Chapter 13:

Red Star of the Abyss

“Faster with those shovels! We don’t know when she’ll attack again!”

With Nova joining him and the threat of another attack looming over the horizon, everyone had no choice but to follow Novarac’s orders. The bulk of Novarac’s dogs gathered the civilians, leading them away from the village and into the forest.

The remaining dogs stayed behind along with the fighters to prepare the village for the upcoming battle. Nova followed a group of men, levitating many sharpened logs above. The men dug deep holes Nova plugged up with the logs, leaving their sharpened tips poking out of the ground just high enough to impale someone’s foot.

Once the last log was placed, Nova hid them with a thick layer of dirt. This repeated for every spot Novarac had designated.

As Nova passed through, she glanced at some hilltops to find a hound staring back at her. Novarac had placed his sturdiest familiars at all the available vantage points in the village.

They weren’t the only ones keeping an eye on Nova. Tailing her from a large distance was Melissa. Not trusting the young girl’s intentions, she followed her every step of the way to ensure she didn’t sabotage Novarac’s preparations.

There were times when Nova made sudden, jerky movements while her back was turned to the dogs observing her.

Once all the logs were set up, Nova levitated around rubble for Novarac to transform into golems. These would be hidden behind hills and buildings within sight of dogs to allow the wizard’s creations to flank the plague child in battle.

Again Nova performed a strange movement that Melissa did not understand.

“Let Novarac know that preparations on our side are complete,” Nova ordered.

The men did as asked. Leaving her behind, they traveled to Novarac, finding him standing in the graveyard in the northeastern corner of the village.

Novarac was accompanied by a small group of dogs, including his oldest, most loyal familiar, Tabby. While listening to their reports, Novarac pressed his fingers upon the foreheads and backs of the dogs, infusing a certain spell into them, leaving only Tabby untouched.

“So, everything is ready at last.”

Novarac turned around to face the forest. He scanned the hundreds of images sent into his mind by his dogs leading the civilians. Though they were devoid of color, Novarac had made sure to enhance his familiars to be able to discern a single color ever since the night he lost his battle to Alaya.

The change paid off as a single smudge of auburn peeked past some trees in the distance, breaking the monotony of the grey world.

Novarac exhaled loudly, almost as if he let his fears and doubts escape along with the air.

“This is it. No more running. Once this ends, the daughter lies buried in the black earth, or we will all sleep within the mother’s stomach.”

Novarac didn’t explain himself to the confused fighters. He clapped his hands as hard as possible, sending a silent command to all his familiars. The group of dogs staying with him immediately bared their fangs at the gathered men.

“Novarac? What’s going on?”

The old man didn’t answer even as the dogs marched towards the men. He merely raised his arms, ready to work his magic through the eyes of his hounds.

“Time to call forth the end of the world.”

---

Alaya stood hidden behind some trees, listening in as a seemingly endless column of people traveled in lockstep through a small clearing in the forest. Their passage was signaled by a constant howling of the dogs accompanying them.

Aidan soon came stumbling back to her. Though his legs pained him, the bigger torment was the deafening ballad the hounds let sound through the forest, causing his body and mind to recall terrible memories.

“Novarac’s escorting everyone out of Kulum!” Aidan confirmed.

“Was Nova with ‘em?” Alaya quickly asked.

Aidan shook his head, though that did nothing to dissuade Alaya’s anxiety. In the oppressive presence of the march and the fierce patrols of the dogs, Alaya snapped.

“That’s it! I ain’t waitin’ here for that sick bastard to do whatever he’s plannin’ to ‘em!” She said and was ready to storm off were it not for Aidan grabbing her by the shoulder.

Alaya threw Aidan’s hand back so violently that it almost knocked him off his feet. A mere glance at her rapid breathing and widened eyes was enough to get across just how panicked she was.

Aidan immediately grew to regret revealing the identity of the demon to her. Perhaps if she still only knew him as the human mage that taught Nova, she would not assume that everyone was in such danger.

“Alaya, we can’t just go without a plan! We don’t even know what he’s up to!”

