A World Apart: The Chronicles of Delilah Faylinn

When The Tables Turned

    Claude’s plan was set to go into motion on the night of High Council’s ball. This was an annual affair of which anyone who was anyone attended. One was always held in the world of light and the other in the world of dark. It was an event intended for everyone to celebrate the consistency of peace in both lands as well as for everyone to pat the High Council on the back for doing such a good job. All of the wealthy and famous were in attendance even all of the members of the High Council. 

    The event displayed wide scale and lavish entertainment, century’s age old wine and champagne, fine dining and classical music. There were large golden and well-lit chandeliers hanging from the ceiling, long spiraling staircases of either side of the hall with large archways holding the most beautiful of statues. At the end of the staircases were butlers and servicemen. Outside of the building there were coachmen, footmen, and chauffeurs driving and parking the most extravagant of automobiles. The women displayed the most expensive jewelry that ever existed around their necks, ears and hands, while their counterparts shined with valor in the most elaborate suits, tuxedoes and shoes. 

    Claude's followers spent the evening getting into position, camouflaging themselves as waiters and caterers completely unnoticed by anyone else. He spent most of the evening shaking hands, discussing politics and showing off his most precious possession, which now was Delilah. The men followed her everywhere as if one word from her would send them into complete euphoria. Claude held Delilah’s hand so tightly as if to physically represent his possession over her. The men were definitely pushing their luck being so close to her. 

    Everyone danced to the classical sounds that the orchestra played and were merry. Those who drank did indeed get drunk, and the food served was the best that anyone could ask for. Delilah might have enjoyed herself under different circumstances, that is to say if she was not with Claude and if this night was not to end in absolute terror. The last event for the night were the acknowledgements and last minute speeches to close out the ball and send everyone on their merry way. People began heading towards their pre-designated seats, with the High Council sitting in the very middle of the floor at the biggest and most decorated table in direct view of the stage. Surrounding their table were the round tables of everyone in attendance. As everyone was seated, and after every official gave their speeches to report on yet another marvelous year of peace in the lands, and outstanding commerce with Claude making sure he was the last to give his speech. He rose from his chair with a confidence and power unmatched by any other official in the building. Claude pridefully cleared his throat and then began to speak with a particularly divisive tone. 

(Claude) Good evening to all, and to everyone in their respective places! What I have to say tonight will undoubtedly take you all by surprise. It is however the greatest news you will have ever received, you see I unlike many of you could care less about the success rate of our commerce or peace in our lands! You all remain oblivious to the fact that the High Council takes very drastic measures in order to sustain this fabricated peace you seem to enjoy. I know the going’s on of what they do. They imprison anyone whom they perceive as a threat to their governance that includes men, woman, and children. They have even imprisoned entire families, and to that I am a witness! 

    With an evil grin on his face he admitted to saving Delilah’s innocent family from the High Counsel’s prisons. He went on and on about how they were a corrupt government and how much they take advantage of their power. Everyone began to look around uncomfortably from the array of Claude’ s allegations. The High Council decided enough was enough and it was time to shut him down. 

(High Council) This manner in which you speak is high treason, Mr. Radagast! Now we are willing to overlook your comments as you must be drunk with stupidity. Sit down now or the next word you speak will be your very last. 

Claude scoffed at them as he puffed up his chest.

(Claude) As if you could ever silence me! Now you will hear what I have to say, after all it is common courtesy! 

    The High Council nodded to each other in agreement on the move that they should make next as if it were an obvious unanimous decision. They began to move forward to the stage on which Claude now stood. He saw their intentions and gave a preemptive nod to Delilah. With one look at the council members and without uttering a single word, Delilah froze them all where they stood. It generated a wide spread panic and the people began to run for the doors. It was to their dismay that the doors were locked and in front of them now stood Claude’ s followers. Claude started to speak again. 

(Claude) How rude of you all to try and leave before I am finished speaking! Have you no manners? Sit down or I will wipe all you out with just a flick of my wrist! 

    Claude took to the podium again. 

(Claude) Now I know you may be wondering how my wife was able to overpower not one but eight men with just a look, he snickered. You see she is not like you feeble minded people whose magic is limited your miniscule imaginations! She is my true equal and further more passed your comprehension! Now back to the matter at hand, in light of the recent transgressions of the High Council I demand that we all vote to have them removed from office and I nominate myself to take their place as King of Edom! 

