Chapter 24: Chapter 24: The Queen and her Fool
Angillina's breath quickened, she felt weak to her stomach, her vision blurred making Cole no more than a splotch of indistinguishable color in her eyes. Angillina's body trembled as a small stream of blood dripped out of her nose. Anger ran a muck in her body, Angillina's soul started to bubble and decay, her blood boiled with the never ending rage of a respectable goddess. The Queen and her fool stared into each other's eyes, focused on the next move, next step, next everything to winning. A loud thud busted upon the doors, then another, and another. Just as the two were to begin their battle the students outside rushed the door to try and claw their way in. Unable to keep the doors closed and fight Cole, Angillina let the doors burst open suddenly, causing a few students to dog pile the ones unfortunate to be first.
Angillina "Now that we have an audience I think it's time we kick this up a notch. A trial of sorts to see who they really want to be with!"
Cole "Fine! Sounds like fun!"
Angillina "You say that now! Just you wait! I will have all of you on your knee! Blood theater!"
Samael "Smooth, she integrated her spell into the conversation. She isn't an amateur. You sure you got this?"
Cole "This sword does require a ton of focus to maintain...Nah I'll be fine. Aren't you the one who tells me to stop fussing?"
Samael "You are right! Let's go into endless perils and fire! We shall rule triumphant! HAHAHAHA What are you stupid? This isn't something you can brute force your way through idiot. You have to think this one out, her faith type is mental. This game is going to be all in your head. Don't get sucked in."
Cole "I'll try not to."
Blood started to drip from the ceiling into beautiful curtains, the floor broke open from rose vines bursting through, creating a prickly backdrop. Cole smirked, silently chuckling at the dolls made of lush green vines and the most beautiful red pedals. That's when suddenly Cole is gripped by hundreds of vines. He could feel the moist skin of the vines holding him firm, the smell coming off the flours was so putrid and foul, so remarkably familiar but yet a smell far buried inside Cole, rotting blood from fresh meat. The only thing keeping Cole from allowing the smell to coax him into a demonic lullaby was the sharp pain prickling his skin. Thousands of tiny razor sharp needles pressed firmly against every part of his body both inside and out. The only thing the audience could see of Cole was the blue and red twinkle of his eyes, each one them trapped in their own cocoon of pure agony. The room began to morph into a large theater with each student having their own seat to watch Cole on center stage dressed in a clown costume dancing. Vine's hung impossibly from the ceiling, puppeteer Cole's limbs or rather appeared to.
Cole "Sammy talk to me, what's going on?"
Samael "Well, It appears we are on a different playing field than your 3D body could understand. This is truly the work of a god, I kinda get why father didn't want us mingling too much...Oh well, it was fun."
Cole "Stop reminiscing. I need your help."
Samael "Whaaat? Meee Heelp? When did I ever say I was going to help?"
Cole "You said you were taking over my training so train me!"
Samael "Okay...Lesson one. Do it yourself. HAhahaha don't worry I'll be here to laugh every so often. Whew this power is intense to say the least. Talk to the other two if you need help."
Cole "Come on you shit!"
Angillina "Come one come all! Come in to Angillina Vizzkarra's story! A tale full of hate, blood, and betrayal! But don't leave just yet! Oh no! This one you the audience will have a choice in the end! You will vote on who you believe you deserve the fool of the queen! Sit back and listen as the narrator speaks and the characters play. AND SO! I present to you a queen and her fool!"
Demon grunt(DG) "The queen and her fool. Prologue: One stormy night, in the finest room money could buy, sat a strong and powerful king upon a throne of gold engraved by the finest craftsmen of the land, embellished by the finest jewelers, and embroidered with the finest purple satin cloth that could be found in the kingdom. Next to him sat a queen whose hair flowed bright like a field of marigold inlaid with stone walls trailing to her mid back. The Queen's body was carved from the finest clay and her face was sculpted by God himself. The radiant light of a new mother could fill the room as she rubbed her belly and smiled quietly to herself. The king and Queen always sat in this room and talked for hours. Their laughter louder than the roaring flame of the fireplace. The queen turned to her husband with a warm smile and a voice as pure as mineral water, to say…"
Queen "Say dear. What do you think as a name for our daughter? I was thinking...hmm….Sarrah? Oo maybe Delilah?"
King "Love, I'm sure you'll pick a wonderful name before our child is born."
Queen "I know, but I just like fussing over these silly little things. I'm never going to get this few times in my life. When I'm old you'll just get someone else…"
King "Oh stop that. I'm sure it will be fine. You will have many more children. Your blood is strong!"
Queen "I'm not getting any younger you know...This one was a gift of God herself…"
King "God given you say? Hmm, how about Angillina? Since she is our gift from God, only you could give birth to an angel."
