Eternal
Click.
That’s the sound of everything in your head finally coming together.
Jacob’s right.
Semra’s right.
YOU’RE right.
The Emperor needs to die and at this point the reasons are overwhelming and you can’t deny it any longer. You lower your sword causing Jacob to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Okay…so the Emperor needs to die. Any advice on how I should accomplish this task, because I’m fairly certain it’s not going to just be a matter of storming in and chopping his head off.” You ask Semra who is surprised by your response.
“Semra? You listening?” you repeat.
“Yeah…I just…I didn’t actually think you’d listen to me…I’m glad you finally have though. Yes, you’re right of course it won’t be just a matter of chopping his head off, he’ll most likely detect your intent as soon as you enter his chambers. At which point he’d melt your brain with just a thought and your mind shield spells wouldn’t even help you. Fortunately you will have me along to help you in this task. He can’t do that little trick on me, svelk brains work differently.”
“Don’t I know it.” You mumble. “I still don’t see how that is going to help me though.”
“Easy, I’m going to shield you by joining our minds together. It’ll come in handy during the fight as well since we’ll be more in sync with our attacks…”
You immediately interrupt.
“Wait a minute, I don’t know about this plan. Linking our minds and you having access to mine? That sounds like I’d be at your complete mercy.”
“(Sigh) You’ve trusted me this far, why not a little further? You already know I’ve been trying to help you from the start. Besides, we’ve done this to a minor degree already when we were destroying gnome souls in Gnome’s Home. Also it works both ways you know. You’d have access to my mind as well.”
“You make that sound like that’s a good thing.”
“Oh trust me lover, it’ll be a very good thing. Just think our minds in harmony and knowing each other greater than we could ever express in words. We’d have a level of intimacy that most beings can’t even comprehend. Doesn’t that sound just so… invigorating?”
“It sounds like something all right. Look, I don’t know if I’m going for this. Maybe I’ll just take my chances with getting my brain melted.”
“I highly suggest you don’t. I know you think you are strong of mind, but this is something you are not going to have any defense for without my help. I’m going to meet you down in the hall just before you enter the Emperor’s chambers. I suggest you reconsider my generous offer by the time you get there.”
At this point Semra’s image disappears and its just you and Jacob left in the room. He’s still very nervous.
“Jacob, you can stop shaking I’m not going to kill you. In fact since you’re partly responsible for this power grab in process, what are you going to be doing?”
“Me? I don’t know. I wouldn’t be much good in a fight as you well know. I guess I’ll be packing a few bags just in case I need to make a hasty getaway, not that it’ll probably do me much good.”
“Way to have confidence in me, Jacob.”
“I do have confidence, but I have to maintain a pragmatic attitude too. You understand.”
“Yeah, I get it…so what about Semra? You think I should let her invade my head?”
“You’re asking me?”
“Sure, why not? You and her have been plotting this whole thing. You obviously trusted her enough to work up the courage to try to bring me into this. So what’s your opinion?”
“I don’t know. And I’m not saying that to be evasive or frustrating, I really don’t know. I mean if you were anyone else I’d say go for it because you wouldn’t have anything to lose because quite frankly I don’t think anyone BUT you would have a chance of coming out of this alive.”
“But…?”
“But since you DO have a chance of surviving this, who knows what Semra might pull after the Emperor is dead? And if she can get in your head…well…I just don’t know.”
“Great.”
“But didn’t she say you’d be in hers as well? Maybe she wouldn’t try anything, because she’d be just as vulnerable.”
“So she says…shit, just wish this was clear cut. You know? This isn’t where I envisioned where my life was heading. In fact I never envisioned this.”
“I don’t think any of us did, but here we are never the less. The only other thing I can tell you is given how obsessed she is with you, she probably won’t kill you.”
“There are things worse than death, Jacob. (Sigh) I guess I’ll figure it out soon.” You reply and turn to leave before you do though, Jacob calls out to you.
“Just in case we don’t get to speak again…I just want to say thank you for the times you helped me out.”
“Just doing my part in serving the Empire.” You say and leave.
“Serving the Empire.” You chuckle at that dark joke. You’re about to try to kill the man who created it. You might be inclined to rationalize such an act by thinking you’re serving the Empire by killing a leader that is no longer good at ruling it.
Of course that would be complete bullshit. You’re killing the Emperor for your own personal reasons first and foremost. Some of that is your own desire for power, but a lot of it is for revenge of Alison’s murder. In fact the more you think about it, the angrier you get and that’s good, because it’s keeping out the fear you do have about facing the Emperor.
Eventually you reach the large hall before the Emperor’s chambers and just as she promised, Semra is there waiting.
