Nyer’s Exile

Nyer was the ever loyal servant to his Queen and the place that he called home and out of his sense of loyalty to his Queen he was compelled to right any wrong he felt was perpetrated against her. She faced many petty insults each of which the shrewd servant committed to his memory and made the party levying such insults pay for their words. Typically he would simply spread rumors painting his foe in a poor light and at the heights he would endeavor to bring the subject discomfort. He was never naturally violent and was sure to keep impulses in check.

He often joined his Queen on various excursions one of which effected Nyer most dearly, the Queen and her royal entourage left from their homes and made their way to the realm called the Abyssal Mirror. The foreign place was the realm of the great dragon Seth who at one point in the past had saved their home from a most dire incursion from a creature called Chimera.

Their time in the Abyssal Mirror was short, the intent was to abscond with a Changeling that once made its home with them but it was obvious that there would be no way to steal from the great dragon. Nyer hatched an insidious plan to prompt the young Changeling to flee the Abyssal Mirror to the place beyond the thorns, there such a naïve Changeling would make swift work for a Huntsmen.

The plan seemed to go well, Nyer planted the seed of doubt in his prize yet in his success he found little fulfillment. They were not greeted by the Dragon as a friend greets a friend, the powerful creature practically spoke to his Queen with distain. The Dragons words each was like a knife thrust into his chest and he could not let the dragon out of his mind for a single day.

He could never hope to overpower the Dragon all though in the Dragons own chamber was the closest he ever came to acting violently. His only hope was to out think Seth, the seeds he planted in the child Changeling would accomplish his goal and distract Seth, Nyer hopped.

Nyer studied all that he could about the craft of dreams, the art called oneiromancy. First he studied under his rival Osin, another Changeling who Nyer outwitted to earn the affection of his Queen. He did not limit his learning to one teacher, he learned also from the Chimera, the creature who the dragon saved his home from.

Nyer swallowed his pride, he gave anything he could to his teachers for any scrap of knowledge they would give him. He sent spies into the Abyssal Mirror to hunt down anything that would be useful to his ambition of humbling the Dragon.

Nyer thought himself talented enough to begin inserting himself in to the Dragons dreams, he would do so but make no changes, he would just linger there to feel the element that the Dragon found to be a natural dream. Nyer’s Clarity limited his ability to begin understanding what was happening but lingering there would give him the element of surprise when he moved.

Time a meaningless measurement in timeless Arcadia but hardly a night went by where Nyer did not find some time to sneak in to the Dragons dreams. Each success built upon his confidence and his plan was nearly complete. Nyer began subtlety changing the Dragons dreams, small changes at first, minor alterations, the temperature, weather it was night or day, and even some of the background faces in the dreams.

Nyer was brimming with confidence now, in his mind the sacrifices he made for this power were proving themselves worth it. He started making more dramatic changes to the dreams putting the dragon in places Nyer was more familiar with, the castle, the Queens Courtiers, even the queens chambers.

Nyer knew that this would be the night where he would exact his vengeance. Nyer entered the Seth’s dreams as he always did, he snapped the environment to his liking, replicating the palace that was his home, it was a perfect replica even to the finest detail. He cast a luminous moon into the sky which illuminated the stained glass windows.

Nyer’s final trick would be to change his form to that of his Queen sitting atop her throne as the great dragon approached, none of the Courtiers or other faces that would normally be found around the palace were present, only Seth, Nyer in the shape of his Queen, and a brilliant moon.

“Seth, the great dragon, what a pleasure it is to see you in my home.” Nyer spoke in the voice of his Queen.

“You have been on my mind Queen Zoeva.” Seth responded with almost a hint of warmth.

Nyer was ecstatic with the Dragons response, his schemes bore fruit, the Dragon held the Queen in warm regard.

“I have been waiting for this for a long time, I had begun to think you despised me.” Nyer stepped off the throne and began to approach Seth.

“I think you will find it to be quite the contrary, if I harbored any ill will towards you my wrath would be obvious.” Seth said in a relaxed manner kneeling before the Queen.

“Well then why should squander our time ?” Nyer said with a slightly extended hand.

“We should make what we can of this time.” Seth said kissing the queens hand.

It took nearly everything Nyer had to keep his delight suppressed, the Dragon was swayed by his magic. He proceeded to lead the Dragon to the Queens chambers, a space which he was so familiar with.

