Necromancy In D Minor ✔️

Deadlight Dissonance (Encore)

Several breaths passed, yet the flying netherborne still hovered over the forest, still as calm water. Octavia wasn't sure what was more unnerving, that it wouldn't act or what would happen once it did.

If an opponent acted, at least could react and determine the best way to defeat it. But this one just hovered there. It made no sense to her. The netherborne did not default to hesitation when there was prey in plain sight. Their methods were calculated in theory and manic in execution.

She took a step forward and hesitated. What if it was waiting for her to act? To determine her weakness and take her out?

Pounding footfalls pulled her from her thoughts, but didn't take her eyes off the netherborne. Claud appeared in her peripheral, his hair wild and sword held in a white-knuckled grip. He wasn't dressed like the other Priests, looking more casual in his slacks and sweater, but at least he had on shoes. "Good to see you." He gazed up at the winged netherborne. "What is that?"

"I'm about to find out." An involuntary quiver laced her words.

"Take this." Claud held out a dagger hilt first. It was an unremarkable thing—double edged, leather wrapped handle and round pommel.

Octavia tucked it into her boot. "If I don't come back, be prepared to fight or flee."

The clothier blanched. "There's no boat with which to flee. Fighting is our only option, but let's hope it doesn't come to that."

"I'll do my best." With a mighty flap of her wings, she was airborne, but this time, the sinking feeling in her stomach was nigh unbearable. It made her gut clench and bile pool into her mouth. She could be flying to her death.

Up close the bits of gold in the netherborne's black feathers were more prominent so were its beak-like nose and lips stained the colour of red wine. It regarded Octavia with eyes as rich and green as new leaves in spring.

Just hovering in front of it made her body heavy, and her heart race. She'd ever seen another netherborne like it. It was almost human, and she felt tiny, and insignificant in its overwhelming presence, like a buzzing pestilence to be swatted.

The netherborne's lips tipped into a smile. It clasped its top two hands together and inclined its body in a bow.

Octavia swallowed, her hands shaking around the bell whip. She didn't know why, but the small gesture unnerved her. Why was this creature bowing to her? Perhaps she was too used to netherborne talking her ears off, going on and on about how awful the humans were. Yet this one hovered here, so calm, so serene. Not attacking her, not sneering at her, not lashing out at her for "consorting with the humans."

The bell whip writhed in her hands and she realised she was squeezing it too tight. Even the weapon was more jittery than usual. It wrapped and unwrapped her waist and curled in the air over her head. Yet it didn't seem hostile towards this netherborne. Under normal circumstances it would hiss with the need for action.

The netherborne knew she was frazzled. Its smiled widened, exposing its fangs and a glint of amusement flashed in its eyes. The beast turned with the fluid grace of a dancer and floated to the east, away from the village.

Octavia glanced back at those beneath her. The priests headed off the smaller netherborne, luring them to the western side of the Cathedral grounds. Sicero hadn't moved from where she left him, and his eyes were trained on her, face infuriatingly impassive. Claud stood beside him and gave her a nod of encouragement.

After one last look at the village, Octavia pursued the netherborne. But she kept a reasonable distance, unsure of what to make of its strange behavior. The villagers and priests were like fish in a barrel, yet instead it had turned away from the veritable feast to do... whatever this was.