Elegy for a Star

CHAPTER SUMMARY - SPOILERS

After that, the world went black. When her vision was restored, the world looked dull and gray. Colorless city ruins stretched out in one direction, a forest of dead trees in another. Behind her was a mountain with a dark blotch floating above it, and ahead of her was a bright, thin shaft of light. Light at the end of the tunnel, almost. The ground was a rocky, cracked wasteland, full of crags and hills. If ever there was a sight that could suck the life and joy out of someone, it was this dismal place. Did it look like this all throughout the Black Sun?

A light wind seemed to whip around her from all kinds of directions, tossing about her clothing. Oddly, it seemed rather breezier than normal, and it forced Tess to take inventory of her clothing. Around her hips was little more than a ribbon of string, supporting two red-and-gold panels of cloth to cover the front and most of the back. Her hips, haunch and thighs were entirely exposed along the sides. Even a bit of the crease of her plump ass where it meets the thigh was showing. A stiff breeze would expose her, which gave Tess a squirmy feeling.

Around her torso was a red wrap that criss crossed her hefty chest and was supported around her back and the back of her neck. This left most of her shoulders, mid back and midriff visible. Other than that and a pair of calf-high traveler’s boots, Tess had nothing. She felt exposed, vulnerable and without anything to defend herself. If the void was going to change her clothing, couldn’t it have given her something more protective, or something to fight with? At the very least, despite the breeze, she didn’t feel cold. She was grateful for that.

“There she is,” came a voice from behind, “Over here!”

Mairaela was hurrying toward Tess, carrying a wooden bow already knocked with an arrow. She was dressed in a similarly skimpy outfit: Knee-high iron greaves that left her thighs exposed until covered by the short, green skirt she wore that occasionally bounced and exposed her lime-green panties beneath. Her top was covered with an iron plate across the right breast, strapped with leather across her back. The rest was green wool. Shoulders exposed, only brown arm warmers otherwise covered her. A golden crown of woven jewelry gave her an elegant, regal appearance.

Behind her, Joyona rushed in Tess’ direction, though it took a moment to recognize her. Covered from the waist up in black-and-gold armor with heavy pauldrons and layered plates, even her head was shielded by what resembled the maw of a black dragon, fangs and all. However impractical it was, her hips were exposed, as well as a section of upper thigh, before they were covered down to her feet by lobstered plate mail.

Tess’ mind scrambled for questions, but she only ended up with, “What is happening?”

“We’re in the Void. Or, well, your soul is,” Mairaela answered, “But a body isn’t much without a soul, so we need to make our way back to complete the test and, well, survive.”

“Where’s Gwen?” Tess asked, looking around.

“Haven’t found her yet,” Joyona replied, her head on a swivel. Was she searching for Gwen or for threats?

Tess’ heart sank and she looked around, trying to hear. There was nothing but the wind. She looked back at the other two and insisted, “We need to find her.”

“Of course,” Mairaela replied with an easy smile at first, but concern grew on her face after a time, “So… no gift, huh?”

Tess and Mairaela both were looking her over. Nothing but simple garb. “I guess not,” Tess replied, feeling like the swell of hope that Scirocca had given her was immediately deflated. She was supposed to have magic, but how was she supposed to use it? What if she needed to practice it? Why did Scirocca tell her to come here?

“This was incredibly dangerous, Tess,” Mairaela said with a frown, “Not only are you in danger, but because we do not have a capable fourth, we are all in danger.”

Tess sunk due to the scolding. The guilt weighed her down. She knew Mairaela was right. Gwen could be judgy, but the Fey was polite and gentle in all of her recent interactions, so to hear this disappointment from her hit especially hard. 

It was Joyona of all people who made her feel a little better. “Anyone, even giftless, can keep an eye and an ear out,” the armored woman said, “You are more than capable of helping. Just stick by me for protection and watch our flanks.”

“Thank you, Joyona,” Tess replied. She bowed her head to Mairaela and insisted, “And I’m sorry. I-.. I think this was the right thing for me to do, though. I can’t explain it.”

Mairaela nodded, though her smile didn’t convey that everything was peachy now. She said, “We’ll do what we can to keep you safe.”

Tess nodded her head, smoothing out the loincloth she was wearing and adjusting the wrap that barely contained her breasts. Mairaela seemed to notice Tess’ outfit and her cheeks turned a shade of red. Tess smiled at that. The Fey was awfully cute with a blush on her face.

“So, about Gwen…” Tess’ voice trailed off, hoping that someone else could point them in a good direction.

Joyona shook her head, “Neither of us have the survival gift.”

“I may be able to do something…” Mairaela spoke, taking an arrow from the quiver by her hip and notching it into the bow. She drew it back, aiming almost entirely upward, before loosing it into the sky. The arrow whistled as it ascended and was beyond Tess’ field of vision in an instant.

When she brought her gaze back down, she saw Mairaela, whose eyes were blank and white. “Mairaela?” Tess said with a worried expression. She reached out to shake the Fey by the shoulders.

Joyona stopped her, pushing aside Tess’ arms like they were noodles. “I think she’s looking through the arrow,” Joyona explained.

Tess was dumbfounded, “But how?”

“Archery gift. She can do the impossible with a bow and arrow.”

“And you?”

“We’ll see.”

The irises and pupils of Mairaela’s eyes returned and she snapped, “Ambush!” Immediately, the archer tackled Tess to the ground. A black stream of mist surged just above them, topped with a strange mask for its face. The mask was bone white, with misshapen eyes and spiraling horns, a fanged mouth, painted red, that smiled from ear to ear.

The sight gave Tess chills. The mask and black mist flew back toward the group, but Joyona intercepted its path. The giantess brought both arms up, crossing them over her head as she leaned into the mask’s charge and braced herself for a collision. The mask struck Joyona’s armor, sending the woman back a few steps and nearly off balance, but remarkably unharmed.

Tess watched the masked mist’s trajectory, as it headed up a nearby hill. Approaching from over the ridge was an even more terrible sight.

Twelve feet tall, with thin, lanky limbs and a body riddled with pustules and warts, a monster approached. It dragged its digitigrade legs and carried a set of metal shears that were as long as Joyona was tall. Upon the blade was a coating of blood, and the severed limbs it wore upon its belt was testament to the creature’s proficiency with such a weapon.

The mask slammed into the creature’s head, becoming its face, while the black mist formed into a long shadow of hair that streamed behind it as it walked.

“What the fuck is that,” Tess spoke with wide eyes, hands shaking as the adrenaline coursed through her body and her mind screamed at her to run.

“Tess,” she heard in her mind. It was Miri. “Tess, let me out. You feel it, right? That switch in the back of your mind. You can unleash me. Let me take over. I’m better than you at this.” There was a sense of urgency scratching at her mind, “I’ll take care of it. Of us.”

“No,” Tess snapped, focusing her voice inward, “I can’t trust you.”

“What are you talking about, Tess?” Joyona said, drawing her axe and moving to stand in front of the both of them. She let out a yell and her skin began to glow a golden hue. “Stay behind me,” she commanded, axe in both of her hands.

Tess could hear the familiar sound of shears opening, a grating, rusty noise as metal squealed upon metal and then snapped shut. Tess kept her head down, but she could hear giantess grunt, and the Fey screaming Joyona’s name.