The Woman's Game - 20. Part Two: The Book of Revelations VIII

Mrs. Greenwood left the body of The Mother sprawled out across the tablet and went to have a deeper look around the building. She looked through the dungeons and saw various prison like cells but then came to a secret hidden room. Hidden behind, none other than a bookshelf. A bookshelf room where great secrets are kept.

She opened the bookshelf and was horrified by what she saw. There was a young child. A young child hooked up to a machine that looked like it was keeping him alive. A machine to keep him in check and make sure that he was controlled.

She had seen his face before…

It was The Never Ending Face.

The poor child, he was only, what looked like seven years old. It made Mrs. Greenwood feel sick how this boy had been treated by The Woman.

He was such a young child. He was being treated in the same way The Shrouded One was treated. She was converting him, converting him into the ultimate weapon. What she was meant to be.

The poor little boy… She knew there was always the hidden third child, but she never realised the treatment was quite as horrifying as this. She looked down into his eyes, tubes coming out of every orifice, with a metal rod going straight through his back and keeping him upright. He was broken in every way, physically, emotionally and psychologically. The perfect emotionless weapon, in the form of a child. Only a sick twisted weirdo would think of this sort of thing. Thank Christ she was now gone.

The young child, never aging slightly moved his eyes, struggling to do so and groaned ‘Kill me…’ Mrs. Greenwood allowed a teardrop to fall onto the boy’s forehead. This was pretty much her own blood. The clones were produced from her skin cells, she was the original. The only original and she was about to destroy it. But she had to. He was suffering and in pain. Morally, she believed she had the upper hand.

She moved round turning off all the life support equipment and left the room, heading for the chamber to discover the source of the shroud, whatever it was and to bring an eternal end to the never ending battle…

**

The war was over.

All over the world, children and men were being released from The Never Ending Face’s grasp and in a short while the Resistance would gain power and motivation and the world would launch against The Secret Army and their dark leader The Shrouded One and those that had suffered would finally get their comeuppance on The Shrouded One.

Long Live Free Utopia!

**

Ash had been wandering the corridors for what seemed like an eternity. They were never ending. As soon as he took one door, he was back in the same corridor again. Some sort of sick illusion. Eventually, he found a way out and discovered the one he was looking for…

‘Boy… What’s wrong?’

The Mental Patient had a look of despair in his eyes before seeing Ash and then it swapped to a feeling of contentment.

‘I… I… Don’t know. I was freed by a strange lady in a green coat. I was then told to follow her. Somehow we ended up in her home and then three minutes later, I was here. Sat here, I was back here in these never ending corridors. I’m so lost and confused. Help me Ash. Help me.’ The Mental Patient began to rock back and forth.

‘No need to worry. I know exactly what would help you.’ Ash forced his Fiend Fyre out to warm The Mental Patient, who in turn took his Blue Dragon from his hands and twisted it around The Fiend Fyre, reforming the great beast, The Element Dragon. It kept both of the warm in the ice cold corridor. Ash and The Mental Patient looked into each other’s eyes. They were to be blood brothers, but they were so blissfully unaware of what was to come. So completely unaware of what the truth really was and very soon they were going to hear it from a not so unfamiliar voice and yet, this voice, it was distant and otherworldly. It would something they had met at one point, but not in its entirety.

Something wicked…

‘I want you to try.’

‘I don’t want to’. The Mental Patient began to rock again.

‘Please.’ He held The Mental Patient’s hand. ‘For me.’ Ash smiled.

‘Okay for you.’

‘What is your name?’

The memories were less of a blur; it was coming back to him. He felt the strong pain…

The pain was too strong for him to handle. He began to weep.

He could not remember no matter how much he tried and it lowered his heart…

**

The Shrouded One felt her shroud curl into nothingness inside of her body.

Breath escaped from her lungs in a wheezing sound as it left her.

The Mother did what a mother always does.

‘Ash…’

The one she knew that would save her…

**

Ash felt a blur in his mind and began to see only a passing of white, red, blue and gold. It was like the room was spinning and he was longer in control of his senses and his mobility. His body had been taken on a subconscious journey, controlled by something otherworldly. He was quickly pursued by the confused Mental Patient. Ash was being controlled by something out of his body…

He was being controlled by his mother’s spirit. In her final act, she finally felt a true sense of guilt…

Her spirit could die happily as the other creature like spirit took over…

**

Ash was dragged and when he regained his senses he realised where he and The Mental Patient were. He saw his mother’s body. She was most certainly dead. He dropped to his knees in sadness, even though he knew what she had done. Mrs. Greenwood came in behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder.

‘It will be okay my boy. It will be okay.’ Ash refused to look at his mother body but then realised…

He could save her life.

