The Woman's Game - 19. Part Two: Book of Revelations VII

The Shrouded One decided that time was up. She was no longer feeling weak and her shroud was at full intensity. In fact she was feeling quite strong. Her hospital bed began to creak as she swung her legs round. She felt her feet touch the floor and she felt good. Her guilt had passed. She knew exactly what she had to do. It was merely a case of escaping the chamber that they had kept her in.

 

 

She pondered upon the thought when she just placed her hand upon the door. It wasn’t concrete. She felt her hand down it and a crunching happened under her fingers. She violently kicked the door and discovered it was only polyester holding her back.

 

 

There he was… The Leader of The People.

 

 

“Don’t be angry. It was for your own good.”

 

 

She turned as she escaped from the chamber and saw her precious Storm Cage. Her prison… Her beautiful perfect prison. It worked. It kept a very dangerous force under control. She was proud but she was in the majority of her emotion, angry.

 

 

“How dare you! How could you keep me in there?”

 

 

He gulped and spoke. “You were babbling, saying things that didn’t make sense. We had to keep you safe until you told us what you meant and now you are okay, so it is fine. You are ready.”

 

 

“I am very much ready.” She pointed towards the main entrance to the chamber. “I want to appear. I want to appear like this.” She lowered her shroud and revealed a weak, frail, almost defeated woman. She wished to appear without her shroud, to her people. She had enough of the façade she held.

 

 

“I would advise against it but it is up to you.”

 

 

He knew full well not to argue with her greater power. His life wasn’t worth the risk.

 

 

**

 

 

The weather was cold and a wind swept across the lawn. The Shrouded One cleared her throat.

 

 

“Hello. As you can see, I have no shroud with me today. I wanted to show you the real me. I wanted to no longer be a secret. I was kept from you for so long I now want to tell you exactly what you must know. I was ordinary. A normal being. Created by a helpful elderly lady and a group called… Well they don’t need naming.” She wiped her face. “I was ordinary, with extraordinary powers. I wanted to rule and I wanted nothing else. I wanted to be greedy. I guess that is all I have to say. Follow the regime and no-one will be hurt. I have spoken.”

 

 

She was to suffer…

 

 

As all people were going to suffer. It was going to be her, as it was going to everyone’s downfall.

 

 

Greed.

 

 

**

 

 

She had finally allowed herself to be the creature she was meant to be. She was rejecting her shroud and now could be the leader she was born to be.

 

 

She had lost everything she could fight with but she had a very interesting idea.

 

 

She moved down into her basement area and saw that it had been emptied. Apart from a singular desk which they couldn’t remove from the floor. She passed her hand over one of the drawers and it shunted open. It revealed a book of spells. She searched through the book and found the spell she was looking for. Nothing could beat the Spells of The Aged. Nothing.

 

 

She muttered the incantation to herself and felt her life force being drained from her.

 

 

She was using all of her might to construct something new. Something that had never been seen before. A collection of blue skulls.

 

 

**

 

 

Hours passed before she awakened from her stupor. She had entered a trance of exhaustion and magical energy. She had been totally drained with her face looking nearly dead. Exactly how she didn’t want to look, but it had to do.

 

 

She needed to rest. It took it all out of her.

 

 

Her collection was now complete and she knew she would never lose. She could win any duel with these new skulls.

 

 

But he decided it would be now that he struck.

 

 

She was resting in The Storm Cage (The only place she found safe) when he attacked.

 

 

The Clone crashed through the roof and she jumped awake. She was afraid of everything now. She held a gun close to her when she slept.

 

 

Watching his disgusting half body, she felt like she was going to puke. His body was infested with worms and eggs and all things nasty. It was an image of the nastiest looking creature in the world.

 

 

The Clone was more dangerous than she previously thought. It pained her.

 

 

He was part of her. His shroud was her shroud…

 

 

He was created for a purpose to serve her and it pained the both of them when he did things that were wrong.

 

 

It was the shroud. The spirit. It was the influence that it had on him. He had to get rid of it but The Shrouded One knew he wouldn’t be able to. It was a curse he would be stuck with for the rest of his existence. She had tried for years to fight against it and it has taken her this long to gain control over it.

