NIGHT GODFORSAKEN
A SMALL, GLOWING VILLAGE LIES
WHILST WATCHING THE STONE
-AMALTHEIA ELMGRACE
The village was cleverly hidden in the vast dunes of the Ariyé desert and the queen herself was becoming frustrated over the challenge of finding it. Since she headed the Slayer Association (often abbreviated as S.A. for short) and issued all expeditions, she usually sent others to investigate disturbances. Her field experience had grown smaller and smaller as she continued to pass it along to others and focus on the paperwork part of her job. It was only through a council meeting with the various leaders of the other species however that had brought her here personally to investigate the sudden appearance of the mysterious village within the desert. They had expressed extreme concern and reluctance on sending anyone else since they could not gauge the threat level. There was also the fear of traversing the desert full of other dangers. Only she was privy to this knowledge however and was instructed to lie to the ones she would pick to go with her on the expedition. While a small part of her was guilty of doing so and wondered if this was the correct path, she followed the orders and informed those going with her that it was merely a hunting expedition on a pack of sandworms that had grown out of control. The ones she had selected were a small amount of people from her Court and a squad of soldiers to go with her on the “dangerous” expedition.
Jeran considered himself fortunate that he was one of them.
This was his first expedition in his official role as her new duke and he did not want to waste any opportunities in proving his worth to her. Some would whisper and say he got the role through nefarious means and though he denied it, the truth itself was no less dramatic from the rumors. There had been an open position left behind by the death of the late Duke Hunter who was a well-known noble that had met his untimely demise just recently. A jealous fit from one of his mistresses was the official reasoning and his widowed wife, through anger and sorrow, had condemned them all to death. It was an end that brought no glory to the deceased man’s name and his lineage. It was an end that Jeran would want to avoid at all costs lest it add more to his humiliation and dark past.
He shook the grim event from his mind and refocused on the red queen. One of his many favorite pleasures was to let her invade his thoughts and imagination, a tribute to his ardent love for her. He could readily admit to himself that he was madly in love with her, which made it quite easy to make pleasing her the forefront of his ambitions. Her smile alone was reward enough, causing his heart to beat rapidly and a flush to steal over him when it was directed at him. How could he not think of pleasing her first and foremost when it could potentially increase his standing within her favor? When it could potentially lead to more between them. He nearly laughed in what he knew was foolish thoughts and fantasies and yet wondered, was it wrong to entertain hope?
He continued to smile and think of the queen as he took care of his horse, Dandi. How could anyone not love her? She was perfect, he thought. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, ageless. He had never seen her appearance change once even though he had grown up as one of her many disciples. His devotion to her now had only grown since the days he trained with the other disciples in the hopes of one day being allowed to test and join her coveted Court. He knew it would only continue the more he spent time next to the red-haired, green-eyed woman.
Yes, no end to the number of admirers. No end to the amount of people who coveted being at her side, a side that seemed to always be occupied by the old battle-hardened half-elf, Royce. Here he quickly glanced at said half-elf who was taking care of his own steed near the queen's. He squashed the rising jealousy and bent his head again, resuming his task and thoughts. Indeed there was no lack of devotion on anyone’s part – they would go wherever she led them, do whatever she told them to do, and die for her if need be. The near fanaticism of his thoughts caused him to wonder if the rumors of her bewitching the people she met were true. Were they all under her spell?
He glanced to the side where the queen was tending to her chestnut-colored stallion and locked his golden eyes with her emerald ones. A blush stole across his tanned cheeks as he jerked his head back down to his saddle, ashamed that he had been caught staring at the queen. Her soft laugh drifted over to his ears, and he only ducked his head further as a fire spread across his face. He wondered if this would leave him permanently red.
He wondered if he was completely under her spell.
“You are cruel to do this to him,” Royce said, approaching his queen.
She glanced at the middle-aged man and memories of a little boy crying on the streets surfaced in her mind, yet she knew they did not belong to her. She smiled up at the half-elf, ignoring the flickering strange memories and dull ache brought alongside them. “That should be no surprise nor any business of yours Royce. I know you have always had a thing against playing with one’s food.”
He chuckled, his narrow gray-blue eyes gleaming before a more serious face appeared. “The scouts still haven’t returned; it has been five hours since we sent them. They should have been back an hour ago.”
At this information she stopped and turned to face him fully, studying his face and noting the tell-tale signs of age forming around his eyes and mouth. The short platinum-blonde hair that was swept back, slightly pointed ears poking out from the side, and the heaviness that he had begun to carry from centuries of living. There was a strong connection between them, one they had no words for, but it was what had guided them to each other when he was but a young boy and she not yet the queen. Her familiarity with him gave the impression that they had known each other for lifetimes, but that was impossible. Right? She thought back to the dream she had last night of the little boy crying over a bloodied knee underneath the explosion of lights in the night sky. Had she dreamt about an earlier meeting in another life of theirs?
