This Gothic World
Chapter 9

Irene

I love him.

“You must journey away from here to the City of Cranes. The one place, you will remain safe, My Lady.”

No. No. No. No.

Her eyes opened like an electric shock had just went through her veins. Everything was feverishly dark until her eyes adjusted and she saw the crevices within the familiar walls. Her breathing was fast. Her body was drenched in sweat.

“Wh—Wha—What the hell?”

Nothing made sense. None of it!

Alina shook off from her sleep and moaned. “Irene honey?”

Rene looked towards her side and saw the deep emerald eyes delved in dreams.

It was but a dream.

“Nothing, Mum.”

Her voice was quiet and soon she was calm in both body and soul. But, the deep black eyes…the black eyes like hers…haunted her dreams…

It was the same dream. Always ending with the same cry…

Who was she? Irene didn’t know. Not like she ever wanted to or anything.

Sarcasm doesn’t suit you.

Yes, it never suited her. But she used it despite the rebellion from her father and his henchmen. Even Alina at one point or another asked her to shut it.

Irene sat up with a great sigh. No use. It would be better if she just started on her chores. She never would sleep with these conversations starting inside her brain.

“Irene…you’re awake early.”

Anais-jie was just the same. Her face was porcelain perfect and beaming. It was refreshing to see such cheerfulness. Then again, cheery personas were often not so difficult to maintain.

“What can I do for you, Anais-jie.”

Irene cut to the chase. It wasn’t unlike her. Never…

Her smile widened and Irene swore like a sailor. “Not that again!” She was about to go on a rant when Anais-jie raised a hand in reproach.

“Not that, Rene.”

Her smile was something of a mystery. Irene’s eyes narrowed. “What have you in mind?”

Soon Irene found herself sitting in the middle of the room in a lotus position concentrating on her soul. It was absolutely irritating and it made her feel if possible worse than cleaning the corridors would ever.

“What am I doing, Anais-jie?”

Her words spit out like a pit. It was a rather scathing remark if Irene was any judge of sarcasm. But when she opened one of her eyes, Anais-jie’s grin widened.

“Keep at it.” Suddenly a wave of wind forced Irene’s eye to close. “Focus on your core. Focus on the world’s core. Find your center. Shed the ego. Release your emotions. Release them like breaking a dam to free the river…”

With her eyes closed and Anais-jie’s constant droning on Irene felt lost. However, after a few more wise cracks Anais-jie finally shut up and all was tranquil once again.

Irene felt the unlimited amount of conversations go silent in one moment and she grasped it.

Let your emotions loose…

She let her memories pour. All of it…her anger, her regret, her fear, her grief…everything was in front of her eyes…all their glorious colors were painting her eyes with emotions…

Shed the ego…

Irene looked at them. All of them were there. But were they ever any use? No. They hadn’t been any use when she had tried to live. None of them had allowed her to live freely. If anything they had hindered her ways. They had masked her soul. If she were never to have them, it’d be much better for her life…

Find your center…

Irene found herself face to face with her father’s image. Rage…complete and utter rage flowed through her veins…but it wasn’t hers. The rage, the anger, the fear, the accusations…none of it were hers…After all, she could do nothing with those emotions…none of those emotions meant anything…Irene was nothing…Irene was not those emotions…they had no good will for the life of Irene Methuselah…they never had any positive will for her…ever…

Focus on your core…

Irene focused on her soul. What was it made of? What did it have? Who was she?

Only one answer came out. Only one answer was there.

Now…Release…

Irene opened her eyes and a greyish sepia film enveloped her vision. Everything was so…dusty…so…fragile…so…temporary.

Irene looked around the Tombs. Its structure was evident and intimidating but…she saw through its intimidation…she saw the fragility…

The reason was because her vision allowed her to see through reality itself. Thus it gave her a picture of what was about to happen. Irene smiled faintly. She wasn’t happy but it was a reflex of her mortal body. A mortal body belonging to the One Destroyer…

Well, her soul was also of the One Destroyer so it was all good.

