Realm of Monsters

Chapter 764: Sidus

The wagons at the front of the trail came to an abrupt halt, sending Lena’s own wagon to a staggering stop. She jumped off the back of her wagon and went to see what the problem was. Several of the caravan’s guards were already coming towards her on their horses.

“What is it now?” Lena asked. She had had enough problems for one day.

“Apologies, ma’am. It appears a ditch of sorts is blocking the road,” explained one of the guards.

“What do you mean ‘ditch’?” Lena frowned.

“Someone dug a line across the road, a meter deep, and half as wide. We didn’t notice it until it was too late. One of the horses broke their leg in the fall.”

“Shit,” Lena cursed under her breath. Something this extensive wasn't done overnight. Magic was involved. And if she had to guess, it had something to do with the sand tribe they had encountered earlier. “Check our surroundings for an ambush.”

“Right away,” the soldier gave out a few orders and the rest followed.

Lena glanced back towards the end of the caravan. She couldn’t make out anything happening from here. “And somebody go check on the supply wagon.”

“Yes, ma’am,” nodded the last remaining soldier.

“Someone’s coming!” a merchant ran over, breathless. “Over there,” he pointed at a lone figure crossing the barren landscape. The figure did not approach from behind them nor in front.

Only a fool would cross the harsh, barren land without following a road. It was a death sentence. Even the sand tribes would use the roads this far from the heart of the desert. Was this the ambush?

The guards were already forming a wall between the stranger and the caravan, yet it did not deter the stranger. The cloaked figure stopped a few paces from the wall of guards and pulled down their hood.

“Hello,” he greeted them in a smooth, silk voice. The man was tall, taller than any rulus, sune, or human Lena had met. His hair was a mess of silver locks that curled at the edges. His complexion was a pale blue like nothing she had ever seen. But it was his eyes that left her speechless. A deep hue of vivid purple that beckoned her to be lost in their beauty. Lena did not know how to describe the creature in front of her. She had seen beauty before, amidst the nobility and even the common farmer. This was something else. This was otherworldly.

“Pardon my intrusion,” said the man, his voice breaking their awestruck spell. “Is this the Iron Lena caravan perchance?”

“Yes,” said one of the guards without hesitation.

“Wonderful,” the man threw his hands up in playful relief. “I went after another caravan several leagues that way only to find out it was the wrong one. Suffice to say, I was disappointed. Thankfully, I have arrived at my correct destination. At last.”

Lena stepped past her guards who had already lowered their weapons. “Well met, stranger. I am Lena, leader of this caravan. You said you were looking for us? How can I be of service?”

“Oh, the woman in charge herself. What luck,” he grinned. “It just so happens that I was looking for something that I think only your caravan can provide.”

“We’ve closed up shop for the day, but I’m certain we can have the merchants open their stalls,” Lena said quickly, lest the man leave in disappointment. “Actually, there is a ditch in the road and it’s not like we can go around with the wagons on account of all the sand. So, I guess you could say we’ll be here a while. Sorry, am I talking too much? I feel like I am talking too much. Sorry. Ahem,” she coughed, “My apologies, sir—?”

“You have nothing to apologize for, truly.” He walked up to her and looked down at her with a soft, pleasant expression. He was two heads taller than her and their difference in stature was only made more pronounced by the distance between them.

Lena could hear her heart beating in her ears. Her face felt flushed and she struggled not to touch her hair in the hopes that it looked alright. She laughed awkwardly, “Um, if you give us a few minutes, I’m sure we can have our wares set up for you to peruse.”

“Ah, that won’t be necessary. I am looking for a couple of people, actually. I believe they are traveling with you.”

“Oh, friends of yours? How nice.” Lena suddenly felt envious that the beautiful stranger had friends on the caravan and neither of them was her.

“Yes, friends,” he nodded along. “I was supposed to meet them in a tavern back in Everdyn but I missed them by a few hours.”

Lena froze. Everdyn? The words of the rulus warrior Adina came rushing back to her. Everdyn had been destroyed only yesterday. No one had seen who had massacred the town. Adina suspected it was Noct, but Noct had been traveling with her.

A shiver ran up Lena’s spine as realization dawned on her. She lowered her head, too afraid the fear in her eyes would give her away. “...Um,” she swallowed, “Who were you looking for again?”

“A child. A sune girl, to be more precise. Her name is Titania. She’s probably traveling with a rulus man.”

“I’m sorry. I’m afraid you’ve come all this way for nothing. We aren’t traveling with any children.”

