It took 3 days to return to Terris Magai...
A gathering was being held at the war table,a new Queen has been selected,a dark haired,light skinned human female,appearing quite jaded from the passage of time. They were discussing plans of action when Pyrra and Diane enter the room.
"Uh...who-"
"I am Liara,elected queen of Terris Magai,and you are?" The Queen asked without so much as turning to them.
"Pyrra and Diane,Grayson's spare Quest Detail." Diane said,raising the messengerbag containing the laptop they had collected.
"Ah,yes,the Male's retrieval team. Condolances to your lost comrades,Commander Diane. Unfortunately for all of us...Grayson has fallen in battle as well,and is currently comatose somewhere in the world. We are on our own yet again..."
Diane looks to the computer,then to the queen. "What...do we do,then?"
"Until Grayson's return to the concious world,we have to safeguard the device. We cant afford it falling into the wrong hands,even the Empress'." Liara responds. The group departs,allowing the queen through. She extends her hand,"The device,Diane?"
Diane squints at the taller queen..
"My liege,I must insist that I keep the device until Grayson's return. It is mandatory the device makes it to his hands alone for immediate evacuation from the world. If he's unconcious,where can I find him?"
The queen visibly clammed up....
"T-thats just the thing...We dont know. We recieved the news from a lone Miner,a ginger haired woman by the name of Alex whom returned alone."
Diane sighs...
She hands over the gold-clad device,and the queen opens it. The screen was on,but it had a login password and profile name..
"Grayson"
"Well go-fucking-figure the male owns the damn thing!! What do we do now?!" One of the generals yelled out.
"We go back to square one. There are still bigger situations to worry about." Liara said as she closed the laptop and returned it to Diane for safekeeping.
"Like..? I've been out of the loop for 3 days." Diane said as she approached the table.
"Since Grayson's supposed return in a comatose state the Empress has been picking up where Gladya left off by redeploying her troops to select strongholds. The thing is,they arent attacking us. There are reports of males spawning in the world again." Liara said,gesuring to a map with spawn hotzones.
"So she's attacking spawn points?" Diane asked.
"No,she's preparing for a territory lockout by taking one fourth of the continent using her strongholds as a placeholder. A truce was appearantly already in place for us,but men were forbidden from crossing that line."
"That's...A notably tame and smart move..." Diane said in astonishment.
"Its a filtration tactic. There is only one male that set off this cataclysm,and none of us know where he is,The Empress included. If I were an all-powerful entity seeking someone like that and are suspect of a long search,that would be my first move." Pyrra said.
"The Empress is challenging us to find him first..." Diane said softly.
"Where do we even start?" One general asked..
"Well we already know The Empress isnt planning on moving until she finds Grayson,dead or alive. So we have to lock out the rest of the continent and hope the peace is kept."
The doors to the war room open loudly,revealing The Empress in ornate armor. She looks to the bewildered group,and begins to approach,seemingly not wanting to be a threat.
Guards moved into place.
The Empress snaps her fingers,and the guards suddenly line up in parallel to let her through. Every last one moved as if they had been possessed..
"I wasn't expecting this warm of a welcome,Liara."
"But you-"
"Shouldn't be here? It's a violation of law? I am what you refer to as a nightmarish tyrant? You really don't know me,do you? You should know if I wanted to kill anyone in this room I would have done it. I want the male." The Empress said in a smooth tone.
"You're not going to find him here. He's gone." Liara said.
Diane began to slink out of the room,when one of the possessed guards block her way.
"The Empress demands your audience." She said...
"Diane,was it? I see you found The Relic. Why not hand it over so you can be on your way?" The Empress said as she turned her attention to Diane.
"Sorry,the device is not for sale or grabs. It stays with me."
The Empress turns to her.
"The device. Now."
The guards began to pull their weapons,as Diane drew her own sword. "Pyrra..with me..."
Pyrra nods,lighting a fire in her hand.
"I hate to be a hypocrite. I don't want to harm anyone.." The Empress attempted to persuade with a slow drawl,reaching for her sword,"But anyone that gets in the way of the revenge I am owed will regret it."
"I already regret quite a lot in the short time I've known you. So that makes two of us..."
Tension filled the air.
The Empress chuckles,"So,while we stand around and glare at each other,do you have any questions?"
"What did Grayson even take from you?" Pyrra asked.
"He and his lackeys killed Gladya. She had promised me a host body in trade for infinite power."
Diane laughed,almost as if it were the best joke ever told.
Her laugh echoed slightly.
The Empress glared at Diane as she got her laughter in.
"If you're done making jokes,we have many things to discuss,and a debt to collect." The Empress said.
The guards stand down,but usher everyone into place. "As you have expected I am looking for this...'Grayson' you speak of. Shortly after Gladya was defeated,I had to take her place in this all too solid and heavy form until her debt to Herobrine is paid. To avoid as much conflict and confusion as we can,I only want a few things."
"Those are..?" Liara asked,raising a brow at the Empress' strange behavior.
"I want my own territory. Only Women are permitted there. Men are to be executed or detained on sight."
"Yes yes,we got your scroll. Anything else?" Liara asked,motioning for her to move it along.
"I want the rights to further settle territory,as long as anyone in the area is informed of the change to expel the unwanted."
"Everyone?" Liara asked.
"Everyone. Even your beloved...things." The Empress said.
"Anything or anyone within my jurisdiction is subject to my law. No matter how small the territories. Those who do not wish to stay are to evacutate within the hour. As for this..'Grayson' you seem so fond of protecting,a nationwide bounty is to be on his head for his crimes against my domain."
"But-"
Liara pulls Diane close,"We arent in a spot to bargain..Not with our backs to a cliff. The sooner the Empress accepts our terms the better."
Diane sighs...
"Is there anything else worth discussing,Empress?" Liara asked,as she nervously intertwined her fingers.
"Yes..one last thing..."
The possessed guards sieze Pyrra and Diane-
Diane's bag was taken as she was held still.
"I CANT do anything without this." She said,as she opens the laptop,and somehow gets into the computer. It was a black screen,with white code pouring in..
She typed in a line of her own code to be relayed into the computer.
"Do you recognize this,Pyrra? Surely a genious like yourself knows." The Empress asked.
Pyrra spent a moment reading the code,before going pale..
"I asked you a question ,Pyrra. Any tick now." The empress gently growls.
"T-That is the Code of Reality...O-our...reality..."
"Correct. Every waking thought and breath of this realm be you woman,monster or beast is determined by this lovely relic of the gods. The very tapestry of life itself. Mine- no- OURS to determine. As a show of good sport,i will not take it for myself.." The empress said as she signaled for the guards to release Pyrra and Diane,returning the laptop to its bag,and handing it to its owner.
"But I will hunt for it when the time comes to take what is owed."
"Ill enjoy seeing you try." Diane said confidently.