Story: The Far Side
CH.1 Grandmother

Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Halt! State your business here stranger!" A guard dressed in gold commanded. His red staff crossed with a guard next to him, blocking the entrance to the doorway. His glowing eyes stared down at the cloaked girl who had approached them with such grace she had to be royalty.
"I am here to see Queen Auror." She stated her voice just above a whisper.
"Does the young miss have an appointment?" The same guard questioned.
"You will see that I have no need for one." She replied calmly, with a sick evil smile.

"And who are you to have such high status that you can walk in here and demand an appearance from our queen?!" The second guard spat.
"Her granddaughter. Master Cyclonis…" Her hood came apart, revealing her pale face and deep violet eyes.
"LET HER IN!" Came a high pitch screech. The guards didn't hesitate to open the door for Master Cyclonis, bowing as she passed, while muttering apologies and saying in hushed tones, "We are not worthy".

The throne room was much larger than any the girl had seen. Decorated invibrant reds, and rich golds hung from every corner of the room. At the farthest end sat a very pretentious throne of what looked like pure Aurora Crystal, and an even more brazen woman sat in it. Her high eyebrows pulled together in a tight-fitting scowl, her thin frowning lips, and purple eyes that seemed to cut through you, suddenly lit up when the young woman entered.
"Ophelia!" She breathed. Master Cyclonis' lips twitched upward at the sound of her old name.

"Grandmother!" She ran towards her, as the older woman rose to great her. They embraced each other for a short second, then as if remembering who they where they let go immediately. But the Empress continued to gaze at her granddaughter.
"My my, look at how you've grown." But she didn't smile while she spoke, "You look just like your mother."
"Grandmother I have come-"
"To ask for technology to take over Atmos." She turned away. "I am aware. Took you a rather long time to open the door."

"Yes, well, it proved difficult to find the key…" Master Cyclonis answered, studying her grandmother carefully.
"You had the map, my child! No matter… Have you been practicing the binding?"She asked, changing the subject rapidly.
"Yes…Are you alright?" Master Cyclonis asked stepping forward.
"What!? Oh yes...I'm fine, my child. Come, I have something to show you." She replied turning around and motioning for her granddaughter to follow her.

"Computer, play clip 9,00a." She commanded as they reached the other side of the throne room. Instantly a large screen materialized infront of them, and showed a large mountain, in an eerie looking land. The bottom of the mountain was covered with thick, dark fog, while the top appeared to look as if it had been blown off. There a bright glow came from within.
"What-"
"This, my dear Ophelia, is the future of Cyclonia. They are called "Orbs". Small masses of energy that control certain things. They are stronger than any other crystal in the world. But I'm afraid to control both the binding and theorb's energy is lethal." Her eyes never left the screen. "Computer, play clip 89b."
The screen changed, showing a young girl with a round face and purple eyes, greatly resembling the both of them.

"Who is that!? She looks like..Like me!" Master Cyclonis all but shrieked.
"Calm yourself child!" The Queen snapped at her grnadaughter. "No, she is your sister…Your clone." Master Cyclonis snapped her head towards her grandmother. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, but was determined to keep her head. She knew that if she overeacted then whatever reason her grandmother had for showing her all of this would be gone.
"If you are to control both the binding and the orbs, then your body wouldneed to have more energy inorder to sustain every organ in your body. Now this could mean blood donors. Of course it could also mean sacrifice, for lack of a better word. You see ever since we knew you would be born we bestowed the responsibility of Cyclonia on you. I knew that you would need more power than I would ever have the ability to give you. But I knew of someone who could. They would need to have your same exact DNA. When you were born we cloned was created to help you survive in your mission."

Master Cyclonis was speechless; she had had no idea of any of this.

"Of course.." Her grandmother continued, "I will need to know how much energy a person can take from binding alone before we know what to do."
"That can be arranged." The young empress whispered.
"You plan on sacrificing one of your guards?" The older woman raised her eyebrows.
"Yes. Someone who has tasted the power of the binding already……it'll almost be like he was asking for his death." She didn't say anything.
"I'm glad you found my note. So then that you knew where to go." The grandmother replied. "On your way out you will be given the technology you need. I guessed it was for the Nightcrawlers and for Cyclonia. It's all you need, I expect you back with news in a week. Good Day Ophelia."

She stood there dumbfounded. When had her grandmother turned like this?

Back in Atmosia

"So then you got what you came for?" The Dark Ace questioned as he followed his master.
"Don't I always?" She replied cooly.
"And of your grandmother..how is she?" He persisted.
"Hush Dark Ace! Do you know the pandemonium that would erupt if someone would hear you asking of someone who shoudl be dead!?" She snapped, as she passed him towards her throne room. She was unstable emotionally, that's what she wanted to say; but more so she wanted to know why, but as she had just recently discovered, things took their time to fall into place, and did not do so before.

"Oh I would like everything ready for my departure by tomorrow." She replied coldly.

"I thought you where leaving in two days..." He questioned hurrying to follow her.

"I would like everything done early is that a problem?!" Her purple eyes flashed with irritation.

"No....no it's fine. As you wish Master Cyclonis." He said quickly hopping not to anger her.

"Oh and Ace I would like not to be disturbed so you will be in charge until our departure date." She added opening the doors to her throne room, she could feel the cool air passing from the sliver of open space. "I'm sure you won't fail."

And with that she left, leaving him stadning there. With only her order to fill out, and he would not fail, the last thing he would need would be to end up like Ravess.