SONG VIBE: Daechwita – Agust D

  __________

  NOCTURNE

  Golgog’s Chamber, The Shadowlands

  Nocturne's breath caught for a single moment as he viewed Golgog, a sinking feeling in his stomach. Tsek.

  As it slept, the creature's massive form shifted on its throne, an obscene tapestry of scale and sinew crowned with jutting bone. If his constellation of eyes were open, they would have burned with fresh malice. Still, Golgog slumbered, safe behind his magical barrier, and his maw split wide to reveal row upon row of teeth like broken swords as he breathed his putrid breath throughout the chamber.

  The fear did not have time to settle. Golgog's guardspawn rushed forward with coordinated precision.

  Even when their master dies, guardspawn retain their intelligence...unlike nightspawn. Nocturne thought as he cut through the first wave with Rell. They'll fight, to the bitter end. So will we.

  Kicking a dead guardspawn impaled on Shadowrend, Nocturne dared another look at the sleeping spawnlord. Fye. Lucian better keep that thing suppressed.

  Behind him, the mountain knights fought efficiently under Felix’s command.

  Valentino and Felix blocked the entrance of the spawnlord’s chambers, slaying the hordes of nightspawn trying to protect their sleeping master. Lysander stood back-to-back with Felix and Valentino, firing projectiles to thin the line of guardspawn charging at Nocturne.

  August stood with them, firing the occasional fireball with his cursed staff, while the other hand remained outstretched towards Golgog's barrier, gathering the threads of magic for one powerful burst to shatter it.

  He's the most powerful mage in the west. Nocturne slashed his way through the ranks. If not the entire continent.

  As if sensing the direction of his thoughts, the oily voice slithered into Nocutne's mind again. Do you really think Augustus sees you as an equal? He's a genius, Nocturne, and he doesn't need you—you're just a tool, a dull blade he'll discard when it's no longer useful. Nocturne ignored the chill running down his spine.

  Protected between the four friends, Lucian convulsed violently. The golden Dreamweaver mask devoured the colour from his flesh, leaving it corpse-black. He collapsed to his knees, the effort of maintaining Golgog's dream-prison straining him to his limits.

  Lucian? Thick with disdain, the voice was all Nocturne could hear as he parried the swing of a guardspawn's greatsword. Do you think he's your ally? He's only loyal to his own whims. Once the glory fades, he'll cast you aside. You're nothing to him but a stepping stone.

  “Fye,” Nocturne swore, cutting through a guardspawn, “Rell, forward on the double!”

  Nocturne took it in at a glance. A nightspawn lunged for Lucian—his hands shook too violently to lift his weapon. Nearby, Lysander’s back was turned, locked in a deadly clash with a guardspawn’s claws.

  And Golgog lay exposed, still trapped in its enchanted sleep.

  Trust them, Nocturne thought as he surged forward, Rell at his side.

  A fireball streaked across the chamber. The nightspawn’s head burst in a spray of black gore just before it reached Lucian.

  Lysander spun, throwing his shredded cloak over Lucian in time to shield them both from the caustic splatter of brain matter.

  August, standing further back, gave a grim nod—his staff already crackling with cursed magic. Another blast ripped into the swarm of creatures blocking the path to Golgog.

  Nocturne and Rell plunged into the fray. Side by side, they carved through the guardspawn—Rell with savage speed, Nocturne with cold precision. Every arc of Shadowrend tore open gaping wounds of darkness, cutting a path toward the slumbering beast.

  August’s spell is ready, we just have to reach the damn barrier before it is too late for Lucian.

  Lucian’s skin was completely black, shrivelled as though all moisture had been sucked from it, like a corpse left out in the sun. Lysander’s fingers prised under the mask, ready to rip it off in the single moment before Lucian was completely consumed. Lucian’s blackened hands grabbed Lysander’s wrists, and pushed him away.

  “Now!” Nocturne yelled.

  In an instant, August sent a huge lightning bolt of pure life energy at the barrier. The spell crackled through the chamber, lighting it up in bright light. The bolt hit the barrier, and the wall shimmered and then shattered. Nocturne burst through, leaving Rell to defend his back.

