Kingdom of Rastora, in the Rath region, somewhere in the Giliem forest, 1st of November 4846, 12:04. Noon following the Worst Day.

There are places, so peaceful, so lost in time and space, that should you find yourself there, should you take but a moment to stop, to sit, to bask in the gentle sunlight, in the quiet sounds of a spot forgotten by all, you’d think that no matter what happened, what disasters befell the world, you would be left alone and safe, so long as you remained within your tranquil sanctuary.  

This is not one of those places.



The grass is green and inviting. The trees full with color. The water at your feet, clear and cool.

But the sun’s rays are cold. There is not a sound to be heard. Not the rustling of the leaves. Not the whistling of the wind. Nor any of the other usual sounds one would expect from woods such as these. Not a single animal could be seen or heard. No birds, not even insects.

A dead, green, world.

As if everyone was gone.

There were just the woods, and the visitor from another world.

Stranded ankle deep in a pond.  

Well, not the most thrilling of starts no doubt, but definitely far better than starting in a swamp for instance.  

Still, the visitor had little time to contemplate her humid situation. But a few moments after she opened her eyes in this new world, a loud blast was heard from far above. It was halfway between the sound of a canon and that of a firework. Then came another blast. And another.




The intervals between the explosions were irregular. Some followed in quick succession, then there would be a minute of silence and then they would resume. Some were louder than others. Some sounded as if they grew closer, others as if ever distant.

Raising her eyes to the skies, she managed to see glimpses of the commotion way up high.

Fighting.

Again.

Always.

If not on land then on sea. If not on sea, in the sky. Should the sky not be enough, space was often the next step.

This world seemed no different.

Far, far above, likely beyond the stratosphere even, clouds and spheres of bright colors could be seen. Occasionally flashes. Sometimes rays. Grandiose patterns, intricate magic circles. It was nearly impossible to tell from this distance, yet the intensity was such that the sounds and visual queues were just enough to instill the sense of dread only a terrible fight could bring forth.  

Everything was so silent a moment ago.

Or maybe she had just happened to come in between two blasts.

Now the forest vibrated with each explosion in the sky. The ground itself seemed to resonate with the roaring of the heavens.

Whoever was fighting up there, whatever that mess was about, it was clearly no joke. The traveler had sufficient knowledge of the magical arts to be certain that should that fight come any closer to the ground, it would likely cause irreversible damage to the very planet itself.

As a matter of fact, just about anyone with a modicum of common sense would be able to guess that much. The added bonus of spellcasters such as she, was that they could fully realize the insane amount of skill and power necessary to fling such spells. Spells that could literally be seen and heard, the world over.

They echoed like thunder.

“Enjoying the fireworks, are you?”

A woman’s smooth, deep voice, reached out to Alienor from behind.

Upon turning to face her, she saw the following:

She was quite the sight, not least because she was half naked and with high heels in the middle of a god damned forest. But Haerii, whether Alienor knew it or not, had seen stranger things and this actually fell entirely within expectations as far as women’s attire went. Magic after all, allowed for the most wondrous of sights…

At any rate, even though she would have definitely been more at home at some lavish gala (out of place as she seemed), the woman looked calm and composed, even in her current surroundings.  

In her right hand, she held a black long-pipe which she slowly brought to her mouth.

When she exhaled, a light blue smoke escaped from her lips before dissipating in the atmosphere. Following a brief interruption by yet another detonation, she resumed.

“Well, I can’t say I disagree with the sentiment. We don’t get this everyday after all.”

She drew on her pipe and released another azure cloud before continuing.

“I always figured the world would go out with a bang. Never thought I’d live to see it though. To think today may be the day! Haerii must be crawling with all sorts of idiots beating themselves over their regrets right about now!”

She chuckled.

“Silly things.”

BONJOURATOUSCECIESTMONPREMIERPOSTMERCIATOUSDEVOTRECOMPREHENSION


Alienor remains dumbfounded for a moment, staring into the distance.
The sound of an explosion and the sudden coldness she feels in her boots seem to bring her back, and after a quick lookaround, her body jerks into movement.

"Aw, fucking HELL."

