Noel didn’t know for how long she cried. Eventually, though, she stopped. She was done and now just lay on the concrete of the wharf, her limp arm covering her eyes, mind empty of thought. 

“So, have you finished crying?”

The voice echoed through Noel’s head, penetrating the emptiness with a stab of icy familiarity. Despite her soreness, she sat bolt upright, her eyes searching for Darris. 

But it wasn’t Darris. Instead, her eyes set on an ugly man squatting in front of her, his arms hugging his knees as he watched her with black eyes. His shoulders were covered in what looked like a blanket, the same brown as his translucent skin. He flashed her a painful smile as she sat up. He looked human, but there was something off about him that she couldn’t put into words. He just looked… wrong. Then, the blanket moved, revealing it to be a pair of wings resembling a bat’s. Noel watched him with something that felt close to disgust.

“Ugh, what the hell are you?”

That had slipped out before Noel could think. She clapped a hand to her mouth. That slip-up might have just cost Noel her life. The creature did not look offended, however. 

“That’s okay. I’m used to it.” He stood up. He looked much smaller when he was squatting. He was about as tall as Noel by the look of it, and he was naked except for a filthy loincloth that mercifully covered his unmentionables. The creature proffered a brown hand to her. “Here, let me help you up.” His smile revealed a set of regular human teeth. But he couldn’t be human, not with those wings on his back. 

Noel looked at the skeletal hand, then shook her head.

Once again, the creature did not look upset. “Alright, I understand.” He went back to his squat, draping his wings over his shoulder. “To answer your question, my name is Noren. I’m what’s known as an Imp, born only to serve my master.”

“Uh-huh,” said Noel slowly, “Just how long have you been watching me?”

Noren touched a bony finger to his chin and screwed up his face to think. “I don’t know. Time is strange between realms. I do know that you were asleep when I arrived.”

Noel looked at him dully. That meant he had been there watching her as she cried her eyes out. And she hadn’t felt his presence at all. Noel wanted to shiver, but she couldn’t summon the energy to do it. She looked around for her staff to defend herself. It was then that Noel noticed that she was wearing her regular clothes. And she had no shoes or socks on.

“If you’re looking for your weapon, I’m afraid my master took it.” He rested his head on his knees and looked forlornly at her. “He didn’t say to tell you that, but I thought it was right for you to know. He’ll give it back to you if he doesn’t succeed, along with your little friend. Don’t tell him I told you.”

Something stirred in Noel. Succeed at what? She presumed the “master” he was talking about was Darris. What could he want to succeed at? Then there was the “little friend” Noren mentioned. It just had to be—Noel jumped to her feet; all other thoughts vanished from her mind. “You mean Azrath, right? He’s alive?!”

Noren nodded, “And you’d better act surprised when he gets here, or I’ll get in trouble. I just know it.”

Still, she managed to feel a great weight lift from her shoulders. “Thank God. Thank you, God!” A wave of relief washed over Noel. She expected the emptiness in her chest to fill. It didn’t. But it didn’t matter. He’s alive!

“I probably shouldn’t have told you that. It’s just that you looked so sad.”

Noel regarded Noren with muted curiosity. Between the two of them, the creature looked far sadder. Really, what was this thing? He called himself an Imp, but that didn’t exactly give her any more information. 

“You said you were born to serve Darris?”

“Oh, yes,” said Noren, looking about as pleased as his twisted face would allow, then it faded as he looked at Noel’s expression, “But please, don’t judge my master so harshly. He’s a good man.”

Something resembling anger sparked in Noel. She rose to her feet. “A good man? Are you serious? Don’t you know what he’s capable of? What he’s done?!” 

The Imp did not flinch as Noel’s voice rose. “Yes. I know.”

“Do you?!” She thrust a finger towards where the dead man lay. “Look at him. Look at what your “master” did to him! That’s not something a good person would do!”

Slowly, Noren took his eyes off Noel to look where she was pointing. Then he looked back at her, looking even more pathetic. “It’s true that he has lost his way. I’m no fool. But I’m proof enough that his heart still beats nobly. Even if he chooses not to listen.”

Noel just stared at Noren. She forgot her anger for a moment. What does that mean? What does Noren’s existence prove? She ignored that and thought back to the look Darris had given her after stopping Heaven’s Wrath. That strange look had caused his eye to dilate. No, she refused even to consider Noren’s words. It didn’t matter if his heart was noble or not. Actions were more important.

She fixed Noren with an icy stare, though the hollowness only gave it the strength of a light frost. 

Noren shrugged, “Believe me or don’t. Either way, my master has his sights on you. And once he does that, there’s no escape.”

“Too true.” 

