Chapter 23: Chance Encounters

LYDIA

Lydia screamed out in agony as another wave of pain washed over her. Her body was now covered in a collection of fresh cuts: shallow enough to avoid lasting damage, yet still deep enough to be extremely painful.

Evine paused from torturing Lydia, allowing her a moment to regain her breath. Though her mind was clouded by pain, she could still discern the sound of voices, though as if from a great distance away.

Slowly, the pain began to fade into background noise as Lydia’s mental faculties returned to her. She suddenly became aware of the fact that someone was speaking.

“I don’t see why all of this is necessary,” Dorian’s voice said. “Wouldn’t she be of more use to us without these wounds?”

“The enchantment will not take effect against someone of strong mental fortitude,” was Evine’s reply. The words began to sink in as Lydia’s mind began to clear.

“To create a suitable thrall, we must first break the spirit of the host. By wounding and exhausting the body, we chip away and erode the subject’s willpower until they are completely unable to resist.”

To Lydia, something was chilling about the matter-of-fact way Evine explained this process to her son. Had she been obviously delighting in the procedure, cackling madly the whole time, that would have almost been less disturbing.

Instead, the dark mistress’s tone was plain, almost clinical in nature. She discussed the finer points of human torture the same way another person might recount the weather.

“Speaking of,” Evine continued. “Are you almost finished with the stone?”

“It is nearing completion as we speak,” replied Dorian.

“Splendid,” said Evine. “Be a good boy and fetch it for me, will you?”

“Yes, moth—” Dorian began. Lydia heard him quickly stop himself, biting off the end of the word before it left his mouth. “...Yes, Lady Evine.”

Through eyes blurred by the sting of sweat and blood, Lydia watched as Dorian slunk out of the dungeon chamber. She had to escape before he returned with the gemstone that would put her entirely under her enemies’ control. But how? She’d never felt so weak and powerless in her life.

“What an obedient son,” Evine said to Lydia. “You know, I have some suspicions that he might be sweet on you, come to think of it.”

Lydia watched as Evine tapped her lips thoughtfully. “Can you imagine? The current wife of King Gabriel, knocking boots with the son of his first wife?”

The dark mistress gave an amused laugh. “That’s the problem with these immortal bloodlines, I suppose. After a while, things start getting so...~messy~.”

Reaching out, Evine snatched a handful of Lydia’s hair, violently yanking her head upwards so that their eyes met. “Speaking of,” she said, brandishing the dagger in her other hand. “Where were we, again?”

***

GABRIEL

The city of Trinivan lay to the north, besieged by mercilessly long winters and teasingly short springs. The wizards were encouraged to dress accordingly. While the distance between Trinivan and Ellesmere was great, the teleportation magic mastered by some members of the magical congress greatly condensed the journey.

The city was unusually frigid as Gabriel and the others arrived in the city center. The streets were empty—in part due to the cold, and in part because Agatha had the foresight to send a messenger ahead to evacuate most of the city in anticipation of Uzier’s arrival.

Of course, Gabriel had little concern for Trinivan, at least at this moment. While he would perform his duties as a Royal to the best of his ability, his only real concern was ensuring Lydia’s safety. Until then, everything else was a mere distraction to him.

Gabriel took a look around, surveying the tall, multi-story buildings surrounding the square on every side. They were freshly deserted, of course, though in the time since the evacuation, the footprints of the fleeing denizens had been covered by newly fallen snow.

The king took a tentative step forward. There was a crunch as his boot pierced the icy crust that made up the outer layer of the snow underfoot. In addition to snow, it appeared as though the town had also recently experienced a bout of freezing rain.

The king glanced over and saw Redmond admiring a tree, its bare branches encased in a crystalline layer of ice. In any other context, it might have been a pretty sight.

Gabriel pulled the hood of his thick cloak over his head. “What’s the plan?” he asked, deferring to Lucius. The wizard crunched through the snow until he was standing by Gabriel’s side, shivering despite the thick winter coat he wore.

“Past experience tells me that Uzier’s forces have likely holed up in the castle,” the old wizard replied. “I would have taken us there directly, but they have no doubt already established all manner of traps for just such an occurrence. Better to teleport somewhere nearby instead, to take stock of the situation.”

