On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

Act One Finale – Part 2 – Labyrinth Of The Heart

Hot, heaving breaths were coming from Eleanor now as she staggered down another alleyway, leaving the disintegrating corpses of more of the white-clad skeletons behind. She pulled in what ether she could to restore herself, but even with her strength that was a number of times even the strongest ordinary person, Eleanor had limits, and they were rapidly approaching, worn down by worry, stress and betrayal.

Bursts of light flashed, and more bolts of energy from Sarah’s and Donavan’s Avalons peppered the dark tenement labyrinth she was moving through. Up ahead several buildings disappeared in the blasts, debris pinging off her armour and stinging the exposed skin of her face. Even as the bolts fell, single-minded, soulless but ruthless creatures poured out, individually no threat, but seemingly designed to wear down her strength.

“Piss off!” Eleanor swore, her good manners being eroded down to nothing, just like her willpower. A goblin charged and her blade tore it in half. Hounds tried to flank her, pulling her down, but teeth grated off her armour, and her foot caved in the skull of one, before her sword cleaved flesh and bone, nearly cutting a second in half. The silence… it’s bad… A weary, depressed thought flickered into her mind, as she hacked down another goblin, punching yet another savagely. Cut. Slash. Hack. Punch. Kick. Headbutt. Strike. Chop. Break. Near-mindlessly she powered her way through the wave of enemies, staggering down another intersection, the houses hanging claustrophobically overhead, forming a sort of tunnel that only let a little of the dark unlight overhead through casting long, ever-shifting shadows. It’s like Theseus and the Minotaur… she managed a bitter chuckle, remembering her classics classes from a few years past. Only I’m being hunted by…

Two more armoured skeletons appeared, and Eleanor shook her head, sword raised. It’s obvious, if they wanted to overwhelm me, they could. But no, drip, drip, drip… just wearing me down. I’m not going to just lie down and die though… With a roar that surprised her, she forced her weary body and faltering mind to high focus and leapt forwards. The first skeleton raised its shield, and her stroke staggered it. The second skeleton tried to cut her with its own sword, but she rolled aside, separating head from shoulders with a savage, wild cut. As that one fell she leapt on the other, battering it with sword, fist and even her own head, heedless of the way blood sprayed from her torn flesh, only for the wounds to close.

“Just go away!” she yelled, and as the skeleton collapsed, she stabbed it until it disintegrated, sucking in the little ether it gave. I can’t keep doing this. This isn’t a solution… The lingering curse from the words Mary Stuart spoke were still heavy on her, preventing her escape. David, Sir Arthur, Raidre… does that silence mean you’re dead? No, that can’t be…

Staggering on, another volley of bolts arched in from the distance, and one landed near her, blowing apart walls and the ground, pelting her with more shrapnel. One fragment pierced through a joint in her armour, seizing up her knee, and tears flowed. Looking at the jagged spar of stone, already silver and crimson with blood, she bit her lip, holding in the urge to shout, scream and sob. I don’t want this. I never wanted this! But I promised to carry it, for Britain, for grandmother, for the people who fought beside me. I don’t want… She reached down, gripping the stone, and pulled, wincing as it tore free. For a moment her leg almost buckled, before a faint shimmer of orange light formed around the wound, pushing out the red and silver blood. …everything to have been for nothing, a lie.

Sarah and Donovan had betrayed them. It hurt, it hurt her worse than the slowly vanishing pain in her knee. Bending it, she realised her knee was useable, so she limped off through the maze again, gathering pace as her leg rapidly healed. Even if I’m betrayed, not everyone did. The others stayed and fought to the end.

The end was a poor choice of words. She remembered the look of horror on Mary-Jane’s face, the pain, as she vanished. No, she’s still alive. She has to be. She had little time to think, as another pair of skeletons seemed surprised to see her as she turned a corner. One fell, her blade crushing in the chestplate, tearing the red surcoat. One down. Her blade slashed, clanging off the sword her opponent held, but Eleanor was prepared. I guess those lessons in fencing and bladework paid off… One arm was severed, and the skeleton lost its grip on the sword, only to fall, hewed down like a falling tree.