Queen "Awe, My love! That is a wonderful name...a name that only she could have!"
DG "And so the couple lived happily ever after for the next three months. On that faithful day the moon shone bright in the sky, full and steady. The light assisted the night time aids as the queen was screaming of all manner of atrocities and evils at the doctor."
Queen "Get her out! Get her out of me now!"
King "Doctor is there anything you can do?"
Doc "I've done the best I can. For now we just need her to push. Yes m'lady push, push."
DG "And so the queen pushed a large watermelon sized child from her body. The pain shooting through the queen's body quickly was overtaken by the pure euphoria of seeing her child. Her skin softer than the finest silks, her eyes as blue as the very sky itself, even her hair shone in the moonlight with the glow of autumn leaves silently falling in the night. The mothers tears of joy fell on Angillina as she let out a mighty cry!"
Angillina "Waaaah waaaaaah!!!!"
Queen "there there child mom's here. My beautiful Angillina!"
King "What a Joyous day! Such a day makes me as blessed as all the saints of the land. My daughter has been born! WELCOME TO THE WORLD ANGILLINA!"
DG "The kingdom rejoiced along with their monarch at the birth of Angillina and all was good! Before the kingdom knew the little girl grew into a passionate and brave child willing to do anything and everything for her subjects. One day sitting in her luxurious room sat Angillina in front of her mirror, no taller than to see the top of her head, decked head to toe in beautiful jewels and carved images of rainbows, unicorns, and dragons. Oh, how beautiful in deed she was, her hair neatly french braided into two amber strips down Angillina's back, her porcelain skin as smooth and rich as white chocolate, cheek to cheek dozens of tiny caramel dots peppered her face, but the main attraction that drew in crowds from far and wide was her awe inspiring voice. A talent found nowhere else in the kingdom who at the age of four could outperform professional opera singers. At the age of six able to do her own roles as lead actress! At the age of ten she had amassed a huge portion of a village as a near cult following, Oh how she was adored by the people and loved by her two darling parents."
Cole "Is this some type of shitty origin story? Can we skip ahead a bit? These are kinda- eeeiiiooow HEY THAT HURTS!"
The tiny needles stabbed and pricked Cole in his entire body.
DG "NO INTERRUPTIONS! As I was saying...The king and queen doting over their daughters' accomplishments sang her praise every day."
King "Oh Daughter, The fairest and most beautiful of the land, how are you doing on this fine evening?"
Angillina "Father I'm doing real swell."
Queen "That's lovely darling. Can you go play in the castle for a bit? Father and I have much to discuss…"
Angillina "Okay mom, I will be back soon."
DG "And so the Queen waited until little ole Angillina stepped out of the room to close the door behind her, finally able to confront her husband with a treacherous allegation. Unbeknownst to the couple, their daughter never left, there she sat behind the door quietly listening into her parents conversation. The intangible whispers someone else would normally never hear she heard them, call it a gift or talent, Angillina ears heard everything word for word. Quite a shock it was, indeed."
Queen "How was your day my wonderful husband. Did anything interesting tonight?"
King "Yes! I was at the pub with my old war brothers. Cline asked about you?"
Queen "Oh with your old war buds huh? Do you think ill of me? Do you think I'm nothing more than a fool!?"
King "I don't like your tone. I have done nothing wrong! You must be going mad!"
Queen "Oh so you DID think i'm losing my mind. Well. I'll have you know, the servants caught you! Sneaking off with one of the handmaidens in all hours of the night! How could you!?"
King "Preposterous! I can't believe what I'm hearing! Which servant said I was doing such a thing! I'll have them fired immediately!"
Queen "You'll do no such thing! You will not punish them for doing something you weren't man enough to do yourself!"
DG "Angillina leaned in closer to hear the sound of her father stomping as he walked up to his wife. There was a loud CRASH, then another and another...Warmth surrounded the ears of Angillina, shielding her youthful innocence from the violence life sometimes brings. Tragedy replaced with a warm, all loving, and powerful glow. A voice called out to the princess ever so sweet. The kind of sound you only hear in the deepest recess of your mind where you escape from where all of life's agonies get to you, within this one sound you are safe...you are alive, and so much more you are loved. The voice spoke in a delightful child like manor, something more akin to what Angillina might understand."
Voice "Angillina...That was a close one wasn't it? My name's Simon! Nice to meet ya!"
Angillina "Simon?"
Simon "Right now is not the time for us to talk. They are coming! Run!"
King "And if I EVER hear this rubbish come from your mouth again! I'll send you to the gallows and I will steal away that child from you, so that you may never see her while you await death."
