ShipTeaser

  The far reaches of the Fae Realms are bleak ihe Raven Knight shook his head in disgust as his jaundiced yellow eyes surveyed the ndscape. The lush forests of the nd of the Fae had given way to dead groves of skeletal trees, bark bleached bone-white, leafless branches spread out like dead arms, weling visitors to death. A river ran beside him, though the water was bd filled with choking reeds and muck, and so cold, so terribly cold, that it was a wo was not frozen.

  “For me to be forced to e to this accursed pce…” he spoke, his words shogly loud in the silence around him. Pulling his bck-feathered wings around his body, he wondered where it had all gone wrong.

  I let my hatred of the Fae, especially their royal lines, blio my greater goal. I was just so angry that the White creature betrayed me. Yes, I sensed her endless hunger, but even so… we had a deal, bound by the power of a Roman God. Roman. He sneered bitterly. The Romans were no friends of his, but he could still admire their prowess at governance, battle and more. They ruled better than Grandfather ever did…

  “No, it is not my fault! It is simply impossible to remove the hatred from my heart. Many times I have been persecuted by the Fae, both the fair folk of the Seelie Court, and the dark, bitter creatures of the Unseelie.” He spoke as if to absolve himself, but it was mere hollow reassurance. “My father too, and grandfather, both were cheated by the Fae. In fact, my very birth…” angry now, he reached for the shattered sword at his waist. The bde was made of uhly metal, a son to a greater bde, but even that had not prevehe breaking of the metal, and only a few inches of jagged steel remaitached to the hilt, the metal glittering with ruddy spots and streaks uhe glowing light of the massive moon above. “Curse them all. Curse them!”

  Curse them. His thoughts naturally strayed to the past, and as he trudged through the dead nds surrounding him, searg for any sign he was close to the hidden, always moving realm he sought, he could almost see the distant past, his memories so clear it was as if she was before him again.

  “You shall never find success, dear nephew.” The speaker was fey and terrible, her beauty sure, pale skin and eyes that shifted colour from green to blue to brown, matg her hair that was at some times red, others a deep bck. “After all, your birth itself was a sin, aioher human nor Fae, yet not a half-breed either, like those foolish enough to fall for the honeyed words of the fair folk, or the dark sedu of the fallen ones. No, you are more half-human, half cursed.” She ughed then, her expression wicked aive, and he shuddered, having to drive the edge of his shattered sword into the flesh of his leg to keep from being mesmerised.

  “Oh, you are no fun, dear nephew.” She she stink of sorcery diminishing, aether dying around her. “So, you wish to know, do you? Why everything you try fails?”

  “Yes, great-aunt.” He had grated, bitterly regretting having to seek out this retive of his, ohat he held half-responsible for the ruin of his family, the unfair snders of history. Only half, though. The other was her, Fae whore who had meddled with his family from the start, setting them oh to ruin.

  “Great-aunt?” her voice hardened instantly, suddenly frigid as the winter in the northern mountains. “Do I look as old as that, nephew? Simply call me… aunt. I will not stand for anything else.”

  At her threatening tone, he had ceded, hating himself anew. “Yes… aunt.” he resolved then to think of her as such from now to the day he would finally his hands arouhroat and choke the life from her, if it would get him the answers he sought.

  “Very good.” She reached out a hand and stroked his cheek, and her skin was equally scalding and frigid, her ck of humanity clear through her touch. “My poor nephew, born under sufortuars. No, moons would be more apt. Yes.” She smiled, clearly enjoying his disfort. “I know your curse. It is the curse of self-destru, that pgued yrandfather and father. After all, they brought their own doom upon themselves. You shall do no less, my dear nephew.”

  He had screamed back then, insed. “No, it was the meddling from you and that Fae! Him too, the accursed so-called wisest master of the arts. It all started going wrong then!”

