“It was a trap, it’s not your fault,” Sakura replied, watching as she put a finger to her lips. Quiet was needed, or someone would notice them.
“Raz’iel and Lile are asleep, I snuck the key from his pockets. Come with me, quickly.”
Sakura shuddered, but part of her was oddly interested in their bedroom antics. Neither of them came over like a submissive individual, so she imagined it was an aggressive, passionate affair. She dragged her mind back to the task at hand: escaping. The servant beckoned her through the dark halls, taking care to keep their footsteps quiet. Az was unaccounted for at the moment, making him a threat.
After a few twists, turns and stairs, Sakura was once again staring at the room that held Dyn. The servant watched her back as she pried the door open, taking utmost care to ensure it didn’t make a sound. Once the gap was large enough, both of them slipped into the pitch black room. Sakura felt the servant push something into her hand and moments later, it was emitting a weak light. Dyn’s broken form hung from the ceiling, a few chains shorter than before due to her handiwork.
“Can you hold his waist while I break these chains?” Sakura whispered. “I don’t want him to drop.”
The servant hoisted the demon up, allowing Sakura to nip around and break the chains. Fragments of metal made clinking noises as they dropped down, agitating both of them. One more chain, and then Dyn was free. Sakura grasped the last chain, stopping when she noticed the room light up with a flickering flame. Az stood at the doorway, highlighted by the wicked flames that lay in his palm.
“Go go go!” Maelor shouted in her head, urging her onwards. The final chain shattered in her hand, while her spare hand hurled a pink, fizzing bolt towards Az. She grabbed Dyn and the servant while Az recuperated, listening to Maelor shout instructions in her head. Her hand tensed into a claw, channelling aether through her fingers. With a swipe of her hand, a tear to the Nether Plane appeared. Spotting Az once again readying a spell, she shoved the two of them into the rift before jumping in herself.
Chapter 32: A Stroll Through the Capital
True to his word, the Raven had managed to secure them passage to see Raz’iel. To keep the party trouble-free, he had only permitted Iliana to join him. He had given the Northerner proper attire to wear, including a hood that was difficult to knock down. Their party was going to draw eyes regardless, so it was better for him to be plain and uninteresting.
The tour through the affluent capital intrigued Iliana. It was bustling, beautiful and fake. He could see the charade that the city maintained: the false happiness, the neat streets that hid dirty alleyways, the unfortunate hidden away in the fringes. As they neared the High Houses, the charade got even worse. Exquisite pathed streets, manicured trees and guards patrolling. No expenses were spared to please the High Houses.
The Raven stopped the group at one of the many, giant houses and spoke to the guards positioned outside. He demanded Raz’iel by name and refused to back down when they feigned ignorance. After some deliberation, one huffed, marching back to the house. One of the Southern old bloods in the group held a staring contest with the remaining guard, flexing their wing claws.
To the Raven’s surprise, Raz’iel came out without a fight, and without an entourage. He held a cocky grin as he strolled down the stone path to the gate, patting the guard on the shoulder to inform him of his desire to be alone.
“Where is she?” Iliana said.
“Gone,” Raz’iel replied, not once breaking his stride.
“Gone?”
“Gone,” Raz’iel repeated. That remark earned him stares from everyone in the group.
“What do you mean by gone?” the Raven demanded, ramping up his aether to threaten the demon.
“She up and left last night, took a few individuals with her. I’d expect to see her again in a few days, probably.”
Iliana and the Raven shared a glance, unsure of how to proceed. To Iliana, he didn’t appear to be lying. His knowledge of chaos magic was zero, but some form of teleportation spell seemed feasible. He tried to relay his thoughts to the Raven without speaking, unsure if the demon was picking up on his subtle communications.
“It would be in your best interest to be telling us the truth,” the Raven said. Raz’iel turned out his palms and gave an exaggerated shrug, daring him to push the matter. He had no doubt in his ability to defeat everyone there, such a fight would be fun. “I would take that as yes, you are.”