Absentmindedly, she reached out and held his hand, seeking physical comfort. Her gaze dropped to their interlinked hands and noted the differences. Though much older than him, hers remained smooth and unmarked while his began to show his age. She realized then that even he, her longest companion and dear friend, would be gone long before she knew it leaving her alone again. His mixed heritage did not afford him the immortality of the elves, just a longer life-span than his fellow humans. She would be consumed by grief at his death, searching feverishly for their connection yet knowing that she wouldn't feel it again. Time, it seemed, was once again her true enemy. Yet, the visions she had been having recently gave her hope for another life for both of them.
Her silence was natural to him. He had been her companion for three hundred years, two hundred of which he served as her archduke. He was used to her habits and whims as she was to his. He was no longer the little boy she had come across crying in the streets waiting to be saved, he was the savior. She had begun to talk to him lately about time when they were together in private and how she was worried that she would continue to watch those she cared for die while she remained behind. This worry weighed heavily on her, preventing her from finding a mate and from forming long attachments. She had estimated her age to be around four hundred years and did not understand why she was still alive. Though many told her the reason was because she had elvish blood in her veins, he remained unconvinced. Her background was obscured, no one knew the house she had been born into or who her parents were. Her memories began when the S.A. took her in. She did not know anything of her life before though try as she might to learn. It all seemed very suspicious to him and he was careful to voice his concerns and opinions when they were alone in private. But while no one knew exactly how long she would live, he knew that his time was slowly approaching. His half-elvish blood gave him longer years than most humans but he was currently over five hundred years old. He had about hundred or so more years before…
He squeezed her hand gently, in reassurance, before letting it go. He did not want to create unnecessary attention to the moment of comfort she had sought nor irate the new young duke. He wanted to mention that he knew she was keeping something from him. He had been by her side for so long, it was easy for him to notice these things, but he decided it would be best for her to reveal her plans at her own pace. The only thing that mattered to him was that he continue to show his undying loyalty and devotion to her in the face of everything that might test it. He would happily die for her without question.
“They will not return,” she said with that tone of certainty that booked no room for argument. “They probably got caught by the pack or are lost in the desert. There are other dangers out there too,” she said returning to her saddle and tugging at the straps one last time. “Therefore, we cannot stop here or make camp anywhere. We would be sitting targets for whatever might have caught them since they will no doubt trace the scent back to us.”
“It is hard to believe that the Slayer Association sent us out to kill a bunch of measly worms,” Edmund called from the other side. He laughed loudly at his own words while his horse shifted underneath him with unease. The Baron Edmund was a loud, brash man who was as lecherous as he was blood thirsty. The queen and many other members of the Court disliked him immensely and if he were not so proficient with his famed sword and shield, she would have rid him from their ranks long ago.
“Yes, well, it is hard to believe that your loudness has left us unscathed. Surely a pack of sand leopards should have descended upon us by now and rid us of you,” she said, smiling sweetly despite her poisonous glare.
Edmund spat onto the ground before sliding off his horse. He wiggled his eyebrows at her and grinned leeringly. “Aye, we could give them something loud to hear if you’re willing.” His hips thrusted in a provocative manner to help illustrate his meaning.
On her right, Jeran tensed up noticeably but kept his head down and on her left Royce calmly placed a hand on his axe handle. “That is the queen you are speaking to Edmund, do not forget it.” Though he spoke calmly, his words dripped with contempt and malicious intent should Edmund prove to forget his manners again.
She placed a hand over Royce’s, removing it from the handle. “Surely Edmund is jesting,” she said, glancing at him with fiery eyes, “for even he knows the price of laying a hand on the Queen of Slayers.”
Edmund only gave a mock bow, a sickly grin splayed across his face as he turned his back to her and began to whistle.
Besides, it is not the sandworms we are after but the mysterious new village, she thought to herself. She frowned slightly at the familiar feeling of guilt that followed her thoughts on the secrecy of the mission before turning back and resuming her task of saddling up her chestnut-colored stallion, Aeros. She hoped they would understand and forgive her. If no more lives were lost on the expedition, that would be a good sign from Lady Luck indeed. Once she finished, she turned to examine her party to make sure they were ready to go. “Mount up,” she said, glancing at Royce and Jeran before fluidly swinging herself up and over the saddle. “Mount up!” she called to those in the back. The other members of the party stirred and grumbled at the interruption to their rest but did as they were commanded.