Noel jumped at that voice, though Noren remained motionless. She looked over to see two people emerging from a wall of green light. One was Darris, hands behind his back as his eyes glared coldly at Noren. Other than that, he gave no sign of how much of their conversation he had heard. The other man, if she could call him that, was just as intimidating with his relaxed muscular build as he held something that wiggled violently between black-gloved hands. Noel couldn’t quite tell what it was, but it was brown, scaly, and about the same length as its captor. Darris’s companion was far shorter, human-sized at maybe six and a half feet, maybe shorter. The grey demon looked quite proper with neat clothes and hair, almost like a butler from Hell.

The two men came to a stop, standing side by side. Darris didn’t take his eyes off Noren, but he directed his next words at Noel. “So, you’re awake. Hope, you’re feeling rested.”

Noel studied Darris’s eyes carefully. But they were impossible to read. At the very least, there was none of the nobility that Noren claimed. This was made especially clear when Darris spoke to Noren, “Go. Get out of my sight.” The venom in Darris’s soft voice was enough to kill an elephant. However, it seemed not to work on Noren as the Imp bowed with a smile. And, with that, Noren slunk away and went silently through the portal, the green light disappearing with him.

Darris watched Noren go with that same cold impassibility. But as soon as the Imp was gone, his expression lightened, and a smile emerged. His eyes turned toward her. They pierced straight into her soul.

“Well then, I hope you’re ready, Noel.”

Noel felt a chill run down her spine at her name coming from his lips. She swallowed.

“H-how—”

“—do I know your name?” Darris finished. His left hand emerged from behind his back, where Azrath sat on his palm, looking deeply ashamed but otherwise unharmed. “Your little friend here told me much. Oh, so much.”

When Azrath saw Noel, he buried his face beneath his wing in shame.

“Azrath…” It didn’t matter that Noren had told her he was alive. It didn’t matter what he had told Darris. At that moment, all Noel wanted to do was hold her friend and never let go.

No, she needed to.

She held her arms out to him. “Please.”

He glanced at her from under his wing. And for a moment, he looked like he was about to fly away from her.

Then Darris spoke, “Go on. She’s waited long enough.”

With that, Azrath took off and flew straight into Noel’s waiting arms.

“I’m sorry, Noel! So, so, sorry!”

His body shook as he sobbed into her shoulder. Even Noel, who thought she had cried all there was to cry, shed a few tears as she buried her face into his fur. She could smell salt and some other awful smell, but she didn’t care as her arms wrapped tighter around him.

“I know.”

They said nothing more as she hugged him for what felt like forever until a clattering noise broke the moment.

Noel looked at the source to see the golden pen glittering innocently on the ground. Then she looked up at Darris, who was also staring at the pen. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips thin as he radiated frustration like an aura.

“That cursed Urzuran,” he seethed as his hands tightened into fists, “no matter what I did, I could not sever the connection.” His eyes shifted back to Noel, “Well, girl. It seems that you remain a prisoner of fate.” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath through his nose, fists trembling. Then he exhaled, his hands becoming slack. His eyes opened, a deep resolve burning within them. “But it no longer matters. If I cannot free you from Urzuran’s vile clutches, I must obtain his power another way.”

Noel flinched. This was it; this was where she would die.

“Do you want me to kill you, girl?”

That caught her off guard. “Excuse me?”

“Your face tells me you’re waiting for me to kill you. Would you like me to?”

Azrath squeaked. “Of course, she doesn’t! What are you—?

“Did I ask you, bird?” Darris’s voice was calm as he turned his gaze to Azrath. Even so, Azrath flinched as if he had screamed at him. “I want to hear it from her. Don’t you dare speak on her behalf.”

Azrath went silent and looked at the ground. What had happened between the two of them while she was out? Darris’s voice grabbed Noel’s attention.

“I’ll ask again. Do you want me to kill you, girl?”

Noel wondered why Darris was bothering to ask her this. After a moment, she shook her head. It was the obvious answer, but it was more difficult to do than she thought.

“Very well then,” Darris snapped his fingers, “Oriander.”

The butler stepped forward; the scaly thing still thrashed silently in his clutches.

Darris reached into his pocket and pulled out the silver fragment of Uzuran’s sword. “I’ve had a great deal of time to think about what will happen next, girl.” The piece glittered and flashed as it danced between Darris’s fingers. He began to pace. “I thought, what should I do with the girl cursed by fate? The best option would have been to sever the connection between her and Urzuran and set her free, but as I said, that seems impossible. For now.”

He flicked the piece upward, where it flew at least ten feet and caught it midair as it returned to him. Noel noticed the veins in his hand flare as his grip tightened on the piece. His eyebrow twitched. It seemed he could not completely suppress his anger. But Darris’ voice was as calm as ever as he continued.

“It would be easy to kill her, I thought. End her suffering and take the power and all its fragments for myself. But then I thought, why not give her a chance? Why not let her prove her worth? Fight for her right to life.”

