The Queen's Shadow

The Final door: Freedom

~~~Apollos?

It was time to leave, it was time to wake up. I needed to free myself of this hell, I had already killed my friend. It was thanks to this trauma I was able to leave that hell early. It seemed that everything kept going, and even as I left the dream kept playing on. I opened my eyes and remembered the airport, this was the day Wendy killed me. This was the day Wendy died. She died knowing her husband was too weak to stop her from killing our children.

I hope our children are resting in peace with her. Now that I sit here in this world, this is the most vivid memory I've seen. All the people's faces were visible, not just black. In the second dream, people's faces were visible, but then some of them weren't. Towards the end, it did get Vivid like this though. Maybe even an exact memory, I knew the truth now. Maybe I'm more like Lilith than I would like to say. There was nothing I could do about it. I didn't want to lie to myself. Hating her for what she's done only makes it worse. I will not give that interloper any more ground.

"Send me to her, " I said while tears were streaming down my face. "I want to say goodbye to her." Zamiel's face said it all. She nodded silently, she knew I wanted the nightmare done. This Is the end, once I'm through this door I will have gained more power. I walked through the door, it was time for me to say goodbye.

As soon as I reached for the door, and before I could open the door, she had already opened it with her vampire speed. It was playing out exactly as I remembered. I dodged to the right, she was going to grab me by the neck. I played this moment out so many times in my head. It was always the most vivid. She then goes for my neck. I hear her telling me to kill her, I hear her telling me to save our kids. I knew I was too weak, I knew I should have stopped her. If not for our sake, then for our kids' sake. Before she could grab me, I moved behind her. I put her hand behind her, she was immobilized completely. "I'm sorry." She was quiet now. Almost as if she was listening. " I failed us, our kids are gone your mother died." Tears rolled down my cheeks, and the world got blurry. "They're all gone because I was too weak." She then started again this time it was more intense. "I could have saved you, all I had to do was be honest." My grip then released, she turned around and impaled me in my chest. I felt her hand reaching for my heart.

I pulled my mind together and focused on a wooden stake. I brought her in closer as she was crushing my heart. My eyes started to leak blood, it was filling my mouth but I did not relent. "I will avenge us, I will fix this. I will put our children to rest, I will put you to rest." Within that second I impaled her. Maybe it was my ears deceiving me, but I heard her lips mouth something. She then burst, she was a puddle of blood. It was then that the blood began to move, this was something new. The blood then began to cover the door turning it into a black door. It then illuminated a red hue, I turned back to look at the world I Created I could have changed the outcome had I had a stronger character. I opened the door and stepped through.

~~~Apollos

As I made my way into the white void, Zamiel was standing there proud.  I guess she knew I was going to get through this. I didn't think I was though. Especially with the recent truths that I had learned. I did it somehow though, and I accepted my failings. The two knights had stood next to her. They didn't attack her, it was almost as if they knew.

Without a second thought, the male knight attacked. He began to spout all of the same nonsense. 'You failed.'

'You failed everyone.' I knew this feeling, it wasn't anger it was guilt. He wasn't talking about me, he was talking about himself. He missed my neck the first time, he was trying to overpower me. He had the speed and power, but he had none of the skills Lucian had.

He had been swinging wildly, he had been trying to go for my neck for a while. The way he fought was like me, the way he thought was like me. However, the problem was that he was a ghost of who I was. He soon changed his methods to thrusting. I had been dodging him without thinking. He wasn't this low before was he? Or was I just that weak? I dodged his blade swings and it was then that he went for a punch. I caught his fist and punched him in the face. He flew several feet, his helmet now falling off exposing the truth.

He was me, he was all of my sadness my anger, and my hatred. He wasn't holding me back, he was my emotions. The emotions that I never let out of my control, it was time to face them. 'You failed everyone!' His brown eyes and face filled with so much emotion said so much about me. The day I met Lilith I had nothing but disdain and contempt for her. He swung his blade at me again, this time I caught it with my hand. I had access to all of my speed and power now. I had it since I walked through the door, I had been dodging because I was used to being human.

He rewarded me with a punch in the face. I didn't even Flinch, I just looked at those sad and angry eyes. I had held his blade with four fingers, without a second thought I used my index finger to break it. I let go of the blade as he tried to wield it again, I broke the top half off completely. He then backed up and got a running start, I didn't even bother to move. He was so telegraphed. Maybe that's why Lucian had no problem beating me into the ground.

With one clean stab. He ran the blade right through my chest. My clothes have changed back into my military uniform. My blood leaked through my green shirt, he went right for the heart. I looked at him and his brown eyes and brought myself closer, I didn't allow him to pull the sword out. I reached in and hugged him. I then said: "It's okay to forgive, and it's okay to forgive yourself."

He then began to cry a black liquid from his eyes. It wasn't just his eyes though, it was coming from every orifice. From his ears to his nose. As the black liquid slowly consumed him, he began to melt into the ground. His armor joined him in the puddle of black ooze. The black puddle then stood up and took a human shape. Even the blade in my chest head turned into a black ooze. It didn't bother me. He then kneeled before me. He was still oose but he was hardening. He reminded me of liquid metal, though it seemed like he could do so much more. He was flexible but unyielding.

"You are my shadow, you will protect my mind and my world." The shadow had gone to the door, he stood there with his sword new and reformed. He was no longer a burden. For some reason I felt lighter, I felt alive.

It was time for me to confront the female knight. She didn't bother attacking me, I knew what she wanted. I knew it from the moment I first confronted her. She didn't even bother attacking me, I guess she knew why I was here. I said: "I know what you want." Her mask began to break off. I saw her shape and I knew who it was. Wendy, it was Wendy. I had to put her to rest in my mind and my conscience. I closed my eyes, and then I gave her the most beautiful dream I could. One where our children grew up, where Adrian and Gabriel followed in my footsteps. How they grew to be exceptional young men. One where Saphira lived a full life and how she grew to be an excellent representative of the black community. She had the support of her family and even Lilith helped. We then went back to us at old age. We had lived to be well over 80 years old. I kissed her as we watched the sunset one final time. When I opened my eyes, she was dust.

The armor had then begun to reform itself. It took a small slender form. There was nothing left not even dust, the small slender form resembled Priscilla. Maybe it was from my childhood memory, or maybe it was because I last seen her. She was no longer my shame, she was no longer the love I yearn for. Instead, she was a protector, not unlike the formless knight. She was the light in the sky, maybe that's what Wendy was to me. Priscilla is now taking that mantle up, she did bring a smile to my face as a person.

'Are you ready?' She said with a smile. I nodded, and she then pulled out a machine. It was hard to describe, the gears we're constantly moving. It was large and made to do something. "What is it?" Every time I wanted to describe it it would just move around, it was like the formless knight.

'This is a reality engine.' I was even more baffled. 'This is my gift to you.' My eyes widened, was this what I thought it was? Was this my Ultimate Weapon? 'Yes.' She said with a smile. 'I have more to offer you.' I prepared to hear the catch. 'You gain the power of divinity.'

"Divinity." I scoffed, What games was she playing? 'You know my powers to be true Apollos.' I don't know why I scoffed at it. I guess it was because it all sounded like bullshit. 'My ability to stop time and the power of War.' Had I truly heard her right? "What is the power of War?" I said trying to wrap my head around the concept. 'Anyone who opposes you or the queen will be struck down by you.' What was the cost? That was the thought lingering in my mind. 'You will give me one of your emotions.'

I heard her words but then suddenly said: "What?"

End of Chapter: The Final Door Freedom.