Irene scanned her surroundings with her enhanced vision and senses. They picked up the imbalance of energy in the mortal realm.

A dark green serpentine energy…full of evil…full of malice for the mortals…

She directed herself towards the negative force. It wasn’t far. It was about to feed she knew. It was about to start its first attack…

“Rene—“

Irene turned and with it everything faded. The awareness…the powerful senses…the sepia vision…everything faded into nothingness when she found Anais-jie standing at the door.

“Uh—Umm—Y—Y—yes?”

Her stuttering did nothing to wipe the shocked expression on Anais-jie’s face. Irene was almost going to cry but Anais-jie recovered quickly before anything and came towards her with grace and a smile.

“G—good job, Rene.”

Irene only stood in her place and stared at Anais-jie. The expression of surprise wasn’t gone. It was hidden. Hidden behind years of experience…

“Thanks.”

It was no wonder her voice went low enough for Anais-jie’s receding figure to not hear while she left the room once again. However, the mystery didn’t leave with her.

Irene continued on to ponder about Anais-jie’s behavior. Not to mention her sense of absolute awareness. Such odd discoveries but none of them were particularly…enlightening. They left more questions than answers. More mysteries than clarity…

Let your emotions loose…

Shed the ego…

Find your center…

Focus on your core…

But the release never came. The release never came. Until yet again…she was in dreamland…

Her eyes saw the dark serpentine energy. Its face was a disgusting grey. Rotted eyes set on an emaciated face of a mummy. Teeth covered in grime and worms crawling through the pores. It was hideous but there was a charm about it. A grotesque display of power…

“We meet again… Kotahi Motuhake …”

Kotahi Motuhake...the Infinite One...

Irene only stared. Her bodily sensation was gone. Everything was nothing. Nothing was everything. Thus, she was nothing and everything simultaneously changing for infinity.

The power inside her and pouring through her veins was immense. She knew what she was. She knew where this encounter was going. Yet, she did nothing to stop it.

“Ko te mate e kore e taea, Yuhnu toku hoa.”

Death is unavoidable, Yuhnu my friend...

The creature barked out in laughter. Its face never changed from the rotten mess.

“E toku hoa? Me tino takaro koe. Kaore i whakaarohia e au hei hoa. He hoariri tatou. I nga wa katoa. Ka wa katoa.”

Your friend? You must be joking. We were never friends. We are enemies. Always were. Always will be...

Irene felt no emotion. Nevertheless, a feeling akin to dread flowed through her body and soul. It made no sense. Yet it was there.

“Na kia mutu tenei i te wa kotahi.”

Then let us end this once and for all...

The creature bared its teeth in glee but Irene made no move. Its body started to grow into rotten skeletal remains of a gigantic snake. Her eyes observed the entirety of it all…the breaking and forming of bones…the replacing of teeth…everything…

“Me timata tatou. Whakapaia kia mate, Kotahi Motuhake.”

The snake slithered towards her at incredible speed but Irene felt herself make no move. Until finally when it was about to slam into her she raised her hand in reproach. A wall sprung and the snake’s head smashed into a thousand pieces of green rotten bones.

Irene only stared. Her mind was unfeeling. Her expression was stone.

“Kaore e taea te mate, Yuhnu.”

Death is unavoidable.

Always…

Ceres

“Kaore e taea te mate.”

Death is unavoidable…

Then why wasn’t he feeling any fear? The castle was getting over run by demons and green priests. That bitch was the cause of this mess. Then why did Ceres feel no anger towards her?

It was like he was an observer. His body didn’t belong to him. His emotions didn’t belong to him. He was nothing. He owned nothing. He felt nothing.

He only observed. He only remained a bystander.

Then who was controlling his body? Who was barking orders out to the soldiers and shouting at the generals? Who was it shaking hands with Irene Methuselah’s father?

