Inferno

P R Ø P H E C Y

1. T H E  E M P R E S S



      His hand moved over the large goblet between them, stirred the contents within the bowl. The recipe had been quite simple, really; heart of a lamb, snake venom and milk bubbled in the hot concoction.

      On the opposite side of the man sat The Empress. She tipped a vial of her blood into the goblet, then dropped a gold coin into the broth.

      "Infernal souls," murmured the Shaman, "take this offering, and grace us with your presence."

      The liquid churned into boiling magma. A portal began to take shape, echoes of tortured and damned souls filled the room.

The Shaman's eyes glazed over as his body stilled. His face became a frozen mask of pain, lips parted in an open voiceless scream. His pupils dilated before the whites dominated all color, all soul. A thin trail of blood began to seep from his left eye, trickling down his cheek, staining his white beard.
   

A skeletal claw began to protrude from the magma, the offering had been accepted, the gates 1of Hell had been opened.

Her green eyes watched transfixed, as dark magic began to take shape.

Another claw surged forward, then curled around the rim of the goblet. Two arms fledged of raw skin rose up. Not long after the head of a horned beast followed. The demon's spine cracked audibly as he stood up, eyes of lava studied the scene before him. His featherless wings of bone arched behind his body, and swept so high they reached the chandeliers. A truly gruesome sight.

The Shaman, seemed to be entranced by the fire, a faraway look on his face. He was no longer present, his spirit had called forth a creature of hell, and to ensure the link not be broken, he had to sacrifice his body for the time being.  The demon stepped forward and took host of the Shaman's vacant body.

For a moment everything was still and the portal closed, the screams hushed.

The Empress waited as the Shaman reached into the goblet and cupped the lamb's heart. He raised the organ to his lips and took a large bite. She said nothing as the demon consumed his fill.

      After what felt like eternity, the demon finished.

      "What do you seek?" His voice was deep and menacing.

      "Foresight." The Empress answered. "My enemies they conspire against my Kingdom. I need to know who wins the final battle."

      "Let us see then Empress what your future holds."

The remaining broth in the bowl vaporized into a crackling black fire.

"There will come a time, when all you have procured will be lost. Like thread that unravels, everything you have set will be undone, by the hands of someone you trust."

An image began to materialise in the flames. A faint outline morphed into the form of a girl, a blurred face. After a moment, the features sharpened. A valiant face, with eyes of gold, and lips of red, hair of night and skin of sun. A face that The Empress would never forget.

"How can this be?" The Empress breathlessly asked, "I thought she was..." Her voice trailed off as her eyes roamed over the girl's image, it had been so long. "Fate is playing a game with me. One that I do not care for."

The image vanished then, the fire began to twist as the Empress rose to her feet.

"A warrior put to sleep will rise and come to your door."

The Empress listened closely to what the omen told her.

      Another vision took place in the fire, this time it was of her Knights. Their futile attempts at fighting the enemy was pathetic.

"Your forces will not be strong enough."

      In the fire, the soldiers were overpowered, by Rebel Fighters clothed in gray.

      The fire twisted once more. Her eyes widened, the Empress watched herself materialise in the flames, as did the young warrior.

A silent conversation ensued between both women. A heated debate that neither woman backed down from.

One final time, the fire twisted in a turbulent dance. The girl appeared again, except her face was shadowed by rage and she stood over the Empress who cowered in fear.

"See now, your demise in its form, the time for it has come. See now, who will bring you your end. See now, what will become of you."

The devil's voice turned into a faint whisper as he began to melt into a puddle of black, fading back into the goblet.

As the fire began to fade, the final image flickered.

The girl had reached with her hand into the chest of the Empress, and pulled forth her heart.

The end, it was near.