Chapter 2
Growing Nightmare
Orphea landed once the town was out of sight, conserving the magical energies she’d been drawing out from herself. With a split second to fix her bow, she took up a brisk walking pace. The evening was upon her, light beyond the clouds fading.
Ravencourt was bathed in shadows in moments, chilling winds drifting across the land. The clouds were most effective at choking out a dying light.
Orphea walked along. Enduring mild cold was something she knew was a common trait. She still took all the precautions, magical charms ready to warm her hands, the spells to create shelter from a harsh night written into her memory. ‘So, by my calculations, we’ll reach the village of Mossgrove in three hours. Once I get there, I’ll rest the night and buy my supplies for the trek to the town near the border forests, and then I can cross to my destination.’
‘Your destination?’
‘I’ll let you know when we get there. I’m not in the mood to take advice from people that can’t leave me alone in my own head.’
‘Well how rude! You know, most people would be overjoyed to have the chance to talk with their departed grandfather again.’
‘I never knew mine. I believe he worked himself to death in his thirties.’ Orphea thought, as she kept up her hasty walking. She’d done all the calculations in advance, she’d measured out her walking speed, how many days she’d have to stop outside the safety of civilisation, how long it would take to cross Alterac, and even weighed up whether or not Ravencourt would be able to stage a full-scale invasion of her safe haven.
‘Well, at least you’re prepared. But this isn’t a journey that will be easy. If you-’
Of course, none of these calculations had accounted for both of them being suddenly silenced by a great shockwave of magic, a ripple so almighty that even on the other side of the Nexus, people would feel it.
The Dark Nexus was opened.
Orphea clapped a hand over her mouth and stood very straight, before standing alert. “This seems problematic.” She uttered clearly, just as she always did when a village decided to try and betray her. Then normal thinking took over. “Grandfather, I think we’d best hurry. We need to avoid capture.”
‘No need to say it verbally.’
She ran a few steps more, and floated up, rushing forwards. ‘You’d think it would take longer to break such a seal.’
‘Well, our collectively disowned relative DOES have a Singularity. There’s a great deal of power locked inside those gems.’
‘…I won’t give up. I only have one chance- I can’t let it end after getting so far.’ Orphea spurred herself on, rushing down the path.
It took two hours to complete her swift run to Mossgrove, and Orphea saw the guards at the gates stand to attention as she approached. That was strange, surely they’d heard by now that she was a traitor? The Raven Lord had announced it across all the realm! She’d expected to have to sweep them aside and vanish into the alleyways, before making a quick trip to some third-rate inn desperate enough to accept a Butcher demon if it had coins.
As she got a little closer, she saw one was carrying a lance, with a pistol on his hip. His uniform was slightly unironed- technically against regulations, but enforcing things that strictly wasn’t going to do morale any good. The second had a standard-issue enchanted bow, and a nice Bowie knife strapped to his hip. The standard setup for guarding a gate.
“Lady Orphea.” The first saluted.
“Greetings, sir.” Orphea dropped to the ground gracefully, walking forwards but paying careful attention to weapons and reach. Her clothes could only protect her so much. “I take it you’ve heard the news?”
The second guard stepped aside. “We’ve no plans to let anyone know we saw you.”
The first looked around, as if someone could be listening. “We… recieved a phone call from Towertown. The head of the guards was… mutilated and executed for failure to catch you, and…”
“We don’t think we can possibly win. So you can play nice and we’ll turn a blind eye for now. But you’ll be watched, and if there’s even a peep out of you we’re all going to attack.” He finished, holding his lance firmly. “That’s our ultimatum we all agreed on.”
“Well, I commend the initiative, but I could be a serious threat.” Orphea pointed out. This felt like the world’s most blatant trap. “I could come in and show you why I’ve been branded a traitor.”
‘Girl, are you out of your mind?!’
“…It’s a fair worry of ours. But we know we can’t beat The Enforcer with two normal men. It’d take all us guards. If we have to put the town at risk for it to stand a chance… that’s what we do, ma’am.”
Orphea lightly crossed her arms. “Well, I’m glad you all think so highly of me. I’ll abide by your request, but don’t think I’ll take kindly to any attempt to stab me in the back.”
