The Midnight Queen

by Christopher Keene

  “You’re welcome.”

  Sapphire smirked at Emerald and inclined her head toward Otto and his shiny, new disposition toward the Riftling. Emerald rolled her eyes and made an exaggerated smile in mock of this, making Sapphire giggle.

  Despite his one-eighty, it’s definitely an improvement.

  They moved east from their camp, skirting the ruined walls in their attempt to find an end to the ruins so they could continue north. So far, traveling had been smooth—even more so now that Otto wasn’t begrudging Aelyph’s every step. However, he continued to wear his suspicions out on his sleeve. Sapphire assumed being suspicious was just a part of his character. She was just glad that it wasn’t coming out as bitterness now.

  “I say, you said before that you escaped the Midnight Tower ‘with difficulty.’ It would be capital if you could embellish on that story a bit more. Escaping from such a place would be a heck of a tale during such a mundane part of our journey.”

  Aelyph looked down. “I’m not so sure—”

  “Oh, come on, Spiky,” Emerald called. “Tell us a story!”

  Sapphire turned to Emerald in confusion. “Spiky?”

  “Well . . . he has horns,” Emerald said.

  Sapphire sighed. “We really have to have a talk later about you giving people nicknames. But back on the subject, I would also like to hear how you escaped from such a place. You gave me the same answer that you gave the Midnight Queen.”

  Aelyph bowed his head. “It seems to be unanimous that I tell it, then. Very well.”

  They all drew closer to Aelyph as they walked, waiting for him to begin his story.

  “The Oubliette in the Midnight Tower is the place closest to the Nether Rifts. Using it, minions of the Dark Consul can travel through spawning rifts to any place around Crystalia.”

  Sapphire rubbed her chin. “It sounds similar to the Castle’s Crystal Chamber.”

  Aelyph nodded. “However, there’s a cost to using the Nether to travel to places. If your heart is not corrupt, the process of using it can damage your mind to the point that it’s hard to control where you come out again. It seemed I was not fully corrupt, for when I broke out of my prison and used it, I lost my way in the Nether.”

  Sapphire winked at him. “I had a feeling about you.”

  Aelyph raised his palms. “That I used the Nether at all might show how desperate I was, but the fact that I did—and got lost inside—is the reason I’m still alive today.”

  Emerald raised an eyebrow. “Huh? Getting lost saved your life?”

  “I didn’t know where I was going,” Aelyph continued. “I was lost in the darkness. After Goddess-knows-how-long of traveling without my mind to guide me, I wandered into an even darker part of the Nether . . . and there I found this.” He hefted his Dragon Lance onto his shoulder. “I assume that the Midnight Queen had hidden the lance in the Nether so that no one could use it against Nightsong. When I touched it, it seemed to create a light in the distance. I don’t know if the light was real or just in my mind, but I followed it, and it eventually led me out of another rift.”

  Otto nodded as though this had confirmed one of his suspicions. “That proves it to be a relic of the Goddess. Only such a relic could lead people to the light in that kind of darkness.”

  “Perhaps,” Aelyph said. “I had heard of many holy relics in the past, but I had no idea which one this was . . . until I was attacked by Nightsong upon my escape. The lance seemed to be ineffectual on every other monster I came across, but when I was escaping the Nether Realms and the dragon attacked me, it seemed to be a lot more cautious than any of the other monsters. I had heard of a lance that could kill dragons with a single blow along with other abilities, and it was then that I knew I possessed that weapon.”

  Emerald frowned. “Okay, so you had escaped, you found a lance, and you warded off a dragon. How did you end up so close to the Deeproot Tree? Even if your mind isn’t corrupt, you still should have been just as affected by its influence as you were by the influence of the Nether Realms.”

  “You’re going to think I’m just naturally unfortunate . . .” Aelyph chuckled. “But while fleeing from the Midnight Tower, I ran into a Shadow Priest. As I said, the Dragon Lance only has a magical effect on dragons, and it didn’t stop the Shadow Priest from sending me back into the Nether. Maybe he thought that I would be brought back to the Midnight Tower if someone found me there.”

