Nameless: Pretty as a Picture

[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

All that was left of Silvain.

Nessa blinked back the tears as she watched her last ally turn into dust. Filled with rage she turned to the slowly approaching  Lord Warrior, whose helmet was now missing. A mess of long blonde hair contrasted against the pitch black armor and Nessa was surprised that the Lord Warrior had a familiar, feminine face.

"Gigal?" she asked with more than a hint of confusion.

"Hello sister," replied her old arena team mate, as she suddenly sprinted forward into an attack. Her emotions unchecked, Nessa countered it sluggishly and was too slow to evade the follow up, catching an armored shin to the face, knocking her out cold. When Nessa regained consciousness,  she found herself stripped of all her gear, her ankles and wrists chained to a single point to the floor behind her.

More troubling was that she found herself in an intricate magical cage, facing a canvas filled with monstrous shapes. Gigal stood nearby but she was busy talking with one of her Shadowstar minions while a few others chanted in an unknown tongue around her. Finally Gigal turned around as the panicked minion left the room in a hurry.

"Congratulations," she said as her gaze locked with Nessa's. "Thanks to your interference by damaging the urn, the plans of the Shadowstar here are ruined for now. Furthermore, with the costly battle against the deep ones that I can't help but thing you had a hand in starting - they are withdrawing entirely from this region."

"Gigal... why? Why are you helping them!?" asked Nessa angrily.

"Because they helped me escape. They gave me the the opportunity and the means to take down Tectuk and I did. Most importantly, because they didn't leave me behind." Nessa felt that last one was definitely directed at her. Gigal continued, "So now I'm going to do what the rest of you did to me. Your friend Jann was very forthcoming with his imprisonment techniques. I'm told time moves much slower for those inside a painting."

"Wait, Gigal... you can't be serious."

"You left me in a place where I was regularly abused and had to fight for my life. Now you will get to experience that. Forever."

"Please, no! Let me go, you can't do this!" begged Nessa.

With her middle finger raised in a final gesture to her captive, Gigal didn't even break her gaze as she gave the command to proceed. Nessa screamed as a bright flash of light engulfed her, and as it faded she was gone from her shackles and from the cage - transported into the picture with the horrible creatures within.

Nameless: Notaku

[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

"So, Drisana didn't make it huh?" said Notaku with disappointment after Nessa introduced him to her new party.

"Sorry Notaku. Tell us what happened here, what became of the Wizard King? Did anyone from our rebellion survive?" asked Nessa.

Notaku sighed. "Some cult from abroad arrived, Shadowstar they called themselves, and they ... assisted in the regime change. Rumor is someone caught Tectuk napping and made him into a pincushion of arrows. Those that join the cult are rewarded with riches and power. That's pretty much anyone who actually owns property in this city. Those that oppose are hunted down and killed. Everyone else is just fighting for scraps. All up it's the same as before, only now we are under the foot of a hydra instead of a dragon."

"Do you recognize this symbol," interrupted Florin as he held up the bloodied cloth.

Eyes wide with shock, Notaku immediately pushed his hand back down. "Don't go waving that around," he whispered angrily while trying to maintain a facade of normality. "This is a sigil of the new rebellion," he continued. "Some folk don't like the new order that's taken over after Tectuk was assassinated."

"Where can we find these 'folk'?" asked Buster bluntly.

"Underground in what is now called the 'Sorrows'. There are entrances to it via the many sewer ways around town - the closest being just there," said Notaku as he pointed the way with his chin. "Look for Arslan. Short, angry, bearded guy. Can't miss him."

With a nod of thanks, Florin and the others began heading off. Nessa lingered for a moment longer and asked him "After our rebellion... did Chaya make it?"

Notaku opened his mouth but stopped himself saying how the Wizard King had captured the blond warrior and subsequently used her as a public plaything for his army for weeks until her torturous death. "No," he ultimately said, deciding to omit all the details. Nessa nodded and left to catch up with the rest of the group.

Nameless: Victorious

[Day 9 of Blaugust 2015!]
[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

As they turned the corner to the front gate an arrow struck Nessa in the shoulder, dropping her to the floor. This seemed to wake Nerith up as she scrambled to drag her sister back into cover. While doing so, she saw that the gates had been breached with soldiers beginning to pour in. Only Chaya remained on her feet upon the parapet, somehow still fighting back the enemy horde. There was no way to get to her. On the other side the telltale clicks of the scorpion men grew ever closer and Nerith broke down into tears as she looked at her wounded sister. Having no more options she held her magical amulet in her hand and hugged Nessa.

In a flash they were suddenly in the midst of smoking debris and dead bodies. At first Nerith thought it didn't work, that they didn't get transported back to the Sand Market but upon closer inspection that was exactly where they were. "The Wizard King didn't take kindly to my helping you," said a sad, broken voice from behind some smoke.

As it cleared, Nerith saw that it was Drisana - the caravan mistress. She was covered in ash, beaten, and wore only what seemed to be dirty rags that didn't belong to her. The two women silently stared at each other for a moment before they both turned their attention to the injured Nessa and wordlessly removed the arrow and dressed the wound with fabrics torn from her sister's attire.