She frantically checks her pockets; hoodie, pants,and other mysterious places.

"AW, FUCKING HEEEELLL"

A voice she hadnt noticed at first makes her suddenly stand still. A woman is standing next to the pond.

"Ma'am, im gonna have to ask you to step aside. Rule N°1, never stand around water for you dont know whats in it.", she says in a serious tone, as she laboriously tries to get out of the water towards the smocking woman. (ha-ha)

"Not feeling like it? Fine. No one ever listens to me and then I have to save everyone and worlds explode!"
As to agree with her, the sound of another explosion is heard.
Alienor's expression stiffens.

"Are you at war here? What kind? Look, if Gods are involved, I cant do much, they dont like me a lot."

Alienors boots are now dry and even look a little sturdier than before as she finally reaches the woman in the dress.

"Hey, can I have a drag of this?"

The smoke clad witch.


And there she was!

The strangest stranger. The thing from another world.

Stranded in the middle of nowhere and mildly wet.

Though not for long, as she promptly made her way out of the small pond, visibly displeased from the current state of affairs.

She was quick to notice the presence of the woman watching her little shenanigans from the edge of the shore. Moving towards her, she exchanged a few peculiar warnings with her all too shiny onlooker.

"Ma'am, im gonna have to ask you to step aside. Rule N°1, never stand around water for you dont know whats in it."


The woman raised an inquisitive eye brow at this all too specific and confident warning. She probably did not know what to make of it, which would make sense given their present situation.

After all, the water was pretty clear and didn’t even reach the knees of the alien.

Thinking about it rationally, just what could have been there?

"Not feeling like it? Fine. No one ever listens to me and then I have to save everyone and worlds explode!"

“Ah, apologies! We cannot have that!”

She said in a clearly joking manner.

True to her word however, she moved a few steps backwards, away from the dreadful “Pond of Possible Doom and Darkness”.

Then came the woman’s ramblings on the ongoing shitfest in the skies, which procked the following question by the stranger.

"Are you at war here? What kind? Look, if Gods are involved, I cant do much, they dont like me a lot."

“My… You’re quite sharp aren’t you, little demon? While I would not call it something as grandiose as a war, gods are actually involved indeed. Well, one of them at least. Nasty little thing, called Deus La Machina. It isn’t even a god from our world! Imagine the nerve!”

She smirked.

“Though unfortunately it is a very strong and quite violent entity. Hopefully someone is able to stop it soon, otherwise I wouldn’t give Haerii much time to sort out its affairs. I would imagine the attempt to do just that is what is causing the ruckus up there.”

But in the end, the story lesson only seemed to interest the blue entity moderately. Her attention was elsewhere!

"Hey, can I have a drag of this?"

Such priorities. Much wow.

The woman chuckled.

“Sure, give me a moment.”

Apparently unwilling to share her own pipe, she extended a hand towards Alienor, magically summoning a small floating wooden pipe near her.

This one was shorter, than her own and visibly less classy, but it would do. It also came pre-filled with some herbs inside. How convenient!

As Alienor did not seem to have anything to light the goods with, the sorceress took the liberty of taking care of that as well.

With a snap of her finger, a small blue flame came to be at the end of the pipe, setting the herbs ablaze before disappearing.

All set.

The same blue smoke was now emanating from Alienor’s pipe. The smoke was light and pleasant, scented with an unfamiliar flavour. That must have been some variant of the all too popular “Blue Dice” brand. All the rage with smokers across Haerii. Would Alienor join their ranks however or would she end up seeking rarer goods? Only time would tell.

With that all too important business out of the way, the woman tried a few questions for the all too bizarre entity who had suddenly appeared before her.

“Say little demon, I don’t suppose you have anything to do with that fight up there correct? Not with us and not with that thing. How did you end up here? This isn’t exactly a popular road!”

Was it curiosity? Or something more?

Maybe she was just bored.

As she spoke, small vapes of the ever-elusive light blue smoke escaped her lips, giving her a significantly more elegant and luxurious appearance than what would normally be allowed or expected of someone in the current setting.