 

 

He tried to speak through the jaw that he didn’t have but she grabbed her gun and shot at him.

 

 

She shot him in the forehead but he showed no pain or even a singular reaction.

 

 

She shot him again, this time in the arm and he flinched.

 

 

She kept shooting until she had no bullets left. Still he wouldn’t stop coming towards her.

 

 

“Stop!” he screamed and groaned. “Stop. Yes. Yes. Yes…” He laughed and began to speak. “I have been released from darkness and I’ve seen the light. I understand. More than I have ever understood before. I understand the true darkness of the light and I know what I must do.” He burst into laughter once more.

 

 

The Shrouded One stuttered and moved towards him, fascinated by his control of language despite his obvious deficit of a tongue.

 

 

“I was created as perfection.” He began in his melancholic tone. “I know now. The only perfection is darkness. Complete darkness.” He pointed at her with his finger, revealing blooded bone to her. He chuckled at his own deficit, and then spoke again to her. “You are not strong enough. You will never be strong enough to be the ultimate evil. You have so far to go and you have far too many ties to your name to become evil.”

 

 

“No!” She screamed at the top of her voice. “Stop! How dare you!” She charged towards him. She smashed the gun against his skull and he grabbed her by the scruff of her collar. “Now. You have made me angry. Prepare.” He threw her to the ground, breaking her arm. She refused to accept the obvious fact that she had lost. Stubborn as hell she was, and no half creature was ever going to tell her to stop. This half creature could never break her plans for they were already in motion.

 

 

The Clone moved towards the broken female body before him and then paused. He clicked each one of his joint, leaving his neck for last. He cracked his neck and then looked down. He felt a dark creature growing slowly up his body. This was a shroud that was beyond hers. It was dark but it had a purple shade to it, with a feeling of fear whenever you looked at it. She felt this and tried to crawl away despite her broken arm.

 

 

He was so much more evil than she was and this was what terrified her. For the first time, she was afraid of something she created. This should make an interesting fight.

 

 

She raised her shroud, despite her lack of control, she couldn’t hold it back. It was right for the occasion. If she played her skulls right, it could save her life. The Clone raised his hand into the air and a staff materialised for him to hold. He stamped it on the floor, three times. The ground, building and world around them began to crumble. “I shall return your building after the events that are about to follow.” The Shrouded One nodded in agreement.

 

 

He placed his staff on her leg; creating minimal contact between the two of them and they were then transported. They were now in a realm of darkness. A roaming world of darkness. A graveyard. Spirits from the past surrounded them as they brought the gravestones together to form the board. A board formed from the slabs of the dead…

 

 

“Impressive isn’t it?” He forced an evil smile from what muscle he had left. “Only when you accept your complete darkness do you have access to this sort of power.” Another fit of uncontrollable laughter. He was inconceivably mad; which made him that bit more unpredictable and dangerous.

 

 

“We fight?” She stood and pointed towards her bag. The blue skulls levitated out of the bag and then transformed into a deck of cards; already shuffled.

 

 

“To the death. I shall begin”. He drew his cards.

 

 

“The Darkness has moved my dear. Only the true darkness remains within me. I can’t play anything. I discard my hand. Your turn.” She now understood. This was the reason why her guilt was growing and why compassion was slowly becoming part of her world. Then she felt a chance of hope.

 

 

She could win, if her timing was right. “My turn, yes.” She drew her cards and placed a card upon the field. “This creature is quite well known. I play The Skull of The Ice Age.” A mammoth erupted from the ground and stared down at The Clone. “Scary isn’t he. Power 4. Attack him for me sweetie.”

 

 

The mammoth launched itself towards The Clone destroying his shield.

 

 

“Your turn.”

 

 

He drew his five cards and spoke. “Oh dear. You are about to enter a world of pain. Meet a very old friend of mine. She has been one of the darkness for years. A fallen angel. Pharzuph, come forth.” A girl flew in from the dark cloud that surrounded the battle field. She was beautiful but she was so deliciously evil. She spoke. “Power 5. I’m very hard to beat.” She launched herself forward, without order and attacked the Mammal with her sharpened wing, destroying it instantly. “Your turn again. Find a creature that is stronger than that. I dare you”.