Queen "Monster! Don't walk away from me!"
DG "The king in a violent outburst, threw open the door, unaware of the quiet footsteps running away to the unknown. As Angillina ran she felt a twinge in her chest, a pain in her throat, and the sour pain in her eyes, unable to stop the pain until she plopped on her bed to let the tears fall. Simon floated above Angillina silently, but ever more loving the more she cried. His sweet words made the tears float from her very eyes into the endless love he felt for her.
Angillina "Are you a ghost?"
Simon "Not quite, but your mind's in the right place."
Angillina "You must be god then!"
Simon "Woah there, dad doesn't like that. I'm one of the heavenly host. The seraphim known as Simon. I was assigned to guard you as one of the most honorable positions a being like myself can get in heaven. Angillina I was so worried about you."
Angillina "Then why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you save my mom?"
Simon "I can't harm humans and besides I'm your guardian, I can spare you from so much."
Angillina "Well that's not all that helpful. This is the worst! It's day in and day out they fight an argue. What am I supposed to do?"
Simon "Wait...I'm sure something is in the works for you. All you have to do is have faith."
Angillina "Faith you say? Nothing more than folly from old stories my parents told me when I was young."
Simon "Oh come now, I'm here aren't I? Surely this should prove something more than mere blind faith."
Angillina "Just a figment of my imagination. That's what you are. It must be how I cope with the rubbish God has given me for parents."
Simon "You don't mean that."
Angillina "I do! I have achieved accolade after accolade. Honors and medals from all the lands and kingdoms yet they rather lay waste to their marriage than to come to my aid. What should I do more that would gain me their affections."
Simon "At this point, focus on yourself. Your parents are dealing with a difficult time. Be patient, I'm sure something good will happen soon!"
Angillina "Maybe you're right but I want something good now!"
Simon "I thought you might. That's why I whispered in the maid's ear for Ice-cream. Your favorite is still strawberry with chocolate sauce right?"
Angillina "Don't forget the sprinkles!"
Simon "Done, she should be here shortly."
Angillina "You're not so bad. Very different from the normal servants I have around."
Simon "Thank you for the compliment."
Maid "Lady Angillina! I brought your favorite, please come eat."
DG "And so, akin to a cheetah catching its prey, Angillina ran to gobble up her desert, but something felt off to her as she scooped more and more the sweet milky taste of the freshest strawberry ice cream money could buy could satisfy her. Not the chocolate sauce nor the myriad of rainbow sprinkles, not even the cling of the spoon hitting the bottom of the glass could stop the feeling of sorrow that overcame the young princess. This feeling persisted throughout the years developing into a sickness. The sickness was nothing threatening on it's own, nor was it particularly contagious but it was dangerous. Those locked within its grasp are pulled into the kind of darkness only the mind can create. It turns your world into a hell unlike the one told to you in those bedtime stories your parents used to keep you in line. It's slow and quiet, each symptom sneaking up one by one until it is too late and no one was the wiser. Like a thief robbing you of all you own, It robs you of all that you are. It starts by robbing the enjoyment of the simplicities of life to your midnight snack that you always eat right before bed. Then it isolates you from family and friends by being so unrecognizable you may not even speak to anyone to tell of this horrible illness as you suffer, it hides from all who haven't experienced it for themselves, leaving you alone with nothing but you and the voices from the hysteria cutting you day in and day out. It continues its dreadful course, after everyone left you for your hysteria, to taunt you. Everyday items become a source of fear, you can't grab a knife to cut cake because the blade calls you, you can't listen to birds sing from the rooftops in fear they may call you to fly, not even being alone offers solace anymore. The illness drives you to more and more pain until it reaches its final and worse stage. This illness was unlike any other being something you can give and something so intertwined in one's own nature they can pass it to their children. It is a curse so powerful when it catches you after the years of suffering you just vanish unnoticed by all until you're found sleeping within death's cold embrace."
Angillina "Now Cole, what do you make of the story so far? Can you tell me why the princess was sad? Why did she stay quiet while she had this illness?"
Cole "This is so dumb!"
Angillina "So you're telling me, if a student came to you with their problem you would say it's dumb? You would just dismiss their feelings just like that huh. That's cold, honestly who would ever vote for you?"
Cole "I'm sorry, I can't understand everyone's problems. To be quite frank, I don't care about your problems. Did any of you care about my problems? What about when I went missing for a week? No, not a single one of them went looking for me."
Angillina "See it's all about you, you, you! Totally self centered sheesh, can't you see why no one would want to associate with you let alone make you their president."
