The Call of Nys #5 (Waverly Stump and The 7 Realms)

13 - W A V E R L Y

An overwhelming sense of terror held Waverly spellbound and managed to make her look braver than she felt when the creature began to move inside the mist that seemed to wrap around it like a fortress.

Her palms grew sweaty.

She could not see it per se, but a confusing silhouette left quick shadows against the mist, leading her to believe that it had to be a stupendously large thing.

"How hopeless you are!" It said in a voice that sounded much like one restricted by age-old cumulating mucus and left startling grumbles in its wake.

She stirred mentally, though her bones remained static. Each time the creature moved, her heart rate increased for fear that it would pounce. Should such a creature attempt to, there was no chance of survival. But since it sounded oddly conversational, she doubted it was ready to flatten her just yet.

"Hmm! An unlucky hero." It mused on. "I have little interest in how you came to be in this place. I see your light, mortal. It is weak, and oh, how weaker still it will become."

She forced herself to remember to blink, and when she did, tears rolled down. The inside of her eyes felt cold and stagnant, like water trapped under ice. "W-What are you?"

"I have no name, mortal, for none of your kind has ever encountered me. . ." It hummed. "You are the first to and definitely the last."

"How can that be?" Her limbs began to awaken, her feet unglued from the ground. "You dwell here and there are other things that live here too."

"Indeed." It agreed even though it sounded irritated. "Yet they never encounter me."

"How, then, have I managed to do so?" Although she was not at all interested in discovering how, she thought it best to keep the creature in conversation, untill she at least knew exactly what she was dealing with.

The mist sparked with an intense bluish flame then dulled. Again, the creature seemed to run past, broadcasting a brief shadow.

"You felt me. . . greatly." It did not sound so convinced.

All the while, she was quietly taking steps back to achieve a greater distance and a longer headstart should the monster decide on a chase. "I don't understand. Are you fear?"

The idea seemed unlikely because she had met Fear once long ago and it neither sounded nor looked anything like the monster before her.

"No." It denied, grumbling as if in deep thought over the matter. "No, I am not fear. I am something far greater and more ancient than that. I am what you mortal kind may call desire. You felt desire and allowed it lead you to me."

She swallowed nervously. "So, what now? Are you going to kill me?"

Its sinister chuckle made her skin crawl to the point of breaking apart.

"Desire can bring an end to mortality." It claimed. "As can fear. It is in your will to decide whether I kill you or not."

"Let me go then." She made to turn. The monster growled in vicious anger, bringing her to an instant halt. She gripped her dress tightly as it was the only thing within her grasp.

"It does not work like that," It snapped. "Mortal!"

"Wh-What would you have me do?"

Again, it laughed. "Can you not tell? And I thought the likes of you godly abominations were supposed to be in possession of greater intelligence than mere men."

"I can tell you're calling me stupid."

"You are stupid!" It snapped again, sending the ground into a brief tremor. "Stupider than any mortal I ever saw."