Chapter 36 — Orders of the Queen

Susan appeared with Vivian on red reflective tiles. Before her was a red veil, and Susan knew who sat beyond the veil. For some reason, she couldn’t stand because she didn’t have the strength to. So she stayed on her knees just how she had appeared, and she knew exactly why she had been brought here.

Susan recognized this vast court as her mother’s privy, and it had lots of red silky curtains that danced to a wind circulating within.

Vivian, in a red gleaming armor, bowed before the Queen, then she stood erect, and turned to face her sister, Susan.

“The Queen wishes to know why you caused a war with the lines of power,” Vivian said.

Susan laughed. “Like she cares. Why, can’t she end the war?”

“You’ll behave yourself before the Queen, or—”

“It better be with death you wish to threaten me with. Then, I’ll have no cares, and nothing to worry about. That way, I would have fully atoned for all the men I’ve killed.”

“Susan!”

“I don’t wish to hear your voice, Vivian. If mother wishes to know what I’ve done, let her ask me herself.”

Just then, the presence behind the curtain stood, Vivian went on her knees with her face to the floor.

The being took several steps forward, but she didn’t cross the curtain.

“My child,” the voice of a lady said.

“Mother!” Susan said.

“What have you done?”

Susan frowned. “All this time I’ve wished to hear your voice, it’s the first thing that you ask? I can end this war with the lines of powers right now. Cast me to them. I’m too weak to stand in your presence. Just cast me away.”

Susan felt the solid form of a hand rest against her cheek, but there was no one before her. It was an extension of her mother in spirit form. Susan bowed.

“I’ve been with you for a while now, Susan,” her mother said. “I understand your plight. You bear the dreadful weight of madness within you, and you fear it would consume you. Live with that fear. It’s a caution you’ll need. We need you for something greater. A war is coming. One that’s bigger than me. If you wish your home to remain, you’ll bear this curse a bit longer. You are all that stands between the blood sea and total destruction. Our enemies are close to us. But my daughter, I need you to be strong for this. I will help you. All you have to do is call me when you need me. But for what’s to come, you’ll have to stand with your sisters against it. You may need your friends and the help of a few bloodstones. I, your mother would join the fight. But first, I need you to be strong. I need you to start the fight.

“We may be death, Susan. But true death is coming for us. Believe me. We can’t win if you’re dead. It’s why I made you immortal. It’s why when your madness and strength increased, I sent your sisters to you. You have a friend in Mercy. Call her if you need her also. You are surrounded with help, my daughter. Just don’t overlook it, or try to figure everything out on your own. Your true strength may lie in being alone, but now, you need your weaknesses. And they are those you love. Keep watching over them. And your sisters would watch over you as well.”

“It’s too much, mother. I cry at night. I think throughout the day. I am a destructive force waiting to explode. It’s too much. Please, take it away, mother.”

Red bolts of lightning flashed in the court, thunder roared.

“You are stronger than you know, Susan,” the Queen said. “Trust your heart in times of fear. And in times of safety, work with your mind, and trust your family. Now, rise. Put an end to the conflict you created.”

Strength came into Susan, she felt like herself. She took to her feet, a diamond armor, the color of blood graced her skin. And so did a helmet.

Vivian took to her feet, both sisters bowed.

“Put an end to this,” the Queen said.

Both sisters vanished.

***

The bloodstones, an army of feminine figures in red gleaming armor, charged forward to battle the horde before them. Red bolts of lightning scattered and struck the ground in front of them, and this caused them to stop running.

Janice stepped forward in red armor. She raised a fisted hand.

Vivian appeared in the midst of the lightning which still struck ferociously, she smiled at the horde. She took some steps back, then Susan appeared.

At the sight of Susan, there was a commotion in the camp of the enemy. The flashing red bolts of lightning stopped for a brief moment, causing a stillness. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and mountains cracked open. The silence broke as more red bolts of lightning shot out from Susan’s body into the atmosphere, then they hit the sand and little stones around her. The thunder around her was like an explosion, it caused the earth to shake.

The bloodstones stepped back in fright, and so did the horde before Susan.

“The Queen demands you to return,” Susan said with a whisper.

The enemy gave a battle cry, then they charged forward.

Susan laughed, and just stood where she was. “I’ll make an example out of your lot, then.”

The sky darkened, the ground began to shake. The enemy stumbled in their run, some fell on their swords.

Susan’s gaze turned to the color of blood, and blood-like tears trickled down from the corners of her eyes. “I warned you,” she said.

As the enemy came closer, they started to turn to dust. They couldn’t get close to two hundred feet from where Susan stood, and this made them stop charging forward.

“Advance,” Susan said, as if speaking to something unseen.

Something invisible obeyed her command for then, the army before her started turning to dust, and whatever power this was, it started advancing fast on the enemy.

It had gone halfway when Susan saw the white flag raised in the camp of the enemy, and she called these wild powers to halt.

Rules of engagement. Well, she had to behave like a good daughter in the presence of her mother.

Susan accepted the enemy’s surrender, she watched them first bow, then disperse in disappointment.

No more would the lines of powers ever challenge the blood Queen. These folks, Susan knew, had it coming. They insulted her mother, and secretly talked about retaliation. So she had given them a chance, and they proved no march against her. Maybe, they would have stood a chance against other bloodstones, but with Vivian, Janice, and her mother, victory would have been delayed.

No matter. She was the weapon of the blood sea. And without her, there was no victory.