Chapter Seven
Jasper
Kyla entered the Queen’s throne room, her footsteps echoing off the cold, marble floor. It was over two decades since she had last ventured here.
Today, the Queen was dressed in her resplendent armour. It glimmered with evil vigour; a one-piece set spreading over her entire body like a second skin. The shoulders were embossed with blood-red spaulders, spiked at the edges; spikes protruded from the forearms and ankles, too. This armour was forged from the magical substance ebinetic - the strongest material in the universe, tougher than titanium yet more flexible than cotton, and blacker than the darkest hour of night, coated in an eerie sheen. There were only two sets of ebinetic armour that existed in the known universe; the Queen wore one, Titus the other.
At the Queen’s waist were her two swords, forged using ebony and crimson steel, with blood-red hilts embossed with golden gems. Kyla had witnessed her in battle with these after her coronation - no one could match her skill, despite her relative youth.
Atop her head was a jagged crown, similar to the one she wore at their last meeting, except this one was made of emeralds, which glistened in the cerulean moonlight. Her crimson eyes were sharper and more vivid than they were twenty years ago. She wore her customary cold smirk.
‘My Queen,’ Kyla curtsied, noting that of the Queen’s order of bodyguards, only Titus lurked in the shadows on this occasion. ‘It has been too long. I have had no contact with my son since last we spoke. As such, I desire to know where we stand with regards to him… and, of course, our plan. After such a stretch of time, while it may have been a blink of an eye to one such as myself, a progress report is long overdue.’
The Queen tilted her head, eyeing Kyla like a piece of meat she would love to devour. ‘I quite agree, my darling. Your… impatience is understandable. After all, we stand on the precipice of a glorious rebellion. What would you hear first?’
‘My son. Has he been successful?’
‘That…’ The Queen’s brow knotted. ‘Is yet to be confirmed. The prospective Summoner has not yet manifested any forms of magic, nor ability of any form at all, as of current. It is still a youngling, though. As such, there is ample time for such manifestation to occur. As for your son… he’s well enough. We’re hurtling towards the next part, in any case.’
Kyla frowned. ‘Which is? You never entertained me with the specifics.’
The Queen’s smirk returned. ‘Why, the Summoner’s conversion, of course. It can’t be bound to our ways if we don’t indoctrinate it first.’
‘What of The Seven?’
‘Don’t worry about them, my darling. I have any potential interference from our… glorious rulers in check. Their ineptitude knows no bounds, after all.’
‘True as that may be, they’ll find a way to be an irritant. They always have.’
‘I said, they are in check. Do not presume to doubt me.’
‘Of course, your Highness,’ Kyla bowed her head. ‘What of your army?’
‘Ah, yes. It has swelled significantly. More than sufficient for our purposes. However, it can not hurt to further expand and breed yet more Piriks in the interim. To that end, allow me to ask you something. What of Jasper’s situation? After all, you are his… eternal confidante,’ she grinned.
Kyla returned the grin. ‘I don’t know, my Queen. Why don’t you ask him?’
She turned and gestured behind her as the vast throne room doors swung open. The moonlight of the Kólasi evening shining into the room darkened.
His Malevolence himself, Jasper, stalked into the room. The Queen’s smile vanished. She leaned over the arm of her throne towards Kyla, her voice a hiss. ‘What is this?! What is he doing here?’
Kyla did not answer. She did not know the answer.
Titus didn’t miss a beat. Devoid of expression, he stepped out of the shadows. His dead, cloud-grey eyes did not once leave the approaching Jasper. The Queen’s primary bodyguard and right hand, he towered above them all, an eight and a half foot slab of sheer, hulking muscle. Lank, white hair hung dead in a ponytail down to his waist. His right cheek, caved in during a battle long ago, displayed the inside of his mouth. The tale was that the wound had become infected and he’d torn the excess skin off himself.
Though he was a Pirik, and therefore in a state of perpetual decay, he showed no signs of approaching his end (aside from his ashen, lifeless skin), demonstrated by his flexing muscles. His fingers itched to reach for the sheathe upon his back, resting in the wishbone of wings that had long since become no more than blackened bone. This sheathe was home to a blacksteel longsword as long as he, as wide as two normal swords, that looked capable of taking the head of a thirty-foot creature off with a single stroke.
‘Well, well, well,’ Jasper’s cold, hateful, skin-crawling tone rang around the room. He wore a cruel, lustful smirk that made no effort to spread to its full extent. ‘What have we here? An alliance to which I am not privy, perhaps? Or merely a meeting between old friends? If it is the former… I shall kill you both. If it is the latter, I am deeply offended that my invitation was neglected. Or shall I assume the courier was waylaid? Yes, I think I shall do that. I believe it to be kinder to my ego.’
