[Book II Chapter 23] Filia: Maven in the Evermist

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Fire fairies flying besides her, Filia sprinted through the mist. This fog never faded, fed by perpetual steam vents far below. It wasn’t so bad during the day, but visibility dropped to a dozen feet at night. Glancing back, she couldn’t see her companions, only the red specks accompanying them.

The Evermist was an isolated location. The nation of Remnant above had sealed all faults in the earth, and one had to travel all the way to Neon to reach the surface. Together with the impenetrable fog, it conveyed the feeling of being cut off from the world, which is why it’d been a land of fairies once, where they crossed over and danced in the mist. In those times, only in the Undermist did the Moonlit Lands hold sway. Then nine hundred years ago, the scales had been tipped irreversibly towards terror. There were no longer any playful sprites.

> Cici complained.

> Filia answered. She needed the galebat’s abilities.

She let out a high pitch screech, scoping her surroundings. They were out of the forest, traveling along a road flanked by fields. Although she couldn’t see them, beyond the wooden fences on both sides were flowers.

Shylilies were the region’s staple crop. Hating direct sunlight and requiring an otherworldly atmosphere, they were hard to grow anywhere else. The Evermist excelled at cultivating such rare mystical plants. It’s why it’s populated despite the risks.

Entire realities lay in the Ether, shaped by mankind’s hopes and dreams. The clearer their concepts and themes, the larger the land. One of the largest was the realm of nightmares, the Moonlit Lands, where every horror imaginable wandered.

The monster stalking Neon’s outskirts had come from there. Its denizens love this mist. Carol had identified it as a Bauk, a malicious bear-like creature. After tracking it down and dealing with it, they’d decided to proceed to their next location.

With another screech, Filia felt thick walls ahead, surrounded by trenches and wooden barricades. The village of Merrybell. Gargoyles lined the ramparts, and a ring of fires outside provided lookouts a better view.

Compared to other frontier towns, Merrybell’s defence and wards were on a higher level. Not surprising given the nature of the threats. Elsewhere death was the worst one could expect. Here, everyone knew there were fates worst than that.

Upon announcing themselves they were waved inside. A gruff village leader and his guards greeted them on a torch lit street. “You’re late.” He said angrily.

Filia and her teammates looked at each other. Sometimes the hardest part of fulfilling a quest was dealing with the quest giver. There’s nothing like risking life and limb for someone without an ounce of gratitude.

Zentrias attempted diplomacy, “We were busy resolving another case, and came directly after. I take it you want us to begin right away…?”

“Immediately.” The man replied impatiently.

We should’ve rested first. They’d pressed onward so they could hear the details and formulate a plan before bed. Tracking down a nightmare in the dark wasn’t part of their expectations. It’s been a long day and a long journey.

“Why don’t you start by telling us about the disappearances.” Carol suggested. “I know more than I care to about the Moonlit Lands and might have an idea what we are facing.”

The man nodded. Apparently, three days ago five children had gone missing while playing in a nearby field. No one had seen or heard anything. Not much to go off of…

“That’s not all.” The man continued. “Today, another boy vanished.”

Carol mouth opened in shock, “You let them outside again?”

“Of course not!” The man spoke with fury and pain. “We kept them all within the walls, but somehow we still lost another.”

This explains the mood. Even after doing everything in their power, it’d had proved useless. No wonder their faces were filled with frustration.

“Any idea what we are dealing with?” Zentrias asked.

“If it’s after children and capable of penetrating Merrybell’s wards without being detected…” Carol shivered. “It might be a Maven.”

The reaction was instantaneous. Several guards swore foully. Another cursed Jonathan Bark to a thousands deaths. Filia understood. Yet another monster popularized by the horror author. The immortal writer had almost single handedly cost Evermist residents their peaceful existence. Generations later, the grudge still held strong.

Carol sighed, “There’s a chance the boy is still alive, but he won’t be by morning. Is there a bog nearby?”

Before long, they had reached the wetlands. The others waited why Fillia spread her wings.

“It’ll be an isolated hut in the middle of nowhere.” Carol explained. “Return as soon as you find it.”

Filia took off, scouring the landscape for an artificial structure. The Maven was a witch in a novel by Jonanthan Bark. So many generations of children had been traumatized that she’d arisen as a primal of fear in the Moonlit Lands.

Primals were conceptual entities created by belief, either lesser gods or famous fictional figures. Their personalities were shaped by the legends and prayers which gave rise to them, but they were capable of evolving, forming their own wants and desires. There were two types: immaterial spirits who only occasionally manifested themselves and those with a multitude of incarnations with shared experiences. They were dealing with the latter tonight.

All witches in the Moonlit Lands were the Maven. Her lack of a defined physical form makes her ultimately unkillable. All we can do is send this latest version to the grave.

> Cici asked.

Filia nodded. The galebat had always hated scary stories. She eventually spotted a structure on a solitary island and guided the others there.

Reaching the foggy shore, Juda had them stop. “No way I’m fighting in this.” He declared.

The demon prince crafted a large magic circled, and greater fire sprites began pouring out. They disappeared into the mist and slowly the air grew warmer. Visibility improved, and soon they could see the entire Isle with the fairies circling overhead.

Carol had been busy with her own preparations. She’d summoned two dozen stringless marionettes. The creepy life-sized figures moved around in jerky, unnatural motions.

As a fearmancer, she formed packs with denizens of the Moonlit Lands, letting them feast on her fear. The rings she wore on her hands increased her phobias, making herself a better meal. In exchange, she could summon monstrosities to her aid.