He moved over and places his hands on her head.

‘Boy, it won’t work. You know it won’t.’ Mrs. Greenwood lamented.

‘Ash, don’t waste your precious energy.’ The Mental Patient added.

‘I have to try, don’t I?’ He began to get upset as he sent a shockwave from his body, to her body. A bolt of red energy, trying to revitalise her. He was trying so desperately but that was when it happened.

Ash was thrown back onto the floor, when a ghostly spirit erupted from the body of The Mother. It tried to enter Ash’s body but The Fiend Fyre jumped to his defence. It then turned to The Mental Patient, but his Blue Dragon defended him. It then turned on the defenceless Mrs. Greenwood and launched towards her.

‘Not a chance.’ She held up her hand at the ghostly creature, a snapping sound was heard and in an instant the Spirit was contained within its own movements, like an invisible prison.

‘I won’t be finding another host here then. You are all too strong. I am the embodiment of the dark shroud that has followed her since that fateful day when that man found her. He didn’t speak. It was a normal day… I was born when perfection was cloned. I had been searching for the perfect host and I had found her. I did what I could. I did only what I knew. A body for the first time in years… I killed. I controlled. I became the shrouded one…

I had three born. One born from human points towards ash, one born from light points towards Mental Patient and the final one was born out of darkness with my soul… He was part of me and I know how he has been destroyed and I know I no longer have control over all of the soldiers… But I must now do what I must do. The Boys that have the powers… You.”

The Spirit points towards The Mental Patient.

“You. The given from the light bringer. I bring you life.”

She signals at him and fills him with the memories. He could remember his life…

From a young baby hidden at night handed over on the steps of the Notre Dame to his times in the circus because of being able to move things with his mind and then being rescued. By the lady on the floor in front of him. She saved him from his old life... She was his biological mother. This filled him with such a great sense of emotion. Such a strong feeling… She was always his mother, but he was too much to handle for her. Too much. The memories kept coming. He could remember. He could remember everything.

He could even remember his name…

Allan.

Such a short name but it meant so much to him…

He was no longer just ‘Boy’. He was a person. He had a personality and a name.

The Spirit swiftly moved to point directly at Ash.

‘However, you were never part of the plan. You were a mistake. A biological mistake. I will fight you, as you wish but on one condition.’

Ash sneered. ‘What’s your condition?’

‘If I win, I get you as a host, Ash. If I lose, I will restore everything to what it once was and I will have never disturbed the balance of this world. I will never escape from that tomb and your lives will go back to what they once were. Even you Allan, you will be part of the family.’

Ash turned away and looked at Allan. ‘What should I do?’

‘We can do it. Together. It’s nice to have a brother.’ He smiled and held up his hand and they shook each other’s hands.

Ash turned to The Spirit. ‘We will do it. Only if we can fight you together. I’m sure you are powerful enough to fight two against one.’

The Spirit sighed a little inside. ‘Very well. Follow me.’ A staircase materialised from nowhere, it lead up into and through the heavens.

The Spirit sharply turned and flew up the stairs.

**

The boys followed The Spirit up the flight of stairs and they entered into a large coliseum. A coliseum of lost souls. The building was falling apart, there were creatures of the dead in the audience areas and there was a large area with three separate stone tables, One at one end of the courtyard and two at the other end; presumably ready for their duel.

The Spirit spoke to the crowds. ‘This is the game of the century. This is what we have been waiting for thousands of years. An escape from our wretched lives, the true land of the dead. I am going to fight both of these boys for your freedom. I will take a turn and we will go in a triangle. Do you agree boys?’

Allan muttered to Ash ‘Doesn’t it talk a lot?’ Ash and his brother giggled and then Ash spoke.

‘Yes. Let’s begin. I will go first.’

They each moved to their respective tables and began the fight.

They each drew their cards and Ash muttered. ‘Shit’. He then raised his voice. ‘I cannot play, I pass.’

Allan played a card on the field that resembled some sort of sandstorm creature. ‘I play the Skull of Desert. Power 2. My go is over.’

The Spirit laughed. ‘You weak pitiful little boys. I play The Skull of Death, Power 7.’ The figure of death erupted from the centre of their large battlefield and resumed his rightful position next to his ghostly mentor. ‘Since it’s the second turn, I am allowed to attack. I choose, Ash.’ She directly attacks Ash and destroys his shield. Ash was weakened but not defeated yet. It would take a hell of a lot more than that to take him down.

All the Spirit could do was defend with the black skulls, skulls that she had stolen from the shroud of the one she defeated. Weaker shrouds should not be allowed to play The Game. Even though her old enemy was much darker, she could never lose in reality. At least that was what she believed.

