Magnus

Editor's Forward: The city of Nightside was created in a prior adventure, but we'll get to that soon enough. Long story short, it's a seedy area full of bars and other less than desirable places. It makes a nice setting for what the protagonist has to go through in his quest for love. This one ended up being pretty tame, compared to many others, so enjoy this simple story of love and the trials to acheive it.

You are Magnus, a male human Romantic in Nightside, a disreputable part of the city of Malcanthet. You were born and raised here. You've loved ever since you first saw a girl. You like to party and you've met many girls in Nightside. You always felt that you needed something more. Love and companionship doesn't feel enough for you. You're ready to move on and find what you're looking for.

Love and companionship is what you've found with a girl named Odrade. Odrade has made you happy. Tonight you plan to propose to Odrade. She'll say yes. You know that she loves you.

This is what you live for. Night falls and you walk with Odrade along the river bank. The air is cool and crisp. There are lights in the distance. The city of Malcanthet.

“Let's get married Odrade!” you say.

“Don't do this Magnus.”

“Why not?”

“Because I'm scared.”

“Why? We'll be happy.”

“I've been hurt too many times before.”

“But we'll be together.”

You say, “I promise. No one will ever hurt you again.”

Odrade is moved by your declaration. She reaches for you and stops.

“We don't have time.”

“What do you mean?”

“The ferry is coming.”

“What time is it?”

“Almost midnight,” she replies.

The ferry is a large boat. It is meant for the transport of many people. It is long and has passenger decks along both sides. It is pulled by a small but powerful crew of oarsmen.

You say, “Will you consider my proposal?”

“Yes.”

“I love you Odrade.”

“I love you too.”

“Will you marry me?”

Odrade smiles and says, “Yes Magnus.”

You kiss for the first time. “A kiss is all you will get,” she says. “At least until our wedding night.”

“But that's the fun part,” you reply.

The boat makes its way along the river. You get closer to the city. The lights grow brighter.

You say, “Nothing can ruin tonight.”

You both laugh. You are happy. You are going to get married to Odrade and have a happy life.

The boat lands on the docks. You walk with Odrade towards the city center. Suddenly a figure darts out from a dim alleyway. He grabs hold of you and whispers a dark spell into your ear.

Immediately your body grows rigid. Your skin feels cold. Your eyes water. You feel pain throughout your entire body. Odrade screams as if in agony. Your vision goes black. You hear the sound of gurgling and feel your flesh tearing.

In a moment you are dead.

Four years pass... Your lost soul roams free. You have watched over Odrade but you are invisible to her. She has never forgotten that night you died.  She has never found the mysterious figure who caused it. Your heart beats on in eternal torment. Tonight you are roaming the city streets, seeking more souls to corrupt. You yearn for love and companionship. But without Odrade, you will never find it.

In the distance you hear a scream.

You hear a baby crying.

You are drawn to the sound.

You see a woman holding her infant. She stares at you with fear.

You say, “I will not harm you.”

The woman is hesitant but then she relaxes. She walks away from the infant.

“Come with me.” You say.

“What do you want with me?”

“Just come with me.” She follows you.

The baby cries.

You turn and walk away.

You have not done a good enough job of corrupting this woman. In a few moments of terror she will turn to you for comfort.

You corner the woman in the alleyway. You are about to strike her, but she is not your prey. There are two other demons behind you. You hear the sound of running. The woman runs to her child. She is safe, but you are not.

The Demons behind you are not friendly.  They begin to strike you. At first the blows are glancing. But in a moment one strikes you true. A sharp blade pierces your chest. Your heart beats for a few more moments. Your heart is a mere energy source, but is vulnerable to their attacks.  Your life force soon follows your heart.

What a waste... You return to a formless phantom. You haunt the city streets of Nightside for a time.

Finally you find peace. Odrade has been practicing spellcasting. She is attempting to revive you.  She knows you cannot be killed.

However, your power is sapped. You cannot fight or manifest yourself. You are a mere specter of your former glory. She sighs. Another failed attempt. She closes her book and prepares for a shower before bed.

When she emerges she will find you waiting... You phase through the bedroom wall as you have many times. You may not be proud, but you often watch her shower.  She never suspects.

Five years pass...

It has been ten years since you were killed. Odrade's career as a professional harpist is flourishing. She has come into her own. Still she practices her spellcasting. She has taken no other lover. She hopes that one day you will return to her. 

You are a specter of your former glory. Your essence is weak. You do not cause trouble, but you are always there.

You stand in the shadows of her bedroom. She is asleep. You lean over and kiss her cheek. The kiss is warm and soft. It sends a tingle through your essence. In a moment she will awaken and you will be gone.

You press your spirit into the flesh of her sleeping form. It gives you the only feeling of humanity you can. In your essence, you are something like a ghost. Your essence lies in your physical body. You can't see it, or feel it, or touch it, or breathe it. But you can smell it. She wakes up and senses your presence. It gives her the motivation to continue her spellcasting. 

She opens her eyes and smiles.

“My love...”

She says nothing else.

You are in her body.

You see through her eyes.

You are her essence in her physical flesh. If only for a night. In the morning you must resume your curse in Nightside.

You see a nightmarish landscape rushing by. The trees of the jungle are as thick as the tentacles of a giant octopus. You hear the calls of wild jungle animals. You are in her dream...her nightmare. 