  Otto ground his teeth. “Blasted kobolds!” He looked around to see the princesses and the Riftling staring at him. “Sorry, do continue.”

  Aelyph’s brow furrowed. “Once again, when I entered the Nether Realms I lost my mind, and once again, the lance created a light that led me to another rift out into the light. I think . . . I think the light it points to is any opening in the Nether closer to the Goddess’s influence. By the time I caught up to the kobolds, I was close to the Fae Wood . . . So I can only assume that the light I was seeing the second time was the light of the Deeproot Tree.”

  “Seems so if that’s where you popped out again,” Emerald said.

  How Aelyph came to be with the Rangers was finally making sense.

  “I do have to agree with you.” Sapphire said. “You’ve definitely had your fair share of bad luck.”

  Aelyph shook his head. “But look at where I am now, leading two kind princesses and a Royal Paladin on a crusade to defeat the ones who imprisoned me. Despite the road I have traveled, I would say I am very fortunate.”

  Otto halted. They were walking toward a dead end, a massive wall against a high cliff face that blocked their way north.

  Emerald shrugged. “So . . . we have to go through the Acathia ruins now?”

  Sapphire stuck out her lower lip. “It’s either that or go back east and risk being captured by the Rangers.”

  “Maybe we should go around then,” Otto said.

  “Oh, come on, Shiny. Where’s your sense of adventure?”

  “We’re on an adventure right now!”

  Emerald crossed her arms. “A boring one.”

  Aelyph nodded. “Princess Sapphire is right. This wall will lead us all the way back to the entrance to the Blackroot Grotto, where the elves have surely tracked us to. If we go back that way, we will inevitably be caught.”

  Emerald punched the sky. “Looks like we’re going in then!”

  She ran on ahead and Aelyph followed her. Sapphire went after, turning back to see Otto still frowning at the entrance.

  “Sir Paladin, are you coming?”

  Otto raised his palm. “You’ve left me no choice. Let me say for future reference that I’m not fond of this idea.”

  He came to walk beside her.

  “Cheer up, Otto.” Sapphire tried to sound as consoling as possible. “I’m sure this is just an offshoot of the ruins. We’ll probably be able to pass right through without running into any trouble.”

  Otto nodded. “I hope you’re right.”

  Chapter 16: The Acathia Ruins

  Aelyph had been right; the Acathia ruins resembled an ancient city, but Otto had no idea how ancient. One thing about the city was obvious: the place was massive, the sprawl of it seeming to stretch out until the end of the Wood. Although the place was in obvious disrepair, with weeds growing up through cracked roads and toppled buildings, there were still some towers that remained standing.

  “But that one . . . oh . . .” Princess Emerald turned to the next tower they were passing, saying, “But I bet there’s treasure in . . . but . . .” She ran ahead. “Oh! Look at that one, can you imagine what’s in . . .”

  They walked past her in the eerie silence of the ruins.

  “Oh, come on!” she called desperately. “You can’t say you’re not curious about what’s in there.”

  Princess Sapphire shook her head. “We don’t have time, Sis. We need to pass through here as quickly as possible.”

  “Besides,” Otto said, “we have no idea what monsters coul
d be lurking in such places.”

  Princess Emerald rubbed her hands together. “Exactly! Citrine would have a field day here! Come on, Spiky, surely you want to see what kind of monsters are in . . .”

  She trailed off as a low, rolling rumble arose from one of the roads that branched off from the thoroughfare they were walking down. Within the rumble, Otto heard something else, like a whisper inside his mind.

  “He’s dead and gone, Paladin, just like your Goddess!”

  The thought stung, but his focus remained on the sounds that seemed to be coming closer.

  Aelyph raised his lance. “I think we’re about to find out what kind of monsters inhabit this place.”

  They turned to one of the roads and saw what was causing the noise. To Otto, the monsters looked like boulders rolling toward them, a strange thing to see considering it was on an upward slope. It wasn’t until they came closer that he made out the four shell-covered legs tucked under them. He had seen creatures like this before.

  “They’re the same kind of turtles as in the Blackroot Grotto.”

  Princess Sapphire shook her head. “They’re not moving like Slowpokes.”