 

 

She laughed as she drew her singular card. “Oh no. Oh my. You are going to win. I’ll just play this little card of mine. Another angel. A beautiful one. Though he is never seen. An invisible angel. Proc'el. Level 5.”

 

 

The Clone became enraged. “How dare you control another angel! I am the only…”

 

 

“No. You’re not.” She laughed in his face. I created him through my spells. Bringing fallen angels from hell is exhausting don’t you think. “I will leave you alone for now. Build your defence. Next turn, you are dead.”

 

 

“I can still win.” He muttered under his breath. “I have an ability to summon creatures from absolute darkness. This is a very close duel my old friend. There was once a legend. An angel who loved a human and that was what caused him to fall. Meet Shemyaza. Power 5.” Shemyaza, the Angel erupted from the cloud; he had blackened wings and he stayed at a distance from Pharzuph. He sneered at her. “Ready to attack Shem? Go.” He attacked Proc’el with Shemyaza but his attack completely missed.” How can I miss? You are breaking the rules.” The Clone became irritated.

 

 

“I did say he was unseen. You just chose the wrong place to attack. Be more specific next time. Try Again. I’ll allow you to break the rules, this one.” She sniggered. He attempted again and failed. He shouted a groan at The Shrouded One and then she quickly took her go. She summoned The Religious Priest; at level 5.discarded her hand and attacked with Proc’el; destroying Shemyaza and then attacked with The Religious Priest destroying Pharzuph, who collapsed with a frightening scream. The Shrouded One was winning. He had no shield and she was one attack away from destroying him… It was his turn and he drew his card.

 

 

“You made a grave mistake. I have the master of darkness in my hand. He is truly an evil creature.” He laughed and placed the card down. He was an elderly gentleman with a bowler and an umbrella; most certainly not a stereotypical image. “I have a power of 7. Try to take me down. May I attack sir?” He nodded. Death destroyed The Religious Priest. “Go on; see if you can destroy me in this turn, I dare you.”

 

 

“Never dare a woman to do something. She will do it.” She drew her card. “I think some purification is needed here and I have won. Do you surrender so I don’t have to destroy you?”

 

 

He sneered then laughed at her. “Never.”

 

 

“Very well. I encapsulated him in my trance, I manipulated his soul in my spells and I am now able to bring him onto the field. I can only control him for the short amounts of time that duels lasted for so prepare to be amazed.” Her ego grew while she spoke and this is never a good thing. “Say hello to the ultimate fighter. The Light Bringer. Power of 8.” She began to laugh.

 

 

“No… Impossible. This is absolutely impossible. How? How can you… No…” He screamed and tried to run but he was held back by his deck of cards and his creature Shemyaza. “No-one can ever run from a duel. You should know that. Now face your fate as I have.” Shemyaza and his master prepared for the strike.

 

 

The Light Bringer landed lightly on the board and shot an arrow of light up through the cloud, cleansing it and giving it hope. The Shrouded One began to speak, “This disagrees with everything I stand for but it’s the only way I can win.” She shouted her ego at its max. “Now attack my fighter. Destroy The Figure of Death.” He did so, with his arrows of light and there was only Shemyaza left to destroy.

 

 

The Clone looked in panic and turned to run away into the distance; even though he knew from Shemyaza’s warning that he could not escape.

 

 

“Proc'el destroy him!” She screamed and Shemyaza sent an arrow of darkness, striking The Clone directly in his back…

 

 

His entire body shattered and his soul disappeared into the bright cloud above them. She sighed. In a whirlwind, The Shrouded One was transported back to her chamber and it reformed around her.

 

 

She began to cough violently.

 

 

She was weak.

 

 

So weak.

 

 

**

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood muttered to herself. “Must go there. Don’t forget that and don’t forget that.” She placed her coat over her shoulders.

 

 

She shuddered and saw something in front of her. It was a creature. It was human and yet it wasn’t…

 

 

It was being abused. It wasn’t there but she could see it. This was surreal.