As they began to move, Shea began to analyze the situation. She hadn’t been able to bring a large party with her since it was meant to be a simple expedition to hunt some sandworms. On the other hand, a smaller party was good for the desert. They could move faster and with stealth if needed. This was important as traversing the desert was extremely dangerous and often those who moved slow died quick. If she had insisted on a larger party, it would have lead to suspicion from her Court for those very reasons. So she had to settle for less and hope to be lucky instead, praying to come across one of the villagers to interrogate before any form of fighting occurred. But it seemed Lady Luck was not on her side in that regard. Without proof, the death of the two soldiers would be left as unknown but she knew the sandworms had got to them just as she knew the sandworms were hunting them right now. With the loss of the two men taken into consideration, she made a mental checklist of her remaining party members.
She thought about her Court first. Royce of course had come. There was never an instant where he did not accompany her should she choose to go on an expedition. As her archduke and closest confidant, he was a valuable second-in-command as well. She had brought along Jeran as he had recently filled in the position of Duke after Hunter’s untimely demise. Royce had advocated for him saying this would be valuable experience for him as it was his first field expedition. She refused to think that she had brought him along for any other reason. She had brought along the disgusting Baron Edmund simply because his defense and survivalist capabilities would prove invaluable if they did get into a fight or run into trouble. He was not only a tank that could take a ton of damage and give back as good as he got but also able to survive under the harshest conditions. He had been eager to travel with her simply so that he could leer and taunt her knowing that she could do nothing against him, or so he had said before they rode out of the Capitol. He was too valuable of a fighter, and he knew that she knew it. Next was her kind duchess, Ella, who had often overseen expeditions to the desert. Her experience would thus prove useful in navigating the dangerous terrain. It was a bonus that she was small and would not take up much room.
Then there was the squad of soldiers she had brought along. A typical squad was composed of up to ten soldiers and these ones were specifically selected from the headquarters of the Slayer Association. She had made sure to select the best out of those available just in case anything bad were to happen. She didn’t know if that decision was wise now that two out of the ten were dead, leaving only eight. A sigh escaped her lips, attracting the attention of Royce as they continued to ride. She did not look at him despite feeling his intense gaze, biting her lower lip in nervousness instead. She could only hope that she would lose no more lives, especially when she had lied.
*~*
They traveled farther into the desert, keeping an eye out for any unnatural shifting of sands that could be a sign of a sandstorm or sandworms. The desert was tricky and often fooled most who wandered in it with its illusions and deadly traps. Those that lived in the desert were not to be trifled with either. She thought sourly of the Akko Lizard clan and their blood-thirsty ways.
“Your Majesty!” came a soft but firm call and she raised her fist to stop the party and wheeled Aeros around to look at the fairy.
Ella hovered over what looked to be a scrap of cloth. From the colors alone she could tell it used to belong to one of her soldiers. “Well,” she said grimly, “I did say they were not coming back.” They had not been killed by the sandworms then, she thought otherwise there would be nothing left remaining. She wasn’t sure what had killed her men and if they might still be close.
Just then, the sand underneath the scrap of cloth began to shift and before she could blink a hole appeared with a sandworm’s head lunging up right underneath Ella as if in slow-motion. The shock of the sandworm’s appearance with no warning left them rooted in their spots, eyes watching in horror as the giant circular mouth of the sandworm opened wide, revealing circular sharp rows of teeth ready to clamp onto the fairy.
Ella reacted quickly however and flew sideways away from the gaping maw, but the force of the sandworm’s appearance had her spinning out of control. She slammed into Edmund and a strangled scream was torn from her throat at the force of impact before she fell unconscious to the sands. Shea leapt off her horse without hesitation and threw her hands out. From her fingertips emerged fiery flames that encompassed the sandworm, stopping it from moving to devour the fallen fairy. The sandworm screamed in pain, thrashing in its hole before diving back into the sands, creating another one. The smell of charred meat and smoke was over-bearing and the party members gagged and coughed.
“Did you get him?” Edmund asked between his fits of coughing. It’s moments like these that show why I will never truly challenge her, he thought. He got off his horse and picked up the fairy, passing her over to Jeran who placed her gently in front of him. Her body was battered and bruised from colliding against steel armor and he was careful with her wings as one was torn deeply. He hoped it could be fixed.
“If that didn’t outright kill it then it will die from its wounds soon enough,” she said and then frowned. “But you can be sure that it will warn its pack with the last of its dying wails if that is the case.”
As if on cue, two sandworms burst from underneath the sands right behind the party. The large, hideous mouths of the sandworms clamped onto two of the rear men, swallowing them up horses and all. The horses’ squeals were cut short followed by a gush of blood that flowed from the sandworms mouths to paint the sands red, leaving the majority speechless.
Edmund however remained unaffected by the gruesome sight; he was used to it. Instead, he swung into action, hopping onto his horse before wheeling him around and charging the sandworms. He pulled out his shield, Honor, and his longsword, Virtue. The sandworms screamed at the charge, one of them lunging with their mouth open but the Roman-styled shield rose to meet the charging sandworm. The creature’s attention was easily drawn to the decorative paintwork on the front of the shield, and it screamed its challenge.
