Backstabbed

He stared at the ceiling of his bed room. The heavy blanket kept him warm, and pinned him into place. Neither his arms nor his legs were strong enough to lift the cloth.

“I see you still haven’t let go of your former self-image.” He slowly turned his head to the voice. Saesquar laid on the bed next to him and grinned. “A dissonance between body, mind, and soul only leads to problems.”

“What do you want?” He tried snarling at her, but he felt even too weak for that.

“I want to see how far along you are on your journey. You have been summoned to defeat me, after all.” The goddess stroked over his cheek with two fingers and chuckled. They left a tingling electric feeling, and it was as if his body, his self, changed again.

“Why are you doing this?” Nia demanded to know.

“I told you. I wanted to see-”

“Not that!” It was as if her strength returned to her slowly. “This war between you and Luaria!”

Saesquar pulled her fingers back. “You’re the first to ask.” It was just a whisper, but the demeanor of the dark goddess changed. She sounded genuinely surprised. “Do you know what it’s like to not be in charge of your own life? If someone else determines every step of it, up until, and including how and when you die?”

“No.” Nia shook her head slowly.

Saesquar smirked. “That’s the reason for this war.”

“Isn’t there another way?” Maybe she could convince the dark goddess to retreat.

“There. Is. No. Other. Way.” Saequar’s voice was suddenly very cold. “Don’t even try to reason with a near-omnipotent being. They think of themselves as wise and omniscient, because no one dares to speak up against them. And then everything crumbles and you’re supposed to pick up the trash. You’re given no choice!”

“But aren’t you a goddess yourself?”

“Case in point.” Saesquar grinned. “We take what we need. And don’t make any mistake. You’ll. Be. Mine!”

Nia felt cold shivers run down her spine. “I don’t want to have anything to do with you!”

“You speak as if you have any choice in the matter.” The goddess leaned over Nia. “I like that about you.”

“Leave! Now!” The goddess’ hair was blown backwards.

“You’re feisty. And you have power!” The goddess laughed. “I can’t wait till you’re ready.”

“LEAVE!” Saesquar looked stunned for a moment, then she was blown away, smashed into black motes that scattered in the wind and disappeared.

«« | »»

“Nia … Nia …” Words reached her consciousness. Or maybe her consciousness slowly realized that someone was calling for her. She found the strength to fight against the darkness, against her sleep, and finally opened her eyes.

“Nia!” Qiin shouted and had raised his hand.

“Wha… what’s up?” she asked and looked around. She had been out, and had dreamed of the dark goddess again. “How long have I been out?”

“You’ve been out for roughly twenty hours.” The monk took a deep breath. “You’ve used far more power than you should’ve. It’s almost as if you’re not even connected to a god or a goddess at all.”

It’s probably because I don’t believe in gods. Your goddess might be real, but I don’t even believe in the one of the world I’ve come from. If there is even just one.

Nia kept her thoughts to herself and fought herself upright. Her mind screamed ‘headache’ at her. Or something. All she knew was that it hurt. She just wanted to lay back down, but her growling stomach argued loudly against that idea.

“There’s someone I want to introduce you to,” Qiin said all of a sudden. “She’s been waiting for quite a few hours already.”

“I’d like to have some food first,” Nia whispered and managed to pull the blanket aside.

Then it hit her. Qiin had put her into bed and tucked her in. The knowledge made pause. She felt just a bit of gratitude and and a lot of absolute humiliation. I’m not a child. Damn it!

“There’s nothing left of breakfast.” Qiin shrugged apologetically. “But you can have lunch soon. I’d just want to introduce you to her as soon as possible.”

“To whom?” Nia looked up. She was sure that she looked like a mess.

Can’t be someone important, if he wants me to meet her like this.

“The high priestess.”

Nia looked up at him, and hoped that her look alone managed to ask him ‘Really?’

“She has requested to meet you, after I told her the strength of your prayers this morning.” He went to the door and opened it. “Come.”

“This should’ve time until after lunch.” She pulled the blanket back over herself.

If there’s no food yet, then I’ll continue to rest. That priestess can wait a few hours longer.

“Get up, now,” Qiin demanded. The monk sounded angry. “Or I will carry you to her.”

That’s just mean.

