The Voyages of Voltz (3)
The Game (Jade & Tourmaline)
The Goddess’s Tears Peak -The Astroverse
Two shadowy figures hovered on a semi-circular terrace of the black and gold Hall of the Ancients. The immaculately clean shapes of the white spires of the Astroverse Monastery nestled atop the Goddesses Tears peak reflected in the impenetrable waters of the Dark Sea lake crowning the summit like a giant black pearl. Small insectoid biomech companion droids went about their business on the high walls, their white and gold bodies sparkled against the black walls like snowflakes.
“Look at those poor souls my dear Jade,” said Tourmaline and turned her burning yellow glow stare towards the mercury liquid at the bottom of the ornate octangular crystal prism in front of them. Dwarf jade bonsai tree branches peeked through the apertures and fissures created by the irregularly spaced glassy panels.
“They try so hard, to escape the inevitable. It’s so amusing to watch these futile attempts. Don’t you think sister?” Jade dipped her finger with a large green sapphire ring into the prism and the bonsai tree made way before the Goddess of fauna and flora made any contact. The black liquid put up a struggle but washed away all the same creating a perfect dry cylinder as if the ring projected an invisible force. “There,” Jade placed something that looked like an insect at the bottom of the prism, and released her finger, the liquid quickly closed behind it. “Let them have their fun, while we have ours.”
“Don’t you think this is a little over the top? Adding another monstrosity to this already molested world?” Said Tourmaline with a touch of faked concern in her voice.
“Oh don’t be so dramatic my dear queen of sand and sun. Our sisters, even the least creative ones, gave a flair to each of their blessings, or shall I rather say curses, and Onyx, well she wrapped it all up so beautifully didn’t she,” said Jade.
“The world holds a certain aesthetic allure that I do not contest,” admitted Tourmaline.
“It could be so much more. If only half of Mother’s universe didn’t fall in love with tryptamine. If only Onyx had shown some foresight and had been more careful.”
“Oh, you so make me smile. Careful. What a bizarre concept. One of our sisters. Careful. Caring. Caressing.”
“More like careening I know,” said Jade. The leaves of her vine dress turned dark green as if they absorbed some of her anger.
“Sometimes I feel you are forgetting we are the only two that actually care about this miserable place, and want to make something good out of it, rather than just trying to spite the Mother with yet another malice.”
“Are you certain this little addition you just dropped into the bowl will not pick on the wrong crowd?”
“I will personally take the time to control it. I have been getting more invested in this little game of ours as of late.”
“So am I, I must say. Our sisters deserve a lesson. They think the Mother is just toying again.”
“Whether she is, or she is not, we have a chance to have this planet for ourselves. Our efforts cannot go unnoticed.”
“Thankfully, we have only Jasper and Neelam to contend with. I’ve been hearing half of our sisters got so grown up they don’t intend to show up at all.”
“Hah, I cannot wait to see how Mother deals with such obstinance.”
“No one is as power-obsessed as she is.” Jade giggled like a little girl. “She will deal with them, in ways we cannot even imagine, of that I am certain.”
“Apparently, Onyx is coming,” said Tourmaline, the bright glow emanating from her flary dress blinding to anyone but the divine.
“Well, well, is she now? She wants to personally check on her little game-changing gift?”
“So it seems, and you realize how that may throw a little wrinkle into our plans don’t you.”
“She can’t be reasoned with, I’m certain that has not changed.”
“We must speak to our little Boe. and fix it that way.”
“It’s most unfortunate as he has endured already so much.”
“You have always been too soft my dear Tourmaline. He did not get the gift to enjoy it, we gave it to him to play our little spiritual… and carnal games, there must be a price to feel a Goddess no? Said Jade, her smile wide.
“Speaking of which, this Ancient of yours, Lothar, are you sure he can deliver?” Tourmaline returned the fake smile.
“I assure you sister, he is as sturdy as he is old, do not mistake age for lack of stamina though. He will outride them all, and we shall have what we desire,” answered Jade.
“If you say so, sister. You have your toy, I have mine, and we both have jobs to do.”
“What of the guilds? Have any more declared their loyalties?”
“Not all the guilds have spoken. Three more seem to have committed to our little cause. There is much fear in the land. Our “sinister sisters” do not spare any effort. They have been busy fear-mongering and recruiting and they sure seem to be having fun. They won’t give up, nothing else can provide them this much joy… and most of all tryptamine.”
“Indeed, who’d have thought our little unhinged sister’s prank would turn out so well? If only the Apostles knew what power tryptamine holds when used with a proper tool. They could become little demigods. You know I have been thinking. They would have the numbers to truly contend with us.”
“You can be so melodramatic, sister, I think we all have been bored far too long. You dream of even more adversaries don’t you? The unpredictable type. Ones we could actually kill, and mayhaps they could find a way, the demigods that they’d be to find a way to undermine our immortality.”
“Wouldn’t that be truly exciting?” Said Jade spinning with excitement.
“Sometimes I wonder whose side are you on. Did Neelam spike your morning milk?”
“Oh don’t be silly. We would reward only the worthy ones.”
“And you really think Mother would just watch?”
“Mother would think it quite fitting, actually.”
“She might have called us all to do just that.”
“Bestow the complete artifact upon them. If they could unite themselves as to not just perpetually squabble about who owns it… they could truly ascend.”
“To what end exactly? To really contend with us. To bring an end to us?” Tourmaline stopped spinning, in a rare display of alarm.
“Such silly thoughts we entertain sister. This has been so much fun,” said Jade.
“Our species evolved in this sector first. For now, we wield the power we have created. I’d prefer it stayed that way. “
“I wonder what else we can create?” Tourmaline giggled, “we are such Mothers.”
“Oh that we are. We are the good monsters don’t forget. The ones that wave and smile while spewing the bile.”
“Come let’s have supper. I am starving.”
“Which universe are we dining in tonight?” She smiled and swirled the black goo.
“Enough of the jests, I must scurry now,” said Tourmaline “Jasper may be here any minute. We wouldn’t want to be caught conspiring together about these lowly creatures now, would we?” She stormed out of the room with her blinding yellow-white robes flailing about.
“No, we would not, lest we get caught.” Said Jade as she lifted the prism artifact where something struggled and wriggled in the tarry goo puddle at the bottom of the bonsai tree and put it into a perfectly opaque black box. “Hush now,” she said and blew on it. The box de-materialized.
Appendix — List of Characters and Places of Interest
Written by Raftor https://twitter.com/raftorTSE2
Illustrated by BadTryp https://twitter.com/badtrypz
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