“That’s right! Attack me if you dare you ugly, dumb piece-of-shit!” he screamed back. As the two collided, Edmund roared at the impact of his shield meeting the sandworm’s gnashing mouth before being thrown from his fear-stricken mount’s back from the force. He landed in the sand and used that momentum to roll onto his feet as quick as his armor would allow. He looked up and noticed that the first sandworm had disappeared beneath the sands and the second one was getting ready to charge at him again. As the creature began to move, he braced himself for impact with his shield once more. However, the sands underneath him began to shake much to his surprise and horror and as he felt them begin to give way he looked down and saw the jaws of what he presumed to be his death appear slowly from under his feet. He closed his eyes, offering a final prayer despite lacking religious belief before a strong arm grabbed ahold of him and yanked him up onto their horse, skillfully wheeling around the second sandworm’s charging head. The two sandworms collided with each other, screaming in rage at the impact and loss of prey.
“Edmund, you fool, these are sandworms! Have you forgotten?” Royce yelled over their screams.
Edmund’s eyes flew open, still stunned from his close encounter with death and glanced behind at the members of the party who had begun to charge in. “Why isn’t she making roasted worms?” he asked, whirling his head around to catch sight of the red-haired woman.
“The damn beasts are too close to the party, she is afraid of making more than just roasted sandworms,” Royce muttered darkly. He wheeled the horse around, bringing it to a stop as they watched the sandworms tear apart the men from the headquarters. “They should not have been brought along. We sent them to their deaths.”
Edmund turned slightly and stared at him incredulously. “This is the job, it’s their duty! They know every time they leave on an expedition, there is a chance they will not come back but they still do it. Why? Because they are honored to die in such a glorified way! How can you look down upon them?” While he was never one to jump to someone’s defense, he didn’t like the idea of Royce looking down on the men who had trained hard for this moment and whose sacrifice would not be forgotten. Edmund may not be an advocate for the nobles who sat on their asses all day, but he appreciated the less fortunate who often served as the backbone for most societies to remain functioning. Those men out there were his comrades and he respected each soldier who went out to defend their people bravely while those in power remained behind scared.
Royce opened his mouth, ready to give the man who did not think before he spoke a piece of his mind when he was distracted by something that gave him a small amount of hope. From underneath the special dirt thrown over the sands, thorny vines whipped upwards and ensnared the second sandworm, causing purple blood to gush from the punctures the thorns inflicted on the creature’s skin. It screamed and struggled to free itself, but Ella’s spell held fast.
“At least the fairy is back up and running though I wish we had brought the old wizard or that sexy witch…” Edmund said, ignoring the disgusted look Royce shot him.
He was indeed glad that the fairy was up and running but she did not look good. She was hunched over, as if standing upright caused her too much pain. Her torn wing dragged on the floor, and she seemed to be working to heal it at the same time she battled the sandworm.
A flash of golden hair and silver armor drew his eyes from the fairy, and he followed the young man riding low on his horse. He watched as the boy unsheathed his two blades, pushing a button on the handle that allowed them to transform into something called “gunblades.” Gunblades, Spark had explained, worked similar to the bow but was louder and faster with the ammunition being small, metal ball instead of arrows. It never ceased to amaze Royce when watching the gunblades in action. The ease at which the weapons riddled the second sandworm with holes was as fascinating as it was terrifying.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Spark really outdid himself with those weapons, there is nothing quite like it back in the Capitol, he thought. It was what Spark had called “futuristic technology” and was something only found in Techno City unless brought to the Capitol by the cyborgs to be sold to the highest bidder. The gunblades were too much for the creature and with a final scream, it fell to the sand dead. The first one ignored the death of its packmate, too preoccupied in snatching another soldier on his horse and biting down, spraying blood over the sands. The bite had severed the front half of the horse from its bottom half, causing the bottom half to fall from the sandworm's mouth onto the ground. It landed with a sickening crack.
“Get off,” he said, glancing at the baron who looked at him as if he was mad.
“So, you can do what? Rush in and save the day so your queen can give you a smile? Have you not been watching the same thing I have been?” Seeing Royce’s darkening expression, Edmund quickly slid off. “I did my part anyways.” With that, he slapped the rear of the horse sending it into a hasty gallop as Royce let out a shout of surprise.
