I open my eyes and stare at the dark sky.
But it isn’t the same fiery, night sky that cloaked the cemetery just moments before. Now the sky is blotched with stars, and wisps of gray clouds scatter across its length. A purple hue hangs in the air, casting an eerie glow over the surrounding land.
A bellowing roar cuts through the silence.
“I would suggest getting up if I were you,” says someone nearby.
I gingerly rise to my feet. My mind is hazy, and I feel nauseous. Next to me is a young man draped in black armor. He grasps a sword, and his helmet has two sharp horns twisting into the air.
“Can I trust you to stay right here?” He points to the black platform we’re standing on. “Can I?” he repeats, when I don’t answer.
The roar rings out once more.
“Damnit.” He runs off, but pauses and turns back towards me. “Please just stay here.”
He disappears into the darkness.
Yes, I’m confused.
Obviously, I realize I am no longer in the cemetery. But I have no idea where I am.
Jagged rocks surround me like a canyon, and the only thing in this barren gorge is the black platform I’m standing on. Ahead of me lies the path that the young man just departed down.
“Crap.” I try to keep myself from freaking out. “Crap, crap, crap.”
I pull out my cell phone to call Jensen, but discover I have no service. Frustrated, I drop the phone back into my pocket and replay the recent events inside my head.
You escaped, and I’m sure Jensen did, too. But how did I end up here? I was running back to help Jensen, when…yes, I heard a woman’s voice call my name. And that was it.
The distant sky explodes into a dazzling array of lights. And then screams echo all around me. My heart races once more.
I know that guy told me to stay here, but what the heck. I don’t know him. Could this just be another ploy to try to kill me?
I’d rather not wait around to find out.
I take off down the winding path, guided by the bright colors that are exploding into the sky at a greater frequency than before. A screech resonates through the canyon, piercing my ears in a deafening tone.
More screams fill the night’s void. The air has become thick, coating my nostrils with the pungent smell of burnt wood. I continue to rush down the twisting path, panicking as I start feeling trapped between the rocky walls. My breaths are shallow. My hair is sticking to my face.
I hear the sound of flames crackling nearby. More shouts emanate. I must be close to the source now.
The canyon gives way as I emerge into a new area. My mouth opens to scream, but my voice is paralyzed with fear. In front of me is an enormous sprawling courtyard, littered with metal debris and flaming wooden carts, spouting their black smoke into the air. Several lifeless bodies lay in contorted positions, some even missing limbs. Rows of tents are ablaze in fire while their inhabitants scurry to escape. They scream in agony as the green flames lick their bodies, charring them to black ashes.
And in the courtyard’s center stands a creature bellowing an earth-rattling roar. The humanoid beast towers high into the sky like a behemoth, spewing soot and fire from its nostrils and mouth. The head is shaped like that of a dragon, composed of blackened bone and a pair of twisting horns. Its eyes pierce across the courtyard like two burning ember coals, casting an iridescent glow on the ground beneath it.
The large, hulking body is consumed in green flames, and its arms are sprawled out to the side, spanning the length of several full-grown men. It rears its head back once more, rumbling out its bone-chilling call as it steps forward on its enormous, reptilian-like feet.
Oh, my God. I am frozen in place.
“You stupid girl!” A hand wraps around my arm and yanks me in its direction. “I told you to stay at the portal.” The same man that had been on the black platform with me, is now pulling me across the courtyard. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
I’m still unable to find my voice. Several men have approached the creature’s feet, and slash at them with swords and axes. A few yards back stands another group, and I watch in awe as their fireballs and ice bolts hurl towards the monster’s chest and crash into it with a thunderous explosion.
“Look out!”
Before anyone can respond to the warning, the creature smashes its claws onto the ground. A monstrous wall of green flames sweeps across the courtyard like a tsunami, engulfing the remaining fighters. I watch in horror as their bodies disintegrate into nothing.
We’re still running to the edge of the courtyard, when I’m pulled to a halt.
“Careful!” The man throws out his arm to catch me before I take another step.
The blood drains from my face as I realize there is nothing surrounding the courtyard but a black abyss. I’m balancing precariously on the edge.
“I…wha…”
“This time, will you promise me you’ll stay here?” He motions to a nearby boulder.
All I can do is nod.
“Good.” He pulls the sword from its sheath on his back.
His black armor reflects the flickering flames that now cover most of the courtyard. I can’t make out his face behind the helmet, but his eyes are glowing white through the slits.
I clamor behind the boulder as soon as he turns and runs off towards the beast. I realize that he and I are the only ones still alive in the courtyard, and a sinking feeling in my stomach makes me fear that soon it might just be me.
“Don’t worry. He knows what he’s doing.” A voice echoes from behind me.