Cole "I'll tell you like I told them, I never wanted this position! Between you and me, I could have sworn Aslalo won but whatever, FINE! Call me selfish, but how is it my responsibility to fix your problems? What am I supposed to do? Wave my hand and make the boo boo go away? Ha what a joke. Learn how to think and do for yourselves. Each day I came in no one heard my complaints, no one stopped the sly words or the quiet snickers as I walked by, how about all those times I was failing my faith classes, nothing not a DAMN thing from any one of them. They sat there and threw trash, cursed at me, called me a monster. For what?"
Angillina "Boo-hoo they called me mean names wah. A celebrity such as I gets much worse on the daily. You were their leader, and now look at you. Barely able to even stand up for them."
Cole "If they needed me to stand up for them then they wouldn't have treated me like trash, but then that makes one wonder things."
Angillina "Wonder?...About what? Your absolute failure?"
Cole "No, what I am thinking is about how you slander me. You held office for a month, what have you done? What do you think about them? Didn't you call them servants? Didn't you feed on them? I broke their bones, scared them here and there, maybe even pulled a prank or two but I never claimed them to be lesser, I never fed on them, I actively try my best day in and day out to suppress my demonic energy. I struggled to not kill you outright Angillina. Do you have any idea just how hard that is? No, you don't, you would rather party, have fun, and not actually take responsibility for your actions. It was one of the most difficult things to do, not just removing your head and getting it over with."
Angillina "So? I gave every student the right to do the same. Anyway we are getting off topic."
Cole "Off topic? No this is the topic. You asked me a whole bunch but what about you?"
Angillina "What about me?"
Cole "What are your plans if you win?"
Angillina "Kill you and save my adoring fans."
Cole "And that's better than me how? I told them to be free from respecting me while you demand respect. I want them to fix their own problems while you don't want them to worry about it. I want them to express individuality, you want uniformity. We aren't the same, don't compare us. You need to show how or why you deserve to be their leader and having some sob story isn't going to cut it."
Angillina "Sob story eh? My story ain't a pity party. You don't know suffering like I know suffering. What could you ever understand? You can't even live with yourself. How do you expect to take on the burden of the masses? I seek to free them from burden, a simple life, a life of painlessness, a life of fufillment, a life free of anything but absolute bliss."
Cole "I don't want to take on their suffering. I don't care to be honest, what does it matter to me if a bunch of shitheads kick the bucket."
Angillina "Then why? Why do you fight so hard? Why oppose me? Just lay down your life and let me rule above those...shit-heads…"
Cole "Why won't I lay down my life? I'm not going to die. No, they deserve much less than that. I���m going to live as a permanent reminder of the pain they cause others. I suffer day in and day out to show them their hypocrisy to their face. They will know my face as a brand on their minds to let each and everyone of them know I will return again to correct them."
Angillina "Sounds to me like you are no different than me. You want them to serve you and your selfish desires no?"
Cole "No, i don't want them to serve me, praise, or worship me like some god."
Cole painstakingly turned his body to face the audience. Each tiny needle piercing his flesh like tiny little knives carving a ham. The intense fiery blue and red striving every student in their soul."
Cole "This is for all of you. I want them to fear me! I want my face to appear in the mind of each and every single one who dares cross me. I want to hear the agonizing crack of their bones under my feet if they dare raise a hand to another. I want JUSTICE!"
Angillina "Rousing speech, highly compelling no doubt. Let's see what THEY have to say about it? Will you win or lose? Who knows!"
A small seed dropped from the flower centering the frame of the stage, blossoming into a beautiful rose bush. The small buds of the roses started to fall off each flower until there were just two left that grew into large beautiful roses. Screams could be heard as the vines enveloping two students crushed their bodies, blood leaking onto the floor below.
Angillina "Two out of ninety. oof you aren't looking too hot."
Cole "What did you do?"
Angillina "What did I do? Nothing, the vines attack those who have hope. You are hopeless so it won't hurt you but them, they placed their hope into you so they have to bear the pain you have. Are they willing to suffer for you? Are they willing to go through agonizing pain for hope into a distant dream or are they willing to abandon your silly ideas and serve me, like I said no pain, no hurt, just blissful obedience."
Cole "If that's the game we are playing then I guess we are in the same boat right?"
Angillina "I guess so? Shall we continue the show? Riveting stuff right?"
Cole "Yeah super entertaining."
Cole didn't need Angillina to explain the trap to him, he could feel the hope in each student die as he spoke. The tiny little glitters of their soul flickering out in the harsh winds of despair. With a heavy heart Cole pushed their suffering into the darkest parts of his mind. He was focused on a bigger, larger, more important prize, the freedom of every student in the school and to restore balance to the campus. Cole grit his teeth through the pain of the needles gripping his flesh and sat there waiting for the demon to finish the next chapter.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone