Queen of Life

‘What is this, big brother?’ asked Meg, her eyes sparkling while staring at the mystical place in front of her.

‘The Garden of Life. A wonderful and lonely prison…’ replied Seth with a small sigh, ‘Walk towards the palace at the center.’

Meg nodded and moved away from Pearl, clearing her throat to attract everyone’s attention. ‘We need to head inside.’

Pearl nodded, knowing those words must have come from Seth, but Lisa frowned and asked: “Are we supposed to waltz in there like we own the place? Why not just teleport inside if that’s the case?”

“Because you can’t teleport inside. You’ll end up outside the Garden if you try.”

Lisa gave Meg a confused look before disappearing from the place she was standing. It didn’t take more than two minutes until she appeared back in the same spot. Grumbling something under her breath, she started to stroll forward.

Pearl and Meg looked at each other before following right after her.

“Where are you from?” asked Pearl, her eyes turning to peek at Meg walking by her size.

“Huh?” Meg was startled and turned to look at Pearl, “Uh, I’m from Noth. You?”

“Wrath, I guess.” Said Pearl, her view getting fixed back on the front. “When have you met him?”

A subtle smile made its way across Meg’s face as the image of her first encounter with Seth popped into her mind.

“A long, long time ago. He was the one to pull me out of a cold and dark prison…”

“You too, huh… Sometimes I wonder if all he does is to rescue stupid girls from troubles that have nothing to do with him.”

“Were you also a prisoner when you met him?” asked Meg.

“Sort of, I guess… I was -“

“Can you two stop rambling? We’re not here on a sightseeing tour.” Interrupted Lisa from the front, obvious displeasure in the tone of her voice.

Meg lowered her head with a blush, but Pearl didn’t stop herself from remarking: “Weren’t you just as sad as everyone else back when he disappeared? What happened now? Aren’t you being a little too overly dramatic, Lisa?”

Lisa’s footsteps stopped, and she turned around with a frown. “What did you say? Do you have any idea what he did to me? To us?”

“Please don’t fight…” Meg’s soft voice resounded from the side, but Pearl and Lisa ignored it.

“Oh? What did he do? Gave your mother eternal beauty and you more power than anyone could imagine? You’re a triple affinity ascended, and he gave you everything on a silver platter!”

“But he killed my father just so he could have his way with my mother and me!!” yelled Lisa, her eyes red and about to cry.

“You don’t know what happened, but even if he did that, so what? How much time did they have left? Ten years, fifteen at best?”

“At least you still have one of them, and she could stay with you for much longer than she could have if not for Seth. Stop acting like you’re the greatest victim around.”

“This was between Julie and Seth, and Julie had long known and forgiven him. Why are you the one throwing a tantrum?”

“You at least still have one of your parents alive, but my whole family is dead. And Seth, as twisted as his ways might sometimes be, and as much as he sleeps around, was still there for us when we needed him.”

Lisa gritted her teeth, darkness energy circling her as she said back: “And is that supposed to wipe away everything that he did? Am I supposed to up and forgive him because of it? He had no right to do what he did.”

Pearl’s red eyes also started getting fueled by creation energy: “Why not? Power is still king in this world. If you think of ever - “

“That’s enough!” said Meg from the back, destruction energy beginning to circle her body.

Seeing she finally managed to attract their attention, Meg said: “I don’t know what happened or why you are arguing, but this is not the time or the place.”

With her words, Lisa and Pearl followed her gaze toward the Garden and noticed small clusters of light heading in their direction. Their faces suddenly turned severe, and they got ready to fight.

‘Tell them not to attack.’ Said Seth inside Meg’s mind with a sigh. ‘Just dissolve your energy, and they shall let you be.’

Meg transmitted Seth’s words while canceling her destruction energy. Pearl and Lisa exchanged a look before following her steps, withdrawing their energies as well.

Just as Seth had said, the orbs of light acted like they had lost their purpose, returning to aimlessly wandering around the forest right in front of them.

‘The Garden of Life is one of the world’s corrupted treasures now. It hates ascended and would act on its owner’s will to devour the life of anyone that uses energy inside its territory. Keep your energies under control as you walk forward.’

Meg relayed Seth’s words after a quick nod. Lisa and Pearl just gave each other a cold look and continued to walk forward.

The group of three remained silent for the rest of the way, and they soon stepped into the large forest. Seeing the orbs of light hovering around them, Lisa tensed up and asked: “What are these things?”

“Manifestations of a corrupted treasure.” said Meg, “When Thanatos drained its essence, all that was left was an empty will, acting on the intentions of its owner.”

“Is this Thanatos’ place?” asked Lisa with a frown.

“No, Thanatos has long given away the empty treasure… it now rests in the hand of another.”

