Chapter 4: Darkness begins moving.
The sky was dark and cloudy. The rain poured down fiercely as if it was trying to wash away the great evil shadow which was inhabiting this place and the lightning and thunder boomed out from above as if in protest (or fear). During the day time, this place was blanketed in sunlight as people admired the great building but strangely, no one entered or left it. Ever. The dark figure materialised on the long winding path curving it's way up to the large darkened cathedral as the rainwater seemed to flow down the path beneath him. He banged on the door and the thunder clapped as if synchronous to his impact upon the door and a small metal circle opened up on the face of the door which was decorated gothically with metal shapes and swirls as if to suggest a dark presence was being held behind it.
"Yes?" a deep voice enquired
"It is I, Konchuu, my master" replied the figure respectfully.
A great clunking noise was heard on the opposite side of the door as it unlocked (seemingly by itself) and a inside was the service area lit dimly by a few candles but showing the alter with its silver crucifix centred over the table and two long candles on either sign (made of never melting wax so they never need replaced) and draped over the table was a purple shroud on a right angle so it pointed on wither side. A single wooden door was apparent behind and to the left of the altar. No-one would have noticed it because it mixed in with it's surroundings as if trying to hide what lied within. Dim light cracked out from beneath the door and as his dark eyes focused on it, a voice in his mind whispered to him.
"Come." It seemed to say.
He did as the voice ordered and found a large circular room with not a single piece of furniture save for one large chair which the light seemed to bend around, hiding the occupier. Light did not choose to shine on this person, now would he have wanted it to. The entire room was dark except for two large circles of light. One covering the chair and it's chilling occupier and one about 10 feet away shining on the stone floor, highlighting nothing.
"Kneel before me" his mind whispered again.
Konchuu stepped into the circle in front of the chair, knelt and pulled back the hood hiding his face.
A young male of no more that 18 human years of age was revealed in the light. His hair was long and dropped down the small of his back. Also it was jet black and tied up in a ponytail that formed a curled spike at its tips. His eyes had not a single spark of humanity in them. Lifeless eyes that when looked at could reach into the back of your head and terrify every hidden corner of a persons soul and leave no room for remorse. His face was covered in various designs that resembled swirling lines which all joined up to both eyes and his mouth who's lips were a deep shade of blue. The mans was face was as pale as death itself, showing no colour as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He was a killer. He had killed before and he would kill again. He killed without any remorse and never showed any mercy. Feelings of compassion were an alien concept to him and all that mattered was the completion of the orders given to him by his master. The dark, shrouded, faceless figure in the chair before him.
"I must report," he began "that the girl has met with the caterpillar and the attack on her balloon was unsuccessful. Both of the guards were killed and she is now on her way to the white chess realm, where shoe has been instructed to meet with the bishops there."
"Go on" the voice insisted calmly, but deadly.
"I believe she will eventually find her way here if she meets with the bishops. They spread the religion into that realm on both sides of the board, Red and White. I could kill her if you request my master."
"No, I will see to her passing personally." The voice answered. "Let her continue to discover more about the religion, it will be her downfall. Amusing."
"Yes my lord." Konchuu replied though he felt nothing.
"I foresee that the girl will eventually make her way here, however we must delay the process as long as possible while we prepare and killing her is not a suitable course of action. For now"
"I understand, my master"
The Shrouded master raised his hand and stroked his chin. He knew now was not the time to kill Alice and even when the time came, the task would be difficult. The Red Queen was not successful and it cost her life.
"However, it does not restrict us from extending our grasp to crush her friends and the people she meets." He demonstrated this with his hands by conjouring up a shrunken head and crushing it into a pile of blood and mush. He rose up out of the chair, his face never once being touched by the light surrounding him. "Your orders Konchuu," he began "are to follow Alice in the best way you see fit. Monitor her actions, observe her progress and report back to me at regular intervals. Also I am ordering you to secretly execute anyone you see fit to hinder her progress and also try to "persuade" her to turn back. The religion must never change. The religion is absolute. Do you understand my orders?"