Alaya glared at Aidan, her fear breaking apart like a shattered mirror to be replaced with the anger hidden behind it.

“A plan? Like the one that got ya captured? Yeah, think I’ll be fine by myself.”

A wave of shame washed over Aidan.

“Alaya, all those people there are livid with us! They’ll attack us the moment they see us!” Aidan forced himself to say.

Beneath her scarf Alaya opened her mouth, ready to point out that Aidan could just sing to them, stopping the moment she saw Aidan’s hands shake on his mandolin. She witnessed him able to play when faced with Turburn and even Marvin and not once had she seen him like this.

Alaya turned away from Aidan, not allowing him to see her face twisting as she suppressed her emotions.

“So, what then? We just follow them?” Alaya’s words were fused, betraying how impatient she was.

Aidan nodded, relieved. He turned around to face the column again, only for Alaya to grab him by his cloak and drag him down to his knees. Aidan forced his mouth shut as the sudden movement send a sharp pain into his legs. Drops of purple liquid shot out through the tears in his pants and stained the ground in front of him, hidden from Alaya’s sight by Aidan’s body.

Aidan didn’t need her to tell him what was wrong to understand.

Novarac saw us!

The march's rhythm and howls remained unperturbed despite feeling Novarac’s eyes fall heavy on her shoulders.

Alaya gritted her teeth. Something had to happen!

And so it did.

With no wind to carry them, the yellow leaves scattered across the forest floor suddenly rose off the ground before flying in their direction.

Aidan drew his mandolin, only for Alaya to drag him behind herself. Alaya’s hold on him was tight, keeping him hidden with her larger body while her eyes were darting around the hundreds of leaves flying around them.

The dance of the leaves continued until they formed a miniature yellow tornado.

Once enough leaves were gathered, they broke off from their dance, flying upon the ground in front of Alaya. Each leaf was methodically placed, forming a rough approximation of a sentence.

Alaya stared at the message left behind for them. Aidan looked too, if only to hide his illiteracy. He glanced at Alaya, nervously waiting for her to reveal the meaning of the words. He found her scanning each word several times before moving on to the next.

Alaya’s eyes widened upon finishing piecing the sentence together - charging in the opposite direction of the villager’s march without so much as a word to Aidan.

Aidan only had moments to think before Alaya disappeared from his sight.

“No!”

Aidan stumbled after her, his legs still complaining.

*Growl.*

Aidan only made it a dozen steps away from their hiding spot before he was forced to turn around and face a group of dogs.

As Aidan clutched his mandolin, his trembling hands slipped off its strings whenever he tried to play a tune.

Why?! Why did she leave me alone? What did she read?

There was no more time to question, for the dogs encircled Aidan and approached him with bared fangs.

---

“What do you think you’re doing?”

Nova sighed and slowly turned around to face Melissa.

“I am not in the mood to entertain vague accusations. Speak clearly.”

Melissa folded her arms, the polearm on her back scrapping against her leather armor.

“I saw you tamper with the things Novarac will use to fight. Not agreeing with us is one thing, but this is going too far!”

Melissa stared Nova down, but the young girl’s expression did not crack an inch under the accusation.

“Do you even comprehend the mechanics of the magic Novarac utilizes?”

“I don’t need to. I know you lied to him so you could sabotage us and save the plague child! I’ll take you to him, and he’ll see what you’ve done to the logs and rubble!”

Nova and Melissa glared at each other. The young mage cracked her fingers.

“You know, Novarac spread his dogs too thin. We aren’t within his sight right now.”

Nova’s cold threat sent a shiver down Melissa’s spine. The armored woman raised her weapon at the Nova, ready to defend herself, only for both to stop dead in their tracks as a series of screams sounded from the distance.

Both women looked in the direction of the screams, their mouths hanging open from shock.

“She’s attacking already?!” Yelled Melissa.

Nova subtly shook her head.

It can’t be Alaya! Novarac would have immediately reached out for the debris!

“Go hide! I need to join the others!” Ordered Melissa.