At least my mind feels clear. Is it because the worst has happened, or because… Eleanor didn’t want to think about the poison. But she had come to accept it was likely true. Max doesn’t seem to gain anything though, unless he did it for somebody else, perhaps? Mary Stuart. It all comes down to what lies beneath the Tower. That’s why…

More battles followed, more mindless fighting, running and dodging rains of destructive blasts through the maze. Her body was screaming at her, telling her she had been fighting for hours, but Eleanor had been through enough battle to know that likely less than ten minutes had passed. It’s why I’m so exhausted. I’ve condensed hours of fierce battles into an endless swarm of them, grinding me down…

As she turned down the brick-lined alleyway, light was ahead of her, and she emerged into a small clearing, an old well in one corner, several more alleyways radiating off in all directions. And standing by the well, leaning on the old brick frame, was a familiar face. This is new. Although… Taking a deep breath, she addressed the man. “Samuel, what are you doing here?” she said slowly, taking the opportunity to catch her breath, allowing her body to recover.

“Me?” He raised an eyebrow in what Samuel Davies, the leader of Britain’s second team, probably thought was an expression of amusement, but to Eleanor now, it just looked irritated and condescending. “What else would I be doing here but coming to rescue you, Princess?”

She detected a hint of some feeling in the way he said Princess, but she set that aside. “I see. So how did you get in here…? No, that’s a strange question, the barrier has fallen. I meant, how did you find me?” Stepping closer slowly, she looked at him carefully.

“Simple. I followed the explosions.” He was still smiling, and Eleanor thought there was something a little off about his lack of urgency, considering the situation. “Others are looking too. There must be something wrong if you are still here in Avalon. Come with me and I’ll take you to safety and the rest of my team.” He stretched out a hand, and Eleanor took it, clasping it in her gauntlet-clad fist.

“Sorry.” He said then, and Eleanor felt an impact in her back, heavy and hot, before going cold, and she felt her muscles go numb and start to tighten up. She managed to turn her head, only to see he had stabbed her with the item he had taken from the Tower as a reward for his service, a wavy-bladed flamberge-style dagger. “Naïve and trusting to the end, Princess.”

Now she could clearly hear the contempt in his voice, and she moved her numb mouth. “Why, Samuel? Haven’t we been… good to … you?” For a moment her vision blurred, and she laughed, as his face was a blank mask, a sneering mouth all her numb eyes could see. Just like his warnings. That insufferable man will be delighted he was right, I have no doubt.

“Good to us? Well, you would think that, pampered little princess, never done a day’s real work in your life up until now. And even that’s pathetic.” He sneered. “I’ve always been a republican. So you give us these treasures…” he twisted the dagger and Eleanor managed a hoarse gasp, blood trickling, faint wisps of silver and orange rising from the wounds. “… and you pay us with money your family robs from the pockets of the public. Then you get to feel like you are helping us. When really, without us, the people of Britain, you’re nothing but a parasite.” He pushed, and she landed heavily on her back, driving the dagger deeper. She blinked up at him, and managed to speak a little more.

“It’s not… that at all. I have… to protect… the Tower.” She managed.

“Oh yes the Tower. All this…” he gestured around them. “This is the best you managed? Compared to what Mary Stuart has done, all your efforts are crap. Worthless. Childish. Just like you and your family. Richard the idiot, Henry the playboy, and you the pampered, sheltered princess. You can’t protect Britain and the people, all you want to do is remain on top, keep your privileges!”

That’s not… true. What do you know? Even her thoughts were starting to become sluggish, but the way Samuel was accusing her was frustrating. “I… bleed and hurt for… the cause.” She managed, picking up on the point that he said compared to all Mary Stuart had done… “I fight… until… my body breaks. It’s frightening… but…”

As her words became quieter, he leaned in, and she couldn’t help but look at him with frightened eyes, only for him to turn and spit with disgust. “I’m not going to molest you, Princess. I’m not a monster. No, I’m doing this for the right reasons. Your ways have failed, just as your family has failed and is outdated. Mary Stuart’s hallowed ground stretches out far more powerfully, and even those not Gods’ Chosen can contribute. Your family rule us like Gods, but at least Mary serves a true God. I’ve seen it, the Angel.” He shuddered then, a look of strange ecstasy on his face. “No, even though I think you’re a parasite and your whole damn family is worthless, I don’t wish you any harm. I’m not the brat, Donovan. He’ll get his comeuppance though.” he lifted Eleanor up with ease, his strength more than up to the task. “No, you, Princess, all you need to do is open the way and allow someone who can save Britain to do it.”

