Silence.

  In the desolate streets of Carnifex, down an abandoned alley bathed in the blue light shining from the massive orb hanging overhead, a barrel creaked. Slowly, the loose lid tilted upwards, and a set of golden eyes peered out into her surroundings. Her sweat soaked body shook, even as what remained of her nerves drove her to finally take a peek.

  “I-is it over?” Theo whispered, barely keeping herself together.

  1 hour earlier

  Theo, David and the remaining survivors fled through the backdoor of the Hero’s Tale Inn before the encroaching web of blue could ensnare them. They were just in time, as only moments after they had made their escape, the entire building shattered to pieces, reduced to rubble in an instant, its debris spilling over into the nearby alleyways and cutting off access to the main road. Theo covered her eyes as a cloud of dust briefly filled the air.

  Coughing, Theo looked on, horrified at the destruction. Vine, who was at the center of the collapse, had been crushed under the inn, and though Aksel managed to escape, he had been forced to exit through the front of the building where all the goblins, hobgoblins and the orc were waiting.

  She was at a loss, as the sound of orc laughter echoed in the distance. She heard Aksel call out Vine’s name, attempt to dig... and then silence.

  “A-Aksel?” She finally found her voice. “Aksel? Are you there, say something!”

  “Be quiet, you dumb bitch!” A trader shouted, but it was too late. All around them, more hideous goblins appeared in every door and window, their crescent eyes fixed on them with bloody weapons drawn. Theo froze in terror.

  “RUN!” One of the merchants next to her shouted, fleeing down the alley with little care for the scared bandit girl in his way. She was easily knocked to the ground in the confusion with the others joining in the rout. Theo flipped to her stomach, staring ahead to the shrinking backs of her fellow survivors, with only David daring to look back before exited the area.

  “WAIT, COME BACK!” Theo yelled, but it was too late. Even as her hand fruitlessly stretched towards their shrinking backs, she knew any rescue now was impossible. Goblins poured into the alley, many chasing down David’s group like some twisted sport, but plenty of others remaining behind to deal with her. She understood why they left her behind. After all, they saw her and Aksel help Vine, openly displaying her magical item while they were at it. In their eyes, she must have been some sort of mage accomplice at best and an outright mage at worst, despite how impossible that was. Still, the sting of betrayal from those she was celebrating victory with only hours ago hit her harder than she ever could have expected.

  Her eyes gazed up in horror at the little green monsters surrounding her, baring hideous grins, contemplating her fate.

  It was then that a thin haze of crimson red overtook her vision. She gasped for air, suddenly finding it much harder to breathe, as though her strength was being sapped from her body, like something was tugging at the very core of her being.

  “Hear me, oh demons of the other side! I am Zelestia Myri, and I invite you here to complete my request! I offer you all the unworthy souls and flesh that dwell within this pathetic village in exchange for your help in the war that is to come!”

  The air grew heavier, as an ere sense of that someone or something was watching crept into her senses. She looked around, hoping to discover what it could be.

  What’s going on? Everything feels wrong…

  Fortunately, she wasn’t the only one experiencing this effect. The goblins, who had appeared so please just moments ago, had also collapsed to the ground, squirming around as their strength was drained by the haze. In fact, they appeared more affected by this phenomenon than her.

  “I offer my blood as proof of my identity and my commitment to our pact!” The feminine voice spoke once more, her accent unfamiliar to Theo as the atmosphere grew even more oppressive with every passing second. It was at this moment that Theo saw the shadows passing through the alley, gliding across the ground, skirting along the walls and windows and sliding over rooftops. Each shadow was a different, monstrous shape, beyond any animal or Dungeon-kin Theo had come across, frightening her as she laid immobile.

  “Oh, great demons of the other side! If any among you wish to receive my offer, please step into the circle and make your presence known!” The final words from the voice spoke, the ground trembling in response. Despite remaining still, Theo felt herself moving rapidly elsewhere, but not in a direction she could describe. It was a new sensation that had no comparison in her lifetime, like a colourblind person suddenly experiencing blue. Her stomach churned at the unnatural sensation, as all the shadows swirled around her faster and faster, the world losing what little light the moons where providing.

  Then, just as suddenly as the haze had arrived, the inn exploded into a massive pillar of blue light, launching huge geysers of debris into the air, almost blinding Theo from the brightness as she moved her arms to shield her eyes.

  Huh? I can move again! Theo realised, snapping her out of her fear as she quickly glanced towards the nearest door. Sure enough, it was open, left ajar by the same goblins currently recovering on the ground next to her. Springing to her feet, she rushed towards the open entranceway, not knowing if it was safe, but a far better option than staying outside.