"What do we do know?" asked Nerith blankly as she blinked back tears.

"We start over," replied Drisana. "Somewhere else. Fortunately the soldiers didn't take from me what they couldn't find so I think I can get us passage across the sea."

"But the Wizard King..." began Nerith, with a clear edge of rage to her voice.

"The Wizard King has won," interrupted Drisana forcefully. "At least for now."

Without the heart to continue arguing, Nerith just looked back at her sleeping sister then across the smouldering field of debris.

Nameless: Buying Time

[Day 6 of Blaugust 2015!]
[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

With a gleeful smile on his face and a wave of his hand, King Tectuk shattered the glass tornado into smaller fragments but instead of them raining down on his own troops he sent them flying at an incredible speed towards those infidels that dared to defy him. "Retreat!" was all Chahl could yell as he soiled himself just before watching his own hand get dismembered by a shard of glass, followed by his leg and then... the rest of him.

It was not going well for the warriors below either, suffering massive losses from the glass rain. Those not being killed were pinned - taking cover behind rocky outcrops or Jasmine's magical shield as minced pieces of their leader and their friends rained down upon them. While the terrifying attack quickly passed, it did leave a field full of sharp glass pieces that would make any movement a risky affair, especially if they hoped to retreat into the walled village. With the enemy army having reformed ranks and again on the move towards them there was no choice but to try it though.

Concentrating on the path back, the blonde mage magically separated the top sand along with any glass pieces embedded on it to create a safe path through. "Go quickly," Jasmine ordered. "I don't know how long I can hold it." While the other survivors fell back in single file, Indas noticed that Jasmine herself wouldn't be able to move and concentrate at the same time so the huge lady waited to be the last one and simply decided to carry the mage with her. "Don't stop," she muttered through her broken teeth.

The enemy archers who were now in range began to fire arrows at the retreating column, hitting more than a few off the path into the glass riddled sand. Indas also took an arrow to the back, but simply shrugged off the pain until she made it to safety where other allies quickly treated the wound. With no more allies coming behind them, Jasmine put the "glassed" sand back on the path to hopefully buy some time before Nerith and Nessa shut and barred the gate. Exhausted from effort the sorceress sat down on the floor next to Indas and looked at the dwindling number of people they had left, including the archers Chaya was organizing on the parapet above her. Things did not look good.

Nameless: The Wizard King

[Day 5 of Blaugust 2015!]
[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

It was a few days after Notaku's caravan had departed that the army of the Wizard King Tectuk began nearing Tea Kettle. Observing from a high outcrop, Chahl was relieved that the merchant brought with him the few citizens who were unable or unwilling to fight. As the chief expected, Tectuk had sent his largest force to stamp out this village first since it was the largest threat, and realistically none of the smaller towns would be able to withstand the sheer number of soldiers that approached from the distant horizon. The short man instinctively ran his thumb over the ornate symbols upon a small ornate jug hanging from his waist, one he had found in his younger years while adventuring through a cursed temple. One that might be able to turn the tide.

The Sisters of the Sand, along with Jasmine, Chaya and most of the combined rebel warriors waited on the open sandy plains below. While it seemed foolish to engage such a large force outside the town walls, Chahl wanted to draw them in and bait an attack. Hiding behind the walls too early could just lead to a prolonged siege, during which time Tectuk's forces would have free reign to send raiding parties to the further villages.

The soldiers were drawing close now. While the two front lines continued to march onwards the remainder slowed to a halt. As Chahl predicted, there would be no diplomacy here. The first group were likely the rawest of Tectuk's recruits, being sent in to test the enemy, to tire them out, and as fodder for whatever traps may be waiting ahead. Chahl needed to trust that his warriors below could handle them. With clashes of steel and the crackling sound of magic he watched as the enemy force seemed to engulf his own, but like a weak chain they quickly fell one after another until none were left alive.

As his forces regrouped below, the chieftain turned his attention back to the rest of the massive army that had once again begun to move forward. It was time. He uncorked the small jug and from it formed a misty blue figure. "Destroy my enemies," commanded Chahl as he pointed at the Wizard King's forces. The spirit hummed then leaped down into the sands below and began to spin like a top before the enemy front line, blinding and pushing them with whips of sand. Chahl grinned as the spirit quickly became a massive tornado of sand that slowly began to move into the enemy ranks, throwing them around like rag dolls and killing many. Those fortunate enough to not be in the path quickly began to lose their morale.

Suddenly, the cloudy skies cleared as a massive, shining column of burning light shot down right atop the tornado and turned all the spinning sand into a gigantic glass monument. Everyone on the field stopped in awe at the magnificent sight. There, on a distant ridge was a figure in gold and white robes, seated a top a magnificent throne with one hand clutching a jeweled staff raised to the heavens. It was the Wizard King.

Nameless: Gedrin

[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

It didn't take long to reach Gedrin village, even with Jasmine's slight detour to collect and prepare a stone artifact to use against the sorcerer Wyrmias. For obvious reasons Jasmine opted to keep out of sight while the gladiatrices simply marched right in to the quaint and dusty town square, at the center of which stood a massive, four-armed but headless statue. Just as Jasmine had described, most of the men folk were out searching for what they already carried while the rest of the villagers seemed to walk around aimlessly in a trance, under a powerful spell of the evil sorcerer.

