After returning to Tuskdale, the next few months were quiet but uneasy. There was much to do cleaning up the damage from the war with Irovetti and politically restructuring Pitax, but they all knew there was one shoe left to drop. Tristian claimed the nexus on Bald Hilltop had been growing larger and more stable with each incursion. He suspected that the next event would be a large, strong assault for which they would need to be prepared. He also raised the possibility that, it the nexus was stable enough to remain open after the next invasion, they could use it to counter-invade into Nyrissa’s domain!
When the time came, the next invasion was indeed larger than any before. Nobles of the Wild Hunt supported by Jabberwocks!
But after they fought off the invaders, rather than remaining open the nexus surged and collapsed!
And upon returning to Tuskdale, they discovered why… There was no longer “a” nexus. Fey invaders were streaming in all over the kingdom! Absolute chaos as all settlements in the River Kingdoms were under siege!
The magical advisors all agreed that there was but one chance. While they all did their best to coordinate a response and battle back the fey, Darius and his cohort would travel to the western edge of Pitax, to an area called “The Thousand Voices”. There the veil between worlds was now weakest, and there they could most likely cross over into Nyrissa’s Realm. None had any idea what they might find there. But the only way to end this would be to deal with it at the source.
Darius and his companions set off – battling where necessary but trying not to engage the Fey overwhelming his Kingdom in the interests of speed. The Thousand Voices was the remains of an ancient castle. So old that none really remembered who had originally built it. And it was now utterly overrun with First World flora and fauna.
They fought their way through to a portal in the heart of the ruins, guarded by a lone Horned Hunter. But he had no interest in either conversation or combat, saying only that the Tane would deal with them as he stepped back into the portal. At which point two huge elder Jabberwocks appeared to either side, calling out their maddening cry and charging to attack!
Once they had put down the Jabberwocks, they stepped through the portal… And Darius instantly found himself alone in front of an odd mansion in the fey mists. In front of him was Evindra – Nyrissa’s sister who had promised aid in return for shelter.
Evindra told him that he was at “The House at the Edge of Time” – whose halls and rooms stretched through time, space, and worlds. She told him Nyrissa had taken all of his companions and advisors – anyone with a close connection – and imprisoned them throughout her Realm. She could see all, hear all, and be all here in her home, and he would have to find and rescue his companions before they met whatever fates she had planned for them – which would almost certainly involve using their fears and weaknesses to try to turn them against him.
The first order of business was to find and rescue his companions. Wandering through the halls of the mansion led him to many odd and disjointed environments. One hall led to a seemingly endless parched desert, in which Angelique was dying of thirst and withering away as Nyrissa taunted her. But she would not give in. She would not turn on Darius. And as he rushed towards her she smiled weakly, and the vision vanished.
As for Kwon himself, Nyrissa was trying another tack… attempting to seduce the young man. But he was laughing at her attempts, not at all reacting the way she expected. He was not nearly as vulnerable to enchantment as she assumed, and far too enamoured of another to take her seriously. He was only too happy to leave with Darius and Angelique as frustrated vision of Nyrissa vanished.
In another room they found Maha shellshocked, tormented by visions of a dying Kwon. But at his appearance she turned and spat at Nyrissa, and the Nymph vanished once again.
Most of Darius’ other companions and advisers were in similar predicaments – trapped in visions of their fears or tempted by desires. But every single one drew on the strength of their bond to him and to each other, and refused her threats and offers.
Deeper in the mansion they came upon an abandoned throne room, where they could see a vision of the recent past. Linzi was questioning Nyrissa and writing in her book, apparently taking notes to chronicle Nyrissa’s story. Suddenly, Nyrissa turned on her in anger “You think me a fool! Probing for clues while pretending serve me?” Linzi looked up defiantly at her. “I would never turn on Darius. Not for all the stories in the world”
“In that case, you may never leave your story again!” cried Nyrissa, and they watched in horror as Linzi was merged into her own journal.
With the vision ended, they rushed to the dais in front of the throne. and there found the book laying on the ground, just as in the vision.