My heart drops into my stomach as I spin around, half-expecting to see the Magician. But there’s no one there.
“I prefer anonymity in situations such as these,” says the disembodied voice. “My apologies. But I am more suited to the clandestine lifestyle than most. Ah, are you watching? Your friend is about to deal with this nuisance.”
Still unable to identify the source of the voice, I turn my attention back towards the man. He’s now standing in front of the monster, with his sword outstretched, pointing the tip at its fiery torso. He screams a loud cry as a bolt of black light bursts forth from the sword, piercing the monster’s chest. It throws back its head and snarls, ejecting its fire high into the air. The black beam spreads across the monster, entangling its limbs like gnarled vines, as the embers rain down onto the courtyard.
Within moments, the blackness has sealed the monster, and it’s frozen in place.
“Raggghhhhh!”
He plunges his sword into the monster’s leg. As he pulls it out, the creature shatters into a thousand black pieces which clatter to the ground like a broken mirror.
The dying embers crackle their melancholy tune across the courtyard as the air slowly clears. He sheaths his sword and walks back towards me.
“That,” he gestures over his shoulder, at the monster’s remains, “was a Shadow Dredger.” He shakes his head and sighs. “Unfortunately, the poor fool who conjured it had no idea what he was doing.” He pulls off his helmet and grins at me. “Which, luckily for you, was the best thing that could have happened tonight.”
I’m surprised to see that the face hiding under the helmet belongs to a young man who appears to be in his early twenties. His pale skin shines bright, like that of the sun reflecting off snow, and a glistening white hue glows around his eyes. His facial features are handsome, with high-set cheekbones and sharply defined jaw lines. But his thin, gray lips and pallid hair give him a sense of foreboding.
“Now…” he sighs, running his hand through his white hair, “…can we return to the topic of what a stupid girl you are?”
“That’s insulting.”
I’m still looking him over, and can’t help but notice how even after wearing a helmet, his white hair is styled perfectly.
“It’s the truth, Genevieve,” he says.
The sound of my name breaks my focus on his aesthetics.
“You know who—” He laughs.
“What’s so funny?” I raise my voice to be heard over his laughter.
He’s really starting to annoy me.
“You!” He laughs again. “Because you’re stupid. Of course I know you. Why would you assume I didn’t?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because I’ve never met you before,” I hiss, my face flushing. “You know what? You’re a real jerk. And you’re acting like I’m an imbecile for not knowing what the hell is going on around here. I mean, sure, thanks for saving me. But if this is how you’re going to treat me, then you and I have a real problem.”
“Oh, hush.” He groans. “Are you truly the girl that the future of Banewind depends upon?”
My heart drops into my stomach as I piece together what’s going on.
“This…this is Banewind.” I falter as my vision clouds, panic coursing through my body, and nausea rises into my throat.
“Yes.” He’s staring at me now, a smirk spreading across his lips. “Not the homecoming you were expecting, huh?”
“Where’s Jensen!” I recall the last time I saw him in the cemetery. “What have you done to him?”
“I haven’t done anything to him, Genevieve. He isn’t here.” The young man glares at me. “And by the way, that sounded accusatory.”
“It was meant to be,” I growl. “I want to go back home. Now.”
“All right, we obviously got off on the wrong foot.” He steps forward and extends his hand toward me. “My name is Kingston Starmantle, and I’m a friend of the Saint Clair family.”
I hesitate before grabbing his hand. “Genevieve DeWinter.”
I wait for him to respond.
When he doesn’t, I say, “So where are we exactly?”
“We are in the Voidlands.” He lets go of my hand and motions around us. “And this, Genevieve, is the Court of Anguish.”
I take in the surroundings, and see nothing but the abyss that lies below the land’s edge. In the distance, on the courtyard’s other side, is a towering black castle piercing the night’s sky. Its structure dominates the earth in dark shadows.
“How did I get here?” I whisper.
“You were sent here through a portal. No, not by me,” he says, before I can interject. “By a woman named Valkryn. She was at the cemetery with the Magician.”
I remember the woman’s voice shouting my name right before I disappeared.
“So how did you find me?”
“I didn’t find you. I came through the portal with you.” Kingston looks down at the ground, as if he’s embarrassed. “I was keeping an eye on you at the cemetery as well. When I realized what Valkryn was doing…well, I couldn’t let that happen, obviously.”
“So you’ve been following me, too. But why?”
“I was doing it as a favor.”
“A favor? A favor for who?”
“Just someone. Look, it doesn’t matter, does it? I kept you safe, and that’s what’s important.” He puts his helmet back on. “But now we have to get you home.”
“Ah, and that’s where I come in?”
The same voice from earlier echoes through the sky, but still there is no one else around us.
