It all happened in an instant. Ella was standing by the door of the estate gate. Loitering by the guards on duty, Calius and Stanton, a little older than her and newer to the order. They’re commander Julius standing at the top of the wall alongside his assistant Heralius. Not having moved an inch or surrendered the lookout position since coming onto their shift. 

Unwilling to give the newer recruits even a moment of responsibility for spotting their young Larry’s return. Hopeful and filled with worry they stand almost unblinking. Unmoved unwilling to waste a single ounce of energy outside their peering view of the surrounding landscape. An overgrown ruins of a city consumed by jungle frozen yet moving ever encroaching.

Over watching the others outside the gate, a crew of Moria whose job it was to cut back the vines and growth to keep an extended distance of open terrain between the walls and the jungle. Usually it would be mostly out of view. Obscured by the fog that never lifted but even that has receded and the path maintained to the coastal waters were the river meets the bay is visible what is not obscured by the overgrowth between them and the ruins that precede it.

The water retrievers had already made their rounds. Said that they observed the river had begun to flow. That the shore they’d been retrieving the frozen water from had filled. When prior it was reduced. Scooping from the bay the water would remain lost as much as they would take. Causing them to have to travel further and further and the shore to recede one bucket at a time over these many years.

There was a fear they’d eventually run out. The shore would be pressed too far back to be retrievable. That the sprites would have just enough time to finish sate their appetites enough to lock those sent out into a stone like state. Frozen and drained of the life force which animated their bodies from flesh and bone to dust and stone.

The change pervaded into all things and proved to be a distraction as much as it spawned hope into their hearts. The vines and branches moved and swayed as a wind and gale returned to the lands. The days sunrise which on the best of days was obscured by haze shined on a dead metropolis once fully buried beneath its coat.

Now it reflected even color from the valley and off the bay water. Blinding them at times and it was beautiful. Julius was old enough to remember a time before the curse had taken full root. When these streets and rubble were occupied and bustling. The golden reflection from the white marble rock that made the mountain edifice. The pure blue water of the bay and the running sound of the river spilling into it at its mouths base.

He feared the worst but how could the worst have past if this respite he witnessed had begun. With no sign of reversing he needed to see her. Needed to be the first to welcome their great new lady summoner home. Only the power of a summoner could have changed their fate and it was so obvious something had indeed changed.

An hour earlier they had spotted up the mountain side smoke and the faint sound of wardrums. Too far to hear the sound of goblin cries but close enough to hear the explosions. See the light of fire burn true.  First red and orange and then deep blue hue. He had wanted to send out a scout or two. There even been volunteers of the young guard he sat at the base of the gate door.  Awaiting his order to unlatch it in triumphant answer of their lady’s return.

Not a moment longer than needed would she spend another outside the protective blanket of the Nebula house’s barriers. Safe at last behind their orders, sword and shields and walls and Knights and Pride and Honor.

Except captain of the guard, lord Black denied them of the opportunity. Unwilling to send anyone into that damned cursed ruined city. Unwilling to lose a single soul hunting for their mythic savior’s return. “She will succeed or she won’t but we will endure. That is the agreement. We lose population as it is. We weaken by the day and already are down one promising Aether bending head mistress.”

“Coward.” Julius muttered to himself. He should be out there by her side. He should never have gotten his charge and place. That armor he wore on her departure meant he should have been her guard from here to hell and back again if that is what was needed. When did he loose himself to the solitude, to the madness of this imprisonment? How many years had it been so firmly set and how many of his fellow Moria were so infected? Was Julius himself just as much victim. Why had he not thrown himself over the wall and chased his lady down regardless of consequence? “Coward” again he mutters but at himself. Shame keeping his eyes peeled for anything. Any sign of hopes return.

And there at last it rustled through tree and vine and spilled into the clearing. Young Nora Nebula, high summoner of the olcan tribe, followed by strange hairless creatures from some untold lower realm to save them from their cursed fates.

“There! Julius she has returned at last!” Heralius says with bated breath. Loud enough for only them to hear. “It is as I see it. Do tell me my eyes are true.”

“Yes my friend. I see it too. Gaurdsmen! Open the gates! Open them now you lazy fools! Damn the world and all its hate and foul nature our summoner is home! Lady Nebula has returned!”

Cheers abound as the latch is thrown to the ground and doors swung open. The news flies through the air as fast as sound will carry. With each new set of ears. Resounding cheers and marry screams of excitement.

“She’s done it!”

“She back!”

“We are saved!”

“It is true our lady has returned!”

“Tell Palius!”

“Get the elders!”

“Come young child our lady returns!”

Nothing could keep but one pair of eyes and feet and ears from rushing to the path young summoner Nora Nebula strolled in upon, keep her sister from tackling. Cheers and merriment give way to awe and wonderment at her summoned minions display. Hairless ape creatures from the void stalked her steps. 

