Chapter 24: Meeting the Emperor and the Priestesses

“Dad, this is Horti, my betrothed,” said Craig as he introduced Horti to Jason and Jason to Horti.

“Finally, the young woman who stole your heart but no one wanted me to meet. Odalis Klohn, the Azloc Queen of intelligence, is champing at the bit to meet you. Horti, her priestess Queens, demanded she sees you as soon as you arrived. I could barely restrain my parents from being here—everyone, including the One, knows you except me. Even Philippa knows you well and is in business with you. Lauren knows you and is also in business with your family. Orma Chatzke sees you and speaks to you regularly. You and your friends stay on her estate. The Gromelix know you and are working with you. My old friend Yoyo knows you, and my intelligence division will tell me nothing about you,” said Jason.

Horti laughed.

“There have been odd goings-on in the Dinnion kingdom I can’t hear about and fishy business in the Coven and Collective.”

Horti and Craig chuckled.

“Young lady, I would like to know something about you and where you fit in,” said Jason the Emperor, opening his arms and hugging Horti. “I will decide after we’ve met you if we welcome you into the family. I suspect I won’t have any say as Philippa usually tells me what I should think.”

Jason smiled and kept his arm around Horti.

“Dad, she can give you a short and much longer version on holo-vid. Let’s introduce her to the Empresses and introduce us to my grandparents. Let’s have a drink and relax before dinner, then let’s eat, and after dinner, I suggest we show everyone the long version.”

“Craig, you feel different. I can’t tell what it is. You look well and content for the first time in a very long time.”

“That is an extraordinary story,” said Empress Andrea after Jason and the Empresses watched the more extended version. “How big is your Empire, did your friend say?”

“We have one-hundred-and-seventy-five trillion people,” said Horti. “Our multiverse is in the late twilight of its existence. We are technologically highly advanced.”

“As your friend could adjust to coming here, I assume your people can do the same?” Lisirra asked.

“She says they can. She is cagy and is holding important information back. She wants me to assemble a team to go to the other side.”

“Who should be on your team?” Linda, one of the empresses, asked.

“She won’t say but is happy with who is going so far.”

“Who is going?” Jason asked.

Horti told him.

“There is only one reason she is not telling you what you ask. Your situation is dangerous, and they hope you can solve the big, dangerous problem they face. They want to avoid bringing the issue with them. She is cagy because either there are competing parties, or she is split or both,” said Jason.

“She ducked and dived and wouldn’t be direct. Talking to her was like pulling teeth,” said Craig.

“They believe you can solve the problem. There are no new difficulties. Every problem has a mirror somewhere else,” said Jason.

“You are smiling, Horti?”

“They gave us a recently discovered game that prepares us for what we will face. In the game, one of the characters says the same. I will give you a copy; you will enjoy playing it and learning more about magic.”

“I have heard about this game. Everyone is playing it, and not even my grandchildren will give it to me. Even Porquenta is playing it. He can’t wait to disseminate it but said he can’t until you allow it. He says it is endless and has some of the hardest simulations he has ever encountered. I am told by my spies even Yoyo is addicted,” said Jason grinning. “I can understand why we were not to meet. Tomorrow afternoon I will show you what has happened this year. It is late, and you have been awake for twenty hours because of the time difference,” said Jason.

“Jason, I will be delighted to give you the game, but I suggest you play it with Porquenta as the server. Merken tells me I must meet the priestesses; how will I go about it?” Horti asked.

“I will arrange for you to meet Odalis tomorrow morning. Send me both versions of your history. I will send the longer version to her. She, like most Azloc, hardly sleeps. She will be prepared when you meet her and have discussed it with the other priestess queens,” said Jason.

“What do you think of Horti, Jason?” Philippa asked as they retired to their massive bed.

“I like her. I was prepared to be skeptical, but she impressed me far more in person than I expected. She is an extraordinary young lady and has already changed Craig more than anyone or anything has done. I can feel a backbone and a new determination. He used to be stubborn and oppositional. He has matured and has dealt with major problems with equanimity.”