  Something grabbed her ankle, knocking her to the ground halfway inside the house. She looked back, finding a goblin clutching onto her with its bony arm. Gritting her teeth, she pulled her leg back, and kicked the goat-eyed freak right across its eye sockets. It reeled back, releasing Theo as it grasped its face in pain. Wasting no time, Theo pulled herself inside the building and threw herself against the wall beside the entrance. It was just in time.

  For the first second or so, it sounded like rain, as small fragments of wood and brick pinged off the buildings and ground. Then, the intensity ratcheted to eleven. She curled up, protecting her vitals as she listened to the debris crashing down around her. Goblins screamed horrific death rattles as they were pelted and crushed under the falling rubble. The roof tiles cracked and broke, with brick fragments smashing through the upper floors of the house. Thankfully, the ground floor was spared the barrage, as the doorway spilled dust and assorted materials inside the house, finally settling after its sudden launch skyward.

  For what seemed like an eternity, the material rained across the village, her hands shielding her head as her eyes remained tightly closed. Offering a silent prayer to The First, she wished for whatever was going on to hurry up and end already, taking all the goblins along with it.

  Then, at last, it was over.

  When Theo opened her eyes, a veil of blue light reflected off the swollen cloud of dust kicked up around the doorway. Cautiously, Theo stood up, her body trembling while doing her best to stifle her coughs out of fear of who might be listening.

  Carefully, she peered her head around the corner and glanced outside. Everything, from the alley to the surrounding buildings were caked in dust and fragments from the shattered inn following the explosion. Fortunately, the nearby goblins didn’t survive the ordeal. Spikes of wood of varying lengths protruded out from their bodies while bricks smeared in green tinged blood were scattered all around. She looked towards the inn, the epicenter of the pillar of light only a stone’s throw away from her, and then towards the sky, beholding the massive orb hanging above.

  What happened? She questioned, unable to comprehend what could have triggered such a mind-boggling explosion or why there was suddenly a massive blue ball floating in the sky. Unsure of her next move, she quietly shrunk back inside the house, put her back to the wall and allowed herself to slide down its surface, holding her head in her hands. Feeling as though she was passing through the eye of a devastating storm, she allowed some time to release the emotions she didn’t have the luxury of displaying before.

  This is so wrong, so wrong. This was just meant to be just a simple, fun adventure. See the kingdom, earn some money, and enjoy myself with a wannabe hero and a nice, na?ve rich girl. Tears started forming in her eyes, as the horrors of the day began to settle in her mind. What am I supposed to do? Vine’s dead, Aksel’s probably dead, and everyone else left me for dead. This is too damn hard, I just want to curl up in my room back home. She gripped her face tightly, releasing her frustration at her situation. Where’s mom? Isn’t she usually here by now? Why hasn’t she saved me yet?

  Perhaps, somewhere in her mind, she always assumed that someone would be there to rescue her when the situation grew dire. Before, this was her mother, always swooping in to save her when it counted. Granted, those were almost always from problems caused by her mother, but still, she was there. Then, it was Aksel and Vine, the duo of the wannabe hero and the secret powerhouse, always taking charge in one manner or another to save the day. Now though, she had no saviours, no knights in shining armor to come to her rescue, she was alone. If circumstances permitted it, she would be crying out with reckless abandon like the time she failed to rob Aksel.

  Panic suddenly struck her, as she frantically checked herself over, finally calming when her hands brushed upon the dagger and potions she was given, safely stored away in her travel pack.

  There’s no way I’d forgive myself if I lost these.

  With the right buyers, she imagined she could make a small fortune selling off the potions. Though her knowledge was minimal on the topic, even she knew that her potions were made from plants and materials that died out over a thousand years ago, back when the world still flowed with Mana, provided what Vine gave her was real, of course. Now, it was basically impossible to recreate those alchemical marvels, outside of using the extremely rare, dried materials that have somehow survived this long. The political, medical, societal and economic ramifications were probably immense, though Theo wasn’t a history buff like Aksel seemed to be. All that mattered to her was that if she somehow made it out of here alive, she’d be set for years to come with the profits she could make. Not only that, but if it turned out the dagger Vine handed to her also had some magical stuff done to it, she could very well be set for life.

  The bright future Theo still believed in helped to steady her nerves somewhat, but even the thought of early retirement could only pacify her so much.

  There’s no time to sit here and wait for someone to offer me a way out. I-I just have to escape on my own. Yeah, I’m Faithless Theo of the black surcoats, the soon-to-be greatest bandit that ever lived. I’m going to escape, and when I get out of here, I’m going to be rolling in gold!

