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Ancient Memories Part I: The Darkness of Terra Nithal
- Ancient Memories Part I: The Darkness of Terra Nithal -
During the turbulent period that followed Cyndijaz Megg's total assumption of power on the planet of Gehenna Primus, a period that lasted many long and bloody years... there was very little for me to do in that time, with the new ruler preferring to lead her loyal forces personally in just about every battle that came up. She gave me leave to do whatsoever my heart directed me to, and taking her up on this I had begun to make serious plans to leave the planet for a time. In preparation for this, I named my beloved consort Jinmar as my Shadow Hand. Which meant that, while I was away from the planet she would act in my stead and do everything that needed to be done there in my name. This was a title and position of great honor and responsibility, but if anyone was deserving of such an honor it was my darling Jinmar. My young wife Sciopia Ximmsia, whom I called “Sapphira”, had been granted by her parents a whole planet to rule over as her own. Thus, she was in addition to being the princess of the House of Aeros... now officially named as the queen of the distant planet of Terra Nithal. A world that the Imperial seat on New Corinthia found to be of great strategic value as a producer of the life-giving water that was so often shipped to more desolate worlds such as Ra'qia, who were always in desperate need of it. I was to be given the new title of Count Regent, since by ancient tradition there were no kings on Terra Nithal, which was only ever ruled by a single queen, whose husband, wife, or partner was always given the title of regent in addition to whatever noble title they already held. I was content with this arrangement, for I had no great desire to impose my will directly over a people I knew so very little about save in stories.
The passage from Gehenna Primus to Terra Nithal was entirely uneventful. Saphirra and I rarely, if ever, left our rooms on board the craft that bore us hither... preferring instead to spend time together, learning more of each other's thoughts about the new planet we were bound for. “It is said to be a very lush, green world.” the little girl recited from a book on the planet that we were given by her parents. “The weather varies, there are four basic seasons, and the planet is ruled by a constitutional matriarchy that despite being mostly democratic is still ruled over by a figurehead queen who oversees the council that meets annually to decide yearly policies.” I was very interested to learn all of this, but I was also a bit concerned with something I had begun to notice about Sapphira. In all of these years since we were wed, she had not aged even a single day. She remained precisely the same age she had been when she was a servant in my father's household. I asked her why this seemed to be so, and she at first glanced away and blushed a bit, as if the question was too personal for her to speak about readily. “Why did you never ask me about this... sooner?” she said rather quietly. I replied: “Because at first I thought it was just something that I was imagining... but now, enough years have passed that I thought it was time we had brought the subject up. How is this even possible? You were no older than thirteen years when first I was bound to you, and you are not a year older than that even now.” She cleared her throat, looked me squarely in the eye, her intense blue eyes seeming to see into my very soul... and she attempted to try and explain this curiosity to me. She spoke as an adult would... and I felt like the child, listening to her.
“Long ago, at least according to legend, there was an empire now long forgotten which ruled over all of the worlds that our current empire now governs today. To relate its' history to you would take us the rest of our voyage, so instead I will simply get to the point... and how this relates to me. They had all manner of technologies that today are considered forbidden. One of those technologies was found by my parents when I first turned thirteen... many decades before I was taken to Gehenna Primus in a raid by your father's forces and sold into servitude in his house. You know the rest of my history from there, but in any case... my parents did not ever want to lose me, you see. They became obsessed with using any means possible to ensure that I would outlive them! Any means, even ones explicitly forbidden. This one method... it was used by the ancient emperor, to extend his life far beyond its' natural span.”
“It was the method my parents had discovered, and it was the one that could accomplish what they wanted to achieve with me. So, before the year had passed they used this technology and altered my body so that it would never age beyond the year in which the process was completed. I had to agree of my own volition, and request it myself in order to satisfy their wishes and leave them without guilt. So that is why, you see, that I cannot age. Are you uncomfortable with being wed to me, with me looking the way that I do, that is like so young a girl?” That was why she was so worried about me asking this, and once she explained everything to me I realized that she was in truth no child at all. She confided in me, at the last, that she was many times older than even I was... even if she did not look like she was. “You saw how very old my parents are... did you never wonder how it was possible for two elders so advanced in their years, to have a child my age? They had me when they were young... all these long, long decades later, I remain as you see me now and they draw closer to their final years. So, tell me... for I deeply and dearly do wish to know... do you still love me, even knowing that I am far older than you, and yet will never be able to fully grow up physically?” All this, she fearfully confided to me. And I looked deeply back into those beautiful young eyes of hers, that had seen so much more than mine ever could imagine, and I replied to her question: “Yes, Sapphira, I do still love you and I always will!” Her cherubic face, framed as it was by the curls of her long golden hair, smiled broadly. “Thank you, my beloved Gislu.” she whispered, and we kissed before going back to talking about politics again.
Our small landing craft touched down gently upon the flat surface of the space allotted for incoming space vessels at the main star port of the capital city of Terra Nithal, a metropolis called Ithas. The city of Ithas was magnificent beyond anything I had ever seen before in my life! It was even a beautiful, sunny day outside and both Sapphira and I were dressed well and looking our absolute best for this fair occasion. I wore loose-fitting, gauzy (see-through really) black robes over a pair of baggy red pants drawn at the waist and ankles with tie strings... and paired with a short-sleeved red blouse that was of a kind of silky material akin to either silk or satin. I wore a pair of black slipper-like shoes that were very comfortable and made very little noise of any kind when I walked. All in all, I chose an elegant style that I felt was befitting of my new title. Sapphira wore white robes of similar design to mine, but with very puffy sleeves. Beneath the robes, she wore a pair of metallic-looking gold pantaloons that like my own pants were drawn at the waist and ankles with tie strings... and that was paired with a sleeveless light blue blouse of equally metallic-looking fabric. Her feet were adorned with white dance shoes that were slightly turned upward at the toes, and she wore splendid jewelry such as a silver beaded bracelet and a necklace of precious sapphire stones. Upon her head was a silver diadem encrusted also with sapphire gemstones. She was radiant to behold, more like a small goddess or an angel than any queen.
We were met by a large gathering of people, all wearing very resplendent attire, and all of whom had been, their whole lives long, elected members of the great council that governed the planet in the name of the queen. All wore various robes or gowns of white or gold, or blue, or some variations in colors thereof. Some were fully human-looking, others members of races other than human that I had never seen before that day. They smiled, introduced themselves to us, and bade us follow them to the royal palace, which lay on a great outcropping of rock in the distance, at the far end of the city. It would be a rather long walk to get there, but time would pass quickly enough as Sapphira and I took in the sights. This was nothing like the heavily industrialized cities that dominated Gehenna Primus... everything here had a beauty and a classical aesthetic to it that harked back to more elegant times. It was like a journey back in time, to an age when chivalry and honor were more important than blood feuds and petty wars waged over dwindling resources. This felt like I was coming home, even though I never had set foot upon the surface of Terra Nithal prior to that day... and I had a sense of pure elation hitting me.
To describe the city, it was fully situated in a sprawling but orderly manner atop an expanse of wide, grassy plains surrounded by gentle hills that eventually led to a great ring of snow-capped mountains that encircled the plains on all sides save one... thus, Ithas lay within a great valley of natural beauty. There were various animals that trudges along the plains, large and similar to what you might on the planet Earth call dinosaurs. But unlike any of those ancient animals, being different at the same time. The city was very large, and no less than four great rivers wound their way through it... and those rivers could be crossed by way of slender bridges erected at various key points throughout the city itself. We passed over one such bridge as we walked upon our way to the palace. There were various cliffs and high areas in the city, and upon those were fabulous buildings of a mixture of metal and marble, with great soaring domes and spires and minarets that topped towers, temples, fortresses and mansions of such splendor that they appeared almost otherworldly. Which perhaps, was oddly appropriate given we were on a world we had never visited before! The old mixed with the new here and there, for mixed in with the columned archways and old-fashioned looking marketplaces we passed through, there could be seen purveyors of technologies, places where various vehicles and conveyances were parked, and even sellers of personal androids and helper robots. Various museums, parks, and all manner of cultural institutions were shown or pointed out to my wife and I, and everything was in perfect harmony to such a degree, that it seemed that the entire city had been planned out by perhaps divine hands. As we got closer to the palace, we crossed the avenue where the tombs and cemeteries of the royal families of old lay, and the elaborate crypts and mausoleums rose up from behind the metal fence that encircled those burial grounds. Various crowds of all manner of peoples were out that day to watch us on our trek to the palace.. the people wanted to see their new rulers, and to judge whether we ere good people or evil.