  “They’re Rollers, similar to turtle shells found in the Caverns of Roxor . . .” Aelyph said. “Me and a few Riftlings had to clear off a bale of them when preparing for an ambush years ago. With their hard shells, they’re rather difficult to kill.”

  Otto drew his sword as the monsters started to circle around them, standing back-to-back with Princess Sapphire as he had in the Flicker Fire Grove. He was beginning to feel nervous as the circle of Rollers closed in on them.

  “Blast!” Otto shouted. “Maybe we should flee!”

  “Agreed,” Aelyph said. “Princess Emerald, use your rifle to send one off course! I’ll redirect them. Otto, Princess Sapphire, once the circle breaks, get free and run!”

  “Capital idea!”

  “Right!” Princess Emerald took aim and fired her rifle at one of the Rollers. The bullet pinged off of its hard shell. After cursing, she fired again. This time the shot redirected the Roller. “Now!”

  Aelyph ran forward and wedged his lance in the gap between Rollers, the angle of the weapon causing them to roll out of the circle. Otto and Princess Sapphire dashed between them and sprinted down the path with Princess Emerald on their tail. Once he had redirected the last Roller, Aelyph dislodged his lance and followed suit.

  “Aelyph, hurry!” Princess Sapphire called.

  Despite his heavy armor, Aelyph was catching up with them. Otto wasn’t surprised to see this, because behind the Riftling, the Rollers were back on course toward them. He turned back to see that what was once a clear path was now covered in what looked to be large, sentient plants. Their thorny vines stretched out from their stubby, leafy forms.

  “Mooks? Here?” Princess Emerald cursed.

  “Getting in our way!” Princess Sapphire swung her sword at the first one. “Cut them down!”

  Otto did as the princess commanded and slashed his blade through the thick leaves. The Mooks’ piercing screams echoed throughout the ruins. As they hacked away at the plant-like monsters, vines began to tangle around their ankles.

  Otto cut one of the vines and called, “Check your feet; don’t get tangled!”

  Princess Sapphire shouted, “The Rollers are catching up!”

  “Ah, help?” Princess Emerald cried out, entangled in the vines.

  Aelyph ran in and wedged his lance between the vines, pulling them loose to allow Princess Emerald to get free. Princess Sapphire chopped through several more vines. Otto only just untangled himself as Princess Emerald pulled Princess Sapphire free.

  Princess Emerald removed something from her purse. It was a bottle of glowing, green liquid.

  “What is that?” Princess Sapphire asked.

  “An elven potion Treffen gave me! It’s supposed to enhance the growth of plant life!”

  “Why would you use that on them?”

  Princess Emerald smiled. “They’re all together, so . . .” She pulled the cork out of the bottle. “I’m going to use them to catch the Rollers. Is everyone through?”

  Otto helped Aelyph pull himself free and then ran from the Mooks. “We’re through! Throw it!”

  Princess Emerald tossed the bottle, the liquid sprinkling over the Mooks. Suddenly, the giant plants became even larger, bunching and entangling together like a wide net. Before the Rollers could circle around again, they flew into the enlarged Mooks and became trapped in the vines.

  “Hah, it worked!” Princess Emerald shouted.

  Otto’s eyes widened as the vines continued to stretch out toward them. “It’s getting bigger!”

  “Just keep running!” Princess Sapphire yelled.

  They kept moving, dodging and cutting down the vines that attempted to trip or catch them. After spending the next twenty minutes fleeing, they stopped and panted in the ruins near what had been a town fountain.

  Otto grinned at Princess Emerald. “You still want to explore some of these buildings?”

  Princess Emerald’s head shot up. She had a gleam in her eyes. “Can we?”

  “No!” everyone else shouted at once as they escaped from the town square.

  Aelyph looked up at the canopy of branches above them. “Orange leaves . . . And there’s more light here. If my memory serves me right, we shouldn’t be too far away from the end of the ruins. Once we leave, it’s only a short league north and we’ll be out of this cursed forest.”

  Princess Emerald narrowed her eyes. “Cursed?”

  Otto laughed. “Well, if there is a curse in this forest, this is the heart of—”

  “Focus on your feet, Paladin. You’re going to trip.”