“If at all possible, I would rather not fight you. Don’t have much time on my hands and I reckon there is enough of that going on up there.”

Not particularly on her guard, she ended up sitting cross legged on one of the nearby rocks away from the pond. Eyes fixed on blueish creature.

“Say little demon, I don’t suppose you have anything to do with that fight up there correct? Not with us and not with that thing. How did you end up here? This isn’t exactly a popular road!”

Alienor seems distracted.
She often looks behind and around her hastily, checking her pockets, a habit she seems to have. She doesn't yet take a drag of the pipe.

"Look, dont even get me started on the where and how and why. But if you really want to know, I was in the middle of another war right now. A guy bashed my head in.
I didnt realised it until I passed in front of a mirror.
That is one reason I'm here, or rather, a reason I am not there, anymore.

Anyways..."

Alienor's gaze suddenly seems distant as she looks down at the pipe. She suddenly raises her head, like just remembering the woman in the dress.

"...water under the bridge, amirite?"

Alienor finally takes a drag from the pipe, inhaling deeply.

"Thanks for that. "

“If at all possible, I would rather not fight you. Don’t have much time on my hands and I reckon there is enough of that going on up there."


"Fight you..."
Her face twists into a sincerely worried expression.

"...I just might, depending on the context."

She nervously searches her pockets again, but seems elsewhere.

"Now listen carefully here."
Her tone is dead serious despite her absent gaze. Finding nothing once again, she absentmindedly focuses her attention on the woman once more.

"If that ever happens, just two pieces of advice.
First, dont take it personnally.
And second..."

Alienor suddenly leans towards the sorceress. Her shiny eyes, from upclose, do not seem empty as one would think but too full, of the many things they have seen,so much  that they could'nt appear any other way anymore.

"You do whatever you have to to survive.
Do not.
Hesitate.
One second."
Her gaze is so intense it could burn the forest, and adds to the worrying aura that surrounds her.

She suddenly seems to realise it, and her face lights up with a smile : "..Yeah?"

While looking away, she know looks amused.

"But don't worry about it too much, it's unlikely.
Besides, I kind of like the whole "cute demon", "waiting-for-me-besides-a-romantic-pond-in-a-sexy-dress" thing. She winks.

"As for what is going on up there..."

She suddenly exhales a cloud of smoke: the drag she took earlier and probably forgot. It seems to have multiplied inside of her, as the clearing could suddenly be considered foggy.

She takes another drag :
"Let's just hope, as you said, that i have nothing to do with it."

"Look, dont even get me started on the where and how and why. But if you really want to know, I was in the middle of another war right now. A guy bashed my head in.
I didnt realised it until I passed in front of a mirror.
That is one reason I'm here, or rather, a reason I am not there, anymore.

Anyways..."

The woman raised an eyebrow at the mention of her conversation partner’s head being bashed in. She looked considerably good, all things considered!

"...water under the bridge, amirite?"

She remained silent, probably a bit puzzled from the cryptic and confusing words of this creature who had just spawned out of nowhere.

"Thanks for that. "

She nodded.

“Well, at least it is clear you are not a fairy or some sort of water spirit. They don’t partake in wars usually.”

But then the conversation moved to slightly less happier subjects. Namely, whether they were friend or foe. Or rather, foe or neutral.

While she had been clearly at ease up to that point, it would seem Alienor’s disregard for personal space did not sit well with the sorceress, who automatically leaned back when the blue thing leaned in towards her. She did not make any aggressive motions nor did she say anything, but nevertheless she had judged it wise to keep a minimum of distance between them. Although that had not motivated her enough to get up from her rock.

But perhaps the most notable development, was her bursting out in laughs at Alienor’s kind(?) warning. She did not seem to be mocking her in any way, but instead truly laughed in a hearty manner, as if she had not laughed in a while and someone had just broken the ice at a social gathering with some insanely humorous joke. It almost brought tears to her eyes.

For that, she offered a thankful smile.

"..Yeah?"

“Haha do not worry about that! You will not have to tell me twice! Promise!”

"But don't worry about it too much, it's unlikely.
Besides, I kind of like the whole "cute demon", "waiting-for-me-besides-a-romantic-pond-in-a-sexy-dress" thing."