No. her sapphire glare was defiant, and Samuel tutted. “You are annoyingly stubborn. Too stupid to know when to give up, I guess. Look.” He said calmly, and she hated his smugness. “In the end Mary Stuart will get what she wants. That’s inevitable. You want to protect Britain, live up to what you think a Princess is? Then let her. If you are willing, you can even join us. I admit, it would be a waste otherwise. If you don’t… you really will die, you know? Then only the Queen will have the right of access. Do you think that an old woman, broken with grief, can resist Mary’s urgings and…”

So that’s it. The plan. Hardly righteous, is it? As Samuel slowly carried her towards the nearest passageway, her mind went back a few days, to her training with them.

“The thing about water element is, it plays to your strengths. Earth element would work too, but…” Akio was saying, as Eleanor was lying down beside the Thames, the orange mist of water elemental energy rising, her whole body burning. “…water element is surprisingly complicated to use effectively.”

“You really like the sound of your own voice.” Eleanor had said, and he had laughed, her brother Henry too. Who had not laughed was the maid, Hyacinth, she had glared at her with absolute loathing, only for the two young girls to calm her down. One of them, with a calm, disciplined air despite her tender age, had looked at Eleanor, smiling softly.

“He does, but he also wants to help. This is powerful knowledge, which he is sharing for your own good. So do try and pay attention. It might save your life, or save the life of a friend. Do not spurn this gift, only to regret it later.”

She had nodded in response to that, feeling a little ashamed at her pettiness. “I apologise. You are right of course. It’s just…” her words had failed her, and her brother had only laughed harder.

“Come on Ellie, grandmother would be outraged if we repaid kindness with ingratitude. One thing she’s always been very strict on is having good manners.”

“True.” She had agreed. “So, I can use water to hasten my healing. And also to attack.”

He had nodded, and demonstrated a number of attacks, from water bullets to fine beams that cut like chainsaws. “Unfortunately your water will lack the strength of mine, since you don’t have Spirit Water, but if you apply what humans have learned about physics over the years… well, water can surprise you. The most important thing to remember is that once it’s revealed that you can do this, your advantage drops a lot. Water won’t match fire or wind for offensive power.”

“Yes, you’ve said that.” Eleanor rolled her eyes, not sure why Akio got under her skin so much. Addressing the three girls, she smiled to take the sting from her words. “I really don’t know why the three of you are so keen on him, but I suppose he is the winner.” She had concentrated, and orange energy surged around her…

“… not just Britain. The Church of True Revelation has been planning for centuries, more than a millennia in fact.” Samuel was saying as he carried her. Do all men love the sound of their own voice, or is it they like talking in front of women? No matter, I suppose… a nearly imperceptible orange mist was rising from her body, and she gathered it into one place in front of her. She had already formed a cloud of water around the dagger in her body, keeping it isolated from her, preventing further paralysing venom from entering her wound.

“… uh.” She whispered, a barest sound, and Samuel turned his head, wondering what she was going to say, only to open his eyes wide in surprise as a cloud of glimmering water droplets were hanging in the air beside them.

“What is that? Are we under attack? No…” he turned, his expression wary, only for a cascade of the water bullets to bombard his face at short range, blood scattering. He let out a pained cry, letting Eleanor tumble to the floor. She landed heavily, forcing her body to move despite the lingering paralysis. Wrenching the dagger free, she turned to see that Samuel hadn’t fallen. He was right, the power was low. But it was enough…

One of Samuel’s eyes had been blinded, blood and jelly streaming from the socket, and his face and neck were full of torn craters. Blood, silver and red, was drizzling down the front of his clothes, and bone could be seen through ripped flesh and missing hair, his face disfigured. His jaw worked, and she could see several teeth were shattered as well. “You bitch, what… did… you… do?” he asked, his voice trembling with pain and wrath.

“What I had to.” She declared, her arm moving through his new blind spot created by his missing eye. Too late Samuel realised that she was attacking, and he tried to call on his own power, only for the dagger to stab his already-injured throat, slashing it open and severing the spine. For a moment his one eye looked at her, before he coughed a great gout of blood and died. Letting the dagger fall from her numb and now bloody hand, Eleanor stood there in shock. He’s dead. I killed… I killed a person, a human.

