Chapter 22: Enter Eleanor

“I’ve not had the urge to kill in days,” Susan said to Dena and Hannah who were in her room. She was before a mirror, looking at her reflection which then split into two separate forms and likeness of herself without her body doing the same.

“Does it bother you?” Hannah asked.

“Absolutely.” Susan watched as both reflections of herself became one. “It does bother me.”

“How did you get out?”

Susan backed the mirror to face Hannah. “I was this close,” she brought her thumb and index finger close to almost touching each other, “to using the Trap of Eleanor. This close. But Vivian advised against it. She said never to use the might of great powers who once lived, and that those powers do have a way of returning through their might. It was a candid warning, one I did take heed to, and if not for the invincibility I was feeling, I would have used it. I just didn’t trust the atmosphere of the blood sea to remain there much longer. It would have been to my disadvantage should I have gotten weak.”

Then, Susan turned to face Dena. “Which makes me wonder who Eleanor is.”

Dena arched a brow. “You don’t know who Eleanor is?”

“I wasn’t made during her time, I’m sure,” Susan said. “And besides, Dena, we read humans. Not beings like us. We may read certain intentions in our eyes, but we don’t necessarily see everything so clearly. So, speak.”

Dena sat at the edge of Susan’s bed. “Eleanor used to be the might of the sea and nature at large. She could command and will things to happen without really saying anything. She was feared, and during her time, every day was dread or chaos. She rained down fire from the sky like it was rain, and it would scorch the ground and set the sea ablaze. Your grandmother, with the help of a few bloodstones, went to put her in her place. It was while fighting with your grandmother that she cursed the line of the Hills, then she vanished. Some say she was destroyed. Some say she is hidden in the form of another. She was a conqueror, and a spirit. Her kind, only one does bear similar likeness, and that’s you.”

Susan smiled. “Some powers I sure would have liked to fight. Really, I don’t know what the fuss is about Chadwick. I and my sisters put him down the first time. Surely, with their aid, we could do it again.”

“There is a difference now, Your Grace,” Hannah, and both Dena and Susan looked at her.

“What, pray tell, is the difference?” Susan asked.

“Then, all three of you had the blood sea to drink from. You could drink any ration you wanted. But now, you live on the surface, and Vivian and Janice stay beneath the blood sea, plus their ration is now controlled.”

“It doesn’t change a thing. I may feel less strong, but save for my mother, there’s no one else who can challenge the might of my sisters.”

“How are they faring?” Dena asked.

Susan met Dena’s gaze. “Vivian and Janice both moved their bodies, but I left the moment Vivian opened her eyes. You see, the black sword should have killed Vivian. It actually did kill her, for it was my mother’s. But sending her home was the only way I knew they would both survive. And Janice’s death, that came as a punishment to her. And I hope she learned from it.”

Susan adjusted her white gown at the shoulder. “And now, ladies, I must leave. I promise Chadwick a war. Best I keep him on his toes if he seeks to return. Won’t want him missing out on who he intends to face.”

Dena and Hannah both curtly nodded, light emanated from all sides of Susan’s gown, she vanished.

The followers of Chadwick were in a clearing in a forest called the Lost forest. They were making chants, dancing around bonfires, sacrificing humans, and having sex out in the open amongst each other, and just then, Susan appeared, and so did a lot of crows which then graced the branches of trees.

No one saw Susan at first for they thought she was one of them, but then the crows began to caw loudly, drowning out their chants, and making them stop their wild practice, a lady screamed, and they all looked in that direction to see Susan in a white gown.

Susan smiled at them, and said, “Good morning. It might as well be the last greeting you all would be getting, so there’s no reason one shouldn’t be polite. Where is Chadwick?”

“He is coming,” a lady said. “And we know who you are.”

“Of course, you do. Let me guess, you don’t fear death?”

The lady took a step forward. “We were thought never to dread it. It’s just another phase of life. Besides, thrones and kingdoms are awaiting us.”

Susan inhaled deeply, and then exhaled. “It’s always the delusional ones who are bound to do something stupid.” She gave a side head gesture. “Noted. And do you know why I am here?”

“Of course. To kill us. He said you’ll come, and that we were to expect you, and offer ourselves.”

Susan frowned. “That’s so generous,” she said, “but then again, it won’t be a pleasant sight.”

The lady was about to speak when her head, and that of everyone in the camp rolled off their necks and bounced to the ground, their bodies all fell with resounding thuds.

Susan looked at the bloody sight and said without looking at the crows, “Do what you were called for. Feast.”

The crows cawed their thanks, they hopped down and began to feast on the dead.

Susan backed the sight to leave when she met her startling likeness ten feet away in a flourishing white gown facing her, she paused her footsteps and said, “Who are you?”

There came no reply, not even a change in the expression of her likeness.

“I didn’t split any part of myself before coming here,” Susan said, “neither do I sense you to be part of me. So, state who you are before I do something dangerous.”

“Susan Hills,” her likeness said. “You called me.”

Susan thought for only a second, then her eyes widened. “Eleanor!”

“In the flesh. And thanks to you, I like this form better.”