A Tale of Two Worlds

Nascent

For M o o n F i e l

Prologue

“GUAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGHHHHHHH….”

It was the scream of Mariz Enfolic, the Queen of Osniton. But now, she’s just a naked woman being sawed in half from her genitals by two men. They were big men who wore black veils to hide their faces and leather pants. As for their top, they were naked. On their chests were tatoos. Emblems of dragons embedded with red ink.

It was the public execution of the remnants of the Royal family, The Enfolics, who once ruled the Kingdom of Osniton were taking place. Behind her were two other men wearing the same black veils. They were holding Kind Ezmond. A lot of people gathered to watch the show in the middle of the plaza. Not because they wanted to. But due to the reason that they are supposed to.

The sun has yet to rise when the siege happened. The cold wind coming from Moonspear, the land of where the cold never dies, signalling the end of fall. The wolves of Moonspear howled. One after another. And then in chorus.

Instead of vegetables from Renos, a group of bandits were the ones inside the caravans and slaughtered the knights of Osniton. It was unexpected due to the peace that King Ezmond Enfolic made. Knights were killed without them knowing. And it was too late when the castle was invaded by the swords of an unknown rebellious party. Blood filled the city. Men of low birth were flogged until they died. Women were raped until they died. And children were captured. Boys are to be trained at arms and become one of them someday. Girls were to be ripened until they turn thirteen to be fucked to death and if their masters would find them useful, they might live their lives as slaves. However, those who are of noble birth were given the chance to live. For the reason that once the siege was over, they’ll be turned to slaves. Somewhat, this unknown group was ….just. Or maybe it was their way of torturing them. Perhaps, it was mercy that they killed those of low birth and a mockery to those of high birth to be slaves for life. Whatever the reason, no one knew.

After the saw reached the Queen’s stomach, blood flowed from there to her face making her unable to faint. Her screams and the sound of the saw ripping her flesh and entrails were the only thing that could be heard. Silence and fear filled the crowd. But one of its audience is different. Her name is Eliza Marie Enfolic. The only thing that she felt was anger. Not to the ones who killed the people of their city. Not to the ones who is sawing her mother in half. But to herself. She can’t do anything to stop this dreadful act. Eliza wanted to draw her sword and cut those men in half but she doesn’t have the power do to so. Due to numbers. Unlike in the books that she read, a single hero could cut a whole army of thieves, nevertheless, reality is cruel.

Eliza was a princess. The only girl of the Enfolics’ Royal family. Her eldest brother Ermond was killed with an arrow on his back after he killed fifty or more rebels. Sad to say that this heroic act won’t be written in a history book. The second eldest son of Ezmond, Gormond was killed before he could even slice an enemy with his bastard sword. Since all he knew was to look at his priced sword and doesn’t know how to swing it properly.

She was clad in a priestess’ cloak and had her hood up so that no one would notice her light blue hair and deep green eyes. Those were the marks of an Enfolic. They're hair were burned by ice and eyes green as emerald. Inside her dark cloak was her bronze armor, a bastard sword and a dagger.

Maesters, priestesses, squires and slaves weren’t killed because this group have use for them in temples and she was smart enough to know it. Which is why she grabbed the nearest priestess that she could find and tore her throat before the she could even scream for help. Maesters and priestesses had no age requirement. As long as the Head Maester tested them on various tasks and found them very useful, the Head Maester would easily accept them despite their age. Though she only knew one of the young Maesters and heard of two young priestesses which is on her same age. Which is why, despite of the height of her companion, which is, a ten year-old girl, they are doing fine.

When the saw reached Queen Mariz’ chest, she heard that her mother’s scream faded. Her deep green eyes turned red as she vomited a lot of blood before she closed her eyes.

Eliza touched the hilt of Blood Edge, the sword that his brother Gozmund loved and sharpened every day. Blood Edge was made of a Flame Dragon's crystal and Dragon Steel. So everytime Gozmund would let the sun shine through it, it's blood red light would shone on it's purple blade. She remembered how her brother would often show it to her. Telling her how rare Dragon Crystals were. "They came from dragons. They would never break. And not all sword smiths could forge dragon fragments." She remembered her brother smiling. "Because you can't get your hands on dragon fragments. They're long dead!" Next to it was Spring Blade, Ermond’s gift to her on her last birthday. The blade was made of Witch's Bone. From the long dead race of witches. They say that even when they're dead, they're still alive if they were made as weapons. Her little friend wasn't amused by that story. Since she herself was a witch.