 

 

It… It was sending her a message.

 

 

Two simple words. “Help me.” Over and over; constantly going on and on in her head. It was something that The Shrouded One was using.

 

 

It was the same…She could see the connection. The boys and girls in the Secret Army. Those poor innocent souls being destroyed by her greed… It sickened Mrs. Greenwood.

 

 

The techniques being used, they were horrible. Mrs. Greenwood could see that the creature in that chair, squirming in pain. Mrs. Greenwood was simply in disbelief.

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood then realised something through the connection she was having with this poor creature. She was being watched by The Never Ending Face and she had never realised until that point.

 

 

She removed her glasses and placed them upon the table and rubbed her forehead. How could she be so foolish? She was so experienced yet so naïve with the simplest of things. The time when she was gone, the time she couldn’t remember. That was what happened…

 

 

She had been corrupted. Enforced to go through the torture that each of the ‘volunteers’ had to go through. She was now a constant liability. She must go at it alone if she was going to defeat her. She didn’t want to destroy her beautiful creation but if it was for the greater good she had to.

 

 

She grabbed her stick and started to make her way, with instructions from the resistance database to the staying place of The Shrouded One to see her face to face.

 

 

To stop her.

 

 

**

 

 

The Shrouded One sat alone. No guards. No anything. She was totally alone in her own little world. She watched the clock on the wall swing back and forth. It had stopped hours ago. But she knew the time was coming.

 

 

Her guts were going to be tested and what didn’t help was the internalised feeling of guilt was growing into a daemon of her own. She had deceived and broken so many people and yet she was still searching the chance of greater glory…

 

 

She had reached the top of the food chain and yet she still wanted more. She wanted everything…

 

 

She watched Mrs. Greenwood approaching through The Never Ending Face and sensed her coming down the corridor.

 

 

She sighed, prepared her skulls and she was ready. She tried to stand from her chair but coughed loudly and fell back into her chair. She was still weak from her fight with The Clone.

 

 

She wasn’t powerful enough for this. She was Ill. She really could not do this but she had to.

 

 

Her plans were crackling and so was her mind and body…

 

 

She was losing hope.

 

 

**

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood arrived at the door of the chamber and looked at the two guards outside, who were holding their hands on their guns. She smiled sweetly.

 

 

‘Hello, I’m here to see an old friend.’ She was doing everything she could to give off the impression of a frail old lady.

 

 

The guards removed their hands from their guns and the instant they did this, Mrs. Greenwood jumped up with the vitality of a teenager and hit them both directly below the belt. This was an underhanded tactic but it disabled them for a few seconds. Long enough for Mrs. Greenwood to enter the chamber of the mother. Her abilities were being allowed to enter the fray despite Mrs. Greenwood’s objections.

 

 

She enters the chamber. ‘Hello dear, remember me?’ She moved over to The Shrouded One’s chair.

 

 

‘I do. Why are you here?’ Rage began to appear behind her eyes.

 

 

‘I’m here to get this damn face out of my mind. I had a feeling you would have something to do with it. Now. Tell me, no. Show me how to get rid of it.’

 

 

The Shrouded One saw an opening in Mrs. Greenwood’s body and launched herself towards it knocking her over onto the floor. Mrs. Greenwood yelped in pain and then spoke: ‘what was the point in that my dear?’

 

 

‘I want to know the truth.’

 

 

‘You were a clone and we decided it was best that we released you’ said Mrs. Greenwood, feigning a smile.

 

 

‘We both know that’s bullshit. Now tell me the real truth.’

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood looked down and stood and looked directly into her eyes. ‘I will tell you, but it is not a pretty story.’

 

 

She cleared her throat and began her story.