  “Whoa!” he shouted, nearly tripping on a stone tile jutting up from the path.

  “What’s wrong?” Princess Sapphire asked, her voice rising in concern.

  Otto steadied himself and looked down in confusion. “Nothing . . . I just tripped. Did anyone else—”

  “I would advise against telling them you are hearing voices. They might think you’re going mad. For all you know, you might be.”

  Otto glanced around, trying to find the source of the voice. Who are you? Are you the one who cursed this city?

  “All that was needed to destroy this city was the truth. That is all I am—the truth that people fail to see for themselves. That is the truth you must hear: that your father is dead.”

  “Otto, what’s wrong? You look troubled.”

  Otto’s jaw unclenched. “I say, this is—ahh!” A sudden pain filled his head.

  “Yeah, Shiny. You’re usually more talkative than this.”

  Aelyph narrowed his eyes at their surroundings. “This place . . . I feel a strange presence here. It’s not malevolent, but it feels empty, like we’re transparent to whatever’s stalking us.”

  “You know that’s true, Paladin. Your whole order relied on your father to hold itself together. Without him, they are nothing—they will disband. You are all that is left of that noble line.”

  “Shut up.”

  Princess Emerald frowned. “I can’t hear anything.”

  “You will be the last—the last Paladin. Those that hate the Riftlings for what they are and not what they do; those that obey blindly. You will be its most pitiful remnant.”

  “Shut up!”

  “Otto!” Princess Sapphire cried out.

  “You will be the last!”

  Tears welled up in Otto’s eyes. No, that’s not true! It can’t be!

  Aelyph grabbed Otto’s shoulder, the Riftling’s gaze meeting his. His eyes widened, and he said, “It’s a Sorrow. It should be nearby; see if you can find it.”

  Princess Emerald’s sensitive eyes darted around the ruins above them.

  Aelyph said, “Fight it, Otto! The words you are hearing may seem true, but they are your truth, your insecurities! They’re subjective! But they don’t have to b
e your truth!”

  Shaking with emotion, Otto nodded.

  “It won’t make it untrue. In the end, the order of Paladins will fall.”

  “You said it was a Sorrow, didn’t you?” Princess Emerald asked Aelyph, pointing upward. “Is that those things up there?”

  They all looked up to see what looked like a floating, blue ghost overhead, only visible against the backdrop of leaves, darting and diving with three others.

  “I’m impressed,” Aelyph said. “Not many people can spot them. You must have the eyes of an elf, Princess. Don’t go near them; if they come close they’ll shoot faerie fire down on us.”

  “Wow, good spotting, Sis!” Princess Sapphire said. “Shoot them down!”

  “Okey-doke!” Princess Emerald took aim and fired at the Sorrows.

  One of them burst into the air and the others scattered, finally stopping the voices in Otto’s head.

  “Shoot again if they come close.” Aelyph looked to Otto. “Ottovius, are you okay to move?”

  Otto ground his teeth and walked ahead of them. “Let’s just get out of here,” he said, his voice shaking.

  Princess Emerald pointed. “There’s a denser area of the Wood over there. It shouldn’t take us long. Come on!”

  “Do you think they’re the reason that this place is thought to be cursed?” Princess Sapphire asked.

  “It’s possible.” Aelyph took a moment to consider this. “If there were enough of them, no one would ever want to live here. Sorrows can bring out painful obsessions in anyone experiencing grief. They feed off that pain, increasing their power to affect more people. Besides their fire, they don’t attack physically, but I could understand how emotional pain would be worse than things you can fight physically.”

  “That’s why there’s no blood or bones in this place. It makes sense,” Princess Emerald said.

  Aelyph shook his head. “But they’re attracted to pain already manifested. Why they came here in the first place is anyone’s guess.”

  “Look, I see the exit!” Princess Emerald said.

  Together they moved toward the edge of the ruins, finding a path back into the Wood. However, even as they moved under the trees and the voices left Otto’s mind, he couldn’t help but hear remnants of the whispers wander through his memory. The warnings the prophecy gave filled him with dread, but he continued on nonetheless.