The Raven put one hand in the air, signalling for them to depart. As much as he wished to push the issue regarding Dyn now he was here, fighting near the High Houses was not to their favour. Raz’iel had stated that Sakura had taken a few individuals with her, he just had to hope Dyn was one of them.
“Just one question,” Raz’iel said as they turned around, stopping the party. “Is Lilith truly your sister, Northerner? The dragon was a nice touch.”
Iliana froze, which told Raz’iel all he needed to know. He grinned and waved them goodbye, leaving Iliana fearing what he was going to do next. Was the question out of interest, or was he planning on telling her what happened? Nothing good was coming his way if he did that. The Raven ushered the group out of the city at speed, wary of any backlash that came from Iliana’s outing. Nothing followed them, to his relief.
“The South is a large, confusing place if you need to hide,” the Raven said once they had cleared the capital. Iliana thanked him, but he knew such a fact wouldn’t halt Lilith’s rage. She’d burn down every tree in the vast forests if she had to. He just had to focus on what was happening now, rather than lament the future. If only it were that easy.
Chapter 33: A Strange Realm
The Nether Plane was a strange, twisted place. Nature had taken a different path here, warped by the excessive mana that the plane held. Their landing spot was devoid of any creatures, to their advantage. This was the home of the Nightmares, in all of their deadly glory. Sakura could already feel the pressure from the aether in her body. Every ounce of her being wished to break free and dance with the aether that flowed through the air and ground. Her body was streaked with glowing pink veins, similar to her father’s excessive mana issue. Dyn too, was suffering the same thing.
She crawled over to him and the servant, placing her hands on them. Something told her to, but it was not Maelor. Their aether problems subsided, at the cost of hers becoming worse. The mana burned her skin, her organs, her mind. A scream from the servant grabbed her attention, directing her away from the unending pain. Sat in front of them was a creature, one she recognised. It was one of the serpentine Nightmares that had attacked her in the swamp; those flat, useless wings were hard to forget. Before she could react, it lunged forward and bit her hand. She felt no teeth, only a fat, writhing tongue.
As it held on to her, she felt the burning ease until ceased. The creature let go, venting out a puff of pink smoke from the holes in its head. Those holes sat where crystals used to, creating an aether vent. Seeing no threat from it, Sakura relaxed.
“You can relax now, the plane will no longer harm you,” the creature said, turning its eyeless head towards Dyn. “One of you is injured.”
Sakura stared at the creature for a moment, before inspecting Dyn. His injuries were superficial and were the handiwork of Raz’iel, but he was unconscious or feigning it. She gave the side of his face a series of soft slaps, trying to rouse him. “It’s okay, you’re safe now.”
Her voice had an effect on him. Dyn began to stir, opening his eyes to stare at the purple sky. His eyes then focused on the purple grass, then the purple leaves on the trees. Everything was purple, why was everything purple?
“Am I dead?” Dyn said, staring at the weird surroundings. “Is this some trick?”
“Not yet. This is the Nether Plane,” Sakura replied, pointing at the creature. “In the Central Isles, we refer these creatures as Nightmares.”
An ‘ahh’ noise emerged from his lips. Regardless of the situation, that was a place he had heard of. With a
surge of effort, he pushed himself up to his knees. Now he was up, he noticed the fact that not all of the environment was purple, just most of it. Shades of brown, blues and green were splattered around. It created a surreal scene, but it was beautiful.
“Does this one have a name?” Dyn said, stretching out a hand to touch the Nightmare. It placed its snout under his fingers, allowing him to stroke the ridged protrusions on its head.
“Maelor used to call me a Globeholder, so I would suppose that works?” the creature said. Sakura felt Maelor flinch as the creature spoke his name, his guilt over what happened to them welling up inside. He may not have been in control, but it was still his magic and his body. “I can still feel his magic, though I am unsure why. I miss him.”
With others around, Sakura thought it best not to inform it as to why. To distract the conversation, she turned her attention to the servant. She was now more than a temporary companion, so it made sense to ask about her. Sakura got her attention with a couple of gestures, unsure how to grab her attention without a name.