  Nocturne raised Shadowrend high, ready to end this nightmare—but Golgog's iron gauntlet snapped up, catching the blade with a sound like thunder. Nocturne moved to grab the knife at his side, but Golgog pushed his gauntlet forward, forcing Nocturne to retreat with a nimble jump.

  The mask clattered to the ground as Lysander tore it free. Tsek, Nocturne cursed, No Spawnlord has been able to break free from Lucian before.

  Golgog rose to its full, terrifying height, his many-eyes locking onto the Dreamweaver mask in Lysander’s hands. You’ve come further than anyone, thanks to that trinket. I will treasure it, after I crush you. The spawnlord's laughter shook loose stones from the ceiling. Its massive claws carved trenches in the blood-soaked floor as it shifted from its throne of corpses.

  The spawnlord did not possess the anatomy for speech, but somehow, Nocturne could hear the beast in his mind. He saw a flash of purple at his wrist, and focused, slicing through another ‘spawn.

  Golgog taunted, kicking a corpse aside, From your friends' corpses, I will breed an army unlike any seen before. Golgog's twisted face split in a mockery of a smile. But you, Nocturne—you I will consume myself. You will die alone. Unmourned. Unloved. Your knights will die too. Your wife will move on. And in the end? Nocturne the Rat of the Smuggler’s Cave will have been nothing.

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  “I’ll cut that throat open!” Nocturne snarled, raising Shadowrend high. He drew deep on the blade's power, and shadows erupted around him like a second skin. Raw darkness flooded his veins, burning like ice, granting him inhuman speed and strength.

  Above: The shadow of Golgog looms over Nocturne as he charges in.

  Golgog’s guttural roar shook the chamber, his many eyes locking onto Nocturne. With terrifying speed, it lunged, its darksblade screaming through the air.

  Nocturne barely managed to block the strike, drawing more dark power from Shadowrend just to survive the impact.

  Tsek, he cursed, arms trembling. One hit, and I'm already—

  The second strike came faster than the first. Nocturne parried, shadows whirling around him as he channelled every ounce of power he could take from the blade without losing himself. No choice left. If I lose control, everyone dies. If I don't, we're dead anyway. He drew deeper still, and felt his skin split as shadows erupted from his flesh. Through the cracks in his armour, his skin rippled like oil, black as pitch.

  “Rell, to my—”

  Golgog's blade descended like a falling star. Nocturne parried, but before he could counter, another strike came. Then, a well-placed arrow from Lysander struck the flesh in Golgog's arm. The Spawnlord roared and ripped out the arrow with his free hand. Nocturne stepped forward on his leading foot, aiming the tip of his blade for the shoulder join in Golgog's armour.

  Golgog shifted, imperceptibly fast, and the point of Shadowrend hit the steel of the plate.

  Counterattacking, Golgog's blade aimed another blow. And another.

  Too fast. Nocturne's arms screamed in protest as each crushing blow threatened to shatter his bones, if not for Shadowrend’s dark power flowing through him. I can’t keep up.

  This time, an arrow flew, followed by a white-hot fireball, striking Golgog squarely in the chest. The beast stumbled backwards; Nocturne pressed the advantage, aiming his blade for the bare spot on the Spawnlord's abdomen. The blade struck, cutting the flesh. Golgog roared, and the guardspawn—sensing their master was in danger—turned from Rell to flank Nocturne.

  "Fire!" Felix instructed.

  Arrows and fireballs rained down on the guardspawn, and Nocturne felt a surge of hope.

  Golgog roared again. At his command, more nightspawn birthed from the fleshy chambers of the walls—some guardspawn, some nightspawn, and some half-formed monstrosities that writhed, clawed and exploded as they took their first breath. The creatures rushed for Felix and Valentino, who held back the tides of nightspawn pushing forward.

  “Not today!” August called out, as he and Lysander fired an uncountable number of projectiles into the waves of newly created creatures.

  Above: August fights the new creatures made from the flesh of the walls.

  Felix and Valentino did not turn from the entrance of the tunnel, trusting their friends to protect their rear. Valentino’s armour was shredded and dripping with black blood, his strikes were precise, each stroke of his thin blade a killing blow. Beside him, Felix blocked a blow with his shield, then struck out, stabbing the nightspawn through the chest. Another quickly took its place.