Fear and wonderment and hope and curiosity at these hairless oddities. They are not animal like in nature nor stature. They resemble the old world Moria but different some how. Shorts ears, not so refined, perverted in a brutish sense. More like themselves yet different all the same. What wonderment what power could they display?

Would it be enough? Was it the answer they needed? Or another ploy of the curse to build hope were there was none. To rob them even more of what they didn’t know they had left, of what hope remained?

“Haza! Haza! Haza!”

00oooOooooOoooooo

Locke did not speak though he had much to ask. So many questions in his quiet observations. From the moment they found themselves in a void. To the appearance of this hairy fury gamer girl creature. More like teenage wolf than woman but enough to know the difference. 

What was being collard but enslavement. What was power gifted when one was made to bend the knee? How could he hope to find enlightenment when shackled by eternal servitude to anything other than his will and desire. Was it divine providence that should seek to punish his attempt? Was it his folly that should cause the gods to cast upon him such a fate? 

Then that demon should appear to lead them into a realm so far from home. To be the charge to guard a one young summoner Nora Nebula back home. It spoke and threatened all them present. Demanded they follow her beck and call.

Threatened them by daggers point except to him it felt as if it were more an intimate gesture. More than once did it lock eyes with his and more than once he felt a pull. Felt an uncomfortable familiarity. An ease. And when he gazed at one point for too long in that void she did not lift a finger to stop him. She even smiled he could feel it pushing him on to commit to his actions.

Though they never stopped their procession he could feel her draped arms on his shoulders. Masked from view from all the others. Cooing into his ears moans of pleasure at the moments they shared together. A world on fire. Angels and demons battling in an unending war of attrition. Half for a cause half for the entertainment of passing an eternity of existence.

One cut down and then another. Only to reform and begin again. Laughing mad in a battle craze justified by their firm believes in the opposite answer. Both true and false both utterly committed. Greatest of his work in barbarous battle. Was this not the pinnacle of enlightenment?

Then one angel should to see him. Gaze into his soul and be so insulted by the sight. “Begone human and your demon. Begone before the lord should allow me to smite thee.”

“Oh hush feathery foe. What should blood know? Go play your larping battle with your friends.” The demon on his shoulders mocked with satisfaction “I’ve been given a pass and you’ve been damned to your simple pleasures of passing time unending. Go bash some other brute incompetent till you’ve sated yourself and return to your duties.”

“Mock me again and it’ll be the last time.”

“Last time of many no doubt.” She mocks before we’re pulled back to this void of a hallway and the creature at the head of our procession looks back to me with a twisted knowing smile.

And then we’re launched through this “way” into another dimension. Into a land of curse and frozen and overgrown, desaturated but returning? Nothing logical I could apply outside of me just not understanding.

So like my giant friend I kept my voice mostly mute and thought it better to keep observing. Hear her story as we progressed down this mountain side metropolis forest dwelling. Though nobody else seems to notice the voice wicked and moaning. Hate and anger and desire for its justice. Ever talking. screaming. laughing. angry. maddeningly it rambles on.

“How dare they do this to me!?”

It went on as they did and more and more it perverted itself inside his head. so loud he almost didn’t notice the drums and running sprites when they’d come upon their ravine respite. In a moment they were surrounded. How did he not notice? Him of all people? Impossible… Dodged an arrow even from this mass of biological monster horror but not notice it coming?

They were Goblins in every sense from mythical stories. Vile creatures and the stench filled his nose with what was left from the choking smoke and billowing flames which burned so unnaturally from every edifice. Every hole, nook and cranny. The ravine tempted on simmering. Was there a furnace just beneath this?

“Yes!”

“Kill!”

“It.”

“With.”

“Fire.”

The

voice

in

his

head chuckled with elation.

“Kill”

“It.”

“With… “

“wait… “

Who are you?

“Excuse me?” Locke inquires.

“What Locke, what do you see?” Corin asks nudging him, right beside him in hush whisper on edge with blades and axes pointed around them. Surrounded by an innumerable number of green skin wretches. Held back only by some unknown reason.

“It’s nothing… I’m thinking.” He responded in an instant.

“Well think faster. I don’t know what Tye is gonna do against all of that.”

“Yeah, what can we even do?” Locke thought to himself in this helpless situation.

“She just called his name just like that. Maybe she’s used some kind of spell?”

“Let’s hope so because fire is fire.” Locke replies

And in an instant Tye seemingly is consumed and Locke can’t help but look to Nora in disgust as he is thrown back by the shockwave of the combustion. squeezed between goblin steel and muscle.

They’re snickering and sneering and cheering.

Disgusting.

Despicable.

He’d kill them all.

With his bear hands.

Rip spine from skin.

Head from shoulder with his bare hands.

Fucking massacre them.

All of them needed to die!

Yes

The voice purrs. Coos to him and him alone.

My champion. At last. My everything I’ve found you.

Obstacle 22. Phasing Sickness or Human Nature?