She had fought and killed a large number of living beings, goblins and similar foul creatures. That had pained her too at first, but she had grown inured to it. But this was a first, a dreadful first. The worst thing is… she felt a rush of energy, a little strength growing within her, driving out the last of the paralysing poison. Looking down at Samuel, she found herself forced to look away. He was… he was going to jeopardise everything, sell Britain to Mary Stuart. I… I had no choice. Turning, she walked away from the grizzly scene, lamenting her choice but hoping in her heart it was the correct one.

Did Akio have the same feelings when he defended Japan from the Chinese? Was killing to save others, save himself… easy, or hard? Does he still think of it now? She gripped the hilt of her sword, pressing onwards, waiting for more skeletons and monsters to come. Her thoughts drifted, and she replayed the moment she had attacked with the water element, her thoughts strangely detached. Weak. It worked, but only because he wasn’t expecting it and it was too close to him to dodge. Gods’ Chosen are durable, and my skills with water element are rudimentary. So I need them to be close, and perhaps…

As expected, another pair of skeletons engaged her, and this time she cut them down with barely a moments’ pause, her cold detachment and the water boiling within her strengthening her resolve and body. Stepping over the skeletons, crunching bones underfoot, she tried to return to the ordinary world. No good. Not yet, But… soon. We just have to hold on a bit longer. Back in London, there’s a lot we can do to quell this, and I expect grandmother is already making a move. Bolts of light were falling around her, and this time one struck her on the shoulder, quite a feat for a blast from so far away. Her armour cratered inwards, bones creaking and flesh tearing, but she paid it little mind as torn flesh would heal and her armour too.

“Mary Stuart… if she’s so powerful, has turned so many, can command these forces… there’s no way she should be letting me have free reign.” She muttered, the twisting of the maze of streets disorienting her. Looking up at the narrow strips of dark sky she could see, she decided to climb onto the rooftops. Yes, I’ll be spotted, but this game of cat and mouse, it doesn’t feel good…

Her mind made up, she reached for the wall, only for someone to rush at her, wielding a heavy axe. She paused in shock for a moment, before raising her sword. The impact staggered her, but she had the upper hand, pushing her assailant back, only to discover it was a young man from the fourth team. She looked at him sadly. “Alistair, isn’t it? Why do this? What did Mary Stuart promise you?”

“It’s nothing personal.” He replied, straining his muscles. Eleanor was forced back against the wall, and she struggled to remember what ability Alistair possessed. Moments later, a woman, also from team four, older than Eleanor but still young, leapt to her aid. Alistair swung his axe with a snarl, and the woman batted the weapon away with her own, a silver single-edged sabre.

“Princess, I’ve come to save you!” she cried, and Eleanor smiled.

“I see. Thank you, Kathy. I appreciate your bravery. Together we can handle Alistair. Your ability is one of speed, right?”

The woman, Kathy, nodded. “Yes, I’m very… fast.” She blurred, and Eleanor watched as her arm hit the ground, sword still in her hand. Looking down, she was suddenly slammed up against the wall, Alistair lifting her by her throat, axe pointed at her neck, the blades close enough to cut her skin, a faint hint of red and silver dotting the blades.

“Sorry. But you’re a regenerator, right?” Kathy said softly, looking a little apologetic. “So it’s not like you can’t get your arm back.”

“Why?” Eleanor asked again, and Kathy shrugged.

“Why what? The betrayal? Why I did it this way?” Kathy paused for a second, thinking. “It does seem a bit cruel, but Mary wanted your hopes thoroughly broken. You have to realise you can’t do this, Princess Eleanor. You were never suited for this task. I’ve seen the difference between the two of you. You can’t compete with her, and she’s not alone. Worldwide her allies are everywhere, gaining strength.”

“Yeah, this would never have happened to Mary. It’s simply a matter of power.” Alistair said, before licking his lips. “You know, Donovan was right. You’re really a beauty, Eleanor.” Hearing the way he said her name was disgusting, but Eleanor refused to give them the satisfaction of looking afraid.

“I could be as beautiful.” Kathy said, irritated. “If I grew up rich and having the best of everything, I’d look like a princess too.”

“You look fine to me.” Eleanor managed dryly, only for her to receive a glare in return.

“Enough. You won’t ever understand how us commonfolk live. Mary does. Her grandmother was a Cardinal, but Mary grew up an ordinary girl until she heard the call of the Ninth Heaven.”

“I’ve always tried to treat everyone fairly.” Eleanor managed, looking at them with calm eyes, which seemed to annoy Kathy and excite Alistair.