  “You are your father’s son, definitely.” His aunt smiled maliciously. “He was always bming others for his own sins and failures. Just like his father before him. And yrandmother, and mother…”

  “I will not hear you shem, not you as well! You should know the truth, not the false history that has been…”

  “Enough.” Her dread voice cut off his rants. “You are not to accuse me, nephew. You sought me out to know the truth, did you not? Well, the truth of your curse is, it is one of self-sabotage. All you attempt will fail, lest you find a way to unpick it from your very being.” She sniffed. “It is even beyoo untangle, loath as I am to admit it. The Dark Queen of Pandemonium, perhaps she could… though the price would be more than you are willing to pay, I dare say.”

  “Useless.” He had cried out in rage at his retive, and her gaze was cruel and g pity iurn.

  “Useless? I grant you information you o know, and this is how you thank me, dear nephew? I see we are done here. Begone. Do not darken my dain unless you have an attitude more befitting one seeking a favour.” With that she had raised a hand, and he was thrown out of her hidden home. As he was flung away by a surge of wind, the air glittering with a million jade and emerald sparks, he heard her st words to him, the st he had exged with her. “If you ever see your brother once again, give him my regards…”

  Shaking his head to rid them of unpleasant memories, the Raven Knight tinued his journey. “Perhaps I am accursed.” He snarled, darkness gathered around his body, shattering the tangled undergrowth that tried to hinder his path. “I let arrogance, in using Unseelie Arts when mere violence would have sufficed, allow that mortal brat and the whore daughter of Shaetanao to slip through my grasp. Though admittedly, I was far weaker, down in the shallow waters of the Boundary.” Here in the depths of the lower astral, his strength was nothing to mock, and as if to demonstrate, nces of glittering deep blue energy pierced the forest, trees colpsing, the few Fae animals that inhabited the barren, dead nds scattering, only to be ed, darkness reaping their lives.

  Regret is a painful thing. The Dark Rhyming Tree was an integral part of his pns, so he back. And apparently it had been offered to him, though he had barely listeo the words that creature White was saying, so ed by rage he was. When it came to matters of the Fae, it was impossible to keep his cool. It all started with them. No, I ot trust them. Never. His hands ched into fists, his breath rasping fast, rage boiling within at the very thought of it. I have waited over a millennia to succeed, I wait loo do it with my own hands, not rely on the charity of the Fae who started this mess, left me like… this. He spat, foul saliva staining the mud. No, when I do succeed, the Seelie, the Unseelie, all of them will regret what they did to my family, me. Though perhaps… maybe it was another bitter act of self-sabotage, turning aside what he needed as he hated the giver. Even so, it was impossible for him to ge now, not after so many long years of hatred. It was then he heard something, a series of soft movements, and with a sneer, hidden behind his mask, he called out.

  “The interruption was most wele, as I was wallowing in my bitter regrets, not for the first time. However, if you think me easy prey, I will show you the error of your judgement.”

  It was then that a group of foul goblins, clutg a series of cleavers, daggers and axes, all stained with foul, dark liquids, moved from the shadows into his sight. They were wearing long, red hats, simir to a or a jester, and their faces were twisted into leering grins of mog amusement.

  Red Caps? I see. It seems I have found who I was looking for. fident, the Raven Knight sighed. “Members of the Wild Hunt, I have e seeking an audieh your Huntmasters. I e bearing gifts of information the Hunt must surely seek to know.” He paused meaningfully. “Oh, and call back your Silent Hounds. I feel them.”

  The rgest goblin wasn’t wearing a red hat, but a be, orhe trailing fabric reag the ground. In one hand he held a ntern which burned with violet fmes. He stepped forwards, and the Raven Knight tensed.

  “Nah, hah. No.” the Bck Cap decred, waving his ntern, and the Raven Knight could feel a powerful, unusual energy radiating from it. “Those who ce upon the Wild Hunt must be hunted. It is why we exist!”

  At that the goblins hooted with mog ughter, and he could hear growls of amusement from the hidden Hounds as well. They dare mock me? How… aggravating. Well, I should have expected this. The Wild Hunt is even more belligerent than the Unseelie Court. I suppose a show of strength is necessary. Behind his beaked mask, his lips curled up into a smile, his yellow eyes gleaming with ferocity. “I see. Well, perhaps I should thank you. This might be what I o take my mind off…”

  “Sy him!” the Bck Cap howled, and the Red Caps rushed in, the Silent Hounds too.