“Unfortunately, yes,” Kingston says. “Do you mind showing yourself, Naxx?”
“But certainly.”
The air nearby begins to stir. A figure appears in front of me, as if stepping out of another dimension. The form it takes resembles a human, but its body is nothing more than dark, swirling mist encased in a clear vessel. Its silver robe drapes down to the ground, barely touching the earth, giving the illusion that it’s hovering.
“There we are.” Its voice sounds distant, although it stands mere feet from me. “I apologize for any trepidation my appearance may have caused you, Lady Genevieve.” Its robe’s lavish sleeves brush against the ground as it bows to me. “I would have revealed myself sooner, but alas, the tension of battle does nothing but provide me constant angst.”
“It’s, um…it’s okay.” I try to be polite and make eye contact with it, but it has no distinguishable facial features.
“Oh! Why yes, of course, of course.” The purple mist swirling inside the humanoid vessel flutters around. “Where are my manners, dear girl? You know nothing of my kind, do you!”
“I, uh, I don’t. I’m sorry.”
“Please. No apology necessary.” It clears its throat—or at least, I think that’s what it’s doing. “My name is Naxxorius. But you, like so many others, may call me Naxx.”
“Naxx here is an elemental,” Kingston says. “He’s the result of Formulist magic. An artifact, if you will. They call themselves the Visidium.”
“Visidium?” I watch as Naxxorius crosses his arms. “So there are more of you?”
“Oh, heavens, yes.” Naxxorius says. “Hundreds of us, actually. You see, we are created from the essence of each school of magic. For example, I am made from shadow. Some from fire. Others, ice. You understand, ah?”
“Sure. But how do you…well, look the way you do?”
“You mean, my casing?” Naxxorius motions to his body. “These are man-made, my dear. Silversong Glass, the strongest material you’ll find in Banewind. When it was discovered that certain elements were…alive—for lack of a better word—the Formulists searched for a way to give us physical entities. After a period of manufacturing and prototypes, these elemental vessels were developed.” He chortles. “Although I can reassure you, as constructed as we may appear, each one of us is unique, with our own spirit and personality. We are very much our own working conscience.”
“I see.” I mean, really. What else is there to say?
“So,” Naxxorius turns his head towards Kingston, “I suppose this is the part where you pay me our agreed stipend?”
Kingston scoffs. “This is why I hate doing work with elementals like you.” He reaches into his armor below his neck, and pulls out a small brown sack. “Here’s your gold.”
Naxxorius extends his long, spider-like fingers until they are grasped around the bag.
“The foolish man’s way is the poor man’s brother, ah?” The elemental weighs the bag in his hand before stowing it in his robes. “Just remember all the good this is doing for Lady Genevieve.”
“Excuse me?” I look to Kingston.
“The portal you came in on routed you to the access point back in the gorge. You remember? It was that black platform you were on.”
“Okay.” I’m still not sure what he’s telling me.
“Well, I deactivated it once we were here so that nobody could follow us through. Which, unfortunately, means that we have to find another point to take you back home.”
“And where is that?” I say, afraid of his reply.
“Inside the Void Keep.” He laughs, gesturing to the black castle. “And trust me, that is the last place you want to be right now.”
I fail to see the humor in this situation.
“However,” he points his thumb at Naxxorius, “my frugal friend is lucky enough to have the ability to create access points from anywhere he wants.”
“And all for one flat-rate fee,” Naxxorius says. “You are just fortunate that I spend my idle time wandering around these decrepit lands.”
“Yeah. That, and everyone was dealing with the summoned Shadow Dredger.”
I can tell Kingston is smirking behind the helmet.
“I didn’t know how I was going to get Naxxorius from the Court of Anguish without drawing attention. But luckily, fate had a way of figuring that out for us.”
“Why would anyone summon that thing?” I shudder as I glance back at its ashen remains.
“Because the Court of Anguish is the training ground for the Dark Lady’s army.” Before I can ask another question, he holds up his hand. “I’m sorry, Genevieve. But now isn’t the time for this. You really have to go before she discovers you’re here.” Kingston nods to Naxxorius. “The access point, please.”
Naxxorius waves his hand over the ground, and a small mound of earth rises.
“Step onto it, Genevieve.” Kingston pulls out an octahedral-shaped crystal and holds it in front of him, grasping it between his hands.
I place my foot onto the darkened earth.
“Are you ready?” Kingston says.
“What is that?” I nod to the object.
“A portal key. I’m using it to send you home.”
“Am I going to see you again?”
The butterflies in my stomach have emerged, and are now zooming around in full frenzy.
“For your sake, Genevieve, I hope not.”
“Wait. What does that mean?”
“Good luck. Tell Jensen I said hello.”
“What does that mean!”
The world around me explodes into white as I feel myself disappear.