"There was a story about a long forgotten tale that I came across from the fallen world, one that greatly interested me. It spoke of a civilization that found something that greatly helped advance their civility and technology. However there came a problem when they interacted with another species, more crude and unruly."
"Rather than a formal consensus and agreement from both sides, they went to war, traitors on both sides and by the end of it all, they were both hanging at the thread of the balance. And in their weakest, a foreign abstraction of creation came to be and killed them both. Do you wonder whether they would have survived if they banded together and fought the abstraction in harmony?"
Timothy paused for minute, trying to recall what story had such a semblance. "I'm sure with cohesiveness that they would have managed to hold their own and possibly win against the third party." Jarren let out his smile that had dissappeared since the beginning of the meeting.
"Funny you should say that because that is what the two civilizations did. With the advanced technology that they had they were able to make a time capsule allowing them to traverse back in time and warn their former counterparts about the oncoming intergalactic war."
Timothy took a light sip, curious as to where the story would go. "However when the third civilization came, the outcome was worse than before. They weren't slaughtered but forced to undergo horrible mutations and fuse into a mass of flesh that stretched out of miles coating every inch of the planet."
Letting out a dark chuckle he went on. "I don't know whether the author had a weird taste in violence and graphic content but the end of the book truly inspired me. Was it better for the two civilizations go to war against each other and have the gift of death or band and fight the third abstraction only to be granted a billion year purgatory?"
"All of their body sensors and thoughts connected and with each passing second bled into one another turning the planet into a canvas of horror. So which was worse?" Jarren concluded, his eyes locked with Timothy's. "With the prior, war does have it's own horrors but the latter is equally worse."
"My answer for your question would be the latter. After all in the former, they knew what they dealt with and in the latter something that they couldn't counter. I'm curious what piece of literature you learnt for that narrative." Timothy's smile shining at Jarren who reciprocated his.
"Some maid we hired back at my place would curate the story to the other staff. However I do have to ask, do you fear the unknown that it would be better to choose the former outcome?" A short pause rang through the air.
Timothy tried to peer into what Jarren mused but his thin smile and collected face gave him nothing to work with. "I genuinely do think that it would be better to face something that I know rather than the unknown. After all who knows whether the unknown can be reconciled with."
His words felt heavy, his breathes measured with every word that he spoke about. "But I can't help but ask what this has anything to to with you and your glyph?" Jarren gave a sigh, his eyes wondering elsewhere. "I was just curious on your thoughts on the matter. As for my glyph, I'll break it down for you after the third trial of the tournament."
Rising to his feet, Jarren shook Timothy's hand. "A pleasant talk, I hope that we have the opportunity to talk soon." Timothy who was already up reflected back. "Of course." The two broke off, an ominous aura lingering for longer than it should. As Jarren finally took his leave, Timothy sank back into his seat.
'What is that story and why is it relevant?' Still the tone of the question felt personal, akin to his words with him. 'Or does he himself as the unknown?' With such an anomolous glyph, it couldn't help but raise questions in his head.
With a final gulp of his tea, he rose to his feet and left the gazebo amidst the fairytale of a garden that he was in.
...
Five days remained and for Jarren, who now lay callously on his bed preferred to land his eyes on some one of great interest. "Is that what you have planned for this world? Though it's way more merciful than what you have previously done."
Guinevere's voice rang through his head, flat and empty. "Depend on my mood at the moment." He shot back, his eyes though looking at the ceiling so far more than that. "For how long will you keep on torturing that girl you call your cat? Will she become just like me or do you have a greater purpose for her?"
She had noted on Callista and Clomere, perplexed with why he grew interest with the two ladies. "Just to vet them, see who I'll pick and who I'll discard." His tone calm as it was followed with a strange silence. "So you've chosen to spare the Crimson one, yet you have never properly engaged with her."
Jarren knit his brows, his demeanor casual. "You know me Orsen and how I love to play, not because I won't discard her mean that I won't taunt her. After all you know that discard is the best fate one can receive from me." As much as she hated to know that he was right, she chose to ignore it. "Very well can I make my own decision, choose a. toy to help me pass time given that you killed off my last one."
