The Wicked Solstice

Chapter 2

The Monster

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     I heard birds chirping. That was the first thing I remembered apart from the searing pain in my body. I knew I had to be in Heaven because there were no birds in Landria, at least not after the war. However, I also knew there wasn't supposed to be any pain in Heaven. So, where was I?

"Welcome, Oceana Howl," a deep voice spoke that sent more electricity through me. It was as if the voice was powerful and bound by deep magic that rattled my soul. Although I wasn't familiar with magic, I was familiar with the hum that surrounded the elders. But this magic was different. It wasn't a hum, it was a loud ringing that shook me to the core. It also reminded me of my throbbing head, and I slowly opened my eyes to see where I was.

The last thing I remembered was whispering death to all before the wall of darkness crushed me under its electric weight. I expected instant death or a death that would leave me screaming and lashing out in pain. However, I was still alive. I wondered if they were keeping me alive to sacrifice me later in a demeaning and derogatory way. I accepted death as the elders pushed me through the wall with their magic, why did they have to extend my execution any longer? I could still feel the tears on my cheeks, and I knew only moments had passed since I came through the wall.

As my eyes adjusted to the light, I saw a man standing over me. He looked like an ordinary man except for his clothes. He wasn't wearing what the men in Nortadane wear, but instead he wore armor as if he just walked off a battlefield. However, I could tell this wasn't ordinary armor. It was engraved with silver embellishments all over the chest and legs as if this was a uniform. But he looked like a man.

He had dark hair trimmed around his ears, golden eyes that stared coldly at me, sharp cheekbones, and a mouth pressed in a thin line as if he was annoyed that I was there. Although his words bid me welcome, I could tell the rest of him did not match what he said.

What was even more confusing was how bright it was. Where the sun never shone directly on Nortadane, the sun was glistening and bright above us. I couldn't have crossed the dark wall, for none of this made any sense.

"Allow me to help you up," he offered as he extended his hand. His facial expression was still cold, but I reached out and allowed him to help me to my feet. I was unsteady from the electricity buzzing around me, the pain in my body from the elders restricting me, and my head throbbing from having fallen on it only hours ago. "My name is Sir Chefford, and I will assist you to the House," he told me so casually, that I almost fainted.

My knees buckled under me, but his steady hands helped me up once more.

"Easy there, it's not easy for humans to come through the barrier. Especially humans who haven't had the chance to practice their magic."

I looked up at him—wanting to ask him so many questions—but I quickly glanced away. There was no need to ask questions when I clearly was in another world. This couldn't be the same Landria I grew up in, the same country that told me nothing was beyond the wall of darkness except flesh-eating monsters and darkness. None of this made sense, but I was too fearful to speak.

"I know what the humans say about us," he spoke up after a moment, "they teach one another to fear us, to fear the wall, and to fear what's beyond. However, you should never fear something simply because you're told to. You should only fear what you know to be fearful, otherwise, you waste your fear when it could be replaced with courage. Life here is far different from what you know, Oceana. Yes, we have pillaged and raided your land, but we were once human too. Everything that was yours was ours also. And, yes, we did feast on the bodies of many humans, but those humans wanted to suppress magic, suppress us, and keep Landria in darkness. We are not the darkness that you should fear, but the past Landria the humans uphold and the elders that instill these thoughts in their minds are what you should fear. Here, you will know your enemies, you will know who to trust, and you will see the truth."