A Guild of Moonlit Shadows (A KOTLC FanFic)

A Call for Home (Oneshot)

On the cobbled path, long columns decorated the sides of the road, people leaning on them and speaking in a language Sophie didn't recognize. They all wore similar outfits to Sophie, some fancier than others. She saw a few orcs and gnomes here and there, but this mysterious oasis was mostly filled with the mystery species.

Music could be heard from the village. Music! Sophie hasn't heard it's sweet caress in so long since she has lived in the Lost Cities.

But then the music stopped.

Just as she was about to run into the village, a boom shattered through the peaceful day. Sophie screeched to a stop, her feet ripping against the cobbled road, and watched in confusion as the sky darkened and turned red, almost like blood soaked the clouds. 

She also panicked as people, the very same people that waved to her and were enjoying their day, started screaming and running from the central city. Sophie whirled around, gasping as the city that was formerly full of light and bustling people was set ablaze. From one of the tallest buildings in the city, a tiled roof that shone like gold, had tapestries burning from its windows. They screamed for someone; the name sounds like... Morretti? What was a Morretti? She was about to run towards the central city but ran into a solid figure, a body of solid black metal.

A man of solid black armor stood over her, glaring down at her. Sophie felt like she was a helpless little girl quivering under him. Sophie tried to get up and run, but one of his clawed gauntlets grabbed her forearm, unmoving and deadly. Sophie screamed against his grip, trying to pry his hand away. Red vapor billowed out from the cracks of his armor. Underneath his shadowed and horned helmet, Sophie swore she heard a gravelly chuckle.

"Stupid, useless girl. I'm unstoppable; he learned that the hard way." He growled.

He, who is he?

"My blade through his heart, on his knees in front of all that he worked so hard to build, all that he hoped he could give you one day." He continued, even as Sophie pried and fought against his steely unmovable grip. So fast Sophie couldn't see it, he let go of her forearm and his other hand reached out, grabbing her other hand by the wrist, pulling her up, so she met his eyes. He was so tall and massive that as Sophie finally met his eyes, her feet dangled off the ground.

"Your screams will forever plague me. Not because I regret or feel any irrational guilt, but because I want to do everything to hear those screams again. Because they are the screams of someone who failed, who lost everything, watched as the beautiful precious world they were gifted was torn apart by me." His other hand clutched Sophie's face in his palm, almost like he was trying to give a lover caress full of venom. Sophie couldn't see into his helmet, but she just felt it deep in her heart... she has seen this man before.

The grass seemed so bleak now, the flowers losing their brilliant color, the ocean no longer gentle but roaring and crashing. Where was this place, what was happening to it?

"Let me go." Sophie seethed. The Black Armored Man's talons gripped her face and wrist harder, the sharp edges cutting into her skin. Blood trickled down her cheeks and wrist, and Sophie hissed against it. Sophie set out a telepathy message, hoping Fitz or Mr. Forkle or anybody could hear her, even in her dreams.

"Are you with the Neverseen? Are you one of their mutts?" Sophie spat. The man chuckled, slowly rising into a roaring laugh. Sophie squeaked as he finally let go of her wrist, slumping into a pile at the man's feet. He continued to roar, speaking between laughs.

"Am-AM I? One of-of their MUTTS?" He continued to howl. Sophie tried to scramble away, but he slammed his foot onto her back, shoving her into the dirt.