Some had looked at me somewhat suspiciously, not sure if I seemed fair or fell to their eyes. With my shaved head, and the heavy dark eye makeup and lipstick that I wore, I could understand that more than a few might find my appearance to be somewhat intimidating to their eyes. I could hear at least one small child asking his mother earnestly if I was actually a woman or a man, because of my androgynous appearance. I smiled, not caring in the least about what they made of me, and pretended not to hear their hushed words. I was not off to a good start with these people, I could see that plainly... but I was nothing at all like my father, who had been an oppressive tyrant prior to meeting his justly appointed end. I still hoped that the people of Terra Nithal would come to know me by the fairness of my deeds. In contrast, everyone viewed Sapphira in awe and reverence, and cheered for their new queen happily as we passed by them. The council members all seemed rather on the nervous side, almost as if they just wanted to get all of this over with and get back to whatever their normal day routines consisted of.
We approached the palace gates soon enough, which two twelve-foot tall automatons opened for us as we approached. The lumbering giants were rooted in place, but otherwise appeared like some creatures out of an old fable, though their bodies were metal and they had no minds to speak of. Their only job was to open and close those immense gates, a task we were told that they had performed since the very first queen sat upon the gilded throne of Ithas. The palace was equally immense in scale to match the gates and the two metal giants, and just as elaborate as all the other important buildings in the city... but with the notable difference that the palace dwarfed them all in terms of sheer size. Various stained glass windows depicting all the previous rulers that came before Sapphira and I lined the walls of this vastly monstrous structure. There was an incredible amount of beauty to everything, but I wondered if there was any to match beneath, what we could see with our eyes on the surface. “I hope we like it here.” I commented to Sapphira, who sighed and admitted: “So do I, Gislu my love... so do I.” And in that breif exchange we each could sense a certain nervousness in the other about our new home. It was prophetic.
The coronation ceremony was swift... but ceremonious. As Sapphira knelt before the empty golden throne, surrounded by tall columns and diaphanous draperies that hung from the walls of the throne room like transparent spirits... the keeper of the crown emerged and placed a thin golden circlet about her head, she herself removing her sapphire diadem to allow for the crowning to occur. The whole time, there was a chorus of children singing with such emotion that I could tell it was in earnest and not a thing that they were simply doing because they had to do it. “Sciopia Ximmsia...” began the keeper of the crown, “Is it within your heart and mind to serve well these your people, the people of Ithas and the people of all Terra Nithal? To serve with honor, with dignity, with loyalty and with love, as our queen.”
And almost as if she knew already what was expected of her, Sapphira said humbly: “If it pleases these my people, then yes it is within my power to serve them well... with honor, dignity, loyalty and love, as their queen.” after which the keeper anointed her with holy water from a nearby font and proclaimed: “Then, with all the members of our governing council present here today as witnesses, I do present to the people their new queen... Queen Sciopia Ximmsia of the House of Aeros! Long may she reign.” And they performed a similar ceremony to anoint me as the queen's regent officially, just without the placing of any crown or circlet upon my head. I swore to uphold justice, truth, and the will of the queen in all things, in service also to the people of the city and the planet. Having already pledged myself to Sapphira, I had no trouble taking this next step for our future together. Once this was all done, the new queen sat herself upon the throne... and I was given a gilded, cushioned chair next to the throne to sit upon at my beloved's side. This was the start of our reign, and it was going better than I had expected.
Several months into Sapphira's reign as queen of Terra Nithal, I began to question certain things I was seeing about the city. For instance... I had begun to notice that all of the members of the Ithas Militia, the most elite group within the planet's military, never spoke nor ate or drank anything at least that I ever saw or noticed. They all wore thick hooded black robes with strange helmets that had reflective, mirror-like face plate fronts. When they stood guard someplace, they never moved and their chests did not appear to indicate that they were even breathing. On my first encounter with one of them, I thought that they were at first simply a mannequin, a wax figure, or some sort of sculpture. I tried to speak to one, and aside from some strange whirring sounds coming from it there was no reply whatsoever. I brought this up to Sapphira, who told me I was simply worrying too much. “Maybe they are just some kind of automatons or machines.” she offered, which was certainly the most likely explanation for the strange behavior. But I grew concerned, when I asked one of the council members about it and the man simply said to me, in a literal whisper: “Do not pry into them too deeply, my Lord Regent, or you will I should think not like what you find!” and he was visibly frightened, himself. But I would not be that easily dissuaded. What could be so terrible, that no one could tell even the queen or her regent about it?
I eventually noticed something else peculiar... all of the members of the Ithas Militia would be called to one very specific building on the outskirts of the city periodically. No one could tell me why, and no one knew what the exact purpose of that building even was. One day, I decided to have a look and see for myself what went on there. Surely they would allow the Count Regent to see what lay within! So I walked up to the main doors of the structure, which looked like an immense factory that would have been more at home on my home planet of Gehenna Primus, than in this more refined setting... and I knocked upon the doors and called within to see if anybody was there who could allow me entry. I had half expected no answer at all, but then a woman's voice called from within: “Enter, Lord Regent... I have been expecting your arrival.” and the doors opened of their own accord. I went inside, and saw that it was a dark place, very dimly lit and filled with countless strange machines. The air was humid, but it was summertime so that did not seem all that strange. But what happened next, very much was!
There were rows upon rows of hospital beds lining the factory's halls, and upon each of them were the members of the Ithas Militia, still appearing to not be breathing... and lying still enough to appear dead. They were hooked up to large computer banks that monitored all their vital signs and pumped a strange green, glowing fluid into each of the prone, silent soldiers. The fluids were contained in large tubes and vats that sat next to the computer banks, and the only sounds were the hum of the computers, the beep of the life sign monitors, and the slurping sounds of the fluids being pumped into the soldiers' bodies. All of this seemed very unnatural to me! I made my way through the halls, noticing various mechanical parts lying strewn all about or stacked in piles in places... and this made me begin to believe that those solider had to indeed be some sort of machines. There were mechanical arms and legs, or other spare parts, though never a complete head only parts of a head here and there. Nothing that would quite be enough to build a whole creation out of. But more than enough to add to an already living person! The soldiers had to have been cyborgs, I realized. I decided to test my theory! I walked over, to one of the immobile soldiers who was undergoing the procedure I noticed earlier... and I removed the face plate from its' helmet. Beneath it, there was a bleached white skull with red mechanical eyes staring blankly out from it and various circuits, wires, and other devices anchoring it to the almost totally mechanical body. These were not cyborgs after all, but rather the reanimated dead! I was horrified by this shocking revelation and called out loudly: “Is anybody there? I want answers... why are these dead men being forced to continue on in this twisted way!” and for a bit there was no answer. I muttered: “I did not think I would get any answer. I cannot say I am surprised!” and I began to continue searching the halls and rooms of the factory for any signs of actual living people. That was when I heard the woman's voice again, which I had heard first calling for me to enter the factory building. “Do you truly wish to know?” the voice inquired, its' tone young but very imperious sounding. “Yes, woman! I wish to know all.” I exclaimed, to which she replied: “All, is it! That is a tall order, my Lord Regent. But, let me see what I can do to teach you of what knowledge I actually do possess.” And that was when I at last beheld her.
