Amazon Apocalypse 7: Chapter 7 [Lydwyn]

Lydwyn, in the capital of Camlaan

Lydwyn had always been one of the least among the sages. Truthfully, she still felt like an acolyte before the others.

She was the youngest of the Sages of Camlaan, after her predecessor failed to survive the integration of their original world. Bonding with the Ark and gaining the position of sage had come suddenly, since before then Lydwyn had been certain she'd be a lifelong acolyte.

Because of this unexpected shift in status, she was less prepared than most for her new position. The other sages received extensive training in political maneuvering and often had powerful ties to nobility and an existing support network.

But Lydwyn stood alone with only the traditions of the Sages and the knowledge that their people trusted her to carry the wisdom of their ancestors into this strange new age. This was a sacred duty, and one she was sorry to learn most of the sages did not revere as she did.

Perhaps that was why the signs were revealed to her.

She had been cleaning the pedestal bearing the Sword of the Warrior when it happened. It was the second most important artifact to their people, second only to the ark itself beneath their feet. It deserved every moment of care they could give it. This had been her job when she was just an acolyte, and she was happy to continue doing it as a sage.

No one else had noticed due to the terror induced by those void monsters as they descended, but something had changed that day. The sword rattled in its stone scabbard, and the rust on its surface fell down like snow. The sword was as huge as a building, so these shredded flakes covered the ground around the pedestal.

She'd taken the sudden rust flaking as an ill-omen at first and had told the others, though they'd ignored her. But then she looked closer and realized that the surface beneath the rust seemed new and freshly polished. Day by day, the sword was restoring itself through powerful and ancient magic long lost to their people.

There was only one explanation. The age of prophecy was near at hand. Soon, their ancient hero would return to them. She tried to tell the others, but they refused to listen.

"If the prophecy was going to come true, our king would have done so during the integration," one of the sages waved her off.

"Keep quiet about such things, Lydwyn. The last time something like this happened, it was a political disaster," another replied.

"Do you know how many false heroes there are, Lydwyn? How many times people have claimed the sword was moments from being pulled? Stop dreaming and focus on those reports. Already, we're losing our grip on the rural nobility in favor of this strange Emperor Carter fellow, and the merchants are increasingly enamored with this foreign Adventurer's Guild. If we don't force them back into line, he'll conquer us in truth instead of just on paper," said a third sage.

Such sentiment was common. Each time she'd clean the rust-speckled clearing, and each time she'd reaffirm her discovery. And each time her words were met with scoffs and sneers from her peers.

No one believed her, until one day Grand Sage Balencia finally paid her a second glance. For the longest time, Lydwyn had been convinced that Balencia hated her. After all, Balencia was the most skilled at political maneuvering among all the sages, and Lydwyn had presented herself as an honorable idealist who would fight against corruption or straying from their ancient and sacred duties. As such, they were natural political opponents.

It hadn't amounted to much when Grand Sage Balencia had wielded her emergency wartime powers, but after being forced to yield, Lydwyn had completely accidentally found herself opposing the grand sage on most issues.

It was a regrettable position, but one that Lydwyn didn't feel was beyond saving. Especially when Grand Sage Balencia came to see her before the quivering sword and take in the falling rust for herself.

"You weren't lying," Balencia said as she gazed up at the ancient sword.

"Y-you believe me?" Lydwyn turned to the Grand Sage in incredulity and a bit of growing hope. Maybe the Grand Sage didn't hate her as much as she thought.

"I've conferred with certain allies, with ties to forces in the void beyond all civilized worlds. They suggest there may be some credence to your theory. Come with me." Grand Sage Balencia turned on her heels and walked off. Lydwyn dropped the broom she'd been cleaning with and hurried to follow.

After following the grand sage for a while, Lydwyn realized Balencia was leading her to her private quarters. Lydwyn had to admit she was curious, but found herself disappointed when she realized the chambers were completely ordinary, and even a bit smaller than her own.

But then Grand Sage Balencia spoke.

"Ship, two to the bridge."

Instantly, strange ancient power enveloped Lydwyn, and the two of them vanished in a burst of light. When Lydwyn could see again, she was somewhere else entirely.

Strange ancient consoles surrounded her, flickering with moving symbols that she'd only ever seen fixed on paper before.

"Amazing... where are we, Balencia?" Lydwyn turned to ask Grand Sage Balencia where she'd been taken only to discover the Grand Sage was currently addressing someone else.

No... something else.

A giant wolf loomed on the monitor. It looked strangely ordinary at first glance, but its eyes betrayed a cruel intelligence, and there was a certain malevolence in its face and features. It took in Lydwyn the same way a dog might take in a new chew toy.

"This one has a good relationship with Emperor Carter. Like most men, I've heard he has a weakness for women. With the right motivation and a bit of cleaning up, she should be able to seduce him," Grand Sage Balencia said to the wolf.

"Ensure she does so. That will place her close to him for information, and if my voidspawn sources are correct, it will place her in a good position to snatch the starchild as well," the wolf said.

"Uh... what's this about me seducing someone?" Lydwyn asked. She would be embarrassed if she wasn't already nervous. Seducing someone was hardly part of a sage's job. Man or woman, most were already grandparents by the time they got the position. While Lydwyn was a young exception, years of studying books instead of boys meant she was ill-equipped for anything resembling a normal romance, let alone a seduction.

