Limbo

I lose sight of a crystal grain whilst raking the ground with my hoe. The shadow energy emanating from the crystal already manifest the moment it touches the cold, black soil. My eyes hastily dart around looking for the grain, knowing full well it’s a losing battle. Why? Why bother wasting my time? It’s already in the ground. It’s already begun taking root. I suppose an eternity in this realm forces one to find anything unusual to break the monotony. My estate is separate from the rest of struggling Winterbrook. The town and it’s people were forced into labour for the king; who issued a monthly tax of ten, full grown Shadow crystals. Rumour says that the king has a mage who can turn the crystals’ shadowy energy into the power to grant our wretched king invulnerability. Make no mistake, even though we do not age past adulthood, we are not immortal, we can be hurt, and nothing hurt more than realizing the cruel fate my king forced upon me.

It was the first day of the knight’s promenade. A quintet of knights lead by an immature Wraith Knight named Norealis introduced themselves. They told us we were now under the protection of King Abismo. Protection my foot! Norealis explained the tax to us, then inspected each of us carefully, looming longer on my wife, Infernia. He gazed at her for whole moments before noticing me.

“My, you are an ugly one.” he noted, his voice low even though his features were quite feminine.

“I apologize if my looks offend, my lord. But - I am not unhappy. I have my wife who loves me greatly…” I stopped myself, knowing I had already said too much. Norealis looked at Infernia, then back at me.

“This - beast is your husband?!” he inquired disgustedly. My beloved Infernia merely nodded, a tear falling from her bright, yellow eyes.

“I’ll make you a deal, my dear. Come back to the castle with me, love me! In return, I will allow you to name this - hideous man as your husband furthermore and you can write to him daily, but you will be my concubine going forward.” he demanded. My anger got the better of me, I told him I would rather help end her life than let him touch a single hair on her body. The knight was irate, then smiled.

“So be it. Ugly, might I recommend that you love your wife tonight, love her like you never have before. Because by tomorrow morning, you will never be able to love her again!” he threatened.

I imagine he meant to have me assassinated overnight, but this was not the case. Instead, a far greater punishment awaited. That night we made love, many times. I was too afraid to close my eyes, but alas, by the crack of dawn, my eyes grew too heavy to resist slumber’s grasp. I awoke early in the afternoon, feeling neither deceased nor any different. I rose, and went to find my wife immediately. She was not dead either, but rather preparing a late breakfast. I was happy, but after one look at me, she screamed. She pointed towards my sex, which I had none. I felt around, noting naught but bone and a smoothed surface. Infernia fell to the ground, the sadness taking over her.

“Please! Please take off that mask!” she told me. I reached up at my face, but I did not feel a mask, nor did I feel my lips. What in the infernal enclave happened to me? My curse used to be a frightening face from my half-giant heritage, but now my ability to love, to kiss, even to taste my own wife was gone. This was magic, a curse, and a very cruel curse at that. Norealis returned a month later, and laughed. He laughed every time he looked at me, but his laugher ceased when Infernia told him she would still not go with him.

Another harvest day would take place, which meant another knight’s promenade. It was mandatory for all villagers to show up during the promenade, but Infernia wanted to leave a crystal at the ready and escape. She felt like there was nothing left for us in Winterbrook, and I did not disagree. I merely suggested it may be too late to leave this taxation, we might be hunted down, and we would not get a strong enough head start. She thought it was worth the risk. She noted that Norealis looked particularly foul last taxation, and fears for us both this time. I tell her I won’t let anything happen to her, but doubt is ever present on her face.

“I want to think that you are strong enough, but between the four knights and Norealis alone, I fear even your great, giant strength may not be enough.” she expressed. I did not disagree with her, not three, but four knights and Norealis. It would be a daunting test for anyone. I look outside the round window of our hut. I stare into the eternal darkness, and watch as the restless clouds shift in their erratic patterns. Perhaps we should escape tonight.

