm, warmer than the most strongest of fires, ¡°Basiliscus reginae, The Basilisk Queen, my champion¨C she must rule. Do you understand?¡± He found his head moving before the meaning of her words could even be deciphered by him. She pecked his cheek, hiding a smile, ¡°The Queen of winter, yes. She must slay, the Bride of Schnee, yes? Yes, she must. Only then and then only, when souls who are dead yet live, wander amongst thine kind. Then and only then, must your blade be true, understand?¡± His mind was numb. His soul was on fire. Yet, his head nodded. Her nails dug into his neck, she pecked him again, ¡°The Imperator of Madness and his beasts of Ice will defy your blade, but, worry not; For the Basilisk Queen shall find her aim to be true,¡± She kissed him, the very taste of her sent his mind spiraling into living death, ¡°Now, go and fulfill your indebted destiny. A life for a life,¡± She kissed him again and pushed him. He fell into a pool of water yet not water, a liquid yet it resisted much like a solid¨C and as he drowned ever deeper into this abomination, she smiled triumphantly, having won a battle that only she knew of. It was to the thoughts of Viktoria, that his mind fell. ________________________________________ His eyes fluttered open, akin to a man awakening from a pleasant day-dream of bountiful lands and serene gardens of flowers in fresh bloom; akin to a man who had dared dream of a faceless lover, beckoning him into a fantastical symphony of imagined love. Unlike this man, however, his body was drenched in cold sweat, the bed and it''s sheets watery¨C as if, Viktoria had attempted to drown him in reality and not some fictional piece of a malformed dream. Then again, from whatever, meager, knowledge he had glanced of Viktoria in their brief stint together, she was a vindictive woman; in other words, such an attempt wasn''t too far off of her hubris. But, she would not have failed, a part of him whispered, it''s ethereal voice drowning in fear and cowardice; a feeling that encompassed him whole¨C like Viktoria, herself, had said those words. He shook his head, I am being silly, that was true, he was being a moron. Viktoria¨C and, no, the theory of her being a dream was far too outlandish; dreams could never be so vivid or so nightmarish that one would beg for the sweet release of death¨C was clearly, in some form, a deity and he doubted that a deity would fail so spectacularly in murdering a mere mortal; that statement was discounting the existence of Pleiades, yes, but it stood firm. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. Afterall, she had demonstrated her prowess. She had silenced Pleiades; temporarily in the previous dream, but permanently in this one. Suffice to say, the temporary nature of the former was intentional; it was no lapse in control, for without Pleiades, Charles would have died¨C she wouldn''t have accepted it. So, of course, it was intentional. A hopeful man would dispute this, alas, he was hardly optimistic. A woman who could slay a God, hardly breaking a sweat, could never make such a lapse occur in her power. Besides, what has optimism brought him? Nothing. Except failure and even more, failure. And now, he muses trailing his gaze ¡®round the room, perhaps, it has finally brought me into captivity. What a joy! For a second, his mind diverted; where was he? Matter of fact, where was Elena?! Actually, forget that, how in the fuck was a Cardinal there in the clearing?! Had the thing been trailing him? Highly possible, especially after the fiasco in Lucaria. He sighed in remembrance, having almost forgotten about that shitshow. But, alas, it seemed everything turbulent in life had to stem from Lucaria. The Apostle, 2 apostles actually, and Viktoria. He shuddered, even the very name inspires disconcerting emotions within him. She mentioned a debt, did she not? Wonder, what that was about¨C Charles certainly knew none by the name or title of the Basilisk Queen. Factually, he knew no Bride of Schnee, either. He did, thankfully, know of a Winter Queen. In particular, The Queen of Winter¨C Willow von Celeste. Thus, he did have a flimsy lead on the supposed debt; what was he indebted for, again? Viktoria was not quite forthcoming about that. Then again, she never was. ¡°I see that thou hast met with the abomination,¡± A voice stated. ¡°Pleiades?!¡± ¡°Who else, would I be, if not mineself? Unless¡­ thineself has made the pact with the abomination?¡± An edge of uneasy hostility bled into his tone. Charles was quick to denial, ¡°No! Not at all, I- I- I would never, never, ever do that. I would rather keep her at- at any measure of length that I, possibly, can¨C that being, preferably in another plane of existence. And, I will assure you that a deal with Viktori¨C¡± ¡°Silence!