Uda - Outwards (2)

Diga turned paler than the sticky mush lying in the dirt near Nia.

“No, it was only a joke! I was only teasing you! Please, forgive me! I just want to spend more time with you, and your words hurt me! You have to believe me! I need to stay in the unit... Please, I have to destroy Nightmares, I have to, they have... you know...!” she whimpered, starting to drop to her knees.

Kelwin narrowed his eyes, thinking for a moment. After an uncomfortably long pause, the glowing point of light near Nia faded. He stepped over to the soldier and wrapped an arm around her.

“I’m sorry, Diga, but you know I’m an Aspirant. Bonds like that almost always end terribly for us, if we're lucky. It's naive to get involved, and I made that clear to you. We agreed it would be nothing more than a few... games.”

Diga said nothing, staring down at Nia.

“That little... You really think she’s more attractive than me? Really, Kelwin?” she snapped, then kicked Nia in the face.

Another pitiful whimper escaped Nia.

“It doesn’t matter either way! She’s possessed. You might almost pity the humanity left in her, but soon she’ll be gone, lost in the dark. It’s lucky that she and her companion were stupid enough to let us catch them. Though it is to be expected, isn’t it? The Possessed are always driven by their base instincts, even if they try to suppress that,” Kelwin lectured.

He paused and then looked at Diga.

“So, what now? You gonna stay away from me? That’s probably for the best,” he said slowly.

Diga shook her head.

“No. If I can’t have you, then at least I want to contribute to the suffering that little bitch down there would’ve brought to us,” she said, her voice now cold.

Uda pressed herself against the tree trunk. She had to do something... somehow...

“And you think we shouldn’t wake her? That would be a mercy, wouldn’t it? We could! I could take my spear and pierce her throat…” Diga mused, playing with the hilt of her dagger and glancing toward a white metallic lance leaning against a nearby tent wall.

Nia drew in a sharp breath.... and to Uda’s horror, it almost looked like she welcomed the idea.

“No! That would be a waste of resources. We can use her as a source of information, and as bait. As long as Lera and I are here, as long as she is subdued by the light around her neck, she won’t be able to do anything. And if necessary, I’ll burn out her throat myself…” Kelwin interjected, and under the weak glow of Nia’s necklace, her body began to twitch again.

Uda turned her face away. She couldn’t bear it anymore. She had to retreat back into herself...

“And the other one? There are two! In my training, I was told never to keep two Possessed together! What if they somehow manage to escape?” Diga asked.

Uda strained to listen. What exactly were they planning for her? When would they separate her from Nia?

How much time do we have left to escape?

“I think the other bitch back there’s a Seductress, nearly a full-formed Lust. She certainly looks like one! Even you can’t deny that. She also seems to be the more resilient one, so there is probably more darkness in her. And there’s something creepy and... different about her. You are right, of course, they should not be together. That’s why we’re handing her over to Exorcist Immesh. We’re already on the way to his camp, before continuing north to follow our original orders. Lera will announce it officially tomorrow,” Kelwin said, trying to sound wise and failing.

“Immesh? That squashpig? Well, that’d be fitting for a Seductress... He would enjoy that...” Diga blurted out, then immediately covered her mouth with her hands.

“You’re right. He is a... Though we don’t speak ill of an Exorcist. Not even him. Got it? Next time, I’ll have to report that to Lera,” Kelwin said bitterly, casting her a threatening look.

Keep talking... Uda begged silently, but the two had turned their attention back to Nia.

“I think she should try eating that cheese again, what do you think? Might help distract you from those heretical thoughts,” Kelwin said suddenly, cheerful once more as he looked down at Nia.

“Hey, little shit, wake up. You’re not done eating yet... It’s a little dirty now, covered in vomit and spit, but I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!” he hissed, and through a faint flicker from her necklace, Nia was jolted back to consciousness.

“Oh, Kelwin, I stepped in it, now she’ll have to lick it off my boots... They need to be clean...”

Uda clenched her jaw, trying to ignore the sounds coming from behind the tree as she slowly crawled back into place. Soon, she retreated inward again, and for the first time, the terrifying circle felt like a better alternative than the Dream around her.

Despite trying to focus her thoughts, she kept getting pulled from her trance by grisly noises she desperately tried to block out.

Why does Nia have to suffer so much? What did she ever do to these lunatics?

Absolutely nothing.

Uda wanted to beat the two of them into pulp, or worse, though it wouldn’t undo what Nia had already endured.

Will she ever speak again? Smile again?

