Chapter Nine

Alexandria. Outside Cleopatra's Palace

As Lori goes in to comfort Felicity over the fate of Lilandra, Celes approaches Hope, the half plant off spring of the elven queen surprised by what she had just been told.

“Cleopatra...is mortal?” Celes asks as even Jess looks over now while Becky touches her index finger along the sand attempting to bring life to a plant she's put in place.

“They have all been,” Hope explains, “in a system that predates Alexandria itself.”

Now Lori couldn't help but find herself intrigued as both she and Felicity look up to the woman.

~*~

Alexandria Palace, Hidden Chamber

Making her way down a darkened staircase of rock and lit only by the torch the young girl found in Cleopatra's personal chambers, Harriet looks around confused by what she's thus far been told from the child of her age.

“Exactly what system is this?”

“The system of immortality. For thousands of generations, the name Cleopatra has been passes down. Not out of honor, but for the sake of the system. It is...hard to explain the start as this is a complete and repeating cycle, but when the future ruling Cleopatra turns sixteen she is then impregnated by a vagrant male. Bandit, slave, prisoner of the Asylum, someone who wouldn't disturb anyone if they went missing.”

~*~

Alexandria, Outside Cleopatra's Palace

“Sixteen?” Lori repeats. “Why so young?”

“As Cleopatra must be a female, there is time required to make certain such a thing happens.” Hope explains.

“What happens to the boys?” Celes asks a little uncertain over whether she wants to know the answer or not.

“They are...” Hope begins sensing the troubled aura around Celes. “Fed to me.”

“You eat them?” Jess exclaims.

“It is not as if it is by choice.” Hope says as Celes shakes her head looking to her companion.

“Ease off, Jess, Hope was just as much a slave to Cleopatra as anyone in there.”

“Yet I still am.” Hope corrects. “While a piece of my consciousness does reside within this form, my actual physical form is still very much in the hands of Cleopatra.”

“Did you eat Lilandra's arms too?” Felicity asks, her tone almost a growl as Lori continues to try and keep her calm. Hope doesn't answer the question as Felicity already knows it.

“Just continue, Hope.” Celes says knowing where pursuing the conversation at hand will only lead them all.

“Very well.” Hope says with a note of sympathy for Felicity. “Once the daughter is born and the father is removed, it begins time for education.”

~*~

Alexandria, Outside Cleopatra's Palace

“How to be a queen and rule this grand nation, right?” Harriet asks keeping her arms folded as she follows Cleopatra's daughter still down the winding staircase.

“As well as the mannerisms of the current reigning Cleopatra. The transition must be as fluid as possible. When the daughter reaches their twentieth year, they replace their mother who then faces one of two choices; to die there or remove themselves from sight of the public forever.”

“Either way they're replaced and no one becomes the wiser. But why, exactly, are you telling me of all people this?”

“Because just as you wish to control Alexandria along with Slutton, I wish for this cycle to end. I wish for the freedom that you face, the challenges, the decisions. If I am truly to become a Goddess, then I will be more than just a cog in the wheel for a system I will soon be forgotten in.”

Harriet says nothing as she feels no growing connection between them in that regard. In her mind, this girl was crazy if she thought she could get into a realm above her own. Still, as Harriet looks the girl over from behind, she can't help but agree with herself how she would look good with a tray in her hand and a collar around her neck.

~*~

Alexandria, Outside Cleopatra's Palace

“Who else knows about this system?” Celes asks. “From what you just told us it sounds like there should be some to take care of the education and acquiring a father.”

“There are priests who know,” Hope answers, “And very few else. As you can tell, this is a very secretive operation. In fact, the priests who do know of this will have their tongues removed as a means of holding onto the secret.”

“That...sounds rather brutal. But effective, I suppose.” Celes agrees.

“How do you know all this?” Lori asks.

“I have been in the palace for some many centuries. Long enough to grow, stretch myself in such a slow rate it goes unnoticed. Not long back, I came across something beneath the palace that gave me these answers.”

“What?” Celes asks.

~*~

Alexandria Palace, Hidden Chamber

“We're here.”

Harriet exits her brief daydream of a would be Goddess down on her knees polishing off her boots and stands in awe of what she sees. A massive open cave set up like a crypt filled with coffins, sarcophagi, bone piles, and various other means for a final rest. As the young Cleopatra leads the way, Harriet is slower in keeping up now as she continues looking around.

“What...is this?”

“Where my ancestors have gone to die. It was shown to me during my educational period. We are born in secret and we die a greater secret. This is the way of my family. Or, at least, the single line of it. From what the priests have observed anyhow.”

“From what they've observed?” Harriet repeats as they make their way up some broken stone steps alongside some sealed tombs.

“Along the line some have felt the way I have. They've tunneled, dug, died where they fell in doing so, but others have taken up the challenge.”

“So...some have escaped this place?” Harriet asks figuring one bone pile could use a good kicking at least. The young Cleopatra doesn't seem to mind it.

“Maybe. The problem is where they dug. Have you seen the large beast we keep locked away?”

Harriet shakes her head still following.

“It was by accident that we came across it. Or at least forced it out of hiding.”

Harriet cocks up a brow. “Your ancestors dug to the Abyss gateway of this planet?”

Cleopatra nods as she stops by a small tunnel dug into the wall. She looks over at Harriet and then back to the hole.

“This is it.”

“This...is the way to the Abyss?” Harriet asks stepping closer. “This is the way to the key to instantaneous universal travel?”

There's no asking twice required here for Harriet to begin crawling through as Cleopatra follows.

~*~

Outside Alexandria Palace

“...a portal to the Abyss.” Felicity mutters dropping down to her knees. “Is there no limits to Cleopatra's reckless depravity?”

“What's is the Abyss exactly? We've heard tales about it, but little more.” Lori inquires as both Celes and Jess seem to wonder the same thing. Becky, however, is crouching down to the sand with her hand resting against it.

“The Abyss,” Hope begins, “Is rumored to be the gateway to all worlds. Every world holds a entrance into the Abyss.”

“Then why are some locations requiring space ports?” Celes brings up.

“Because many worlds have sealed their portals. Some have never even attempted to unearth them.”

“Why?” Lori queries.

“Because of the beasts.” Felicity answers giving a point blank approach to it all. “The Abyss is home to countless horrors that could rip entire worlds to shreds in a single invasion.”

“And...there's a portal for that beneath this palace?” Jess asks looking back at Cleopatra's palace now in behind them.

“There are actually two paths on this planet.” Hope answers as both Lori and Celes exchange glances. Finally, Jess steps forward.

“Where's the other?”

~*~

Unknown Location

Mary steps out from the portal onto a dark, desolate landscape as both the Sorceress Gamma and skeletal follower, Walker, come out behind. Gamma stops and peers around seeing nothing but the decaying mountains and fires off in the distance. Looking up, she sees what appears to be a shell overtake the entire sky shifting about slowly. Nothing that would phase the elf as Mary continues forward. Gamma follows until they arrive near the edge of a cliff where, at the bottom, activity was in full abundance. Slaves, all chained under guards with flaming whips, worked to build something massive in scale. Gamma just makes a slightly impressed noise under her breath.

“Slightly intriguing. I've seen larger camps.”

“You'll see them all here,” Mary states before gesturing over to a pile of rotting corpses. “We require more workers though and your skills of necromancy far exceed my own. For instance, I could only resurrect my family, I couldn't make them obey.”

Gamma looks down at the bodies, some of them with clothes detailing out the Jennaton university insignia, and smirks before shrugging.

“Could be interesting.”