He would be sure to have a word with the baron later about his conduct but for now, he concentrated on the last sandworm. As they grew closer, he slowly began to stand in his saddle, crouching low to help keep his balance more easily. It was in these moments that he was thankful for the agility and grace his half-elvish blood provided him. The sandworm remained distracted by the remains of the horse, allowing him to approach a lot closer than he would have been able to otherwise. He deftly pulled out his beloved great axes, King and Queen, readying them. He wanted to take it out in one blow if possible. The sandworm finally took notice of his approach however, feeling the rumblings of the sand along its underbelly that was covered in sensors which served as both a warning and navigational system for its kind. It veered itself to face the rider on the horse that dared challenge it for its prey and screamed its defiance before rushing forward. With startling speed, Royce leapt from the horse and pushed one of the three buttons on the handle of his axes that allowed cords to spring from the bottom of the handles and latch magnetically to the small metallic box on the back of his horse. He swung his axes high as the sandworm opened its mouth to swallow him whole. It would not get the chance. Using the momentum of the horse running forward, he swung down hard right as he entered its toothy mouth, allowing him to easily carve through the creature as the cords attached to the box jerked him forward. He burst through the other side of the dead worm already beginning to fall back to the ground as he lost airtime. He pushed the second button found on the handles of his axes that allowed the axes to be reeled back to the cords, pulling him along and allowing him to gracefully land in the saddle of his slowing horse. With a push of the third and final button, the cords unlatched from the box and withdrew back into the handles. It was done.
Shea watched all this numbly from where the first sandworm had appeared. While impressed at how quickly her Court handled the pack, she knew the losses were too great to celebrate the victory. She surveyed the aftermath of the battle, hearing the moans of the wounded and trying to ignore the stench of death that surrounded them. She did not look forward to counting how many she had lost in this battle, and how many she stood still to lose. Lady Luck had abandoned her on this expedition.
Shea approached the wounded first, quickly helping in dressing their wounds and instructing Ella to apply her magic to aid those truly in distress. Though Ella wasn’t a healer, she hoped that the fairy's general magic would be able to help stop the bleeding at most. She had successfully repaired her torn wing and mended some of the cuts she had received from her own collision. She also knew, however, that Ella was very weak from the ordeal and wouldn’t be able to do much more, but she had to try for everyone’s sake.
She didn’t look up as Royce approached her, focusing instead on the leg of the man who had it crushed by his horse falling on it. They would have to amputate it if they were to save the man; the injuries were too severe and required immense healing magic that neither she nor Ella possessed. She looked into the eyes of the man and her words caught in her throat. She had to tell him what they needed to do. She had to apologize for failing him.
“Please no, goddesses, please…” he moaned out, reaching out and trying to grasp at her. “My leg, please help me…”
“We lost four men, not including the two scouts who are presumed to be dead.” Royce’s voice was calm and steady, but she knew even he was shaken from the aftermath of the battle. He waited for her acknowledgement at the report and when it did not come, he continued. “Since the first sandworm is no doubt dying or dead at this point and with these two dead, it’s safe to say our expedition is complete. Sandworms only hunt in packs of three after all.” He waited patiently again.
“I need your help, you will need to use your axe,” she said abruptly. Royce raised an eyebrow but dutifully readied one of his axes, still covered in the purple blood of the sandworm. “Clean it, please.” The shaking of her hands was the only giveaway that something was wrong with her.
Royce opened his mouth to speak again but closed it after a few seconds. There was nothing that could be said to her when her mind was closed to everything but what she chose to focus on. Until this man was aided, she would not listen to anything else. As he sat down and began to clean his axe, he examined the crushed leg of the man. He understood what she intended to do and he felt pity for the man at what he was about to lose, not just physically.
He watched her speak softly to the man, explaining to him what they needed to do and trying to calm him down as he frantically thrashed and screamed and begged for another way. Promising him his life if he would allow her to help him, Royce lowered his gaze not wanting to watch anymore. The man would not survive either way, he would bleed out from the amputation, or he would die from the crushed limb releasing toxins from the damaged tissue and muscle. Though he disliked the Nephilim, he knew that if Riezal had been here, things would have been different. He stood up, inspecting both sides of the blade to make sure he did not miss a spot. The man thrashed even harder, screaming as he noticed the axe. If he did not stop screaming soon, they would draw the attention of other creatures and he didn’t think they could survive another battle so soon.
Slap!
The man’s head rocked to the side, instantly quieting him down. Royce stared at the queen in shock.
“Pull yourself together. You can die here a painfully slow death, or you can make the effort to live. You aren’t the first to have to make this hard choice nor will you be the last. It comes with the job, as Edmund likes to say. I promise you that I will do everything in my power to make sure you live if you help me help you. Do you understand?”
She stared hard at the man whose cheek bore the imprint of her hand. He slowly nodded and she gestured impatiently at Royce to bring the axe over and told him to hold it far from his person. Covering her hand in flames, she sterilized the blade quickly. The moans of the other wounded filled their ears as they worked silently.
"We'll need someone else to help hold him," Royce murmured as she released the blade, the flame disappearing from her hand quickly. She jerked her head sharply in agreement, before turning around and gazing at ruin.
