7 Coated in Blood (1/2)
Chapter 7: Coated in Blood
Foggy visions of snow loomed around like a vulture seeking it's prey. Nye was standing in the sea of white, where blood coated the frozen ground around her. She examined her surroundings through emerald eyes, having a faint ringing in her ears.
”Is this a dream?” Nye spoke up, her words echoing around her, as the snow was slowly falling. ”Or... a premonition?”
Battle cries were heard in the distance, flowing around like the inside of a hollow room. There was nothing to be seen, but faceless mugs of the dead corpses around her.She stepped forward, her boots crunching in the snow. Then Nye's eyes looked west, spotting nothing, but the void air. Only emptiness loomed, except the sounds of death seeping in.
”It's dangerous out there on your own... You aren't even hiding the fact of what you are now from the Templar...” echoed a male voice in her mind, from a shadowy silhouette behind her.
Nye swerved around, but the form had vanished into smoke, with eerie laughter. ”...”
The dream faded with her eyes opening into reality. Nye was still perched in the rafters of her domain. She breathed softly, glancing down to see Miles still sleeping on the bed below her. Cradled between him and his tail, was the phoenix egg. Nye fazed into shadows, wrapping around down to the floor below. She reappeared in the doorway of the room, glancing back to Miles as he slumbered. ”You rest now. I have something I need to look into, my friend.” She spoke quietly, before exiting the room. ”(Before that, I need to head back to the Wynorex region...)”
The scene panned to darkness, transitioning to a nightfall location in a white field of snow. Black boots stepped through the soft pillows of ice, with the sound of shivering, from below zero degrees. Through the hooded shroud on his head, casted shadows over the narrowing cobalt eyes of the man with the Spider tattoo. He struggled to keep awake, trying to press on further. However, his eyes were slowly closing, causing him to loose balance, collapsing into the snow below him. The winter storm was picking up around him, whipping around snowflakes like a miniature, icy tornado.
Elsewhere, Nye had made her way to the Knothole Sanctum. The night sky above was filled with stars and many constellations. A chilling breeze blew past her as she opened the entry door to the pub level. Inside was much quieter from before, with less patrons as well. The ones inside seemed to going about their own business, whilst a few seemed distressed.
”So, Vex went off on his own? You're fucking kidding me.” Ashe seemed annoyed, as he was conversing with a female fiend with horns and purple skin.
She was garbed in mostly red, and seemed to be a traveler. ”You really must be deaf, kid, because that's exactly what I just said. I mean, I'm only staying here for the time being, but a wandering trader knows these kinds of things. Your 'brother' ain't here now, so would ya quit botherin' me?” She looked lazily to the red haired Amygdala.
”Sheesh lady, You're the one who brought it up in the first place!” Ashe scoffed, blowing a brief bit of flame to the side of his exposed fangs.
Nye approached, her emerald eyes observing the two. ”Is there a problem here, that I should know about?”
They both glanced over, Ashe had a slight smirk, leaning to his palm in amusement. He seemed far more pleased to see Nye, than the woman.
”Well, if it ain't phony queen of the fiends. Didn't think I'd be seeing your face in 'ere again so soon.” The lady fiend leaned to her fist, with a scowl. However, she smirked a bit, looking to Nye.
Nye crossed her arms, as she raised a brow. ”What is that supposed to mean?”
The woman sat up, slyly grinning to Nye. ”She doesn't know, well, this is rich.I think I've stayed my welcome anyway, no sense wasting time 'ere with your kind. I ain't the only one who thinks you're a fraud either. Enjoy the luxury whilst it lasts 'Queen'.” The fiend cackled, heading for the door.
As it closed behind her, Nye's peripheral glances to Ashe. He looks to her, appearing somewhat bored in appearance, propping his chin up with his palm. Nye quirks a brow, looking to the bar. ”...Assuming Runfaust is absent?”
Ashe looked to her in surprise, with a playful expression. ”Oh? Yeah, he's off gathering supplies with my sister. The one you saved the other day.” He seemed a bit distant as his gaze looked of, causing Nye to glance over to him once more. Ashe's eyes glanced back over to Nye, as he smiled a bit, ”Oh, I'm Ashewyn, by the way... I mean no offense, if I'm giving any negative vibes.”
Nye kept her usual demeanor about her, as she looked his way. ”Does this have anything to do with that fiend? I get the feeling my company disturbs you.”
”Naw, I'm just not the most social. Don't mind me, but that woman? Yeah, she's some wanderer who trades goods, I guess.” Ashe glanced off, grimacing slightly. ”I think it might be some cover, assuming she's seeking others who share her mindset on things. Maybe I'm just thinking up some conspiracy about her or something.”
Nye glances to the few patrons around, and up to the balcony. ”So assuming from that, you're on my side, I take it?” She eyes kept attention above, not bothering to look to him.
Ashe smirked, leaning back with a cool demeanor. ”You can say that.”
”I see.” Nye said, still peering to the second floor.
Ashe noticed she wasn't paying full attention, and glanced up, to see where she was looking. ”Are you looking for somebody in particular, Queen?”