…

I rule a kingdom of fools and sinners. The inheritance is a school of grown children. Not one, not a single one understands true power and what it’s actually used for. Power isn’t meant to be abused, to lord over others. Power is like my helm-crown, it is a symbol that you are strong enough to burden yourself with the problems of others. The constant dilemma is, the problems of others are so petty that I no longer care for them. ‘Your highness, I don’t like the taxation every month.’ ‘Your majesty, my neighbour rapes me every evening.’ Bah! I long for the day when someone comes to me and says “Your majesty, the ground shakes beneath my feet, it destroyed my home, it’s as if the very Gods spit on me.” That! That is the challenge I yearn, the challenge to rival the gods. For what is a king but a god on this mortal plane. I have rested my head on my fist for far too long these past years. My mind begins to warp from the boredom. I was gifted since birth with the sight, the sight to see everyone, not for what they really look like, but for the sin they shamelessly wear. For example, I look to my right, and I see a weary, sleepy demon of Sloth, it calls itself Balthazar, my magical advisor, but I only see the old fool for the lazy oaf that he is, using spells when the actions of his own body will do. To my left, Rustblade, the living dragon stuffs his face with my lunch, he is the embodiment of Wrath, though he is also my most powerful general. Looking dead forward, I see my envious daughter Nekara. She is currently seducing a young guard, she will execute him later for thinking he could dominate her. When it comes my daughter, it’s submission or death. I made Nekara my general of the East, but she envies my throne.

“Rustblade, stop stuffing your face! Anymore and you’ll turn into the personification of gluttony.” I say in disgust. Rustblade finishes off a chicken leg then downs the rest of his wine.

“Yes, my lord.” he says with a sickening smile.

“Will anyone of you tell me something interesting today or should I go out and decimate some poor town, just hoping for some kind of consequence?” I ask.

“Father, I was wondering if I could take on the so-called Legends of the Shroud. They so get on my nerves.” Nekara said. Nekara was of my blood, a Shadalan’s blood. We Shadalans have skin as dark as the darkness that has engulfed our realm, with a tint of purple added. I remember my daughter when she was born, a perfect, pure entity of light. She was the most beautiful creature I had ever seen, until her thirteenth name day when someone mentioned her inheriting the throne. It was that day that the demon of envy ripped itself into existence. I never cried before that day, I never will again.

“You will not do anything but lead the Legends to this castle. I have the forces necessary to rid them for good, but your Eastern guard are far inferior to my own. I did that on purpose.”

“But father, they never take the bait!”

“Then you leave them alone! They are the least of my concerns. Rustblade, get up off your ass and go kill a Northern warlord! You know the North doesn’t manage itself! You ate all my food, now go make use of all that energy!” I commanded. Rustblade unleashed his wings and jolted out the front gate. Once outside, I saw him complete his transformation into a massive, black dragon. Don’t get me wrong, of all my generals, I admire Rustblade the most. I find wrath to be the most righteous of sins, but it’s the beauty of his absolute destruction that wows me. His Banefire not only scorches earth, but it places a curse on the land. The land becomes forever infertile, and it grants the most sickening of diseases to anyone foolish enough to walk on it. I believe 45% of the terrain in the North is now cursed thanks to my sadistic, dragon friend.

“What should I do now, father?” Nekara asked impatiently.

“Go back to your castle in the East. Go be a princess.” I said dismissively.

She leaves, taking the young knight with her. I head towards the mirror in the great hall, I can barely stand to look at myself, or at least, what’s reflected back to me.

“Tell me again, Balthazar, what does it mean?”

“It is strange that you do not see yourself as any demon of sin, your grace, but rather an avatar of dust. I have read many religious text, but I have found nothing involving omens or deities. I believe your own eyes are trying to protect you from the truth.” the pompous old mage said.

“What truth? That I’m all seven sins? Or my greatest fear? That I am actually a mysterious, eighth sin. What do you think that is, Balthazar? Emptiness? Fakery?” I asked, walking ever closer to him.

“You mustn’t think too much on it, your highness. Your sight has only ever tried to help you, not harm you. Now if you please, I wish to speak to you about the Western general.” he said, normally if someone else changed the subject on me, I would have them beheaded, but Balthazar knows what he’s doing, and he’s still too important, for now.

“You’ve seen Norealis’ end, haven’t you? When?”

“I believe it is soon.”

“Well then I need you to find his replacement.” I insisted.

“But sire, I often feel like the kingdom fares better with only three generals.” he protested.

“Silence! Four generals for each arrow of a compass, that’s how I’ve always done it. Now do as I say!” I said. Balthazar begins to walk away.

“One more thing, old man. I always found it funny how your clairvoyance only works on others and not yourself. I know your greatest fear is that you’ll never see your own end coming. Well let me lay your mind to rest. It won’t be a rebel, or an enclaver, or a shadowman, or even a bloody peasant that will do you in. I will be the death of you, old man.”

We stopped in the middle of the night. We were barely past the wintery meadow when Infernia begged me to stop. A sickness took her, our carefully sized dinner coming right back up. Clearly this wasn’t due to an inactive lifestyle, we both shared in the farm chores equally. What was the reason for this sickness? Nerves? She was definitely not pregnant, she had been loyal to only me, and I could no longer please her since the curse. She apologized to me, but I had nothing but sympathy and a want to help her.

