Chapter 20

Salty Potato

When the Empress asked me, "What do my visions mean?" I had already begun to sink into the confusion.

There were the small group of kids huddled in the street, as she had described, but the vision told me that they wouldn't survive. They were simply slaving children that were captured after the war ended. I supposed that this was the scene where we lost. I saw the vault, full of steaming red liquid. Upon closer inspection, it seemed to be.....oh god. It was the most highly flammable substance in the land. A popular torture method. A mixture of sugar, blood orange, gasoline, red licorice, a sulfur compound, and cinnamon. It would be used to slather the poor souls on the crucifix.

See, our version of the crucifixion is rather horrid. The victims' hands and feet get nailed to the cross. They slowly suffocate, and while they suffocate the substance is poured over their bodies. Afterward, they would be burned to death whilst suffocating. It is the most painful thing to experience, and I knew for a fact that it was the Soda Sorcerer's favorite form of punishment.

My vision was that the liquid was meant for Wintermint Cookie after Soda Sorcerer would force her hand in marriage to gain control of Savoria. He would then kill her and say it was an accident. He would be appointed Emperor, and the world would be shattered.

He would have a new palace built, and he would burn the old one down. The pile of dark flaming rubble would be the aftermath.

There was another part of the vision. One where we won. I saw great soldiers die, countless more wounded, yet we would prevail in this scene. I saw the great flag of Savoria raised into the sky. All the while, we would be celebrating or mourning, tending to our comrades. The citizens celebrate. The slaves are bathed and clothed, fed and given shelter. They are free at last.

The vision proceeded to show me the way we would win. I saw the Empress disguising herself, applying soft, warm tones of red to her lips, midnight black mascara and eyeliner to her eyes. It was all sickeningly beautiful when she finished. She donned a delicate blue velvet evening gown, and I was positively gagging at this rarely seen sight. I saw her curtsying before the Soda Sorcerer, and one of our spies handing him very strong alcohol, one that erases all logic and increases irrational emotion. One of the most dangerous things in the world. Especially dangerous if the perpetrator has ill intent. Before I knew it, he was befuddled and asked for the Empress's hand in marriage. She beckoned sweetly for him to join her upstairs. I saw a silver knife in her hand behind her back. He drunkenly stumbled towards her. She slit his throat and face. He died, but his spirit possessed the thousands of Soda Soldiers to attack Savoria at once. We had been apparently informed of the Empress's plan and were waiting at the gates. The victory ensued. I woke up from this vision and told the Empress of my vision.

She sighed and said, "Oh, how I hate makeup. But this is a good plan. I'll see to it. But one thing."

"Yes, my Empress?"

"I don't know a thing about makeup. You'll have to do most of it. I believe you were once a makeup artist for a festival?"

I sighed. "Fine."