“Edmund, come help me hold him down,” she called out before moving to sit near the man's chest. She would hold down his upper body and Edmund could take care of his legs.
Edmund, who had just finished up with one of the other soldiers, took one glance at the situation and grimaced. “He’ll need something to bite down if you don’t have anything to knock him out with,” he muttered. She tore off a thick piece of her cloak, folding it together and placing it in the man’s mouth. It would have to do. With Edmund and her in position, she nodded to Royce and told the man to close his eyes. It would not be a clean operation even if the axe swung true.
The cloth served not only to prevent the man from biting his tongue off but also as a dampener to the screams of pain that would surely have alerted every living thing in the desert where they were. The crack of the axe hitting bone made her wince every time, wishing for the thing to already cut through already. It took a good six swings. As soon as the axe was removed, she cauterized the wound quickly to prevent him from bleeding out and hoping it would keep from infection. With nothing else at hand to bandage the stump, she used her own cloak again tearing off more than half of the cloth and tying it around the stump to protect it. She ignored his leg, lying in the sand as a savage reminder of her faults and thankful that the man had long since passed out and would not have to see it himself. As she finished attending to him, she finally thought about the information provided by Royce. Four men dead not including the two scouts and with the pack of sandworms dead, there mission was done he had said.
“Well,” she finally spoke, sitting back and surveying her handiwork. “That means we lost six men out of ten. Six. This was supposed to be a simple hunting expedition. These men were under my protection. I failed them. I could have done better. I know I could have! This is my fau—” She was cut off by Royce coming around to her side and fiercely hugging her. A public display of affection like this rarely occurred between them and it surprised her enough to render her silent.
“You did the best you could, we weren’t aware of the sandworms position. There were no giveaways, you can’t be blamed for being caught unaware. You saved Ella’s life and she in turn helped save others,” he whispered in her ear. “This man might have his life because of you as well.”
Her eyes had grown misty over her negative thoughts, but his words cleared them up. This was no time to lament over her mistakes. She would not allow herself to be so weak in front of the people who looked for her leadership and guidance. She would reflect and learn from her mistakes in private, but now, she had a group of people who were lost and afraid and needed her to be strong. She pulled away from him, her green eyes expressing the thanks that she verbally could not give and his gray-blue eyes accepting them with warmth and affection. She was also thankful, when she glanced around, that the others had kept their eyes away from the private moment. Even Edmund, who she figured would look for any opportunity to tease her, had his back to them and was staring off into the distance. She would be sure to thank and reward them properly for what they had experienced on this expedition once it was over and they returned home.
“We will need to prepare sufficient compensation for their family members,” she said, her voice steady despite the turmoil in her heart. “Also, it is nearing nightfall. We are nowhere near Techno City so we will have to make camp somewhere and with so many injured, we are easy targets for anything.” She paused and glanced up at Royce, biting her lower lip softly in her usual habit of nervousness. She wanted to also mention that their expedition was not yet done until they could find out information on the mysterious village. “Not only that but these men need urgent care or they will die. Ella will never admit to it but her impact with Edmund has injured her quite badly and she can’t really heal them like this. If only Riezal was here.” She did not miss the dark expression that passed over his face at the mention of the Nephilim.
Royce sighed heavily, his eyes watching the sun beginning to set, throwing the sky into the colors of his queen: red, yellow, and orange.
“Royce?” Her soft voice drew his gaze back down to hers as Jeran approached them.
“So, what’s the plan?” Edmund interjected turning back and looking between the two. “Because I for one don’t want to be out here in the open near these corpses, they will definitely be attracting some attention. If his screams hadn’t.” He glanced at the man who was still out.
“We can’t move the men, they’re too injured,” Jeran said. “They won’t survive going at a quick pace.”
“We don’t even know if they will survive the night. I say we put them out of their misery which will put them out of our misery. We will travel better without dead weight dragging us down.” Edmund shrugged off the angry and disgusted looks that Royce and Jeran both shot him, keeping his eyes on the queen. Her word was the final say and therefore all that mattered to him.
Shea stood and faced Edmund, her gaze cold and sharp at his suggestion. “Edmund, I would think you, as a member of my Court, would know better than to suggest we leave our injured members behind. You, who always advocates for these soldiers who sacrifice their lives all the time. I wonder now if what I saw in you was a mistake. Perhaps you really are a little rat that belongs down in the sewers.”
Edmund tensed angrily at the mention of his past but wisely chose to ignore the jab. Instead, he muttered out, “I apologize if I have caused offense. I was only thinking about the best way to manage the situation. You yourself know it is dangerous to move slowly within the desert, especially with wounded people. I suggested putting them out of their misery because I believe it will not only help us but because they deserve the honor of a quick death.” Her eyes burned holes into his, but he refused to duck his head. He was never one to be intimidated so easily regardless of who it was.