  With renewed determination, she thought through her next moves. Firstly, she needed to escape this accursed village as quickly and quietly as humanly possible. Then, she just needed to hide out in the forest somewhere or possibly backtrack to her old cave until this whole thing blows over. Then, she’d just head out to the nearest town, do some backdoor dealings to sell off her magical contraband and rake in the gold. From there, it’s smooth sailing.

  That’s right, it’s just like I told Aksel. You should think of your own life, first and foremost in every situation, because if you die, everything else becomes meaningless. I just have to find a way to slip out of this place, even if I have to use that invisibility potion to do it. Theo thought, though she was truly loathed to consider drinking such an expensive item.

  Her mind firmly set on escaping, she got back to her feet for a final time and clenched both her fists in front of herself, a renewed smile of determination marking her expression as she resolved to survive this.

  Glancing outside, she saw the alley remained empty. Whatever the cause, the explosion had either scared the little buggers off or they simply didn’t have cause to come looking this way. A part of Theo wondered if that whole display was something of a final ‘fuck you’ that Vine left on her way to the heavens, but she supposed she’ll never know. The important part was she had a chance. Though she would miss that rich little odd ball, she knew there was truly nothing she could have done to save her.

  I’m sorry, Vine. And thank you for saving my life. Theo mentally paid her respects to the kind, but strange girl, before turning down the alley to make her escape.

  Or at least, that was what she thought she’d be doing. Her eyes, however, didn’t listen to what her mind had planned out. Instead, they wandered back over to the ruins of the inn, observing the sunken mound with a blast hole right through its center, too large to see over.

  I… I wonder if Aksel made it out? A stray thought popped into her head, one she shook to dismiss. No no no! I’m not thinking about him, I just need to get out of here before anyone finds me. I need to think about myself.

  Despite knowing her best chances for survival lay in escaping as soon as possible while everything was in disarray, her body betrayed her, refusing to move. Her eyes were fixed on the ruined inn, unable to prevent the flow of memories running through her mind of the heroic wannabe idiot she travelled with.

  I’m sorry, Aksel, even if you’re somehow alive, you knew I was never the selfless type. Theo gave one last thought to the idea, hoping to silence the coup in her mind telling her to do something stupid.

  Don’t leave him! Her heart finally spoke out, directly challenging her brain and it’s thinking, an odd state of affairs, considering hearts aren’t typically known for speaking. If she had to guess, it was probably the built-up stress causing her to have a very minor mental breakdown. You have to find Aksel!

  Wha— Don’t be stupid! Why would I do that? Also, why am I arguing with myself?!

  Because he’s your friend.

  Shut up, you damn heart! Go back to pumping blood and leave the important decisions to me. Theo carefully left the house and headed down the alley, treading lightly on the dusty, ruined terrain.

  He has the bag.

  !... Theo froze up, not considering that point. A-and?

  You know, if Vine’s dead, that means the bag is, like, totally yours now. You should go over to Aksel and help him escape, or just take the bag from him if he’s really dead.

  I’ve already got the potions; I don’t really need—

  Are a few potions the sum of our ambitions? We are Faithless Theo, our love for money knows no bounds! Do I really have to remind you that, brain?

  If I die, then it’s all pointless! Just this once, let’s just cut our losses and leave.

  And leave the biggest payday of our lives behind? You’re not fit to be in command! We have everything we need to snag the bag, save our lacky, and escape into a life of luxury!

  But… but—

  Follow your heart, not your head! Her heart somehow spoke the final words on the topic. Reaching into her satchel, she pulled out the potion of invisibility, considering Vine’s words.

  If I use this, I should be able to get to the main street without being seen. It’s supposed to last a few minutes, at least… wait, why did she say ‘I think’ at the end of that? Does that mean there’s a chance that this might not work, or that if could run out sooner? Hold on, if this runs out while I’m in the middle of them all, won’t I be totally screwed?

  Theo didn’t have the time for another internal debate, however. After wasting so much time arguing with herself, she failed to escape before a couple of goblins came around the corner, spotting her in an instant. With a point and a bark, they charged at her.

  Her face visibly paling, Theo sprinted down the alley, hopping over corpses and debris in her attempt to escape. Almost falling over herself, she turned down another alleyway, only to discover a dead end. Worse, her pursuers were only a few seconds behind her. With no other option, she hid herself and hoped for the best.