He reached the steps leading up to the Queen’s throne, radiating an awful chill that froze the Queen's blood. His imperiosity did not come through physicality, like Titus’s, but his aura of endless hatred, power, and darkness, so potent that his outline shimmered black. A foot shorter than Titus, he was still taller than the Queen and Kyla. His silver hair was slicked back and hung in a short ponytail. As pale as snow, his skin glimmered in the moonlight, and his bright, blue eyes cut into the Queen like forks of lightning. Dressed in a black robe, he had two daggers sheathed in his belt - not that he needed them; his magical prowess was a thing of legend.
The Queen squirmed on her throne, staring straight at the intruder, desperate not to convey the intimidation she was feeling.
‘Now then,’ he walked over to a table located against the wall and poured himself a glass of wine from the crystal decanter placed there. He disregarded Titus, who heaved his sword into his grip. ‘Can I interest anyone in refreshments?’
Silence.
‘No? Suit yourselves.’
He picked up his glass and stood in front of the throne. Here, he fixed the Queen with a stony stare. ‘How about we have a little chat.’
The Queen cleared her throat and settled into a more comfortable position on her throne. ‘Of course. Shall we talk about our feelings first, or would you rather discuss the weather? For I cannot call to mind a single thing that would concern you.’
Jasper sneered. ‘The Summoner. Where is it in its progression?’
The Queen spoke in a disinterested tone like she could think of a million places she’d rather be. ‘As I informed Kyla a moment ago, the Summoner has not displayed powers. Perhaps,’ she leaned forward, smirking. ‘Your son has not succeeded in his sacred duty. Perhaps, like his father before him, he’s a failure.’
He laughed and met the Queen’s eyes, his own soaking in lust. ‘Your insolence… I… enjoy it. Nevertheless, I must confess, I get the sense you are not being entirely truthful with me... your highness.’
‘What would I gain from deception?’
He sneered and drained his glass. As he walked over to refill it, he said, ‘perhaps my misgivings are... unfounded. Should they not be… I shall not think twice before turning you inside out. Does breaking your fast through a hole in your intestines sound like a positive proposition to you?’
He let this sink in while he returned to his spot. The Queen grinned from ear to ear. ‘You’re welcome to try. See what happens.’
‘Hmm.’ Excitement flitted across Jasper’s features. ‘Well, I have another task for you to perform, my dear Queen.’
She rolled her eyes and she slumped back into her throne. ‘What now?’
‘I have been imprisoned in this wasteland for three thousand years. I am… disillusioned with this place. The rule of this accursed land is no longer sufficient to placate me. I had expected to be free of this hell by the time the Summoner came to fruition, using that as my ticket out of here. Now, I have… updated this expectation.’
The Queen and Kyla shared a furtive glance - neither liked the sound of this.
‘And you’re only telling us of this now?’ Kyla asked.
Jasper ran his tongue along his upper row of teeth while focusing on her for the first time. ‘Ah, my favourite… plaything. It has been too long.’ He smirked and looked her up and down, making Kyla’s stomach flip.
He twisted back to the Queen. ‘When… they,’ the word stuck in his throat and he gagged on it. ‘Imprisoned me here, they used a pendant and an ancient ritual which stripped me of my power to travel within systems, consequently condemning me to eternity here. I understand they performed a similar service on Kyla. My Queen, I want you to acquire this item and bring it to me.’
She rolled her eyes again. ‘Lucky me. Where can I find this pendant?’
‘It happened when they were based on Earth. As I understand it, Lyal concealed it someplace on the planet. I am in no doubt it is in your ability to find the location. As a matter of urgency.’
The Queen drummed her fingers against the arm of her throne. ‘And what will you do when you’re free?’
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Jasper grinned. His eyes flashed amber. ‘I shall be a free spirit once more. Free spirits need… stimulation. Do you accept?’
‘I don’t see that I have a choice,’ she sighed.
‘Good.’
Jasper made to leave, but he raised his left hand and spun around. ‘Oh, and... I have one final matter that needs rectifying…’
The Queen gasped. Kyla whirled to see her clutching at her throat and gagging. Grey storms raged within Jasper’s eyes.
Titus moved for Jasper. Jasper snapped out his right hand and Titus froze. Kyla lost her ability to move, too.
Jasper approached the choking Queen, who skin was turning purple. He bent down and whispered in her ear, ‘fail… and this place will truly become a hell for you.’
Jasper turned and strode from the room, releasing the trio and winking at Kyla on the way. Titus made to charge after him, but the Queen, scrambling for breath, croaked, ‘no, Titus! Don’t - cough - pursue him. He’ll - cough - kill you and - cough - ‘and I need you.’
The Queen leaned forward and grabbed Titus’s wrist, his expression a murderous mask. The open wound in his cheek quivered in his ire. Nevertheless, he obeyed his Queen’s command, gripped her around the waist, and helped her back into her throne.
‘Kyla,’ she said, her voice raspy.