“My name is Sybil.” she stated as she stepped out from the shadows to meet me. She was not a tall woman, in fact she was a head shorter than I was. She wore a long black gown with red puffy sleeves that ended in spiked bracelets about the wrists. About her waist was a red cord-like belt, and upon her shoulders were bat wing-like shoulder pads. I could not see her feet, which were hidden beneath the skirts of her gown, but she walked in total silence like a ghost. Her skin was light but not pale, and her hair was a light shade of blonde, wavy but not curly and held back form her face by a black circlet with a red ruby in the center of the front of it. She wore dark eye makeup and black lipstick with almost as sinister a look to it as my own often had. She had what was termed a voluptuous build, with slender, artistic hands. Her fingers were painted with black nail polish, and on her right hand she wore a black but otherwise unadorned ring upon her index finger. Her eyes were blue like Sapphira's were, but they had a coldness to them that was nothing at all like Sapphira's eyes. The tone of her voice remained imperious, commanding, and was that of a woman who was used to being obeyed. “I am the caretaker of this facility, at least that is my official position within this planet's hierarchy of things. But I am in fact much, much more than that! Would you like to learn my secrets, Gislu? Yes, I know your name. There are none in Ithas who do not know the names of their rulers. Come, walk with me and we will talk for a bit! You may decide for yourself if what I am doing is good or evil... only after we speak.”
It would prove to be a long talk indeed. I let her lead on, as I walked at her side and heard what she had to tell me. There was something frightening, about the way she stared at me every so often, like a predator assessing its' prey. I was nervous and she could tell. “You are afraid, but you do not know why you are afraid.” she explained, adding: “Good! That means that you are not a fool, for you sense much.”
She began to tell me the history of her people, a race of ancient sorcerers and sorceresses who were hunted almost to extinction by the same forgotten empire that Sapphira had told me about previously. Sybil's ancestors hailed from the holy planet Ra'qia in their earliest days, and were driven from it by the forces of the empire, who saw them as dangerous heretics. “We knew of so many things that today are lost!” the woman told me, “The secrets of life and death, of Heaven and Hell also, and of mysteries the like of which could change the course of history were they to become known once again. We knew all of the emperor's innermost secrets as well, all of his formidable technologies, and all of his failings. He could not have that! For he fancied himself a god... and so he drove us into exile when he could not in time track us all down and destroy us utterly to his satisfaction. Over the centuries, we dwindled in our numbers until only I remain. Only I, of a race that once numbered so many! And I have a need to pass on what I know to one who is worthy enough to learn.” She then explained to me about the soldiers. “They are the remains of the men and women who once guarded my people in our exile. But that is not common knowledge! To the people of this planet, they are just efficient fighters who do their duty with no questions asked, and no personal needs to tend to. They are only called to fight when a war is at its' gravest stage, or when there is a need to utterly overwhelm an enemy force. I am regarded as a bit of an eccentric scientist, and nothing more. But I am so very much... more!” she said, emphasizing the word “more” in a very blatantly suggestive tone. “So there is nothing evil to any of this, then.” I stated. “Just the military tools of a long-dead people, created and maintained by she who is the last of her kind.” And the woman nodded in agreement. “It is so, Lord Gislu! But you feel there is still more to learn, do you not? Why not stay with me for a while here, and let me teach you... further secrets. You need not worry... I will not tell your wife that you were with me for so long. I will say... merely, that I was in fact just allowing you to conduct an inspection of this facility. What say you? I will not, offer this again!” And without fully understanding why, I found myself agreeing to her proposal. It was as if I had not my own full will in the matter, but was being guided by something or someone. “Excellent! Come along.” Sybil exclaimed, visibly pleased. She extended her hand for me to take, and I was unable to refuse her.
I stayed with her for well over a year in the end, and in that time I learned all of her peoples' mystical arts and their lost sciences, and I was shown things of which I just cannot speak. I did things that were to me once quite incomprehensible, and yet they were so very simple to comprehend once I saw clearly what had been hidden from my gaze before. I learned truths so terrible, that they shook me to my very core, and also I learned the unspoken truths about the council that ruled this planet. How they were the descendants of the ancient emperor's royal guards, fanatically devoted to his memory even now... and how they kept the queen ignorant of this fact while also never allowing her to possess any true ruling power in the governing of the planet. Always... they gave her inane or ineffectual policies to give her approval for... while making all of the important decisions behind her back. She was not just simply a figurehead, she was kept totally in the dark about nearly everything and only allowed to know what they wished her to learn. While calling their government democratic, they rigged elections so that their own flesh and blood always won. And imperceptibly, over time, they were running a totalitarian regime just behind the scenes. All in the name of democracy! I began to hate the council, for their arrogance and for the way they were deceiving both the people and my beloved Sapphira. “They seek in your wife a kind of puppet, for them to hold unto power indefinitely! Since she is unable to age, she will never die like you and I one day must. And for so long as she lives, Gislu, they will use her to remain in power behind the scenes. Unless we remove them from power, first!” and that was when Sybil first outlined to me her plan for a rebellion the likes of which Terra Nithal had never known before. It seemed to be my fate, to ever be drawn into planetary revolutions. What I could not have foreseen... was just how deeply I was beginning to find myself falling in love with Sybil. I felt like I was betraying Sapphira... and I hated it!
For the whole of that year, Sapphira had been told by Sybil's emissaries that I had been called away to deal in secret with an uprising beyond the valley. All the while, Sybil and I were creating an army of the dead, in numbers far, far greater than the planet's living military possessed. We shipped them off planet, sending them to a secret orbital space station that used stealth technology so that it would not show up on any of the planet's radar or tracking systems. These deathless automatons were supplemented with a thousand times a thousand war machines, crafts, and weapons of ancient, powerful design. They would be enough to take the planet and hold it through sheer force if need be, to wrest control from the corrupt council and liberate the people from their tyranny. However... first, we needed to publicly disgrace the whole council so that the people would be willing to back an insurrection against them, no matter who might arise to lead it. First, a fake assassination attempt was staged so that it appeared as if Sapphira's life was in danger... when the need for her to be taken from the palace for security purposes had been brought up, I was all too quick to suggest that I bring her to a secluded place outside of the valley that was known only to myself and Sybil. Once we got her there, we brought her to our hidden space station and in that way we could be certain that she was safe and out of the reach of the council. For we came to the realization that once they lost power, the council might attempt to kill the queen... who was very genuinely loved by the people... in order to prevent her from taking power for herself, for the first time in the planet's long history. All of this was accomplished as swiftly as possible, and all was made ready.
Sybil launched a massive two-pronged strategic maneuver whereby our automatons were deployed in two waves. The first, smaller wave surrounded the city of Ithas on all sides, supported by war machines and siege engines of every imaginable sort. Some of the automatons rode upon the backs of immense, monstrous creatures that were bred for this purpose by Sybil's ancestors in another age. They no longer wore black cloaks, the deathless soldiers, but now instead were clad in elaborate metal armor of red and black colors, their chest plates emblazoned with the heraldic symbol of Sybil's dark order. A white star with eight arrows and a black and white yin-yang style symbol in the center of it. It stood for one single thing: harmony through chaos. The second wave occurred in space, with various attack ships coming out from hiding, armed to the teeth with orbital bombardment canons and deadly missiles, all aimed at the city of Ithas. No aggression was undertaken, not a single shot was fired nor a single weapon used. Instead, the mechanical soldiers simply waited to be given their orders. In the meantime... the council at Ithas declared a statue of planetary emergency and made ready to scramble the military. We waited. We waited until the exact moment when the council decided to address the public about what they thought was an invasion by unknown forces. The men and women of the council gathered on the stage at the grand auditorium that was equipped to televise their public address to every corner of the planet that could receive it. They did not understand why their queen, their regent, and now the whole entirety of the Ithas Milita had all gone missing at the same time... perhaps they thought we were dead or taken hostage by the “invaders” that now threatened them wordlessly. They began to speak before the whole gathered crowds, and those at home watching the proceedings on their television monitors... only for myself and Sybil to suddenly appear in their midst along with a massive contingent of our deathless soldiers, who suddenly took the entire council hostage. We had used what was called a matter-energy transference device, something created by the forgotten empire of old, designed to create a one-way teleportation effect for up to fifty individuals. The device was unstable and would break when used only once, but this was the time to use it, and so use it we did. Fifty such devices were in our keeping, and at the same time they were being used to bring even more of our forces to various strategic sites and locations all over the capital city. The military was disarmed before they could so much as muster, for no one expected this to happen. Sybil had been planning this for a very long time, and now the time was at hand for her to obtain justice for her people. And, I believed, for all the people of Terra Nithal.