“Then you… may proceed.” The guard said, with a nervous swallow. Even at this distance, Orphea could tell they were on edge. Was that indicative they were about to attack?
‘Ah, I see now.’ Osiris mused. ‘You had to fish for information on the political climate.’
‘…Not quite how I’d put it, but reasonable.’ Orphea walked through. ‘Be ready to supply me with extra magic, and don’t unless instructed. I’m trained to fight off a group of attackers, but it won’t be pretty, and it’s not a simple dance routine.’
The town was dim at this hour, enchanted streetlamps giving off a ghostly blue light. Orphea smiled a bit at seeing one of those lamps. They were designed not to ruin your night vision, and the blue fire was indeed gentle on the eyes, flickering inside a classic glass lampshade atop a steel post. She could only feel pride at knowing Ravencourt’s research and skill with the arcane let it stand equal to worlds of science and technology… not that they opposed such things.
So, the next step was simple. Find an inn that would accept a girl who was carrying a large object wrapped in cloth on her back.
‘How much gold are you carrying, Orphea?’
‘…I couldn’t rob my father’s coffers. Ethics aside, too difficult. I have some items I can barter with. Bits of formal wear like rings, some keepsakes.’
‘And you have no personal savings?’
‘Why would I? I was the heir apparent to Ravencourt. I suppose I still am, although that’s not worth much without a convoy that can cover my expenses.’
‘That, and your father wanted to keep you on a short leash, I imagine…’
‘Please. Don’t think ill of my father… ruling is difficult. Ruling a land that’s pressed for food, in a world that constantly changes, facing threats that all have the potential to be civilisations developed to the point they can snap their fingers and launch a nuclear barrage? Not a day went past that I didn’t respect him, even if I got angry sometimes.’
‘Yet now…’
‘Yes. Unleashing the Dark Nexus is unforgivable. Even if we were on the verge of total collapse… beyond taboo. I just can’t think why he’d ever consort with it… he was a smart man.’ Orphea confirmed. She looked over the streets, scanning the many shops that had closed, and the other shops that had stayed open. There ought to be an inn of some description here, the town sprung up from a necessity to give travellers rest on the way to Towertown.
All that was interrupted as Orphea felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end.
‘Grandfather, do you feel that?’ Orphea turned around slowly, sure she’d felt something cold. Something that made her blood tingle.
‘Dark Nexus. Coming this way- I’m sure of it.’
Orphea grit her teeth, then relaxed. To show panic would be unbecoming. She walked back towards the gate, trying to peer through. There was a faint light on the horizon… a green one.
No, it wasn’t on the horizon. It was travelling along the ground. And it was getting closer fast. “Guards, what’s that?” Orphea called out.
“We… don’t know, ma’am.” Responded one who’d been standing by.
“I sense something from it… and I don’t like it!” Orphea snapped her fingers, and a little ball of shadowy energy with a ghostly-white core formed. “Be ready, it may be hostile!”
“Can we really trust you right now?!” The guard snapped.
Before more words could be said, there was an explosion at the gate. A huge blast of green flame and rock, all layered with a bizarre triangular pattern. The gate was reduced to a smoking crater, and Orphea resignedly wrote off two guardsmen. They’d been less than competent, although in her favor. Left standing in the blast zone was a green… thing. Some kind of amalgamation of smooth stone shards, arranged around a spherical core that shone with light.
“That must be from…” Whispered Orphea, concentrating on her bolt of magic. This didn’t feel like the sort of enemy to go down in one hit, so evasion might be required. She raised her voice. “All nearby guards, attack! Sound the alarm bells, and be ready to order an evacuation!”
“Yes, ma’am!” Responded the nearest guard, dutifully taking up a lance and running in… alone. A blast of some kind of sickly hellfire turned him to dust in a second, as he didn’t even attempt to mitigate the damage.