“Well,” she finally said as she removed her eyes from his, “if we only knew how far away that damn mysterious village is. We could press onwards if it was near.”
“'Mysterious village?'” Royce questioned, his angry expression switching to surprise. Shea froze at her slip of tongue. The pitiful appearance and moans of pain of the wounded soldiers were more than enough to further emphasize her mistake. “'Mysterious village?'” he repeated, pinning her with his gaze. Was this what she had been keeping from him?
Under the scrutiny of her Court and the guilt of her failure to keep the soldiers safe, she revealed the truth of their expedition:
“This wasn’t just meant to be a hunting expedition. The leaders of the various races around the continent had called a meeting because Prime Arch had noted a mysterious village appearing within the Ariyé desert. With no idea of how it could have gotten there and his scouts saying they spoke a language never heard before, he suggested we investigate them and figure out if they were friend or foe. Naturally, with the threat level unknown, the leaders thought I should head the expedition. They also believed it would be best to keep it secret from everyone.
I made up the hunting expedition to give everyone a reason as to why we were traveling to the desert. Your individual skills would be enough to counter most threats I figured, though, I regret not bringing Riezal now. I had hoped we would just discover a villager roaming the desert or that our small party would be enough to move around without attracting attention but…” she trailed off, refusing to meet the eyes of her people. She could already feel their shock at what they believed was a betrayal of their trust in her.
Edmund, as usual, did not have any problem with saying what was on all their minds matter-of-factly.
“These men died because you lied.”
“These men are not dead yet!” she spoke fiercely, raising her gaze to meet his.
“These ones are the unluckiest of the lot! Do you really believe they won't die? We’re stuck in the middle of the desert, at least I think it’s the middle because who knows in this fucking desert, with nothing! We were just attacked by a group of sandworms that tore through our party like a hungry pack of lamias! We lost over half our men and horses and you are telling me that this whole thing wasn't planned? An accident? Because you didn’t tell us why we actually came here?
The only thing I can even think of agreeing with is that we made a mistake in not bringing Riezal or anyone else with strong magic. We,” and he gestured at the Court and dying men around him, “had no idea what we would be facing in this desert besides the sandworms and whatever typical dangers this forsaken place has. But you did. What if it had been you, Your Majesty? Not told the truth of what you might face? Dying for reasons you didn’t know about?”
Shea closed her eyes and hung her head. Edmund, despite his harshness, was right. She wondered if revealing the truth of their journey would have saved more lives. Perhaps she should have only brought the members of her Court. Her only goal now should be to ensure the survival of the remaining people, mysterious village be damned. If only Riezal were here…she thought desperately. Her eyes snapped open at the sound of horses.
“Blessed be…” Royce breathed as a group of riders broke over a cresting mountain of sand, heading directly towards the group.
Shea quickly drew her hood up with expertise. Her red hair was always an immediate giveaway and she was quick to hide it when out in the open amidst danger. Better to keep my identity a secret for who know who rides to meet us, she thought. Royce moved to step in front of her, ready to protect her in case things got out of hand.
“Halt be you friend or foe!” Edmund called, readying his shield. He was ignored as the riders broke around their group, circling them. The riders wore old, worn-down leather armor and the drawn weapons were dull and rusty from lack of use and care.
“Be you friend or foe, state your purpose for being so close to our village. What, pray goddesses, has happened to your group?” spoke one of the older riders with a pin on his leather jerkin.
“We were attacked by a pack of sandworms. Some of our men were killed and others have been severely wounded,” Royce said, drawing the attention of the leader.
“Sandworms? An unfamiliar monster to me. I am sorry for your stroke of misfortune and regarding your losses, but it still doesn’t explain why you are near our tribe.” His eyes were drawn to the hooded woman repeatedly as if he was compelled.
“We are here under orders to look into the increase in sandworm activity,” he said. He might as well use the story the queen had used on them until they knew more information about these people.
The man raised an eyebrow and glanced at his fellow riders who kept their grim expressions. “I don't think I understand. What kind of monster are they and by whose orders?” he finally asked. He leaned sideways slightly to get a better view of the hooded woman. The big man with the double axes had also shifted to the side slightly, blocking his view much to his annoyance. There was something about her that commanded respect from and radiated power to those around her. She hadn’t even moved or spoken the whole time either.
Shea noticed Royce’s hesitance and thought quickly, looking for a convincing lie to tell but her thoughts were interrupted as one of her men moaned in pain. I don’t have time for this, she thought.
“By my orders,” she replied, stepping past Royce while pulling back her hood.
The strange riders gasped before whispering amongst each other as the horses stamped in response to their riders’ excitement. Some seemed to make signs to ward off evil with fear in their eyes as they looked at her. The older man that had been speaking to them froze. He wondered if his eyes deceived him as he stared at the familiar and yet unfamiliar face.