“Tried. You’ve tried and you’ve failed. Step aside and let Mary Stuart manage from here. give back what Britain has stolen.” Kathy said, looking at Alistair. “Are you sure? It seems… I don’t recommend it.”

“Oh come on. Donovan’s probably stripping her skirts off now and enjoying himself. But here…” he licked his lips. “Maybe I won’t be first, but I’ll be the only one that Eleanor remembers.”

Disgusting brute. I fear I was too hard on Akio. At least he isn’t a crude, disgusting monster like Alistair. Why did it turn out like this? I believed most people were inherently good, would pull together for a common cause, that the powers of the Gods’ Chosen would be used to protect Britain. Grandmother thought so too. The flow of blood on her severed stump had stopped, flesh scabbing over. She could regrow an arm, if given several days, but that was too slow. “Kathy, as a fellow woman, surely you won’t let this happen? Doesn’t it disgust you?”

“I think Alistair will go to Hell for this, sure. Now we know there is one too. But… say that you’ll surrender and let Mary into the Tower and I’ll stop him. Mary doesn’t like this either. But… if you hurry, you can make it back to stop Donovan too.”

“Threatening a fellow woman with being defiled. You really are the worst.” Eleanor said, with feeling. “As for you… even if you despoil me, you’ll live a life devoid of respect and love.” I get it now, I think. The reason why the girls look at Akio the way they do. I would find myself most relieved to have him here now myself. But… she took a deep breath as Alistair tightened his grip on her throat, strangling her words, her mouth filling with saliva as she choked.

“What do you know, privileged little girl?” Alistair grinned. “I’ve always hated you bastards of the first team anyway. What the hell makes you all so special? Isn’t Birmingham as important as London? And I’m just as talented as David or Donovan. Fuck!” he cursed, while Kathy looked away, her shoulders hunched. “It doesn’t matter. When I drag you back to Mary, I hope you’ll be a bit more compliant. She should have done this from the start. I advised her to bring you to heel by force, women are weak creatures.” He snorted, clearly relishing his position, his power over her. “You’re no different. The Green Knight.” He scoffed. “All you are is a glorified punching bag. You’ll probably curse that in a minute. It means I can go hard and not break you. Though if you do die, that will destroy the Queen and Mary will get what she wants that way.” He fumbled for his belt. “But first, a kiss. Might not be your first, Donovan could be licking you all over, but… I’ll live in your memory forever!”

His grip loosened as he leaned closer, and Eleanor opened her mouth, her words a barest whisper.

“What was that? Pleading?” he smirked, leaning close, cocking his ear for her.

“I said…” Eleanor whispered, now his ear was next to her lips. “… you’re right. I don’t have any fancy moves or powers. Or I didn’t…” Trump cards have to be played at the time of maximum effect. Akio was right. Several of Eleanor’s teeth shattered, her tongue torn, as the spit in her mouth, water, was mixed with the glow of water energy, forming a single piercing beam, entering through his ear and vaporising his brain, shattering the inside of his skull.

Alistair died without a sound, his expression stunned, and as his grip loosened, Eleanor shifted her own grip, and it now looked like Alistair was pressing her against the wall lewdly. Luckily his lips are only touching my hair. Which is bad enough. Strangely enough, this time I feel little remorse for this. Have I grown callous, or did he deserve it? Perhaps both. “My first kiss…” she whimpered audibly, trying to act like a girl that was heartbroken by being molested. I never was much of an actor. All I can do is what all the Royals do. Smile on despite pain, sadness, loss… “Don’t touch me there, spare me…” she slowly inched forwards, carefully and cautiously.

“Sweet Jesus, Alistair. I fucking can’t believe I’m a party to this. If I end up in Hell because of this, I swear I’ll ask Satan and all his Devils to up the torture on you, you…” her words were cut off as Alistair’s axe slammed into her side. She reacted quickly, her speed kicking in, sending her flying backwards a dozen metres into a wall, her own sabre cutting out, slicing savagely through a body. “Mother fucker, trying to jump on me too, you …” she looked up to see a rain of water bullets coming towards her. She powered through, seeing the staring, dead face of Alistair, his body hacked apart by her earlier counterattack. But his axe was… “Looks like he got what he deserved.” Kathy cricked her neck, cursing as more silver and red blood was leaking from her deep wound. “How in God’s name did you manage to take him out with one arm? Hmm…” she noticed blood leaking from his ears, eyes and nose, as well as his misshapen skull. “Those water bullets? They barely hurt at all. But since when could you do that?”

