The Mad Queen

Chapter Forty-Two

As Sons of the Pure, we shall act as our gods intended. As they created this Earth, it is only fair that we, the creatures moulded after them, shall rule it. We are the beings they left behind to carry on their work. We are their heirs. We must preserve their memory and ready this world for their return.

Like the gods who faced trials when creating this world, we do too. The females who are shaped after the troubled goddesses are out to prevent the gods' return. It is our duty to ensure that all women must obey the laws of the gods and separate themselves from the goddesses. Any woman who joins our faith must make promises to prove themselves worthy of being a member of our religion. These Vows will cleanse them and separate them from any connection to the goddesses. Though even with the vows and devotion to the Sons of the Pure, they cannot be completely be cleansed. There will always be hints of the goddesses fury within them. That is why no female is allowed any position of power within the Order.

In these next sections of our Holy Book, the vows a female must take shall be shown and explained.

Remember, any woman who does not take these vows and willingly joins The Sons of the Pure is evil and tainted by the goddesses. If they refuse to abide by our rules and accept their punishment for the crimes of the goddesses, they are just as guilty. They must face punishment in the place of the goddesses.

We must eradicate all these women and any males who do not show compliance.

~The Sons of the Pure Holy Text

"Illyana! Illyana!" Nianzu shouts in my head. I groan, annoyed that he is waking me. My eyes flutter open, expecting him to be next to me. It takes a few seconds for my brain to process what happened where I currently am.
"Fuck!" I scream as my heart leaps into my chest as panic swells up inside me. I let out a little, terrified scream as I look down. I am hanging from my arms, the pressure hurting my shoulders. My feet seem to be floating in the air below me. A rope is attached to my ankles. Attached to the rope is a few large stones. My body shakes with fear as between the rocks that hang from my ankles and the deep blue lake bellow is about fifty meters of air. I look up, panting heavily and trying to still my body. Not wanting my shaking movements to make me fall in any way.
"Illyana! The Mer are definitely in this lake! I'm in a bit of trouble down here... you might need to come and get me. Why aren't you getting my messages!"  His shouts loudly in my mind in a shaky voice. I gulp, my mouth dry.
"I think," my voice sounds raspy and terrified, even in my own head. "I'm in a little bit of trouble too," I reply, looking up toward the cliff edge. I am being held over the edge by a strange wooden contraption with a thick rope running along it. The rope is tied to a metal hook which has been wedged into a huge boulder. If that rope is cut off or comes loose, then I am falling probably to my death. The weight of the stone pulling at my body begins to hurt a lot. Especially my shoulders and arms. I can feel the ropes around my wrists cutting into my skin. My arms tickle as blood drips down them slowly. I am surprised that my shoulders aren't dislocated.

I look back at the cliff top in front of me. Only a few metres away. Standing along the edge are those robed figures with their painted faces.
"What the fuck are you doing?" I shout. They don't say anything. Instead, they mutter in a strange language before bowing to the ground. I can only watch, wide-eyed and confused at the whole thing. Finally, they stand and one steps forward. His cloak is a different shade of blue to the others. He pulls his hood down. Like the others, the skin around his eyes has been painted like the scales of the Mer and Sirens. Though on his head is a crown made from small human bones. My throat dries and I try and calm myself down. I've never liked playing the 'do you know who I am?' card. But what other choice do I have?

Before I can open my mouth, the man bows at me. My eyes widen. Does he know who I am?

"We bow to you, fair maiden," he says. I frown. What is going on? It is when I look down at the water, far far below me, I realise that I am not wearing the same clothes as earlier. I am wearing a plain white dress. Though I hardly pay attention to the fact they changed me as the man starts speaking again.
"We bow to say thank you for your sacrifice," he continues.
"What? Sacrifice?" I ask and start to shake a bit. "You can't do this!" I beg. "Do you not know who I am?" I ask. Seeing my black hair around my shoulders, I realise that in my unconscious state, I must have reverted back to my true form. The different coloured eyes should be a huge giveaway to my identity. He doesn't show any sort of signs that he is understanding what I am saying. "I am Princess Illyana," I tell them. That does stop them.
"Your face changed during your transportation here. I do not know what magic you are using to have the Princesses face. We will not fall for your trick." I panic a little more, my eyes passing between the huge blade he pulls from his cloak and the rope holding me in place.
"I promise you, I am the Princess. If you sacrifice me, the cannon will go off three times," I gulp. "The second time the skies will go red. Telling all of Vivelle of my murder." He ignores me and bows again. I let out a frustrated groan. He stands up slowly.