“We are honored by your presence alone, Master.”

Who was he then? Who was their Master? What was going on?

“We will start a feast! We will sacrifice them all to the High King!”

The High King…he was here?

Suddenly, Ceres felt discomfort. He wanted to scream. He wanted to protest. He wanted to push back.

You won’t succeed, young one. So don’t you even try!

Ceres stopped. Who was speaking?

You really don’t know?

Deeply maniacal laughter came from all crevices and resonated throughout Ceres. He was powerless to stop its spread.

No!

His memories tried to flood him but Ceres blocked them all. No. It wasn’t time for this! It wasn’t time to see the memories! It was time to protest! It was time to push back! It was time to—

Time to do what? Ceres shook his head. What was he about to do?

Nothing came. Nothing went. Nothingness…

Everything was gone. What was this about?

Ceres hadn’t a clue. He had become an observer yet again. His emotions weren’t his. His body wasn’t his. He was nothing. He was nothing but an observer. An observer…

Irene

Mors inevitabilis…

Death is inevitable.

These words had been engrained in her brain since childhood. Irene had always known these words. Even before she knew herself, she had known these words.

Then why was it so difficult to pronounce? Especially after knowing it for her entire life?

“Try it again.”

“Kaore tae matte—

“Kaore e taea te mate.”

Kaore e taea te mate.

Her mind spoke it. Her heart wanted to speak it. Then why wasn’t she able to—

Anais-jie sighed. “We’ll pick up here again.”

Irene wanted to complain but she had no ground. It just wasn’t working. Not at all! If this kept up then—

“Don’t worry.” Anais-jie’s words were kind. “You’ll get them soon.”

Would she? Really?

There wasn’t much time to dwell on it. After all, this wasn’t just any time. It was the end of times. End of times…ominous but the truth often was.

“Okay.”

She finally gave it up and went ahead towards her room for the night. Yet another day…wasted.

“Ko te waahi ka kore tetahi e ngana.”

Waste is when one does not try…

Today’s dream began with those words spoken by Irene’s avatar. She was yet again an observer.

“Kua tamata koe?”

Have you tried?

A little girl with black irises stared up at her. Her skin was a wheat color. Golden and full of life…

Peculiarly, it reminded Irene of the autumn festival under the maple trees…

“Kua tamata ahau. Kua rahua. Engari kua tamau tonu ahau kia tae ra ano taku whakatutuki.”

I have tried. I have failed. But I have kept trying until I achieved.

Irene spoke with an ethereal power flowing through every word. Power…and experience handling the power…

“Whakaatuhia.”

Prove it…

The girl pouted. Her face was cute like the morning sun. Looking at her Irene for the first time understood the emotion of an adoring parent…or something similar to it…since she wasn’t feeling much except a bit of exasperation and a bit of amusement…

Irene knew her face was stone cold and expressionless. Still, the girl’s eyes dilated with hope until Irene heard those fatal words which would forever dominate her psyche…

“E hiahia ana koe ki te mate mate?”

Would you like to give death a try?

No! No! No!

Irene’s consciousness returned. She felt herself cast out and saw a scene not many had seen before. The death of the first mortal…the death of the first mage…the death of Anahera…

Anahera…meaning…Angel…No! No! No!

Irene tried in vain. All of her protests were to no avail. It was like she wasn’t even there. The One Destroyer was about to kill this small child. This small child whose name was Angel.

“He aha te mate, Kotahi Motuhake?”

What is death, Infinite One?

The end of the first mage…No! No! No!

In her curiosity, Irene finally gazed upon the face of the One Destroyer and with shock her eyes dilated to a thousand times their normal size…

Instead of their face…there…there was…nothing…

“Ko te mate te mutunga o nga mea katoa, e taku Anahera aroha.”

Death is the end of everything, my dear Angel…

The end of…everything…

Irene’s cries doubled but her body did nothing…her mind cried for the child but her body didn’t even speak or blink…like she was hypnotized…like she was frozen…in time…

The child smiled.

