The first few minutes didn't make sense.
Nyxis blinked at the scene unfolding in front of him, his mind barely registering what was going on. The chains around him bit at his skin and filled his nose with the smell of oil. It was the kind of thing that his mother was known to use to keep her torture devices intact and functional.
He cursed. His mother stood a distance from the pillar he was stuck to. She had her arms extended over Xanthy's form, chanting a spell that was so long Nyxis feared that their time would run out. With his mouth glued shut by no doubt a specialized escuira spell his mother concocted, he blinked and grunted at Reeca to check the timeteller. The varichria understood that they needed to struggle and make as much noise as they could.
Ugh.
It was bad enough that he met Adresin despite his adamant wish to not to. Now, not only had his mother killed one of the people they were meant to save, she had succeeded in coercing Xanthy of her synnavaim.
The spell for extracting legacies shouldn't have been with the Queen. Everyone thought it was lost and forgotten. There were no tomes detailing the arduous process. So how come his own mother was reciting it now, line by line?
Jarvik's corpse lay discarded in one corner. Nyxis's gut churned but he wasn't surprised. If he hadn't ran from the Palace that night, he might have ended like that, too. Marin, Jarvik's daughter, stared at the chaos unfolding with blank eyes and tear-stained cheeks.
Nyxis cursed in his mind. Just how much were things supposed to go wrong from here?
Turns out, things were going to go very, very wrong from here.
Xanthy convulsed by the Queen's feet, gurgling and flailing. The air dropped notches colder. Electric energy wove with the wind and made the hairs on Nyxis's arms stand. Then, light erupted from Xanthy's chest like those portable spotlights the festival troupes always flashed on the stage during their performances.
For the first time, Nyxis saw what a fairy soul looked like. It was...a ball of light. It turned air into syrup. Basically, it was a ticking bomb dug out of a person's chest using a mile-long poem.
It was beautiful, if Nyxis was allowed some moment of appreciation. It was everything Nyxis imagined fairy souls would be but the circumstance that allowed him to see it was something he never hoped for.
His mother threw her head back and laughed. Heartily. Nyxis had never heard her do that, even when his father, the King, was alive. His eyes widened. In fact, the Queen never really let herself be amused to this degree before.
Sweat beaded in Nyxis's forehead. Oh, gods.
The spell went on. Xanthy gagged and lurched. Nyxis clenched his jaw and flailed against the chains. Of course, it did nothing but pinch his skin in all the uncomfortable places. He cast his eyes towards Xanthy again. He had to save her. She didn't deserve any of this.
Nyxis didn't finish his thoughts because then, Xanthy screamed. Not of fear. Certainly not of pain.
It was a cry for war.
That's when the things that Nyxis couldn't get began.
Lightning crackled inside the room. The ground shook. A strident, ripping sound tore through the empty air, crackling with an ancient and foreign magic unknown to Nyxis. June and Reeca, who hadn't stopped struggling since earlier, froze. Their faces fell as light flashed and changed their complexion from a pale yellow to a deep, dark blue.
Amusement derived from the fear in their eyes died in Nyxis's throat as he followed their gaze towards...a crevice.
Except that gaps didn't occur in the middle of nowhere.
Nyxis squinted at the void yawning from the depths of the gap. It was dark. Oblivion. Death. Where did it lead? Pidmena's realm, maybe.
The crevice sighed an enormous gust of humid air, scalding Nyxis's cheeks. Then, it roared and began sucking everything in. Nyxis's breath hitched. Oh, gods.
The banners were the first to go. Nyxis watched the red and gold bunch of woven threads snap from their suspensions and fly towards the hungry crevice. His ears rang as the banners slammed into the lip of the crevice and exploded into shreds. The flimsy desk skittered across the stone floor. The chair followed in its wake.
"What is this?" the Queen demanded as she started to stumble. Nyxis even willed her to fall into her face. Xanthy was as limp as a wilted vine because of the Queen. Because of his mother.
He should feel guilty for even thinking that but surprisingly, he didn't. Let justice be served for those who deserved it.
The crevice yawned harder, dragging the desk across the room faster than a person walking. Then, it flew forward, slammed into oblivion, and suffered the same fate as the banners. All that was left were splinters and even those were sucked dry. Small particles exploded over and again. Without reprieve.
Without mercy,
For once, Nyxis was glad he was strapped into a pillar. Somehow, it bought him extra time. His mother screamed as she, indeed, fell to her face. "No!" she clawed at the smooth floor. Fear flashed into her dull green eyes. Her pale face went even paler. "No, no!"
Glee blossomed in Nyxis's chest as he watched his mother growing desperate. Then, he remembered that Xanthy was in the same situation. What's worse was that she was unconscious.
She may, also, have been the only one who could stop this.
Nyxis cursed. His gratitude towards the chains around him evaporated. June and Reeca squirmed like worms sprinkled with sea salt. The pillar he was tied in groaned and shook. Oh, that couldn't be good. Groaning didn't indicate good things in almost every situation.