Noel stared at Darris, unable to connect what Darris was saying. “Fight?”

“Indeed,” said Darris, nodding, “You are now my prisoner. And while I have you, you are a slave to my will.”

No way…

She stiffened as she looked down at Azrath, who refused to meet her gaze again. He looked so defeated.

Noel’s arms fell to her sides. She didn’t intend to drop Azrath, but her body went numb at that moment. Azrath caught himself and managed to stay in the air. Noel barely noticed.

Darris was looking down at her, face impassable once again. Then he looked at his hand, opening it to look at his palm. “I’ve been debating what to do with this. I myself have no use for it, so why not? Here you are.” He lowered his hand to her eye level so that she could see the shimmering square.

Now that she got a closer look, Noel saw that it resembled some sort of buckle, maybe for a belt or shoe. Noel hesitated, eyes shifting between the silver piece and Darris’s face. Darris flashed her a small smile. “Go on, girl, take it. It’s yours.”

Usually, Noel’s first impulse would have been to rebel for the sake of it, even with the emptiness in her chest. But as she continued to look at the piece, she felt any fight she had, leave her. In fact, she couldn’t take her eyes off it. She felt drawn to it. It was like a magnetic pull compelling her hand to lift and reach out toward the piece.

“Then again,” Just as her fingers approached his palm, Darris’s own fingers curled back closed, hiding the piece from her gaze. “Why should I just give it to you? Perhaps I should treat you like a proper Ahngreel and make you earn it.” Noel jumped as whatever hold the piece had over her was broken. She looked up at Darris, whose eyes were shrewdly staring at his closed hand. “I wouldn’t want to make it easy for you. Otherwise…” He trailed off as his eyes remained fixed on his fist and the power hidden beneath it. He broke his gaze and looked back at Noel. “I need to know that you want it. And not the other way ‘round. So instead—”

He turned toward Oriander, who had stoically stood in silence until now. Oriander wordlessly shifted his grip, exposing the head of an extremely ugly lizard. The nostrils of its squashed snout flared as its muddy brown eyes rolled in what seemed like every direction at once. Its jaws opened as a long, grey tongue shot out, lashing like a whip at Darris, who appeared to teleport out of harm’s way.

The creature’s tongue continued to whip about, raking across the hand Oriander was using to secure its neck. There was a sizzling sound and a most unpleasant burning smell as the black leather glove began to melt the instant the lizard’s tongue brushed it. The grey skin beneath the glove also began to melt slightly, discoloring as a rust-colored liquid dripped from Oriander’s hand and onto the lizard’s scales. As soon as the bubbling liquid hit its body, the lizard began to thrash even more violently. Noel couldn’t tell if it was the saliva or what must be Oriander’s blood that was smoking.

For his part, Oriander gave no reaction to his skin melting off. He remained steady as Darris dropped the piece straight into the creature’s gaping maw. The lizard closed its mouth briefly to swallow, then resumed its thrashing.

Azrath cried out, “What do you think you’re doing?!”

Darris grinned. “Making her earn it.”

Oriander lowered the creature to the ground, keeping it pinned with his injured hand.

Now that it was splayed on the concrete, Noel got a good look at the creature in front of her. It was the largest lizard she had ever seen! It was bigger and wider than her—over six feet long, including its stumpy tail. The lizard wasn’t elegant or sleek but flat and rough, the color of granite. If it hadn’t been sitting on the light concrete with the lamps shining directly upon it, it could have been mistaken for a very ugly rock.

“This,” said Darris, “is what is known as a ginkrat. Considered to be the lowliest creature in all of Sohaud. I thought it would make a perfect first opponent for your training.”

“My training?”

“Indeed. If you are to be the holder of Urzuran’s power, then it would be best for you to grow into it, so to speak. The ginkrat is rather weak and unintelligent. It’s mostly a scavenger, one that will target the easiest prey first. It also is able to digest whatever it can get its mouth on. And its saliva is highly corrosive and breaks down anything it touches. Absolutely anything. Be that flesh, stone, even metal.”

Azrath gasped. “T-then the piece—”

“—is still intact. Its power is currently protecting it. However, it won’t stay that way forever. Just how long it will last in the ginkrat’s stomach, I don’t know. So, you’d best hurry and retrieve it before it dissolves, shouldn’t you?”

But Noel didn’t move. She couldn’t move. Her knees felt glued to the ground.

The other three were watching her. Darris expectant, Azrath worried, and Oriander’s bushy, rust-colored eyebrows were knitted in curiosity. The ginkrat was no longer trying to escape. It sat there completely still, mouth slightly open like a turtle’s.

She was supposed to fight that thing. And not just fight it. She had to get the piece of Urzuran’s sword out of its stomach. Which would mean she had to kill it.

