12.0b

A soft knocking noise resounded at the door to the luxury suite Jennifer Red claimed in her Master’s house. It was a calming unhurried knock that nevertheless managed to awaken her with minimal effort. Moments later her liege entered the room without preamble.

Jennifer wasn’t bothered in the least, because in all the time she had known her Master he showed no such interest in matters of the fairer sex.

She sighed and pulled herself fully awake, awaiting another urgent matter to attend to. Perhaps another Guild has gone wrong, a mad Alchemist, an invasion from any number of Demonic or Angelic forces. Those were the things she was accustomed to handling now, and they were something she had grown comfortable with pulverizing into meat paste.

Instead, she was met with a solemn face on her liege dressed in casual red silk with a tiny sparkling crown above his head. His Majesty, Matt Smith, the Red King or Emperor depending on who you asked, politely gestured for her to follow before turning and walking out. To no surprise, the door refused to close until he had exited. Jennifer looked at her securely warded room that should have made his entry impossible without at least breaching some major defenses, or barring that at least an alarm occurring. She grumbled as she was forced to exit the warm embrace of her overly fluffy bed. The money that had paid those thieving Enchanters was far too much for such sub-par service. Scribbling a quick mental note to visit them later in her mind, Jennifer rose quickly using the power of her Aura to clean and freshen up. Red auric light flickered over her form cleansing it while leaving behind the faint scent of copper. With a finger snap her nightgown changed into combat red plate-mail accompanied by the signature red sword and shield of her banner.

Jennifer Red took one look at her image in the full-length mirror.

Damn, I look good. Jennifer thought with a smirk. Moments later she stepped out of the room and closed the door locking it securely before she turned to her waiting liege before saying, “Who needs to die this early in the morning, sir?”

The Red Emperor gave a boyish grin before saying, “Probably no one. We are going to take a small trip. Are you ready?”

Jennifer nodded readily preparing herself for the lurching sensation that accompanied teleportation. It was unlikely her Master would teleport the same as a mortal, but there was always a first time for something to go wrong. It was merely a second before a flash of crimson light teleported both of them away from the luxury manor house. The house had been enchanted personally by the Red Emperor when he took a liking to it. Jennifer had handled the acquisition with prompt haste, eager to please her liege. Granted, most mortals would never see the manor, nor the floating chunk of stolen Rocky Mountain Range it resided on. Without the proper Alignment to the Red, it was altogether possible the memory of the manor home didn’t exist in the outside world anymore.

He is nothing if not paranoid. There are more wards on his personal residence than the Red Kingdom’s actual governing bodies. Jennifer thought as her Master’s teleportation ended without issue. She took one look around and clutched her sword and shield with an almost reflexive fear. Below the abyss they stood upon was a massive blue gem swirling with white tones of pearl. That is the planet. My planet. I’m not on my planet? How? Breaching the Planetary Shield should be impossible even for him!

“Relax, we are just outside the planetary mana barrier.” the Red Emperor said.

“Yes. The planetary barrier cannot be breached. I distinctly remember you stating that during one of the meetings on World security. Of course, we just teleported outside. Why wouldn’t we? Right?” Jennifer said her eyes gazing accusingly in lese majeste at her liege.

The Red Emperor gave another grin before turning to face the darkness. Jennifer watched his face grow slack as if no one was at home anymore before the sensation of being watched rippled against her skin. In moments his form was covered in thick abyss black substance looking nothing so much as liquid tar. Bright scarlet eyes blazed out from his face containing untold nightmares. Holding her weapons up like a prayer, she took a calm slow look around. Her master wouldn’t go into his most powerful form without a good reason.

No one is visible, but that means nothing these days. Jennifer thought as she stepped to put her inattentive liege in view while she opened her senses to scan the surrounding area. She might not be able to spot something, but there was no way he couldn’t see their attackers. There’s something wrong. Something around us, it’s…focused?

The darkness was alive it rippled as if responding to her Master’s will.