  The pair swung around the corner, surprised to see that the girl had vanished, with only a couple of barrels and crates around to provide cover. They had played this game before, it seemed, as their faces took on sadistic grins. Confidently, they stalked over to the objects, slowly checking behind them as if hoping to surprise her. When nothing was found, they gave each other a knowing look before quickly, quietly, lifting the lids from the crates and barrels, knives at the ready to end her on sight, only to be greeted by a hot load of nothing. With nowhere left to look, the pair barked in frustration. An argument ensued, each appearing to blame the other for their screw up as they ran further down the alley in search of their target.

  Theo quietly watched them as they left the close, the dagger shaking in her hand as her knees threatened to give out. Finally exhaling, she lowered the weapon, glancing at the half empty vial she held.

  That was quite possibly the most expensive drink I’ve ever had, she cynically thought, still unable to bring herself to drink the full thing. But it was 100% worth it. Hmmm, Vine was right, that really was dry.

  Now invisible, the effects not only on her body, but her perception too were stark. In her eyes, she was completely visible, while the world around her took on an almost washed-out look.

  I wonder if all invisibility potions do this? She pondered, but didn’t dwell on the idea.

  With her invisibility established, she doubled back on herself, avoiding the direction the goblins went as she headed for the first exit back onto the main road. The dust and rubble scattered across the ground crunched underfoot, making it impossible to stay completely hidden, rushing under the fear of her time limit. In under a minute, she had arrived at the exit to the street, still invisible, her heart pounding. To her surprise, there was a lot of commotion going on up ahead, with goblin’s barking to the sound of clashing metal.

  This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

  Is someone fighting out there?

  Initially, her thoughts drifted to Aksel, somehow living out his heroic dreams in the middle of this crisis and fighting off the goblin raid by himself. Of course, that idea was ridiculous… unless?

  Peeking her head out, she saw—

  “You’re not getting away,” A raven-haired girl in the red dress, splattered in gore, declared to the goblin as she leapt onto the fleeing creature’s back, only inches away from where Theo was standing. Forced to the ground, its face crunched against the pavement as the girl raised the goriest nub of a dagger into the air, plunging it into the monster’s skull, cracking it like an egg. Theo almost vomited… almost.

  Despite what others thought of her, Theo could be unusually observant at times, a trait she picked up after being made the centrepiece of one too many convoluted plans to trap her debt-ridden mother. Because of that, she could say that this girl, who appeared no older than thirteen, wasn’t anyone she had seen around the village, or anywhere for that matter. There was little chance of her missing her either, with her distinctive hair, dress, and cold red eyes.

  Looking closer, she noticed a unicorn themed hairclip, a rather cutesy feature for someone practically bathing in the blood of her enemies. There were other features as well, like her fingertips, which appeared stained rather than covered in blood, though there certainly was plenty of green tinted gore on her hands. Her neck too was marked with a purple band, like that of the corpses taken from the gallows. This was all without mentioning the glowing blue cut on her shoulder, and literal steam pouring from her body.

  Great, just great, I’ve walked into another freakshow again, haven’t I?

  Glancing around the corner, her eyes widened at the devastation. Goblins and hobgoblins littered the streets, each corpse left gorier than the last. One’s leg was torn off at the shin bone, another’s arm was twisted with chunks of the debris embedded in their skull. There was even a goblin who had a fist sized indent in their face, lying still beside a blood-stained house.

  “YOU LITTLE HUMAN BITCH!” The orc, who had poisoned Vine with his strange mechanical eye, shouted towards the girl.

  “Heh heh heh, this is so much fun,” the raven-haired girl spoke, staring down the monster almost twice her size with an unnervingly creepy smile, blood dripping from her dress.

  “I’M GOING TO TEAR YOUR HEAD OFF AND GOUGE OUT YOUR EYES!” the orc raged as he caught up to her, swinging his massive, obsidian black sword at her head. The girl, however, was too nimble for the monster, easily ducking under the blade. Countering his attack, she turned around, and before he could react, stabbed the orc in the leg. Giggling, she ran off with her arms outstretched like she was impersonating a bird. His face twisting in rage, the orc roared, pursuing the girl as they headed towards the town center.

  After the freakshow had departed, Theo finally emerged from her spot in the alley. She wasn’t counting how long that interaction took, but she was sure it wasn’t more than another minute, probably.

  The street had truly become the site of a massacre, with blood and… other things filling the air. Remembering her objective, she cautiously headed towards the inn.

  With her dagger tucked close to her chest, she passed by numerous corpses. Given the day she was having, she half expected them to lunge for her, but fortunately, the dead remained dead this time. Finally arriving at the front of the inn, she spotted someone on the ground she could never mistake for a million years.