“With all that happened, I never asked your name,” Sakura said, “I’m Sakura.”
“Rin,” she replied with a smile. “Thank you for taking me with you.”
The young demon opened her mouth but stopped. That was a familiar name, one of a long-lost demon. It could just be a coincidence, a demon that shared the same name. Sakura leant forward and brushed her silver hair to one side, revealing the straight horns of the Central Isles. Her act earnt her an creasing of the brow, not that it dissuaded her. There was no coincidence here, not of what she knew of Nathaniel. A cruel irony, perhaps.
“Does the name Sebastian mean anything to you?”
“How… how do you know that name?” Rin said, pulling back to look Sakura in the eye.
“I might have a Southerner’s horns, but I’m from the Central Isles.”
The mention of her homeland brought tears to Rin’s eyes, though she did her best to fight through them. She thought for a moment on how to respond, tilting her head down and away from Sakura’s gaze.
“It’s been twenty-five years, I would imagine he’s moved on by now. Nor would I blame him for it.”
“He hasn’t. Sebastian still talks about you regularly and he’d do anything to have you back.”
Rin brought a hand up to her mouth as tears streamed down her face, stifling her sorrow. Dyn motioned for Sakura to comfort her, given it was her that caused her to cry. The prompting gave her a twinge of discomfort, but she fought through it and placed an arm around Rin’s shoulders. This was Sebastian’s wife, not her mother. She rubbed her shoulder, trying to comfort her. It was appreciated, so much so that Rin embraced her in a tight hug.
“All of this was Nathaniel’s work, I’m assuming?”
“Yes, he bundled me up and shipped me off to the South,” Rin said between sobs.
“The South’s seedy underbelly claims another victim,” Dyn remarked.
“One final act before he died, explains why no one could ever find you.”
Rin had begun to calm down, the joy of the situation overcoming the sorrow. Sakura could feel her grip loosening, giving her more room to breathe.
“Who are you? You know a lot,” she said. Sakura took a deep breath and explained in brief, all of Sebastian’s actions weren’t important right now. As she detailed her relations, Dyn gave Rin a wave to introduce himself in the new perspective. Her face lit up as she heard that Amnur had survived, he was one she always worried about.
Seeing the situation, the Globeholder wriggled over and placed its head on Sakura’s shoulder. It purred, sharing in the love. She chuckled, reaching a hand over to scratch its snout. A wisp of pink smoke vented from the holes on its head, wafting into the sky above. Her presence comforted it, or the traces of Maelor’s magic did. “How do we return back to the overworld? I assume you would know, Globeholder.”
“This plane mirrors the one above, you just need to find where you wish to go,” it said, letting out a quiet whine at the prospect of being left alone again. Sakura glanced at Dyn, enquiring if he could do just that.
“I know the directions from the house to where we need to go,” he stated, pushing himself to his feet. Without the buildings of the many settlements, the features of the South were vague. He knew the mountain range the capital existed on however, that would have to serve for a landmark. “Is there anything stopping us flying there?”
“The creatures of this realm will not harm you while she is here, so flight should be fine.”
Sakura stared at the useless, flat plate wings that the Globeholder had. It wasn’t going anywhere fast with those. The creature noted her concern, shaking its head.
“A user of chaos can do much in this realm,” the Globeholder said, dropping off her shoulder and moving to an empty patch of ground. A slam of its head distorted the ground, sending a tower of earth skyward. Using its clawed fingers, it ascended the tower, perching on top. It shook its wings, using its aether to transform the useless plates into membrane-bound wings. Sakura watched in awe, hearing Maelor chuckle in her head. He promised he’d explain later, once they’re reunited with the others.
“Ready to go home?” Sakura said. Rin nodded and let go of her, allowing Sakura to get to her feet. She offered Rin a hand up, which she accepted with a smile. Dyn pointed to the south-east, believing that to be the direction they want. Using the earth pillar that the Globeholder made, Sakura took to the air, hovering alongside the creature. The others joined her, staring out over the vast forest. Up in the air, they could see the leaves of the trees were a rainbow of colours, a side effect of all the aether according to the Globeholder. It could change on a daily basis, sometimes even hourly. A beautiful nuisance, it was creating problems for Dyn as he tried to work out the landscape. After a while he spotted a ridge on the horizon, gesturing for them to fly there.