  With the colour returning to his skin, Lucian tucked the Dreamweaver mask into his belt, and drew his twin swords, Dreambinder and Silver Serpent, from his side. He moved to flank the guardspawn. Lucian will protect our flank, and Rell and I will take on Golgog together.

  The horrid voice filled Nocturne’s mind, taunting, Not even a thousand men can turn the tide of this fight, Golgog taunted, You will all die like—

  “Mind shield is ready!” August finally yelled.

  Then, the blackness spread from his elbows to his shoulders. Cold sweat formed on his brow.

  The icy relief hit Nocturne’s mind, as his thought became his own again. His battle became a storm of steel and shadow, neither able to land a killing blow.

  Golgog’s kick came like lightning, and as Nocturne dodged, Golgog’s darksblade followed.

  This time, Nocturne knew he would not be fast enough.

  Rell, bloodied but defiant, charged, moving faster than even Golgog. The squire’s massive frame was a blur as he swung Ignis Solaris with all his might to intercept Golgog’s swing. Their swords met, the sound deafening as it reverberated through the chamber.

  Immediately, Nocturne turned to their flank, cutting through the approaching guardspawn who pushed forward to attack Rell’s exposed back. Too damn many. Where is Lucian?

  Nocturne looked up and saw his friend dancing through the chaos like a demon unleashed, twin swords flashing. He carved a path back to Nocturne, his blades opening throats and severing limbs with terrifying precision. But he was still too far away to hold their flank. Nocturne raised Shadowrend to parry a thrusting sword, and then sliced the guardspawn in two.

  Golgog and Rell fought too fast for human eyes to perceive. There was not much human left of Rell, as he drew more and more power from Ignis Solaris, his skin as white hot as a flame and his eyes as black as an eclipse. But even with the immense power of his darksblade, Rell’s arms shook as he blocked every blow.

  Rell parried Golgog’s swing, but as he did, Golgog’s claw lashed out, catching Rell’s leg. The squire’s shout of pain echoed through the chamber as he was hurled through the air, his leg hanging limp from his knee, held on by a single sinew of muscle. Blood poured out from the wound, pooling around him.

  Propped up on one elbow, Rell swung his sword before him, his sword creating walls of fire to hold off the nightspawn closing in on him.

  “Lye, cover Rell!” Felix yelled, fighting his way forward. “I’m coming!”

  Lysander focused his arrow fire on the nightspawn closing in on Rell.

  With his twin hooked swords, Felix carved a way through the nightspawn with August.

  When they reached Rell, August immediately began mumbling spells over the squire's severed leg. Felix held off the nightspawn, the light from his hooked swords sending out waves of healing energy which Rell quickly absorbed.

  At the entrance, Lysander had sheathed his bow. His blade was drawn as he fought back-to-back with Valentino, their strength and precision the last hope they had against the chambers being overrun with nightspawn.

  This is the endgame, Nocturne braced himself, charging toward Golgog, Kill the spawnlord and we stand a chance. He let out a feral roar, every muscle in his body burning with white-hot pain. Need...more...power.

  He took one moment to look at his friends, the men who had followed him to the end. Valentino and Lysander almost overrun at the entrance; Lucian holding off the guardspawn at his exposed flank; August firing spells in every direction, the black rot creeping up his neck; Rell’s face pale with death as the power from Felix’s hooked swords kept him alive.

  You win. Nocturne exhaled and let the darkness of Shadowrend consume his body, the pain turning ice-cold, his body no longer his, no longer human. True power... is mine.

  With clawed hands, Nocturne raised Shadowrend to meet Golgog’s attack.

  The impact of Golgog’s darksblade rattled Nocturne’s bones, driving him back several paces.

  He gritted his teeth, his muscles straining as he held his ground. Not enough strength. He gripped Shadowrend. Give me more.

  Nocturne’s eyes widened as the spawnlord lunged again, Golgog’s massive blade arcing toward him, but Nocturne’s blade could not move fast enough to meet the strike. Time crystallised. Nocturne saw the inevitability of it all—no dodge, no parry, no escape.

  He thrust out his forearm. Better to lose a hand than my life.

  The last thing Nocturne saw before the darksblade carved through flesh and bone was a flash of lilac purple hair on his wrist.

  His final thought, bitter and strange: What a hell of a way for all of us to die.