The man smirked, though it did not reach his eyes. “Oh, I’m sure you are.”

~~~

The rulus warriors surrounded the supply wagon, weapons drawn. Noct met them on the ground and eyed each and every one of them, finally settling on their leader, Adina. “What do you want?”

Adina pulled her teeth back in a low growl. “What I want…? Do you know who I am?”

“Would it make you feel better if I said yes?” he asked dryly.

She chuckled and shook her head. “That’s funny. You don’t remember me, yet I remember everything about the day Noct of the Ajur Tribe became Noct the Tribe Slayer. My people were shocked. An entire tribe murdered overnight. That such an act was even possible and by one of their own? I couldn’t believe it. Until I was sent out with a few scouts to find what was left behind.”

The fire in Adina’s hands grew as she balled her fists. “The Ajur Tribe wasn’t just slaughtered, no, their bodies were desecrated. Chests cracked open, organs ripped out and put on display like some sort of trophy or profane ritual. Do you remember, Noct? The bodies you left that day? The men? The women? The children? Do you remember?”

“Titania, go hide in the wagon,” Noct said.

“It’s not true…” Titania mumbled.

“Titania,” Noct yelled, though he did not turn to look at her.

She had never heard him yell before and the anger in his voice drove her to scramble inside the wagon.

“Afraid she’ll hear the truth?” Adina taunted and began to pace around Noct, like a lion ready to pounce on its prey. “I was there when the elders called upon a war party to capture Noct to face trial for the abominations he had committed. My younger sister, the most talented elementalist in our tribe, was one of the select few chosen. She and half her party died capturing you. Do you remember what happened next, Tribe Slayer?”

Still, Noct did not respond, his face expressionless save for his cold green eyes.

“You were brought to the elders council and found guilty. They sentenced you to the greatest punishment among our people, the Threefold Death. Do you know how they do this, little girl?” Adina glanced at the small slit in the wagon’s tarp where Titania watched.

“Leave her out of this,” Noct growled.

Adina ignored him and spoke to Titania. “They flay you alive. Healers are at the ready to grow you back a new layer of skin as the old is peeled off. By the end, your skin is unblemished by any sacred markings. The sigils of your tribe, your family, every accomplishment in your life. Gone. That is the first death, death of the tribe. The whole process is excruciatingly painful and yet it is nothing compared to the second death. Do you remember, Tribe Slayer?”

Noct said nothing, only narrowed his eyes.

“No, of course not. You escaped your punishment.” Once more she looked at Titania. “The second death is when they tie your limbs to four posts. Then they cut you and cut, until you are nothing but bloody ribbons, but they do not let you die. Each day, healers repair your injuries just enough to keep you alive. And each night, they cut you once more. Until eventually, your mind breaks from the pain. That is the second death. Only then, is your body left to rot under the sun where the Divine Owls may judge you and toss your soul into the ever darkness of the Soul Chasm.”

“And you’ve come here to deliver that punishment to me,” Noct said, his hand wandering to his sword hilt.

Adina noticed the movement, but did nothing to stop him. “Do you remember what happened when they inflicted the first death upon you? Many people came to watch, including the family of those you killed.”

Noct bristled at her words.

Adina curled her lips, pleased. “Now you’re beginning to understand. I was there when they stripped your flesh. I was there when the healers repaired your body and I saw the moment you used that small reprieve to escape your chains. First, you slaughtered healers. Then the guards. Then the elders present. And then the families who came to witness the end of a monster. You struck my face and left me for dead,” she ran a finger across her missing eye and the scar that ran across her forehead down to her cheek. “I was one of the lucky few that survived. Do you remember Tribe Slayer?”

“...I do not,” Noct admitted quietly.

“Of course, you don’t. Every person stripped of their sacred markings has died in the Threefold Death, all except for one. Noct the Tribe Slayer.” Adina looked him in the eye. “I will never forget that night nor the man. And you, markless one, are not him. So who the fuck are you?”

“What do we have here?” said a stranger.

Everyone turned to find a silver-haired man walking towards them with Lena at his side. The stranger’s hand rested on the back of her neck, his fingers casually wrapped around her throat.

“Lena?” Titania whispered.

The caravan leader was trembling from head to toe, sweat perspiring on her forehead. She looked at Noct, eyes wide with fear. “Run,” she mouthed silently.

Noct frowned in stunned silence.

Adina stared in awe at the stranger, her warriors sharing a similar expression of wonder. “You are an Owl.”

“What did you say?” The stranger frowned.

“Divinity in the flesh.” Adina fell to her knees, as did the other rulus. “A child of the Eldest Death. It is my honor to bask in your presence.”

The stranger pulled back his lips in a snarl, his calm demeanor shattered. “Careful with your words.”

“Forgive me if I have offended you. I meant no such disrespect,” Adina bowed her head.

The stranger took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I will overlook your disrespect this once.”

“Are you the Golden Owl, Syrus?” asked another rulus, too excited to contain himself.

“...Syrus?” the stranger gritted his teeth. With a flick of his wrist, a white spear shot out and pierced the rulus’ neck with such force that it tore through flesh and bone, and decapitated him. “You dare compare me to my useless brother!? That cur can do nothing but follow Father like a loyal, stupid mongrel. I am nothing like him!”