As they went, Sakura noticed Nightmares watching them from between the trees. They made no attempt to attack, only observe. Above them, high in the sky, were those that could fly, paying no heed to the activities below. Dyn had to stop a couple of times to get his bearings, but the familiar mountain range soon loomed into view. To prevent any panic, he directed them to land at the base of the mountain range, the entrance to the capital.
“Well, this is it for us,” Sakura said to the creature, before turning to the others. “Could I have a minute to speak with it?”
Dyn nodded and led Rin to one side, giving Sakura some privacy. She placed her hands either side of its snout, promising it that she’ll return at some point. The Nether Plane offered her a safe haven, one she could access at any time. It was eager at the possibility of her visits, stating that it was nice to have a chaos mage again. Maelor overcame his guilt and revealed his presence to the Globeholder, seeing as it harboured no hate.
“I knew I could feel him,” it said, pressing its tail against the ground to lift itself up. Sakura caught it as it tried to hug her, falling forward when its balance failed. “No one here is angry, do not worry.”
“After everything that happened? Thank you,” Maelor replied, whispering to the creature. His words only added things for him to explain, but the boat ride back was long and ample time for that.
“You can always pull on the Nether Plane for help, just be careful. We don’t need to lose another mage. I supplemented your aether here, you can do the same for us back there.”
To what she could remember of the Nightmares, they were powerful. Having such creatures on demand would be a boon, assuming she could control or at least influence their actions. She patted the creature on the head, offering it a farewell. It waved at them as Sakura tore a small hole, peering through to check their position was safe. Spotting only solid ground below, she opened the rift, ushering them through. The rift closed behind her, leaving the Globeholder alone once again.
“It was nighttime when you grabbed me, wasn’t it?” Dyn said as he stared at the familiar buildings that he knew as home, highligh
ted by the bright sun of midday. “Time seems to move slowly in that plane.”
“I couldn’t say the exact time, but it was dark,” Sakura replied, squinting at the glowing surroundings. The heat and humidity made a welcome return, although it began to wear thin. “Everyone alright? That’s not something I’ve done before.”
“I feel fine,” Rin said. Dyn nodded to confirm the same. Sakura felt exhausted, but nothing else. The trees around them rustled, distracting Dyn from the conversation. He pointed upwards and a few seconds later, the Raven landed in front of them.
“You’re an idiot and a fool, but you pulled it off. Well done, kid,” the Raven remarked, letting out a sigh. He bent down and fussed her head, mucking up her hair. “Don’t make a habit of it, you make the people that care about you worry.”
“My father could tell you about a few times I’ve done this previously,” Sakura replied, a sheepish grin on her face. Dyn tapped the Raven’s arm, offering his hand for a shake. The hand was taken and then yanked forward for a hug. He was shadowed by the enormous demon, but he could see his tears.
“I am sorry for being unable to offer you aid. As much as her actions were rash, I’m eternally grateful that she managed it.”
“It’s nothing personal, I know,” Dyn said, “I’ve been with you long enough to know that.”
Sakura smiled as they talked, noticing a distant chirp approaching their location. She knew the sound, so she stood to one side, ready to receive Abel. A few seconds later, he came crashing through the canopy. The dragon landed at her feet, vibrating with excitement. He opened his mouth wide, licking her with a fervent intensity. Drool was piling up on her from the overexcited Abel, drowning her efforts to calm him.
“Oi you, I’m fine,” Sakura said, grabbing his snout. “Numb now, but fine.”
Abel let out a quiet whine at being told off, even if she were only joking. Rin stared in fascination at the scaled creature, stretching out a hand to feel his hide. He noted her efforts and went to jump towards her when Sakura shot him a warning to be polite. Instead, he crawled up to Rin, pressing his head against her hand. She let out a nervous chuckle, but she was thrilled.
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