  “Vine?” Theo muttered, breaking into a light jog towards her. Vine being here should have been impossible, given that she should have been crushed under the inn after its collapse. But, despite what her earlier mental breakdown might have led her to believe, her eyes weren’t lying. Vine was here, in front of her. Crouching down, Theo looked her companion over. She was always a mystery, but on top of somehow escaping to the street from under a building, she had also removed the orc’s poison completely from her person. In fact, her clothes didn’t appear damaged at all.

  Did the potion work?

  “Can you hear me, Vine? It’s me, Theo,” she said, shaking her, but there was no response. Checking her breathing and listening to her heartbeat, she determined that both appeared fine, or at least, she was in no danger of dropping dead at any point.

  This is great! Theo thought, a joyous expression overtaking her. If I give her that health potion, I can get the strongest person we have back in the fight. We’re going to live!

  Quickly, she rummaged through her satchel, pulling out the sought after health potion. In her moment of triumph, she couldn’t help but hold it up high in the air, wanting to cheer her heart out. Not wanting to be interrupted, she gave one last glance around her surroundings—

  “A-askel?” Theo gasped, as she finally noticed the body of her other companion, laying on his back, covered in dust with fragments of brick and lumber piercing parts of his body, unmoving. A pool of blood poured from his back, a wound he no doubt suffered shortly after their separation.

  “Oh First… Aksel, why… You stupid wannabe hero… I told you this would happen…” Theo muttered, rising to her feet. She knew that chances would be slim, but she owed him enough to check, at least.

  Unlike Vine, who had somehow survived her ordeal, Aksel was dead, his face losing colour with every passing second, the heat already draining from him. She couldn’t help but tear up at the sight of someone she considered a friend lying dead in front of her. It was too soon for him to go, far too soon.

  “I’m sorry, you shouldn’t have died like this. Damn it, why did you have to go out the front? It’s not fair…” She mourned, guilt weighing on her conscience. “I shouldn’t have brought you to that stupid cave, I should have just taken the money and left you alone. This is all my fault…” It was then her eyes glanced over something he still clutched in his hand. It was Vine’s enchanted bag.

  Reaching over, she gently took the prized object, feeling like a scumbag as she did. She didn’t know how adventurers back in the day looted corpses without any remorse, because she felt awful, even more so because he was a friend.

  “Thank you, Aksel. I won’t let your sacrifice go to waste… I’m sure The First will reward you with the hottest angel they have up there for your selflessness,” Theo assured him, before placing Vine’s bag inside her satchel. With her cargo firmly secured, she turned back to her surviving companion.

  As Theo approached, however, her skin started to tingle like she’d never experienced before, a strange weight overcoming her head. Though confused at first, it soon became clear as the visual effects of the potion began to clear.

  D-Dright! I’m running out of time! Theo thought. At that very moment, a group of goblins appeared after exiting a nearby home, their hands laden with loot, having avoided the massacre. In a panic, Theo rushed over to the other side of the street to a nearby alley, hiding behind the nearby barrel. It was just in time, as the invisibility wore off only moments after she got settled. Though she was thankful for the solid indication that her time was running out, she wished she knew ahead of time.

  The goblins spoke in their strange language, yapping and barking at one another, though appeared to be in good spirits as they moved through the corpse ridden ground, unphased by their own dead. As they passed by her hiding spot, Theo examined the remains of her invisibility potion. If she drank the rest now, she could grab Vine and run for it, she supposed. The only problem would be that, unless the potion extends to the person she was carrying, it would look like Vine was floating around in a strange carrying position.

  There wasn’t time to worry about that though, she decided. The moment the goblins had gotten far enough away, she would run back over to Vine and escape. With Aksel dead and both Vine and her bag secured, there was nothing left to keep them here. Now, it was time to make like a bandit and split.

  After a bit of time passed, she left the safety of the barrels. Peering out from the corner of the alleyway, she hoped the goblins had made it far enough away for her to begin her escape. However, this was not the case. Instead, the creatures had stopped in their tracks, staring out towards the town centre. Shifting her head, she quickly understood exactly what had caught their attention. From the gargantuan orb hanging above them in the sky coming down to the town center, she saw a noose wrapped around the orc’s neck, dragging him into the air.

  WHAT IN NITH IS GOING ON?! Theo almost screamed, her eyes shrinking to the size of needles. A second later, the noose was sliced apart by a blade appearing in the orcs hand, freeing him as he fell back to the surface, but it didn’t take long for a swarm of the things to come barrelling down from on high. The goblins simply watched, mesmerised by the display, all their strange chattering coming to a halt.

  Theo moved back around the bend and eyed her invisibility potion once more. Without hesitation, she chugged the remains of the vial and felt the world around her begin to change. When the effect had settled, she raced over to Vine, picking her up like a princess. To Theo’s surprise, not only was she amazingly light, but the washed-out version of Vine turned to its normal colours after she had a firm grip on her.