Little as she was, she could see anything. But she could feel Eliza's anger. She tugged the sleeve of ther friend's cloak. “You may be skilled more than Ermond at swordplay, Milady,” Gretzel the Witch said who is hidden in the same priestess clothing. “..but you can’t kill more than fifty thousand men at once. You could kill a hundred alone, that I know…” her face was filled with worry. “...however, you cannot kill ten men who charges at you at once.”

The princess held the hilt tightly. She wanted to throw her cloak and slash those rebels who sieged them. Their peaceful city that her father built. She wanted to cut their bellies, hack their guts out and tear their heads apart. But she doesn’t have the power to do so. She wanted to cry. Tears were almost in her eyes. She wiped them immediately before they even fall. I am strong. She told herself. I need to be stronger. Or else, how could I avenge them?

And then, her mother let out her final breath. At last, she died. She almost said. Eliza did not know what to feel by then. Did she wanted to save her mother? Or did she want her mother to die easily? She wanted to know. But in the end, she didn’t.

Even though Queen Mariz already died, the rebels continued to saw her corpse until they finally saw her in half. They did not even gave her the chance to speak her final words before she was hanged upside down. But if she was given a chance, she would probably say nothing. Somehow, before Queen Mariz was roped upside down, she didn’t gave a hint of being afraid. She knew. Eliza thought. She accepted death. She knew that no one will save her. I should’ve saved her... I should’ve died with her.

Then the rebels threw the Queen’s corpse from the plaza’s stage to the ground where the crowd was. The people immediately stepped back. Blood splattered to the ground along with her insides.

Eliza remembered the time when her mother was on the same stage. She was giving people of low birth milled rice that would save them through winter. She was a young girl back then. “Giving people what they lack is a Queen’s duty.” She almost heard her mother say as she reminisced. “Do it not because it is your duty as a queen. Or else, God will punish you.” My mother was just. Why did God let this happen to her? To us?

A moment later, they brought King Ezmond who is still in his armor. He was is still in his prime and still great on battles with his war axe. He killed tons of rebels this day. Many than he could count. More than the day that he freed the city of Osniton from its unjust rulers, the Ceztins. He could have killed more, or rather, killed them all. He was a veteran when it comes to war. His history filled more than seven thick history books. From his acts of chivalry to his conquest of freeing the nine cities and giving peace in their lands, he was the greatest man that this world ever known. But he gave up when he saw that they have his wife, his beloved Mariz. And he just watched her die in front of him, without saying a single word.

King Ezmond just followed the two men. They stripped him naked and then he was hanged like his wife.

Before, the plaza was a place of festivities. Where dancers with their colorful clothes danced for their King and Queen and its royal family. Where singers sang praise of how brave King Ezmond was or how beautiful Queen Mariz is. Now, it was just a place of murder. I couldn’t recognize this place anymore.

A squire came running with a war axe in hand. A fifteen year-old lad. He couldn’t even carry the axe properly due to its weight. At one glance, he is a useless squire who doesn’t even have the strength to carry weapons properly. That’s because he is indeed useless. Except for his pretty face that any girl would easily fall in-love with. One of the rebels who cut Queen Mariz in half took it from the young squire with light blue hair and green eyes. Norwind Enfolic. Eliza remembered. My father’s own squire and my cousin. My own blood.

Norwind’s face was filled with fear as the man lifted the double edged war axe.

“Usurper’s Fury.” The witch whispered.

“My father’s favorite war axe.” Eliza agreed.

Somehow, Eliza remembered on one of the books that she had read. A prophecy. Where a prince would come to save the day with his one-handed sword and rides a huge fire breathing dragon. Then, he would have his dragon blow fire upon his enemies and slash those who tried to jump upon him. She wished for it. Eliza hoped that a prince would come from another world and save the city that she loved and her father who lost all of his hope. But she knew that those were just words that someone wrote on a piece of paper. Eliza knew that it wasn’t real. There’s no prince, no dragons and no hope.

