The Hush of the World (ONC 2024)

Chapter 7

The faerie's command hung heavy in the air, laced with an urgency that resonated within me. But before I could even contemplate escape, monstrous figures materialized from the encroaching darkness. Dark faeries, their inky wings catching the faint moonlight filtering through the canopy, surrounded us. Their forms were lean and muscular, their eyes glowing with an eerie crimson light. Despite the terror clawing at my insides, a strange sense of awe washed over me. They were frighteningly beautiful, like creatures sculpted from nightmares but adorned with an undeniable, if unsettling, grace. 

The faeries converged on us, their leader barking out orders in a guttural language that sent shivers down my spine. The faerie who had saved me, his face now a mask of icy composure, offered no resistance as they bound his shimmering green hands with chains forged from what looked like solidified shadow. I wasn't so lucky. Rough hands grasped me, their touch surprisingly cold despite the burning fear coursing through me. A struggle seemed pointless, a desperate act against an unstoppable force. All I could do was watch as the enigmatic creature who had offered a way out was hauled away into the encroaching darkness, his fate hanging in the uncertain balance.

The journey that followed was a blur of disorientation and fear. Wedged between two burly guards, the world became a dizzying collage of gnarled trees, twisted branches, and bioluminescent vines that cast an eerie glow on the desolate landscape. We traversed treacherous paths, crossed gurgling streams, and navigated through mazes of thorns, finally emerging into a clearing bathed in an unnatural purple light.

A magnificent palace, as black as the deepest midnight, loomed before us. Spikes, sharp and menacing, adorned its towering spires, and gargoyles, carved from some monstrous obsidian rock, leered down from the parapets. It emanated a palpable aura of power and darkness, a stark contrast to the otherworldly beauty of the forest.

This, I realized with a sinking heart, must be the Shadow Court, the domain of the Wraith King, the very individual responsible for stealing Rani.

My apprehension intensified as we entered the palace. Dark faeries, seemingly at home in the oppressive gloom, scurried about, their movements efficient and silent. Every so often, we passed through grand halls, lit by eerie torches that cast flickering shadows upon the stone walls.  The air grew colder with each step, heavy with an unseen pressure that made it difficult to breathe.

Finally, we arrived at a set of imposing obsidian doors intricately carved with scenes of warfare and suffering. The doors swung open with a groan that echoed through the hall, revealing a throne room bathed in a dim crimson light emanating from an enormous ruby perched atop the back of a skeletal throne.

Seated upon the throne was a figure draped in shadows. As my eyes adjusted to the gloom, I gasped. The Wraith King was breathtaking, a stark contrast to the grotesque images I had conjured in my terrified mind. He was tall and lean, with skin as pale as moonlight and hair like spun ink. His face, though undeniably handsome, was marred by an air of chilling arrogance and a pair of silver nacreous eyes like pearls in the Benar lakes, glinted with a cold, predatory gleam, a storm swirling deep in the depths.

He was like snow, I couldn't help but think, beautiful but utterly devoid of warmth. He could smile, I was sure, and whisper words of love that would sound just as enticing as the whisper of the wind through the trees.  But those same words could turn into venom on his tongue, capable of killing me slowly if he so desired.

The guards shoved me forward, sending me sprawling at the foot of the throne. I scrambled to my feet, my heart hammering against my ribs, and dared to meet his gaze. The silver eyes, almost demonic, pierced through me, judging, assessing.

"So," the Wraith King finally spoke, his voice a low rumble that vibrated through the throne room, "the Azenar Gate has accepted yet another sacrifice. Interesting."