“What took you so long lover? The Emperor is probably aware I’m here by now and possibly even suspecting something is amiss with you as well.”
“What’s the difference? You said he’d know I was going to kill him as soon as I enter the chambers.”
“I suppose so, but I was at least hoping that maybe we’d have a slight chance at a surprise attack. Those are always the most efficient. Killing your enemy before they even get a chance to strike. Less messy, don’t you agree?”
“Maybe, but personally I don’t mind getting messy.”
“Mmmm, yes I imagine you don’t. Anyway come to me so we can merge our minds and get this task underway.”
You cautiously step towards Semra who gives a faint smile as you do so. Her attempts at being friendly and inviting are probably more disturbing to you than when she used to beat and verbally abuse you. When you get within range, her arms reach out and around you.
“Hey, what are you doing?!” you ask backing up.
“Will you relax? This is part of the spell. We need to be looking at each other and focusing. Now here, just put your hands around me like this…” Semra says and starts to position your hands though you can’t help but notice she initially positioned your hands so they were temporarily on her ass before she slowly moved them up around her waist. Her hands find their way on your shoulders and at this point you feel like you’re in a compromising embrace rather than preparing for some spell.
“Now stare into my eyes and focus.” Semra remarks as her own face is only a few inches away from your own. Your eyes don’t immediately focus on her eyes though, you stare at her full blood red lips. You think about how you want to press your own lips against hers.
And then she suddenly does and your mind goes to another place.
You see what’s in Semra’s mind or at least a glimpse of it. Images are coming at you so fast you can’t make out all of it, but you see a mixture of the horrifying and impressive at the same time.
You see what must’ve been during the time of when the svelk ruled. Everything is very regal and elegant looking, though much like the svelk themselves, it radiates a certain coldness. You also see the svelk treating their subjects (Most of which are of races you’ve never even seen before) worse than the Empire ever could. They also have greater control too thanks to their magic.
What you aren’t seeing is any images of Semra herself and you’re even sensing that she’s experiencing pain during this process. Semra is obviously blocking some of her more private thoughts. She’s showing you a general history of her life, yet somehow only telling you half the story. Meanwhile she’s probably trying to scour through your mind of everything.
With this moment of clarity during the spell, you wonder if you shouldn’t break off this link given that she’s intending this to be a one-way affair. She might have ill intent for you once this is over after all.
That’s the sound of everything in your head finally coming together.
Jacob’s right.
Semra’s right.
YOU’RE right.
The Emperor needs to die and at this point the reasons are overwhelming and you can’t deny it any longer. You lower your sword causing Jacob to breathe a sigh of relief.
“Okay…so the Emperor needs to die. Any advice on how I should accomplish this task, because I’m fairly certain it’s not going to just be a matter of storming in and chopping his head off.” You ask Semra who is surprised by your response.
“Semra? You listening?” you repeat.
“Yeah…I just…I didn’t actually think you’d listen to me…I’m glad you finally have though. Yes, you’re right of course it won’t be just a matter of chopping his head off, he’ll most likely detect your intent as soon as you enter his chambers. At which point he’d melt your brain with just a thought and your mind shield spells wouldn’t even help you. Fortunately you will have me along to help you in this task. He can’t do that little trick on me, svelk brains work differently.”
“Don’t I know it.” You mumble. “I still don’t see how that is going to help me though.”
“Easy, I’m going to shield you by joining our minds together. It’ll come in handy during the fight as well since we’ll be more in sync with our attacks…”
You immediately interrupt.
“Wait a minute, I don’t know about this plan. Linking our minds and you having access to mine? That sounds like I’d be at your complete mercy.”
“(Sigh) You’ve trusted me this far, why not a little further? You already know I’ve been trying to help you from the start. Besides, we’ve done this to a minor degree already when we were destroying gnome souls in Gnome’s Home. Also it works both ways you know. You’d have access to my mind as well.”
“You make that sound like that’s a good thing.”
“Oh trust me lover, it’ll be a very good thing. Just think our minds in harmony and knowing each other greater than we could ever express in words. We’d have a level of intimacy that most beings can’t even comprehend. Doesn’t that sound just so… invigorating?”
“It sounds like something all right. Look, I don’t know if I’m going for this. Maybe I’ll just take my chances with getting my brain melted.”
“I highly suggest you don’t. I know you think you are strong of mind, but this is something you are not going to have any defense for without my help. I’m going to meet you down in the hall just before you enter the Emperor’s chambers. I suggest you reconsider my generous offer by the time you get there.”
At this point Semra’s image disappears and its just you and Jacob left in the room. He’s still very nervous.
