As the dark forest disappeared completely behind them, the landscape opened up even more - a wide plain of gentle hills dotted with golden and red shrubs that somehow reflected the sunlight. It might have been beautiful, if it hadn’t reminded Uda of that terrible blazing circle, and of the depths into which it lured the Nightmare Hunters' souls.

  It was nearing midday, and Uda was more frequently stumbling under the weight of the useless stones when a figure appeared in the distance, moving toward them and gradually growing larger.

  Lera raised her hand. She dismounted gracefully, landing a few steps ahead of Uda. Her flaming hair gleamed in the sunlight, and Uda could see sweat glistening at her neck. The Exorcist’s hand rested on the handle of her whip as she raised her arm again. Around her, the Nightmare Hunters had begun to draw their weapons, one by one, the cold metal of their spears flashing hungrily in the light. The creature was approaching steadily and would soon reach their right flank.

  "I’ll handle it," Lera announced to her team and began strolling toward the direction the monster was coming from.

  A manic smile curled at the corners of her delicate lips.

  "Are you sure?" Kelwin asked from behind, his deep voice almost trembling.

  He had drawn his whip as well and Uda could see his hand trembling.

  Lera shot him a murderous glare but said nothing. She kept walking away from the group. A wind had picked up, tugging at her custom-fitted clothes.

  "She’s doing it alone again… Takes out all the fun" Uda heard a nearby soldier mutter, but there was relief in her voice, and another man beside her just shrugged.

  Suddenly, a bright light flooded over Lera as she took another step forward, and for a moment, it looked as though an aura surrounded her, like that of a saint. Then the light vanished. Uda could have sworn she saw faint, rainbow-colored streaks in the air where the Exorcist had just been, but when she blinked, they were gone.

  A barrier! There’s a barrier around us! Could it be that the Sky Stone isn’t just keeping Nightmares away, but also creating some kind of shield? Uda suddenly realized. The chapel, the stone in the chapel… Was the shield we arrived at also created by one of the Sky Stones?

  But there was no time to think it through. The approaching creature was almost upon them. Uda was stunned by the agility the massive monster possessed; its huge body and six clawed hands, attached to spider-like limbs, dragged its bloated form rapidly across the plains. The Nightmare had a long, slimy green mouth, and instead of eyes, two leather-like flaps that resembled screaming faces. It thundered toward them, letting out high-pitched shrieks and hissing sounds that made the ground tremble beneath their feet.

  Its scaly armor covered most of its body and looked hard and impenetrable. Uda doubted she would survive a fight against that thing even at full strength and without the stones around her neck. The air crackled with tension, and many of the hunters around her broke into a sweat at the sight of the creature. Uda heard several soldiers murmuring verses under their breath, as if to summon courage and steady their trembling spears.

  "The future will be bright and radiant… I’ll slaughter you all, you shits, just wait… The future will be bright and radiant…" Diga whispered behind her.

  Lera quickened her pace, and for a moment Uda almost thought she was gliding above the ground. The Exorcist stretched out her right arm, and a moment later, the whip in her hand flared white-hot with a tint of red. Steam hissed from the weapon, leaving a trail behind Lera as she charged ever faster toward the Nightmare.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Soon the two would collide, and for a moment, Uda thought - hoped - Lera would be crushed by the creature’s massive body and torn apart by its jaws... But of course, that didn’t happen. At the last moment, Lera pushed off the ground, leaving a sharp burst of dust in her wake. She soared high into the sky, and her whip began to spin like a living thing, slicing through the air in glowing, hissing arcs of steam. Tiny bits of burning liquid sprayed from the weapon, and Uda just managed to see some of them hit the ground, searing the grass with loud, angry sizzles. The whip struck the Nightmare over and over, cutting into its body like it was not solid at all.

  Shrill screams erupted from the monster’s maw as it was torn apart by the blazing weapon. The whole fight lasted less than ten heartbeats. Then Lera landed lightly on the ground. Her whip dimmed and coiled once again. The Nightmare’s mangled body continued to slide forward, tearing up the earth, some pieces slamming into the invisible barrier and evaporating in a burst of radiant rainbow light.

  Then it was over.

  With a satisfied smile, Lera began making her way back, stepping casually over the remains of the Nightmare as she crossed through the barrier once more.

  "I know you all like to have your fun. You don’t need to tell me most of you are here because you enjoy slaughtering these creatures just as much as I do! Tough, sometimes, I want to enjoy myself too," she said, smiling thinly.

  "‘Sometimes’ is generous…" Kelwin muttered so quietly she couldn’t hear him.

  Uda saw that most of the people around the Exorcist were still pale, slowly and shakily lowering their spears.

  "I think we can set up camp here. We’ve got a good view of the area, and this victory practically calls for a goblet of wine, doesn’t it?" Lera said cheerfully, wiping sweat from her forehead as the hunters rushed to set up tents.

  Uda dropped to her knees with a groan. She had to fight to stay conscious as exhaustion was pulling her deep into herself again. She looked down at her palms, still bleeding slightly and now rubbed raw.

  "Stay with us," Lera cooed suddenly beside her, and Uda fought back against the wave of fatigue.

  Not because she ordered it, Uda tried to tell herself, but because that bitch is in a good mood now. And she might let something slip, something that could help us escape...

  Still, after what she’d seen Lera do to that Nightmare, Uda was sure she wouldn’t stand a chance against her, even without the stones around her neck. A direct attack was out of the question…

  Lera motioned for her to follow, and soon Uda was staggering behind her with her head lowered, trying hard to walk straight. Stones still stabbed at the soles of her feet. The backpack had become unbearably heavy, and she wanted nothing more than to throw it off... and of course she could not... Uda was shocked to realize she had reached her limit and started trembling even more.

  How long until I give in? Until I really submit to her…? No. Never. There has to be a way out. I just have to keep believing. Uda forced herself to ignore the pain and stay strong once more, but this time her thoughts felt hollow.

  As if she did not believe in them anymore.

  And as Uda stepped into Lera’s tent, she wasn’t sure there was any hope left. Things would probably only get worse. She couldn’t even speak to Lera, couldn’t even beg her not to destroy Nia completely. The hatred in Lera’s eyes was one of the only things that had truly frightened her since arriving in the Dream, and in a strange way, she was almost grateful she didn’t have to look into those cold eyes right now.

  The tent wasn’t especially grand, but it still reflected Lera’s love of extravagance. A red-cushioned chair made of golden metal stood like a throne near the entrance, beside it a white stool. In the center lay a blue carpet covered in circular patterns, and to Uda’s left stood a small, elegantly carved table holding a bowl of apples, two pangrates, dragon fruits and some small green fruits she didn’t recognize. Beside that stood a golden goblet adorned with red gemstones, accompanied by a silver carafe that likely held the wine Lera had received from the townspeople. The tent smelled as sweet as Lera herself and only deepened the feeling that Uda had entered a space that was just an extension of the Exorcist.

  Uda’s mouth watered at the sight of the food, and she longed for something to drink. Only now did she realize she hadn’t eaten anything since arriving. Her stomach growled, and she wished for just a small bite of something that might bring her even a moment of joy.

  Lera walked over to the goblet, lifted it, grabbed a juicy red apple with her other hand, and sat down on the chair. Then she crossed her legs, began bouncing one foot, and drained the goblet in one long sip.