Once the Red Death arrived in its entirety, it nearly consumed our planet whole. The world itself became blood. The blue sky we had known forever had disappeared. The ocean had become a crimson body. It's only due to the great efforts of our Whisperers that we maintain a reminiscent atmosphere above us, within the Wall's protection.
Without the incantation, it is as if the Red Death covers our realm in a blood-stained blanket, strangling our livelihood and our comfort. It was hundreds of years before we figured out a spell to, more or less, make a blue sky permanent. Although it is artificial, the sky does behave as it once did. I hope our people know this fact and never take the light blue body above them for granted again.
Section from When the Sky Died by Whisperer Stonehand
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"What do you mean the King of Terror wants to see me?"
What does he have to do with any of this? I thought he was the enemy.
Mordecai suddenly appeared out of nowhere onto Gwyn's shoulder and lovingly rubbed up against her face, the feline nimbly balanced on the shaky human.
"He sent a letter, beautifully written. He should really be a writer, I tell you."
"What does it say?"
"Then he sent a second letter after I didn't respond to the first one."
"But—"
"Then he sent this prophylactic!"
He pointed to the locket lying on his desk. It was bronze, surrounded by purple vines.
She stared at the Head Whisperer, who seemed to be waiting to interrupt her.
"What can I do with this… prophylactic."
She said, referring to the locket. The harder she seemed to argue, the less she got accomplished.
"Ah, it is imbued with some sort of magic. All I know is that only you can open it."
He held up the letter.
Before he could react, she snatched the letter and opened it.
Bring this to the new Chosen One, or I will kill you.
She flipped the letter over.
"That's all it says?!"
"What does it say? I couldn't read it. I seem to get my letters mixed up."
Gwyn facepalmed.
"This wasn't exactly a friendly greeting card."
"That's weird… he seems like a chipper guy from what I've heard about him."
"The King of Terror… sounding chipper? Have you lost your mind?"
He stared blankly.
"Yes."
Gwyn blinked. Mordecai adjusted herself and dangled over Gwyn's shoulder, arms stretched towards her chest. She felt surprisingly heavy.
"Can I just not respond?"
"Sure! I love putting things off personally. He reminds me of my father in that regard. Have you met my father? A great man he was back in—"
The Head Whisperer seemed to be talking to an audience in his mind. Gwyn picked up the locket. It stung, but in a way that sent courses of pleasure throughout her body.
It was crude magic, whatever it was, but Gwyn was unaware of this. The desire was now implanted in her. She had to know how to open it. The message that lies within. But she wouldn't. Not today.
"And that's when I met Firedeath."
The Head Whisperer finished, looking fondly to the sky.
"Huh?" Gwyn said sort of stupidly. All of her attention was ripped away from the locket. "What do you think I should do?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know?"
"Yeah, I don't know everything, is that a problem?"
"Well… no."
"Then I don't see why I should be involved."
He smacked his lips as he picked up a scorpion-creature that was holding a stick in its claw. He flicked the small item and the scorpion hastily flew away to retrieve it.
"Do you think this will go away? Do you think he will give up?"
The Head Whisperer shrugged.
"Sure, what's the worst that could happen? He only sent one of his followers to blow you up in a café you happened to attend at the same time. I mean, truly, what are the odds? He could be your biggest fan."
Ren absent-mindedly petted a snail with a shell made of another, smaller creature in some sort of symbiotic relationship.
What a way to answer without answering.
She looked at the locket again. The vines glowed with a luster, making them seem more like jewelry than anything else. The thorns were sharp to the point of being painful, but they did not pierce the skin. The vines also had a sweet scent, reminiscent of roses or a similar fragrance. She placed the locket within her robe.
"You just going to stand there all day?"
He asked, but not referring to Gwyn, but instead a little dog-like creature who was standing on one leg in some sort of ritual for begging for food.
"I'm going to go now, if that's okay."
I am most certainly not going to get any meaningful answers from Ren.
The Head Whisperer jumped in surprise.
"Ah! Chosen One. When did you get here?"
"I don't want to do this again. Is there anything else you wanted to tell me before I leave?"
Ren looked thoughtful for a moment, but ultimately said.
"I swear I wanted to tell you something. But I just can't remember."
"Oh really, Ren? You can't remember?" Gwyn rolled her eyes. His coherent consciousness seemed only to extend as long as she remained in Ren's vision. "Well. Send a scribe for me if you remember, okay, Head Whisperer?"
"I'll do just that."
He turned away from Gwyn to face a snake with six heads, feeding each head a small pellet.
Gwyn let out a heavy breath as she exited the room. Her stomach was rumbling. That short journey turned out to be anything but. She felt thankful she could move at her own pace as she took the steps, two to three at a time, as she descended the tower.
She followed the hallways until she reached Elise's room, wondering if she could get some food with her. Gwyn stood outside the door, which she thought was Elise's room.
"Elise?"
Gwyn said to the empty hallway, knocking on the door repeatedly.
"Yes?"
"Jesus!"
Elise narrowed her brows.
"Why do you keep bringing up that guy? Also, I was calling for you. Didn't you hear me?"
"What? No…" Gwyn said with heavy breaths. "Don't sneak up on me like that!"
"I didn't try! I swear."
When Elise stared at Gwyn, she remembered last night. Her fantasies with the Chosen One. Her ears suddenly flushed a shade of pink and she had to look away.
That's an odd reaction.
"You smell like the Head Whisperer's office. Everything okay?"
Elise tried to change the subject.
"Kind of. The only good that came of it was a cute cat that was so affectionate." Gwyn sniffed herself. "Is the smell that noticeable?"
"It is referred to as 'going to the animal farm' when you are sent to his office."
"Ah." She thought of the probably hundreds of animals crammed into the massive space. "That makes a lot of sense." She paused, appearing bashful. "Should I shower?"
Elise laughed.
"Gods, no."
She gestured to the Chosen One and she no longer smelled like the Head Whisperer's office.
"What did you do?"
"Lesser magic, specifically prestidigitation. Mages often use it to clean small messes, remove foul odors, things like that."
Gwyn nodded.
Cool and convenient.
"Well… Thank you for that." An awkward pause. Thinking of Elise bathing her was an exciting prospect for some reason. She shook the thought away. "Can we please get some food? I am about to eat my own arm off."
Elise looked shocked.
"My magic isn't strong enough to regenerate limbs yet, but I'm sure we can find someone who can satisfy your strange desire."
Gwyn laughed.
"No, no. It's a…"
Elise stared blankly at her.
"Never mind."