‘Oh, they’re not even using a formation. Wonderful.’ Orphea rolled her eyes. ‘Seems I have to do the babysitting, as normal.’ She prepared to hurl her bolt of Dead Magic, before it fizzled in her hands. ‘Grandfather?! What are you-’
‘Think, Orphea. If you try and fight that, the fight will destroy the village. And you’d be giving it a lot of time to call in reinforcements… as well as showing yourself for The Raven Lord to try and send more attacks. We should try and lead it away from here, and lose it in the wilderness.’
‘…’ Orphea closed her hand. ‘You’re right. But I’m more than a little irritated that this thing thinks it can attack one of my villages.’ She put a foot forwards, getting into posture, and started to walk forwards. "You! You’ve attacked an innocent settlement, and I will show you what we do to raiders here.’ She made a show of flaring up with power, stepping into the air to gain height and an intimidation factor.
A blast of hellfire seared the air she’d been floating in, but like a mirage Orphea was over to one side.
“Tsk, can’t even hit a thirteen year old? Try again.” She inwardly prepared her next dash spell. A plain, short dash could do you wonders. Although she did wish it had an offensive component- wearing this thing down would be ideal.
The floor erupted with cursed energy, quickly closing in on Orphea. She scooted back, and gave her best condescending smile. “Oh, come on. I’ve seen-” She had to dash back again, as the area around her was burned. ‘Oh, he’s taking that bait. He’s taking it hook, line and sinker.’
‘It is really a he? It seems to be some kind of golem…’
‘Grandfather, is now the time to have a wandering mind?’
Orphea began a steady retreat back into the forest, coming around the side of the village. She managed her fifteenth perfect dodge, the imitation of Gul’dan seething with rage as it recklessly threw spells at her, burning itself out in the brash assault. She waved a hand, and ducked to the floor before pirouetting back up, flinging a few bolts of magic.
The avatar of darkness let them bounce off. One hit the head, one the casting arm, one the core- but none did anything.
‘Damn! Looks like it’s good at defending itself… I need a strategy.’
‘Your magic isn’t going to scratch it as is, Orphea.’ Osiris said gravely. ‘Perhaps with time we could devise something capable of penetrating its’ defences, but for now… we will let it wear itself out, and then escape. The village should have ample time to get away.’
‘…Very well.’ Orphea kept kiting backwards, careful to avoid wasting any more mana on attacks.
It all seemed to be going well, for another ten seconds. She prided herself on her dancing skill, which translated to ranged evasion fairly well. However, the problem was completely independent of Orphea. A red light seemed to have appeared on the dark horizon, and Orphea could see it coming closer rapidly. She could feel herself going into denial almost physically, but there was no denying what she was seeing.
A glowing red construct of that same smooth grey stone rushed down the path as if gliding on air, straight for the village.
“No…” Orphea whispered, useless as it was.
There was another blast, and unlike the current one… she realised she had no way of drawing this one off the town. It was going to be a complete disaster. A night whispered about to scare children for ages to come.
“NO!”
Another shot of green flame came too close, and Orphea’s vision was momentarily smothered by the blast washing over her, rapidly sapping her defensive magics and even burning her a little.
“Father, what… HAVE YOU DONE?!” She screamed, as her heart ripped in two.
It was hard to describe what happened next from her perspective. But Dark Nexus Gul’dan saw the target’s eyes turn a pure blood red, as she held a hand up high and then some kind of purple energy solidified into a long, whiplike tendril coated in spikes, which came crashing down, and even with his awesome magic, he felt as though he’d been struck by pure anguish, taking a step back in time for her to swing the whip around from the side and totally bowl him over, before he willed himself to warp back a short distance, to safety.
Orphea dropped to the floor, breathing hard and crying freely, as much as she fought to contain it. “The village… Grandfather, we have to save…”
‘…We must run, Orphea. You’re already hurt, and even if you successfully defend them, you’ll be trapped with no hope of escape. We need to warn people.’
Orphea looked at the town walls desperately, as regular orange flames began to lick up the towers. And ran into the night, both sobbing and simmering with rage.
Per an earlier request, here are the three prologues.
I originally wanted to put everything in one thread, but to reply to your own post you need at least one reply from a different user. Likewise, I need at least one reply to keep everything in one thread.
This story can also be found on Fanfiction and AO3, but neither site has any traffic.