Alienor’s words caught her interlocutor off guard. She phased out for a couple of seconds, unsure of what she had heard. In the end, she resumed in a slightly apologetic tone.

“Ah apologies. I referred to you as a demon since you look like one to me. We do not have many beings around here who look like you. Never mind ones who can regrow their heads. Might I ask what you are then? How should I refer to you? Thanks for the compliment by the way, though I’m afraid I’m not a demon myself, what made you think so? Was it my stunning looks?”

She smirked.

“I’m also sorry to say I most definitely was not waiting for you! I was quite surprised in fact, to see you appear on the water like that! As for the dress, well, long story short, I had to leave home in a rush and before that I was more or less planning to party into the end of the world. Figured, if the world’s ending, might as well look your best for it.”

She kept smoking throughout their conversation, periodically releasing small blueish clouds. Her words ringed true enough, though would a blue piece of alien know any better?

“So, if it’s not too indiscrete, in what region where you exactly? What war? I can’t imagine there must be a shortage of them, what with everything going on at the moment.”

She waited for whatever information Alienor was willing to throw her way, determined to try her best to make sense of it. When she was done, she rebutted with a suggestion.

“Say, I don’t know what you plan on doing or what, but do we mind if we talk as we walk? I would like to leave here as soon as possible.”

“Ah apologies. I referred to you as a demon since you look like one to me. We do not have many beings around here who look like you. Never mind ones who can regrow their heads. Might I ask what you are then? How should I refer to you?"

Alienor slightly smiled at the expression "regrow their heads”.
She had no doubt her conversation partner did not lack the intelligence nor the knowledge to understand if Alienor tried to explain ; still, she was not sure the woman yet had the trust necessary to believe her. She was aware most people found her weird, yet she felt she always was as authentic as she could possibly be.

“Let’s say I’ll be whatever I feel you need me to be.
Keep in mind, though, that I too, make mistakes.
And refer to me as you will, although I’ve grown attached to that “little demon” thing of yours.
I don’t feel any aggressivity coming from you when you say it, and it’s a nice change.”

“Thanks for the compliment by the way, though I’m afraid I’m not a demon myself, what made you think so? Was it my stunning looks?"

“Dress is nice,  I guess. Yeah. Makes you be seen. That’s the purpose of these kind of outfits, right?”
Alienor always looked like she spoke to herself, making pauses as if she was waiting for an answer only she could hear.
More than a question, she always seemed to phrase some kind of analysis of a theory.
“I’m more in the opposite spirit concerning clothing.”

“I’m also sorry to say I most definitely was not waiting for you! I was quite surprised in fact, to see you appear on the water like that! As for the dress, well, long story short, I had to leave home in a rush and before that I was more or less planning to party into the end of the world. Figured, if the world’s ending, might as well look your best for it."

“Oh, I see. If it’s for a party, you’d blend right in.”
She suddenly smiled, looking at the woman.
“…and then I would have to dress up like you, not to be seen!”
She let out a burst of laughter, like she had just had told the best joke in the world. Yet it seemed sincere, and not an attempt at mockery.

“Anyway, ends of the world often start with a party.”, she concluded matter-of-factly.

“So, if it’s not too indiscrete, in what region where you exactly? What war? I can’t imagine there must be a shortage of them, what with everything going on at the moment."

“I think the region, you haven’t heard of anyway. I’m not even sure of where it was exactly, even if I often go there.” Her face suddenly looked like the one of an old veteran, smoking her pipe. “That war is an old one…” Her expression suddenly changed, and she now looked like a pouty six-year-old :” So boring. That guy did me a favor. But where even are we, right now?”

“Say, I don’t know what you plan on doing or what, but do we mind if we talk as we walk? I would like to leave here as soon as possible.”

“We can walk if you want to, but in the end, it all comes down to one question.”

She still looked serious.

“Do you really need me here?”

[HRP/] Bon... We all know that it's coming so...

TADAAAAAAAAAAAAA:

Now that the resurrection joke is out of the way, back to business!