“Come girl,” said Darris, folding his arms, “The clock is ticking. Neither you nor I want that piece to be destroyed.”

Then why did you feed it to something that could destroy it, she thought. Noel looked to Azrath for help, but he shook his head.

“I’m sorry…” he said, “I can’t help you.”

He was right. What could he do against them? For that matter, what could she do except obey? Darris had been correct when he said she was a slave to his will. He could change his mind and decide to kill them at any moment. So, her fingers closed around the golden pen as she rose to her feet.

She felt her strength would give out as she stood, but it didn’t. Noel clutched the pen to her chest. It was now her lifeline. The only way she stood a chance. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she raised the pen into the air. Then, as she was about to recite Urzuran’s prayer, Noel stopped and opened her eyes.

“Um…” with the hollowness in her chest, she didn’t think she was capable of being embarrassed. But as she looked at all the eyes staring at her (Darris especially was watching her intensely—she felt the color in her cheeks rise. She just couldn’t let them see her transformation. It was too embarrassing! She lowered the pen along with her gaze.

Azrath caught on immediately. “Please,” he said, “Can you not watch her while she changes?”

Darris scoffed, “Don’t tell me what to do, whelp!”

But Azrath did not back down, “I’m not telling you; I’m asking you. Please.”

Darris was silent for a moment before grunting. Then he said, “Very well. I am not unreasonable.” Noel saw his boots turn heel. She looked up to see Darris’s wide back facing her.

“I don’t understand.”

While Darris’s wheezy cadence had not been how Noel had expected him to sound, Oriander’s deep, gravelly baritone was exactly what she imagined him to sound.

He continued, “I’m about to release this ginkrat. Shouldn’t you prepare as quickly as possible?” His voice held no malice, just plain curiosity.

Noel blushed a deeper red, “Well, it’s…it’s….” She used both hands to play with the pen. Ugh, she thought, why am I so embarrassed?! It’s not like they can see anything. Or so Azrath had told her.

Oriander raised an eyebrow, “Does it involve removing your garments? If so, I don’t mind—”

He was interrupted by Darris whirling around, throwing a swift punch onto Oriander’s scalp. Darris was wearing a mortified expression. “Good God Almighty, Oriander! Have a little respect!”

Oriander didn’t so much as wince at Darris’s hit, but he looked up at his boss, “What? did I say something to offend, my Hidaar?”

“I thought you understood the concept of modesty, Oriander.”

“I do, but when it comes to battle. Practicality is—”

 “Enough!” Darris hit him again, “Never mind practicality, you dolt! Just turn around!”

Spots of blue colored Darris’s purple cheeks in an unmistakable blush. Noel stared. Darris was avoiding eye contact. 

What the hell? So, Darris was capable of feeling embarrassed too? Once again, Noel felt that she couldn’t gauge Darris’s character.

Oriander looked at Darris for a moment longer before he obeyed without complaint, taking the ginkrat with him.

Darris rolled his eyes before following suit, once again turning his back to them as he folded his arms. He coughed.

“Ahem. There now. We’ve all turned around. Are you happy, girl?”

Noel checked to see that all three of them were indeed turned around. They were, but she backed up a few steps, just in case.

“Would you get on with it?” Darris snapped, head turning slightly. His hand was placed over his eyes to show her he had no intention of peeking. “Remember that you’re on a time limit.” He looked forward again.

Noel shot daggers at Darris’s back before raising the pen again and saying the now-familiar words.

“Oh, Great Urzuran, grant me the power to vanquish the darkness! Lend me your strength that I might fight in your stead! For Life, And for Peace, I will fight for you!”

Then came the light, then the twirling, and the sparkles. When Noel finally stopped, she was steady on her feet, barely dizzy at all. It seemed she was getting used to transforming, which was not a good thing.

She looked up to see that Darris was facing her and smiling at her with glee. “Excellent, most excellent. What a beautiful weave of power!”

Noel was too ashamed and angry to speak. Her hand tightened around her staff. That bastard… When had he turned around?

“So you know, girl, I only looked when I felt your pattern dissipate. You were already clothed. I swear.” He placed a hand over his heart and bowed.

That didn’t make Noel feel any better. She heard Azrath scoff as he took flight to land on Noel’s shoulder. He squeezed her gently with his talons. Noel felt her ability to speak return to her.

“Fly away, Azrath. Get out of here and get to safety.” Darris had said the ginkrat would target the easiest prey. To Noel, that meant Azrath. She wouldn’t let the ginkrat have him. She would protect him this time.

Azrath shook his head. “Never. I won’t ever leave you alone with him. I’m with you until the bitter end. We fight together.”

Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Azrath, she thought. He wasn’t the first to say he’d never leave her. But she smiled despite the emptiness. “Alright then, together.”

Darris smiled. “Then let it begin. Oriander. Release the ginkrat.”