Page 6 of The Nightmare Queen
No, the failure of the armies is solely because of it’s leader and the curse he bears.My mind whispers to me. Thankfully, the men we’ve enlisted have sense, and quickly came to discover that I was not the problem. But scared women and children don’t listen. They don’t care who the blame falls to, just that it falls.
The shadows on the trees are slowly starting to melt away as first daylight breaks through. Having no desire to lay down anymore, I roll upmy mat and pack my horse back up. Bennett and Will rise not to shortly after, the smell of food stirring them from their mats. We have a quiet breakfast, quickly eating through it as to not burn too much daylight for the ride into Obsidian.
The ride to the gates it brisk, we camped not to far out from them. Will and I facing opposite Bennett to say our goodbyes. “Last chance.” He tries, his dopey grin back on his face. But the worry is there in his eyes.
“I need you here Ben. You’re our key to the inside.” I say. He trots his horse in between the two of ours reaching over to bring us both in for an awkward hug.
“You two die out there and I’ll find you in Helys. I’ll bring you back myself just to kill you again for dying without me the first time.” The three of us laugh a weak laugh, our hearts all beating faster than normal. When we pull a part I give a final nod to Bennett and then look to Will. He nods at me before turning through the gates, crossing the border into Obsidian first. I look over my shoulder at Bennett before spurring my horse on to catch up with Will.
The rusty metal gates creek shut behind us.No turning back now,the voice inside my head croons.
In an instant the air, the energy, themagic, shifts drastically. The difference between Vellar and Obsidian has never been more clear. The sudden change makes me nauseated, apparently Will had the same visceral reaction as he heaves the contents of his breakfast off the side of his horse.
Dark, thick, bare woods stand before us. The sky is gray with a thick cloud coverage overhead. The temperature has dropped easily fifteen degrees from where we were even just a few feet ago. Will pulls himself back up, his face a sickly green.
“Yeah. This is off to a great start.” He grumbles, taking a long swig of his water and swishing it back and forth to spit.
“Well, we weren’t ambushed by monsters so that has to be a good thing.” I say under my breath, but he’s riding too close not to hear me. He huffs incredulously, the thought crosses my mind on if he’ll be able to put this disagreement past us. If he is coming with me out of loyalty or out of spite. At the moment, I’d venture to say both. But the loyalty thing may be wishful thinking.
The deeper we travel into the dark kingdom the more my magic seems to twitch and turn inside of me. We have several more hours of daylight left before we have to decide to make camp. The anticipation of meeting the queen gnaws at my insides. I prepared as much as I could but the history texts say nothing of her. I’d have a better shot learning about her by listening to the servants various gossip claims.
Shadows cast on the ground next to our horses feet from the lack of light streaming through the trees bare branches. It was marveling to me how drastic the terrain changed once we crossed the border. I can’t help but wonder if it’s just the magic running through the veins of the kingdom or if it has to do with the curse settled over it.
SNAP!
My back straightens, reaching for my knife as we both swivel our heads from side to side, looking for where the noise came from.
SNAP! CRACK! SNAP!
Grabbing at Will’s reigns I pull his horse into mine keeping us close together. He sits forward in his seat, his hands gripping the hilt of his sword. “Why did you do that?” He gripes.
“SHH!” I hiss.
SNAP!
“Great, we probably tripped some magical wire and the queen’s already sent someone for us.” Will squeaks, his voice going up an octave. Bright red beady eyes appear all around us. Their bodies blending into the gray bark of the trees. They pause across the way from us, Will and I’s horses step around nervously as they pick up on the strange presence. An inhuman screech emanates from one of them. Their jaw unhinges as the noise pierces our ear drums, their motion like a snake preparing to devour its prey. “Now or never, Will.” We kick our horses off into different directions, straight at the beasts. I fling my knife at one quickly unsheathing my sword as soon as the small handle leaves my grip.
SQUEEELCHH!My blade slices through the thick skin, going through the belly and cutting stem to stern with the force. I watchitcrumple to the ground in a heap but I don’t have much time before I move onto skewering the next monster.
With each slice, jab, and cut I pay close attention to the chests I puncture. To my remarkable surprise, I notice the beasts ribs are moving in and out in a -sort of- steady rhythm.
It breathes.Relief washes over me,my Wield flickers to life in my palm. I scout the area quickly, looking for Will. It’s been years since I have voluntarily called to the Wield and my control on it is unreliable.
Come on,I beckon it.Will needs you, come on.
“What a disappointment you turned out to be”, “an omen if there ever was one”, SMACK! “stupid boy!”, “cleanse, cleanse, cleanse”, “you’re weak, tainted, broken”,“if you want to make me proud…”
The words all slam around in my mind my vision blackening as I fight for control over the magic. In a huff of frustration I snuff out what mist lingers in my palm, choosing to run for Will and aide him by hand. He’s off his horse, fighting too many to his one while on foot. I jump off theback of my landing in a roll. An ungraceful landing, as I scramble to my feet, my horse taking off in the opposite direction of me.
The two of us fight back to back as we take on the remaining creatures. Black sludge coating our blades, clothes, and skin. With each successful kill we narrowly dodge another creature’s attempts to swipe at us with their gnarled claws. We find every last shred of strength that we have to end them, their bodies falling into ungraceful piles along the wooded forest floor.
Thunk!The last body goes down in two halves. It’s insides a black, goopy, rotted mess.
“Oh gods.” Will chokes before turning and vomiting all over the remains. The smell is abhorrent to the point I can’t help but gag along with him.
I pat his back before rubbing in slow motions, trying to ease the sickness along. We collapse against the tree, panting. The bodies ooze out a few feet from us, the forest floor littered with the piles of slayed monsters. “What. the. fuck.” I breathe out.
We sat against that tree for awhile. By the grace of something our horses made their way back to us. While Will’s face returned to it’s more natural hue, I made a pile of the torn a part bodies. I put the fire between us. Hoping that maybe the scent of their sludgy blood will help ward off any others from creeping our way. I squint through the flames to get a better look, trying to figure out what exactly theyare.The adrenaline having worn off I can finally feel true sleep coming for me until Will taps me on my shoulder, forcing my eyes to open. I’m about to ask what he needs when I see his arm out and extended next in front of him, pointing.