And within a heartbeat, the man swung the axe unto King Ezmond’s body as if he was a log. He screamed as the axe reached his stomach. The King’s blood flowed. I’ll avenge you, Father. The man lifted his axe and then hacked again. He then handed the war axe to Norwind and held both of the King’s legs and then he tore him apart using his hands. The King’s screams were loud. And along with those screams, blood came out with his voice. A few heartbeats passed, the screaming stopped. That was when his body was already torn in half.

Next came the other family members that mostly she knew only by their faces.

“Aren’t you going to watch your whole family die?” Gretzel almost said it as a joke.

Eliza just walked away without saying a word.

“As you command.”

The two walked through the crowd and saw the dead bodies. Men, women and children. Those who were still alive were chained. All of them were from noble families.

“Crydiel Alswell…” The blue princess muttered.

“Want to save her?” The little witch whispered.

“No.”

“Isn’t she your friend?” She said in a sarcastic tone.

“If you call a bitch who is calling her ‘friend’ a man, due to her excellent sword skills, then she is indeed my friend.” Both smiled.

It was indeed true. Cyrdiel was always making fun of her with her high born friends. Telling her that swords are for boys. They called her Womanly Knight. If it wasn’t for the friendship of her father and Cyrdiel’s, she might have slashed her arms and feet and gave her away to the drunkards on the tavern to be used in whatever way they liked. She hated her. Her father always told her be like Cyrdiel. Be lady-like the way Cyrdiel is. Cyrdiel, Cyrdiel, Cyrdiel. She hates hearing that name. She hates her. Being compared to her. Telling to be like her. It made her think that her father likes Cyrdiel more than her herself. She hated the thought of it. But now, she’ll get that fate. Eliza thought. She’ll be raped, yes. But she will have a long and hard life as a slave. Because no one want’s to kill a young and beautiful slave, right?

And thus they fled unto the city using an underground tunnel from a farm that the Ceztin family ran for years. It was an old house with nothing inside except a cabinet. And inside that cabinet was a door. A door to the underground tunnel. The two made sure that no one was following them before they entered. No one did. Who would even want to follow two young priestesses? They walked through the dark tunnel with torches in hand that they took from the cabinet. The tunnel was so long that they almost forgot about the time that passed by. It has a lot of passages.

The tunnel was dark and moldy. There are moss growing on the walls. Spiders, snakes, rats and cockroaches were the tunnels only occupants. Time after time, whenever Eliza sees a cockroach, she would occasionally draw her dagger from her back and throw it on the creature. Even though the Enfolic princess was skilled with bows and throwing daggers at the enemies, she finds herself missing on the small cockroach. Not because it was dark. She can actually shoot an arrow between the eyes of an enemy, miles away. Even in the darkest nights.

Eliza picked up her dagger on the ground as the cockroach ran away for its life. The little witch let a soft chuckle. If it wasn’t for the trained ears of Eliza, she wouldn’t even hear it.

“I-It’s just… dark.” Eliza said.

“As you say, princess.” Gretzel smiled.

The two continued to walk the dark path. The fires in their torches were the only warmth that they had for winter is almost smiling upon Osniton. At times, even the white witch sneezes. That was the time where Eliza would laugh back at her for laughing a while ago.

“Do you think the Daniqs are behind all of this?” Eliza asked. “Ser Unker Daniq has always been my father’s rival. Even when it comes to my mother’s heart…” She recalled.

The little witch sneezed before she answered. “No.” She rubbed her small nose with her small hands. “They are your father’s sworn brothers. They won’t do such treachery.”

“Where were they when their swords were needed?” Eliza said as she wanted to shed her tears.

“Have you sent words through falcons to them?”

“No….” The princess hid her face with her hood.

“And even if you did, it’ll be too late before the word arrives.”

“Should we go to them? Ask for a thousand men and kill those men?”

“The Daniqs are loyal to your father. Not to you.” The witch frowned at her.

