Page 25 of Bright Blinding Ruin

Empress Morimento nods, her long, flowing blond hair split between her shoulders evenly. “We are in agreement. Something must be done, but in order to fix what is wrong, we need to find out why.”

The third woman starts to speak, “I must admit, I have a terrible feeling. Perhaps it is time to check the catacombs.” This woman, the one I’ve never seen before, wears all red, a pretty dress that accentuates her full figure. Her brown hair is slightly curled, hanging free. Sharp angles make up her face, and yet,even though I’m confident I’ve never seen her before, there’s something strangely familiar about her.

Gladus echoes faintly, “The catacombs? You don’t think—they are hidden in the wilds. Not even our own people know.”

It is Morimento who whispers, “We must be sure. Sister Krotas, perhaps Gladus and I can—”

The third woman is the third empress, just as I assumed, and she snaps at Morimento, “I am not incapable of travel. I will go.” Her image fades first, which leaves Gladus and Morimento to share a long look, a look I don’t quite understand.

The world fades around me, and just like that, I’m thrown back into reality, standing across from the remnant of Gladus.

“You see, at first, we did not know it was Invictis causing the woes upon our lands. When we traveled to the ancient prisons, we found them empty. The thing that all empresses before us feared most had been released, and we did not know where it was or how to reach it. We could only wait for it to show itself, so we devised a plan.”

Another memory fragment appears between us, and when Gladus says nothing more, I reach out. A flash of bright white, and I’m transported to a different room in a different time, a bystander in a memory that doesn’t belong to me.

It looks as though the three empresses are gathered—this time in person—in Pylos’s library. They each wear the same clothes as they did in the other vision; must be their typical outfits. Gladus and Morimento stand together, nearest where I am, while Krotas is on the other side, looking stern.

“They do not appear impressive,” Krotas remarks, her gaze on the table between them. “Are we certain something like this will hold it?”

Three similar, glowing gems sit on the table between them. I recognize them as the crystals that held Invictis inside, like the one I found in that alley near Frank’s bar.

Morimento speaks calmly, “It is more than clear Laconia’s enemies knew where to find it. If we manage to defeat it and disassemble it, we would do ourselves and our future sisters a great disservice by simply returning it to its prisons across the kingdom.”

Nodding along in agreement, Gladus says, “No, we must keep it close, forever and always. These soul gems will fragment its power and keep it from completing its destruction of our kingdom. One will stay in each castle, protected by one of us.”

An eerie silence permeates the space between the three powerful women, and even though I can’t read their minds, I can guess what they’re thinking easily enough.

What if Invictis is still too strong while separated? What if all of this effort is for nothing and they are only delaying the inevitable? What if nothing they do will be good enough? Women like them, with the kind of power they each have, I doubt before Invictis they ever had to ask themselves such tough questions.

It is Krotas who breaks the silence as she steps forward and grabs one of the crystals. Long like a tower of quartz, only with a point on either end. “We know Invictis wants us to suffer. The woes are, for now, focused on destroying the lands nearest our castles. We must make our last stand together.” She holds the crystal against her flowy dress, and a dark shadow crosses over her face.

There is more to this she isn’t saying. I can feel it. Maybe because this memory belongs to Gladus.

“I’m sorry,” Morimento whispers. “If we could do this without you, without risking harm—”

Krotas interrupts her, “We will triumph. I’ve no doubt in my mind. Together, we are near invincible, and together, we will bring ruin to Invictis.” Her statement almost sounds like arallying cry, and I can practically feel Gladus’s confidence as she nods along with her.

The last thing I see before the memory fades around me is Gladus and Morimento each taking their own soul gem.

In a flash, I’m standing before Gladus in the undercroft of Pylos’s castle again. Her face has twisted into one of deep contemplation, the corners of her mouth tugging into a slight frown. “That was when we still had hope that we could defeat Invictis together. It did not last.”

I already know what happened next. I say, “You got him in the crystals. You each took a piece of him home… and then you lost your goddamn minds.” It’s hard not to let the anger seep in as I say that last part, because it’s damn near impossible to not think of all those people who died because of the empresses’ hubris.

Maybe if they asked for help, if they actually told the entire kingdom what was going on… people could’ve prepared. Men like Fred could’ve gotten together and worked on countermeasures for the woes. By the time people finally realized their empresses had lost it, it was too late.

Krotas sent Fred and his family away, but way too late.

Sounds of people screaming fill the air around us, soul-crushing wailing and crying. People asking, “Why, Empress Gladus? Why are you doing this? Please.” Pleading. Citizens of Pylos that worshiped Gladus… who then met their end by her.

Needless to say, those sounds are the worst sounds I’ve ever heard in my life.

“Everyone in that colosseum,” I whisper, “was that Invictis, or was it you?” The look Gladus gives me tells me enough, and I throw up my hands as I shake my head and take a step back. I thought…

Fuck. If it was a shadowstorm that got all those people, they would’ve turned into the afflicted, like the ones in Acadia.Somehow the truth makes it all worse. Their precious empress… their executioner.

“You do not understand. You cannot. It whispers to the darkest parts of you, makes those parts more appealing. It tugs them to the surface, regardless of how strong you think you are. The madness that came with even a shred of Invictis was enough to make me nothing more than a shadow of my former self. When I… committed those heinous acts, I wholeheartedly believed I was doing them a favor, releasing them from their mortal coil before the woes could.”

“Sounds like an excuse for mass-murder.”

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