Apologies for the ridiculously long interval. [/HRP]  


1st of November 4846, nearly 12:16. Kingdom of Rastora, Rath region, Giliem woods.

Pacing. Timing. Things which matter.

The two of them made a strange pair. In a stranger world.

No one would ever expect to find a "fully equipped" socialite in the middle of a dangerous forest. Some weird shady demon from the void, may be. But both? Here, in this empty place.

This would seem almost too surreal, were it not for the cacophony above taking the cake.

Still, this did not bother the two in the least, taken in their conversation, their own little world. Sizing up each other, or making friends. Who's to say.

The witch patiently waited for the blue thing's answers. Doubtless though, that she was left wanting. Alienor's replies proved... vague.

Still, that was the case for many a denizen of Haerii. It would take more than that to discourage someone from this world. Should they care. Which was unclear if the which truly did.

She at least found it in her to reply to the visitor, once Alienor asked where they were exactly.

"This is Giliem. A forest of the Rath region of Rastora's Kingdom. It is on Illusia, near the Rift."

Ah yes. The South half of the continent of Heron. her explanation proved rather sober. She apparently did not see the need for more.

"Haerii."

She added jokingly.

But her sly smile was quick to fade away.

As if her eyes met ghosts only she could see, as if she was suddenly reminded of a terrible fate, her face grew cold and her foot begun to nervously tap the ground beneath her.

Impatience.

Mother of foolishness.

“Say, I don’t know what you plan on doing or what, but do we mind if we talk as we walk? I would like to leave here as soon as possible.”

“We can walk if you want to, but in the end, it all comes down to one question.”

The stranger looked strangely tense.

“Do you really need me here?”

The witch raised an eyebrow while staring her down, positively perplexed. She was quick to recover from her surprise however.

"Well that depends now does it not? Can you fight? Are you strong? If the answers are yes, then definitely! I surely need you, please do save me!"

She said mockingly, though not really making fun of Alienor herself.

"Well. Even if you are not strong, that does not mean that we cannot be friends! You see, i'm currently being chased by a rather frightening monster! I would really hate for it to catch me, I happen to enjoy life you know. Thus my question in return to yours.

Won't you throw yourself at its feet for me?

How long could you slow it down? You do not have to stay there forever, just a few of your pretty heads should do the trick while I get away! I can pay you!"

This not particularly sane proposal was made all the more dreadful by her devilish smile.

She was not kidding.

Not.

One.

Bit.

"Well that depends now does it not? Can you fight? Are you strong? If the answers are yes, then definitely! I surely need you, please do save me!"

AMBIANCE:

A semi-smile appeared on Alienor's face as she slowly shook her head. At first, it seemed to mark a misunderstanding, but in the end it looked more like Alienor was trying to gather her thoughts.
She held a hand up in a half-stop, half-reaching motion.



"You don't understand..."



Her hand reached the shoulder of the sorceress, but it wasn't a patronizing gesture, it more seemed like Alienor was trying to keep them anchored together.

"I can be strong. And I can fight. But it's not that simple”.


"Well. Even if you are not strong, that does not mean that we cannot be friends! You see, i'm currently being chased by a rather frightening monster! I would really hate for it to catch me, I happen to enjoy life you know. Thus my question in return to yours.

Won't you throw yourself at its feet for me?

How long could you slow it down? You do not have to stay there forever, just a few of your pretty heads should do the trick while I get away! I can pay you!"


Alienor suddenly looked lost in all that information. Even if she had noticed the nervousness of the witch earlier, something was not right. She was serious, yes, and she was anxious. But that person did not seem scared, not really. Alienor could not decipher the usual terror and despair the’ ones she helped usually had on their face. Alienor’s hand was still on the sorceress’ shoulder.

“Listen to me, please…”

Alienor’s gaze suddenly seemed to be traveling far away, and it sounded like she as not only speaking to the sorceress ; strangely, the sorceress knew it was not just them two, anymore. Her tone was now very composed, even a bit tired. Her voice was heavy, and it felt like she was someone else again.

"Im really sorry for this, but, if you want to involve me in your life for such matters, I'm going to have to get a bit depressing for a moment.”