There was shock and surprise in the crowd! Sybil was wearing an exact replica of the gown worn by the very first queen of Terra Nithal, and I stood there wearing a suit of black and red armor, my head covered by a black helmet created in the stylized likeness of a dragon's face. I removed the helmet so that the crowd could see that it was me standing there, their Count Regent. Everything was dead silent and even the council could think of nothing to say, up until the elder of the council shouted: “You! How dare you do this to us... the Emperor shall hear of this, he will surely send help to liberate our planet.” I then exclaimed: “He will not! Because we have already explained the situation here to him, and he has given us leave to deal with you, the supposed council that governs this world, as we see fit.” All of this was true, and I was not bluffing in the least. The elder grew visibly fearful, and stammered, saying: “The... the Emperor himself! But why... what... whatever have we done to displease him so?” And that is when Sybil stepped forward to explain everything. She concluded by stating: “It would in fact seem... that our current Emperor is far wiser that the one which reigned during the time when my people were slaughtered nearly to the last. And we have done him a favor here! In creating this army and using it to detain this corrupt council, depriving them of their precious military in the process, we can hold this planet indefinitely until it might be decided what should be done for its' benefit.” I then put forth my thoughts on the matter, loudly and clearly, addressing the people: “Since the actions of this council seized the rightful power from your queen and used it to create a false democracy, in order to control the lot of you, even down to the littlest child and the eldest graybeard... in an effort to control your very lives... what do you, the people, think should be their fate!” But so long had the people been oppressed behind the scenes, that not one person could muster courage to speak up and say what was in their minds on this matter. Around that time, Sapphira was brought to the star port by way of a landing craft... and as I was busy speaking, and awaiting a reply, she was being escorted to the auditorium by an armed contingent of the deathless soldiers in our employ. In the midst of their indecision, the people witnessed her arrival at length, and she took her place at my side, holding my hand in her own to show both love for me and support for what we were doing for the planet's future good. “Why are you all so silent?” she asked, adding: “Will you not speak up for your freedom's sake!” And then they all cried out, demanding justice for the queen's honor. Demanding the heads of the entire council. “The people have spoken!” I shouted, and gave the order for the entire wicked council to be executed to the last.
The bloody deed, was over quickly... and Sapphira gave her final public address to the people of that long-oppressed planet, ceding all her former power and authority over to Sybil, who was to reign as the new queen in her stead. The transfer of power was immediate, and I abdicated my position as regent in order to at last myself be free of all ties to Terra Nithal, just as Sapphira had done. But Sybil informed Sapphira and I of something that we had never known until just then. “While the queen is free to do as she wishes and abdicate the throne at any time... the regent is bound to serve the crown until the queen herself gives him or her leave to be dismissed from that position.” She then walked over to Sapphira and said coldly: “You really, really should have given Gislu leave to be so dismissed before ceding all that power over to me! Because now, I think I shall keep your beloved Lord Gislu... for myself. Not that the dear Count Regent for life will mind... after all, we have both gotten to know each other very well in all of the time we spent together while you believed that a certain... uprising, was it?... was being quelled.” I had never seen Sapphira angry before, but now having just heard all of that, she was as if one possessed. She snarled loudly and smacked Sybil across the face with the back of her right hand, screaming: “Liar! Witch! Gislu would never betray me for the likes of you. You are no better than the council you have just replaced!” And suddenly, Sybil made a motion with her hand as the power to the video cameras was cut by her soldiers. She said: “It is a pity that you are so perceptive, if far too naive, little girl! Because now, I cannot allow you to live, nor anyone in this auditorium... aside from Gislu.”
Sybil latched unto my right arm before I could draw the electric sword sheathed at my waist. “Run, Sapphira! Get away as quickly as you can... hide, if you must... I will get free as quickly as I can, and then come to you.” I said, worried for my wife's safety. Sybil's eyes were glowing with a bizarre red energy that I had never seen manifest itself before. “No!” shouted Sapphira, “I will not run... from this creature! Instead, I will show her... the error, of her convictions.” And at that precise moment, before Sybil could give any orders to her otherwise mindless soldiers to harm those present, a strange white aura enveloped Sapphira's entire body, an unseen force lifting her up into the air. “Do you remember this power, Sybil?” she asked in a polite and sweet-sounding tone of voice, before adding: “It is the polar opposite of your own!” and that last part she said imperiously, her voice the voice of a true queen. She spoke, as arcs of white energy burst forth towards the deathless soldiers gathered all around. She shouted: “I remember it all now! Once, in a life long before this one, I was the first queen of this world. And you, Sybil, you were my sworn enemy... a creature of darkness. You will never defile this world again, nor corrupt the hearts of my people. You will not have the person I love to call your own. And you look ridiculous in my old dress!” This last part being said as a white bolt of light struck Sybil in the chest, causing her to lose her grip on my arm. I unsheathed my sword and raised it high above my head, ready to strike down Sybil once and for all. But something stopped me. I could see images, flashes of images, running through my mind. Sybil as a little girl, afraid and fearful of the dark until her mother told her there was nothing to fear in the darkness. Sybil as a young teen, weeping over the death of her favorite pet, a small lizard she named Ligrene, but now she had no mother to console her. She was all alone, and without her pet she had no reason to go on living. But she did go on, just the same. I saw all of the tragedies she ever experienced... everything that led her down this dark, twisted path to power. And I could not strike her down. “You see the real me!” Sybil exclaimed, “You see my soul.” And I had not the heart to harm her, until she screamed out: “Guards! Kill the little girl, and kill this foolish idiot before me, also.” That broke her hold over me, and my blade found its' mark in her head, ending her horrid, tragic life. From Sapphira's body shot forth all of the white energy that remained in her, and it annihilated not just all of the deathless automatons so present, but all of the ones that Sybil had ever created as well. It was as if they had just melted into black puddles wherever they stood, even those in space. Sybil's space station exploded in a blaze of white light as bright as any sun... as just like that, the planet of Terra Nithal was freed from all oppression. The gathered people cheered for their true queen.
Having regained her past life memories, Sapphira decided to remain as queen of Terra Nithal, taking the name of the first queen, A'drahla, as her own. For she had been that woman, in a time now passed into legend. Just as in that life, I had been her beloved regent. I remained her faithful Count Regent still, and our precious love grew only stronger with each passing day, as a new democratic government was established to take the place of the old one. This time... the queen would hold more power, as was her right, but she would always do right by the people whom she served. In time, other events would carry us back to Cyndijaz Megg and later still unto the holy planet of Ra'qia... where new conflicts awaited us. But for a time we were content to enjoy this golden age of peace and prosperity on Terra Nithal. As we looked out over a balcony in the palace, overlooking the splendid city down below, we embraced. Queen A'drahla... my sweet Sapphira... looked into my eyes so deeply and longingly as we kissed. She then laughingly said to me, in a jesting tone: “So, what is it with you and older women, anyway?” And I replied: “Hey, you are the one who is going to outlive me!” and we laughed together, allowing the dark memory of that other older woman, Sybil, to pass from our minds entirely. I never told Sapphira about the darkness inside of me that Sybil was able to tap into... nor, all of the forbidden arts she had passed unto me before her end came. Unlike Sybil, I was able to control my inner darkness... and with the love of the Golden Queen, as Sapphira came to be known, I needed not fear that it might ever consume me.