‘Yes, my Queen?’ A strange sensation filled Kyla - pity.
‘He mentioned the ritual used on him was the same The Seven used on you.’
‘What of it?’
‘Will there be a mention of its location in the same place?’
Kyla frowned. ‘I-I expect so. Why?’
‘Curiosity, is all. What was your item?’
A rare warm smile danced on her lips at the memory. ‘It was my weapon. A double-bladed scythe, the Scythe of Xepesmos.’
‘Interesting,’ the Queen nodded, her breath returned. ‘That will be all, Kyla.’
*
The Queen, with Titus for company, travelled to Archaic, the homeworld of The Seven - the ultimate powers in the universe - leaving Krik (another of the Queen’s bodyguards and her third-in-command) to rule the Piriks in their absence. Both the Queen and Titus wore their armour and were armed to the teeth. They did not expect any trouble, but it never hurt to be prepared.
The Seven’s mansion, though it paled in comparison with the size of her own fortress, was a colossal building that stood majestic and regal on the edge of a cliff above an angry sea, whose foaming azure and white waves slapped against the cliff. The sky in this part of the world was deep blue and clear, containing the last remnants of a magnificent violet and cardinal red sunset. Behind them were the Quarters - ten edifices housing The Seven’s students - far enough away that the pair weren’t spotted by their inhabitants.
Six miles of trimmed green fields stretched out from the Mansion, folding into a mile of paved stone where the Quarters lay, before continuing into the mountains behind. Storm clouds rolled in, grazing the mountaintops.
A gravel drive cut a direct path from the wrought iron gates to the Mansion, surrounded by luscious gardens where all manner of colourful flowers and trees sprouted. Hemming everything in was a black iron fence, ten feet tall, and topped with barbarous spikes.
‘It is too quiet,’ Titus said in his deep, scraping voice.
No guards were stationed outside, nor on the gates - both mercies for the Queen and Titus. No light shone from any of the windows, though the Quarters bustled with life.
‘Let us wonder about that after, shall we? For now, let’s be grateful this is the case. We go in, get the information, and get out.’
Titus put his arm out, gesturing for her to lead on. Together they strode through the gates like they were meant to be there, the gravel cracking and crunching beneath their heavy footfalls, their armour clinking.
After a mile-long walk, they reached the Mansion’s entrance - a pair of solid, blacksteel doors several inches thick. They swung open automatically and the Queen stepped inside first. All was silent. The doors clanged shut behind them.
She examined the magnificent, decadent hallway. A resplendent crystal chandelier swung from the ceiling. A smooth, curved, marble staircase swept up to the second floor. Hanging on the walls were artwork depicting the Seven’s greatest achievements. Seven suits of ornate, intricate armour, of leather and steel, stood on plinths. The floor, like the staircase, was marble and rang with every footstep. It was a mercy that stealth appeared to be unnecessary.
‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Follow me to the library, it’s just through here,’ she gestured off to the left. ‘Get your sword out, just in case. If you see any of The Seven, do not engage. Any Veriks, on the other hand... you may do as you wish.’
Titus bowed his head, and the Queen drew her sword. She stalked off through the left doorway.
The first room they came to was a living area. A broad fire pit rested in the centre of the room, its flames licking a black fireguard. Around this were multiple plush, crocodile leather sofas and armchairs. The walls were lined with shelves containing historical tomes, legends, and other works of mortals. The Queen sneered at these - they would never be caught in her home. Over her dead body. Not that she could die… but the pretence was there. A scan of these shelves told her that, as expected, they did not house what she needed, so she and Titus moved on to the next room.
Blue-flame lanterns burned low around this room, giving it a cold, deserted ambience. It was dominated by an enormous wooden table where The Seven held their meetings. Papers, scrolls, and files littered it like The Seven worked in a common office. The Queen turned her nose up and strode onwards.
In the next room, she was met with countless rows of towering bookcases, decaying and cracked volumes upon them. Lanterns lit up upon entry, bathing the room in an orange glow. Stone tables and wooden chairs were dotted around the room.
The Queen moved to the nearest bookcase and pulled out three books. ‘Right,’ she said, opening one and replacing it with a scowl. ‘You take that side of the room, I shall take this.’
Titus followed her inside and raised his eyebrows, appraising the room. ‘It will be a long night, will it not, your Highness?’
She tilted her head. ‘Probably, yes, but make it as quick as possible. I do not desire to remain here any longer than absolutely necessary. I have an awful trepidation in my gut.’
‘As do I,’ he said, clumping over to the other side of the room. ‘Anything I should be looking for, or shall I just pull each volume out?’
‘Go for the older ones first, darling; the most decayed. Look for any mention of Lyal or Jasper within them.’
The hours ticked by, the Queen’s anxiety growing with each that left her. After many, mind-numbing books and lengthy hours, Titus called out.