Sometimes, when Uda could feel the Dream pressing in around her again, tears would form on her cheeks. She didn’t know how much longer she could endure this. How long she could survive captivity with her resolve intact.

And worst of all, there was no end in sight...

“Wake up, sunshine! I’ve got tasks for you,” came Lera’s sickly sweet voice, pulling her back into the outside world.

Shaking, Uda forced herself to her feet and noticed, at least, that she could move a little more now.

“Don’t get excited too soon. One wrong twitch, one wrong look, and you’ll be back in the dirt. Got it?” Lera giggled gleefully.

“Yes, understood, Exorcist Lera!” Uda answered quickly, keeping her gaze lowered.

How badly she longed to meet that horrible woman’s eyes... just once... and show her exactly where she could shove her orders...

But that wasn’t possible. Time was running out...

“We’re moving on. I want you to carry my baggage. You can still be useful before I hand you off. It’s a long road to Immesh’s camp, and we’re expecting at least two encounters along the way. After that, things are going to get much more unpleasant for you,” Lera explained with an exaggerated smile.

Uda didn’t understand what she meant, but judging by what Kelwin and the soldier had said about the other Exorcist, Immesh, it couldn’t be anything good. Blinking against the morning light, Uda looked around. Dawn had broken, yet the forest still felt dim and murky, yet strangely familiar, almost like home. The leaves rustled gently in the shadows, though aside from the soldiers’ movements, there was no other sound. Some of the tents had already been dismantled and loaded onto wagons now parked around the central pole, where the white sky stone still glowed. Around thirty men and women worked busily, casting nervous glances into the trees. Their hands kept drifting toward their daggers, their lances shifting in their grips.

Uda glanced to her side... and froze.

Where is Nia?

Her eyes scanned the soldiers, then the forest beyond them. Nothing. No sign of her.

Had Kelwin...?

Panic surged in Uda’s chest, and she broke into a cold sweat.

“Ah, you’re looking for the other wretch? Well, I heard Kelwin spent a very intimate night with her. He was very thorough. I doubt it’ll take much longer to break her completely...”

Uda’s breath caught, and she nearly answered, biting her tongue just in time.

One day you’ll hear exactly what I think of you, you miserable witch, she thought, but Lera had already turned away.

She gestured toward a large backpack on the ground beside her.

“There! Carry it. But take your shoes off! The ground’s full of sharp little pebbles, and I wouldn’t want you getting too comfortable. After all, you’ll be hauling my precious stone collection. Some volunteers gathered them this morning...” Lera laughed.

As she walked away, nearly out of earshot, she theatrically slapped her forehead and turned back. She spoke as if she'd just remembered something and flashed Uda a wide smile.

“Almost forgot... You know, I think I might need your help! She still has hope. Hope that she can rely on you. I visited her this morning, and I think she said your name. Stupid possessed bitch! That won’t do. I know you’re the smarter one of the two, even if that still makes you dumb as a stone compared to the rest of us...”

She had now reached Uda and leaned in close.

“I want you to treat her like the filth she is. Understood? So she gets it. Don’t worry! I’ll be right beside you, supporting you...” Lera whispered into Uda’s ear. “Of course, if you fail, I’ll make sure you crawl the rest of the way on all fours. Naked. Got it?”

Her breath smelled as sweet and sickly as her voice, and Uda could swear she heard a tremor of delight in it.

She can’t command this. NO! Uda screamed inside, as she believed Lera’s threat.

And a repulsive part of her was already trying to rationalize what the Exorcist demanded.

I won’t give in. Never!

Slowly, Uda nodded. “I understand. Is there anything specific you want me to do?” she asked, suppressing the cold hatred burning in her.

Lera leaned back, surprised. Uda imagined her eyes lighting up with glee though didn’t look up to confirm it.

“No, do whatever you want. You know her best; you’ll know what’ll hurt her the most,” Lera said generously before turning away again, this time truly marching off with her head held high, leaving Uda behind.

As Uda hoisted the sack, she let out a groan. It really did seem to be filled to the brim with stones.

What an absolutely pointless task! Fuck! she cursed inwardly, throwing the rough leather straps over her shoulders.

Hurriedly, Uda took off her sandals, which were already so worn out that it almost felt good to walk barefoot across the harsh ground. The morning sun brought a touch of warmth, yet Uda had nearly no hope left. She could no longer think far ahead or dream of rescue. She focused only on surviving the moment.

How can I help Nia? I have to do something. At least I’ll be able to speak to her soon. I need to find a way to encourage her, without Lera noticing. But how? DAMN IT! HOW? I need an idea...

