Season 05 - Episode 06

‘growls the air’

Pho sits atop a resplendent throne, all gold and blinding white. The throne itself is mounted on an enormous, stepped platform, every surface busy with intricate carving, gilding and other decoration. Away to her right, The Archangel is standing, statue still, in her voluminous black robes, ever the loyal and obedient sentinel.

The room is vast, created through the removal of many walls and floors, the ceiling lost to the dark above, swallowing up every little sound in the hushed space. On the polished floor far below Pho, a robed figure is prostrating herself, lying flat on her face, arms out straight, forehead pressed against the cold, unforgiving surface, nose squashed sideways.

“Ah, Patience,” says Pho eventually, staring idly down at the body before her. “Our last remaining virtue. The only one to never fail or betray us. What news do you bring?”

“Your ascendant holiness,” huffs the woman, her voice muted by the floor just before her lips. “GovCo are falling back throughout The Levels. Just as you predicted in your infinite wisdom, they are still short of men and arms and are being overwhelmed by The Seraphim.”

“Wonderful,” says Pho coldly. “And what of the other fronts? What of The Resistance and this... Queen of The Scapes of whom we hear such tales?”

“Your sublime holiness,” Patience manages, breathing hard. “As yet The Resistance continue to evade us. They have hidden themselves well amongst the civilian population and kept their identities secret but in time I have no doubt that we...”

“Would you break our heart, Patience?” says Pho sadly. “Is that your wish? That we should have to execute our last remaining virtue?”

“No!” Patience gasps. “I mean to say...Your iridescent holiness, I will not fail you! The Resistance will be found and they will be destroyed. I swear it.”

“We're quite sure you do. And this...” says Pho, gritting her teeth and bracing herself as if the next word will cause her physical pain. “Queen. What of her?”

“Your unimaginable holiness,” says Patience before swallowing hard. “We haven't located her just yet, but we are closing in. Finding her is proving.... challenging.”

“How so?” asks Pho acidly.

“Your omnipotent holiness,” Patience says, not quite holding back a whimper. “The people of The Scapes revere her with a quite inexplicable devotion. We believe they all know where she is and yet none will give her up, no matter how we ask. They love her.”

“Do they,” Pho growls.

The air thickens with tension. The silence grows unbearable.

“There are no voids in The Innersides you know,” Pho says then, suddenly reflective.

“Your exceptional holiness,” Patience croaks. “Voids?”

“These Scapes,” says Pho. “These tall, narrow gaps between sets of floors. They were all cleared out and built into years ago. That GovCo left these 'Scapes' to fester and fill with human scum is but more proof that they are not worthy to rule this place.”

“Your insurmountable holiness,” says Patience. “It is as you say.”

Another silence arrives, suspenseful and threatening.

“No matter,” says Pho with a sigh that shatters the silence. “Once we have The Levels it will be easy enough to surround these Scape one by one and cleanse them each in turn. And if any of the detritus within remain to resist us, we'll see how much they love their pretender queen once her head sits atop a spike.”

“Your infallible holiness,” says Patience, groaning slightly as she attempts to shift her weight. “Your wisdom is limitless. It shall be as you say, glorious and irresistible.”

“Indeed,” says Pho, pausing a moment to think. “You shall go from here, Patience and you shall enact the plan we discussed yesterday. You will lure a member of The Resistance, into a trap, offering a meeting and then, in turn entrap all their comrades. All will be executed on the spot but for the leader, who will be brought before us to answer for his crimes.”

“Your perfect holiness,” Patience wheezes. “As you say it, so shall it be.”

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