Status: once upon a time, there was a co-write...
Broken Illusion
Kira.
"It's impossible." Kira shook her head, repeating the words for what felt like the hundredth time. Maksim had been insisting to her that she was the prophesied savior of the kingdom, the champion of those trapped under Lucretia's reign. She didn't, couldn't, believe it.
"What could I possibly do against the queen?" she demanded. "She's a witch. Probably the most powerful witch that ever lived. I have no means to overthrow her."
"Now, child, I think we both know that's not entirely true." Maksim raised an eyebrow at her and Kira felt a flush creep up her neck. "You have some magic of your own," Maksim went on, a sly glint in his eyes.
"Nothing useful," Kira argued. "Nothing I can even really control."
"Nothing you can control yet," the dwarf corrected. "You're just in need of some training, that's all."
"Wait, wait," Thane interrupted, glancing from Maksim to Kira and back again with a look that was equal parts interest and suspicion. "What magic are you talking about? I've never heard anything about the princess possessing any magic."
"Well did you think I would announce it to you?" Kira said irritably. "I think the queen always hated me enough, without adding that little fact to the equation."
"We shouldn't linger here," Leit said, glancing around uneasily.
"Quite right," Maksim agreed. "We must go somewhere safer, then we'll talk." He rummaged through his pockets and produced a small leather pouch. He eyed the contents critically, then nodded, clearly satisfied with whatever he saw. "There should be just enough to get us to the mine. We'll be safe there, for a time."
"The mine?" Kira repeated, but then Maksim threw green powder in her face and all she could do was sneeze until she felt a jolt in her stomach and the entire world spun and tilted. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach lurching unpleasantly. As abruptly as it began, the strange sensation stopped. Kira cracked her eyes open, blinking in the sudden dimness.
"Where are we?" Her voice echoed back to her.
"We are in the diamond mine, my dear." Maksim clapped his hands and sconces along the wall lit up, casting flickering shadows across the rock walls. "This place has some enchantments on it still, put there when the queen first took control. They're weakened now, with no one left to tend them but we will be shielded from the queen's magic for a brief time. Now, then, Your Highness. As I was trying to tell you before, you are Mirador's champion. It seems only fitting, since you are the true ruler of this kingdom. Now I admit you're certainly not ready to face the queen just yet. That's what I'm here for. And as fate would have it, we also have along the best swordsman and archer in the land to help as well." He threw a sly glance in Thane's direction. The Huntsman immediately scowled and shook his head.
"I have no desire to get myself killed, dwarf."
"No? You disobeyed a direct order from your queen and fled her service. That seems like a death wish to me. But, if Kira defeats the queen, your life will no longer be in danger." The dwarf gave Thane an innocent look, and certainly no one could refute his logic. Thane huffed. "You really think I can teach this one how to fight?"
Kira flushed. "Are you insinuating that your skills aren't all that they're cracked up to be, sir Huntsman?" she asked sweetly. Thane glared at her and started to reply but Maksim cut him off. "She'll learn to fight, no problem. But at the moment, I think we had best start honing your magical talents, Highness." He ushered them down the tunnel, into a cavernous room filled with crystalline light. Kira's eyes widened, her annoyance at Thane forgotten. Diamonds glittered in the walls, scattering tiny rainbows around the room. It was breathtaking. It seemed the three dwarves had been living here for a time, there was a sort of rudimentary house set up in the open space. Maksim led Kira to a makeshift bed made of furs.
"I'm going to give you a special tea," he said, pulling a flask from his cloak and handing it to her. "It will help you sleep, but allow me to communicate with you while you're in the dream realm."
Kira hesitated before drinking. She was wary of entering the dream realm, but she sensed that she could trust the old dwarf. Even if she didn't believe that she was the champion of Mirador. She downed the tea, which tasted like peppermint, and laid back against the soft furs. Her eyes drifted shut and soon enough she was walking through the swirling fog of the dreamscape. Goosebumps prickled along her arms, and there was no sign of Meldry. Kira realized that she was deeper into the realm than she usually was when she entered. The mists parted to reveal a dark forest with twisted, dead black trees. This was the edge of the nightmare land. Dark things lurked here.
Panicked, Kira turned and tried to find her way back to safer territory. But the fog pressed in around her again, and when it cleared again she had been turned around, and now found herself among the trees. A twig snapped behind her, then another.
"Kira?" She heard Maksim's voice, but it floated to her like a ghostly echo. "Follow my voice, Kira. Just concentrate."
More twigs snapped and Kira saw shadows moving from the corner of her eye. Black Shucks. Huge, hellish dog-monsters that devoured souls. If a Shuck caught you in the dream realm, your body would die. The Shucks growled, circling her. Their fur was made of thorns and their eyes glowed white in the darkness, their red pupils seeming to burn. Terror made Kira's heart pound and she ran. She sprinted through the fog, trying to follow Maksim's voice. But the Shucks gave chase, their giant paws padding along the ground behind her as their piercing howls sent chills down her spine.
