The Climb [Chapter XI]

[Sincara]

Sincara was forced to look away or else be blinded by the glow of the blade, as such she immediately pulled back on the trigger of her Six Shooter but instead of .357 caliber bullets exiting the chamber, a barrier produced by white holy magic shot forth from the barrel and blocked the blow dead in its track. Pulling back on the trigger a second time, a barrage of holy blessed magical bullets exploded from the gun's barrel, each bullet the size of a .50 caliber causing large holes to blow through the demon's head, neck, chest and shoulders.

[Tajna Rasha]

The spectral-sword caught the barrier in a resonating crash, devouring its essence rapidly though sparing Sincara from the onslaught. Tajna’s eyes stared directly down the barrel of her weapon – the shield had bought her time to fire a second volley. She pulled the trigger, the tale-tale muzzle-flash engulfing her vision like a bolt of lightning. The brightness disappeared just as instantaneously, giving her full-view of her target.

‘‘You deluded fool.’’

The demon had disappeared in a flash of blue mist.

On the other side of the room, Tajna Rasha looked as Chloe tapped within the powers of the Kasul and the extremely potent soul it had recently devoured. Before long the Empress and the phantom stared at each other with the same mystic gaze – neither truly within the present – and both engaged in a conflict that spanned across generations. There was a subtle, nearly undecipherable shift in the demon’s composure; like an invisible consternation only it was privy to know. There was no denying the callous demeanor in which it represented itself. In spite of having – for the first time in its entire existence – every reason to be truly afraid for its life, Tajna Rasha never looked as terrifying.

‘‘Do you believe we have not already determined this outcome?’’ It spoke so evenly even the flames in the ghost’s eyes seemed heatless. The spectral weapon vanished and the Council Member crossed its arms, frighteningly content with how the situation had developed. ‘‘How ironic; to think the Kasul would be our undoing when it will – in fact – be your own.’’

A chilling pause came about between the three. Slowly, Tajna Rasha extended a designating clawed digit towards the soul-devouring sword in the Empress’ possession.

‘‘Have you never wondered about why history said the blade is cursed?’’ It asked in the same callous tone. ‘‘Did you ever imagine what its predecessor felt every time she took a life with it?’’ It continued, before dropping its head in silent, defeated contemplation. ‘‘Of course not – how could you?’’

It looked at her again, a distinctively eerie, much brighter golden light now present in its eyes.

‘‘Such naivety, such lack of vision…’’ It paused, the telepathic voice uncharacteristically wrought with derision. ‘‘You are still a newborn among a mass of immortals; you haven’t even truly come to terms with your nature as a vampire.’’ For a moment, the ghost even appeared to physically tense up as though its contempt escalated beyond simple notions of time. ‘‘You believe your nightmares will have prepared you for this?’’ It cringed. Even after seeing the event unfold a thousand, if not a million time, this specific instance still ignited a primal and undeniable rage within the fallen angel.

Then just like that Tajna Rasha changed again: Its arms relaxed, resting, before extending at each of its side as though the demon was nailed to a cross – an ancient and forgotten greeting to battle. Its gaze looked passed the flesh, the room, and the soul… Immediately, it spoke the same words it had spoken so long ago. ‘‘You are still fair of form; that will go first.’’ And spoke again. ‘‘Your blood will begin to boil before your soul begins to consume itself like the light of a candle.’’ And again. ‘‘This power will render you hideous; you will go mad and will not know it.’’ The last sentence was spoken with such an inhuman echo, that it reverberated throughout the abyss before an unnatural wind brushed the vibrations away.

One more time that night, Chloe would feel the unforgiving eyes of the Ghost of Legion on her.

‘‘No entity, no matter how acclimated, can contain such forbidden force…’’ There was a brief pause, almost as if the wraith expected its question to be answered, but whatever thoughts the woman might have had were cut short. ‘‘Do you know what is insanity?’’ Came the haunting voice again, almost inquisitively. ‘‘Repeating the same task, over and over, expecting different results.’’