“A girl has to have some secrets.” Eleanor said, bending down to retrieve her arm.

“I agree, but…” she blurred, her speed incredible for a moment. “… you’re too stupid!”

“Am I?” Eleanor watched as the blade aimed at her other arm, and carved it off in a single hit, armour shattering. “So that maid told me, many times. You’d like her.” Blood surged, and Eleanor grinned despite the horrific pain, the last of her water element shimmering, and she glowed orange like the setting sun, stunning Kathy for a moment. “… but even an idiot can learn, if the instructor is patient. And unlike my brothers, I actually passed my Biology GCSE.” The spilled blood had turned into a series of water-element blades, slamming into the already serious wound Kathy had suffered from the axe. The water blades expanded, wrenching open the wound, damaging her internal organs, and she widened her eyes, looking down incredulously, before collapsing to the floor, coughing out a massive burst of blood. Then she vanished, fleeing Avalon.

“Run all you like.” Eleanor said, her face pale, as she bent down and seized her first severed arm in broken teeth, holding it against the stump. The flesh melted together, the experience rather agonising, and as the armour joined up too, she swung her arm, sighing. “But unless I fall here, the truth will come out.” Picking up her other arm she reattached it, letting out another, far more bitter sigh. “It’s a shame I’m out of water element, it would make the healing less painful. Oh well, idiots don’t feel the pain as keenly, as grandmother might say. And I was definitely a fool. But I did listen. And I never trusted that you were here to help me, Kathy.” Looking back at the distant Tower, she made up her mind.

There’s no point in running anymore. All I’ve achieved is killing two traitors, but even that has only served to weaken Britain. No. Either Mary falls or I do. I am the Green Knight. With her mind made up she headed north, cutting down skeletons that got in her way, dodging the incoming blasts of light. In one hand she held her sword, the other, Alistair’s axe. She was weary, mentally and physically exhausted, but somehow felt stronger than ever. Is this what it’s like to finally decide on a path, even knowing death is likely at the end of it?

Emerging from the dark labyrinth of streets and houses, she reached the sparkling banks of the Thames. Taking a deep breath, she started stirring her sacral chakra as she slowly swam across the Thames of her Avalon, replenishing as much of her trump card as she could. Emerging, the water ran off her in silver streaks, and she strode forwards, towards the Tower, glad to see that David, Sir Arthur and Raidre were all still alive.

“Why did you come back?” Sir Arthur said from his position on the ground, when he saw her, his expression desolate. “You could have escaped, and then this plan will fail!”

“No it wouldn’t.” Eleanor shook her head. “It’s not just Sarah and Donovan. There are traitors everywhere. Besides…” she glared at Mary Stuart. “… I heard. Your next plan is to force the Queen here to unlock the Tower when I’m dead. I would have said it was impossible, but…” she looked at the Choir and the Judges. “… I’d say not.” There’s the Japanese too… Eleanor turned and spat, her spittle still silver and red from her injuries. “Well, in that case… I choose to fight.”

“That’s the spirit.” David moaned, pinned down and broken. “If we’re going to lose, might as well lose cracking some heads. Can you do it, girl?”

“Probably not. But then Samuel and Alistair didn’t think they’d be the ones to die, did they?” Eleanor smiled sadly.

“Oh, how marvellous.” Mary clapped her hands. “Inspiring. Well, I do hope you didn’t suffer any… indignities… Princess.”

“No, just a hit to my pride.” She shook her head. “Did you know Alistair harboured such vileness within him?”

“Of course, I can spot a sinner from a mile away.” Mary said proudly. “I’ll use them if I must, but won’t shed a tear when Judgement comes for them. Poor Samuel though. He was a good man. Wanted to overturn the social order, give the wealth of the rich to the poor. I approve. Well, may his soul find peace in the Ninth Heaven.” She clasped her hands solemnly. “So, to business. This should have demonstrated adequately you have no chance at all. You should have realised that if I wished you dead, it could have happened any time. The martyred dead could have been dispatched in force, rather in pairs simply to keep you wandering in despair. I had hoped it would take rather less than forty days and forty nights for you to see the futility of your struggle.” Mary smiled, a mixture of solemnity and mad joy. “Even now, you can take me to the false Grail, and all this can be swept away. Wake up soon enough and perhaps your chastity can be saved.”