  Does this mean she’s invisible too? Theo wondered, only for those thoughts to be interrupted by the barks and yaps of one of the goblins, who seemed to have witnessed her little magic trick in time to see Vine float into the air and disappear, perhaps tipped off by the noise Theo was making as she ran across the dusty street.

  Though his panicked barking caught the attention of its comrades, it wasn’t long before they fell into an argument, clearly not believing what their friend had just witnessed. Theo didn’t dare move, fearing any footsteps would give herself away completely. Unfortunately for her, she could already feel the effects of the potion wearing off.

  Wha— It’s hasn’t even been a minute! Theo cursed, hoping to The First that the potion would just hang on a little longer for the goblins to clear out.

  It didn’t

  The washed-out world rapidly shifted back to reality, and considering the silence that overcame the creatures as all their collective eyes fell upon her, it was clear she had been spotted. She could only imagine the dumb face she was making as she stood there, Vine in her arms, with sweat dripping from her brow. For a moment, neither side did anything other than stare at one another.

  The stare off was broken when the initially suspicious goblin raised his finger at her and gave a long, shrill bark.

  “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA—” Its voice was suddenly cut off as a noose snapped around its neck from above, smashing its face into the pavement, leaving its blood splattered against its surface. It was not alone, as one after another, the other goblins were grabbed by the incoming nooses, their heads enjoying their own impactful meetings with the ground, before being carried up into the air. Theo, maintaining the dumb face she was making, simply watched the goblin corpses being dragged off to the blue star above until they were hanging in the air as though a part of a magical floating gallows. Sweat continued to pour from Theo’s body, unable to come up with a correct way to respond.

  All around her, nooses rained down across the village, weaving through alleys, smashing through roofs and grabbing any and all goblins that still walked the streets. Unable to change the dumb look on her face, Theo slowed backed into the previous alley she was in, moving at a calm pace as though the strange, murderous nooses were, in fact, not real, until she reached the rim of the barrels. Without a word, she placed Vine inside the nearest barrel before stepping inside herself. Taking one last look outside, her expression locked on the “dumb” setting, she witnessed another wave of hung goblins joining the others up in the gallows above.

  Seeing all she could take for one day, Theo closed the lid on the barrel and waited.

  -----

  Present day

  Having been cramped in a barrel with Vine’s unconscious body for the last hour, Theo was willing to take the risk of surveying her surroundings. There was no life anywhere, the world seeming unnaturally still. Taking a further peek to the sky, she saw the horror that had unfolded. Hundreds of both goblins and hobgoblins were hung by their necks, most with severe facial trauma, dangling limply in the air. The sight was enough to make her contemplate a life of safety inside her barrel, even though her cramped, overheated limbs had long overruled that idea.

  Carefully, she exited her wooden domicile, briefly enjoying the cool, fresh air and spacious surroundings before collecting Vine from inside, who’s shirt had become slightly see through from the previous humidity. She truly was light, much lighter than she had any right to be, but Theo didn’t question her good fortune, more than happy to take any victories that would come her way.

  “Don’t worry, Vine. I’ll get us out of here,” Theo promised, and once again gazed around the corner of the alley. Her lucky streak seemed to have some longevity to it, as the streets were finally clear. Odd, she could have sworn there were more corpses on the ground the last time she looked.

  Praying to the Heavens that the nooses continue to ignore her, Theo made a dash towards the northern road leading out of Carnifex, hoping to make her escape before something else could go wrong. After a continued effort, she eventually approached the edge of the village, a sense of euphoria already overtaking her.

  “W-we made it, Vine. We’re going to live—” Theo’s words were cut off as she crashed headfirst into some sort of force blocking her escape. “OWWWWWW?!” She cried, falling butt first onto the ground, almost losing her grip on Vine in the process.

  The path before her appeared clear as day, illuminated by the blue star hanging high above. The road was unobstructed, disappearing into the distance towards Treda-Lake. There was nothing that should or could prevent her from leaving, yet here she was, on her ass, unable to leave.

  Putting Vine down for the moment, Theo carefully approached the place her face smushed against. With her hand held out in front of her, she gingerly felt around for whatever could have stopped them. When her hands felt something solid in mid-air, she instantly reeled back, waited, and when nothing happened, began grasping at the see-through barrier. It felt hard and smooth, without bumps or ridges, like a window with none of its fragility. Though slight, the wall also seemed to have a curve to it, bending inward towards the village.