Alienor’s  voice got even lower, and suddenly resounded differently than before in the forest. Actually, even the explosions had gotten distant and muffled.












“Have you ever had that dream…”  










Without knowing why, the body of witch suddenly froze to the sound of this phrase. Alienor, if it was still her, continued : “…that dream where something is really chasing you….really out to get you…a shadow, waiting behind the door…”

If the witch never had that dream, she was certainly having it now.
The sorceress did not feel like herself anymore, and she wanted it to stop immediately,especially now...
...now that she could see the door.

The four walls left no escape, and it was so cold. So sad. So frightening.

What Is This Place:

Alienor’s phrases did not even sound human anymore,  but more like a terrifying prophetic psalm.

The sorceress didn’t even hear the words, but it did not matter.
The door.

There was something terribly wrong behind it.

Paralyzed by that unnatural fear, the witch could only go through the horror while feeling the cold sweat dripping down her spine.

Suddenly Alienor’s voice seemed to resound in her head, clearer.



“…Is your monster as scary as what is behind the door?”



The witch wanted to scream for Alienor to do something but she felt like being strangled.  The sound of her racing heart was no match for the earlier explosions.

As the door slowly creaked open, the sorceress realized how much she wanted to die.
Just die before seeing what was behind.
Before it got to her.
Nothing could be worse than seeing the thing.
She felt like going insane even imagining it.
She wanted to scream so bad, but she could not even breathe.





The opening door revealed a hooded figure with long dark hair ; its eyes shined in the dark.
The witch felt she knew the figure, from a faraway life, from when they had met in a forest. Theree were even explosions in the sky...

But now it represented the worst nightmares she ever had, and at the same time, it was the first time she felt this kind of horror.

She felt Alienor’s face getting closer to hers  and the figure stepped forward, giving the witch what felt like a heart attack.





“Now tell me, my…friend…”





Alienor’s voice was smooth again, but still there was something wrong with it. Like another voice. Behind hers.



The creatures mouth and Alienor’s moved in perfect synchronization as they finally said :








“…Do you need me?”

(Please Stop Previous Video):

And just like that, it was all over.

The trees were green, the sky blue and  explosing, and Alienor was fidgeting with her pipe.

Not even a drop of sweat shined on the sorceress’ neck.




“I promise I won’t do that again.”

The beginning and end of the phrase did not seem uttered by the same person. Alienor suddenly raised her head, the most cheerful and innocent of smiles shining across her face :






“…I hope we can still be friends!!!”

NOTES:

While the Sorceress leaded the march more determined than ever, Alienor was following 5 meters behind in a manner that could have reminded the one of a tourist.
It wasn’t that she was trying to slow the rhythm, but she didn't seem in a hurry either, looking around her, taking in the scenery.
It wasn’t that she didn’t care about the sorceress being in a hurry, more like she constantly fell prey to a restless, neverending distraction, even whispering to herself from time to time.


"I still need your help.

Just let me know what you want in return.

I am not one to shy away from deals with devils, but I do know better than to sign an open contract."

Alienor suddenly looked up as she had just remembered the Sorceress, like she did everytime when spoken to, just to immediately refocus her attention on some random leaf.

“Yeah, sure, whatever.”

All the importance of the work she had put into warning the sorceress away from her seemed to have vanished ; she now answered like she had just accepted an invitation to go for a drink.

“But I might change my mind.”

She looked up again, as if she had again made the best joke in the world.

“Get it??? Cause my minds change!”

She then proceeded to laugh under her breath, and it seemed like she already wasn’t talking to the sorceress  anymore.

Said sorceress, ignoring her, continued :

"At any rate, I am not sure this kind of trick will work against the specific monster that's following me. If the rumors are to be believed, this sort of attack could get you instantly killed. On the other hand, if we manage to reach the nearby town, we might be safe for a bit. It can be easily distracted. Maybe with a bit of luck, some other unfortunate soul will suffer my fate instead."

This time Alienor didn’t even flinch away from the thorough analysis of a tree branch. Yet she answered in a very focused tone :

“That’s all that was. Just like you said…a trick.
It’s the only way for me not to be really dangerous.”