Konchuu arose from his prone position and place his palm first on his chest and then flattened towards his master. "Perfectly, master. When am I to begin?"
"Immediately," came the response. "You are to proceed without delay. In the mean time, I will prepare a little surprise for the young girl involving our red friends."
His master dismissed him with a wave of his hand. He saluted once more and disappeared with the humming noise. The darkened figure walked out the door into the sanctuary and looked out the stained glass window. Light was beginning to creep through them as dawn was beginning to break. His time in this form was coming to an end and he had to plan an attack on the white chess realm. With a wave of his hand he summoned a round swirl of smoke into which a red bishop was centred, apparently in expectancy.
"What is thy bidding oh holy one?" the red bishop asked humbly.
"I wish to attack your neighbours, the white."
"But our forces are not ready to destroy them sire!" his tone changed to one of desperation. "We cannot destroy them yet!"
"I do not wish to destroy them, I wish to create chaos and disorder for a short time." He corrected
"But still sire, if too many of our numbers we are vulnerable to a retaliation attack" he pleaded
"I DO NOT CARE FOR YOUR EXCUSES WORM!! YOU WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN OR YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH AROUND YOUR THROAT!! I WANT AN ATTACK ON THE WHITE STRONGHOLD IN 8 HOURS!"
When the shrouded one lost his temper, it was not a good sign. Someone was sure to be killed or worse if his wished were not followed precisely. The bishops conviction had disappeared when he realised this. "Yes, holy one." He solemnly replied, totally defeated and fearful and saluted in the same was as Konchuu. The image of the red bishop vanished with the wave of a hand.
"You had better pray to whatever god who listens Alice that you die in the attack. I will be more thorough." He retreated to his sanctuary as the sun gradually crept in through the windows bringing the beauty of the new day. This would be a busy day for both sides.
The sky was dark and cloudy. The rain poured down fiercely as if it was trying to wash away the great evil shadow which was inhabiting this place and the lightning and thunder boomed out from above as if in protest (or fear). During the day time, this place was blanketed in sunlight as people admired the great building but strangely, no one entered or left it. Ever. The dark figure materialised on the long winding path curving it's way up to the large darkened cathedral as the rainwater seemed to flow down the path beneath him. He banged on the door and the thunder clapped as if synchronous to his impact upon the door and a small metal circle opened up on the face of the door which was decorated gothically with metal shapes and swirls as if to suggest a dark presence was being held behind it.
"Yes?" a deep voice enquired
"It is I, Konchuu, my master" replied the figure respectfully.
A great clunking noise was heard on the opposite side of the door as it unlocked (seemingly by itself) and a inside was the service area lit dimly by a few candles but showing the alter with its silver crucifix centred over the table and two long candles on either sign (made of never melting wax so they never need replaced) and draped over the table was a purple shroud on a right angle so it pointed on wither side. A single wooden door was apparent behind and to the left of the altar. No-one would have noticed it because it mixed in with it's surroundings as if trying to hide what lied within. Dim light cracked out from beneath the door and as his dark eyes focused on it, a voice in his mind whispered to him.
"Come." It seemed to say.
He did as the voice ordered and found a large circular room with not a single piece of furniture save for one large chair which the light seemed to bend around, hiding the occupier. Light did not choose to shine on this person, now would he have wanted it to. The entire room was dark except for two large circles of light. One covering the chair and it's chilling occupier and one about 10 feet away shining on the stone floor, highlighting nothing.
"Kneel before me" his mind whispered again.
Konchuu stepped into the circle in front of the chair, knelt and pulled back the hood hiding his face.