  “Oh, you have got to be KIDDING me! Why does all this funny stuff always happen to me?!” Theo complained, grabbing her hair as panic began to set in. “There has to be some way out of this place, I can’t be trapped in here with all these monsters!”

  “Beautiful,” A distant voice called out to her. Spinning on her heels, she glanced over to see a young man, a villager she barely remembered seeing hanging around the celebration party when Vine killed the megabear. Theo didn’t quite catch what he said, his low voice close to a mumble with his shoulders and head sunk down.

  “A-A survivor! Thank The First someone else got through this. Do you know a way out of here? or at least a place we can hide?” Theo questioned, overjoyed to see a friendly face out here, taking a few joyful strides forward towards her new ally in this village of despair.

  “Beautiful,” The man called her again. This time, Theo registered the compliment. She was a little taken aback by the boldness of this man trying to flirt with her in the middle of all this, especially given she was bruised, sweaty and caked in dust. It honestly threw her enough to make her momentarily forget what a desperate situation she was in. As much as she hated to admit it, she never really had luck in the romance department, on account of her frequent kidnappings on her debt-ridden mother’s behalf. Hearing such an open compliment caused her face to blush and her body to freeze up, after all, how in nith is she meant to respond to something like this, now of all times.

  Is this guy really trying his luck at a time like this? I mean, he’s got a decent face and it’s nice to be appreciated, but we don’t even know each other.

  A stray yet hopeful thought blossomed into her mind of this man running up and grabbing her by the hands, promising to protect her, no matter the cost. He’d sweep her up in his arms, throw Vine over his shoulder for good measure and lead them all to safety—

  WHAT IN NITH AM I DOING RIGHT NOW?! Theo shook her head vigorously to dislodge the strange thoughts running through her mind. Clearly, she wasn’t done having a mental breakdown, that or she was so desperate for help, she’d take anything she could get with her full body and soul.

  “T-thank you. But seriously, there some sort of wall here. I’m sure you saw those nooses coming down from before, so I could really use a way out of here if you know one.” Theo asked the man, who was making steady progress towards her. Now that she got a better look at him, he looked as though he was injured, some blood on his clothes and—

  “Beautiful,” The man said again, as Theo took a decisive step backwards, her once blushing face turning pale. There was far more blood than she first thought. In fact, the man was still bleeding from the slash across his throat, the wound only partially closed, what little blood still pumping through his body seeping out the cut in his jugular. His skin was deathly pale, all colour drained from his body. He looked like a walking corpse… No, that’s exactly what he was.

  This man was dead.

  The corpse’s arms slowly reached out for Theo, his mouth moving once again. “Beautiful,” he spoke once more, though his words have the opposite effect on her now.

  “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!” Theo screamed. It wasn’t rational to do so, she needed to get out of there as soon as possible before any of the numerous things wandering this cursed village could find and kill her. None of those thoughts, however, could break through the sheer panic flooding her mind. With no escape possible, no friends to save her and threats around every corner, her most primal instincts took control.

  Hearing her screams, more dead villagers emerged from their broken homes, moving into the streets, each saying only one word.

  “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.” “Beautiful.”

  Theo continued to scream as loudly as possible, her head constantly swivelling between the approaching corpses that felt unstoppable in her eyes. She pushed herself against the invisible barrier, before, in her desperation, she turned and started pounding on it, screaming at the top of her lungs

  “MOM! MOM! HELP ME! I’M SORRY! PLEASE, SOMEONE, ANYONE! LET ME OUT OF HERE, PLEASE!” Theo pounded away at the wall, but there was no sign of her ever-timely mother, or anyone else on the other side of the barrier.

  “Beautiful,” the voice was so close now, far too close for comfort. Flipping around, Theo tripped on her own feet and fell to the ground, skinning her elbows in the process. The sudden spike of pain broke through her terror, providing a moment of clarity. The group of villagers, each appearing to have been killed in various ways during the raid, were only a few steps from her now, their disjointed chant announcing her beauty the only words they spoke. Theo looked to Vine one more time, but she remained as still as when she found her. Tears fell from her eyes, her voice quiet and afraid.

  “N-no… please… Vine, Mom, Aksel, someone… Save me.” Theo trembled, as the numerous hands reached out for her.

  An explosion of black and red fire engulfed three of the corpses before they could reach her. Though the fire was barely a stride or two away from her, the flames roasting the villagers gave off no heat or light. Yet, even burning, their flesh roasting under the unnatural fire, the corpses didn’t fall. The dead villagers turned away from her and toward their new challenger, something Theo couldn’t be more thankful for.

  A figure in black emerged from the crest of a nearby roof, their shoulder glowing a bright red underneath their clothes as they leapt to the ground.

