“Possessed? Yes. So has Lera, by the way. I only ever heard rumors about her, but judging by those, she’s probably one of the people in this realm with the greatest reason to hate the Possessed and their betrayal. We Nightmare Hunters fight for humanity, always for humanity. That is who we are. Some of our methods might be questionable, detestable even; however, weighing them against eternal Tides makes them justified. So, Exorcists like Lera and I believe that evil must be fought with evil... that us tainting our souls is worth the survival of millions.”

  He tilted his head, squinted his eyes, and looked past her into nothingness. Uda didn’t know what to say, or rather: too much. Her thoughts spun around that vile man who appeared far too human now.

  “There are other benefits, of course. It also allows us to express parts of ourselves that would otherwise stay locked away. Doing that, losing yourself in those while still in control, can be very healing. A release, so to speak. And it strengthens the mind and spirit. Because even the monsters we sometimes turn into are nothing compared to those creatures. So: do not speak lightly about the Possessed.”

  Immesh’s eyes were still unfocused, staring at something that wasn’t there. He still seemed far away, and his trembling hands told Uda that whatever he saw held him in an icy grip. Some saliva ran down his chin, and for a moment the man she had pictured from the rumors was standing there in front of her, fully cloaked in vile desires. The next moment, all of that was gone once more and he focused on her again, waiting.

  “Now, let me ask you again... Uda. What are you gonna do now?”

  “I’ll follow her. Nia. I have to find out!” she insisted.

  She would not abandon her plan now, not when she finally had the chance to escape. She would believe in Nia and save her. And if Nia truly was possessed, she would find a way to undo it as well.

  “Do that, go after her. Though rest first. And afterwards, you can come back with us. I imagine you could be of great use to the Order,” Immesh said.

  Uda let out a hollow laugh and spat on the floor. The anger rising in her drove sweat over her back. Only with her greatest restraint could she stop herself from charging forward. “The Order? You want me to join you? After what I’ve seen of your people?”

  Immesh either did not realize what turmoil was raging in her soul or did not care. He simply nodded and ran his fingers along the burn marks in his face.

  “If you want. I think one day you’ll do it anyway. One day you’ll see that we’re the good ones, the ones who protect humanity under the Holy Shields and search for a way to destroy the Nightmares for good. You’ll understand. You’ll understand when people you’ve connected with here are torn apart. Or when you meet someone who has lost everything to a Possessed, as Lera supposedly did, and you realize there is no other way to stop their evil than to vanquish them. That there is no turning back. There is gonna be a moment when you can no longer sit by and feel the need to help rising in your heart. You will feel compelled to act, to do something. You’re a fighter, aren’t you? Otherwise you likely wouldn’t have kept your sanity this long under all the inhumane things that were done.”

  Uda turned away to regain her composure. She stared at the wall next to her and tried to lose herself in the cracks of the old stone. Doubts started surfacing as Immesh’s words hit something at her core.

  Is he right? After all, I have already fought Nightmares to save people, back when... before giving myself into slavery.

  She had risked her life and gone into battle more than once. And maybe… and maybe she could even change something within the Radiant Order. Perhaps she could save those who had fallen into their hatred of the Nightmares as well.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  No, that is absurd. And Nia is the priority now!

  Damn it. I don’t know what to think…

  “Tell me, do you remember where you got your nightmare scars?” Immesh asked suddenly.

  “What markings?”

  Uda faced him once more. The Exorcist pointed to her forehead and chin.

  “You have black lines in your face. They’re not like the mark visible on Nia. More common: a Nightmare must have wounded you there,” Immesh murmured.

  Uda froze. What was he talking about? Then she realized she had never seen her own reflection. She ran her hand over her forehead and chin.

  “What’s there?” she asked.

  A lump formed in her throat, and unease settled over her. Was something wrong after all?

  Immesh extended his hand, and a shimmering surface grew from it until it formed a bright, reflective plane.

  For the first time, she saw what she looked like. She liked the image staring back at her. Her black, shoulder-length hair had probably once been silky, though now tangled and matted and full of filth. Her light brown skin was pale in some places, yet her large eyes were still beautiful. She liked her face, her small nose, her red lips... though she also saw the markings: small dark streaks, two faint lines that almost divided her chin and forehead in half.

  She traced her finger along them but felt nothing, no roughness, no pain.

  “I don’t know. I must have already had them when I arrived.”

  Could that be? If her appearance reflected what she secretly wished for because of her heightened Lucidity, did that mean these lines were something she wanted to show herself? But what could they mean?

  “No. those are Nightmare scars. Unfortunately among Hunters they are quite common. Some detest them because they fear a part of a Nightmare has tainted them, some think of them as lucky charms as they tell of you surviving a Nightmare. They never really change, though. And I’ve never seen anyone appear with them. They must have surely formed after your arrival. Strange…”

  “Are you sure it’s not a sign of possession? Sounds quite nasty.”

  “Yes. As I said, possession always shows as a kind of fungus or something similar, a patch that spreads more or less slowly. Sometimes color, sometimes even flesh or blood. Those are straight lines, maybe from a sharp claw or a blade,” Immesh said, pressing his lips together.

  “And how sure are you? If it’s true that the possessed change slowly over time, then I could be one too, couldn’t I?”

  She didn’t want her darkness to harm anyone. It would be a great relief if it truly was only an affinity and meant nothing evil, yet still… what if...

  “Well, your skin isn’t completely pale. It’s slightly darker but quite even in tone, so I’d say it’s unlikely. There are many different shades of skin here. And you don’t have any kind of fungal mark or discoloration as far as I can tell,” Immesh said seriously, giving a slow nod.

  “I think it’s time for you to rest, if you choose to go beyond our Holy Shield. I can’t help you with that. I can’t give you our Sky Stone. You’ll have have to make your way through the Shaded Lands on your own. I hope the darkness within you will protect you from the Nightmares. I’ll order my Hunters to give you supplies, a meal, and a place to rest, whatever you need. The Radiant Order owes you more than anyone could ever repay, so we’ll help you reach your friend, even if it likely leads to your ruin.”

  Immesh gestured toward the staircase, and soon Uda began to descend through the levels, her stomach tightening with unease.

  There were no Hunters left on the lower floors; it seemed everyone had left, unwilling to witness whatever Immesh had planned for her. Thinking about it, the parts of the building he had blown apart had probably made them scatter even faster.

  Uda still felt as though none of it was real. Maybe she was still in that stinking cage, starving, imagining all of this. Maybe she truly had broken.

  “After you,” Immesh said, and she pushed open the door, stepping out onto the courtyard in front of the building where the other Hunters waited.

  What if they think I overpowered him? Can I fight them if I have to? Maybe… although they’re probably just afraid… I might be able to run away if push comes to shove. I am likely faster than all of them...

  Her steps trembled as she walked out, and more and more frightened eyes turned toward her when the others noticed her new clothes and the absence of the stones around her neck. Shouts rang out, and spears began to glow. Uda suppressed a shiver and tried to walk upright, her head held high.

  I’ll make it. I’m finally free and can focus on helping Nia. Oh please, let her not be possessed…