A young male of no more that 18 human years of age was revealed in the light. His hair was long and dropped down the small of his back. Also it was jet black and tied up in a ponytail that formed a curled spike at its tips. His eyes had not a single spark of humanity in them. Lifeless eyes that when looked at could reach into the back of your head and terrify every hidden corner of a persons soul and leave no room for remorse. His face was covered in various designs that resembled swirling lines which all joined up to both eyes and his mouth who's lips were a deep shade of blue. The mans was face was as pale as death itself, showing no colour as if all the blood had been drained from his body. He was a killer. He had killed before and he would kill again. He killed without any remorse and never showed any mercy. Feelings of compassion were an alien concept to him and all that mattered was the completion of the orders given to him by his master. The dark, shrouded, faceless figure in the chair before him.
"I must report," he began "that the girl has met with the caterpillar and the attack on her balloon was unsuccessful. Both of the guards were killed and she is now on her way to the white chess realm, where shoe has been instructed to meet with the bishops there."
"Go on" the voice insisted calmly, but deadly.
"I believe she will eventually find her way here if she meets with the bishops. They spread the religion into that realm on both sides of the board, Red and White. I could kill her if you request my master."
"No, I will see to her passing personally." The voice answered. "Let her continue to discover more about the religion, it will be her downfall. Amusing."
"Yes my lord." Konchuu replied though he felt nothing.
"I foresee that the girl will eventually make her way here, however we must delay the process as long as possible while we prepare and killing her is not a suitable course of action. For now"
"I understand, my master"
The Shrouded master raised his hand and stroked his chin. He knew now was not the time to kill Alice and even when the time came, the task would be difficult. The Red Queen was not successful and it cost her life.
"However, it does not restrict us from extending our grasp to crush her friends and the people she meets." He demonstrated this with his hands by conjouring up a shrunken head and crushing it into a pile of blood and mush. He rose up out of the chair, his face never once being touched by the light surrounding him. "Your orders Konchuu," he began "are to follow Alice in the best way you see fit. Monitor her actions, observe her progress and report back to me at regular intervals. Also I am ordering you to secretly execute anyone you see fit to hinder her progress and also try to "persuade" her to turn back. The religion must never change. The religion is absolute. Do you understand my orders?"
Konchuu arose from his prone position and place his palm first on his chest and then flattened towards his master. "Perfectly, master. When am I to begin?"
"Immediately," came the response. "You are to proceed without delay. In the mean time, I will prepare a little surprise for the young girl involving our red friends."
His master dismissed him with a wave of his hand. He saluted once more and disappeared with the humming noise. The darkened figure walked out the door into the sanctuary and looked out the stained glass window. Light was beginning to creep through them as dawn was beginning to break. His time in this form was coming to an end and he had to plan an attack on the white chess realm. With a wave of his hand he summoned a round swirl of smoke into which a red bishop was centred, apparently in expectancy.
"What is thy bidding oh holy one?" the red bishop asked humbly.
"I wish to attack your neighbours, the white."
"But our forces are not ready to destroy them sire!" his tone changed to one of desperation. "We cannot destroy them yet!"
"I do not wish to destroy them, I wish to create chaos and disorder for a short time." He corrected
"But still sire, if too many of our numbers we are vulnerable to a retaliation attack" he pleaded
"I DO NOT CARE FOR YOUR EXCUSES WORM!! YOU WILL MAKE THIS HAPPEN OR YOU WILL FEEL MY WRATH AROUND YOUR THROAT!! I WANT AN ATTACK ON THE WHITE STRONGHOLD IN 8 HOURS!"
When the shrouded one lost his temper, it was not a good sign. Someone was sure to be killed or worse if his wished were not followed precisely. The bishops conviction had disappeared when he realised this. "Yes, holy one." He solemnly replied, totally defeated and fearful and saluted in the same was as Konchuu. The image of the red bishop vanished with the wave of a hand.
"You had better pray to whatever god who listens Alice that you die in the attack. I will be more thorough." He retreated to his sanctuary as the sun gradually crept in through the windows bringing the beauty of the new day. This would be a busy day for both sides.