Nocte Yin: Anti-Villain, Anti-Hero and Anti-Everything Else

Part Two: Anti-Hero - Chapter Thirty-Three

A crane circled the treetops and a pine tree swayed in the background. The elder waited a tremendous beat of nerves and tension before moving forward in a slow and patient stroll. Nocte watched him from the corner of her eye as he walked toward and then past her to the water’s edge, halting only when his slippers touched the ocean’s rim. A wave rolled onto the beach and soaked her snow pants, but he remained untouched. Another wave, and the spray of sand and water brought to her the image of a misshapen castle —pagodas, marble columns, snow-bricks and glass doors.

Six thrones in a cylindrical room.

She had been here before.

She had seen it—felt it—in a dream.

“Where is this place?” she demanded.

“Eris.”

She tensed. “Then this is...”

“Erisire.”

“Truly-”

“Yes.”

“And Earth-?”

“Saved.”

She paused, incredulous, hopeful and suspicious. She did not trust his words. They could be lies and illusions verbally woven to trap her. Although the island was familiar—it was only a dream. Although his words were sweet—they were only words. Truth lied within herself, and Nocte would not believe Earth to be safe until she saw and touched the planet herself—her skies and soils. It would not be so hard to believe him if she were there now, holding the girl’s hand, smiling with the brother, gathering around a beautiful, two-tiered strawberry shortcake.

But she was not on Earth.

She was, supposedly, on Erisire.

There had been a plan: save Earth, return to Erisire. Now the plan had been foiled, and she was left angry, confused and displaced. How did she return? Where were Witley and Doctor? Why was an Erisiren Councillor present to greet her? She did not know, and the heat did not help her temper.

“I Summoned you,” the councillor spoke, as if reading her thoughts.

She turned sharply and narrowed her eyes. His back was facing her, but she had no desire to see his face. He was hard to read, but she had no doubt that she wouldn’t be. If he were truly Councillor Ān Guó, then Nocte had no preconception that she could meet him on equal footing, even if she was the Lady Necromancer… even if she were a Yin.

“Why?” she questioned, low and hard.

He turned then, a slight shift of his feet to meet her in the eye, his gaze sharp and concerned. “We are at war, Lady Necromancer. Time is of the essence, and we could no longer wait for your natural return. Even stalling for a day is detrimental to the well-being of our people, for the battles have become unpredictable, spontaneous and incorrigible.”

He faced her fully and she tensed, an uneasiness pulling through her in tight knots.

“The powerhouses have taken positions both destructive and violent,” he explained. “They no longer understand the words of ‘moderation’ and ‘patience.’ There are no boundaries to the destruction, for it is not a restrainedwar, but a very strategic, very devastating attack on multiple fronts, on multiple lands, and on multiple peoples. I do not have to tell you how startling it is to see villains so united, and heroes so scattered. It is startling… and dangerous.”

She pressed her lips, but did not otherwise move; she would keep her own counsel.

“And the Yin-”