Tilting his head from side to side, he finally agreed. "Provided they're entertaining enough I'll allow it. And can you pick up Crimson, she's been caged for far too long." With a hum that drove horrors insane, she left the plane of existence the two communicated on.
"Just what kind of toy will you pick up?" Jarren couldn't help but grin as he looked at the game unfurl. As for the monsters that broke out at Othare, it was a matter that he wouldn't stress himself too much with. "Oh?" Looking at a piece on his board, he let out a chuckle. "Just what are you about to do my consort?"
...
The air was tight, maids moving about in dead silence in the grand halls. The sounds of footsteps echoing through. "It's a shame that you weren't able to convince your him, my lady." A maid spoke, her face sharp however at the moment softened. She was the queen's personal maid and the power that she had in the royal castle wasn't to be trifled with.
In front of her was the queen of Reuthar, Evara Starborne. Her presence alone was capable of turning all the heads in the room in her direction not only because of her charms but her rank as well. She had just come out of a debate trying to convince his husband about the matter on Othare.
He along with some of his advisors wanted to take a closer look at the hell spawn that overrun Othare while she wanted to lay back for a bit and build up their military power. It was safe to say that the outcome was less than ideal.
With the technological revolution taking hold of the kingdom, their military sector had major overhaul. With new weapons entering the fray, new strategies and methods, it felt as if they had started all over thus engaging in any act of conflict at the moment wasn't ideal if the other party had already advanced.
"I'll have a small meal after I'm done with my bath Freya." And with that she took a step in her room, met with a dark and gloomy chamber. With a flicker of her fingers, the curtains meant to swing open remained as they were. "I'm sure that you don't mind. I personally don't like the light."
A voice alien to her rang through. Without a second thought she flared into rage however the destructiveness of it failed to follow. Rather she clumsily fell to he floor in a laughable attempt to jump back.
*Thud*
A shadow formed, it's silhouette a dark shadow as the party rose to their feet. 'Why can't I move my body?! My malcore's stagnated as well!' Trapped within her own body, she could only watch as the individual drew closer. With a faint light illuminating their face, Evara was puzzled seeing a new face.
"A political opponent or a rival." Her attempts of guessing her motive falling short. "I'm not here as an assassin or anything like that but we do have some differences. It's about you daughter in particular." Clomere spoke, her tone light as she tried to mimick Jarren's unnerving smile.
In the end she ended with one that freaked Evara out rather than disturb her. "What about her?" Her face painted with a look of suspicion, Evara urged. "Let's just say that she attacked someone she shouldn't have." Landing a kiss on Evara's forehead, Clomere stood from her crouched position.
Clomere's skin grew pale, ash as it started to drift like pollen. "You're a fitting warning for her." And with that she fluttered away. Evara who had yet to fully grasp the context of the situation felt her own body dominated with a foreign abstraction.
Looking at her legs, she was shocked to see fungi sprout, her succulent thighs already rotting away. A mind boggling level of pain clouded her mind, mycelium taking root in her lungs. It was decay in real time, each passing second her vision darkened and before she knew it her life came to pass. Her body now overridden and blossoming with spores.
...
"You really didn't have to be so brutal with the mother." Jarren taunted, Clomere's figure flashing in the white oblivion. "What? I don't mind playing with Diana before I pass her to you." A thin smile forming on her face. "And besides I didn't actively interrupt her in her tournament."
Diana Starborne, the princess of Reuthar kingdom and the one who had hired a hit on Jarren out of something extremely light. An irritance she took way too personally from Callista during their break.
"So what are you planning to do with her? And can I help?" Jarren looked at the figure humbly bowed in front of him, his mask of flesh long gone and replaced with something more archaic. "Come here." Stretching his hand, she inched closer to him and sit on his lap.
Presented to her was a myriad of chessboards floating on top of each other, the games presented still fresh. In his lap not a being of flesh but spores and mycelium that whispered of rot and decay shone. In contrast to the abysmal void of stars that he was, ripples of chaos and anti-logic sparked around them.
"Clomere, I want you to be my consort so of course you can help. Fill this tapestry of existence with mycelium and rot to your content."