Seven Queens

Diamond

     The convent was carved into the face of the volcanic rock. The black rock looked rough and unyielding, and it was, on the outside, but on the inside it had been worn smooth, both with magic and constant use. In fact, all of the monastery would not have been possible without the power of the witch that carved into the monolith with her power. The young woman sat at her desk, contemplating this, whilst running her hand over the smooth black rock. The ceilings were high allowing for simplistic chandeliers to rain light down on the smaller office room the woman sat in. She was supposed to be writing letters to neighboring regions, as the convent had a substantial amount of land that was governed by it. All of the land was untamable jungle, but it still provided for a great source for both extra food and fresh water, this made it a target for kingdoms, and the woman was forced to write letters describing exports to satisfy their never ending hunger. Her dark skin was made to be durable in the arid air of the desert, but it did well enough in the wetness of the rainforest.bThe woman grew tired of writing the letters though, it wore her infinitely.
      The woman tied back her silky black hair, and rose up from the old wooden chair running her hands over the old wooden desk, walking out of the small room. She grabbed a few stems of flowers as well. There was no door, only a smoothed out oval opening leading to the neighboring hallway. She carried a book of prayer in her hands, and her pastel pink robes flowed around her legs that walked briskly with a sense of direction. The scones lining the walls held magical lights emitting lights brighter than that of fire. The hallway was large, and the woman still had her awkward habit of running her hands over the smoothed walls. She passed a group of other women walking in a group down the hallway, they respectfully stopped and acknowledged her by nodding their heads. She continued on to a set of great wooden doors that had required a great amount of work to transport them through the small hallways. She placed her hands on the old wood and pushed. The hinges screeched in protest, but eventually they did their job.
     The room behind the great doors was one that never ceased to take the woman's breath away. A great statue encompassed the room. His great form was set toward the back, and pews were set before him. The beauty of his workmanship was marveled by all those who came into the great room. The room rose up into the stone at seemingly impossible heights. His arms were held outward in a way that made all fell welcome. The woman set down her flowers and knelt before it at a raised stage and clasped her hands, she intended to lose herself there for a while, so she did.
     The figure attempted to be silent as they approached the bowed woman, and they were quite successful, but they did not know that of which they stalked.
     "Have you come to join me Maria?" The woman asked as if she was a prophet.
      Maria immediately brought her hands out of the pockets in her pale pink robe.
     "That would be most preferable, Mother Diamond." Maria replied with feigned confidence.
     "I do wish you all would not call me that. I am no farther along in my journey than anyone else." Remarked Diamond, as if an after thought. "I ask that all call me skimpily Dia, for that is who I am. But we both know you did not come to pray." All the while her eyes were closed, her hands still clasped. "Your aura does not bode well with me, you have always held so much anger and hate. But now all your sight is tainted by it. Look pass your past Maria, the world is so much brighter that way."
     Both of the women allowed an awkward silence to cloud up, but instead of relishing in it like Dia, Maria shifted on her feet uncomfortably.
     "Your aura is tied to mine, and after you fail here we will meet again." Said Dia quietly.
     Maria was already in the process of leaping toward Dia, knife revealed from where she had in in her robes. In a swift, elegant motion Dia spun and rose at the same time, grasping the other girls hands and simply flicking the knife from her hands. The offending silver clattered across the floor some ways apart from the girls. The hold Dia had Maria in allowed for her to examine the now exposed wrists, and found a dark, tattooed sigil.
     "The Cult of the Snake, trained to be assassins by the Xin Dynasty. I had assumed as much, but I still hoped."
     Maria's dark hair and small features fit perfectly with the assessment.
     "I proclaim unto you the death sentence from Emperor Say Lin." Maria snarled, and pushed back away from Dia breaking her hold.
      Maria's wrath soon fell upon Dia in a fury. Every impressive maneuver and tactic taught to Maria by her masters fell short of hitting their mark. Dia counteracted with beautiful, perfected blocks, making it as if she were toying with a novice. Light pink fabric swirled as the figures clashed, painting a picture of refined power. Dia had the opening to go for lethal strikes on many occasions, but never acted upon them, instead opting for pushing the assassin back down the aisle. Maria dove for the knife, but it was again stripped from her hands by a sweeping kick, and soon Maria was only a few feet from the great wooden doors
      "Stop this Maria!" Dia cried out with real heartache. "They have made you into this monster, but we can help you! Did you not see acceptance and healing here?"
     Maria was in a fighting stance, but she huffed and puffed, "I must go back, there are things unfinished in Xin." Her foreign accent had already begun to return.
     "I will let you go, but know we will meet again, our stories are intertwined. But one last question, was Maria ever your real name?"
     Just then the great doors opened and a group of young girls in pink attempted to walk through the door. Maria pushed through them, sending girls flying across the floor. Havoc ensued, and just as So-Called-Maria was leaping through the doorway, Dia caught the girls eye. Maria paused, but then rushed out into the hallway.