”Just call me Nye. All these titles get to be so bothersome.” She said, glancing back to Ashe, ”To answer your inquiry. Aye. There is a certain Dream Weaver, I've been keeping an eye on.”
Ashe thought for a moment, he was intrigued, but somewhat irritated in his tone. ”Hold up, you mean the one guy, that the Templar have been hunting? I remember my old man said something, about you asking about that guy the other night.”
”Indeed. However, that is not the reason I have returned. Seeing your father isn't here, I suppose I'll go about this one my own.” Nye turned from Ashe.
”Hey, Nye where's the fire?” Ashe got up, following her. ”Did you need help with something?”
She glanced back to him, ”Do you know what a premonition is?”
Ashe looked to her oddly, ”Yeah, Are you a clairvoyant or something? What are you getting at?”
Nye looked seriously to him, ”During a dream, I saw a war in cold blood... dead bodies being buried by the falling snow. I believe, something was calling me to the southern ice lands of Demonica.”
Ashe crossed his arms, ”You sure? Well, supposing that's the case, what did my old man have to do with that frozen wasteland?”
”I had some inquiries about our people, to see how many are living in that region. It may be a good place to seek out more allies and gain a better footing against the Rhyme's forces, whilst I investigate the matter. However, since he's not here, I'm hindering the clock. If something is going to occur there, then I want to know what, and to why I had that vision.” Nye turned from him. ”I'm afraid I have wasted enough time. There's no telling what could be happening there.”
Ashe stood up, ”And you're just going to go there on you're own? How about this, let me tag along in case things get serious. If I shared my aura, you'd know that I'm a fire based Amygdala.If anything, I can keep the cold off.”
Nye smirked, closing her eyes. ”(Interesting. Seems I am getting similar advice from this boy.) Very well, but if you're going to be accompanying me, Ashe, then keep in mind, if I tell you to do something, then you should heed my words.”
”As you command then.” Ashe bowed, grinning slightly.
”Don't do that.” Nye said heading for the door.
Ashe pocketed his hands, following after her. ”Fine. One quick question, Nye.”
”Hm?” Nye kept her back to him.
”What type of Amygdala are you? I couldn't tell by your aura.” Ashe spoke up, curiously.
Nye halted briefly, ”I assume wraith, much like the tales of Lenault. We should get moving.” Nye stated, heading out.
”Wraith?... (That explains to why her aura was so different from the others... but one that has been thought of as a fairy tale or a legend?... Nye, you're a pretty interesting lady.)” He thought, smirking, as he trailed after her.
Meanwhile, in the snowy tundra of the Demonica ice lands, many Templar Centaurs were traveling behind what looked to be Lyra on horseback. In the center of the herd, was a caged cart, carrying a restrained, unconscious passenger, the man with the spider tattoo. The scenery seemed more mountainous than before, with more forest exposed from the white blanket of winter. The caravan arrived to a sector in the valley of the mountains, with snowflakes forming like droplets in the sky. They were in what appeared to be a frozen prison sector of the region, with a wooden podium in the center of the valley. Stationed upon the wooden structure were several hanging nooses from pillars around the platform.
As the troupe stopped, Ayame on her dragon flew down to join them. Ayame and her leashed, Elliot, dismounted, approaching Lyra. ”Viceroy Lyra.” Spoke Ayame to her companion.
”Knight of the Wind, Ayame.” Lyra greeted back.
”I was informed that your squadron located, and captured the alleged felon. Was I informed correctly?” Ayame inquired.
”Indeed, we happened across him, unconscious in the snow.” Lyra replied, motioning to the cell. Lyra and a few of her Rhyme Templar approached the cart, followed by Ayame. ”Just as the description stated, Male, raven haired Amygdala, with eyes like the ocean. No need to fret though, the bars are magic resistant. No one can escape, unless there was a repeat of the previous incident.”
”Good to hear. So, you're certain that this man is truly the demon who killed Astrid, and the others before her?” Ayame looked curiously to the chamber of the caravan.
Lyra looked to Ayame with a devilish grin, ”He has the scar on his left wrist. The same place the bastard cut himself to use that cursed inchor magic.”
Ayame seemed intrigued. ”It would be too dangerous to risk him using that ghastly magic again, just to prove it's him. Even so, he does carry the same outlook as I recall from the brief moment I saw him caged the first time...” Ayame thought for a moment, ”It must be the Amygdala...”
”Then it's a good thing I had his arms bound. Amygdala are useless without their hands free. Even so, he'd be too weak to escape with that shadow stepping skill.” Lyra explained.
”Aye.” Ayame turned to the Templar nearby. ”After the events that happened with Astrid's forces... he can't be allowed to live. You know what to do.”
”Yes ma'am!” They saluted, with one opening the cell.
The metallic ringing of the bared door squeaked loudly, it flowed into the man's ears, causing his eyes to open slightly. The creaking of the floor board was heard, as two Templar entered the cell. One grabbed himby his hair, forcing him to stand as the two took either side of the man's arms. They forced him in the direction of the podium, with his hazy eyes still waking, squinting slightly from the brief pain.