Our little caravan travels at a better time than I thought. Searl expects us to reach the city well before morning. That leaves us with the option of making camp for the night. It would mean we'd be well-rested when we entered the capital. Then we'll be ready to take action if things go south. I wonder if the others have the same thoughts.
"Can we please make camp? My tush is hurting from all this riding!" Toria blurted.
"It's so dark I can't see a thing beyond the torches!" Tonia snapped.
That answers my questions on this matter. "Can't you see in the dark or something? Your succubi...," I said.
"Sissel CAN see in the dark. We can't!" Toria snarled.
"Right, because she's a feline that can turn into a human form?" I asked.
"No, because she's familiar! She's supposed to see in the dark for us!" Tonia countered.
"Hmph! I can see in the dark because I AM a feline! Not because I'm familiar with you're familiar. Feline species are born able to see in the dark. We're not color-blind like canines either!" Sissel scolded.
"Well, if Searl thinks we should make camp, it's fine with me," I said.
"This area is safe to camp in. Patrols come this way regularly since both cities are so close," Searl said.
"Alright everyone, looks like we're not riding through the night. Let's stop here to make camp," I said.
Searl rides alongside me. "I'll take the first watch. You should rest with the others. If anything should happen, I'll wake you," he said.
"Okay, but keep an eye out for Dark Templars. They may know you left town," I said.
We both dismount our horses and help the others make camp. I stop for a moment and look up. The stars are more visible than in my world. Light pollution obscures most of the night sky except in remote areas. I don't need to be an astronomer to know this wasn't Earth. Any person who thought this was some parlor trick or hallucinations is a lost cause. 'I wonder how many people would love to be in my place right now? They wouldn't know what they would be getting themselves into. Reality is always harsher than fantasy.' I notice Cathy looking at the stars, too. She is tougher than she looks. A weaker person would have already broken from the shock of it all. 'Did she feel safer because of the armor? Searl probably noticed as well.'
"You should get some rest, milord," Lucianne whispered.
"I'm not by any means a lord," I said.
"Not yet...," she countered.
"Hey... look at that...," Cathy said.
I turn to see what has caught her attention. On the horizon, something is glowing. I fix my glasses to focus as best I can on what the light is. An orange or red glow. It is like embers of flames or, for a better description, a Sun.
"Isn't that over the river?" I asked.
"Yes, the Serene River," Lythienne answered.
The ball of light hangs there. It lights up the night sky. This was too bright to be a flare. 'Where would someone get a flare in this world, anyway? People from my world could be here. Still, this isn't a flare.' There's a familiarity with this anomaly. Since it's so far away. The details are unintelligible. From this distance, I can't know more. 'Was it some object? Possibly magic in nature? Dark Templars may be in the area.' A flash pulses from it. Much lower down, I spot three arched balls of red.
"What... those are flares!" I blurted.
An impossible thought crosses my mind. 'Oh, this can't be possible!' I open my backpack and hastily search through it.
"Damnit, I left my binoculars in the car!" I cursed.
"What's wrong???" Searl asked with concern.
"I need something to see farther!" I said.
"I can see farther...," Lythienne said.
"Oh, that's right. Elves have keen eyes like hawks or eagles," Lucianne replied.
I look Lucianne and Lythienne in the eyes. They could see the concern on my face. "Tell me exactly what you see, Lythienne. Every detail you can make out," I whispered, trying to be as calm as possible.
I didn't want her to know what I knew. I didn't want any of it to be true. Three flares are the standard warning of The United Allied Forces. It means to evacuate the area or stay away.
"I see a hole or orb of some kind. It's dark inside, I can't tell. Around the edges are flames, but they don't look like flames," she revealed.
"How big is it?" I questioned.
"Small, but it's getting bigger. Especially after that burst of light," she said.
"How far is that from us?" I said.
"A few hours' walk. Maybe an hour on a horse. From what I can see, it's over the river," Searl said.
Another flash and even I could tell it grew in size. The camp wasn't yet set. We have to move now. "Pack up as fast as you can now!" I yelled. "We have to put as much distance as we can fast!" I added.
"Why John? What is wrong?" Lucianne questioned.
"We'll be caught in the blast if we don't hurry. A breach is opening...," I revealed.
"Oh god no!" Cathy cried.
No one else says a word. They gather the supplies and prepare to leave. I hop back onto my horse. She knows the danger that's coming. I rub her mane to calm her down. It's only a matter of time before it happens. Everyone was ready to ride. We head for the capital.
YOU ARE READING
Domirella: The Surreal Succubi
AdventureJohn Thomas is the typical thirty-something nobody. He spent most of his life growing up being the underdog. From his time in elementary to his high school years, he endured the ridicule of bullies or being the ass end of someone's joke. To say he's...