  “Insolence! Allow me to finish speaking before you…” once more his words were cut off. A Red Cap swung at him, bde gleaming with dark poison, and he slid aside. “This is my true power!” he roared, and pierg feathers of blue energy glittered, spinning out like saw bdes, and the Red Cap was bisected, disiing. Howls and barks were heard as blood scattered like raindrops, the blizzard of feather-bdes around him striking down even invisible foes.

  Yes, if I could use my powers without being here in the Fae nds, that bitch daughter of the weasel would be dead. Though to think the White one said she was much stronger now, the mortal too, strong enough to trouble even her… he dodged a group of Red Caps, breathing out, a mist of corrosive energy starting to dissolve their skin. Space ed, as the Bck Cap waved his violet ntern, and the Raven Knight leapt aside, shoving a Red Cap into the path of the twisting space, watg with some amusement as it was crushed into a ball of gore, screaming all the while.

  “Curse you!” the Bck Cap hooted, enraged.

  I already am cursed, fool. His thoughts turned back to the White creature, that abomination he had pced his hopes in. As he unleashed dark bsts of energy aher-bdes, he realised that there were too many to kill in small numbers, so he resorted to Unseelie Arts. “First Weal. Gather From The Fallen.” At his words, wisps of blue light were pulled from the numerous dead and dying goblins and hounds. The White creature was greedy, but I do not think she was a liar. So, somehoathetic child of Shaetanao has grown strong. Impossible as it seems, it must be the case. Perhaps her mongrel bloodlines awakened in some strange synergy? “First Woe. Lake Of Vile Poison!” Around him the gathered energy radiated, the ground turning into a shimmering, shallow ke of acidic sludge. The Silent Hounds which had survived his bombardment of feathers were thrashing and writhing in the burning slime, giving him a great deal of satisfa.

  “Sed Weal. Under A Dark Moon.” Looking up at the empty skies, only the nigh ever-present moon filling it, he felt bathed in energy, strong enough to take on any foe. Though that is an illusion. There are many I ot face, even at my stro. Such as my dear aunt… and of course, debts have to be paid ba kind… Remembering the cruel backsh when he failed to kill the mortal who stole his Tree, the Raven Knight grabbed at a Red Cap, snapping its neck while it struggled. Tossing aside the dead creature, he stabbed out with his broken sword, finishing a dying hound. “Well then. Time to assuage my anger. Sed Woe. Jaws Of The Questi!”

  A surging toed maw erupted from the murk, many times greater in scale than what he had been able to jure iher-starved Boundary. His body burned, borrowed energy wrung from Unseelie Arts leaving, but this time there were no mistakes, no backsh. The t worm snatched numerous prey, teeth lohan spears pierg goblin and hound alike, hoisting them high into the sky as it swallowed, grinding them to bloody fragments.

  “You should have let me speak. I had no wish to kill so many members of the Wild Hunt, not when I bring information to trade. Well, so be it. I am used to setbacks.” Though this one hardly be bmed upon my unfortunate wyrd, my curse. No, this is merely idiotiger and rage. I uand it. “Farewell.” He closed his fist, and the Questi swallowed one final time, fading away, leaving silence… and one, solitary Bck Cap, who was injured, one arm gone, but still alive, his ntern wobbling in an unsteady hand as he gred at the Raven Knight with mali his eyes.

  “Oh, you survived? Impressive.” He mocked the lone survivor. “Though enough died to pay the woe many times over. So, are you ready to listen now? I have business with the…”

  “… Huntmasters, yes.” A growling voice said, and the Raven Knight spun, irritated at being interrupted again. His angry retorts died in this throat though, as the massive wolves, easily overtopping him i, strode forwards, eyes on him looking with a mixture of curiosity and anger.

  Barghests. Three of them. Winning is not impossible, but against three at once…

  “o be so tehe lead Barghest rumbled, before turning to the Bck Cap. “Run on home. We ’t afford to lose any more nterns. Now go, fool. I daresay your Packmaster will be wishing to discipline you.” At those words the goblin, already pale from blood-loss, bnched further, a ical sight due to the green skin it possessed.