The Nightmare Hunters around her avoided looking at her, keeping their distance as if she were carrying some contagious disease. Again and again, she felt hateful gazes stabbing into her, as if her presence gave the soldiers an outlet for the fear reflected in their darting eyes and the way they paused to listen.

Why...? The forest! We’re outside the shield! You stupid idiot, why didn’t you realize it? We’re deep in Nightmare Territory! What did they call it? The Shaded Lands? That’s why I feel like this! It’s like during the Nightmare Tide! Is there something nearby...? Something I resonate with?

Uda ran a hand through her hair in desperation.

Why is the situation so damn hopeless? What did I do to end up here? What did Nia do? Is some higher power behind this? A twisted goddess who saw something awful in our past lives? Something we’ve both done? And who gave us to these monsters? Or is it even worse, and this is all just... bad luck? Can the Dream really be this cruel?

It wasn’t long before the preparations for departure were complete. Uda found herself wondering why no Nightmares had attacked yet. The hunters around her seemed tense but not panicked, and not many were fully on alert. Was it Lera? Did she have some way of keeping the monsters at bay, driving them off?

Possibly.

After what felt like forever, Lera rode up on her horse. Uda hadn’t noticed before how majestic the animal was: shimmering white, powerful and sleek. Walking beside it was Nia, and Uda inhaled sharply. The young woman’s clothes were torn all over, though her skin showed no visible wounds. Only the red mark on her neck had spread—up to her left eye and down to her half-exposed chest. The glowing necklace might have seemed elegant in another context, but on Nia’s skin were faint indentations that betrayed the awful control woven into those gleaming stones. Her face, too, was unmarked, though her red eyes were blank and lifeless, seemingly unaware of Lera’s amused gaze fixed on her.

“Come along! We’re moving out! You two, up front. If a Nightmare appears ahead of us, you’ll move forward as bait. Of course, I’ll help you! We wouldn’t want to lose valuable sources of information,” Lera called to Uda, pointing toward the front of the waiting column of riders and supply wagons.

“Move out!”

Uda stumbled forward with the heavy backpack, moving quickly. Some of the Hunters spat at her, and when she passed too close to Diga, she got a kick in the back that sent her sprawling onto sharp stones, tearing open the palms of her hands.

“Not so close,” Diga hissed, and a few nearby riders laughed harshly.

“Diga, get a grip! We’re trying to move out! Don’t slow us down,” Kelwin barked from behind, throwing her a sharp look from his dark horse’s saddle, though his tone didn’t seem entirely serious.

Uda’s hands trembled as she looked at her bloodied palms. She missed the days when she could’ve healed herself, slowly but surely. Yet now, she’d be forced to march with open wounds, the jagged stones scraping her bare feet. A burning pain radiated from her palms, and the weight of the rocks on her back made it nearly impossible to stand up again. Her lungs burned with every breath, and suddenly, she wasn’t sure she could get up.

Shit. SHIT! FUCK!

A tear slipped from her eye, but she hurried to wipe it away discreetly. She wouldn’t give them the satisfaction of seeing her suffer anymore. Uda focused on the trees around her, on the narrow path that snaked out from the clearing. A faint flicker of connection flared up inside her, and she thanked the darkness beyond for giving her the strength to keep going.

I can do this!

She forced a ragged breath through her teeth as she pushed herself to her feet and continued toward the trail winding through the trees. Shortly before the edge of the clearing, she stopped and waited. It wasn’t long before Nia appeared beside her, and Lera gave the command to move out.

“Travel formation four! Make sure the wagon with the sky stone stays central this time. I don’t want to have to rescue anyone who strays too far and gets snatched by a Nightmare, understood?” Lera snapped.

“Understood!” the Hunters shouted back in unison.

“Then let’s go. Follow these possessed whores! Enjoy the stroll! It’s going to be a cozy little trip. At least you can all take turns meditating, right? Or, for the ambitious ones, practice some cultivation!” added Kelwin, trying, and failing, to sound as commanding as Lera.

With that, they began moving, and Uda broke into a light jog at the front. Soon, the sun vanished behind the canopy, and a pleasant darkness settled over them. Still, Uda felt the tension in her muscles and silently prayed Nia wouldn’t try to speak to her.

Please, let’s just walk. Just walk. Please...

She glanced subtly up at Lera and saw her lips already curling into a smile.

Please no. Please.

Lera inhaled deeply with relish, then cleared her throat. Almost casually.