During the turbulent period that followed Cyndijaz Megg's total assumption of power on the planet of Gehenna Primus, a period that lasted many long and bloody years... there was very little for me to do in that time, with the new ruler preferring to lead her loyal forces personally in just about every battle that came up. She gave me leave to do whatsoever my heart directed me to, and taking her up on this I had begun to make serious plans to leave the planet for a time. In preparation for this, I named my beloved consort Jinmar as my Shadow Hand. Which meant that, while I was away from the planet she would act in my stead and do everything that needed to be done there in my name. This was a title and position of great honor and responsibility, but if anyone was deserving of such an honor it was my darling Jinmar. My young wife Sciopia Ximmsia, whom I called “Sapphira”, had been granted by her parents a whole planet to rule over as her own. Thus, she was in addition to being the princess of the House of Aeros... now officially named as the queen of the distant planet of Terra Nithal. A world that the Imperial seat on New Corinthia found to be of great strategic value as a producer of the life-giving water that was so often shipped to more desolate worlds such as Ra'qia, who were always in desperate need of it. I was to be given the new title of Count Regent, since by ancient tradition there were no kings on Terra Nithal, which was only ever ruled by a single queen, whose husband, wife, or partner was always given the title of regent in addition to whatever noble title they already held. I was content with this arrangement, for I had no great desire to impose my will directly over a people I knew so very little about save in stories.
The passage from Gehenna Primus to Terra Nithal was entirely uneventful. Saphirra and I rarely, if ever, left our rooms on board the craft that bore us hither... preferring instead to spend time together, learning more of each other's thoughts about the new planet we were bound for. “It is said to be a very lush, green world.” the little girl recited from a book on the planet that we were given by her parents. “The weather varies, there are four basic seasons, and the planet is ruled by a constitutional matriarchy that despite being mostly democratic is still ruled over by a figurehead queen who oversees the council that meets annually to decide yearly policies.” I was very interested to learn all of this, but I was also a bit concerned with something I had begun to notice about Sapphira. In all of these years since we were wed, she had not aged even a single day. She remained precisely the same age she had been when she was a servant in my father's household. I asked her why this seemed to be so, and she at first glanced away and blushed a bit, as if the question was too personal for her to speak about readily. “Why did you never ask me about this... sooner?” she said rather quietly. I replied: “Because at first I thought it was just something that I was imagining... but now, enough years have passed that I thought it was time we had brought the subject up. How is this even possible? You were no older than thirteen years when first I was bound to you, and you are not a year older than that even now.” She cleared her throat, looked me squarely in the eye, her intense blue eyes seeming to see into my very soul... and she attempted to try and explain this curiosity to me. She spoke as an adult would... and I felt like the child, listening to her.
“Long ago, at least according to legend, there was an empire now long forgotten which ruled over all of the worlds that our current empire now governs today. To relate its' history to you would take us the rest of our voyage, so instead I will simply get to the point... and how this relates to me. They had all manner of technologies that today are considered forbidden. One of those technologies was found by my parents when I first turned thirteen... many decades before I was taken to Gehenna Primus in a raid by your father's forces and sold into servitude in his house. You know the rest of my history from there, but in any case... my parents did not ever want to lose me, you see. They became obsessed with using any means possible to ensure that I would outlive them! Any means, even ones explicitly forbidden. This one method... it was used by the ancient emperor, to extend his life far beyond its' natural span.”
“It was the method my parents had discovered, and it was the one that could accomplish what they wanted to achieve with me. So, before the year had passed they used this technology and altered my body so that it would never age beyond the year in which the process was completed. I had to agree of my own volition, and request it myself in order to satisfy their wishes and leave them without guilt. So that is why, you see, that I cannot age. Are you uncomfortable with being wed to me, with me looking the way that I do, that is like so young a girl?” That was why she was so worried about me asking this, and once she explained everything to me I realized that she was in truth no child at all. She confided in me, at the last, that she was many times older than even I was... even if she did not look like she was. “You saw how very old my parents are... did you never wonder how it was possible for two elders so advanced in their years, to have a child my age? They had me when they were young... all these long, long decades later, I remain as you see me now and they draw closer to their final years. So, tell me... for I deeply and dearly do wish to know... do you still love me, even knowing that I am far older than you, and yet will never be able to fully grow up physically?” All this, she fearfully confided to me. And I looked deeply back into those beautiful young eyes of hers, that had seen so much more than mine ever could imagine, and I replied to her question: “Yes, Sapphira, I do still love you and I always will!” Her cherubic face, framed as it was by the curls of her long golden hair, smiled broadly. “Thank you, my beloved Gislu.” she whispered, and we kissed before going back to talking about politics again.
Our small landing craft touched down gently upon the flat surface of the space allotted for incoming space vessels at the main star port of the capital city of Terra Nithal, a metropolis called Ithas. The city of Ithas was magnificent beyond anything I had ever seen before in my life! It was even a beautiful, sunny day outside and both Sapphira and I were dressed well and looking our absolute best for this fair occasion. I wore loose-fitting, gauzy (see-through really) black robes over a pair of baggy red pants drawn at the waist and ankles with tie strings... and paired with a short-sleeved red blouse that was of a kind of silky material akin to either silk or satin. I wore a pair of black slipper-like shoes that were very comfortable and made very little noise of any kind when I walked. All in all, I chose an elegant style that I felt was befitting of my new title. Sapphira wore white robes of similar design to mine, but with very puffy sleeves. Beneath the robes, she wore a pair of metallic-looking gold pantaloons that like my own pants were drawn at the waist and ankles with tie strings... and that was paired with a sleeveless light blue blouse of equally metallic-looking fabric. Her feet were adorned with white dance shoes that were slightly turned upward at the toes, and she wore splendid jewelry such as a silver beaded bracelet and a necklace of precious sapphire stones. Upon her head was a silver diadem encrusted also with sapphire gemstones. She was radiant to behold, more like a small goddess or an angel than any queen.
We were met by a large gathering of people, all wearing very resplendent attire, and all of whom had been, their whole lives long, elected members of the great council that governed the planet in the name of the queen. All wore various robes or gowns of white or gold, or blue, or some variations in colors thereof. Some were fully human-looking, others members of races other than human that I had never seen before that day. They smiled, introduced themselves to us, and bade us follow them to the royal palace, which lay on a great outcropping of rock in the distance, at the far end of the city. It would be a rather long walk to get there, but time would pass quickly enough as Sapphira and I took in the sights. This was nothing like the heavily industrialized cities that dominated Gehenna Primus... everything here had a beauty and a classical aesthetic to it that harked back to more elegant times. It was like a journey back in time, to an age when chivalry and honor were more important than blood feuds and petty wars waged over dwindling resources. This felt like I was coming home, even though I never had set foot upon the surface of Terra Nithal prior to that day... and I had a sense of pure elation hitting me.
To describe the city, it was fully situated in a sprawling but orderly manner atop an expanse of wide, grassy plains surrounded by gentle hills that eventually led to a great ring of snow-capped mountains that encircled the plains on all sides save one... thus, Ithas lay within a great valley of natural beauty. There were various animals that trudges along the plains, large and similar to what you might on the planet Earth call dinosaurs. But unlike any of those ancient animals, being different at the same time. The city was very large, and no less than four great rivers wound their way through it... and those rivers could be crossed by way of slender bridges erected at various key points throughout the city itself. We passed over one such bridge as we walked upon our way to the palace. There were various cliffs and high areas in the city, and upon those were fabulous buildings of a mixture of metal and marble, with great soaring domes and spires and minarets that topped towers, temples, fortresses and mansions of such splendor that they appeared almost otherworldly. Which perhaps, was oddly appropriate given we were on a world we had never visited before! The old mixed with the new here and there, for mixed in with the columned archways and old-fashioned looking marketplaces we passed through, there could be seen purveyors of technologies, places where various vehicles and conveyances were parked, and even sellers of personal androids and helper robots. Various museums, parks, and all manner of cultural institutions were shown or pointed out to my wife and I, and everything was in perfect harmony to such a degree, that it seemed that the entire city had been planned out by perhaps divine hands. As we got closer to the palace, we crossed the avenue where the tombs and cemeteries of the royal families of old lay, and the elaborate crypts and mausoleums rose up from behind the metal fence that encircled those burial grounds. Various crowds of all manner of peoples were out that day to watch us on our trek to the palace.. the people wanted to see their new rulers, and to judge whether we ere good people or evil.