Eliza thought about the families that could help them. “What abou-“

“Lyrden, Ernol, Wylvin…” the witch said as if it was an incantation. “Those four strongest families owes King Ezmond. And if his head is no longer on his body, they will march for Osniton for sure.” That made Eliza smile. “However…” The princess’ smile left her quickly. “...it will not be for the reason that you would like.”

Gretzel continued as she continued to lead the way to the never ending tunnel. “Your father was the strongest warrior that this world ever known. That is for sure. No one would even dare to siege Osniton while he is alive. Now that he’s dead, the control for the Nine Cities is up for grabs. And do you think that they’ll care for a little princess like you who’s in their way?”

Eliza did not say a single word. Humans are disgusting creatures. She thought. After what my father did… to the Nine Cities… She’s almost on the verge of sobbing. Even though she is one of the strongest at swordplay and could also beat a full-grown knighted man on a one-on-one duel, she’s still a little girl. I can’t be weak on a time like this.

The Ceztin’s tunnel was the best escape route that someone ever built. Her father told her that he had a hard time killing the Ceztin’s. But after a full moon or two, Ezmond heard that someone killed the runaway prince of the Ceztin’s on a whore house on the nearby town taking pleasure on a young woman. It was a sellsword who gave his head to the king. And he knew that it was the prince of Ceztin because Ezmond arranged agreements with them. Ezmond remembered their faces. All of them. And thus, the sellsword was granted with knighthood and tons of gold. But soon enough, he got too fat to carry a sword and forgotten that he was a knight. That’s why they called him ‘The Fat Knight’. Eliza remembered it all. Since his father would always drink his wine and call her to tell her his stories after he was done with his hunting every fourth day after the full moon.

Nobody used that tunnel except the Ceztins. King Ezmond did not dare to enter it because he was wise enough to think that such place will be filled with various traps. And soon it was forgotten.

They stopped walking on a dead end.

“You told me you knew the way.” Eliza said as she almost stick the torch in her hand to Gretzel’s back and burn her alive. But she know that it would be worthless since the witch was immortal.

“I do know.” The witch smiled as she twisted the door knob of a hidden door above her head.

This made the princess turn red. She did not speak.

The witch jumped and pulled a ladder. “Climb up, Milady.”

Eliza wanted to know how the witch knew her ways on an unfamiliar place. All those time after she saved this ten year old girl, she never saw her cast flames or turn water into ice like she have read in the books on the castle’s huge library. But she felt like the ten year-old witch knew everything that she has to know. Eliza also saw the witch being stabbed by a sword when the Gretzel saved her from a cut throat when she was walking with her on her last stroll over town to buy new books to read. Gretzel protected Eliza. She was stabbed yet she did not scream. She haven’t felt anything. Instead, the culprit had his head twisted without anyone touching him when Gretzel muttered unfamiliar words. Words that Eliza could not comprehend. Words of the Witches, Gretzel called them. And then, her wounds healed.

The ladder lead her up to an old house. It was a simple wooden house that any low born could own. Simple wooden chairs, a wooden table, a huge hearth, candles and a few chests and barrels. Somewhat, the place made Eliza feel like she was back in the city of Emigrent where they spent two full moons and stayed in a small place like this with her family. It was a place where summer should be spent. It all came back to her, the ocean, forest hunts, and the way she laughed with her family. But those where just memories now.

“It has been two years since I met you.” Eliza said as she removed her cloak and hung them on a chair revealing her long light blue hair and green eyes. She placed her brother’s beloved sword on the table. There, a candle that Gretzel lighted sat. Eliza kept Spring Blade on her back. The witch closed the curtains because she knows that a single light of a fire could summon a thousand eyes. Even swords.

Even though Eliza was wearing a light leather armor dyed with blue and hints of bronze plates, a pair of light copper boots to help her jump with ease and kick enemies with a knock out power, bronze armbands to protect her arms from swords matched with brown leather gloves, she still looked more beautiful than a woman in a dress. Perhaps she is the most beautiful girl that this world has ever known. She had the hair, eyes and the skills of her father and the beauty of her mother. She had a slender body that any man would want to have on their bed but her strength could bring any man to tears with her sword.