 

 

‘I worked for a group called The Company. They have been here since the dawn of time. Manipulating. Changing things. Making the world better. They had an unlimited money source; in fact they even invented money in order to make sure they would get what they wanted at any point. They have never shown themselves to anyone. They are faceless. They are just there. I digress. I was your creator. I created you for them. They were disappointed. You weren’t perfect… You had something wrong with you. Somehow, a dark spirit entered your body and destroyed your personality from the inside, rendering you useless and making you vulnerable to The Company. They decided you were a failed experiment and locked you away, forcing me to lock you away. But you meant so much. You meant so much more to me.’ She cleared her throat, tears streaming down her face. ‘You were like a daughter to me. I’d never had children, only ever a creation like you. I found you love, I found you life and you repaid me like this. You have got out of hand.’ She reached into her back as The Shrouded One gave her a look. ‘I must destroy you; I must remove the spirit and return things to the way they once were. In order to stop Utopia from ever existing. In order to stop you…’

 

 

The Shrouded One nodded and looked bewildered. ‘It is time. Follow me.’ The Shrouded One knew it was time. It was time they were to fight.

 

 

She led her into a garden. A beautiful rose garden with a stone tablet. ‘This is where we shall fight. Prepare your deck. We duel, to the death.’ She spoke with a sense of abandon in her voice.’

 

 

‘Fine with me. Woman to Woman. Creator to Creature…’ Mrs. Greenwood laughed at her own terrible joke.

 

 

The Shrouded One interrupted. ‘Cut the bullshit; let us get this over with.’

 

 

The Shrouded One discarded four cards and played The Skull of The Underworld. ‘Say hello to an underling of Death. He has a power of four.’ He erupted from the pool of darkness in the middle of the stone tablet and he bowed before his opponent. Her eyes shined blue for a split second, then to gold and then back to her natural colour. That was strange… ‘Your turn.’

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood cleared her throat again and sat at the stone tablet, followed by The Shrouded One. ‘I much prefer to sit down. You forged your blue skulls out of darkness; they will never truly be powerful. I can bring things from the light above us, from your own personal Garden of Eden. I bring forth, The Skull of The Seraphim, Power 4.’ An angel flew past and settled next to Mrs. Greenwood. ‘Attack Seraphim.’ Equal power. Equal win. ‘I will let you have your turn.’

 

 

The Shrouded One began her turn instantly. ‘I cannot play anything. I discard my entire hand and I leave my fate with my Skull of The Underworld.’

 

 

‘This will be over quicker than I imagined. I draw my card.’ Her eyes turned a tint of gold and returned. Mrs. Greenwood laughed. ‘This is one the most powerful skulls ever crafted by the original Mayans. Based on a very old legend. The oldest in the book. Prepare to meet my maker. The Skull of Adam. Power 5.’ The original human arrived through the middle of the stone tablet and sat on the table, ready to fight. ‘The original angel. Or fallen… Take your pick.’ She giggled to herself, over her private joke. She sent The Skull of Adam to attack. He punched forward, destroying The Skull of The Underworld, shattering the bones into pieces. Mrs. Greenwood then sent The Skull of The Seraphim to attack. It sent a mighty bolt of light forward, destroying The Shrouded One’s shield.

 

 

The Shrouded One could see it… Her fate was coming. It was going to happen…

 

 

It was her turn. She screamed and her eyes turned completely blue. She entered into a fit like state and she could see it. She could see herself in that first chance of love. The first encounter with her husband. He saved her from herself for a short amount of time. But no one could save her, nobody. Mrs. Greenwood had realised this and she knew that was why she was trying to stop her. The Shrouded One drew her card. ‘I… I can do this… I play The Skull of The Tree of Knowledge. Level 5.’ She went to place the card, the image of the gigantic tree forming but she fell…

 

 

Her face hit the concrete slab and she is unable to move…

 

 

She was defeated.

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood had won. It was now over and it was time to take her prize.

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood felt no soul to take. It surprised her.

 

 

She realised then. She had no soul to give. It was a small price she once paid and now, there was no chance of her being completely there ever again.

 

 

Mrs. Greenwood moved over to check her breathing. She was breathing, weakly. She was alive but barely…

 

 

The Mother was dying and The Spirit was beginning to escape but couldn’t quite make it out of the host’s body…

 

 

The Woman’s Game was over. At last.

 

 

But the Spirit’s Game was soon going to begin and it would be painful for all that were involved…

 

 

The future and past, yet, can still be changed…

 

 

For good or worse.