“Make yourself comfortable.” Nyer said with a gesture to a lavish bed.

“As you wish but please do not keep me waiting.” Seth climbed onto the bed and laid on his back.

“Oh your pertinence will be well rewarded.” Nyer said stepping behind a shade and changing to something more provocative.

Nyer emerged from the shade, the fake mask he wore adorned in a sultry garment. Each step was a performance part of the master stroke of Nyer’s genius until he crawled atop Seth. He climbed the Dragons body with the intent of offering false affection, as Nyer’s lips drew close he came to a sudden stop.

“This charade has gone on long enough.” Seth’s powerful hand was clenched around Nyer’s throat.

He began to squeeze and in so doing his mask shattered like glass exposing Nyer. The upstart Changeling could not get out as much as a word so tight was the Dragons grip.

“You must think yourself clever little pretender.” Seth said in a threatening voice but almost on a whisper.

“I knew you were here from the moment you stepped in but I thought it would be amusing to see what you would do but enough is enough.” Seth continued his voice coming to a growl.

“I would have thought you more intelligent, if you wanted to seduce me you needed to be far more creative and if you wanted to lead me astray, your performance left a lot to be desired.” Seth said heaving Nyer off of him.

The Changeling rolled to the ground desperate to catch his breath, his heart had never raced as much as it was now. He was exposed and found out, worse of all he might bring trouble to his home. Tears and panic welled in the Changeling as Seth loomed over him.

“I hold no ill will towards your Queen, you on the other hand …” Seth’s voice strayed and his body vanished.

The ground beneath Nyer began to shake and heave, he could hear the stained glass shatter as the stone of the dream palace cracked and broke. Nyer stood up and as he did his home seemed to collapse around him revealing a flaming land scape of broken earth, smoke and fire.

“No … no ….” Nyer could barely mutter as he ran to save any piece of his home that he could.

“You little pretender are my plaything now.” Seth’s voice echoed as the sound on large wing echoed over the dreamscape blocking out the last light of the moon.

“This was not supposed to go this way.” Nyer ran Lost in his panic.

“It is already to late to turn back now.” Seth’s voice again echoed this time with amusement, the Glamour of Nyer’s terror tasting rather exquisite.

Nyer continued to run spotting a ruined tower that still seemed to stand among the ruins of his home. He ran for the door to seek shelter from the shifting earth and heat. He swung open the door and blindly ran through. Nyer tripped and skid across the ground, he quickly composed himself and found himself in a patch of dirt surrounded by throned vines.

“Our fun is just getting started little pretender.” A large wolf like creature spoke in Seth’s voice at the head of a pack of similar looking creatures.

Nyer did not have time to think, or to speak he just started to run and the wolves gave chase, it was quickly apparent that they were toying with Nyer and could move in at any time but still they gave chase, they left him to cling to hope.

Nyer kept running though he could not stop even though he knew that he could not escape, he then saw a clearing in the vines just big enough for him to slip through but to small for the wolves.
“Do It pretender, break through the veil of Thorns knowing my fire waits beyond the thorn.” Seth said as Nyer jumped through the thorns.

Nyer found himself sliding along a hard surface surrounded by noise and fake light. He came to his senses somewhat and saw that Seth was no where in sight.

He nearly wandered into oncoming traffic a car swerving to avoid hitting him. Nyer could barely comprehend the explosive that was thrown at him as it started to come to him. He had been to the other side of the thorns during the struggle with Chimera and Nyer relaxed.

He found some privacy and opened up a door to the Hedge. He had snuck back and forth between Arcadia and the other side of the Thorns before when contesting Chimera. As he approached the Hedge Door his skin began to burn until it was unbearable and Nyer had to recoil from the door.

“My Fire will always wait for you beyond the thorns pretender so I Pledge.” Seth’s voice echoed as the Hedge Door began to close.

Nyer felt hollow, he could not think of a way to return home and survive. He wandered his own rough condition and distraught look caught the attention of a few good doers. An affluent couple helped Nyer along go so far as to provide them a bed for the night.

Nyer craves rest and took advantage of the courtesy. He fell asleep quickly but as he did he found himself dreaming of the Dragons throne room.

“Hello Pretender, you did not think I was letting you go so easily did you ?” Seth sat upon his throne with an almost diabolical expression.