Jennifer barely caught the moment Matt Smith was swallowed by the surrounding black but it was one of the most horrifying moments of her life. Her heart froze before she let out a primal scream of rage pushing the mana in her body into a complex configuration that boosted her senses past their mortal limits. Her mind crystallized in a fraction of a second to handle the information overload, while her body glazed in the red-bronze of enchanted blood-steel as contingency magic triggered in response to the unseen threat.

Where? Jennifer thought, stretching her enraged mind outward. Where are you fuckers? I will find you and your World will be BLED!

Before she could take further action a calm sensation carrying the flavor of her liege forcibly penetrated her mind. A message of enormous mental power derailed her rage. The message itself was without ill intent,  though it wracked her body causing her to cough a mouthful of blood into the spinning abyss of darkness.

“Master?” Jennifer asked after clearing her mouth fully, feeling like she had stepped into a rather obscure horror film.

Yes. The voice was a titanic echo of primordial power, tempered to prevent it from wiping her out of existence.

Jennifer blinked as understanding arrived. The Red Emperor hadn’t been eaten by the darkness.

He was the Darkness.

You know back in my day when people have titles, that’s what they are titles. Jennifer thought numbly. Not literal descriptions of their inhuman nature.

“Are you, ok?” Jennifer said tucking her sword back into the sheath and hanging her shield on the back of her armor. Magic armor and weapons were nifty for ease of use, compared to mundane stuff that was for sure. She had no complaints in that department of the new world at least.

Fine. Be done in a few minutes.

“Sure, I’ll just float here in the absolute abyss of the vacuum of space and watch my home planet floating below. No worries sir. Also, remind me to get a raise out of you later.” Jennifer said with her trademark aplomb. “On that note, please, raise my vacation days, and then find a way for me to take a long break. Very. Soon.”

Certainly. After the System, when the issue is handled tomorrow, and the minor problems with the Jade Emperor along with the Golden King are dealt with you may have a long vacation if you wish.

“Problems? What problems?” Jennifer said before gasping, “Were you all keeping me in the dark because of that one time I destroyed Greenie’s priceless family vase by accident?!” Greenie was her personal name for that insufferable twit called the Jade Emperor. Since no one ever corrected her, it was clear the name was an agreed form of derogatory address.

The Jade Emperor didn’t have many friends, toadies yes, friends no.

Jennifer Red glared at the surrounding darkness suspiciously as it suddenly grew deathly quiet. She made a mental note to corner Jeeves and beat the truth out of him later. He might be a demonic butler, but she could make him talk. It didn’t hurt he couldn’t pull any of that blood ninja bullshit on her in combat, either.

Everyone talked given enough time with her reading abysmal poetry at them. The smart one just cracked quicker, that’s all. Jeeves was insufferably smart so it didn't take much to break him.

Done. We return.

There was a red flash once more and the world twisted into focus once more. Jennifer gave one indecipherable glance at her Master noting how he didn’t even have a button out of place before she sighed.

“Will there be anything else until tomorrow, sir?” Jennifer asked.

“No.” The Red Emperor said before winking and vanishing.

Vacation. Jennifer thought opening her room and entering to head back to sleep. Soon.

The next day was a thrilling whirlwind that ended with her being bored out of her mind. There was no one to kill. Any terrorist stupid enough to strike at the meeting of the Five Colored Emperors was removed well before the actual meeting occurred.

Currently, Jennifer Red knelt behind the chair of her master, Matt Smith, who sat at the quaint large round table with four other beings of power. The other four were known by the names and myths of the ancient world. First, there was the Jade Emperor of the East a ruler of ruthless mien and manner. Then, the Golden King of the Green Isles, a fierce fighter whose golden blood of sacred honor shielded those under his rule. Third among them was the Brown Bear of the Wooded Lands, who laid claim to the vast forests of the world. Last was the Yellow Monk of Peace, a fitting name for one who sent countless hordes of monsters to eternal slumber. Jennifer held her scarlet aura close to the skin and did her best not to draw attention from those so far above her in the food chain, not even their tail could be seen.