Some had looked at me somewhat suspiciously, not sure if I seemed fair or fell to their eyes. With my shaved head, and the heavy dark eye makeup and lipstick that I wore, I could understand that more than a few might find my appearance to be somewhat intimidating to their eyes. I could hear at least one small child asking his mother earnestly if I was actually a woman or a man, because of my androgynous appearance. I smiled, not caring in the least about what they made of me, and pretended not to hear their hushed words. I was not off to a good start with these people, I could see that plainly... but I was nothing at all like my father, who had been an oppressive tyrant prior to meeting his justly appointed end. I still hoped that the people of Terra Nithal would come to know me by the fairness of my deeds. In contrast, everyone viewed Sapphira in awe and reverence, and cheered for their new queen happily as we passed by them. The council members all seemed rather on the nervous side, almost as if they just wanted to get all of this over with and get back to whatever their normal day routines consisted of.
We approached the palace gates soon enough, which two twelve-foot tall automatons opened for us as we approached. The lumbering giants were rooted in place, but otherwise appeared like some creatures out of an old fable, though their bodies were metal and they had no minds to speak of. Their only job was to open and close those immense gates, a task we were told that they had performed since the very first queen sat upon the gilded throne of Ithas. The palace was equally immense in scale to match the gates and the two metal giants, and just as elaborate as all the other important buildings in the city... but with the notable difference that the palace dwarfed them all in terms of sheer size. Various stained glass windows depicting all the previous rulers that came before Sapphira and I lined the walls of this vastly monstrous structure. There was an incredible amount of beauty to everything, but I wondered if there was any to match beneath, what we could see with our eyes on the surface. “I hope we like it here.” I commented to Sapphira, who sighed and admitted: “So do I, Gislu my love... so do I.” And in that breif exchange we each could sense a certain nervousness in the other about our new home. It was prophetic.
The coronation ceremony was swift... but ceremonious. As Sapphira knelt before the empty golden throne, surrounded by tall columns and diaphanous draperies that hung from the walls of the throne room like transparent spirits... the keeper of the crown emerged and placed a thin golden circlet about her head, she herself removing her sapphire diadem to allow for the crowning to occur. The whole time, there was a chorus of children singing with such emotion that I could tell it was in earnest and not a thing that they were simply doing because they had to do it. “Sciopia Ximmsia...” began the keeper of the crown, “Is it within your heart and mind to serve well these your people, the people of Ithas and the people of all Terra Nithal? To serve with honor, with dignity, with loyalty and with love, as our queen.”
And almost as if she knew already what was expected of her, Sapphira said humbly: “If it pleases these my people, then yes it is within my power to serve them well... with honor, dignity, loyalty and love, as their queen.” after which the keeper anointed her with holy water from a nearby font and proclaimed: “Then, with all the members of our governing council present here today as witnesses, I do present to the people their new queen... Queen Sciopia Ximmsia of the House of Aeros! Long may she reign.” And they performed a similar ceremony to anoint me as the queen's regent officially, just without the placing of any crown or circlet upon my head. I swore to uphold justice, truth, and the will of the queen in all things, in service also to the people of the city and the planet. Having already pledged myself to Sapphira, I had no trouble taking this next step for our future together. Once this was all done, the new queen sat herself upon the throne... and I was given a gilded, cushioned chair next to the throne to sit upon at my beloved's side. This was the start of our reign, and it was going better than I had expected.
Several months into Sapphira's reign as queen of Terra Nithal, I began to question certain things I was seeing about the city. For instance... I had begun to notice that all of the members of the Ithas Militia, the most elite group within the planet's military, never spoke nor ate or drank anything at least that I ever saw or noticed. They all wore thick hooded black robes with strange helmets that had reflective, mirror-like face plate fronts. When they stood guard someplace, they never moved and their chests did not appear to indicate that they were even breathing. On my first encounter with one of them, I thought that they were at first simply a mannequin, a wax figure, or some sort of sculpture. I tried to speak to one, and aside from some strange whirring sounds coming from it there was no reply whatsoever. I brought this up to Sapphira, who told me I was simply worrying too much. “Maybe they are just some kind of automatons or machines.” she offered, which was certainly the most likely explanation for the strange behavior. But I grew concerned, when I asked one of the council members about it and the man simply said to me, in a literal whisper: “Do not pry into them too deeply, my Lord Regent, or you will I should think not like what you find!” and he was visibly frightened, himself. But I would not be that easily dissuaded. What could be so terrible, that no one could tell even the queen or her regent about it?
I eventually noticed something else peculiar... all of the members of the Ithas Militia would be called to one very specific building on the outskirts of the city periodically. No one could tell me why, and no one knew what the exact purpose of that building even was. One day, I decided to have a look and see for myself what went on there. Surely they would allow the Count Regent to see what lay within! So I walked up to the main doors of the structure, which looked like an immense factory that would have been more at home on my home planet of Gehenna Primus, than in this more refined setting... and I knocked upon the doors and called within to see if anybody was there who could allow me entry. I had half expected no answer at all, but then a woman's voice called from within: “Enter, Lord Regent... I have been expecting your arrival.” and the doors opened of their own accord. I went inside, and saw that it was a dark place, very dimly lit and filled with countless strange machines. The air was humid, but it was summertime so that did not seem all that strange. But what happened next, very much was!
There were rows upon rows of hospital beds lining the factory's halls, and upon each of them were the members of the Ithas Militia, still appearing to not be breathing... and lying still enough to appear dead. They were hooked up to large computer banks that monitored all their vital signs and pumped a strange green, glowing fluid into each of the prone, silent soldiers. The fluids were contained in large tubes and vats that sat next to the computer banks, and the only sounds were the hum of the computers, the beep of the life sign monitors, and the slurping sounds of the fluids being pumped into the soldiers' bodies. All of this seemed very unnatural to me! I made my way through the halls, noticing various mechanical parts lying strewn all about or stacked in piles in places... and this made me begin to believe that those solider had to indeed be some sort of machines. There were mechanical arms and legs, or other spare parts, though never a complete head only parts of a head here and there. Nothing that would quite be enough to build a whole creation out of. But more than enough to add to an already living person! The soldiers had to have been cyborgs, I realized. I decided to test my theory! I walked over, to one of the immobile soldiers who was undergoing the procedure I noticed earlier... and I removed the face plate from its' helmet. Beneath it, there was a bleached white skull with red mechanical eyes staring blankly out from it and various circuits, wires, and other devices anchoring it to the almost totally mechanical body. These were not cyborgs after all, but rather the reanimated dead! I was horrified by this shocking revelation and called out loudly: “Is anybody there? I want answers... why are these dead men being forced to continue on in this twisted way!” and for a bit there was no answer. I muttered: “I did not think I would get any answer. I cannot say I am surprised!” and I began to continue searching the halls and rooms of the factory for any signs of actual living people. That was when I heard the woman's voice again, which I had heard first calling for me to enter the factory building. “Do you truly wish to know?” the voice inquired, its' tone young but very imperious sounding. “Yes, woman! I wish to know all.” I exclaimed, to which she replied: “All, is it! That is a tall order, my Lord Regent. But, let me see what I can do to teach you of what knowledge I actually do possess.” And that was when I at last beheld her.