Kira focused, trying to will herself into a tamer section of the dream realm. A Shuck's massive paw landed a blow to her back, sending her sprawling. She rolled onto her back in time to see the beast standing over her, fangs bared. Kira felt frozen in place. Terror coursed through her as she realized that she was trapped in the dream realm.
"What could I possibly do against the queen?" she demanded. "She's a witch. Probably the most powerful witch that ever lived. I have no means to overthrow her."
"Now, child, I think we both know that's not entirely true." Maksim raised an eyebrow at her and Kira felt a flush creep up her neck. "You have some magic of your own," Maksim went on, a sly glint in his eyes.
"Nothing useful," Kira argued. "Nothing I can even really control."
"Nothing you can control yet," the dwarf corrected. "You're just in need of some training, that's all."
"Wait, wait," Thane interrupted, glancing from Maksim to Kira and back again with a look that was equal parts interest and suspicion. "What magic are you talking about? I've never heard anything about the princess possessing any magic."
"Well did you think I would announce it to you?" Kira said irritably. "I think the queen always hated me enough, without adding that little fact to the equation."
"We shouldn't linger here," Leit said, glancing around uneasily.
"Quite right," Maksim agreed. "We must go somewhere safer, then we'll talk." He rummaged through his pockets and produced a small leather pouch. He eyed the contents critically, then nodded, clearly satisfied with whatever he saw. "There should be just enough to get us to the mine. We'll be safe there, for a time."
"The mine?" Kira repeated, but then Maksim threw green powder in her face and all she could do was sneeze until she felt a jolt in her stomach and the entire world spun and tilted. Kira squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach lurching unpleasantly. As abruptly as it began, the strange sensation stopped. Kira cracked her eyes open, blinking in the sudden dimness.
"Where are we?" Her voice echoed back to her.
"We are in the diamond mine, my dear." Maksim clapped his hands and sconces along the wall lit up, casting flickering shadows across the rock walls. "This place has some enchantments on it still, put there when the queen first took control. They're weakened now, with no one left to tend them but we will be shielded from the queen's magic for a brief time. Now, then, Your Highness. As I was trying to tell you before, you are Mirador's champion. It seems only fitting, since you are the true ruler of this kingdom. Now I admit you're certainly not ready to face the queen just yet. That's what I'm here for. And as fate would have it, we also have along the best swordsman and archer in the land to help as well." He threw a sly glance in Thane's direction. The Huntsman immediately scowled and shook his head.
"I have no desire to get myself killed, dwarf."
"No? You disobeyed a direct order from your queen and fled her service. That seems like a death wish to me. But, if Kira defeats the queen, your life will no longer be in danger." The dwarf gave Thane an innocent look, and certainly no one could refute his logic. Thane huffed. "You really think I can teach this one how to fight?"
Kira flushed. "Are you insinuating that your skills aren't all that they're cracked up to be, sir Huntsman?" she asked sweetly. Thane glared at her and started to reply but Maksim cut him off. "She'll learn to fight, no problem. But at the moment, I think we had best start honing your magical talents, Highness." He ushered them down the tunnel, into a cavernous room filled with crystalline light. Kira's eyes widened, her annoyance at Thane forgotten. Diamonds glittered in the walls, scattering tiny rainbows around the room. It was breathtaking. It seemed the three dwarves had been living here for a time, there was a sort of rudimentary house set up in the open space. Maksim led Kira to a makeshift bed made of furs.
"I'm going to give you a special tea," he said, pulling a flask from his cloak and handing it to her. "It will help you sleep, but allow me to communicate with you while you're in the dream realm."
Kira hesitated before drinking. She was wary of entering the dream realm, but she sensed that she could trust the old dwarf. Even if she didn't believe that she was the champion of Mirador. She downed the tea, which tasted like peppermint, and laid back against the soft furs. Her eyes drifted shut and soon enough she was walking through the swirling fog of the dreamscape. Goosebumps prickled along her arms, and there was no sign of Meldry. Kira realized that she was deeper into the realm than she usually was when she entered. The mists parted to reveal a dark forest with twisted, dead black trees. This was the edge of the nightmare land. Dark things lurked here.
Panicked, Kira turned and tried to find her way back to safer territory. But the fog pressed in around her again, and when it cleared again she had been turned around, and now found herself among the trees. A twig snapped behind her, then another.
"Kira?" She heard Maksim's voice, but it floated to her like a ghostly echo. "Follow my voice, Kira. Just concentrate."
More twigs snapped and Kira saw shadows moving from the corner of her eye. Black Shucks. Huge, hellish dog-monsters that devoured souls. If a Shuck caught you in the dream realm, your body would die. The Shucks growled, circling her. Their fur was made of thorns and their eyes glowed white in the darkness, their red pupils seeming to burn. Terror made Kira's heart pound and she ran. She sprinted through the fog, trying to follow Maksim's voice. But the Shucks gave chase, their giant paws padding along the ground behind her as their piercing howls sent chills down her spine.
Kira focused, trying to will herself into a tamer section of the dream realm. A Shuck's massive paw landed a blow to her back, sending her sprawling. She rolled onto her back in time to see the beast standing over her, fangs bared. Kira felt frozen in place. Terror coursed through her as she realized that she was trapped in the dream realm.