The Land of the Dead

I woke up right when the rays of the sun made contact with my eyelids. It had been some time since I got such a good night's sleep. Perhaps it was because I awoke in my bipedal form rather than my scorpion body.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath before glancing around to assess the situation. It was always the first thing for an Azurespine to do when in enemy territory.

Were we captured? Drugged? Perhaps mind-controlled?

The possibilities were quite large.

I was in a bed with our new companion, Fione the princess, sleeping at my side. It seemed we shared a bed.

In this medium-sized room, there was a small wooden table, a shelf full of old, patchy tomes, and the very bed we were on. There was a basket of fruit on the table, yet something was missing…

Raze was nowhere to be found.

This home would fit a human's way of living, most likely...but it's strange.

"What in the world is that?" It was pungent and repulsive. The fetid scents that permeated into the room were full of death and decay. It was as if we were in a graveyard or something of the sort.

I brought my eyes back over to Fione, who was still sleeping soundly. She had a wonderful smile on her divine visage. I did not want to disturb that.

Just the sight of her brought me back to our adventure in the realm of shadows.

Miraculously, The infamous Candlemaker did not pursue either of us the entire time, even when our candle's flame dwindled and lost its light. We were forbidden to share a flame and yet our candles were always close to each other. It felt...rather set up, to say the least.

The main issue at hand was Fione’s fear of the dark. While being well informed on our foe, she shuddered and shirked away at the sight of being trapped in the realm of darkness. It was a side to this volatile princess that I did not expect.

While she was rather short-tempered and prone to angry outbursts, she was mostly a kind and caring girl who had feelings towards my other companion, Raze Havok.

It must have had to do with her upbringing to act that way. It was something that I was unsure if I could fault her for.

The Raze situation wasn't much better. Without Komoria to keep him in check, he has fallen back into her foul mouth and even fouler mindset. The only thing preventing him from falling deeper was the memories and personality of Komoria, clashing with his own.

I can’t imagine the pain he is going through as well as the foreign situation of being stuck in the body of the opposite sex while being restricted to using only a few of his Skills.

I smiled a bit at that thought, but don’t get me wrong—I’m not happy about his situation. It's just...that I was envious of him.

I wish that could happen to me.

—If I were to become a man, then Uncle and even Father would have never doubted my dreams. Just being born as a female forced me into the princess role that I never desired as well as the chosen one to give birth to our legacy which I never sought.

I used to curse the world for being unfair, but I got over it with time. Praying to Talalea to help me gain strength was all I needed. She gave me courage and the strength to never give up. Even if my tribe's heavy devotion to her was the reason for my struggles, I could never bear any ill will towards her. There was no way she was responsible for my plight, even if she was a goddess that favored males…

I could only blame my very rare, but very weak skill. It gated my growth heavily and yet gave me the power to take on others that not one other Azurespine would be able to face.

The Basilisk Queen and Machine God King Emperor. While I plenty more useful in the former, the ladder situation was one not anyone else made it out of. Because of that…

“Oh, my apologies. Did I interrupt your thinking? I can come back later.”

I was lost in thought when a brown-cloaked man’s head stuck into our room from the door. I couldn't see his face clearly, but his skin was not the color a human should have.

“It’s alright. I was actually looking to speak to the one who captured us and I must also ask: where is the bat beast-kin female that was there when you found us?”

The mystery figure opened the door wider and stepped in. His brown cloak covered everything but his arms and legs which were both tightly shrouded in bandages. It was still hard to see his face, but his crimson skin gave me a hint as to what species he was from.

“Oh, your friend? Well, you see...she was in pretty bad shape when Rarna found you girls. Her life force was nearly drained up. It required immediate attention and so I sent her to my medical specialist. She should be sleeping there now, shall I take you there?”

The man’s tone was kind, devoid of anything evil. He didn’t seem like any enemy, but I could not let my guard down unless he agreed to be stung by my oath venom.