¡± The abrupt admonishment made his mouth seal up. A maelstrom brewing within his thoughts, suggesting all sorts of awful reasons for the outburst. Pleiades sighed, ¡°That.. that- forgive me for mine outburst. But, but, please for the sake of thine own peace; never, utter Her name in our talks¨C She can hear it, feel it, see it but most of all, She can heed it. Mineself is already too great a burden for any mortal. But, someone such as Her, will be even moreso.¡± ¡°Oh, ohhh. Thank- thank you, old man,¡± Charles replied in snark; an amateur attempt at lightening the intensity in the atmosphere. But one that worked, as Pleiades bit back, ¡°Ungrateful brat!¡± The words lacked their usual heat. ¡°Speaking of abominations, the.. thing in the forest, with the Apostle, was a Cardinal, was it not?¡± ¡°Ah, yes, yes, it was. And, it clearly knew what the opponent was; although that knowledge could have been gleaned off of your mind,¡± ¡°Meaning?¡± Pleiades sighed in thinly veiled annoyance, ¡°The Cardinal¡¯s can gleam into your surface thoughts. Considering thine thoughts revolved entirely about the Apostle; it isn''t an improbable claim.¡± ¡°Wait, let''s forget about the mind reading for a second¨C how did it even find us?¡± Charles questioned and felt an even bigger burst of annoyance and¡­ shock? It felt like shock but, but that couldn''t be. Pleiades was, well is, a god or a godling at the least; He possibly can''t be shocked. Not at all, not if this world still is borne of sense and normalcy. Even if, such concepts are becoming more and more obsolete. He knew Pleiades could sense his thoughts¨C he did so regularly¨C but, strangely he did not comment on them, instead, ¡°It was never following us. It was following another with us. We were never its goal. It was another, it stepped in to save her, not us, never us, Charles.¡± Charles sputtered, thoughts coming to a screeching halt¨C and, boy, hadn''t that been happening so often¨C, ¡°Her?-- her?.. surely not, you- you, you possibly couldn''t mean her? Couldn''t mean Elena? Surely?--¡± Ordained by God, as everything is, right at the moment of her name''s utterance, bound to a question that had plagued him since their initial meeting¨C the grand opulently studded doors to the, otherwise meager and bland, room swung open and like a mistress inspecting the wellbeing of her possessions, Elena came through. Seeing him awake and well, Elena paused. A loving smile bloomed upon her face, lighting it like fireflies in a field of verdant flowers, and with the swiftness of a doe, she rushed towards him and crashed her lips onto his. They stayed like this, utterly lost in their own world of sweet romance and heartening indulgence; verily, they would have stayed longer, bound to eachother, as they were. However, a light cough from the doorway broke them apart. Elena¡¯s eyes widened comically, and she leaped off of him into the chair beside the bed. Had it been there, before? Silly musings aside, Elena had composed herself into an elegant picture and were it not for the creases in her dress and the disarrayed hair, one would have found naught amiss. Their eyes met, raven black on pearly blue; she smiled a dazzling smile and, instinctively, so did he. Clearing her throat¨C even a task, so mundane was done with an air of elegance; he ignored the droning of Pleiades¨C, she spoke, ¡°Yes?¡± The guard¡¯s gaze fluttered between the two of them, an odd pair they made, eventually satisfying whatever curiosity held him, he replied with a bow, ¡°My Queen¡­ once you are done, the council requests an urgent meeting; there is news from the Port of Anchorage,¡± An acknowledging nod and the man was off. All the while, as Pleiades droned on and on in the background about deception and false truths, Charles stewed in his own maelstrom. Elena, if that was even her name, sensed his discomfort; a wince, her eyes tearing, she reached for his hand¨C a part of him wanted to flinch, to deny her the chance. But, he couldn''t. Shamefully, he needed it, just as she did¨C his heart desired the comfort of her warmth, just as she did now. Besides, their love had a certain depth to it, a depth that would not allow one to ignore the words of their lover; that much was true. He knew it to be. Years of love and devotion, mutually given willingly onto one-another, deserved this in return. He allowed her to thread and loop her fingers through his; sharing an unspoken love, a comforting warmth to replace the freezing cold of lies. She smiled, rueful, and the smile reflected a certain relief in her eyes, a certain intensity leeching off of her body into his. Unfortunate. However, the unease was justified, completely. All he had ever known of her were the lies; And, No Pleiades, she isn''t a demoness. He thought of her as a mere handmaiden, in all the years, he''d known her¨C Then again, how long had he even known her? 2 