“What problems do you foresee,” asked Andrea, another of the empresses.

“Imagine the situation in her universe. There are her people, perhaps some allies, and there are enemies. Everyone knows the multiverse is dying, and they have nowhere to go. They know only her people have a way out. She comes from a massive civilization. There will be fighting and backbiting no matter how far ahead of us they are. You know how bad things were in Norbut 19 before my parents left. We had wars with the Grork and the Gazronnaas.”

“You coped, and so will she,” said Linda.

“Horti is worse off than I was. I began as a more mature adult. She is a child going into a morass of difficulties. She must go with a team of outstanding people to support her, and we must give her great people to help her once her people move here,” said Jason.

“Aren’t you worried about many people coming to our universe with much more advanced technology than us?” Philippa asked.

“I do, but I don’t detect any deceit in the girl. Your mother sees her as a daughter, as do your aunts. I wonder what Merken thinks of her?”

“She adores her and sees her as a great queen. She tells me she is a pure spirit,” said Philippa. “The Dinnion seers said the same.”

“If Merken adores her, I need no other recommendation,” said Jason. “She is an impeccable judge of character.”

“What does the One think of her?” Jason asked.

“He shares Merken’s opinion. She let him into her mind, and he asked to follow her across,” said Philippa. “Monty told me the Una decided to move to bodies with Horti’s genes. He will be the first to change over.”

“I wouldn’t mind some of her genes,” said Jason, grinning. “My brain feels overcrowded.”

“I am Odalis Klohn; I am an Azloc priestess. I am pleased to meet you, Horti. My Mother-Superior will join me, as will our senior queens. Greetings, Craig; we briefly met previously.”

“It is not a problem. I am happy to see whoever you wish,” said Horti. “I was expecting only you, Odalis, but I welcome the others.”

“The Mother-Superior and the others will be with us shortly. She will be the one who will talk to you and assess you. I intended to interview you, and if you answered my questions as expected, I would have invited you to visit our convent. I sent my superiors your presentation, and they surprised me at my home half an hour ago. I did not plan to surprise you with others.”

“Odalis, it is not an issue,” said Horti. “At the beginning of the year, I didn’t know anyone important. This year I discovered many extraordinary people. I have become friends with many of them. I am the only person I know little about and must learn the most. The more I understand, the less I know.”

Odalis chuckled.

Odalis met Horti in her human body, not her spider form. She was a tall woman with piercing black eyes wearing a royal blue cloak, black trousers, and close-fitting thigh-high boots.

“I have a gift to give you or the Mother Superior,” said Horti, paused and canted her head to the side as if listening. “She is on the way down and will join us shortly. I do like the Azloc server system and network. The Emperor’s grandchild, Chuck, showed me how to get on it. We constantly use it. I am on yours; can you feel me?” Horti asked.

The Mother Superior strode in dressed in black robes, sat opposite Horti, and looked at her intently.

‘Yes, Mother Superior, you do feel familiar. It is disquieting but comfortable.’

‘Child, you can hear me telepathically?’

‘Yes, and I am also on your network,’ said Horti replying telepathically. ‘Can you, Craig?’

‘Yes, I can use both ways.’

‘Extraordinary, no one has ever gotten onto our special network. Similarly, no one has ever managed to hear my telepathic thoughts,’ said the Mother Superior.

‘I am sorry, Mother Superior. Your thoughts and network are so powerful I cannot help but receive them. I will disconnect and not listen to your thinking. It is hard to shut it out. It is so loud. That is it. I have done it. Please go ahead and ask anything you wish,’ said Horti smiling.

“Several of us are tasked to solve a problem that mirrors yours,” said the Mother Superior.

“You guys also come from our multiverse?” Horti asked.

“Yes, we do. The Destroyer priestess oracles approached us recently and told us of a young woman seeking a solution, as were we. We were to assess you and decide if we should offer assistance. The fate of this Universe will hinge on what we decide,” said the Mother Superior. “The Destroyer Oracles tell us the Emperor will play a critical role but will not accompany you. He will offer you people to strengthen your team. Later he will provide vital help.”