And just like that, Tajna Rasha was once again impaled by the blade. The blinding light engulfed the room as the phantom was dissolved by the power of the Kasul. Another shadow quickly followed; eager to meet its demise. And another. And another. Rushing pass Sincara, paying no heed to the child. They emerged from every corner. Every portal. Giving themselves. Sacrificing themselves. The Kasul’s voracious appetite swelled with hellfire. A tremor began to shake the tower. Each soul adding unto the infinity of all ages rushing through Chloe’s being. And they continued on their relentless suicide. The quake became a deafening note in the vastness of the white void. And then…

‘‘Embrace eternity!’’

Nothing.

[Chloe/Kat]

The Empress kept eye contact with the demon through his entire rant, listening to every word spoken by the terrible voice of the Ghost, standing there belittled by one whose experience with this power well surpassed her own, over and over and over until she could memorize the Ghost's words by heart. And then Tajna Rasha surrendered himself to the demon blade but it would not end there. The room was quickly filled by copies of the demon, all eager to meet their death at the hand of the Kasul blade itself. Chloe refused to release her hold on the blade, having grown addicted to its power, allowed to take in the Ghost time after time after time again. The power that came with it being inconceivable. She could see herself, standing across from herself, looking into each other's eyes and mimicking what the other did. Chloe relived several stages of her life, watching Amoura drive her mad with the Nightmare. Seeing herself drain Argus of his blood in her own blood rage. Experience the night she spent with Ranko before taking her life. Even her own rape were relived without end.

Chloe looked back to herself, embracing her shadow, as if wanting one more moment of perfect bliss the two fed off each other's desire, literally. They drained each other's blood and killed one another as a third Chloe stood over them and drew both Kasuls from their corpses on the bed of the Empress' chambers. Chloe snapped back to where she was in the tower, being fed more of Tajna's power until she could not help but scream at the experience. Being brought down to her knees and weeping, begging for it to stop and crying out for death. Just as her body began to give away she let out a loud gasp, her eyes rolling to the back of her head as she saw something that stretched beyond what was thought as possible. For a brief moment she truly was all knowing. And finally, Chloe released her hold on the demon blade.

"Tajna Rasha."

Chloe stood up, emotionally, mentally and physically drained. But the information still running inside her head was too valuable to be lost to the Ghost now. She walked over to the shadows, limping all the way. Her eyes blinded by the light from their eyes that were all gathered in one place but the rest of her senses guided her to one of the shadows so he could see, what she has seen. Chloe's leaned into the Ghost, holding herself up on his arms as she found the space absent of a jaw and neared her own lips to it. Her final words to the devil a mere whisper that would haunt even Tajna Rasha forever.

"She must win."

This time it was Chloe's turn to surrender herself to the Ghost. Allowing him to devour her essence and with it see the events beyond The End. Seeing the Creator begin life anew each and every time the failsafe succeeded in its task to end existence. In each cycle Tajna Rasha stood. His omniscience remained. His inability to die remained. His insanity remained. Chloe fell limp at his feet, skin as cold as ice and her eyes void of all life as her soul now lingered within the Ghost for all time. But her words remained, swimming at the forefronts of his mind.

She must win.

[Tajna Rasha]

Tajna Rasha observed the broken excuse of a woman that was crawling at its feet. The experience had, as expected, fully shattered what had once been the proud and ruthless Empress of Jherrazad. Still, instead of giving in to her own death she obstinately limped to her foe – her executioner – her blind eyes filled with tears and prophecy of their own.

The Ghost of Legion watched her in silence as she made her last defiant approach; determined to lay siege to the very foundation of its ideals. Indulging her final act, Tajna held the woman to allow her to stand. She spoke the words. And she offered herself.

Time stopped.

‘‘We know.’’

The wraith left a moment for Chloe to fully realize scope of that response before shoving her aside, finally satisfied with the result of their encounter, and refusing her the release of death. Tajna took a moment to look at the now-useless Kasul on the ground - its power evidently far too potent for any being to ever wield again – before reverting its attention to an invisible only it could see. In that moment, Tajna Rasha could see it: For the first time since eternity, were it able to, Tajna would have smiled.

And it vanished in a cloud of smoke.