There were still a few armed soldiers, obviously Wyrmias' personal guard but they all just kept a watchful eye on the new comers from a distance. It was only when the trio stopped in front of the headless statue and unwrapped what Jasmine had given them that they started to spring to life. In mere seconds, a man in long robes, no doubt Wyrmias himself, appeared and walked quickly towards them.

"Do you really think this belongs up here?" asked Nerith loudly as she held up a grotesque statue head.

"Excuse me," said Wyrmias, staring at the statue head as if though it was the most precious thing in his life. "May I ask where you found this?"

"Oh, we just came upon it on the desert," lied Nessa. "Our tall friend suggested it might belong here."

"That it does!" exclaimed Wyrmias excitedly. "Now, if you would be so kind... please hand it over."

The girls feigned ignorance well as they hesitated.

"My apologies. I forgot to introduce myself," said the sorcerer. "I am Wyrmias, servant of King Tectuk. By law you must do anything I tell you to. Don't get any fancy ideas either. I've enslaved the minds of the women and children here and can kill all of them with but a thought before you can even draw your weapons. Now... give me the head."

As planned, Nerith silently handed it over while Nessa moved to block the view of the guards from what Indas was preparing to do.

"Finally! I have it!" Wyrmias laughed as magical energies flowed from his body to the statue head that he was re-attaching to the headless body. "I will be immortal!"

At the height of the energy transference, when the guards were most distracted by the light, is when Nerith and Indas struck: the first jamming a knife through Wyrmias' skull and the second smashing down on the weak spot of the statue head they had prepared with her hammer, causing the entire thing to crumble into a pile of dirt. With no vessel left to hold his essence, Wyrmias screamed as his energy particles were suddenly pulled in every direction until he was nothing. At that moment the spell he had cast on the entranced villagers was lifted.

The few guards that managed to react either found knives being thrown into them by Nessa or magical balls of fire by Jasmine who had been watching the events from hiding. Those that survived either fled or surrendered, the later being executed with a slow, burning death by the blonde mage they had abused and left to be eaten.

"Thank you again," said Jasmine as she watched the fire slowly die out on the blackened corpses. "If you ever need anything, of me or my people - please do not hesitate to ask."

Nameless: The Magic Number

[This is part of my Creative Writing Experiment.]

The sewers were much bigger than Ash thought they would be, so tall in fact that Indas could actually stand upright in most places. She was just glad that the huge, muscular woman could actually fit through the garbage pit near the arena's kitchens. It had been a few hours of walking blindly through the smelly, maze like tunnels since then but what was around the next turn would make all of them stop in their tracks.

Small campfires, makeshift tents from refuse and filthy, disheveled people going about their business - until one by one, they too suddenly saw their new visitors and stopped to stare. It occurred to Ash that having four women wearing close to nothing might cause some problems so she instinctively readied for combat with her companions following suit. It never came though as all the strangers just continued to stare silently with more than one leering pair of eyes scrutinizing every inch of their flesh. After a long, awkward silence an old man with a long bushy beard and plagued skin hobbled forward on his table-leg cane.

"Hello, fine ladies!" he coughed out with spittle spraying out of his mouth. It was hard to imagine how he managed to smell worse than the sewers they had already been traveling through. "It is rare that we get any visitors to our little community down here. I assume you are ... or were gladiators of the arena, yes?"

"We're just... passing through," answered Nerith from somewhere behind Ash. "Do you mind pointing us to the way out?"

"I'm sorry my dear," shrugged the old man. "You have just traded one prison for another. You see, there are only three ways out of here and all of them are heavily guarded, the first of which being where you came from."

"That doesn't make sense," interjected Nessa. "I thought the sewers ran through the entire city?"

"Not these ones," grinned the old man as he leant heavily on his cane. "These were special built. Weren't you curious as to why the guards didn't pursue you down here? It's because there is no need. They simply keep us in here for Dagolar."

"Dagolar?" asked Ash.

"He is a sorcerer working for King Tectuk, as you might expect since the Wizard King made it a point to execute all the sorcerers that refused to work for him. Dagolar is also our host, if you can call him that. He ensures we get food down here. Scraps really, but there's only so much one can forage here. In exchange a few of his guards take some of us every so often. Those that are taken are never seen or heard from again. That also happens to be the second way out."

"What's the last way out?" asked Nessa quickly. It was clear she didn't like the old man's odor.

"The tunnel to your left eventually leads to the farm land just outside the city, but as I said that too has no shortage of soldiers guarding it. Too many even for us," the old man gestured to the camp behind him.

"We still have to try," muttered Nessa as she began heading for the left tunnel.

"Ness wait," ordered Ash. "We can't just leave these people here!"

"Why not?" Nessa hissed back. "They've clearly already given up."

"Would you want to be stuck here forever?" countered Ash. Nessa let out a sigh of defeat.

"So tell me old man, how many guards does Dagolar send here at a time?"

The old man feebly raised four fingers and grinned.