“It is.” The witch did the same and took off her cloak and hung it on a hook on the door. Her short hair was white, like the books said about witches. Grey eyes and skin as white as snow. Even paler than an Enfolic. She is wearing a simple black gown. Her looks tells her that she is an ordinary ten year-old girl. But her white hair is screaming ‘witch’ in every strand of it. She was the last of her kind. Or rather, the only known to the world so far. Around others she turns it to any color that she wanted. Black, red, blonde, brown. Even light blue.

“Would you mind lighting a fire? And also fetch me a glass of water and a piece of bread.” Eliza said.

“As you say.” The witch said with her smile that could warm anyone’s heart. Gretzel thought that the smoke of the chimney would call the attention of their followers. She knew. But she still followed.

The witch opened a chest near the hearth and took branches from it and placed it on the fireplace. Eliza watched her. Gretzel did not mind the piercing glare of Eliza. She took a small amount of gas from a bottle on the same chest and pour a bit of it on the branches, and lighted it with another candle.

“Why didn’t you use your magic?” Eliza asked.

“Does Milady wanted to see me draw flames from the wind?” Gretzel smiled a gentle smile.

“Don’t answer my question with another one.”

“I beg for your forgiveness.” Gretzel bowed slightly. “May I speak my heart out, Milady?”

“You are no slave. You may do what you want or say what you want. You are my friend.” Eliza smiled. “Go ahead. I want to know.”

Gretzel took a loaf of bread from another chest and a block of cheese. From its looks, it was placed just this morning. After placing it on the table, she took a wooden pitcher and fetched water on a barrel. Perhaps Eliza’s father always had this place well stocked just in case such a thing would happen.

“Because I can make fire without using my incantations.” She smiled.

After a short silence, the two laughed at the same time. For a moment there, Eliza forgot that Ermond died from an arrow behind his back, Gormond was killed like a dog, her mother was sawed in half and her father was hacked like a log. The little witch did her best to remember the fun times that the two of them had and made the princess remember it all. The two of them laughed aloud. They were on their own world. A world where only the two of them existed. Only their happy memories happened. But sooner they had to face the real world. And the time was now.

“A group of rebels.” Gretzel said.

Eliza grabbed her brother’s sword and placed it on her hip. “How close are they?”

“Enough for us to escape.” The little witch sprung from her chair and donned her cloak. But Eliza doesn’t want to escape. Gretzel knew at once.

“You can’t take all of them.”

“You mean to escape. But where?”

“Milady, do you remember the book Another World: Explorations of Worlds?”

Eliza tried hard to remember. “That book by… Emit was it? Why?”

Gretzel took Eliza by the arm and ran towards the door. Eliza did not ask why they are running. Because most of the times, it was Gretzel who saves her.

Outside the small house were the trees. Faerie Woods. Eliza thought. I’ve read that this forest connects to other worlds. That those who were lost here didn’t came back. But Eliza never believed such tales. Even when her father once told her that a whole army of his enemies got lost into the woods and they never found them. Even their dead bodies.

Each tree was huge and nothing was lighting their way but the light of the former world that their ancestors used to lived, The Forgotten World, the maesters called. It was written in a very old book. Which is why she only read a copy of it. A world where almost all humans was eradicated due to a plaque that turns its victims to savage creatures. Deforming every part of the body until they could not be recognized anymore. May it be a human or an animal, they would eat anything alive. Until the witch called Lorice saved them and had her believers warped into the world that they are now. Thear. But the Goddess Lorice wasn’t with them when they arrived on Thear. Some says that she died on the process. Others said that she stayed on the Forgotten World. No one knew what really happened. Or even if the book was telling the truth.

She stared at the huge planet as they were running. Since Eliza read the book, she was always fascinated of what kind of world it’s like. How the air feels like. But she knew that all she could do was stare at it. Next to the huge planet was the small moon. And next to it were the countless stars. The witch stopped on a huge tree. She let go of Eliza’s hand.

“Why did we stop?” Eliza asked. Her light blue hair and green eyes were shining by the light of the moon and the Forgotten World.

“Because I will take you to another world.” The small witch said.