The sound of running is in the distance. You hear screams. They are very faint because the jungle is so thick. You see some sort of camp in the distance. Tribal woman dance around a fire.  Children run and laugh through the trees. You smell the pungent odors of the jungle...the stench of death.

You run, racing against your pursuer. You turn to face your attacker, a huge creature with an elongated neck, a head like a crocodile, sharp claws, and a tail. You close your eyes so the dream can end.

The jungle vanquishes your essence as the creature's elongated tail rips you apart.

Your essence soaks into the earth. There is nothing but peace for you. Odrade awakens with a jolt. Her bed is soaked with sweat. Your joined life essence has overwhelmed her. You leave her body and float invisibly above. 

Your lover sleeps unaware. She has forgotten you.

Time passes...

Six months later...

Fayence is the new name of the continent of Valkar. Odrade has stopped her attempts to get you back. You have grown tired and angry. Your curse of corruption has reached new levels of depravity.  You are in an endless cycle of lust, love, hate, and violence. You have grown weaker and meaner.

Your essence is so weakened that at times you are little more than a ghost of your former self. A woman walks alone in the dark. She is your latest victim.  You can easily hurt her, but you choose not to. You have given up on what is to be. You just want to hurt people. You don't even know why.

“My love...” A voice calls out. Could it be Odrade?  No, it is too distant. “I am here...”

A figure appears in the distance. You see her like a shadow, a specter.

You say, “Who are you?”

“I am who you think I am... I am Death.”

Your voice echoes in the emptiness.

“I am your true self. I am what you fear. I am the end of hope.”

You say, “Let me pass on to the next life or return me to my mortal one.”

“I can't do that. I've come for you.”

“I do not understand. What do you want with me?”

“You will be my new protégé” it replies.

“No. I want to go back to my life. I do not want to be with you.”

“You have no choice.”

You scream. You see the endless dark void of eternal nothingness.

“You have no choice. You have no past. You have no future. You are all that is and all that will ever be. And you must do my bidding.” He says. ”You will begin tonight.” 

You open your eyes. Nightside. You have been gone for months. The part of you that was Odrade has long been gone.

“Forget Odrade. She is lost to you.” He says

“No, we are one. We cannot forget each other. Odrade is within me. Odrade is everything. Odrade is what we are.”

Your head is throbbing.

“Silence!” Death yells. “A woman approaches. You shall defile and kill her on my command.”

It is your lover. You see her like a shadow, a specter.

You say, “I will never kill Odrade.”

“You will. You don't understand what you are! You are a vessel for evil. You will do evil things. You will do evil in the name of good!”

“No! I reject your bidding!”

Odrade walks alone. She knows nothing of her fate.  She has no idea what you have become. Odrade has no idea that in a few moments you'll kill her.

You see the figure of Death in the sky.

“Kill her!” He says.

You say, “I will not!”

“She defiled you. She made you into something you are not!”

You say, “She has only loved me. You are a liar.”

“You are evil through and through!”

“She loved me! You're wrong!”

“Kill her!”

“No. I will not. I will not kill her.”

Death laughs. Odrade approaches. Your free will has been subverted. You feel yourself turn towards her.  You feel your hand on her back.

Your body is a vessel for evil. You are no longer your own master.

You pull yourself back. You see Odrade. Her beautiful face gives you the strength you need.

You say, “I'm sorry.”

“I'm sorry. I could not kill you. You are not my master.”

She approaches. You feel her lips against yours. You kiss her.

You say, “I love you”

“I love you too.”

She pulls back. “Are you happy in this world?”

“I am.”

“Do you wish to be with anyone else?”

“No.”

“Will you fight Death to come back to me?” she asks.

“Yes.”

She kisses you again.

You turn to death and threaten him. “I will not let you take me from Odrade! I will not let you!” You scream at Death. “I am a free agent! And I choose my new master!”

You lunge at Death. You manage to get a hand on his shoulder. You dig your nails in and you squeeze.

Death laughs. He slashes his sword through your neck and across your shoulder. You feel a loss of energy. You have no physical form, but he is able to injure you all the same.  You slip away from his grasp.

You feel Odrade's arms around you. You feel your heart beat again. You are back in your body.

It is then that Death stops laughing. “How is this possible?” He asks. Death panics.  He turns to you and Odrade. “Defile her!” He yells.

You hear Odrade scream. You feel her body being torn apart by something dark and horrible. Another Demon has done what you had refused. You look at Odrade. Her eyes are rolled back in her head. She sways and falls.

You watch as the two demons drag her body away. You see a portal open up in the sky. Her soul is pulled into the void. At the last moment, you fly through the narrowing hole.  You feel her pulling you into the blackness.

You're falling, falling, falling.

You wake up in a dark, damp, stone room. You're on your back. Odrade lies next to you.  Her face is bloody. Her beautiful face.

Her eyes open. “Welcome to death. Your new home.”

You laugh. She laughs as well.  She kisses you. You kiss her back. You are happy.

The End

Editor's Thoughts: This was actually a pretty sweet one--I mean beyond the fact that they both had to die in order to be together. The A.I. went pretty light on any graphic content, aside from a few scenes of potential danger for the non-participants.