‘My turn. I may be weak but I’m not dead yet. I play my trusted friend, My Fiend Fyre, Power 4.’ His dragon shot out from his chest and curled around his table, ready to pounce at any point. ‘I cannot attack. Allan your turn.’

Allan smiled as he drew his cards. ‘I’m ready to show you what real duelling is all about. I summon my Blue Dragon but I then combine both of our creatures to form the ultimate dragon faring weapon, The Element Dragon, Power 8.’ Allan attacked and destroyed the figure of Death, leaving her defenceless. ‘I then attack you directly with The Skull of Desert, destroying your shield.’

‘Good move boy.’ The Spirit sniggered. ‘But not good enough.’ The Spirit laughed. ‘I have nothing to play apart from this puny little card. I play The Skull of Entity, Power 2. I guess I should pass.’

Ash smiled. ‘We have you now.’ Ash summoned The Skull of The Sea Devil, Power 2. Ash was weakening inside and was completely depending on his brother. ‘We are of equal power, I pass.’

Allan didn’t speak and directly attacked The Skull of Entity with his Element Dragon, destroying it. It was now The Spirit’s turn.

The Spirit began its turn. ‘You know, they say always have a backup in your hand. This is my ultimate combination attacker. I have nothing stronger. In fact, I wager this is the strongest skull in existence.’ A whooping from the crowd of creatures. ‘This skull has been with me since the beginning, since the dawn of time. The original skull.’ I combine my The Bringer of Darkness and my The Light Bringer from my hand to summon The White Knight, The Overseer of All Things. Power 8.”

He was a large knight, mounted on a great white stallion horse with a joust on his left arm and a glove on his right. This was truly the great overseer…

“This time you will be destroyed.’ She attacks Ash’s The Skull of The Sea Devil but something happened…

The Element Dragon flew into the fray, taking the blow from The White Knight’s attack, destroying the both of them. The Element Dragon was protecting its second master, destroying itself in order to defend him.

‘No… This cannot be happening. No… Please. Give me another chance…’ The Spirit was acting frantically.

‘My turn. I think I will pass and give my brother the honour of destroying you.’ Ash smiled confidently.

Allan took his final card and placed it upon the playing field. ‘I play The Skull of Flight, Power 3 and I attack you directly.’ It revealed a beautiful flock of robin birds, which flew towards the spirit and began to circle around it, destroying it in the twister that formed around it…

They won.

The lights dropped to black… The memory faded…

**

The alarm went off; it was time for a regular day at school. Ash moaned as usual but went down stairs.

‘Morning Allan.’ He smiled and hit his brother on the shoulder.

‘What did you do that for?’

‘For not waking me up before my alarm.’ He laughed and sat down to breakfast.

The Father walks into the room. ‘Got to run to work. Bye boys.’

Ash looked at his father strangely. He remembered everything and yet, from what he could see, it never happened…

The Mother walked in and called out to the Father ‘Good Luck with your new job… Who was it for again?’

The Father shouted back from the car. ‘A group that only call themselves The Company. I don’t know. I got the call the other day. A fresh new start. Bye my love.’

The Mother swiftly turned and smiled. ‘Right boys. Time to get in the car for school.’

She smiled but looked down at the photo on the table. A boy that none of the others remember, but she remembered him clearly and what she did to him. A photo of a strange boy wearing strange clothes and in a strange place. That was the future that was never to be.

They all got in the car and The Mother drove them to school, happily humming along with her boys to the radio.

She remembers… But she had to forget it. She was so psychologically damaged by what could be that she knew she had to avoid any contact with The Company. She stayed where she was, a happy clone of a housewife. Perfection. Never to be bothered again. But she was horrified. She would never allow The Game to be played again. There were no remnants left of the skulls… No more.

They arrived at the school. Allan smiled and kissed his mother on the cheek. ‘See you later mum.’ Out of the four of them, he and his father were totally oblivious to the situation and it should stay that way.

Ash got out of the car and leaned into the driver’s side window. ‘I know.’

‘I know you do. Your brother or your father must never know.’

Ash smiled ‘I know. Thanks for the lift Mum.’

‘Any time.’

‘Goodbye Mum. Just one last question.’ He smiled.

‘Yes what is it?’

‘You’re not going to go all psycho on us are you?’ Ash laughed.

‘Remember, in this life I never had the spirit in the first place. So no.’ She winked at ash and signalled for him to go, He wandered off towards the school, happier than he had ever been.

‘Bye Ash.’ She muttered as she began to drive off, with a smile and a kick in her step. ‘Love you both…’

On the grass outside of the school, was an object protruding out of the grass.

A young child of seven bent over to pick it up.

He picked it up and then felt his head twitch uncontrollably and his eyes lost focus for a split second.

This object was a glass-like object.

Much like a crystal skull…