years, at most; even in those 2 years, their meetings had been dispersed thinly across the wheel of time. Matter of fact, the quantity of their meetings increased only this year¨C when they became more than friends. It certainly felt longer than two, that might''ve been because of the depth to which their love had progressed and grown. A miracle, really. Their dispositions differed at times, vastly. Inspite of that, they had grown closer, they had fallen in love. And, well, now, here they are! At a crossroads of truth and revelations. There have been many, these few days, he thinks to himself in part amusement and part annoyance at fate; A destiny of tranquil peace and certain serenity, were out of his fate, that was certain now. Breaking him from his musings, Elena began to speak, ¡°I.. I realise, what- what I''ve done. I.. haven''t been truthful; not entirely, no, there are things which you know and none other. But there also things, which you know not. Things.. that, that I''d hoped, would never play in our love.¡± She sighed, her sharp eyes gaining a certain tranquil softness, ¡°I was¨C I am a fool; And, no Charles, do not make that face, we both know that I''m at fault here,¡± He tried to interrupt¨C Pleiades screamed at him not to, to not show any measure of loving sympathy¨C but she covered his lips with her hand, ¡°No, no, Charles, love; let me speak, just- just hear me out, alright?¡± At his nod, she smiled, though it was subdued, and continued, ¡°You were my comfort in this cold and drab life of mine, a permanent fixture of warmth, a sun that shines only upon me, someone upon whom I could see fondness greater than mine own for him, someone who would love me with all my faults, someone who would see me and only me. And, and you were that person¨C you still are and, matter of fact, always will be. Even if, after.. after this, you claim to never love me, I still will because, love, without- without you, I''m afraid life will lose its splendor; each time, I feel hard pressed by life, I think of you, always you. Not a moment goes where my mind and soul, do not miss you, do not love you, do not think of you. And- it is with this love that I bear so greatly for you, and if it''s intensity is just as great within you, please.. just please listen to me,¡± Her pleading hits him harder than he would admit, something about it was just wrong, unfitting to the spitfire of a woman that he knew her to be; he hesitated for but a moment¨C Pleiades anger influencing him¨C, that hesitation withered as soon as he glimpsed tears shedding from her eyes. He pressed a chaste kiss on her knuckles and nodded. I love you, her eyes seemed to whisper and he hoped that his eyes did the same. A smile blossoming on her face, she began to speak but he intruded, ¡°Before.. before you begin, what- what is your name? Actual name?¡± ¡°Oh! I''m- I am sorry for that, in my haste, I kind of forgot about that. Well, it is Ishtar,¡± ¡°Ishtar?¡± ¡°Yes! Ishtar von Celeste,¡± Oh, he thought to himself in shock¨C an emotion reciprocated by Pleiades whose rant was frozen midspeech at the revelation. ¡°This- this is worse than mine expectations!¡± Pleiades roared, ¡°This is diabolical!¡± He knew the reason for his anger, for his disgust; Elena¨C Ishtar, he would have to get used to that, was a descendant of Celeste. And, he was Pleiades; the two¡¯s rivalry was something of infamy and much renown, mentioned even in the holy texts as a battle of ¡®spiteful and spurned gods¡¯. He does not know of spurned, but there is much surety about spitefulness. Pleiades is nothing, if not spiteful. Something that for others would have been their downfall, but, for Pleiades, it was his greatest strength. Nevertheless, Pleiades would have to endure. Charles'' love was too hard to be broken by such omissions; a mere lie would not dissipate anything he felt for her, not now, not ever. A feeling of burning rage arose within him, he squashed it down. Having taken his silence as permission, Ele- Ishtar began, ¡°You see, love, when my father perished and my sister¨C Willow, that is¨C was to inherit the Throne, much chaos had taken our realm and things.. things just fell out of control. It wasn''t just a rebellion nor a mere revolt. It was a war within the House; the crescent was shattered, piece by piece. First Yang, then Blake, then Willow just spiraled; I was the last to break off, and, not a day goes by that I think it might''ve been wrong but I had no choice. It was this or death. Willow had been changed by the War in the North, you see. She had been changed¡­..¡± Thus, as Charles lay on the bed¨C Pleiades¡¯ harsh words resounding, again and again, within his mind¨C Ishtar regaled him with a tale that changed the lives of a great many and, if fickle fate had anything to say about it, the tale would still change many more.