When he noticed my glare and my arms crossed, he gave me the thumbs up and turned around, “I promise you that I mean you three no harm. I know that might not mean a lot, but it will be easier if I show you.”

He opened the door, gesturing for me to come along. I had to hold my nose for a moment to process the stench. It wasn't too terrible, but I know Raze wouldn't even be able to function around it. It was better for him to stay asleep.

“Oh, yeah, sorry about that. It’s been so long since we have had living guests that I forgot this smell is rather horrible on the sinuses.”

“That is an understatement. It reeks of death here. It is rather...unervering,” I said, not taking my eyes off our apparent ‘savior’.

He turned his hooded face back to me, avoiding eye contact. “I think you will get used to it soon enough, either way, all will be revealed once you come out. It's not often anyone living has found their way to The Paradise of the Dead.”

————————————————————————————————————————————

I followed the man out of our place of residence and into the blazing sun of midday. Looking back, I could see our home was in the shape of a beehive, painted white. There were at least fifty homes around us in all directions and yet he called this place a paradise of the dead.

“What did you mean about not having any living guests here? What are all the homes for, then?”

The man kept on walking, making his way through the sand and through the many different houses in the center of this town. “I meant what I said. Besides myself, you three are the only living people in my town. That’s why it's called a paradise for the dead. It's been so long since I have had living guests…”

His repetition of words was rather unsettling as well as the fact that he did not answer the other part of my question.

It didn't matter soon after though, the question answered itself.

“How are you doing, Marin? How are the kids? Off to work right?”

“Craaaaa Skraaack…, “ it hissed.

“Ha-ha, that’s great. Well, I will leave you to it. Have a good one!”

He slapped the decaying corpse on the back and gestured to me to follow him deeper into the sea of houses.

Does this mortal have a screw loose? Communicating with the dead like it is nothing. What a strange creature.

So you have awakened, Candlemaker. I have much to discuss with you.

The voice of the Candlemaker spoke directly into my head. It was proof that our pact had been successful. I never imagined making a deal with a primal spirit of fear and yet, here I am—conversing with a candle that sat perched high and mighty on my shoulder.

We can discuss more later and you can call me Cand. My name is rather a pain to hear from others. I must sleep now, but be wary of a man that can commune with the dead. It’s something only a single race can manage and I believe you already know who.

I nodded to affirm his statement. I had a very good idea of who I was following. I wanted to give him the chance to explain himself before I did anything rash, however. I had no proof that Raze was even as safe as he claimed.

I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I still had to be on my guard.

————————————————————————————————————————————

More time passed as we walked by more normal homes, each with the stench of discernible death drifting out from it. The man communed with each and every walking corpse on the way, smiling and striking up a conversation with replies I could never hope to decipher.

The corpses had pale crimson skin and sunken eyes. There was no life left in their shriveled bodies and yet they continued on in their endless loop of eternal life.

These unsightly creatures reminded me of an enemy my father once encountered when he was on his own quest for fame for our people. He said there were humanoids that wouldn't die unless you burned them to nothingness. Strikes to the heart and even decapitation would only act as a slight setback to this nearly immortal enemy.

I eyed the neck of the nomad that I followed. If he could control these things, then taking over a town would be child's play...and yet he lives in peace with them?

“We are here. Your friend is sleeping in the infirmary.”

He pointed to another round home, painted bright gold. A small metal door stood out like a sore thumb at its center, beckoning for anyone to enter its shiny maw. The man turned back to me and pulled off a hood, revealing curved horns protruding from his forehead, sunny yellow eyes that had a smidge of sadness in them, and an unwavering half-smile. His clean-cut black hair flowed down to his neck, longer than most men I had seen. His crimson-colored skin basked in the sun to insinuate his handsome features.

He looked no older than me, but his eyes told her that he had been around the block quite a few times.

“I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. I am Asteron Grimjar, king of the city that lies beyond the sight of the gods.”