    The High Council looked on in horror, and everyone remaining rose up in an uproar. Some began shouting that they would never vote for Claude, some shouted that he was insane and that he could not rule while the council still existed! Delilah merely looked on, unable to show her emotions because if she did they would surely betray her, but then also something inside of her was somewhat enjoying the spectacle that was before her. 

(Claude) Everyone please calm down, of course I cannot rule while the council remains! That would be preposterous! Do you think I have not thought of this? So I have also come up with a solution to that problem! 

    Claude held his hand out to Delilah as if to give her the go ahead. She closed her fists as if to crush whatever was resting inside her palm. In the next instant the High Council burst into a million pieces and piled up like rubble onto the floor. In that instant a full blown riot broke out, there was widespread panic and confusion by which fighting ensued. Claude looked on with delight where he stood as little by little his followers began to kill and destroy everyone in the room who tried to fight or run. Within minutes the room fell silent as all the corpses and bodies piled up all over the floor. He was beside himself with content. He could not believe how easy that was. He thought for sure he would have to break a sweat! His followers looked just as pleased as he did. He turned to look at Delilah even more pleased with her than anyone else, because with her at his side who could possibly stand in his way?! After a short while Claude now looked back at the room with disgust. 

(Claude) Ugggh, such a waste! Look at all of this blood on my shoes! All they had to do was to listen and obey. I would have spared their lives. A King could never have too many servants! Let this place serve as an example to those who believe they can disobey me! 

    As Claude turned to leave and with flick of his wrist the entire building went up in flames. Without the council to stand in his way it did not take too long for he and his followers to come down on the unsuspecting world of Amaris like a plague of locusts destined to destroy everything in its path. In the passing weeks his followers ravaged people in and out of their homes, torched entire cities, and brought anyone who was against them to their knees in pain and suffering. They were indeed ruthless. Men, woman and children were beaten and murdered as Delilah looked on in complete disbelief. She had no idea the extent to which he intended to enforce his power so she kept herself in the shadows as if to hide herself from the brunt of all the destruction. Claude took notice after a while and went to speak with her after they took up residence in the home he once meant for Lovell and Clarabelle to be raised in. 

(Claude) What is it my dear? Does this all sicken you? I will admit it is a bit much even for my taste.

(Delilah) I have never seen so much blood, is it all necessary? 

(Claude) Of course it is my dear, this is war! We cannot expect people to obey us willingly; we have to show our dominance and our strength so that they will not fight our reign! Surely you did not think they would just roll over and let us take what we want! 

(Delilah) I guess not. 

(Claude) Don’t you worry; this will all be over soon! But I do have a surprise for you! 

(Delilah) What is it? 

(Claude) Remember, when I told you that all of this fuss would get a rise out of your precious Faylinn family? 

(Delilah) Yes, I remember. 

(Claude) Well guess what? I have sent my followers to gather them all up for you so that you may exact your revenge on them for what they have so denied you! It may take a couple of days as you know they will not come without a fight, so you can sit tight and figure out what you would like to do to them. I will call on you when we have them all, my love! 

    A part of Delilah was somewhat sickened by the idea of seeing the Faylinn family along with all the feelings that had haunted her for so long. They had casted her and her family out and forced them to live in poverty. They had denied her the privilege that she was rightfully born into. They had denied her a father and her mother a husband. If it had not been for them none of this would be happening right now. She would have never met Claude, let alone be married to him. She would know who she was; she would not have had to feel like something had been missing her entire life. She would not have felt so alone! In that moment something switched on in Delilah and in that same moment she decided now was the time to take on the Faylinns herself. 

(Claude) Where are you going my dear?! 

(Delilah) I am going out; suddenly this place is a bit too stuffy for me! 

    Claude realized what he had done when he saw the look on her face. He knew all he had to do was mention the Faylinns to get a rise out of her. What Delilah did not know though is that he had sent her family to collect the Faylinns knowing full well that they would be killed in the process because they were no match for them. In doing this he could ensure that Delilah would wipe them out for him and would not have to deal with all the Faylinn. They would have surely been too much for him alone to handle. In all honesty they probably could manage to kill him! With a smile on his face he knew exactly where she was going, and quickly said… 

(Claude) I am going to come with you my darling, the world beyond these walls are dangerous right now! I would be beside myself if anything ever happened to you!

(Delilah) Suit yourself, husband! 