  Watg it scuttle away, amused, tongue lolling out, dripping rivulets of drool, the Barghest barked a ugh. “Well, what brings the fabled Raven of Ill-Fortu to the very borders of the Fae nds, where all fear to tread? There must be a story here, hmm?”

  The other two barked their agreement, and the Raven Knight gathered himself. I have exhausted my options for allies. I o make this work. “Greetings, mighty Barghests. I… apologise for the violence, but I was forced to defend myself.” Apologising made him burn with anger, but even so, there was no other way. “All I wanted was to meet with the leaders of the Wild Hunt.”

  “Well, these are not the first deaths we have had retly.” One Barghest smirked. “Our attempts to pierce the borders of the Seelie Court have hardly gone well.”

  “But what does the famous Knight of the Ravens wish with us?” the barked.

  “Yes. Betrayed the Unseelie, hated by and loathes the Seelie. Poor little Raven, outcast everywhere you go.” The lead one chuckled, sl everywhere. “So, what brings you to our door, desperate and alone?”

  Ign their snders, true as they were, he took a deep breath. “I e tain. I have hat the Wild Hunt may find useful. Even more so if your Hunts have been failing tely.” I succeed. I am more than just my curse, my bitter wyrd! “I wa tidings of a lone and vulnerable member of the Seelie royal lines. Were you to capture her, the by-blow daughter of Prince Shaetanao, well, your opportunities for exploiting her would be endless.” Seo her father one piece at a time. That would be most fitting!

  The three Barghests were silent for a moment, and triumph stated swelling within his heart, before joyous ughter erupted from them. As he stood there, uneasy and w what was transpiring, the lead Barghest spoke. “Your tidings are te, Raven. Perhaps you should learn to fly faster.” As it tio mock him, the Raven Knight found the ao his fears.

  “The daughter of Shaetanao, she has returned in triumph to the Seelie Court, our infiltrators tell us.” he growled, furious. “Worse, somehow she has defeated Duke Myrcoxriath and the Spring of Clear Refles is once more ba Seelie hands.”

  The Spring? Impossible. Mind reeling, hopes crumbling, the Raven Knight protested. “That ot be, even if the White one said that she had grown strohat wastend of death is imperable, unquerable…”

  “So we thought, too.” The Barghest agreed. “It was most surprising. But we are not alone in thinking this way. We ot allow the Seelie Court tain its flories. And we are not alone in those thoughts. Several tribes of Fae who are lio her Court, much like you, Raven…” he sneered. “… have decided to e together, to plot an attack the likes of which has not been seen sihe st war between the Courts. Already, the Fomorian tribes who stood aside from the battle at Samandrastrae have seo join us, as have the Poison Nymphs, the Hobs, and many others…”

  As the Barghests spilled their information, the Raven Knight listened, rapt, not even w why they were sharing such with him, who had been their enemy mere moments before. When the pn was expined, he grinned, his mask hiding his joy. “Magnifit. It… it could work! It would y low not only the forces of the Seelie Court, but drawing in the Unseelie…” his mind raced, thinking of the permutations. “It carries risk though. A great risk…”

  “Of course. But we are the Wild Hunt. If the prey ot fight back, where is the sport in that?” the Barghest ughed, tongue lolling joyously. “So, your information might be stale, but your prowess is sure. Would you care to aid this endeavour? If so, ay a modest price. sider it a favour for a favour.”

  A modest price? A Dark Rhyming Tree, surely they secure me one… “Yes, I think I shall. After all, this is why I came here, to seek redress aribution. If possible, I would still like to speak to the Huntmasters. I have other information that might be… fresher.”

  “Of course, of course.” The Barghests spoke together. “Do follow us, and we shall find you suitable… hospitality.”

  Aunt, I wonder if you are dwelling within the Dark Court still? If so, will our paths cross again at st? If they do… will I be able to make you repent, for the cruel fate yht upon my father and mother?

  ShipTeaser