Darius looked through the journal sadly, but suddenly frowned. New words were appearing as he read… It was Linzi! She told him they needed to find three keys hidden within the manor – held by three powerful fey. The Knurly Witch could be found in the basement, having fallen out of favor. The Wriggling Man could be found on the upper level, guarding Nyrissa’s Sanctum. And a being called the Vilderavn was hidden in the mists. Darius asked Kinzi if there was any way to restore her, but she said she knew of none. But she would continue to help however she could – he need only read her book.
They found the Knurly Witch as Linzi had predicted, skulking in the labyrinthian basement. She appeared none too fond of Nyrissa, having been surpassed by her rival the Wriggling Man. She claimed she would gladly give them her key if they first eliminated him. Since they would have to deal with him anyway, Darius agreed to the bargain.
Linzi told them that the Wriggling Man was a Wizard who had refused to die when his time had come, and now consisted of little more than the worms which had feasted on his remains. He was able to summon monstrous allies and dark magic, and should not be underestimated.
When they found the Wriggling Man he was quite unmistakable… but also quite unwilling to deal. He wanted them to slay the Knurly Witch for him, but promised little in return.
Negotiations soon broke down, and they foul being attacked in earnest – summoning hordes of Purple Worms to his aid!
As the others dealt with the worms, Darius soon found the the Wriggling Man was near invulnerable to most forms of damage. The worms simply joined back together after being torn apart.
Arcane Fire, however, proved plenty adequate to the task. Particularly when delivered internally….
They found the Wriggling Man’s Key under his ashes. But when they returned to the Knurly Witch, she smiled cruelly and laughed. “Now that you have kindly removed the upstart, I can once more regain the Lady’s favor. By eliminating you!” Darius could hardly consider this a surprise, given the nature of such Fey.
The Witch began summoning all manner of Dark Fey Beasts…
But a Storybook Witch in a world where stories have power could perhaps have chosen a better foe than a Water Witch….
After searching the hidden halls of the House, the eventually found a concealed portal to a pocket realm. The home of Nyrissa’s final lieutenant. The Wilderavn and his guardian Golems appeared frightening enough.
But Maha was more than happy to take out her frustrations on overgrown compost heaps…
And the shapeshifting Wilderavn proved to be not quite so adept at arcane enhanced swordplay as their own companion.
After acquiring the third key they headed up to the upper story to enter Nyrissa’s sanctum. As expected, she was waiting for them. But she appeared more resigned and tired than angry. “You die. I die. Either way this farce will finally be finished. Let us just get it over with.” But Darius responded, “I am not here to kill you, but to stop you. And with hope, to heal you. A battle will solve nothing.”
Nyrissa stared back, and the weariness of a 1000 year curse was stark. “I am beyond redemption. Beyond healing. But I wish this all to end. I surrender”.
To which Darius replied, “Then I offer you this, to restore what was taken from you and make you whole once again”. And held out the Briar Thorn, offering her back her soul.
She took it back in shock and wonder, and the transformation was almost physical. But rather than joy, it brought her pain. As 1,000 years of suppressed horror at what she had been made to do caught up with her all at once.
When she recovered her composure she wondered what she could possibly do know. To which Darius answered, “Heal, atone, and do your best to make amends”. But before she could respond, another figure appeared. The Lantern King. Furious as only an Eldest denied his plaything can be.
“I staged the performance, and you left it without a finale! You took away my precious toy, carefully crafted of despair and wrath! I could reduce you to dust… but instead I will repay you with your own coin!” And with that, he opened a portal rift and vanished.
Darius and Nyrissa stared at each other as his destination and purpose became clear. “He’s headed to your world, Darius. To your Kingdom. Bringing all his wrath with him…” And with that, they ran for the portal, desperate to stop the coming cataclysm.
Author’s Notes:
Having never been this far before, I hadn’t even realized there was another act after the House at the End of Time. With Nyrissa as an ally even. It will be interesting to see where that takes us!
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