“I am the Queen of Slayers, Shea, and you are…?” She trailed off, arching a fine brow at him.
“Z-Zaahid, Yüzbaşı Zaahid el-Sader,” he stuttered out. He sounded both surprised and fearful as he continued to stare at her as if she was a dreadful ghost.
No doubt my reputation proceeds me, she thought, but a hint of unease crept into her chest.
“At ease,” she said and smiled at him in the hopes of creating a friendly atmosphere. That and perhaps to ease her own discomfort at being stared at by these strangers as if she was the devil incarnate. “Yüzbaşı?” She tried to pronounce it but knew she failed. It was such a strange word.
“Yüzbaşı is a rank. I am the leader of these forces,” he explained.
“Ah.” She nodded her head in both acknowledgement and respect. “This is Archduke Royce and Baron Edmund.” She gestured to the two men respectively before turning towards Jeran. “And this is Duke Jeran.” Royce and Edmund nodded their heads in greeting while Jeran gave a small, nervous bow. She pointed to the figure of Ella hovering over one of the men, concentrating on keeping him stable. “The fairy there is Duchess Ella, and the four injured men here are soldiers sent to help in the extermination of the sandworms.”
“Fairy? Sandworms?” Zaahid repeated. His brow furrowed and he spoke hesitatingly. “Forgive me but once again I have never heard of these words before. Aseosos is a large place though so which tribe are you from?” The poor man had no idea the impact his words would have.
Everyone froze, staring at the man as if he had gone mad. Shea felt her blood run cold, and visions began to flicker in her mind of a country covered in sand and eternally shrouded in night. Strange creatures roamed the sands and tiny villages were scattered about. A shadowy palace and a dark throne swept across her eyes. Two large figures reaching towards each other with both love and hatred. She clutched her head, trying to understand the place she was seeing and yet deep in her mind already knowing what the place was – Aseosos. The fictional continent that had gone to war with Aenealon thousands of years ago. The place that was a fairytale and should not exist, at least according to anyone that was asked. Those that could disprove such claims, like the elves, said little on the matter. But who were those two figures? Were they the supposed twin goddesses?
“That’s not possible,” she managed out through clenched teeth. Her head was throbbing painfully now. “There is no such place as Aseosos. We’re in Aenealon.”
It was his turn to freeze, and exchange confused and scared glances with his men.
“I’d like to say that’s not possible, but seeing you standing here before my eyes is already proof enough. I have had a sinking feeling that we were no longer in Aseosos after the stone Porter in the middle of our village activated a fortnight ago,” he began but stopped, licking the top of his lip nervously. She let go of her head, ignoring the pain as she suddenly became interested at the mention of this stone Porter. She signaled for him to continue but he glanced around at his men first, gauging their reactions. “I'll show it to you if you’ll come with us back to the village. We can also help tend to your wounded,” he finally said.
Royce stepped up behind her. “My queen, perhaps we should discuss this before going? Something is not right here,” he whispered in her ear.
While Shea knew he was right, she also knew that her men would die without aid. She did not have all the cards to refuse the offer and she was curious on what this man had meant about her and his claims on being from the fictional continent. This Porter seemed the key to this mystery and her true goal for coming to the desert. Perhaps Lady Luck hadn’t given up on her after all.
“Of course, though if my men could be tended to first. I fear that most are on the brink of death and won’t live to see the end of the day if they aren’t helped immediately,” she said. She ignored the looks her Court gave her, she would hear more about her silence on the truth later in private. Of that, she was sure. “Ella, do you have enough power to fashion some sort of carry that we can attach to the horses to pull the wounded?” she asked, turning to the fairy that had floated up silently to watch the scene.
“I’m sorry Your Majesty, I’m all spent…” Ella bowed her head in shame.
She gave a small smile to the fairy who had done the best she could. That would mean they would have to strap them onto the horses and hope that the journey would not kill anyone.
“How far is the village?” she asked Zaahid, turning back to him.
“Just over that hill we crested,” he replied, pointing back in the direction they came. “We can help you carry the wounded carefully; our steeds are fresh while yours look exhausted from long traveling.”
She nodded gratefully, signaling for her Court to help them load the four men. When she made sure everyone was secured and ready, she hopped onto Aeros, and they followed the riders from the village as they rode off towards the hill. As she rode away from the scene of battle, she glanced back and saw the sand leopards already descending upon the area in search of food. The last of the sun was beginning to set and she knew that when night was fully upon them, the Akko Lizards will have come and scouted the area in search of anyone that might have gotten away. By tomorrow, the sand will have covered the holes, blood, and whatever remained of the corpses leaving no signs that anything had happened there at all. She clenched the reigns tightly between her hands and looked forward again. She wondered if what she discovered in the village would make up for the lives that had been lost under her watch and care and the trust she may have lost amongst her Court.