“My name is Sybil.” she stated as she stepped out from the shadows to meet me. She was not a tall woman, in fact she was a head shorter than I was. She wore a long black gown with red puffy sleeves that ended in spiked bracelets about the wrists. About her waist was a red cord-like belt, and upon her shoulders were bat wing-like shoulder pads. I could not see her feet, which were hidden beneath the skirts of her gown, but she walked in total silence like a ghost. Her skin was light but not pale, and her hair was a light shade of blonde, wavy but not curly and held back form her face by a black circlet with a red ruby in the center of the front of it. She wore dark eye makeup and black lipstick with almost as sinister a look to it as my own often had. She had what was termed a voluptuous build, with slender, artistic hands. Her fingers were painted with black nail polish, and on her right hand she wore a black but otherwise unadorned ring upon her index finger. Her eyes were blue like Sapphira's were, but they had a coldness to them that was nothing at all like Sapphira's eyes. The tone of her voice remained imperious, commanding, and was that of a woman who was used to being obeyed. “I am the caretaker of this facility, at least that is my official position within this planet's hierarchy of things. But I am in fact much, much more than that! Would you like to learn my secrets, Gislu? Yes, I know your name. There are none in Ithas who do not know the names of their rulers. Come, walk with me and we will talk for a bit! You may decide for yourself if what I am doing is good or evil... only after we speak.”
It would prove to be a long talk indeed. I let her lead on, as I walked at her side and heard what she had to tell me. There was something frightening, about the way she stared at me every so often, like a predator assessing its' prey. I was nervous and she could tell. “You are afraid, but you do not know why you are afraid.” she explained, adding: “Good! That means that you are not a fool, for you sense much.”
She began to tell me the history of her people, a race of ancient sorcerers and sorceresses who were hunted almost to extinction by the same forgotten empire that Sapphira had told me about previously. Sybil's ancestors hailed from the holy planet Ra'qia in their earliest days, and were driven from it by the forces of the empire, who saw them as dangerous heretics. “We knew of so many things that today are lost!” the woman told me, “The secrets of life and death, of Heaven and Hell also, and of mysteries the like of which could change the course of history were they to become known once again. We knew all of the emperor's innermost secrets as well, all of his formidable technologies, and all of his failings. He could not have that! For he fancied himself a god... and so he drove us into exile when he could not in time track us all down and destroy us utterly to his satisfaction. Over the centuries, we dwindled in our numbers until only I remain. Only I, of a race that once numbered so many! And I have a need to pass on what I know to one who is worthy enough to learn.” She then explained to me about the soldiers. “They are the remains of the men and women who once guarded my people in our exile. But that is not common knowledge! To the people of this planet, they are just efficient fighters who do their duty with no questions asked, and no personal needs to tend to. They are only called to fight when a war is at its' gravest stage, or when there is a need to utterly overwhelm an enemy force. I am regarded as a bit of an eccentric scientist, and nothing more. But I am so very much... more!” she said, emphasizing the word “more” in a very blatantly suggestive tone. “So there is nothing evil to any of this, then.” I stated. “Just the military tools of a long-dead people, created and maintained by she who is the last of her kind.” And the woman nodded in agreement. “It is so, Lord Gislu! But you feel there is still more to learn, do you not? Why not stay with me for a while here, and let me teach you... further secrets. You need not worry... I will not tell your wife that you were with me for so long. I will say... merely, that I was in fact just allowing you to conduct an inspection of this facility. What say you? I will not, offer this again!” And without fully understanding why, I found myself agreeing to her proposal. It was as if I had not my own full will in the matter, but was being guided by something or someone. “Excellent! Come along.” Sybil exclaimed, visibly pleased. She extended her hand for me to take, and I was unable to refuse her.
I stayed with her for well over a year in the end, and in that time I learned all of her peoples' mystical arts and their lost sciences, and I was shown things of which I just cannot speak. I did things that were to me once quite incomprehensible, and yet they were so very simple to comprehend once I saw clearly what had been hidden from my gaze before. I learned truths so terrible, that they shook me to my very core, and also I learned the unspoken truths about the council that ruled this planet. How they were the descendants of the ancient emperor's royal guards, fanatically devoted to his memory even now... and how they kept the queen ignorant of this fact while also never allowing her to possess any true ruling power in the governing of the planet. Always... they gave her inane or ineffectual policies to give her approval for... while making all of the important decisions behind her back. She was not just simply a figurehead, she was kept totally in the dark about nearly everything and only allowed to know what they wished her to learn. While calling their government democratic, they rigged elections so that their own flesh and blood always won. And imperceptibly, over time, they were running a totalitarian regime just behind the scenes. All in the name of democracy! I began to hate the council, for their arrogance and for the way they were deceiving both the people and my beloved Sapphira. “They seek in your wife a kind of puppet, for them to hold unto power indefinitely! Since she is unable to age, she will never die like you and I one day must. And for so long as she lives, Gislu, they will use her to remain in power behind the scenes. Unless we remove them from power, first!” and that was when Sybil first outlined to me her plan for a rebellion the likes of which Terra Nithal had never known before. It seemed to be my fate, to ever be drawn into planetary revolutions. What I could not have foreseen... was just how deeply I was beginning to find myself falling in love with Sybil. I felt like I was betraying Sapphira... and I hated it!
For the whole of that year, Sapphira had been told by Sybil's emissaries that I had been called away to deal in secret with an uprising beyond the valley. All the while, Sybil and I were creating an army of the dead, in numbers far, far greater than the planet's living military possessed. We shipped them off planet, sending them to a secret orbital space station that used stealth technology so that it would not show up on any of the planet's radar or tracking systems. These deathless automatons were supplemented with a thousand times a thousand war machines, crafts, and weapons of ancient, powerful design. They would be enough to take the planet and hold it through sheer force if need be, to wrest control from the corrupt council and liberate the people from their tyranny. However... first, we needed to publicly disgrace the whole council so that the people would be willing to back an insurrection against them, no matter who might arise to lead it. First, a fake assassination attempt was staged so that it appeared as if Sapphira's life was in danger... when the need for her to be taken from the palace for security purposes had been brought up, I was all too quick to suggest that I bring her to a secluded place outside of the valley that was known only to myself and Sybil. Once we got her there, we brought her to our hidden space station and in that way we could be certain that she was safe and out of the reach of the council. For we came to the realization that once they lost power, the council might attempt to kill the queen... who was very genuinely loved by the people... in order to prevent her from taking power for herself, for the first time in the planet's long history. All of this was accomplished as swiftly as possible, and all was made ready.
Sybil launched a massive two-pronged strategic maneuver whereby our automatons were deployed in two waves. The first, smaller wave surrounded the city of Ithas on all sides, supported by war machines and siege engines of every imaginable sort. Some of the automatons rode upon the backs of immense, monstrous creatures that were bred for this purpose by Sybil's ancestors in another age. They no longer wore black cloaks, the deathless soldiers, but now instead were clad in elaborate metal armor of red and black colors, their chest plates emblazoned with the heraldic symbol of Sybil's dark order. A white star with eight arrows and a black and white yin-yang style symbol in the center of it. It stood for one single thing: harmony through chaos. The second wave occurred in space, with various attack ships coming out from hiding, armed to the teeth with orbital bombardment canons and deadly missiles, all aimed at the city of Ithas. No aggression was undertaken, not a single shot was fired nor a single weapon used. Instead, the mechanical soldiers simply waited to be given their orders. In the meantime... the council at Ithas declared a statue of planetary emergency and made ready to scramble the military. We waited. We waited until the exact moment when the council decided to address the public about what they thought was an invasion by unknown forces. The men and women of the council gathered on the stage at the grand auditorium that was equipped to televise their public address to every corner of the planet that could receive it. They did not understand why their queen, their regent, and now the whole entirety of the Ithas Milita had all gone missing at the same time... perhaps they thought we were dead or taken hostage by the “invaders” that now threatened them wordlessly. They began to speak before the whole gathered crowds, and those at home watching the proceedings on their television monitors... only for myself and Sybil to suddenly appear in their midst along with a massive contingent of our deathless soldiers, who suddenly took the entire council hostage. We had used what was called a matter-energy transference device, something created by the forgotten empire of old, designed to create a one-way teleportation effect for up to fifty individuals. The device was unstable and would break when used only once, but this was the time to use it, and so use it we did. Fifty such devices were in our keeping, and at the same time they were being used to bring even more of our forces to various strategic sites and locations all over the capital city. The military was disarmed before they could so much as muster, for no one expected this to happen. Sybil had been planning this for a very long time, and now the time was at hand for her to obtain justice for her people. And, I believed, for all the people of Terra Nithal.