“Na, ka mihi ahau ki a koe mo te mate. Ko te mutunga anake te timatanga.”

Irene’s jaw dropped. What in the—

Why would the child say that?

Then I welcome you death. After all, the end is only the beginning…

“Kaore e taea te mate” The One Destroyer chuckled and the child giggled. “No te mea ko te timatanga anake.”

The child giggled turned to beautiful laughter when the One Destroyer chased her around the small cornflower field. They played and smiled and giggled and cheered…it was a beautiful scene.

Yet…Irene remained puzzled. Her body wasn’t frozen but her mind was. What did the One Destroyer mean?

Death is unavoidable. For it is only the beginning…

Of what?

“Tuhinga o mua, Irene. Tuhinga o mua.”

Irene turned to face the yet again hooded One Destroyer. Of the world… he said…

When her senses returned, she quickly bent the knee and asked for forgiveness.

“Forgive me, I—I—I—

“Ko wai tenei, Kotahi Motuhake?”

Who is this, Infinite One?

The girl asked beside Irene and even poked at her innocently while Irene kept her head low. The One Destroyer shook their head in pitiful glee.

“Tsk tsk tsk… He aha taku e mahi ai ki a koe?”

What am I going to do with you?

Irene felt their presence near her for a time before the One Destroyer departed with their last words as an instruction to Anahera.

“Ka hoki mai ano ahau. Kia mau ki te titiro ki a ia mo au me te mohio kei te ako ia i to arero.”

I’ll be back soon. Keep an eye on her for me and make sure she learns your tongue.

Irene snapped her neck upright when she heard the last words and there was Anahera with her piercing black eyes and a smile of a toddler about to have more fun than ever.

“So you want to learn our tongue hey?”

Irene only bent her head sideways in affirmation. The girl squealed.

“Yay! Okay, then you must play with me and I’ll teach you how to properly speak our tongue!”

It wasn’t like there was much else to do in her dreams was there? Irene only nodded before the girl started to walk away with the speed of a comet.

No wonder the One Destroyer didn’t know what to do with her! Irene jumped into action. It was time to learn how to speak the olden tongues of the magus…

The next morning what seemed like a miracle happened. Irene finally managed to speak in the olden tongue of the magus. It was a miracle. But to Anais-jie…it was destiny.

“You have found your destiny.” Anais-jie replied deadpan.

Irene looked puzzled for but a moment before her senses prickled. It was time. She felt it in her veins. The One Destroyer was letting her know. But was she ready?

She looked at her beloved sister and Head Priestess for one last time. Anais-jie’s face was immaculate and beautiful. It had no malice. It only held sadness…for her…

“Yes, I have.”

Irene came forward and embraced Anais-jie one last time. What would happen she hadn’t a clue…maybe she’d save the mortal realm…maybe she’d lose and everything would be destroyed…

“No matter what,” She heard Anais-jie’s words which would probably remain with her forever and ever. “I will always love you.”

Tears threatened to overflow her eyes but Irene remained stoic and stone-like throughout. When they parted, it was to depart towards different destinies. Irene smiled at Anais-jie one last time.

“I will remember that.” It was the last friendly face she’d see in ages. “Goodbye, Anais-jie.”

It was her only goodbye. Then everything vanished in the blink of an eye.

Kawe toku…

Carry me…

Irene uttered the words for transportation and there she was.

The wind chimed. Her hair flew like it was free. Yet she wasn’t free. She had responsibilities. One of which was at the direction she was looking at from the top of the Treasury.

“Ko te wa tenei”

It was time…

The only prayer Irene had was all would remain for the best and she made the choice which would set everyone free from the bondage of The Evil High King’s darkness.

“Kaore e taea te mate.” Irene’s vision turned to sepia once more. “No te mea ko te timatanga anake o te ata hou”

Death is inevitable. For it is the beginning of a new dawn.