“Fucking bitch! Give me a minute and I’ll punch your teeth out!” David roared, but she ignored him. Eleanor took a deep breath, then casually raised two fingers to her, in the classic British sign of causing offence.

“Sorry, but I didn’t come this far to break now. I can’t let down Britain, Grandmother, Henry, Aditi, Mary-Jane, David, Sir Arthur, Raidre and the selkie, those Chosen who aren’t in your pockets.” I thought it odd the way Samuel was talking about Callie. I guess those who wouldn’t take part in this coup were side-lined, I hope they are still all alive. “And I won’t have them laugh at me!” she finished strongly. I was warned, I chose to shut my eyes like a fool. But fortunately… doubt crept in. So I took precautions. “Sorry to disappoint Donovan, but I’m not where he thinks I am. And when I’m done here with you Mary, Sarah, I’ll go back and castrate the shit.”

David snorted at that, and oddly enough, so did Sarah, who couldn’t help but cackle.

“Aye, the brat deserves that and more, ye’ll nay find me disagreeing. So, still in the Palace then? Without the Tower, I thought ye were weaker? Ye’ll never beat us like that, ye ken?”

“Who says the Tower isn’t with me? Sarah, I thought we were friends. I’m hurt, I’m reeling. But… whether I believed him or not, his words stuck with me, so I haven’t broken. Now… Mary Stuart, in the name of God, you can go to Hell! The Tower is Britain’s, and shall remain so as long as I draw breath!”

“I see.” She grinned. “Well isn’t that delightful. I respect a woman of character. It’ll be a shame to kill you, so we’ll try it this way.” She gestured, and a number of Judges headed towards Sir Arthur, heavy executioner axes in their hands. “You are prepared to be a martyr, but are you prepared to see your companions die in front of you?”

Eleanor froze, and so did Sarah. “Mary, we were going to spare them…” she began, only for Mary to sigh.

“Of course we were. I hate needless killing, but if I must bloody my hands to serve the Lord, I will. I thought you understood that?”

“I do, but…” Sarah’s hand was clutching her rosary tight, beads cracking.

“Well then… we have no… huh?” There was a sudden explosion, and Sarah stumbled.

“The barrier of my hallowed ground. It’s gone, ye ken? So fast, I barely had time tae notice the first attacks.”

“I see. I had thought all the loose ends were tied up. Well, the martyred dead can take care of it. As for us…” her gaze fell on Eleanor again. “What’s it to be, Princess? In the end, you’ll either take me or the Queen will. The difference is purely in how many you’ll sacrifice alongside yourself…”

Eleanor looked at the calm face of Sir Arthur, and the wickedly sharp axes, before making a decision. “I…”

“Now there’s no need to be hasty.” An unfamiliar voice said, and Eleanor turned, nearly dropping her axe in shock as she saw a familiar face beside a stunningly beautiful Asian woman, the Fae maid Hyacinth scowling at her balefully. On seeing that, she laughed. Why is it that right now I find that so very relieving?

“So, you’re the Princess of Humans, huh? When Shaeula gets here we can have a Princess party. It’ll be fun.” The beautiful silver-haired girl said. “Oh, guess this is a bit too dangerous for me. Tan, you’re up.” As her eyes changed to a brilliant, deep crimson and her hair reddened, bursting into flames, she said some last words. “Oh, Aki will be here in a second. He’s just dealing with those Defensive Emplacements and Spawning Spires. They were annoying him. But since they’re only Rank 2 crap, he’ll only be a second or two.” In the distance a roaring column of yellow flame exploded, and Sarah flinched again, blue eyes wide.

Aki? Akio? But how…? Then again, who cares how? Clutching her sword, Eleanor bowed politely to her new allies. “I don’t believe I’ve been introduced. Oh, I know you Hyacinth. And… it’s good to see you.”

At that the maid snorted. “I did nooot want to save you, but Akio wished for it, sooo… here I am.” Behind them a flood of white-armoured martyrs flooded in, nearly a hundred strong.

“Introductions can wait.” The woman with red hair now said, her tone and voice completely different. “First we have this dog of the Ninth Heavens to deal with. And it will not be trivial.”

At that Eleanor could only laugh. No. No it won’t be… But her heart was racing, breath coming fast, and for the first time since she saw Henry grievously injured, she thought that here might be a morsel of hope…