“Please, tell me what I can do. Do you need water?” I asked.

“No, my love. I just need a moment. I don’t know what’s come over me.” she said, spiting out the rest of the bile.

“The sickness was sudden? Were you feeling unwell back when we came up with our plan?”

“No, I was fine up until now. I do not know the cause of such ailment. Please, let us continue, we are not far enough away on foot. Anyone on horseback will surely catch us by daybreak.” she said.

“Nonsense! We need to set up camp. I will not have you marching on ill. I’m sure I can find a spider’s nest or something, someplace they will never expect to find us.” I suggested. I asked for her permission to leave her for a moment. I scoured the land for any such pit or cave where I would find a beast lurking inside. I proceeded up a mossy knoll when I came across a beast at last. It was an old dog, out in the open atop of the knoll. It stared at me with glowing eyes. I could tell it waited for me to make a move. Both our senses alarmed when the screams of Infernia let out into the night. With all of my might, I ran towards the screams. Past several trees, I could begin to make out the voice of a man. It was unmistakable, that same, pompous bass that belonged to Norealis. He had his hand on her wrist, I swore he would never touch her, I failed.

“Get me the ropes, quickly! And fetch me a kerchief, she is screaming far too loudly.” he said just as I arrived in the distance.

“Get your fucking hands off of her, you perverted abomination!” I warned. He looked at me with his eyebrow raised.

“Perverted abomination? Now that’s a new one. I’ll give you points for originality, old boy.” he said as he handed Infernia to his knights, who began to wrap ropes around her.

“You are much too early this month, Norealis. What is the cause of this?” I asked.

“Haven’t you heard? Last month there was an uprising in a further off village. They were hopeless against us, so we slaughtered them all, children included, and burned it to the ground. So this month, we were able to rework our schedule to arrive a day earlier, and imagine my dismay when I found you and your beautiful wife were missing from the town’s line-up.” he said arrogantly.

“Get away from here, belove -“ was as much as Infernia could say before a knight stuffed a kerchief into her mouth. She immediately spat it out and reiterated:

“Get away from here, beloved!” she finished. One knight wrenched her jaw open and reinserted the kerchief, while the other, holding her from behind, wrapped another over her mouth. They lifted and tossed her across horseback. My fury rose to an uncontrollable level. My giant’s blood began to boil as I could hold back no longer. I grew to an impressive twelve feet tall, my weight jumping from 200 pounds to a ton.

“Long have I awaited for this day, Norealis!” I yelled. I kicked at one knight, sending him flying backwards. The others all drew their weapons. They all sported a longsword expect for Norealis, he had his knight spear. I backhanded two knights away with ease. The final knight went for a charging blow, but he only met the sole of my boot. Norealis was the last standing, I went to grab at him, but my hand went right through his ghostly body.

“Have you forgotten so quickly, fool? I’m a Wraith knight! I am incorporeal. You cannot harm me through physical attacks. What now?” he baited. True, his intangible nature would be a difficult factor to overcome, but I refuse to let my wife down. One of the earlier knights charges back towards me. I pick him up and grab him by both his legs and head. As if temporarily struggling with a wine cork, I finally succeed in removing his head from his shoulders. I toss his lifeless corpse towards another, standing knight.

“How crude, Drakuul, but I appreciate your savage bloodlust. King Abismo would welcome one such as yourself to his ranks. Why not end this pointless battle? I’ll even free your wife, everybody wins, old boy! Otherwise, we’ll just fight for hours, until the night’s mauve turns into the navy blue of daybreak. Heck, until you make a mistake and I drive my spear through your half-blood heart.” he taunted. In frustration, I begin to pound a hole in the ground beneath him. He trips up and falls into the earth below. Wasting little time, I begin to bury him with loose soil. He is completely submerged, I can take a breather. I shrink back down to the size of an average Shadalan and fall down. I feel tired. I roll over, and pick myself up. I stumble back towards the horses when the incredible happens. Norealis floats right back up out of the ground.

“I appreciate your ingenuity, Drakuul, but again, you cannot harm me other than with magic.” he says mockingly. I gather my strength, and head towards the horses, but I am met by a hard swing of Norealis’ spear. He chuckles as he stands over me. He twirls his spear and takes careful aim. He glares at me with a sick, sadistic smile.

“I can’t wait to take your wife home with me!” he says, but his focus is taken away by a howling. In the distance, I see the old dog from earlier.