Nova immediately ran after Melissa on the off chance that it truly was Alaya. The armored woman wanted to protest, but the situation was far too urgent to allow such a luxury.

Together they ran through the village center and beyond it. The screams they heard had long since gone silent, and no other signs of a battle were given since. Even Melissa became suspicious when she saw that none of the dogs placed as vanguards did as much as move an inch from their stations.

Still, a smile finally dawned on her face when she saw a few fellow armed fighters in the distance running in the same direction as them.

The smile faded as Melissa and Nova faced a large wall of mist expanding before them. The fog grew absurdly fast, swallowing up rows of buildings before they could even blink.

That’s Novarac’s magic!

That was all Nova could think before the mist swallowed them whole.

Caught within the grey mass, the only thing Nova and Melissa could see was each other. It was so thick that even their feet were concealed from their view.

The inside of the mist had a strange, low, humming noise that echoed around them endlessly. The fog continued to move around them with such speed that it blew their hair back and sent a cold shiver running over their bodies.

“What the hell is happening?”

Nova signaled to Melissa to keep quiet.

Nova channeled magic into her fingertips and then pressed them into the opposite ends of her temple. Mist creation was something she was capable of, and she had taught herself a way to enhance her sight so that she could see through it.

Still, its range did not extend past a few meters.

“We need to meet up with the others! We can’t leave them stranded in this mist!” Melissa said desperately.

Nova didn’t budge from the spot as she judged Melissa’s order carefully.

“Please! This village can’t take losing any more children!” Melissa pleaded.

Nova closed her eye and relented. She took Melissa to where they had last seen the fighters. As they walked, the grey fog around them was sometimes darkened by large, pitch-black shapes, the shadows cast by the buildings the mist had swallowed.

The two arrived to find…nothing. The entire area was deserted.

“No….”

Melissa desperately searched for any sign of them, almost losing sight of Nova in the progress. Despite all her fervent searching, It was Nova that discovered their fate.

Hidden beneath a layer of fog, the ground at their feet was painted crimson, the sanguine trails too leading in the directions of the original screams.

The two women stared at each other, their eyes wide with horror. Their worst fears had been confirmed beyond the shadow of a doubt.

Melissa drew her halberd and turned towards where the blood flowed. Nova watched her step away from her until only her back was still visible.

“Wait!” Nova finally spoke out. “There were no screams this time! Whatever killed them, it did so instantly! If you go, you’ll get torn apart!”

Melissa didn’t look back at Nova.

“I know,” Melissa said and stepped into the fog.

Nova clenched her fists.

Damn it!

Nova ran in after Melissa. The armored woman gave her a brief nod to acknowledge her presence. The two marched together, their hearts beating fast as they descended deeper into the grey hell.

Nova stopped dead in her tracks, barring Melissa's passage with her arm.

“You see it?” Melissa whispered.

Nova covered her mouth to fight back the sudden desire to hurl.

Just a couple of meters away from them laid the bloodied body of a man, his neck ripped open and oozing out the last drops of lifeblood left in him.

Melissa stared wide-eyed at the corpse of her friend. Her steps were the only thing she could hear as she stepped toward his body. Her knees were weak, demanding she let herself drop and mourn at his side.

Clutching her weapon so tight it hurt, Melissa chose to stay on her feet.

Nova couldn’t help but look away from Melissa. Any words she’d give would only make it worse.

Huh?

Nova felt multiple sets of eyes suddenly fall upon them. Several presences appeared in the mist outside Nova’s enhanced range.

“They’re here,” Nova whispered.

Melissa stepped back to Nova’s side. The armored woman subtly moved her polearm into a position of attack without giving away the fact that she had been alerted.

“Tell me from where.”

Nova’s body was shaking from fear. As the shapes entered Nova’s sight, her mouth flung open with shock, pointing Melissa to her left.

“They’re-”

Melissa leaped forward at the approaching shape. She only had a second to see its shadow in the fog before swinging her bladed weapon at it - blood spraying across Melissa’s eyes, mixing with the dark veins flowing from them.

“-dogs!” Nova finished yelling as a severed hound’s head slammed into the ground.