The current discussion was about a serious issue that had finally taken the forefront of Earth’s problems. It was something that had been allowed to slide, yet now the time of choice was nigh. The far-reaching effects of the decision made by the Five Emperors would impact the lives of every human in the world. Such weight was attached to an almost simple choice Jennifer had learned from watching her Master at work.

The choice of which System to allow access to the dimension Earth resided within.

Each of the Systems has its own benefits and detriments to weigh. Jennifer thought as she watched the calm debate helmed by her liege. Yet, even with that, my Master pushes for one above the others.

It was a strange behavior that would have made little sense if Jennifer had not attended the meeting between her Master and the System that identified themselves as Wilson, held mere hours before this meeting. Her mind recalled the agreement that was struck by her liege with a crystalline clarity.

In a room with a simple table, her Master had met with the System known as Wilson. Both beings spoke not a word for almost an hour before finally the Red King had said, “State your demands.”

System Wilson had replied with a monotone voice, “The Deviant’s Core.”

The Red King had looked almost amused as he switched tactics like a trader from a dungeon bazaar and said, “Guaranteed ascendance to a Prime World if she asks for help, and only if she asks for help. You will provide three occasions of saving her life in the Deeps if she wanders into territory beyond her understanding. I will hold you personally accountable unless there is proven criminal stupidity on her part. Finally, assist her if she manages to ascend to the next layer of Primal Energy, the World Energy level. Do this, and the Deviant System Core from the only recorded System killed in these recent timelines is yours.”

There was another lengthy pause almost half an hour before the System said, “I will need to be Prime in this dimension so that a copy can be on hand to complete the deal. The Time Dilation is already reaching net-negative costs. You will ensure this?”

“Done. I will ensure you are chosen for this dimension. If any contest it, I will descend in my True Form from outside the planet to decide the issue completely.” the Red King said. Jennifer took note that those words caused the emotionless mask of the System known as Wilson to crack for a mere fraction of a moment. She had seen the Truth and knew the System knew even more than she had seen.

The fact that it was terrified of the knowledge was comforting to Jennifer in a strange way.

Her attention was yanked back from memory to the present as Jennifer felt a pulse of power from the Golden King as he said, “You cannot arbitrarily choose for us Red. We together decide what System is to be chosen.”

Jennifer Red felt the air shift as reality warped from her Master’s rage. The creature that commanded her body and soul, Matt Smith, took a deep breath before he said calmly like an unstoppable tsunami, “The System known as Wilson will be chosen. I have allowed the illusion of equality to maintain a delicate balance in a game among children. The game is over. The Monk and Bear will vote with me because they are not suicidal. You can accept the choice I have made, or your immortality will end.”

Jennifer’s eyes slid to the Monk and the Bear who sat stiller than crystal statues to the right of her master at the table. She noticed how the expression of the Monk was anticipatory, while the Bear showed a calm expression of ridicule at the Golden King.

Those two must know that Master has a True Form. Jennifer thought as her eyes narrowed. They are using a borrowed knife to kill, but as long as Master doesn’t care, neither shall I.

Her attention moved to the Golden King whose face was almost purple with rage. A glance at the Jade Emperor told her he wasn’t pleased with the ultimatum either. Jennifer’s eyes grew wide as she realized the light in the room was subtly bleeding away like blood from a wound. Panic crossed the features of the Golden King and Jade Emperor as they learned her Master had already taken action to enact his decree.

Leaping back from the table, the Jade Emperor and the Golden King’s aura grew into blazing bright green and gold. The darkness was driven back by the combined might of two Great Powers.

But their end had already been written in Jennifer’s eyes. Standing between the Darkness and one of his rare living family was nothing more than a grasshopper charging a truck windshield at full speed.

The result might not be as messy, but it would end just the same. Jennifer thought as true Dark began to descend around her.