Chapter 15: Awakening Chaos

  Time: 19:07, Day: Gibrandr, Week: 3, Month: K?rgoyde, Year: 36651

  The sun was setting by the time they reached a massive field far from her cottage. Hidden deep in the marsh, the field was filled with the strong sense of death, and bones of various creatures littered the ground. A large boulder, half-stuck in the ground looked as if it had been sliced clean in half horizontally and covered in blood. The pale white trees seemed to create a natural barrier around the field as if even they dared not encroach on whatever feasted here.

  “Are we finally here yet?” Ayanna asked, her back hunched, and arms dangling. Her wings and tail drooping and dragging in the marsh mud, “Why did we have to come so far?” Ayanna continued complaining as she had been, since five minutes after they left.

  “Yes we’re here, this is where we bring our food and also where challenges are fought. Your friend Cinder has fought here countless times and always won.” Grim smiled, his tail swaying gently in the breeze.

  Ayanna couldn’t help but give a giddy smile as she watched Grim disappear into his memories for a moment. Her heart skipped a beat and she stood tall as he slowly turned and his gaze fell on her. Her breath caught in her throat as he approached her, stopping just out of reach.

  “So what did the Lich say about your Essence? And what was that Aura?” Grim crossed his arms with a huff, prepared for Ayanna’s attitude.

  “Primal Fire, and Primal Blighted Radiance…” Ayanna hugged herself, her wings shuddering as her thoughts drifted between his strong arms and his lips.

  “Blighted Radiance?” Grim took on a more confused look, for just a moment and then smiled, “Right, Salem Kingdom wouldn’t have it recorded any other way.” Grim shook his head, “Alright so that means you can only use Fire and Blighted Radiance, but I doubt you can combine Holy and Chaos since it doesn’t seem you can properly draw on them individually. So how about we focus on just using the three of them individually.”

  “Yes, the three of them individually.” Ayanna repeated, a soft blush forming across her face.

  Grim gave her a look of irritation, “What’s your problem?”

  “The Aura here, smells like blood and magic… It’s,” she took a deep breath, her eyes glowing vibrant pink as she reopened them, “Intoxicating, and makes me want to…” She reached her hand out to touch Grim, and he stepped further back.

  “Foolish girl, he chose this place just for this reason. You’re susceptible to the immense concentration of Chaos Magic permeating from the marsh itself. Do not lose your focus.” Fate’s voice echoed through Ayanna’s clouded mind.

  “Come now, even the pups don’t have this much trouble focusing in the marsh. I guess I don’t even have to fight you, to win the duel.” Grim laughed, the deep sound echoing through the field of death.

  “N-no… I’ll… I’ll.” Ayanna stumbled forward, her wings trembling as she clutched her head tight, and bit her lower lip so hard it bled. Her tail thrashed at the ground, and her Aura began to flare once more.

  Grim jumped back, every nerve in his body screaming that he was in danger. His focus turned calculating, his movements precise and his steps silent as he watched the almost invisible force pulsate from her body.

  “Calm yourself, Nephal, focus on the tranquility of your soul. The Essence that proves you to be Nephalem. You are more than a Succubus, and you will tear yourself apart if you let the Chaos overwhelm you. Stretch your wings to the heavens and focus all of yourself into them.” Fate’s tone was more worrisome, though it brought Ayanna’s mind to focus.

  Grim watched her closely as a terrible scream tore from her throat. The shrill sound echoed through the clearing and the marsh around it, almost as if calling for something.

  Her wings flared out, a soft white light glowing from her grey feathers, their golden tips seeming to hum as they glowed.

  It was unseen, but Grim could feel Ayanna attempting to regulate the Chaos Magic flowing through her, and suddenly he realized what that Aura was.

  “Elluraine was right, the Nephalem Aura is a double edged sword.” Grim spoke with a wide fanged grin, his claws extending and retracting, “I wonder how she’ll come out of it. And what will I do if she dies?” Grim took a pensive stance, focusing on his wandering thoughts more than Ayanna, so much so that he hadn’t realized she had gone on the offensive.

  Grim tumbled back, rolling across the bone scattered ground, and slamming into the base of a tree. He stood, holding the left side of his jaw.

  Smiling.

  “Finally ready to fight?” Grim called out, dusting himself off, as he walked back towards Ayanna.

  “Better, Nephal, now don’t lose your focus.” Fate’s voice was softer now as it rang through Ayanna’s mind.

  “I-it’s a lot… to… process…” Ayanna managed to speak, her jaw twitching unnaturally as sweat poured down her face. Her tail swayed erratically, and her wings shuddered uncontrollably though her feathers still glowed.

  “What’s wrong? That kick the only thing you got? Or do we need a change of scenery so you can actually fight?” Grim said, coming within a few feet of her, despite the urge to get away from her he stood proud, his arms crossed and his piercing gaze focused on her, “It’d be easier if you could just release some of that magic, but I’m sure it’s more than enough just trying to make sure it doesn’t kill you.” Grim flashed a predatory smile.