The warriors stiffened with fear and stared at their fallen comrade in confusion and horror. Adina slowly raised her head, “You are no Owl.”

“No, I am not,” he bared his teeth in a growl.

“Demon,” Adina hissed.

He walked up to her, dragging Lena with him. The stranger looked down at the kneeling Adina, daring her to stand. “And what of it?”

Adina clenched her jaw, but lowered her head.

“Anyone else want to try?” The stranger looked around.

The other rulus stared at their fallen comrade with bitterness, but stayed kneeling.

“That’s what I thought. Now,” he lifted Lena by the neck until her feet were dangling. “Where is Titania?”

Titania shivered and clenched her amulet tightly. The monster was looking for the key.

“I will not ask again,” the stranger said.

Lena looked into Noct’s troubled eyes and smiled bravely. “I’d rather die than tell you anything.”

“Alright.” The stranger snapped Lena’s neck with a casual gesture and tossed her body to the side.

“No!” Noct rushed over to Lena. Her eyes were bloodshot and filled with panic, the last of her life fading away before him.

“Who’s next?” the stranger asked. “How about you?” he glanced at Noct. “Since you seem so invested in our dear departed caravan master. Perhaps you can tell me where Titania is.”

Noct looked up at him, murder in his eyes.

“Oh, you have some fight in you, good,” the stranger said.

“Stop!” Titania ran out of the wagon, tears streaming down her face. “Don’t hurt him.” She held up the amulet, “I am Titania.”

The stranger beamed in delight. “We meet at last, child.”

“W-Who are you?” Titania stammered.

“I have many names, but you may simply call me Sidus. Come, child.” He offered his hand.

Titania took a step back, hands shaking.

Noct stepped in front of her. “She doesn’t want to go with you.”

Sidus glanced at Noct, then at Titania, who held the back of the rulus’ sleeve. “So, I see,” he smiled. “Hm.” Sidus flung his arm out and hurled another spear in a flash of light.

Noct shoved Titania to the right and leapt to the left. The spear flew between them and disappeared across the desert. Sidus didn’t give them any time to recover. He rushed upon Noct, a sword of white steel in his hand. Noct rolled to his feet and met the attack with his own sword.

Sidus stared at Noct’s blade with a frown, as if offended that his strike was blocked. “Cheeky,” Sidus clicked his tongue and slapped Noct away with a backhand, sending him crashing into the supply wagon.

“Noct!” Titania cried out.

The unmarked rulus stumbled out from the broken wagon. His ears were ringing and his hair was matted with blood.

“Oh? This one has some strength to him.” Sidus strode over, twirling his blade playfully.

Noct grabbed the hatchet on his belt and threw it with all the force he could muster. Sidus slapped it aside, but Noct was already sprinting at him. He drew one of the daggers on his belt and stabbed at Sidus’ shoulder. The latter caught his wrist and thrust the blade into Noct’s gut instead.

Noct gasped a hollow breath and staggered to a halt.

“No!” Titania screamed.

Sidus pulled the blade out and watched with sadistic pleasure as Noct collapsed to his knees, blood pouring all over him, and tipped over face-forward into the sand.

“Anyone else?” Sidus looked around.

Titania ran over to Noct’s side and shook his shoulder to no response. “No, no, no. Get up, please. Don’t leave me,” she sobbed.

Sidus placed a hand on her shoulder. “Don’t fret, it’s all over now, child. Come, let us be rid of this place,” he said warmly.

Titania shook his hand off her and glared up at him, eyes red with tears. “I will never go with you.”

The warmth in his demeanour disappeared. “I wasn’t asking.”

Titania stood over Noct’s body and channeled Orange. A flame flickered to life in her hand but it sputtered out of existence in a whiff of smoke.

“You dare attack me?” Sidus glared at her. “You will regret that.”

She stumbled back a step and fell on her bottom. Fear gripped her legs and she could not move, only stare at the monster advancing towards her.

A tug at his foot stopped Sidus in his tracks. He glanced down to see the dying rulus holding his ankle.

“…don’t…” Noct mumbled.

“What was that?” Sidus scoffed, picked him up by the throat and squeezed.

Noct clawed at Sidus’ wrist helplessly. “…Don’t…” he gasped.

“Let him go!” Titania forced herself to stand and attempted to channel Orange again.

“But I want to hear what he has to say,” Sidus mocked and squeezed his fingers around Noct’s throat tighter.

Noct’s eyes rolled up and his body went limp.

“No,” Titania cried in a quiet, broken voice.

“I told you, child, you would regret attacking me. Remember this moment the next time you think of defying me.” He tossed Noct’s body aside or at least he tried. The dead rulus was still gripping his wrist. “Stubborn bastard,” Sidus chuckled and shook him off, yet the hand would not let go. Slowly, his grin turned into a frown.

Noct’s grip tightened and his nails turned into claws that dug into the skin, until Sidus bled dark ichor.

“…Don’t… touch her…” Noct’s eyes shot open, lilac eyes burning bright. He raised his legs and kicked Sidus in the chest, hurling him back. Noct fell to the ground, coughing up blood.

“Noct!” Titania ran to him, but slowed as she drew close. “Noct…?”

He was curled in the fetal position. His bones cracked and his muscles writhed. Black hair faded to a pale white and his olive-yellow complexion rippled to a new hue of soft blue. With a heavy breath, he slowly sat up on his hands and knees, dark blood still seeping from the wound in his gut.

At a distance, Sidus staggered to his feet and broke into a wide, maddened smile. “It’s you. Stryg.”