A thousand questions filled Melissa’s mind, questions she discarded along with the blood on her halberd with a single twirl of her weapon.

More attacks followed instantly, three dogs throwing themselves at her this time. Melissa parted the skull of the middle one in two, only to be tackled to the ground by the remaining hounds. All that stood between her head and their fangs was the long handle of her weapon.

The dogs bit at her face with a ferocity she had never seen from them before. Melissa tried to fight them off, but the hounds were pushing down at her with a supernatural strength she had never seen them display before.

Just as the dog’s fangs were inches from her eyes, a sharpened crystal pillar slammed into them and pushed them off Melissa.

Melissa rushed to her feet before the dogs could recover. Glancing at each other’s wounds, the pair of hounds kept their distance from the women.

Nova was as still as a statue. The dog on the left had always stood out to her due to the unique red fur that reminded her of Alaya, while the other one’s thick brown fur that ended into one incredibly short and fuzzy black tail always looked over her while she learned magic.

She didn’t dare glance at the two Melissa killed, lest she recognized them too.

“Valrman, Ursu, w-why are you attacking us? There has to be some mistake! Just two days ago, you helped me carry food to the children!” Nova pleaded with a shaking voice.

Though at first, the dogs continued to growl at them, as Nova spoke and reminded them of the things they’d done together, the ferocious expressions of the dog faltered.

“Yes, that’s it, we’re your friends!”

The dogs’ tails and ears dropped. Nova cracked a slight smile to further calm them.

Nova slowly stepped toward them, opening her arms for an embrace. This time Melissa intervened, barring her path with the weapon - the ground shaking just as she was about to speak to Nova.

The vibration traveled upward through their legs and body until it entered their minds.

That just won’t do.

Nova and Melissa only had an instant to realize who the voice booming in their heads belong to before a malignant force grabbed hold of their bodies. Melissa’s trained muscles couldn’t fight the grip an inch. Nova attempted to flow her magic into the mass holding her down, only to find herself pushing helplessly at an immovable mountain.

With their lips sealed, the two could only watch as they were lifted off the ground and carried through the mist.

---

After what felt like an eternity, the mist before Nova and Melissa suddenly opened up, revealing the village graveyard. The fog avoided the entire area, almost like an invisible dome surrounded it.

They floated above the hundreds of graves until people and dogs appeared below.

Melissa instantly recognized Gawan. The strongman was barely standing on his feet, defending himself with his club against a pack of dogs. His clothes were ripped to shreds, revealing the mountain of gashes and bites that marked his body.

Just past him laid several mutilated bodies, the archers that fired upon Alaya when she came to save Aidan. More men stood resting against tombstones, their shirts bloody and their heads covered by potato sacks. They still drew breath.

The magical force holding them down disappeared, dropping them just a couple of meters away from Gawan. The man was so beaten down that he didn’t even acknowledge their presence.

“Welcome!” A commanding voice boomed through the graveyard just as Nova and Melissa rose to their feet.

Nova and Melissa turned in the direction of the voice. Sitting relaxed on top of one of the largest tombstones in the graveyard was Novarac. His foot rested upon the name written on the stone, Larish.

“Novarac?! …You fiend! What the hell have you done?!” Yelled Melissa, her voice mixed with as much confusion as anger.

Novarac clapped his hands, sending half the dogs surrounding Gawan to approach Melissa instead. Before Melissa could ready her weapon, she found her every limb paralyzed as Novarac immobilized her.

“I only intended to punish those who killed my children that night,” Novarac spoke slowly, his every word dripping with venom. “If you and Gawan had just let yourself be captured, you might have lived for longer.”

Melissa watched powerlessly as the dogs approached her. One of the dogs leaped at her throat, only for an invisible force to push her out of the way.

After landing, Melissa pushed herself off the ground, in control of her movements again.

“Don’t let him see you standing still again,” Nova warned.

Novarac smiled as Nova stepped forward. He ordered his dogs to leave Melissa and Gawan be for the moment.

“Ah, my faithful student. I always loved the tone you use when speaking to my children.”