> Happy declared. >

They made their way to a decrepit building she’d scouted. An elderly, ordinary looking woman came out. Ordinary enough to waltz through Merrybell’s gates.

"Ah... visitors." The woman said in a light tone. “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

Filia grimaced. It was rare for the Ether’s creatures to take human form. Only those at immortal level had the ability to do so naturally, and few exercised the option. However, denizens of the Moonlight Lands obeyed their own rules. Whatever inspires the greatest terror. Ever since the Maven was published, old crones had begun appearing in Evermist. They fed on the fear of victims… and on their bodies once they were done.

“We’re looking for children.” Carol announced. “Mind if we check inside?” Filia was impressed by Carol’s uncharacteristic composure. Must be her anger over the abductions.

“Go ahead,” The woman smirked, “but you might not find what you expect.”

Carol send a marionette to the door, and Filia averted her gaze. She had no desire to see what was inside. There was a creak of worn hinges, then an otherworldly shriek.

“Don’t look, it’s a… cockatrice…” Carol managed before turning to grey stone.

Closing her eyes, Filia instantly switched back to Cici and screeched. Inside the hut atop a pile of bones, a lizardly form was uncurling itself. The size of a large dog, it had a roosters head and talons, but a scaly body and wings. A cockatrice’s glare could petrify, and both Carol and Juda had been hit by the curse.

Grabing the two stone figures, Zentrias retreated and shouted, “Take care of the cockatrice!”

Just great. Filia felt the crone transform, growing in size and girth as her skin deformed hideously. She was glad she couldn’t see it.

The cockatrice scurried out and perched on the witch’s shoulders. “How do you like my lovely? Their stares sometimes struggle to have any effect against powerful individuals such as yourself——the blessing and whatnot——, but mine is special.”

Each Maven was unique in its own way, but they all excelled at hexes. This one had enchanted her pet’s magic to a scary level. Filia dreaded what else she might have up her sleeve.

“Won’t you open your eyes?” She continued. “Normally I preferred the young, but examining you… I hunger for some mature screams.”

“Wing slice.” Filia used Cici’s ability to release a concussive blast, intending the blow away the witch and her pet.

The maven waved her hand, and her attack deviated off course, annihilating some of the marionettes standing around uselessly.

“How?” Filia asked.

“Fate is a fickle thing.” The crone preened. “It’s not on your side tonight.”

An invisible forced struck Filia from the sides, knocking the air out of her lungs as she collided with a tree. Not good. She stumbled backwards and heard cracking of bark as the cockatrice struck where she’d been.

She managed another screech before another unseen blow sent her tumbling. She’s trying to blind me by robbing my breath. Filia dove into a group of puppets, weaving desperately from memory while trying to figure out what to do. The crone’s cackling was masking the cockatrice’s already stealthy movement.

Just then a ball of energy shot by and slammed into the Maven, exploding. Another flew over, and she realized it was a fairy pulsating with chaos magic. Laughing madly, it dove after the first, blasting the Maven again. Several more arrived and circled around waiting for their turn to detonate themselves.

Furious, the Maven backpedaled throwing curses. Meanwhile, the cockatrice hovered midair, unsure what to do about these small agile foes which were immune to its power. This is my chance.

“Wing slice.” Filia gathered all her might and unleashed an attack to big to dodge. The cockatrice rocketed into the hut’s wall and slumped to the ground.

“My lovely!” The Maven hollered. “You will regret that my dear. Oh, yes you will.”

An immense force descended on Filia, pressing her to ground. It was as though gravity’s pull had increased a hundred times. Unable to even crawl, Filia watched the Maven walk over, an enormous cleaver now in her hand. Behind her, a horde of bats was surging from the ground and fending off the fairies. Some reinforcements would be really nice.

As if answering her prayers, the marionettes sprung to life, shambling forwards to grab the Maven as she attempted to hack them apart.

Thank god. Destruction magic could disrupt enchantments. With the death of the cockatrice, Zentrias had been able to dispel its petrification.

Realizing she could move, Filia got to her knees and opened her eyes. The witch was pinned down under a deformed pile of human mannequins. If Carol picked them, they no doubt have some resistance to her hexes. Her companions arrived in short order, two of them in a foul mood. They surrounded the witch.

“This isn’t over.” The Maven warned. “It’s never over. This me may be young and inexperience, but my other selves not so much so. You best watch yourselves next we met.”

“We won’t be visiting the place they dwell, so that’s an encounter that will never happen.” Carol motioned and the puppets squeezed the witch harder, fracturing bones.

“It won’t be there.” The hag coughed with a smile. “We have foreseen it. Soon, soon the way will open. From our moonlit hills, the most glorious parade will march, and the screams of all in this mist will belong to us.”

“Maybe so,” Juda said quietly. “But this You will not live to see it.” The demon prince sent a spark flying, turning the marionette pile into a bonfire. The Maven was consumed in the flames, flailing madly.

They found the boy inside, alive but motionless. Filia healed his wounds with Velvet’s power. At least the physical ones.

“Will he ever recover from this?” She asked.

Carol nodded, “He will, because he won’t remember any of it.”

The fearmancer formed a magic circle and called forth an eerie creature made of a mismatch of animal parts. It had an elephant’s trunk, an ox’s tail, and tiger’s paws. Cunning and hunger shone in its eyes.

“Consume this boy’s memories of the last day.” Carol directed. “You should find it a tasty treat.”