She was getting an increasingly bad feeling about what the wolf and what Grand Sage Balencia were talking about. What exactly was it they wanted her to do?

"Oh, I forgot to mention she isn't particularly loyal to me. Nor is she skilled in seduction," Grand Sage Balencia said, not even casting Lydwyn a second glance.

"Ah... excuse me, but I really need you to explain what is going on, Balencia..." Lydwyn looked around for an exit, but the room they were in was sealed. There was something that might have been a door behind them, but it was closed tight now, and given the ancient and metallic construction she wasn't sure even B-Grade power could break it.

Lydwyn gulped at the thought that she might have to fight her way to freedom. She might have the power of a sage, but she'd never been in a fight in her life. She'd contributed to the war efforts by assisting in barrier repair and by enchanting swords.

She was certain she had an offensive spell. Several, in fact. She'd gotten them when she became a sage, and had even practiced with them a few times. But right now, when she needed them most, she couldn't activate them.

"That's no issue. We only need her body and identity. I have a skilled agent coming to you now. Just keep the woman restrained a moment."

Lydwyn realized it wasn't just fear paralyzing her. Grand Sage Balencia had already cast a spell on her. A flash of light appeared on the bridge, much in the same way Grand Sage Balencia and Lydwyn had appeared in the first place.

She was C-Grade and had the look of someone who had once been a ravishing beauty, but was now dying of some sort of rot from the inside out. Wounds on her arms blistered and puckered, oozing black gunk. Slashes had cleaved off fingers and left unhealed festering stumps.

"This is my new host?" the woman said, and her hiss seemed almost serpent-like.

Balencia nodded and stepped aside. The strange wounded woman approached Lydwyn. They met eye to eye, and Lydwyn felt terror fill her unlike anything she had ever felt before. Then, the strange wounded woman grabbed Lydwyn by the chin and pulled herself closer as if for a kiss.

But this was no fond gesture. Something wet, slimy, and as thick as an arm slid out of the wounded woman's mouth and kept coming. Lydwyn couldn't see it, but she became increasingly certain a live snake was being forced down her throat.

There was a sharp, stabbing pain as something pierced the back of her throat, and from there slithered around her spine. In an instant, the world pulled away from her. It was like she'd been driving her body like a carriage her whole life, but now someone had torn the reins away from her and forced her into the back seat.

She was no longer in control of her own body and could only helplessly watch as it moved without her. In front of her, the wounded woman collapsed in a heap of flesh. Her eyes fluttered a few times, but with such hefty wounds her death was just a matter of time.

Lydwyn found her body twirling and glancing at her reflection in the nearby consoles. Her hands went to her face and plucked the rounded spectacles she'd worn for years off, then tossed them aside. Familiar fingers combed through her hair in unfamiliar ways, straightening and parting her hair in a manner Lydwyn had never even thought to try.

Then she felt her mouth open. Her voice came out and was familiar, but the tone and cadence bore sly confidence she'd never had.

"I'll need new clothes. These robes are hideous." The stranger in control of her body waved her hand and the last remnants of Balencia's binding spell fell apart. It had happened so quickly that Lydwyn hadn't even noticed when it had been broken.

"Your mission is to infiltrate Emperor Carter's inner circle. You'll be given a position as our official envoy. You are to spy on his activities for us, and if possible identify anyone of importance, including a potential reincarnation of the founding ancestor. Such an individual should take the form of a child with exceptional talent. If he has truly returned, then we have a limited window to deal with him. Once he awakens his memories and full power, none of us will be qualified to contain him."

Balencia glanced to the wolf pictured in the glowing tablet across from her.

"The voidlings are quite certain their ancient foe has been reincarnated. I don't know how much of his power survived his death, but even a fraction of it is more than enough to bring a newly integrated world under heel. Whoever controls this starchild will most certainly rule the realm," the wolf said.

"How will we control such a powerful figure? Even if he is a child now, it's only a matter of time before he grows beyond us," Balencia said.

Lydwyn had been scribbling some notes down, which she handed to Balencia before patting the Grand Sage's head like a child's. It was a gesture Lydwyn would never have even dreamed of attempting back when she'd been in control of her body.

"Don't you worry about that, dearie. That's a problem far out of your league. Here's something you can handle." Lydwyn handed the notes over with uncharacteristic swagger and dismissive confidence.

"This is?" Balencia glanced at the notes. She glanced up at Lydwyn as though she couldn't match what she knew of her and what she was hearing from Lydwyn's lips.

"My shopping list. Go fetch them for me. I have some preparations to make. Also, make sure you toss that body out before it stinks up the place."

Lydwyn made a shooing motion, as though she were dismissing the Grand Sage.

Balencia, meanwhile, looked like she'd just bitten into a lemon. Her fingers twitched like she was about to cast a spell, but a warning look from the new owner of Lydwyn's body had her turning and walking away.

Trapped in her own body and watching the scene unfold, Lydwyn felt a bit of schadenfreude. But only for a moment. Just what exactly had Balencia gotten their people into?

Once Balencia vanished, Lydwyn turned back to the screen.

"I hear you've got a grudge against this sorry little Emperor fellow. Though finding this reincarnator seems even more important, if the voidlings are to believed. Now that the local stooge is gone, what's the real plan?"

The wolf grinned.

<Note>

Remember, the name Carter originally wanted to pick for Adrian in book one was Arthur.