“Wise thinking as always, Lucius,” Gabriel said sagely. “Let us proceed with the utmost caution—”

Gabriel stopped as a rush of warmth suddenly shuddered through his otherwise cold body. He staggered backward in shock as Lucius eyed him quizzically.

“What is it?” the wizard asked, catching Gabriel’s arm in an attempt to offer support.

“Lydia,” Gabriel said. It was a single word, but it was all that was needed to bring Lucius up to speed.

“She’s here?” Lucius asked, bewildered. “But where?”

King Gabriel pointed, and Lucius turned to follow what he was gesturing toward. Castle Trinivan loomed over the rest of the town ominously, its architecture consisting of a series of crystalline spires and spikes, giving the appearance of a colossal iceberg.

“Well then,” said Lucius. “I suppose we ought to consider this a case of killing two birds with one stone.”

“Um, everyone?” the voice of Redmond caused Gabriel and Lucius to turn their heads. The Earth Slifer was looking upward, toward the roofs of the buildings surrounding the square. “I think we may not be entirely alone here…”

Gabriel turned his gaze upward and realized what Redmond meant.

Giant, serpentine shapes coiled around the tallest points of the buildings, slowly slithering across the rooftops as they began to converge on the square. Their bodies were made of transparent ice, making them nigh invisible to anyone who might not have been consciously watching for signs of danger.

As they drew closer, the nearest ice serpent opened its wide mouth, revealing two icicle-like fangs as long as a man’s body was tall. A chilling hiss filled the air around the party as the Royals, Slifers, and wizard began to steel themselves for battle.

Gabriel let out a sigh. “This is why I hate Trinivan.”

***

LYDIA

Lydia slumped wearily against the dungeon wall, hanging from her manacled hands. Evine had decided to take a break from her torture, though Lydia knew her motivations for doing so were far from altruistic.

They clearly wanted her alive, meaning Evine was calculating enough to avoid accidentally breaking her new plaything beyond repair.

Nevertheless, the dark mistress had extracted a heavy toll on her: a network of oozing, shallow cuts and slashes crisscrossed the Slifer’s body.

Blood dripped from Lydia’s face and scalp, stinging her eyes and leaving a foul metallic taste in her mouth. Worst of all, the Slifer found herself completely drained of her vigor, lacking the necessary energy to even cry out in frustration.

So, instead, Lydia merely hung there, drifting intermittently from consciousness to unconsciousness, imagining escapes and rescues that would never come to pass.

There were no windows in the dungeon chamber; as such, there was no way for Lydia to determine how much time had passed since Evine had departed.

Mental fatigue began to set in as Lydia weighed her options, only to realize she had none. The Slifer’s heart sank in resignation as she began to realize that she would either die in this cell, or worse—become Evine’s next thrall.

As she drifted back off to sleep once again, the Slifer suddenly heard a voice, distant but unmistakable, echoing from within her own mind:

Lux

Lydia…

Lydia

…

Lux

Lydia, can you hear me?

Lydia

…

Lydia

...Luxus?

Lux

In the fur!

Lux

Well, not literally, unfortunately.

Lydia

This is just a dream, isn’t it?

Lydia

You were killed… I remember that much.

Lydia

This can’t be real.

Lux

Maybe you’re right.

Lux

Maybe I’m not real, and this is all just a figment of your imagination.

Lux

But real or not, I can’t stand to see you suffering like this.

Lydia

I’m not sure how much more of this I can take, Lux.

Lydia

Gabriel… Lucius… I don’t even know if they’re safe.

Lux

Well there’s only one way to find out, right?

Lydia

What do you mean?

Lux

You have to survive this, Lydia.

Lux

You have to overcome.

Lydia

I’m not sure if I can.

Lydia

Not without Gabriel...

Lux

I know you can.

Lux

You’re stronger than this, Lydia.

Lux

Gabriel isn’t the source of your power.

Lux

You are.

***

Lydia was suddenly roused by the sound of the chamber door opening. As she wearily blinked her eyes into focus, Lydia saw Dorian standing in the doorway.

In his hand was a polished green stone.