“Of whom?” asked Pearl, but Meg didn’t get the chance to reply as the orbs of light gathered and fused into the vague shape of a woman.

“Who dares to trespass into the Garden of Life?” a cold voice rang from inside the light cluster.

‘Kneel, Meg.’ Said Seth from inside her body, and Meg wasted no time pulling up her dress, kneeling before the woman that had just appeared.

Pearl and Lisa followed her, knowing Seth must have given the instructions.

‘Repeat everything after me. Make sure not to mess up a single word.’

Meg gulped audibly and started repeating after Seth.

“Queen of Life, we apologize for disturbing your rest, but we need an audience with Your Highness.”

Pearl and Lisa were stunned at Meg’s words and took another quick look at the manifestation in front of them. They didn’t expect to arrive right in front of the queen.

“Ascended are not allowed to even step onto my holy grounds, and you dare demand an audience instead of begging for your life?” the tone of the woman’s voice turned colder with every word, making goosebumps appear all over Meg’s body.

Pearl and Lisa also started revolving their sources, ready for a fight.

“W-we’re not ascended from either Life or Death Kingdoms; we come from Endora. Please calm your fury, Your Highness.”

Hearing Meg’s words, the light cluster fell silent for a long time, a time in which all three girls got even more nervous.

Eventually, the Queen of Life spoke again: “How do I know you’re not lying to me? I don’t know about the other two, but you reek of destruction energy.”

“The Emperor of Endora was also a destruction ascended. Please allow us to tell you our motive for coming here. As fifth and sixth shell ascended, we pose no threat to Your Highness.”

“Tell me the reason for your visit first. I’ll decide what to do after that.”

“We’re here to seek Your Highness’ help in looking for someone.” Replied Meg, but after the queen remained silent for a long time, Seth had her say something else: “It will not be for free. We know where your highness can find Princess Alice.”

The orbs forming the woman’s body separated following Meg’s words, opening a path leading straight toward the palace with no other comment from the queen.

Meg heaved a sigh of relief and looked towards Pearl and Lisa. “Let’s head in.”

After all three stood up, they followed the path created by small orbs of light to the grand palace at the center. The doors of the palace opened by themselves, and more orbs appeared to form a path heading deeper inside.

Walking the grand but empty halls illuminated by the orbs all around, Meg couldn’t help asking: ‘Does that woman live here alone?’

‘She does, but it’s not of her own accord. It’s more like she has no other choice.’

Meg nodded briefly, and they continued walking for about ten more minutes, passing through endless corridors, until they reached two large doors, about the height of more than five people.

When all three girls stopped before the doors, they opened with a loud creak.

A large room appeared before the three girls, with plants growing all around and some small animals skipping happily from place to place. A small creek was passing by the edge of the room, and the columns holding up the ceiling were completely covered in vines.

In the center of the room was a simple bed, where a thin and frail woman was sitting down, petting the neck of a small cat.

Her body looked so weak that even the gentlest wind might make it crumble. Her emerald-colored eyes were slightly sunken in their sockets, but the look inside them still carried an air of nobility and power.

After the three reluctantly stepped inside the weird room, the door behind them closed with a loud bang, and the woman released the cat from her arms.

‘I’m taking over.’ Said Seth softly, and Meg nodded, closing her eyes briefly.

Before Meg’s eyes opened again, she started slowly walking forward, her previously timid steps replaced by strong and confident ones.

Lifting his head, Seth’s dark red eyes fixed themselves on the frail woman sitting on the bed.

“I didn’t say you are allowed to approach.” Said the woman, her eyes turning cold again as she stared at Seth walking towards her.

Seth stopped with her words, staring straight into her cold eyes as a slight smile appeared on his lips.

“Last time I was in this place, you told me that you love me. I turned around and walked away, not sparing you a single look.”

“Now I returned to ask you, Isabel: Do these words still hold true?”

The woman’s body shook as a sad and hurt look appeared in her eyes. Her face changed between joy and sorrow as her eyes never left Seth’s.

Eventually, she lowered her head, two tears falling slowly in her lap as she asked meekly: “Have you come to break my heart again, God of Destruction? Was extinguishing me and this world once not enough?”

“Isabel…” muttered Seth, but he didn’t know what else to say. He was sure her memories of the former timeline were still there, as a bearer of the treasure of life, just as it happened with Dream and the others, but he had no idea what he could say to justify his actions from back then.

“Please leave, God of Destruction. This place doesn’t welcome you anymore…” muttered Isabel, and the palace doors swung open again, sucking all three of them out, throwing them just outside the giant forest.

“Why am I not surprised… “muttered Lisa as she slowly picked herself up from the ground.

“Are you okay?” asked Pearl, trying to hold Seth’s hand, but Seth sat up before she could touch him.

“You two wait here. I’m going in alone.”