Nia - Broken (2)

The air was dry and stale. The Nightmare Hunters around them seemed to relax a little; for days they had done nothing except watch the surroundings, weapons ready, pausing only for meditation. Now a few of them grinned with relief, and Nia felt a sharp sting as she watched Diga happily wave to some of the people on the rooftops.

They rode on until they reached a broad square that must once have been a marketplace. A neatly dressed young man with unnaturally blond hair greeted them, backed by nine other soldiers dressed much like Lera’s troop, except their circle symbol was framed by three crosses instead of a golden sunburst.

“Exorcist Lera! It is an honor to welcome you here! Welcome to this outpost!” the blond man called, saluting with a gesture Nia had by now grown all too familiar with.

Lera slowly rode forward and dismounted with such indulgence that Nia felt sick. She then walked toward the soldier at an unhurried pace.

“Thank you, Hunt Leader Rettil. It has been a long time since we last met. Back then I was still an Aspirant, and you had just joined the unit of the honorable Exorcist Immesh. Speaking of which, where is he? I would be glad to greet him after all these days in this dreadful region,” Lera replied.

Nia was surprised at how kindly the Exorcist spoke and almost believed she was truly happy to see the young soldier.

But I know you too well, monster. You don’t care. You only want information, don’t you…? Nia thought, biting her lip.

Kelwin had also dismounted and stepped up beside his commander. Rettil nodded and saluted him as well, which the Aspirant returned with nothing more than bored indifference. Then the hunter turned back to Lera.

“Exorcist, I don’t know how much you already know, but Immesh and Sine aren’t here. They took half of our unit with them to investigate… what you might have felt as well… what’s lurking out there,” Rettil said, looking Lera straight in the eye. “They’ve been gone for nine days now. Of course we’re continuing our duties, although… Exorcist Lera, could you temporarily take command? Until Exorcist Immesh and Aspirant Sine return?”

Silence fell, and Nia saw that Lera looked surprised for a brief moment. Yet, as always, she hid it the instant something genuine threatened to break the surface.

“We will gladly do so, though we can’t stay forever. We are really only here because our mission leads us farther north, and this outpost happened to lie along the way. I must follow my orders, after all. I can stay for a while, of course. I have a gift for Exorcist Immesh I hope will please him,” Lera explained, pointing toward the cart Kelwin had just been sitting on.

Nia saw Uda sit up and look at Lera with empty eyes, while gurgling, pleading sounds escaped her throat. Nia had to turn away as tears welled up, struggling to banish the image from her mind.

I’m so sorry, Uda. You’re only here because of me. Because of me. Because I’m stupid and useless and worthless… I’m sorry, she screamed inside, but saying the words aloud would not have pleased Lera, so she kept silent. Fuck! Have I really sunk this low?

“What about her?” Rettil asked, looking at Uda with wide eyes, his face marked by shock.

“Save your pity. A possessed one. We picked up two of them among the newcomers at the Old City. And as you know, protocol says only one Possessed is allowed under the charge of any Exorcist. So I intend to get rid of that piece of shit back there,” Lera said, throwing Uda a contemptuous glance.

“Two? And you bring them here? What if they call for reinforcements?” shrieked a gray-haired hunter beside Rettil.

Lera shot him a look full of disgust.

“Yes. Two. Are you slow? Do you need me to count them out for you on my fingers? It’s forbidden to keep more than one, yet I have to escort her myself, you fool! What else am I supposed to do, use Folding?” she snapped sarcastically.

The man blanched instantly, stumbling back in terror and stammering apologies.

Lera had already turned back to Rettil.

“So, you’re the ranking officer here?” she asked, measuring him.

“Yes, Exorcist,” the hunter confirmed.

Lera nodded before one of her false smiles spread across her face.

“Good. We’ll stay for a while. At least until Exorcist Immesh returns,” she announced with exaggerated formality, then turned to her own unit. “You heard that, I assume? An unplanned stop is ahead! I know you’re exhausted, and you’ll have your rest. You have earned it!”

Nia looked around again. Several more hunters had stepped out of the houses and raised their daggers and spears in greeting. At first most of them seemed to ignore her, yet soon whispers began to ripple through the crowd. The looks cast her way were dark, filled with cold anger. They had spotted the necklace, undoubtedly recognizing her for what she was: a possessed piece of shit. She could not even fully blame them, as their fear of her was too real. They soon surrounded her, spears glowing, faces full of contempt and terror.

It felt as if she were back in that small town where she had been pelted with stones and spat on. Back then it had been worse, far more horrifying. Still, by now she had grown used to it.

I am a worthless piece of…

Again Nia wanted to scream, but she held herself back.

“Do you have a suitable place to put that piece of shit back there? Maybe a cage?” Lera asked Rettil, pointing at Uda.

He gave her a quick glance and swallowed before explaining that Immesh always kept a space ready for emergencies.

“We can put her in the kennels. Immesh took the trackers with him, so there should still be room for this… guest…” He broke off, looked at Uda again, then quickly turned away.

“I am sorry, Exorcist. It is just… I… I once saw a Possessed. We found him a few hundred paces from the Holy Shield around Alkun. I had just joined the hunters back then. It was terrible. So many… And now you tell me that this young woman too…? It’s deeply disturbing. Almost as if anyone could…” Rettil finally muttered, shuddering.

“Ah, but it gets even better. She isn’t only possessed. We have reason to believe she belongs to the Deepest. A Lust,” Lera explained proudly, while Uda gave a pitiful whimper that earned her a kick from Kelwin.

Rettil flinched back instinctively, his hand twitching toward his dagger hilt. Then he shook his head and looked back at Lera.

“Exorcist Immesh will wring everything we need out of her. He has experience with that. I’ve only seen it once, but that was enough to confirm what I had heard: Exorcist Immesh has his own methods. Many would call them vile and repulsive, yet he gets results. You do know it’s only thanks to him that we even know about the Seeds?” Rettil asked proudly.

“No, but I hope the information wasn’t false. That is exactly why we’re on our way north—to confirm their existence. By order of High Exorcist Ace Mei herself! Now that I have destroyed the Nightmare Tide the clerics so feared, it will be some time before another forms. A perfect opportunity! Do you understand?” Lera asked with a smug smile.

Rettil was stunned.

“The Nightmare Tide has already been destroyed? How?” he asked, his eyes wide.

“My little secret,” Lera replied, giving him a playful wink as she turned to leave.

“Of course, I’ll inform Immesh of my method, but we don’t want to take any risks. Also, compared to me, he was never a vicar, so his abilities with the Sky Stones are limited. He will probably not be able to replicate it. I should not take all the credit, though. In the end, it was an idea of the High Exorcist as well. And some things should stay within the leadership, don’t you think, Hunt Leader Rettil?” she called over her shoulder.

In that moment Nia noticed her smile vanish, replaced by an icy mask, her eyes staring into a distant void.

A shiver ran down Nia’s spine.

What did she mean by that? That stare…

Something in it was more repulsive than anything she had experienced from this terrible woman so far. Quickly she lowered her gaze, not daring to risk eye contact—and another punishment. Instead, she looked down at the ground, distracting herself by counting the pebbles.

Some things should stay within the leadership…?