    With every step that Delilah took, she left death in her wake. It was as if Delilah was not herself anymore. She turned rioters into stone and marble and left them standing in the street like monuments. Anyone who was unlucky enough to cross her path she vaporized instantly. With a simple wave of her hand she would move bodies to the side that lined the streets as if they were particles of air. Claude walked by her side enjoying the darkness that he thought he had created, and relishing in the fact that he thought he controlled it. Like he told Delilah before, he could make her do anything he wanted her to.

    Delilah and Claude walked amongst the chaos in the streets unscathed and unaffected by what was happening around them. They walked for what seemed like hours until they reached the grounds of the Faylinn compound. House after house existed on these grounds that belonged to all of the families of the Faylinn household. Delilah looked at all the houses and realized that in one of these many houses she was supposed to be raised, loved and cherished. As her anger grew, the grass on which she walked and the flowers she passed withered and died away and turned the ground black with death. Delilah and Claude walked until they reached the largest of castles on the compound where the eldest generation and the strongest of the Faylinn family resided. As Delilah entered the walkway and walked up the steps the doors opened with a force so powerful it took everyone inside by surprise. Delilah stood frozen in place at the sight that materialized before her. The grounds outside looked untouched by the battle erupting beyond its gates and she had naturally assumed that until now the Faylinn had managed to avoid the fight, but on the floors of their house were the bodies of her entire family. 

(Delilah) What is this? What is my family doing here? Why is my family on the floor dead?! 

(Faylinns) They came into our house, demanding that we come with them and when we refused tried to kill us! Who are you and why are you now in our home? We will not be forced out by anyone! 

    Delilah screamed out a deafening cry that broke every window in the room and broke down into tears at the sight of her family outstretched on the floor before her. She went to each one in disbelief hoping they were still alive. Claude took this as an opportunity to introduce himself and cleared his throat to announce his presence as the Faylinn family fell screaming and covering their ears. They could tell who Mr. Radagast was by his dark demeanor and presence. 

(Faylinns) You are a Radagast you are not welcome here, leave now!

(Claude) Who exactly is going to make me leave? Are you not aware of what is going on outside of these walls? There is a war going on outside and you think you are immune to it? How typical of you Faylinn! Well it does not matter anyway, we have brought the war personally to your doorstep and I am to be referred to as your Royal Highness or Majesty from here on out. 

(Faylinns) Your royal what? You are not royalty, what you are doing here is treason! Wait until the High Council hears about this! 

(Claude) The High Council? Oh I am so sorry, it’s not like you could have known. You are so caught up in your own ignorance that you have no idea what is going on around you. It is my privilege to inform you that the High Council has been obliterated and I in its stead am now your ruler! 

(Faylinns) The High Council, destroyed that is impossible no one can do that! You sir, are a liar! 

(Claude) I am no liar, and yes they are dead or else everything happening now would not be taking place now would it? Anyway let me introduce you to my wife, you may know of her she is after all Delilah Faylinn. You cast her and her mother out when she was born because she was more powerful than you. Do you not remember? 

    The Faylinn family gasped and became flustered as they looked at Delilah hovering over her family as they began to realize who she was. Delilah heard the gasps and snapped back to reality, as she stood up the ground started to shake, while the walls moaned and groaned from the force being pressured against it desperately trying to remain standing. The Faylinns began to step away from her vicinity. Delilah turned her head slowly towards Claude. There was such darkness in her face that he had never seen before and it honestly made him frightened. 

(Delilah)The followers you sent here to collect the Faylinn were my family! 

(Claude) Calm down darling, you could not possibly expect me to know that they would kill them! 

(Delilah) Oh but I do, everything you do is calculated and planned! You planned this! You did this to them! 

    Claude did not expect Delilah to react this way; after all he thought she loved him. He thought that she would be so caught up with the fact that they were killed by the Faylinns that she would completely miss the obvious. His words began to stutter and stumble, he could not figure out the right words to diffuse her rage. In that instant Delilah had remembered that for all this time she had been waiting for the opportunity to do away with Claude without him being able to harm her or her family. Now her family was gone, there was nothing holding her back. He could not control her anymore. As Claude had finally mustered up what he was about to say she had silenced him by splitting his body into two equal parts. She watched as his eyes rolled to the back of his head with his insides bursting out of his body and as his two halves fell onto the ground. She could not help but to smile. Finally she was rid of him, and just like that Mr. Radagast was no more.