A sawing sound caught Nyxis's attention. He inclined his neck towards Reeca who was running a sharp object against her chains. Where had she gotten that? Rudik's ass, why couldn't she have done that sooner?
The varichria's chains fell in a shrill thud on the stone floor. Nyxis grunted, an undignified one at that, and jerked his chin in Xanthy's direction. Reeca braced her pillar, nodded, and extended her arm towards Nyxis. On her hands was the sharp object.
Nyxis writhed against his bonds to slot his fingers through. His ring and middle finger clamped on the object's flat blade. Something exploded against the crevice again, shaking the whole tower. Debris from the ceiling rained over their heads.
"I do not believe it!" the Queen shrieked. She slid along the floor as the crevice blew its hot breath and began slurping at the air again. "I almost had it in my hands! NO!"
The crevice answered with a matching scream. His mother flew from the ground, screaming until she slammed into the dark void and disappeared with a flash.
There was no explosion.
Nyxis gritted his teeth. That could be them if they didn't find a way to shut this thing off. His fingers wrapped around the sharp object Reeca passed him. He began sawing. The crevice yawned again, ripping the velvet curtain from the window. Sunlight streamed into the tower only to disappear into the crevice's infinite darkness.
Reeca, meanwhile, crawled on the floor towards Xanthy's unconscious form. Nyxis's progress with the sharp object and Reeca's with getting Xanthy matched. June's screaming reminded Nyxis that he could use his lips again.
The first of the chain links broke free. Reeca reached out and grabbed Xanthy's form by the collar of her tunic. She began yanking the unconscious girl backward. The pillar. They would save them.
Oblivion called to Nyxis. He clenched his jaw against the drafts of wind threatening to tear his hair from his scalp. Not a chance, Mr. Crevice. If there was anyone going home with fabulous hair, it was Nyxis.
Nyxis's chains snapped. He gave a yelp of triumph. It was cut short when his face slammed into the base of the pole. Fear gripped his throat. He would have a bruise on that cheek. Unforgivable!
The tower shook. Reeca slid backwards, taking with her Xanthy. Nyxis pushed himself off the floor and wiggled his fingers at Reeca in a silent agreement. Pass Xanthy to me.
Reeca grunted as she spread her wings and launched forward. Nyxis kept one hand on the pillar and extended his other arm. Reeca flung Xanthy towards him. His fingers closed around Xanthy's sleeve when the crevice screamed.
Nyxis's pillar cracked as it bent in response. Oh, dear gods. Reeca spread her wings and jumped forward. She gasped as a tearing noise ensued behind her. Her arms wrapped around her pillar. She panted.
"You alright?" Nyxis shifted Xanthy so that her head lay on his shoulder. The muscles on his other arm screamed against the tension.
"Fine," Reeca clambered from her pillar towards June's with a deep grimace. She slammed her hands on his chains. Blue wisps of magic swirled from her fingers, wrapping around the bounds. The metal clicked before falling away from June. It met its ultimate fate as metal shreds as the crevice ate it up.
Reeca did the same for Marin, freeing the half-blood and advising all of them to stay on their pillars. Were they waiting for this to ebb away? Seems wise.
Then, the wall behind the pillar croaked. Nyxis turned to find cracks spreading from the base. Gods of Calaris. He glanced at Xanthy's unconscious form. She's out cold. Great.
The crevice roared, driving Nyxis's hair off his forehead with a plume of hot air. Ugh. "Grab hold of each other!" he screamed at his companions. Nyxis's pillar snapped. The world blurred around him as his legs sped for the crevice. Crud.
He choked as his collar was yanked backward. The scene caught up to him in a flash. "Got you," Reeca hissed through clenched teeth.
Nyxis inclined his head to find the varichria being hoisted by Marin who was in turn held by June who had his other arm wrapped around an intact pillar. "The wall is breaking," he tightened his hold of Xanthy as the stone around them creaked, cracked. "It is going to eat this tower if we do not stop it."
"I know that, genius," June yelled from the front. He grunted. It wasn't easy fighting the crevice's pull with four people in tow. "Any ideas?"
Their anchor protested. His companions' faces flushed pale. Nyxis eyed the caving wall. "June, the wall!" he screamed.
That's when a huge chunk of the wall and the roof broke free. Nyxis's throat dried up. Tons of stone and red bricks sped for them with a deafening doom. The crevice seemed to laugh in anticipation.
Suddenly, June lashed out and grabbed hold of the bricks. The world swung as they tore from the pillar. Nyxis's back slammed into hard rock all the while speeding back from the hole that would lead them to freedom. They were so close! Close!
The chunk that once was the wall slammed into the crevice. A thunderous explosion made by the rocks crunching blasted Nyxis's hearing to nothing. His head spun. His teeth clamped down against his lips, drawing blood.
Sparks erupted from the crevice. Flashes of light scratched against the howling air. Rocks groaned. Nyxis whimpered. The crevice roared one last time as the chuck from the wall tore through it. Nyxis heard a definitive whip like someone slurping soup and then, nothing. The air felt like the normal Cardina breeze again. This heat was glorious!