“Damnit hermit! Stay out of my business!” Norealis warns. Before our very eyes, the dog disgustingly transforms into an old man, whose bones take time to mend themselves even after the transformation is complete. He fires out a beam of shadowfire and red lightning from both hands. For the first time in this whole fight, Norealis’ raises his guard.

“You’re a fool, Dicatocus! King Abismo kept you alive at the behest of your cousin, Balthazar, but this will get you executed!” Norealis warned, struggling against the magical power being hurled at him. I stare back and forth between Norealis and the old man. He is naked save for a torso wrap.

“I cannot keep up this pressure. I wish to cast the transference incantation, let you become the wraith, but I cannot cast the spell while holding him off. You must figure someway to distract or contain him!” the old man told me. I have no way to restrain him physically, and I’m sure luring him into a distraction would force us both out of range for any spell. This is ridiculous, I stand no chance against someone who is physically immune! I should just headed for the horses, take Infernia and leave the battleground.

Wait, Infernia! I run over to her, pick her up, drape her over my shoulder and turn around. I couldn’t see, but I could hear Norealis’ pained cries as his body became frozen in ice. That’s my girl!

The old man saw his opportunity, he stopped his attack and began reciting his incantation. Kneeling down, I ensure Infernia doesn’t lose eye contact while beginning to untie her. Infernia gets a solid foothold on the ground, I notice her lifting off of my shoulder. She reaches for her gag and rips it off, and I can hear her combine her icy stare with a loud, battle cry. I finally turn to notice a series of blinding lights coming from the direction of the hermit.

“Please Dicatocus! Don’t do this! Help me kill him instead! I will ensure your return to the high council!” Norealis begged, but it was too late. A spear of light went right through Norealis and struck me. The force knocked me down, but there was no pain. In fact, the absence of pain was surreal. Infernia helps me to a standing base. The hermit found himself a stone to sit upon. I watched as the dried up corpse of Norealis blows away like dust, leaving behind a holo, ice sculpture.

“That is your greatest work yet, Infernia.” I said.

“I would agree, young lady. The Ice Cold Stare is a terrifying ability, far worse than any cold shoulder.” he said.

“Norealis called you Dicatocus. Is that your real name, old man?” I asked.

“Indeed, I am Dicatocus, cousin to the king’s magical advisor. I used to serve under King Abismo until the king destroyed my son. I attacked him, and was exiled as punishment.” he explained.

“I don’t understand. Why is Norealis dead, what did you do to me?” I asked.

“As I said, I executed a transference incantation. I transferred Norealis’ wraith power onto you. It is a powerful tool to become incorporeal. You now have physical immunity to the non-magical.” he explained.

“But - can what happened to Norealis happen to me?”

“Yes - unfortunately, the wraith ability is, at its core, a curse, and it is a curse that can be easily transferred with the proper incantation. Should you lose this curse, you will also suffer the same fate as him.” I am beginning to like this curse less and less, but I understand there was no other way to stop Norealis.

“With Norealis dead, what will become of the West? Will King Abismo retaliate?” Infernia asked.

“Most definitely, and you two will be especially marked for high treason. Norealis was one of four generals. King Abismo will forever mark you, but - you have dealt a serious blow to his army.” Dicatocus explained.

“What is our best course of action? Where can we run?” I asked.

“You will not run, you will fight. This is the first time a general of Abismo has been killed since Garoth the Impenetrable was killed by the king himself for his insufferable arrogance.” Dicatocus recounted.

“This is impossible! Norealis told us the Shadow crystals render King Abismo invulnerable. How am I expected to defeat him with merely growth and intangibility?” I asked.

“You will not worry about King Abismo nor all three of the other generals, only one general at a time. I will help you, Drakuul. We are not done at just intangibility, you know.” he said.

“Why help me?” I asked.

“Because your courage in defying Norealis has given me hope for the first time in ages!” he said firmly. I had to think on this. This was no small undertaking. To defy Abismo is to stare Death in the face every, single day. Not only am I afraid, I feel unworthy.

“Come, dear Drakuul. We shall go rest in my hut. I will show you the power you lack.” he said.

“And I must be off to see my parents.” Infernia said suddenly. I was in shock, in dismay. I do not like Infernia's parents, and I like the Infernal Enclave even less. Further west lies the Crucible, the home of the enclave. It is no more than a cult. They are obsessed with bringing light to our dark realm, and decided the fires of our planet’s core are the solution. Infernia’s parents named her after this cult, but the enclave rejected her due to her gift. They believe her ice was meant to extinguish the fires of light, but her parents still claim to love her.

“Why do you have to see them?” I ask disapprovingly.