There was shock and surprise in the crowd! Sybil was wearing an exact replica of the gown worn by the very first queen of Terra Nithal, and I stood there wearing a suit of black and red armor, my head covered by a black helmet created in the stylized likeness of a dragon's face. I removed the helmet so that the crowd could see that it was me standing there, their Count Regent. Everything was dead silent and even the council could think of nothing to say, up until the elder of the council shouted: “You! How dare you do this to us... the Emperor shall hear of this, he will surely send help to liberate our planet.” I then exclaimed: “He will not! Because we have already explained the situation here to him, and he has given us leave to deal with you, the supposed council that governs this world, as we see fit.” All of this was true, and I was not bluffing in the least. The elder grew visibly fearful, and stammered, saying: “The... the Emperor himself! But why... what... whatever have we done to displease him so?” And that is when Sybil stepped forward to explain everything. She concluded by stating: “It would in fact seem... that our current Emperor is far wiser that the one which reigned during the time when my people were slaughtered nearly to the last. And we have done him a favor here! In creating this army and using it to detain this corrupt council, depriving them of their precious military in the process, we can hold this planet indefinitely until it might be decided what should be done for its' benefit.” I then put forth my thoughts on the matter, loudly and clearly, addressing the people: “Since the actions of this council seized the rightful power from your queen and used it to create a false democracy, in order to control the lot of you, even down to the littlest child and the eldest graybeard... in an effort to control your very lives... what do you, the people, think should be their fate!” But so long had the people been oppressed behind the scenes, that not one person could muster courage to speak up and say what was in their minds on this matter. Around that time, Sapphira was brought to the star port by way of a landing craft... and as I was busy speaking, and awaiting a reply, she was being escorted to the auditorium by an armed contingent of the deathless soldiers in our employ. In the midst of their indecision, the people witnessed her arrival at length, and she took her place at my side, holding my hand in her own to show both love for me and support for what we were doing for the planet's future good. “Why are you all so silent?” she asked, adding: “Will you not speak up for your freedom's sake!” And then they all cried out, demanding justice for the queen's honor. Demanding the heads of the entire council. “The people have spoken!” I shouted, and gave the order for the entire wicked council to be executed to the last.
The bloody deed, was over quickly... and Sapphira gave her final public address to the people of that long-oppressed planet, ceding all her former power and authority over to Sybil, who was to reign as the new queen in her stead. The transfer of power was immediate, and I abdicated my position as regent in order to at last myself be free of all ties to Terra Nithal, just as Sapphira had done. But Sybil informed Sapphira and I of something that we had never known until just then. “While the queen is free to do as she wishes and abdicate the throne at any time... the regent is bound to serve the crown until the queen herself gives him or her leave to be dismissed from that position.” She then walked over to Sapphira and said coldly: “You really, really should have given Gislu leave to be so dismissed before ceding all that power over to me! Because now, I think I shall keep your beloved Lord Gislu... for myself. Not that the dear Count Regent for life will mind... after all, we have both gotten to know each other very well in all of the time we spent together while you believed that a certain... uprising, was it?... was being quelled.” I had never seen Sapphira angry before, but now having just heard all of that, she was as if one possessed. She snarled loudly and smacked Sybil across the face with the back of her right hand, screaming: “Liar! Witch! Gislu would never betray me for the likes of you. You are no better than the council you have just replaced!” And suddenly, Sybil made a motion with her hand as the power to the video cameras was cut by her soldiers. She said: “It is a pity that you are so perceptive, if far too naive, little girl! Because now, I cannot allow you to live, nor anyone in this auditorium... aside from Gislu.”
Sybil latched unto my right arm before I could draw the electric sword sheathed at my waist. “Run, Sapphira! Get away as quickly as you can... hide, if you must... I will get free as quickly as I can, and then come to you.” I said, worried for my wife's safety. Sybil's eyes were glowing with a bizarre red energy that I had never seen manifest itself before. “No!” shouted Sapphira, “I will not run... from this creature! Instead, I will show her... the error, of her convictions.” And at that precise moment, before Sybil could give any orders to her otherwise mindless soldiers to harm those present, a strange white aura enveloped Sapphira's entire body, an unseen force lifting her up into the air. “Do you remember this power, Sybil?” she asked in a polite and sweet-sounding tone of voice, before adding: “It is the polar opposite of your own!” and that last part she said imperiously, her voice the voice of a true queen. She spoke, as arcs of white energy burst forth towards the deathless soldiers gathered all around. She shouted: “I remember it all now! Once, in a life long before this one, I was the first queen of this world. And you, Sybil, you were my sworn enemy... a creature of darkness. You will never defile this world again, nor corrupt the hearts of my people. You will not have the person I love to call your own. And you look ridiculous in my old dress!” This last part being said as a white bolt of light struck Sybil in the chest, causing her to lose her grip on my arm. I unsheathed my sword and raised it high above my head, ready to strike down Sybil once and for all. But something stopped me. I could see images, flashes of images, running through my mind. Sybil as a little girl, afraid and fearful of the dark until her mother told her there was nothing to fear in the darkness. Sybil as a young teen, weeping over the death of her favorite pet, a small lizard she named Ligrene, but now she had no mother to console her. She was all alone, and without her pet she had no reason to go on living. But she did go on, just the same. I saw all of the tragedies she ever experienced... everything that led her down this dark, twisted path to power. And I could not strike her down. “You see the real me!” Sybil exclaimed, “You see my soul.” And I had not the heart to harm her, until she screamed out: “Guards! Kill the little girl, and kill this foolish idiot before me, also.” That broke her hold over me, and my blade found its' mark in her head, ending her horrid, tragic life. From Sapphira's body shot forth all of the white energy that remained in her, and it annihilated not just all of the deathless automatons so present, but all of the ones that Sybil had ever created as well. It was as if they had just melted into black puddles wherever they stood, even those in space. Sybil's space station exploded in a blaze of white light as bright as any sun... as just like that, the planet of Terra Nithal was freed from all oppression. The gathered people cheered for their true queen.
Having regained her past life memories, Sapphira decided to remain as queen of Terra Nithal, taking the name of the first queen, A'drahla, as her own. For she had been that woman, in a time now passed into legend. Just as in that life, I had been her beloved regent. I remained her faithful Count Regent still, and our precious love grew only stronger with each passing day, as a new democratic government was established to take the place of the old one. This time... the queen would hold more power, as was her right, but she would always do right by the people whom she served. In time, other events would carry us back to Cyndijaz Megg and later still unto the holy planet of Ra'qia... where new conflicts awaited us. But for a time we were content to enjoy this golden age of peace and prosperity on Terra Nithal. As we looked out over a balcony in the palace, overlooking the splendid city down below, we embraced. Queen A'drahla... my sweet Sapphira... looked into my eyes so deeply and longingly as we kissed. She then laughingly said to me, in a jesting tone: “So, what is it with you and older women, anyway?” And I replied: “Hey, you are the one who is going to outlive me!” and we laughed together, allowing the dark memory of that other older woman, Sybil, to pass from our minds entirely. I never told Sapphira about the darkness inside of me that Sybil was able to tap into... nor, all of the forbidden arts she had passed unto me before her end came. Unlike Sybil, I was able to control my inner darkness... and with the love of the Golden Queen, as Sapphira came to be known, I needed not fear that it might ever consume me.
Published 7th May 2022
Author's Note
This is continuing from the end of "The Final Days of Lan'ka: Ancient Memories".
This is continued, in "Ancient Memories Part II: The Wrath of the Golden Queen".
This is continued, in "Ancient Memories Part II: The Wrath of the Golden Queen".
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
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