The Woman's Game - 12. Part One: The Book of Genesis XIII

They were in lockdown. The Shrouded One was that paranoid that she had to implement her highest security measures. The Mental Patient spoke hesitantly but in a confident tone.

 

‘You in here too?’

 

‘I guess you could say that,’ The Clone spoke in a fair tone with a stutter of feigned fear. He smiled with his perfectly white teeth creating a gleam in the dark blocked out chamber.

 

The Mental Patient spoke once more. ‘What did they bring you in for?’

 

‘To talk to you.’

 

‘Why talk to me?’

 

‘Because you are a danger.’

 

The Clone moved towards The Mental Patient. He didn’t walk. It was like he glided…

 

‘What’s going on?’ He knew that the danger wasn’t over. In fact he was going to be in much worse trouble.

 

‘You really don’t know do you?’ The Clone dropped to his knees. ‘I’m scared. I don’t like it here. I wasn’t born and I’m not human. Please just help me. Please.’

 

The Mental Patient moved towards The Clone as he felt compassion for the poor boy. He knelt beside him and rested The Clone’s head on his shoulder.

 

In that instance, the eyes of The Clone flashed red and then that was when he heard the voice from above.

 

The voice that had been haunting him for so many years.

 

It was her. The Shrouded One.

 

‘You may not see me but I am always here. But it is now time.’ Her voice passed straight through him. The Clone jumped up and turned and rammed his hand into The Mental Patient’s throat.

 

‘I was created for her by The Russian Government. I’m beautiful. And I am perfection. We are going to risk everything.’

 

‘What do you mean by that?’ The Mental Patient struggled with projecting his voice because of the tight grip The Clone had on his throat.

 

‘We are going to play The Game. I know you are familiar with it. And I am going to defeat you and take your soul to be mine.’ The Clone backed away and walked out of The Storm Cage.

 

He led The Mental Patient down the long corridors into The Gardens where their creatures could roam free, away from the restrictive atmosphere of The Storm Cage.

 

The Mental Patient was confused. He could see that The Clone was no longer alone. He was possessed. She was manipulating and controlling him for her benefit.

 

Whatever he said, it was her speaking through him. How could he defeat two minds working in tandem?

 

Time would tell, I guess.

 

When they arrived in the garden, The Clone spoke. ‘A natural environment. I am here to betray you my friend. We will play. Do you agree?’

 

‘Do I have any other choice?’

 

Upon this agreement, the ground began to shake as it moved around, just as it moved in her chamber. The floor became a giant battlefield, resembling the ancient board of which The Game was traditionally played on.

 

‘Giant risk. Giant game board.’ The Clone spoke and smiled and then from nowhere, a deck materialized itself in his hand.

 

The Mental Patient, with the power of blue used his light to summon his 30 card deck to the field. Well prepared and ready. And it has apparently been for over a thousand years.

 

The boys were not ready. This would be the end of society as they knew it; The end of everything.

 

All for the boys to play a childish little game…

 

‘I shall begin.’ The voice of The Shrouded One came through in this line. She had been waiting for years but she aged far too much. She had to have a scapegoat. A host to play for her. And now she physical perfection. How could she lose? The Clone drew his cards and announced. ‘I discard two cards. And I play one of the ancient red skulls. The Mammal.’

 

From the ground behind him, a gigantic mammoth appeared from behind him ready to charge at his opponent. It had a power of 4 so was virtually indestructible. When the creature appeared, The Clone’s eyes flashed a red tint and then returned to normal.

 

‘I end my turn.’

 

The Mental Patient smiled and laughed. ‘Is that the best you have? She has not taught you very well has she?’ He discarded one of his cards and played a creature called ‘The Sea Devil.’ From the ground in front of him there was a crashing of water as a shadow of a creature absorbed the darkness from around him and rose from the deep. He felt a light pass through him as his eyes turned to a brighter white and continued. He was startled but he would not be distracted. It was at a power of two, so was merely a defensive tactic. ‘That is all I am able to do. Take your turn.’

 

The clone drew and discarded four of his cards and in the usual fashion his eyes changed into a white tint when from the ground, a creature with the power of two rose. A creature of purity. Aged and senseless. The Elders of Culture. A most confusing gathering of people or what represent people.

 

The Clone attacked with The Mammal destroying The Sea Devil and then attacked secondly with The Elders leaving The Mental Patient without a shield.

 

Then it was The Mental Patient’s turn in which he drew his cards and then played quite a strong card. His eyes turned a strong tone. A tone that had never been seen before. His eyes became entirely blue and then the creature erupted from his chest. The Blue Dragon with a power of 4.