“Because after tonight, I realized I do not want to feel so helpless again, especially if we are to do this together. I’m going to acquire some magical artifacts that will boost my skills, I’m sure that’s what Dicatocus intends to do with you.” she said, placing her hand on my arm. I am saddened.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t good enough to keep you unharmed.” I admitted.

“You don’t have to apologize for that, plus it wasn’t all that unpleasant, and don’t think I didn’t notice you grabbing a feel of my ass, you naughty boy!” she said, trying to uplift me. She grabbed the back of my collar and pulled me in. She kissed me where my lips should be.

“If you want to leave me for a man who can satisfy you, I understand.” I said.

“Never! You should know by now that my love for you is much more than physical. You have given your life for me, and you are the greatest man I have ever met.” she said. It’s times like these I want to lay down with her and just forget the world. I reluctantly watch her get up on a horse and take of. She truly is amazing. She was ill moments earlier, and now, as the mauve of night changes to the navy blue of day, she rides.

The hermit’s hut was made out of petrified sand. Inside, the single room edifice had every basic amenity a home needs, plus an alchemist’s table; the only thing out of the ordinary here. He asked me if I wanted some tea. I declined, considering how my curse also came with the advantage that I no longer have the need to feed or hydrate. He made some anyway. On his table, he waved over an orb and recited a quick, magical word. Out of the orb came a hologram of our planet, shrouded in darkness, as it should be.

“This is our planet: Tenebrae, often called the Night Realm, the Nightmare, or the Stygian Abyss. Our inhabitants never knew natural light.” he began, this was all elementary to me. Dicatocus then waves his hand once more, and three more planets appear. One above, one below, and one overlapping our own. The one above was nothing more than a blinding orb of light. The one below was a world of fire, I got a sense of anguish and pain from it. The third was a brighter world of blues and greens.

“You see this here? This orb of light is Utopia. This is a world of leisure and plenty. The pinnacle which all beings aspire to live in as long as they worship Utopia’s master. Those who do not go to Utopia end up down here. This land of red flame and demons is where the hateful and judging go to be punished for all eternity, it is likely where Norealis wound up. It is called Hell. Finally, right next to us is a planet I call ‘the middle’. The middle has many similarities to us, they also have knights, kings, and beasts. However, midellians do not have magic or abilities like our own. For all intents and purposes, they should all be equals, but they have a book that recounts of Utopia and Hell. It is used as a power source over those who cannot read it. Unlike our world, theirs is extremely finite, as a cruel construct known as time ages everything into an oblivion. They refer to our planet as Limbo or Purgatory, a place where the good go if they do not believe in Utopia’s master. This is something no matter how hard I try, I cannot disprove.” I was deeply disturbed by this revelation, but I still don’t understand what it has to do with the mission at hand.

“What does this have to do with anything, old man?” I asked impatiently.

“I am telling you this, because in order to use magic, one must be open to more than what they see in front of them. You have to believe in higher power, only then can you channel it correctly.” he explained. It all makes sense now. Our world, though amazing in it’s possibilities, is still finite. Many things cannot be explained, like where does red lightning come from?

“The cloak I used during the fight with Norealis is my primary source of my power, and today, I am giving it to you.” he explained. The cloak left his person and floated in the air, as if worn by an invisible being. I stared in awe at the magical item.

“I have heard of magically cloaks before, but what of you? How will you defend yourself?” I asked.

“Don’t worry about me, I still have my staff.” he said simply. He looked at me, anticipating the moment I rise up and sport the magical raiment. With a deep breath, I rise up, and slowly back into the cloak. It rests comfortably on shoulders, but something is wrong.

“It just feels like a fucking cloak to me.” I said indignantly.

“That’s because your mind isn’t open at the moment! Here, try putting on the hood as well.” he suggested. I reach back and slowly lift the hood overtop my bald head. He was right, in that moment, I didn’t just surrender to the cloak, but it, and its immerse power, surrendered to me.

“I am ready.” I tell him.

“No you are not, you will sleep here on the floor until dusk, then you are free to begin your quest. I would have you look out for Fanglorn and the Dark Rebellion first. He is your best chance of conquering King Abismo. He will teach you what I cannot.” he said.

“No, old man. I will not waste another moment - another day! Not when my people - my wife - are still in danger! This tyrant’s rule has come to an end, and I will tear down his kingdom - brick by brick.” I said, headed out the door.

“And what if he finds you first? What then?!” Dicatocus called back. I stop to answer him: “Then I’ll show him what it’s like to be stuck in Limbo.”

To be Continued…