“Jacob, you can stop shaking I’m not going to kill you. In fact since you’re partly responsible for this power grab in process, what are you going to be doing?”
“Me? I don’t know. I wouldn’t be much good in a fight as you well know. I guess I’ll be packing a few bags just in case I need to make a hasty getaway, not that it’ll probably do me much good.”
“Way to have confidence in me, Jacob.”
“I do have confidence, but I have to maintain a pragmatic attitude too. You understand.”
“Yeah, I get it…so what about Semra? You think I should let her invade my head?”
“You’re asking me?”
“Sure, why not? You and her have been plotting this whole thing. You obviously trusted her enough to work up the courage to try to bring me into this. So what’s your opinion?”
“I don’t know. And I’m not saying that to be evasive or frustrating, I really don’t know. I mean if you were anyone else I’d say go for it because you wouldn’t have anything to lose because quite frankly I don’t think anyone BUT you would have a chance of coming out of this alive.”
“But…?”
“But since you DO have a chance of surviving this, who knows what Semra might pull after the Emperor is dead? And if she can get in your head…well…I just don’t know.”
“Great.”
“But didn’t she say you’d be in hers as well? Maybe she wouldn’t try anything, because she’d be just as vulnerable.”
“So she says…shit, just wish this was clear cut. You know? This isn’t where I envisioned where my life was heading. In fact I never envisioned this.”
“I don’t think any of us did, but here we are never the less. The only other thing I can tell you is given how obsessed she is with you, she probably won’t kill you.”
“There are things worse than death, Jacob. (Sigh) I guess I’ll figure it out soon.” You reply and turn to leave before you do though, Jacob calls out to you.
“Just in case we don’t get to speak again…I just want to say thank you for the times you helped me out.”
“Just doing my part in serving the Empire.” You say and leave.
“Serving the Empire.” You chuckle at that dark joke. You’re about to try to kill the man who created it. You might be inclined to rationalize such an act by thinking you’re serving the Empire by killing a leader that is no longer good at ruling it.
Of course that would be complete bullshit. You’re killing the Emperor for your own personal reasons first and foremost. Some of that is your own desire for power, but a lot of it is for revenge of Alison’s murder. In fact the more you think about it, the angrier you get and that’s good, because it’s keeping out the fear you do have about facing the Emperor.
Eventually you reach the large hall before the Emperor’s chambers and just as she promised, Semra is there waiting.
“What took you so long lover? The Emperor is probably aware I’m here by now and possibly even suspecting something is amiss with you as well.”
“What’s the difference? You said he’d know I was going to kill him as soon as I enter the chambers.”
“I suppose so, but I was at least hoping that maybe we’d have a slight chance at a surprise attack. Those are always the most efficient. Killing your enemy before they even get a chance to strike. Less messy, don’t you agree?”
“Maybe, but personally I don’t mind getting messy.”
“Mmmm, yes I imagine you don’t. Anyway come to me so we can merge our minds and get this task underway.”
You cautiously step towards Semra who gives a faint smile as you do so. Her attempts at being friendly and inviting are probably more disturbing to you than when she used to beat and verbally abuse you. When you get within range, her arms reach out and around you.
“Hey, what are you doing?!” you ask backing up.
“Will you relax? This is part of the spell. We need to be looking at each other and focusing. Now here, just put your hands around me like this…” Semra says and starts to position your hands though you can’t help but notice she initially positioned your hands so they were temporarily on her ass before she slowly moved them up around her waist. Her hands find their way on your shoulders and at this point you feel like you’re in a compromising embrace rather than preparing for some spell.
“Now stare into my eyes and focus.” Semra remarks as her own face is only a few inches away from your own. Your eyes don’t immediately focus on her eyes though, you stare at her full blood red lips. You think about how you want to press your own lips against hers.
And then she suddenly does and your mind goes to another place.
You see what’s in Semra’s mind or at least a glimpse of it. Images are coming at you so fast you can’t make out all of it, but you see a mixture of the horrifying and impressive at the same time.
You see what must’ve been during the time of when the svelk ruled. Everything is very regal and elegant looking, though much like the svelk themselves, it radiates a certain coldness. You also see the svelk treating their subjects (Most of which are of races you’ve never even seen before) worse than the Empire ever could. They also have greater control too thanks to their magic.
What you aren’t seeing is any images of Semra herself and you’re even sensing that she’s experiencing pain during this process. Semra is obviously blocking some of her more private thoughts. She’s showing you a general history of her life, yet somehow only telling you half the story. Meanwhile she’s probably trying to scour through your mind of everything.
With this moment of clarity during the spell, you wonder if you shouldn’t break off this link given that she’s intending this to be a one-way affair. She might have ill intent for you once this is over after all.