  My saviour! Theo thought, overjoyed beyond measure. At this point, she didn’t care who or what it was, so long as they were here to save her. She didn’t even bat an eyelid when a black miasma flowed out of the figures shoulder, transforming into a large, jet black sword. With speed beyond that of a regular human, they charged the corpses who, in turn, stumbled towards their new target, decrying the figure’s beauty despite being unable to see their face.

  The figure leapt into the air, exposing their silhouette for Theo to see. Whoever this woman was, she was tall and slender, with what little of her exposed skin revealed to be extremely pale. With her blade, she struck down the first corpse, splitting it in two. Without missing a beat, she moved in to take down the others. By contrast, the corpses were slow and uncoordinated, easy targets for her saviour to take down. Limbs and body parts went sailing up into the air before flopping to the ground. By the time she was finished, all that remained were the... remains.

  “Y-you saved me,” Theo managed to get out, an undertone of joy in each of her words. The figure didn’t respond however, instead raising her hand to the nearby body parts. Her face strained as more miasma poured from her shoulder, forming into black and red bolts of energy. One by one, each body part was set alight by the black fires, their flesh and bone melting away.

  Only after this task was done did she look towards Theo. With a stern expression, the woman finally pulled down her hood, revealing a cascade of beautiful silver hair and a pair of long pointy ears. Theo instinctively shuddered, knowing exactly who, or rather, what had saved her. Meeting the woman’s equally silver eyes, the two stared at one another, as if waiting for the other to make the next move. This wasn’t a mere phasi-elves, like the kind that dwells in the west. This was an imperial elf, the kind who once ruled over all humans on this continent before The First returned. Her skin, however, was as pale as a buried elf, like the ones that live underground, rarely touched by sunlight. Though the appearance of her race was an ill omen, the fact that she saved her and Vine from whatever fate was in store for them meant she wasn’t going to question her good fortune, ready to submit to whatever in nith she wanted from her.

  “Y-you’re and elf,” Theo couldn’t help but point out the brutally obvious. A few seconds of silence passed, with neither saying anything else. Theo wondered if she said something stupid… which she did, she just didn’t know if it was offensive stupid or just stupid stupid.

  “…Is that truly the extent of your comments?” The elf looked almost disappointed, before continuing. “Very well. I am indeed an elf, human, and I need your help,” the stranger spoke with a noticeable accent, though one that sounded familiar. She could have sworn she heard it before from somewhere. “Something has gone terribly wrong here.”

  “Well, YEAH. First there was a megabear, then there were goblins and orcs raiding the village, then Vine got poisoned, Aksel died, the inn exploded, then some crazy little girl goes around stabbing the goblins and Orcs, then the nooses appear and start hanging everyone and now there are dead people walking around calling me beautiful!” Theo spoke in a single breath, as the elf looked at her with a strange level of patience.

  “Indeed, that seems to sum up the current events,” The elf agreed, turning her head towards the blue star above. “You mentioned a little girl before. Do you hold any relation with her?”

  “Me? No, that girl kinda freaked me out. I mean, she was killing goblins and fighting that orc at the time, so I guess she’s not all bad, but I literally have no clue who she is.”

  “Are you a local of this settlement?”

  “No, no, no, I’m from up around Treda-dale. I was just staying here for the night,” Theo explained,

  “And how did you survive?” The elf asked.

  “I... hid.” Theo explained simply, causing the elf to raise an eyebrow.

  “I see... follow me, let’s get somewhere safe.”

  “W-wait a second.” Theo called out to the elf, who stopped in her tracks.

  “Do you have something you wish to say, human?”

  “What in nith is going on?!” Theo shouted. “Megabears and goblins aside, do you know why we are trapped here? I tried to get out and there’s a stupid wall in the way. What’s with that orb in the sky too? That appeared out of nowhere, just like that girl you were talking... about... Wait.” Theo put two and two together, remembering that that girl appeared in the direction of the inn, where the explosion took place that formed the orb. “Do you think the two are related?” The elf smirked.

  “Figured that out, did you. Not bad. Yes, that girl is the reason you can’t leave. She’s also the reason for those nooses coming down across the village.”

  “B-bu-te-fol" the blackening skull of a corpse spoke, causing Theo to nearly jump out of her skin.

  It's still talking?! Theo’s mind screamed, even as her mouth only voiced a high-pitched yelp. Now that she looked at the dismembered, burning corpses on the ground, they were still twitching.

  “And,” the elf continued, her gaze falling over the skull that spoke. “She’s the only thing standing between Mythrin and total destruction.”