She nodded at the branch like they had just made a pact, but kept looking at it.

“On the other hand….I’m a master of distraction.”


Right at the moment these words got out of her mouth, the sorceress suddenly  felt a tap on the back of her shoulder.

Already tense from the situation, she turned around at once, ready to fight, just as Alienor’s laughter echoed once again in the deep woods.

“I can’t believe that worked on you!!!”

The Sorceress clearly had enough of that creature that took nothing seriously, as could be shown on her face that seemed to express something like this :

Spoiler:

Ignoring the whole event altogether, she resumed her determined pacing.

“The novelty wears off after the first few hours.”

Thinking she was talking about her tricks, Alienor suddenly donned the face of a child that had been grounded for playing with its water pistol too much, but the Sorceress continued :

“ Though, I guess I shouldn't complain too much. Technically, as long as these keep going off, it means we still have a chance."

Alienor  had resumed her scientific exploration but still answered seriously.

“You know, you’re still gonna have to give me a good reason at some point.

“Any questions before we reach Kirka?”

“Yeah, know any place where I could get some cigarettes?”

The blu… ahem. The multicoloured creature decided to follow the peculiar woman through the woods.

Though it was not clear why that had come to pass. Was it bored? Was it lost? Was it crazy?

The two last options seemed by far the most likely, especially given how the creature was very nearly literally all over the place.  

The sorceress had never seen someone so fascinated by every single little thing in the world. Even children seemed to understand more of their surroundings than her.

Still, this was of little matter to her, as seemed to be Alienor herself in the end. The sorceress did not seem to care enough to indulge the alien’s little sight-seeing. She bee-lined for her objective, rarely (if at all) turning back to see if she was still followed. This eventually forced Alienor to pick up the pace from time to time, not to be completely left behind.

At any rate, Alienor’s complete lack of interest as to her reward ended up lowering, ever so little, the sorceress’ guard. Whatever she would end up asking of her, it was likely far of in the future and therefore not of immediate concern, as opposed to her survival.

Plus, with a bit of luck, maybe she could really be just a random spirit with no particular needs or wants, which crossed her path with no hidden agenda whatsoever. That is rarely the case in Haerii but a girl can dream!

Sadly, Alienor’s little joke was only met with cynical scepticism and a pronounced “what the fuck” face from the sorceress, who carried on undaunted.  

Or at least she did, up until the moment when Alienor decided to start teleporting around. While the little strange creature had no issue with appearing at the sorceress’ back, in the end she opted not to tap on the woman’s shoulder and instead simply vanished away into the woods to re-appear elsewhere.

The reason for that? The temperature skyrocketed as soon as she had disappeared. When she reached out her hand to play her prank on the witch, her fingers met with progressively hotter and hotter air, to the point where carrying on seemed most unwise, even for her.

The temperature rapidly fell back to normal levels once Alienor regained her distance.

A warning, from a powerful witch’s dwindling patience.    

Perhaps in a different context she might have entertained the prank. Perhaps she would have even laughed at the stranger’s joke. After all, in the past she did throw lavish parties for the sake of entertainment alone, where she brought performers such as her from far and wide across Haerii.

But today? Today she was very much on edge.

In her defense, the end of the world can do that to people!

Following a couple of seconds needed to regain her cool, the witch found it in her to diffuse the tension once more, by commenting on the novelty of the explosions above them.

Alienor, seemed to take that comment the wrong way, but the witch certainly would not be the one to correct that misunderstanding.

However, oddly enough, that in turn pushed the alien to pay ever so slightly more attention to their current situation, rather than the wiggly plant she was following in between the roots of trees barring their way.

“You know, you’re still gonna have to give me a good reason at some point.

“A reason for what? For wanting to stay alive?”

The witch almost snapped at her.

Realizing her aggressiveness, she followed on a more composed tone.

“I do not think it is such an unreasonable demand.”

Then came Alienor’s question regarding cigarettes.

“There are a couple decent stores in this town. If the owners are not too busy running for their lives, we can pay them a visit.”