 

The Mental Patient felt himself enthralled with the power of this light beast. His light had been formed into what was wanting to come out for so long. A dragon of immense power only made stronger when fused with its brother The Fiend Fyre. When they were to fuse, they were to become a great controlling force. The Element. A creature with a power of 8, much stronger than anything ever formed by The Mayans.

 

Engorged by the power, forgetting how powerful The Mammal was, he attacked The Elders directly destroying them and then he was forced to end his turn.

 

The Clone laughed at him. ‘You seem to have forgotten one of the simplest rules. When a 4 attacks a 4 both are destroyed. You have brought your own death upon you.’ The Clone discarded his hand bar one card. He summoned a white creature. Its light was strong. It was a large turtle that carried an entire society on his back. This was The Skull of Land. And its power was 2. This was plenty powerful enough to destroy The Mental Patient.

 

The Clone attacked destroying both The Blue Dragon and The Mammal. He was so close to victory and winning the war for the side of darkness.

 

He raised his hand, under order by The Shrouded One but then…

 

She couldn’t bring herself to do it. She couldn’t destroy him.

 

She cannot destroy his soul.

 

She still loved what she created.

 

She still loved her child despite what she put him through…

 

**

 

Ash had worked hard among the ranks of the other soldiers. He even earned himself a promotion to Sergeant. He ordered men about in his day to day life and forgot what his original intention was.

 

But deep down he knew what he was there for. He arrived at the location he would leave them at.

 

It was in the middle of the night, the boy he was having liaisons with was sleeping. Ash moved over and kissed him on the forehead.

 

‘Goodbye my dear.’

 

He had fallen in love but he couldn’t let love stop his quest.

 

He swiftly turned away and refused to look back. He couldn’t look back.

 

It was in the dead of night that he escaped. He only had uniform of his own so had to leave in those clothes. Of course he was going to get caught but he hoped it would be by the people that he would want.

 

He was moving towards the headquarters and arrived just outside the ancient building. It was then when the man pounced.

 

He held Ash at knifepoint. ‘What do you want? Why are you here?’

 

‘I’m not… I’m not a soldier. I’m here to help.’

 

‘Prove it.’ The man backed away with his knife still ready to pounce.

 

Ash sighed and allowed Fiend Fyre to be released from his chest. The man moved back in fear but then realised who he was. ‘I’m sorry sir. My name is Codename C. I’m here to serve you. May I show you inside?’

 

And following this, Ash was led down some corridors into the Headquarters.

 

It was quite an old building on the external but was entirely modern on the inside. Well, in the hidden parts it was modern. Filled with the best surveillance systems ever made. But yet, they were still losing…

 

He then met Codename Z. She was a large black woman and very well endowed. She had a booming voice that could be heard from quite a distance.

 

‘My boy. You now will have our protection.’

 

Ash had a plan to stop The Shrouded One but it was going to be risky and he could die. But he didn’t care anymore. He looked over to Codename Z.

 

‘It's very risky. I want to go her headquarters alone.’

 

‘No. You can’t it’s too dangerous. Allow Codename C to go with you. Just to near the entrance. Then we know you will be safe. The streets are too dangerous lately. I haven’t left this building in months. I just communicate via the internet to all the operatives. Christ I miss the old days…’

 

She went off on a tangent for about ten minutes and then ordered Codename C to move out with Ash to the headquarters of the enemy…

 

**

 

They arrived but it just looked like an ordinary building like the Resistance headquarters.

 

‘You sure we are in the right place C?’

 

‘Definitely. I’ve been tortured here before.’ He looked down at his knees in embarrassment in relation to his memories.

 

‘Maybe it’s hidden’. Ash took his fire and felt it travelling through him into his hands. Something that had never happened before. Maybe, it was a sign?

 

A sign that his power was developing. Oh how good it felt…

 

He touched the door with his hand which was surrounded by fire. Then the building changed.

 

It collapsed in front of his eyes revealing just a very dingy building that looked like an apartment.

 

There goes the so called high class headquarters.

 

But, she was all underground. Ash felt the fire build inside of him again. To a point where he couldn’t control it.

 

The Fiend Fyre projected itself uncontrollably towards the entrance to the building, destroying the door and killing the guard.

 

This wasn’t what Ash wanted. The darkness in the fire was spreading around his body…

 

And now he was going to take the last part of his journey alone.

 

‘Holy shit.’ Codename C backed away from Ash, preparing to leave.