Nova watched Novarac’s face carefully. She couldn’t fathom that such horrid words came out of the mouth of the man who raised her and Marvin for most of her life, the one who introduced her to the wonders of magic. The inflections in his voice and his malicious smile were all wrong in such a fundamental way that they went against Nova’s very perception of her reality.

“Why are you doing this?” was all Nova managed to say.

Novarac motioned to a series of fifteen freshly dug holes that were not marked by tombstones. Each of the mounds was far too small to contain a human.

“You’ve betrayed me. First, when you followed Marvin’s words over mine, and far worse when you slaughtered my children. You’ve brought this upon yourselves.”

Nova remained silent for so long that even Novarac raised an eyebrow at her. He took note of the distant look in her eye. She wasn’t looking at anything in particular anymore.

Am I still asleep? Is this just another nightmare?

Nova covered her face before dropping to her knees. Dark tendrils wormed their way from the edge of her vision - even closing her eye did nothing to make them disappear.

Why? Why won’t they ever go away?!

“Vaska has fallen for such pathetic cattle.”

Novarac raised his hand at Melissa. Directly grabbing her with telekinesis was out of the question, and thus he closed his fist before releasing it again - dark lines drawing themselves in the armored woman’s direction.

As Nova’s mind reached its darkest spot, a single voice reached out to her. She raised her head from her hands. She glimpsed a tall woman with auburn hair reaching her hand to Nova.

Nova leaped to her feet and threw her arm out at Novarac. He was caught standing still, allowing Nova to wrap him in her magic. Nova threw Novarac off her father’s tombstone before smashing him into the dirt.

Novarac’s dogs rushed to attack Nova, only for her to turn to them and yell.

“Come on then! If you are just monsters, take your pound of flesh out of me!”

Nova’s words made all the dogs stop in their tracks. Even when carried by such anger, her voice was too familiar, too comfortable. None could bring themselves to attack her.

“Not bad, my pupil,” Novarac said with a good deal of pride in his voice as he stood up. “But you are not your brother’s equal. He forged his magic for war. Yours is tainted by love.”

Novarac dispelled Nova’s telekinesis with a single thought. The young girl clasped her hands and placed them on the ground, sending a sharpened pillar after Novarac. Novarac broke it mid-air with a simple hand motion. The pillars of flame she sent at him next split in the middle, flowing harmlessly around him.

Nova could do nothing but watch as Novarac approached her and wiped away the corrupted blood from her cheek with an air of condescension.

“You are not a star child. You are banal. Even a rock stands out if only surrounded by mud.”

Through his dogs, Novarac could see the expression of everyone present. They had all resigned themselves before him. A wicked smile forced itself upon his visage.

Novarac raised his hands, ready to bring the curtains down on their lives.

“I spent enough time on you. The dark star approaches.”

“...Alaya?”

A light kindled in Nova’s eyes, reinvigorating her hope.

“Does all of this mean…you won’t avenge Marvin?”

Nova’s sudden question caught both Melissa and Novarac off guard. Novarac studied Nova’s expression from every possible angle his dogs provided.

“...It doesn’t,” He finally answered. “I will kill the plague child.”

Nova clutched her fists and gave Novarac a look of barely contained grief and anger.

“That monster has taken everything from us. If you are to get your revenge for the slain dogs, allow us to get our revenge for my brother.”

Melissa watched flabbergasted. Nova was again pretending to hate Alaya to Novarac, but this time the armored woman could only hope that her lies took hold.

“That monster betrayed me! I held out hope for her for all these years, only for her to rip my brother away! I demand to see her blood stain the ground at my feet!”

Novarac took a step back, shocked by the torrent of fury in the young girl’s heart. Though his better judgment dictated otherwise, he simply could not deny Nova her desire.

It was, after all, that same emotion that birthed him.

“Very well, girl. You will all live to see the dark star fall, but no more.”

Nova’s expression didn’t budge an inch upon hearing the good news. She awaited Alaya’s arrival in silence, counting down the seconds to when the tall girl’s visage pierced the wall of mist before her.