  “I…won’t…lose…to you… or… this… essence… I’ve endured… much worse!” A cloud of dust kicked up as Ayanna flapped her wings hard, propelling herself forward once more, preparing to deliver a punch to Grim’s face.

  His predatory smile widened as he watched her get closer, as she propelled herself up about five feet. She drew her right fist back, a wild look in her eyes, as she came within inches of striking him she was swatted away by his tail. She came crashing to the ground with a hard thud, her wings fluttering around her, helplessly trying to catch herself.

  “Maybe don’t be so obvious.” Grim laughed.

  Ayanna rolled onto her back.

  Her wings splayed out.

  Her breaths, ragged and sharp.

  Sweat and tears streaming down her.

  She looked up at the darkening sky, part of her wanting to give up.

  She raised her right palm to the sky, extending her arm, as if trying to reach something she couldn't grasp.

  “Nephal, get up.” Fate’s voice called out, “Focus the excess magic into your palms, much like you do with your flames. Commit the feeling of Chaos Magic to memory. It is entropy in its purest form. Use it to put the Beast God in his place.”

  Ayanna closed her eyes, her hands falling back to her side.

  “That’s fine, take your time. I’m sure you won't die just yet.” Grim laughed a little, leaning against the large bloodied boulder, his eyes closed as he listened to both Ayanna and their surroundings.

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  Ayanna let herself go for a moment, focusing on the Chaos Magic she could feel swirling around inside her unchecked. She relaxed her hands, palms facing the sky.

  Grim’s eyes snapped open, focused on Ayanna.

  A dark shimmer flashed from both of her palms, and Grim could feel something growing in them.

  Another dark shimmer flashed in her palms.

  Grim took a step towards her.

  Something was changing in her, and he knew she would be much more of a challenge once she stood up.

  Flames swirled in Ayanna’s palms, a bright red-orange glow swirling and flicking in a circle.

  Ayanna let out a deep breath, her body relaxing as the flames in her hands changed to a black-purple color. She tried to focus on the hum she had recently learned was Tryste, her father, ensuring she knew her song, but a different memory took hold of her mind. A small snake Ayanna tried to care for in her dungeon cell, her first friend. She had tried to keep it a secret and keep it alive, but somehow someone had found and killed it, leaving it on the tattered straw mat she called a bed.

  Grim took another curious step forward, “She can’t focus on the Chaos Essence itself, but she managed to combine it with Fire Essence?” Grim took a pensive stance, trying to figure out how she could manage to skip over trying to control the excess Chaos Essence, and straight to conjuring Hellfire Magic.

  After a few minutes, Ayanna felt her body return to normal. The black flames swirling in her palms took on a more serpentine nature.

  She sat up, looking at her palms, watching the magic swirl, dance, and hiss.

  She cracked her neck, and smiled wide at Grim as she looked over at him.

  He stopped, faltering mid-step.

  “Damn… ” He thought, his bright deep sapphire eyes focused on her pink ones. Even from a couple dozen feet away he could see every detail of her. Not just her, but the overwhelming potential she housed as well. His eyes trailed her body slowly, only to return to her eyes. He could see the unyielding determination and defiance in her vibrant pink eyes, and it made something deep in his heart snap. A warm feeling washed over him, as he watched the two serpentine black flames slither around her body as she stood up.

  She was no longer covered in sweat, and seemed much more in tune with the concentration of Chaos Magic emanating from the marsh itself.

  Her wings fluttered, gracefully pulling her up, an inch or so, off the ground.

  “You finally ready?” Grim asked, hunching down and extending his claws.

  Ayanna cracked her knuckles, her eyes blazing, "No more holding back," she let out a laugh, “Might die if I do.”

  Grim’s grin widened, his tail falling still, "Come on, then."

  Ayanna extended her arm, her index finger pointing at Grim. One of the serpentine flames lunged, striking with ferocious speed. Grim didn’t dodge—instead, his fist connected squarely with the serpent’s head. The impact shattered the black serpentine flame into tiny glowing embers that set flame to everything they touched. Even Grim’s fist momentarily crackled and seared with black flames before he shook it off.

  As he brought his gaze back to Ayanna, she smiled.

  With a flex of her left hand a dozen more black serpentine flames slithered around her.

  Ayanna didn’t wait for him to react.

  With a clap of her hands the black flamed serpents lashed out at Grim, attacking from all angles.

  Grim smirked as he watched them converge on him, again he tried to swat away the attack.

  But, he failed.

  His tail wafted through a series of the serpentine flames, yet stopped nothing.

  As the snakes bit onto him they exploded into more of the small bright embers.

  The fire spread quickly, engulfing Grim.