 

‘Thank you C.’ Ash tried to smile but was in pain.

 

‘No. Thank you for what you have shown me. There is finally hope in this war. Goodbye.’ With that, Codename C walked off into the distance to return to the headquarters to tell Codename Z about what danger is going to happen for The Shrouded One. A moment of joy will spread throughout The Resistance.

 

Now it was time to take the final step. To take the journey that so many ‘gifted’ people have taken before.

 

Although, none of the previous had the abilities that Ash had.

 

And that would stand him in good stead in this fight. Until he met with The Blue Dragon and then everything would change…

 

**

 

It was over. The duel was over. The clone… It had collapsed. The mental patient was left in the gardens with the lifeless body. He assumed it was dead but it couldn’t have been. It still looked far too perfect.

 

The Mental Patient moved around the body. It was just laid there looking into the distance with its eyes of blue and cheek so pale. He poked the body lightly with his foot but it just rolled off its side onto its back.

 

The Mental Patient didn’t know what he had to do. He was in an unknown place and security in all corners.

 

The Shrouded One walked out from behind the shadows.

 

‘Who… who are you?’

 

‘I am her. The one you have been looking for.’ He recognized her voice.

 

‘Why didn’t you finish the battle? You had me!’ The Mental Patient charged towards her and pointed his finger in her face. ‘Why didn’t you kill me?’

 

‘Because I couldn’t.’ The Shrouded One strengthened her shroud to go into his mind.

 

She showed him her manipulating the clone and going to take the final attack. Then The Never Ending Face…

 

It sent a message to her. A very simple message. Something locked away behind steel iron walls was able to get into her mind and implant a message.

 

And this message simply was Why?

 

Why would you do this? Just why?

 

The question repeating over and over in different voices and different tones until she broke.

 

The shroud disappeared when she was controlling the clone. She had been broken. Her emotions caved in and she felt her motherly instinct come in and she saved the boy by stopping her own clone.

 

‘You are impossible…’ The Mental Patient looked into her eyes through the shroud. He still couldn’t figure who she was.

 

‘Not impossible. Just my emotions were scarred and that is what has weakened me. I love. And that is the most painful memory and action of all.’

 

‘But love is mesmerising and fun. I’ve never had anyone’s love but I know it’s just wonderful.’

 

‘An idealisation. Don’t you know who I am? What they did to me…’

 

She dropped to her knees. Her first moment of physical weakness in years…

 

‘No. I don’t. Who are you?’

 

‘I can’t. I mustn’t.’

 

The Never Ending Face intensified in her mind and then she was released from her darkness.

 

The Shroud disappeared to a simple pool around her feet.

 

The Shrouded One was gone. Her darkness was no longer manifesting itself in her soul.

 

What The Mental Patient now saw would be something that would scar him for the rest of his life.

 

It was her.

 

‘You must want to know who I am.’

 

The Mental Patient in part recognized her. But the vision was cloudy and unclear.

 

She began her tale of pain and misery.

 

‘There were two children. One through reality and one through a pact. A pact with one of the most dangerous creatures I have ever met. The Light Bringer.’

 

‘He is only myth.’ The Mental Patient felt a panic start to build up inside of him.

 

‘He was real. He kissed me. He loved me. He showed what love is and always shall be.’

 

‘I’m one of the children aren’t I?’ He embraced her.

 

‘I’m not proud of what I’ve done.’ She felt a tear fall down her face.

 

Eternal glory was to be her if she was to succeed in her plans to destroy the human race.

 

Everyone else were just disposable pawns. But she couldn’t hold back her emotion…

 

‘Who is the other child?’ The Mental Patient looked into her eyes again. She had such beautiful eyes.

 

‘It… I… You will meet him soon. His name…’ She paused and took a breath.

 

‘What? What is his name?’

 

‘His name is Ash…’

 

In that moment, the moon rotated and shone a light upon two scared individuals.

 

This was surely the end of everything? The end of the wars and the conflict and The Game.

 

‘I’m sorry.’ She touched his face. ‘I’m so sorry. It’s all over.’

 

‘Why? Why did I lose?’

 

‘Because I won the duel but I sacrificed my own creature. You should be dead but I showed compassion. And I will never forgive myself for that fact…’

 

She scratched his face, drawing blood from the four lines she created and she brought her guards in to take him away.

 

She stood, proudly, ignoring her emotions.

 

Emotions make you weak. They destroy the human concept.

 

Oh yes.

 

The Woman’s Game was only just about to begin…