Nia let out a long sigh, then pulled the blanket back and got up. “Fine. I’ll go and see her,” she grumbled, put the boots back on, and trotted after the monk.

Maybe it was because she felt exhausted, maybe the temple had grown, but it felt as if they were walking for hours.

Qiin finally opened two large wooden doors. A square courtyard laid beyond them. There were flower beds and vegetable patches. Possible fruit trees surrounded a gazebo-like building in the center. The roof in form of a half-sphere was held up by several marble pillars.

And in front of it there were a few people, waiting. She recognized Ralf and Tina. Then Tom and Sonja. And the monks that were supposed to be teaching them. They stood in a half circle around a woman that stood in the center of the stone gazebo.

As she came closer, she got the feeling that something was wrong. The monks were all looking to the woman, but her fellow summonees were looking at her. No one said a word.

Nia slowed down further. Then the woman in the center of it all turned around. Nia recognized the face immediately, as well as the predatory smile. Her thoughts came to a rather sudden halt. They locked up for a second. It was like a blue screen, only that everything was blank. A blank screen. Without an appropriate error message.

“Ah, finally. Took you long enough, Qiin,” Saesquar said, and walked toward them. The woman looked as she had in her dreams. But right now she seemed to be surrounded by a dark aura.

Nia’s brain was forming concepts. Fear. The desire to move. But those desires didn’t make it into commands for her body. Probably because of that blank screen.

“Let me guess.” Saesquar still walked toward her, out of the gazebo and into the sunlight. “You didn’t expect to see me here, did you?”

Nia’s breathing got faster, as something in her recognized the danger she was in. She saw how the others were forced to their knees. Weapons held to their throats.

What’s happening here?

“We would’ve liked to give you some more time. So that you could form deep bonds with your fellow summonees. Friendship and bonds forged by being thrust into the same dangerous situations. It would have been ideal, if you had fallen in love …” Saesquar stopped right in front of Nia and raised her hand, stopping shy from touching her face. Her words were warm, friendly even. And the smile seemed genuine. For just a moment. Then everything fell from her like a mask, and Saesquar snarled at her: “Your potential is far too great. You’ve already managed to push me out of your mind. And from what Qiin has told me, you’re far too dangerous to educate any further.” Saesquar leaned down to her ear. “Now, I’ll break you. I don’t know what it will take, but I will break you!”

Saesquar turned away from her and to her followers. “Kill them!”

Hearing the order was like another lightning strike went through Nia’s body. She reached out to the dark goddess, her hand touching the woman’s robes. Smoke rose from between her fingers.

The goddess flinched away, screaming.

The monks all shouted “Mistress!”

And Nia felt a sharp pain in her back.

What happened?

Something warm ran down her back.

“Don’t touch the mistress!” Qiin snarled behind her. He pushed against her, and another sharp pain ran through her.

Did … did he just kill me?

“I’m fine,” Saesquar said, a hand holding her own shoulder. The touch had hurt her.

Another jolt went through her body, and she felt Qiin tear the blade out.

Maybe modern medicine had been able to save her before. But now, she knew only one thing:

I’m dead! I should’ve learned some healing prayers … I …

Nia looked at the faces of her fellow summonees. Half of them were shocked, the other enraged.

“You’re still standing?” Saesquar mocked her. The grin on her face was strained, betraying the pain the dark goddess was in.

I can take her with me … All I need to do, is embrace her …

Nia stumbled forward. Her strength was fading fast.

“I will break you,” Saesquar snarled. “Even if my followers have to kill you over and over again.”

Nia took a shallow breath, coughed up blood.

“I … will never … be … yours!” She lifted her hand and reached for Saesquar, who simply stepped back. She’d never be able to reach her. Despair grabbed at her heart. Blackness bloomed at the edges of her vision.

“Luaria, my goddes of light,” she began, “please learn of my plight.” Her song was just above a whisper.

“Oh, no you won’t!”

Nia didn’t see the dagger come, but she felt it. Warmth ran down her throat. She fell to her knees. Her eyes looked up at the cloudless sky. The beautiful day mocked her.

Move us to distant lands,

out of the darkness’ hands.

She improvised her song. Even if she was unable to sing, she moved her lips, and felt her magic resonate.

I feel my end is near …

While her vision faded, she kept playing the unknown, improvised song in her head.

But I don’t want to die here …