Mr. Dove and the Pipes of Creation - The Final Chapters

[davedove]

Scene 104

My mind raced as I tried to think my way out of this situation. I had been so accepting of the people that the Pleaters had sent to help me, that I had completely failed to notice a plant in my ranks.

James led the way as the guards took me through the hallways, deeper into the castle of the Emperor of the North.

“What are you going to do with me?” I asked him.

“That is up to the Emperor. The Chancellor just wanted to have you eliminated, but I convinced the Emperor that I could bring you to him.” He chuckled. “The Emperor was intrigued with the man who was causing him so much trouble, escaping all the traps that had been set.”

“I didn’t do it alone.”

“Oh, no, you had a lot of help. I don’t know how you convinced so many to follow you on such an insane quest, but it did make my infiltration so much easier.”

“No more insane than the Emperor’s quest to destroy all the worlds of existence.”

“Oh, you just do not understand. We are not destroying them. The Emperor is making them better, perfect!”

I shook my head in resignation. Obviously, James was part of the delusion and couldn’t be convinced otherwise.

As we walked, the hallways had become more well-kept, more ornate. We were obviously getting closer to our destination.

We approached a large, secure-looking door, with too large, very alert, very well-armed guards outside.

“Inform the Emperor that I have brought him Mr. Dove,” James told the guards. “He has been expecting us.”

“Yes, Minister!” the guard barked out and then turned to step inside the door.

After only a few moments, he returned. “The Emperor is ready to receive you.”

James entered the room and the guards led me in after him.

“Emperor,” James declared, “I have brought you the man known as Mr. Dove!”

“Yes, I can see,” said a very familiar voice. “Bring him closer.”

After all I had seen recently, I should have expected something like this, but it still took me by surprise. The voice was so familiar, because it came from a very familiar person. Although the face was a bit younger and more weather-worn, it was a face I had seen many times before.

It was a face I saw every time I looked into a mirror.

“Hello, brother,” the Emperor of the North said to me.