“I am Lyra the Soft of the Azurespine.”

He averted his gaze, making me switch to a face full of confusion.

I shifted my weight onto one leg and narrowed my eyes. “We were in the Shamak Desert when you found us. I assume we cannot be far from that and yet you say we are in a place beyond god’s reach. Isn’t that a foolish claim?”

The way he stated where we were filled my chest with anger. Perhaps it was because he acted as if the gods were something to hide from.

“Oh, I apologize,” he bowed before looking me in the eyes. “You seem to be someone who has placed your faith in the great beyond. I was once like that too…”

He turned away and opened the door, his half-smile never wavering. It was clear that something terrible had happened to this man, Asteron. He must know things that I can’t comprehend, but I can’t accept what he was trying to convey either.

I followed him inside to see a room that was stark white with multiple beds and a medical table that appeared as if it had recently been used. Raze, trapped in Komoria’s slightly altered body, was sleeping soundly in one of the beds while a figure stood over him.

“See, just as I said. She turned out fine,” he turned to the figure and gave them a slap on the back when he got close. “Thanks for saving my guest, Randolph. You are always so reliable!”

The figure turned to face him, with hollow eye sockets pale crimson skin, and small horns protruding from the top like the others. The waft of death I got from its decaying body was enough for me to conclude what it was and yet...it was wearing a toothless grin with a white robe and pointed hat---the indications of a healing priest of Morephon.

Morephon was the god of cures and health. He was the one that most healers of the world looked up to, no matter the race.

Asteron locked eyes with me, even while I was lost in thought. “I know you must be wondering why an undead priest of Morephon is here when I have already expressed my disdain for the gods, but there is a good reason for that.”

“——”

“....”

Was he not going to say? What? I thought he would enlighten me with his reasonings and yet he said nothing.

“Oh… You wanted me to explain the reason?”

I nodded with vigor. “As an Azurespine, we have worshipped Talalea since our early days of creation. To claim that this place is beyond the eyes of the gods is the same thing as saying that they aren't needed. The gods make the world run round, I have even met two, myself.”

Asteron’s eyes went wide for a moment before they disappeared under his bangs as he shrunk away from her gaze. It was the biggest change in his attitude since they first met.

“C-Can we talk back at my place? I have heard something that I cannot let go.”

I shook my head, “We ned to go to Amon. I assume it isn't too far from here. I want Lady Talalea to watch over us once more.”

Asteron put some force into his punch as he smashed his fist into one of the beds. Anger and malice were oozing out of his body and yet his posture did not fit someone who was seething in rage, but one trapped in a mire of his own misery. He took a few deep breaths before speaking again. “As a heretic, I cannot allow you to leave before knowing the truth. I-if after that, you still want to look towards the gods...then I will let you leave without compensation.”
I slightly shuddered at his cold words. Where had the kind man who welcomed me with open arms gone?

He called himself a heretic. Only those who have abandoned the graces of the gods can call themselves that. This man might be more trouble than I thought.

I looked over to Raze who was still being watched over by the walking corpse of the priest. It wasn't the same as putting a knife to his throat, but I felt as if we were in the same situation.

If only I woke Fione up. She could have gotten us out of this with ease.

Asteron held a bandaged hand up looking at my steel-shaped fists. “I don’t want to have to hurt you, so please, come with me or else…”

He broke his gaze away from me and looked back towards the sleeping Raze. It was clearly a threat.

I didn't see a problem with taking him, but without Raze or Komoria, I had no way to tell his true strength. From guesses alone, this man’s age far surpassed my own and most likely his experience in battle. As for his race, a red demon only hailed from one country and one country alone: The Demon Lands of Entality. It was the country of all demons and home to the leader of the Lords of Tyranny, The Lord of Calamity, Eternal.

He really doesn’t leave me with much of a choice. I must put my comrade's safety over getting out of here; that is a must.

“Alright,” I said with a deep sigh. “I will accept your terms, so lead the way.”