  He ducked down and with a wave of his hand, an icy breeze swirled around him, dissipating as it expanded out to the flames beginning to burn the marsh grass.

  She leaped forward, attempting to bring a kick down onto his head. Grim dodged effortlessly but wasn’t fast enough to avoid her tail, which cut along his jawline.

  "Not bad," Grim admitted, cracking his neck as the wound closed on its own in a matter of seconds. But the compliment was short-lived. In a blur of motion, he closed the distance between them, his fist slamming into her gut.

  The world tilted as Ayanna’s ribs crunched against his fist. She crumpled to the ground, gasping for air as she clutched her stomach.

  Grim didn’t press the advantage.

  Instead, he sat down a few feet away, his expression calm as he waited for her to recover.

  Ayanna struggled to her feet after finally catching her breath, wincing as she tried to stand tall. Her hands immediately clutching her broken ribs.

  She coughed up blood as she stumbled, falling to her knees as she gasped.

  Grim sighed, his tail drooping and his ears tucked back, he quickly walked to her side.

  "Relax," he murmured the familiar glow of his healing spell igniting around his hands. As he touched her, the warmth of his magic spread through her body, easing the pain and restoring her cracked ribs.

  Once healed, Ayanna sat up across from Grim, coughing as she took in fresh breaths.

  Grim sat watching her, the glow from his magic gone from his hands and an unreadable look on his face.

  "I’m fine," she muttered, cheeks flushed as her tail brushed against his.

  “Maybe let’s not fight.” Grim suggested his tone like that of a remorseful pup that has just bit its owner.

  “Yea, I don’t think I’m ready for punches that could kill me.” Ayanna laughed, though not broken, her ribs still felt bruised. She was just happy she could breathe.

  “Practice manipulating the Chaos Essence around you until you learn to feel the Chaos Essence inside of you.” Fate suggested, Ayanna’s face lit up with a bright smile despite her pain.

  “Show me how to manipulate the natural Chaos Essence of the marsh.” Ayanna blurted out, her eyes focused on Grim as she finally sat up.

  Grim sat in front of her, his ears standing tall, and his tail wagging.

  For some reason, teaching the inexperienced was always something he was secretly passionate about.

  He extended his hands, palms up, "Give me your hands."

  Her eyes narrowed, but she obeyed, placing her hands in his.

  Their eyes locked, and the world around them seemed to fade for a moment.

  "Feel the storm brewing in the ground beneath you," Grim instructed, eyes closed, his voice low and steady, "Chaos is heavy and light, good and bad. It’s everything and nothing. Find it, and hold it."

  Ayanna closed her eyes, focusing on the ground beneath her. Beneath the ground, in a mixture of various essences, she could feel something writhing and swirling, but somehow it was also calm and serene. It was more profound than anything she’d ever felt—a swirling storm of raw, untamed magical energy. She pictured herself reaching for it tentatively, and a pair of small, dense black orbs began to form in her palms, crackling with purple sparks.

  "Good," Grim said softly, opening his eyes and guiding her hands upward, "Chaos has weight. It will challenge you, but you can control it."

  The orbs grew more prominent, their weight testing her strength. Sweat beaded on Ayanna’s forehead as she clenched her eyes shut, straining to hold them steady.

  Her heart raced.

  Not from exertion but from the warmth of Grim’s hands and the steady confidence in his voice.

  The orbs suddenly turned red, their energy intensifying.

  "Focus!" Grim snapped, swatting the orbs away with his tail. They soared into the distance and exploded with a force that shook the ground, though no damage was left behind.

  Ayanna’s eyes snapped open, and she stared at her hands, her chest heaving, "That... was incredible," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

  Grim leaned back, his expression smug, "Now you have something to practice, so we don’t need to fight anymore."

  Ayanna’s tail wrapped around his, possessively, her eyes narrowing at him, "Fuck that, I want a rematch! Next time, I’m gonna break your ribs." Her eyes shimmered as she gave a predatory smile, though in Grim’s eyes it was merely dreams of grandeur coming from a pup.

  Grim chuckled, reclining fully as the moon rose higher in the night sky.

  "I’d certainly like to see you try, Little Succubus." Grim snapped his fingers and a ball of chaos magic floated up from the ground, swirling black and purple until it quickly expanded. As it expanded, the air and space itself tore open, revealing the serene Obsidian Cottage on the other side.

  Ayanna’s expression changed to unfiltered aggravation, “ARE YOU KIDDING? WE DIDN’T NEED TO WALK HERE!”

  Grim laughed as he stood and offered her his hand with an arrogant smile, “How else was the natural Chaos Essence of Devil’s Marsh going to overwhelm you?”

  “I told you, Nephal, he brought you here on purpose.” Fate said with a slight laugh of relief.

  — The Curator’s Notes —

  you first?

  The next chapter is already forming in the smoke. Breathe carefully.