This Gothic World: A Horror Fantasy ✔

CHAPTER 9

ANAIS

"The mortal realm is in great danger." 

Her face was scrunched in fear. Anais couldn't understand. How could a person so powerful be so vulnerable at an hour of prosperity? Thankfully the High Priestess Trisha shared a similar confusion. 

"How so? You are still alive, my Queen. What danger could harm us when The Infinite One's chosen is still here with us?"

The gentle inquiry only deepened the grooves of tension pinching the perfect brown face. Those dark brown eyes of royal lineage swirled with worrisome violet energy. Anais felt a chill run down her spine.  

The Queen gave out a long sigh. 

"I am to die soon, Trisha." 

Her peaceful voice was tinged with anticipatory grief. It made the world feel even more bittern than normal. Yet Trisha surprisingly said the last thing anyone would expect during such a grave moment.

"Then what?"

The Queen's faint smile made Anais feel broken inside. This world was indeed cruel if anyone could talk about the death of a Holy Maiden like it were nothing. 

"That's why I'm here." 

The Queen spoke with the strength and moving power of her birthright while her sparkling auburn dress rose with the wind's drama. 

"It's time to prepare for the new heir." 

__________________________________________________________

The morning rain showered the tower's exterior while she looked over the streets of old Arcana—now the City of Cranes. It was a vast land filled to the brim with miserable humans ruled by the various guilds and their scheming members. Despite this, the Tomb remained here near this dreary dead town where nothing ever went right and street justice was the norm.

While the morning market continued to flourish with rotting flesh of fishes and the stench of mud floating in the air, Anais looked over the documents of the dorm and the new admittance of bodies to be buried in the hallways of the Infinite One.

It was pitiable to say the least how the poor could never receive the benefits of remaining alive within the walls of the Tomb while the rich not only had the privilege but the rest of the requirements of having a "good time" in the afterlife.

Sighing at the recently deceased's faces and paperwork, Anais waved at the other sisters clad in dark veils and velure robes. Without a word, the procession was led towards the uppermost halls decked with bronze and emeralds of all different shines.

With the utterance of a few words, the sisters performed the last rites of encasing the bodies within their stony end places—the doors to Hel, an eternal resting place of all dead and undead alike. Anais looked on as always while the sisters worked quickly so as to not incur the wrath of Kotahi Motuhake. It was becoming commonplace for them to even try not to peek or breathe.

Moments later, the doors closed and the stones stopped in place to ensnare their victim's souls for an eternal rest, lest they escape through any cracks which was an impossibility for anyone who knew the history of the tomb. Still, she stayed for a little more time ensuring the doors of the tombs remained closed and they were covered with the sacred moss once more.