Suffer the Children

[The Forgotten God]

The woman smiled. “Call me Maddy, my dear.” She raised her blade. “Lord Averatas, Master of the Night, Nemesis of the Wicked, I beseech you send one of your children to protect this woman Justine de Vair, to watch her and destroy any who would do her harm, to spread your word across the realms of men and Mist, and to collect the souls of those deemed worthy.”

The strange serrated sword glowed a wicked red and she lowered it to Justine’s breast and, with a sudden and shocking effort, shoved it into her chest. The sword’s glow faded and entered the girl and Justine felt a surge of energy. “Justine, my dear, I dub you one of my Roses. My first gift...say hello to your sister, Juliette.” Maddy waves her left hand and the curtains around the room raise, revealing black glass mirrors in every direction. “You have two tasks, my dears. Cooperate to make it out of this room...and bring me Armand’s head. Use the rest of his body as you will.”

[Justine-Juliette de Vair]

The wind was knocked out of her chest. Did one breathe in dreams? Because suddenly Justine could not. She was grievously wounded...and then she was not. She struggled to her feet and looked toward the mirrors. "My lady, Maddy, where is she? I only see...mir...rors..."

It felt like time slowed down. Justine saw no reflection at first, though she could see the light gleaming off the dark polished glass. But then she saw something pale approaching, as if at a great distance. She saw a girl, dark of hair and eye, a red ribbon holding her wild locks away from her face. The girl smiled and raised a hand and Justine realized she also had raised a hand. She came closer and closer and then she was so close they were touching and their bodies overlapped and their minds flowed together...and then separated. It was like oil and water, but the jar had been shaken and one was mixed in with the other. It was pain like she had never felt. It was bliss like she had never known. It was completion, it was violation, it was her sister. Justine wept and covered her eyes.

Juliette put her hands to her side and smiled to Maddy, nodding a greeting. She picked up the sword from the floor and turned toward the stair.

Justine took the first step and her knees buckled.

Juliette raised her arms and pulled herself up, scraping her knees bloody on the stone.

Justine dragged the sword behind them.

Juliette climbed up and up toward the people who should have protected her sister.

Justine felt stronger with every stair they ascended.

Juliette's righteous fury burned hotter.

Up and up they went. As long and as far and as difficult as it was to descend, it was twice as arduous to return to the surface. Justine felt dazed, confused, more than just a dreamfog. They changed so quickly: every blink and every movement done by the other. Alternating. It slowed almost imperceptibly as they ascended. Justine held control a little longer each time. But so did Juliette.

After forever, Justine saw the light and heard the soft sounds of Armand and Green-Tress speaking. They spoke of her, speculating if she would make it back. She pulled herself up over the last stair and began pulling herself up the stone wall, limply holding the sword beside her.

Juliette straightened her spine and grinned. She felt new. She felt strong. Her new body was underfed, skinny, and her knees were bloody from the trek to the surface, but she was ready to fulfill her first task. She focused on Armand and took a step toward him. "Armand, Armand, you would never hurt her, would you?"

He looked surprised as Justine managed a few more steps. Green-Tress was gone. She had been there a moment before but had faded into the aether. Justine no longer focused on if this was fact, fiction, dream, memory. He would never perform another barbaric treatment. Not on her, not on anyone. She grit her teeth and raised the sword in her right hand.

Juliette held a scalpel in her left hand. It was so small, and so sharp. Armand barely felt the first cut, or the second. He was on his back beneath her and she should not have been able to keep him down but she was strong. She laughed as she slashed again and again. "You will never harm anyone again!" She felt a tug on her mind and she resisted. "Let me do this. Let me spare you some of the pain." She dug the little blade into the fat pulsing vein in his neck and twisted. His blood was hot and salty and good. His cries of pain were delicious. Her knife found his eyes and dug them out. Her knife found his ears and sliced them away. His lips were next and he was a screaming, gaping skull with bloody sockets. She laughed. "I love you, sister. You see what I do? It is all for you. You are safe."

Justine threw the scalpel down. She was sobbing. Warm, sticky ichor covered her face and her dress. Her sister loved her. She was not alone. She had a friend. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you, Juliette. It has to end."

Juliette laughed again and reached for her blade. "Let me do it."

Justine raised the sword. "No, it has to be me." She pressed the wide blade to his neck. He was already pale, where he was not stained red. His ruined eyes in their sockets started up blindly and his grim, lipless mouth could only make strangled gurgling, wet sounds. Even if she did not do this, he would die. She grit her teeth and pressed the blade down. Her left hand joined her right and both sides worked together to cleave flesh and work through the bone of his spine. Armand shuddered and spasmed and obediently became a corpse.

Juliette stood up and ran a bloodied hand through her hair, pushing the wild strands out of her face. "Well done, Justine." She licked her fingers as though she had just finished a plate of barbecue.

The blood was salty and tangy and metallic on Justine's tongue. It made her stomach tie in knots. Looking down at the warden's body...at his head with its expression forever frozen in a lipless grimace. Her stomach turned. She fell to her knees again and vomited.

Juliette spoke softly. "There, there. You're safe now. Everything will be alright."