‘Found it,’ he growled. She whirled, and he rushed over to her carrying a heavy and decrepit leather-bound tome.
‘Hand it to me,’ she said. He obeyed, and the pair sank into the nearest chairs. ‘Ah. An archaic form of Greek. A curious choice. Hold on…’ She flicked through the pages, keeping her finger in the position where the information they needed was. ‘Lyal’s personal journal? My, my, Titus, my darling. You have excelled yourself with this.’
She flicked back through the book and read out,
‘του άνθρωπος και δαιμόνων’
Tou anthropos kai daimonon
1,1,0AI
Tragikí Méra
This is a tragic day. One full of melancholy and grief. On this day, Greece weeps. We weep for the souls we have lost. We weep for the souls that have been ripped from our grasps. We weep for the souls that have fallen prey, through no fault of their own, to the sacrilegious actions of Allóthriskos. We lay rest to our glorious dead. We pray Aljana hosts them with grace.
As sentenced, Allóthriskos will serve his term of imprisonment - everlasting exile - on Kólasi. His creations, a mockery of my design, the antitheic Pirikas, shall serve with him. I pray the souls these violations host shall find peace an eternity from this day.
The Pendant of Eleftheria, which myself and faithful Kyla used to perform the ritual, shall remain hidden forevermore.
Should such a time come as Allóthriskos enlists a servant to locate this creation, I record five locations, to enable one of our faithful initiates to thwart this endeavour. In one of these locations, the Pendant lies.
Should such a time come, our initiate need only search these locations, free of persecution or endangerment.
* Etchmiadzin
* Svetitskhoveli
* Anjara
* Antioch
* Kyiv monastíri ton spilaíon
Beware, reader. Should your intentions be antitheic to The Seven, you will not find the reward you seek. You shall find your doom.’
‘Well, that was a joyous read,’ she chuckled. ‘Leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it?
‘Kyla worked with The Seven?’
She cocked her head. ‘So it would seem. I… was not aware of this. It makes me feel uncomfortable to hear her referred to as ‘faithful’. Do you think Jasper knows she had a hand in his demise?’
Titus gave a growl of a laugh. ‘No. It is not conceivable the torture he would still be inflicting upon her if he was aware.’
The Queen tilted her head. ‘Valid point.’
‘What crime did Jasper commit that warranted his permanent exile?’
She had been pondering that exact question. Irritation bubbled up inside her. ‘I do not know. He has never deigned to inform me, and Lyal is too vague a source. All I know is he attempted an insurrection of some kind. Failed, obviously. But it took the entire power of The Seven to merely subdue him.’
Titus looked grim. ‘Should we heed the words of this… Lyal? Are we endangering ourselves in this pursuit?’
She rolled her eyes. ‘This was recorded three thousand years ago, darling. I think any threat that may have been present in these locations at that time has long since perished. And if not,’ she gave a heavy sigh. ‘We have no alternative. We find the Pendant, we’re in danger, risking only potential death. We don’t bother, and we’re undoubtedly dead. And that’s if we’re lucky.’
Titus stood. ‘Let us depart. We have work to do.’
She held up a finger. ‘Not so fast.’
‘What do you seek?’
‘I want more information on Kyla.’
Titus crashed back into his seat. ‘Ah. You desire to learn her role with The Seven.’
‘Oh, I’m not bothered about that. I want to know where her Scythe was hidden.’
‘Why on Kólasi would you want that knowledge?’
She clicked her tongue. ‘Because I want to release her, dimwit.’
Titus bristled.
‘Here we are,’ she said half an hour later. She had reached the final page.
‘39,24, 1098AI. Kataklysmós.
Betrayal. Murder. Crimes against sacrosanctity. Antitheism. Treachery and sacrilegious practices against the Rule of The Seven. These are but a few of the transgressions of Kyla. Agapiméni mou...
The upheaval her cataclysmic actions have wrought is incomprehensible. The work we have done, all we have built, our dynasty… all for nought. All razed to the ground. And for what?
The object of imprisonment was her Scythe. It will come with me into exile. Neither I nor the Scythe will see this place again, nor any other location. This object will never leave me and shall serve as my sole reminder of her and all the devastation she has wrought. I was wrong to place my heart and faith in her. Now, I have no heart to give.
Should any seek this object, do not. Avail yourself of the duty. Do not seek me.’
‘Huh…’
‘What did she do?’
She looked up at Titus. ‘Darling, I have absolutely no idea. However, what I do know is Lyal’s location.’
‘How? Where?’
‘I have… sources.’ She stood and beckoned to Titus. She placed the journal back on its shelf and walked from the room. ‘We’re going on a little adventure, darling.’
‘I would walk into the fires of Mhaidas with you, my Queen.’
She smirked. ‘And I would step off the edge of the Earth with you. One day, we may have to.’