Nyxis pumped his fist in triumph just as natural force bit at his legs. He began falling. His chest constricted and his breath hitched as he clung to Xanthy. The wind tore at his hair. Ugh. He worked hard on making sure it looked perfect! Thanks a lot, wind.
The ground neared. Huh, when had the grass looked this green?
"COVER!" a shrill voice, Marin's, yelled. A barrier tinged green circled around them. They slammed into the ground.
Then, bounced. Oh, gods.
Nyxis's neck left his shoulders, slammed into the barrier's walls, and was yanked back just as quick. Flailing limbs slapped his face and stomach as they tumbled and rolled through the inner walls' lush landscape. Sooner or later, he's going to die and the worst part was that he was going to die with these morons.
"Make—" Reeca grunted. A hand slammed into her nose. "It—" Nyxis's boot found a face. "Stop—"
The barrier slammed into a flat wall, throwing them forward. Nyxis's back slapped the wall, driving the air out of his lungs as he slid down to the ground. His world spun. He doubted he would be able to walk straight for about a week with his brain jumbled and his ears pumped with loud noises.
"Ugh," June grunted.
Yes, exactly Nyxis's sentiment.
Nyxis inclined his head up. They were in the innermost ring of the Palace and the tower they had just fallen out of was the Queen's private quarters. Well, what a shame.
Smoke billowed out from the tower's remaining parts. It looked like someone had taken a bite off of the grand building. Dark, charred marks stained the tower's body and remains of the red spires. The flag stuck atop it was burned to a crisp. Nyxis breathed a sigh.
Damn, what a work.
A groan told him that Xanthy was coming to. He turned to see her sitting up and rubbing the back of her head. Her eyes fluttered.
"Good morning!" Nyxis greeted with a wave. One should never be harsh with people who had just woken up. "How are you feeling?"
Xanthy frowned. "Where am I?" she knitted her eyebrows and looked around. "What happened?"
"Of course, we could keep asking each other questions!" Nyxis clapped his hands together.
Xanthy reddened. "No, I—"
A war horn blasted through the grounds. Nyxis cursed as he covered his ears. Not again! What were they even blowing that thing for?
"What is going on?" Reeca shouted through the noise.
"It means the Palace is going to war!" Nyxis screamed back. "Which does not make sense since we still had time."
Reeca dug the timeteller from her armor made of tree bark. Her face fell. The bellowing horn stopped sounding. "No, we do not," she held out the timeteller for them to see. Indeed, both hands reached the spot pointing north.
Oh. Time's up.
Nyxis bolted upright and dashed towards the base of the first tower to take him to the walls. Guards dressed in their ordinary silver armor stepped out of his way as he ran. Servants in their plain tunics and trousers stared at him, turned to the tower, then back to him.
He threw the door open and tackled the stairs rising in a swirl inside this tower's body. Light poked through the small windows drilled in an unusual array into the walls. His heartbeat pounded in his head as he reached the final step. He pressed his hands on the rotting wood of a door and barked a spell.
Splinters flew and skittered across the paved walkway atop the walls. Crossbow stations by the crenelations stood empty. He didn't know when they would start filling up.
Nyxis scampered to the edge of the wall, peered down, and felt his heart drop to his stomach. Down below, outside the first wall, a a large fraction of the Civil Knights turned the green grass into a sea of gold. They gathered behind a single figure astride a dagrine. Adresin.
Nyxis cursed. His brother hefted a flag bearing the Cardina crest. His men cheered, raising their fists into the air. Weapons clanged with shields and greaves clicked against breastplates. Dagrine brayed, magic flashed into waiting palms, gears turned and clicked as crossbows from the first wall moved and pointed at another army past the moat.
Nyxis paled as his eyes landed on the mountainous shadows gathering by the bridge. There were at least three hundred men waiting by the Palace's gates. Bad move. That's why the bridge was built in the first place. Civil Knights would just bomb it down and enemies would fall into the moat.
Was this the attack Xanthy was talking about?
"Unjust prejudice against other races must stop now!" a feminine voice rang through the field. Voice amplification spell, maybe? "Free the purged!"
From inside the wall, Adresin threw his head back and laughed. "We will not balk from them, men!" the Civil Knights cheered again. "We will show them that those who rebel against the Crown have no place in Cardina!"
More cheers erupted from the soldiers. Nyxis's fist clenched. Nobody knew that the Queen disappeared. They way she slipped through the crevice that led to oblivion, Nyxis wasn't even sure if she's alive.
Without the Queen, Adresin was the next in line to power. If it was Nyxis, then he would have found a way to stop this insanity before it even started. He cursed again. Farther down, Reeca, June, Xanthy, and Marin tore through the grassy landscape, making their way towards the lower walls.
He was about to witness an all-out coup and he and his companions were in the middle of it. From the carpet of gold, Adresin removed his helmet and tucked it under his gilded arm. "Long live the Helgase legacy!"
The gates to the outermost wall slammed open. Cheers from the Civil Knights thundered louder. Adresin leveled his sword. Onward they charged.