As they slowly made their way towards the town however, it quickly became apparent that things might not go as planned.

Even at this distance they could now clearly tell that most of the city had been turned to ruins. Now that the sky was not half hidden from the branches, they could also see some trails of smoke going from the ruins to what little clouds remained in the sky.

For some reason, this revelation did not trigger any comments from the sorceress, who solemnly continued her march towards the city.

Yet, before they could reach the edge of town, the witch stopped abruptly, to listen to a message broadcasted all over the world.

An unfamiliar voice resonated throughout the world, as if the gods themselves were shouting at the denizens of Haerii. But it was not the polytonic voice of a god that was heard, but rather the voice of a young woman, crystal clear and filled with confidence and determination.


“Attention people of Haerii! My name is Celeste Aldebaran. I am the CEO of the Eden group.

Please do not be alarmed, I am using an artefact in order to deliver this important message to you.

As many of you must know, yesterday a lot of horrible… terrible things happened in our world. To name but a couple of them, Haerii’s greatest enemy has returned and that led us to the loss of an irreplaceable man. Even as I speak, you only need to raise your eyes to the skies to witness our greatest heroes in their fight against Deus La Machina.

In this effort, people from all over the world have put aside their differences and united against this terrible enemy. We gathered the most legendary warriors, the wisest sorcerers. Heron’s Council of Sages is leading the assault.

The reason for this… is that we do not have a choice.

I want this to be perfectly clear: should they fail, there will be no one left capable of stopping this monster. There will be no tomorrow for Haerii.

This is why I want to humbly request your help. If there is anyone out there who can offer any kind of assistance in their fight, no matter how small, the moment is now. Use every bit of your strength, every ounce of your magic, to secure this world’s future. For those of you who act, I give you my word that you will be rewarded in a manner befitting of the gratitude of the world’s foremost financial power.

If however, you are just like me and your hand cannot hope to reach them, then it is my earnest wish that you believe in them. Have faith in them, that they may win, that they save us all!

You have all seen the message on the walls! It may be true! Dark Days may be coming! HOWEVER! We will not let them be the end of us! Through yesterday, through today, and as long as it takes, we will grit our teeth and fight our way into tomorrow! Dark Days may be coming? To this I only have this to say! BETTER DAYS ARE DEFINETLY COMING!

Let this message fill your hearts with hope! Let it resonate till the ends of the world so that the enemies of Haerii know that its people will never give up! So that they know who they picked a fight with!

I also have the following message for Eden’s people across the globe. Those of you who are able to move, you are all summoned to the local headquarters of your respective branches. You are to help those who suffer from the ongoing events regardless of circumstance or cost!

People of Haerii:

FIGHT ON!”

At the end of the speech, the witch stood in silence for a few seconds, starring at the sky and the colourful explosions that littered it still.

She then returned her eyes to the earth, casting a grim gaze.

“Well. You know things are going bad when a business puts a bounty on a god’s head. If only money could save us from this madness, little Celeste!”

She said to herself, nearly forgetting Alienor’s presence nearby.

She suddenly remembered her unusual follower and for some reason felt the need to raise her spirits. To seem confident.

“Be that as it may, I have no intention of dying before the actual end of the world! Let’s go!”

She proclaimed, leaving the wood’s edge and finally making her way into the remains of the city.

“A reason for what? For wanting to stay alive? I do not think it is such an unreasonable demand.”

Alienor looked down, searching her pockets again.


"Yeah, sorry. I forget."


Alienor followed the sorceress, now less interested in the scenery, as if she had to focus on something.

When suddenly....

ELLIPSE NARRATIVE DISCRETE

".... FIGHT ON!!"

Alienor remained dumbfounded, looking at the skies, completely still. The intensity of the message and especially its soundtrack had managed to touch her in some way.

Still, she suddenly looked down again as if she was done with a fireworks show.

"Well."

She focused on the sorceress again only when she heard the word "god". But the sorceress didn't leave her any time to reply and resumed her pacing.

Alienor followed, resigned, sighing :
"See, people don't listen. I especially said no gods..." she muttered.

[Vers: Kirka]