DREAM SEQUENCE:

The setting is a nightmare. The sky is blood red but the stars are visible. Rivers of blood run through a great valley of corpses.

Loc is shirtless, beaten, and bloody and running through a swamp of blood in the valley. An angry mob of skinless townsfolk that are each bleeding profusely are chasing after him. They’re carrying torches and pitchforks.

Mob: After him! Hang the traitor!

Loc halts as he reaches the edge of a waterfall of blood. He’s panting. He looks back. The mob is closing in. He hesitates, then takes the plunge.

He’s carried down the waterfall and lands in a rather somber lake of blood. He swims to the shore and looks back at the mob that angrily stares at him from up top the waterfall. They’re not pursuing him.

Loc continues to traverse the land but freezes upon seeing something more hideous than his surroundings. The dead bodies of Aldrog, Gidget, Gideon, Tamar, Seth, Phoebe, Joshua, Smoke, and Bolt are spread about before him. They’re horrifically maimed but still quite recognizable.

Loc looks completely horrified. He backs away, rejecting what he’s seeing by shaking his head. A violent cold wind blows and a multitude of people crying out Loc’s name are heard in the wind. Loc flinches and turns to the direction it came from.

His draw drops upon seeing a blood covered Rivna hanging on a cross with the Soul Crystal fractured. Her forearms are gone and her legs from the knees down are missing.

Loc: Rivna!

Loc runs to her. Rivna slowly looks up. She utters a sentence to him buts it’s completely inaudible.

Before Loc can reach her she and the cross crumble to dust. Loc looks shocked and completely helpless. The winds grow more violent and Loc continuously hears a multitude of voices. He kneels, palming his temples from the intensity of the voices.

Old Man’s Voice: The Queen of Queens has stripped us of her mercy.

Woman’s Voice: Our beautiful world…

Man’s Voice: We have no food. No water…

Rivna’s Voice: This is the true world. The illusion has been broken.

Woman’s Voice: It’s time for your castration, Big Brother!

Loc: Stop!

Heldine’s Voice: I’ve killed her! I’ve killed her! I’ve killed her! I’ve finally killed her!

Man’s Voice: Who did this to us. Who is to blame?

Arran’s Voice: I will not rest until our great mother from beyond the stars is worshiped by all.

Woman’s Voice: It’s those two!

Tamar’s Voice: Please, stop this Loc! This crazy ambition of yours will destroy everything!

Old Woman’s Voice: The Iron Witch and the Warlock!

Aldrog’s Voice: Forgive me Your Majesty, in the end we all failed…

Man’s Voice: Kill them! Kill them to end this nightmare!

Loc: Make it stop!

Gideon’s Voice: My time has come, Nephew.

Queen of Queen’s Voice: Your kingdom never was, foolish boy.

Old Man’s Voice: The Queen of Queens has stripped us of her mercy.

Loc: Just stop!

The wind ceases, and Loc looks surprised that it suddenly stopped. He looks up and sees a tall woman fully clad in heavy jet black armor. She’s wearing a helmet that hides her face and a large black witch hat. She has a hand extended to Loc to help him up. He reluctantly takes her hand.

Loc: Who are you?

The Iron Witch: Your second chance.

Loc: My second chance?

An unseen tall figure cocks a large black pistol and holds it to the back of Loc’s head. He halts and raises his hands.

Loc: What is this?!

The Iron Witch: Only when you perish will the world be saved.

Loc: Wait--

The gun is fired…

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BACK TO PRESENT:

Loc awakes in a shoddy bed in a small underground candlelit room. He’s in a cold sweat.

Lady Agatha: Did you sleep well?

Startled, Loc looks to the corner of the room and sees a very old Iarlan Veguhl woman sitting in a rocking chair knitting. She’s blind and wearing a great big witch hat.

Upon sensing that she’s no immediate threat, Loc takes a deep breath and rubs his head.

Loc: No. Not at all.

Agatha chuckles.

Lady Agatha: Good.

Loc notices Hannah sitting in a chair and leaning on his bed asleep.

Lady Agatha: She never left your side for a second. She may be a rascal but deep down she has a very tender heart.

Loc: Who are you?

She smiles while continuing to knit.

Lady Agatha: I’m just an old relic from the past. One could even say the last living Soul Pact.

Chapter End