Chapter Text
She saw fire—an overwhelming sea of destruction consuming everything in its path. The heat was suffocating, the crackling of burning wood and collapsing buildings echoing in her ears like the roar of some monstrous beast. People were screaming, their voices raw with terror, and others were crying, their sobs mingling with the chaos as they scrambled to escape the inferno. Some were casting desperate spells to stop the destruction, their magic faltering in the face of the unstoppable blaze. In the midst of it all, she felt her father's strong grip on her arm, pulling her through the panic-stricken crowd.
But then came the fog. A dense, suffocating veil that descended from the heavens like the hand of death itself. It choked the air, dampening the flames but bringing no relief. The fog stretched across the land. It clung to everything, poisoning what little remained of the world. This was no ordinary mist, destined to blanket the world for a thousand days, draining life from those who survived the firestorm.
That was the last thing she remembered clearly—the terror etched on the faces around her, the acrid smell of smoke and fog filling her lungs, and her father's calm voice, a stark contrast to the madness surrounding them. He had pushed her into a small, wooden box, his hands trembling slightly as he knelt beside her.
-Everything is going to be alright- he whispered, his voice heavy with a promise, trying to mask his fear with a reassuring smile for his daughter.
“How stupid…” she thought bitterly, as the memory replayed in her mind. “ People were being burned alive, and the fog was choking out whatever life remained. There was no safety in a city engulfed in flames and death.”
Yet, despite the absurdity of his words, she had believed him. She had clung to the hope that her father, her protector, would somehow make everything right.
Now, she felt cold. A deep, bone-chilling cold that seeped into her very core. Her limbs were heavy with exhaustion, as if she had been sleeping for an eternity. Slowly, her eyes fluttered open, expecting to see the familiar walls of her room and the soft glow of the morning sun filtering through the curtains, thinking that all was a bad dream.
Instead, she was met with the sight of a cold, damp cell. The stone walls were covered in grime, the floor littered with straw that reeked of decay. Panic surged through her as she struggled to understand where she was. Confused, she shook her head, trying to clear the fog that clouded her thoughts. Attempted to stand, but the clinking of metal stopped her short. Chains. She was chained.
-Father?- She murmured, her voice barely a whisper, thick with fear and uncertainty. The word hung in the air, unanswered, swallowed by the oppressive silence.
-FATHER!!- She screamed more, there was nothing, only her. She also realized that her brown hair was also cut off, short in comparison of how long she had it before.
-WISEMAN?...- She started calling the names of the people of her community. She thought there was a possibility that the attack, which had dreamed about, was orchestrated by the Demon clan. Maybe they wanted their magic and enslaved them, using them as weapons for this “Holy war” , but her people always remained neutral. She tried to get up again, but his legs were weak and he fell back to the ground and sighed in pain, but again, no one heard her.
Death wasn't something she thought about; She was a good girl! She trained in her magic almost every day, she adored her father or wiseman as if their words were law, and her friends and she always behaved. Even with all that, however, she wasn't even the most powerful mage in her community! It didn't make any sense that someone would kidnap her.
In between scattered thoughts, she heard the faint creak of a door opening, followed by the slow, deliberate sound of footsteps approaching. Panic surged through her, and she strained against the chains that bound her, desperately trying to reach the cell bars to catch a glimpse of whoever was coming. But the weight of the chains around her wrists and ankles was too much, and she fell heavily onto the cold, damp floor, her knees scraping against the rough stone.
It didn’t matter. Footsteps were drawing closer, echoing through the dimly lit corridor. Soon, a figure appeared in front of her cell. It was a man, hunched slightly as he leaned on a cane. His tunic was dark and worn, and his face was marred by deep burns, with a mask covering part of the disfigured skin.
-Finally awake- he muttered, his voice low and rasping, like the hiss of a serpent.
The girl recoiled in terror at the sight of him, scrambling backward, her body trembling as she pushed herself as far from him as she could. Feeling like a cornered animal, her instincts screaming for her to escape even though there was nowhere to run. Her heart pounded in her chest as if it might burst at any moment.
Behind the masked man, more figures loomed. Two large men stepped forward, dragging another body with them. The figure they carried was big, half-naked, with a helmet covering his head, obscuring his features. His arms dangled lifelessly, and the air around him seemed heavy with the stench of death.
-W-Who are you?- she stammered, her voice trembling, barely above a whisper. She remained on the floor, her breathing shallow and erratic as her wide eyes darted between the masked man and the lifeless body. There was something unnatural about the man in front of her—an aura, a magical presence that made the very air around him seem thick and oppressive. She felt it constricting her throat, filling her lungs with a weight that made her head spin.
The man didn’t respond to her question. He simply raised a hand, snapping his fingers. The sharp sound echoed through the cell, and his subordinates moved without a word. They dragged the body forward and, without hesitation, tossed it into her cell as if it were no more than a sack of garbage. The girl's reflexes kicked in, and she scrambled out of the way just in time to avoid the corpse falling on top of her. The body hit the ground with a sickening thud, and she recoiled in horror, pressing herself against the far wall of the cell. The man's corpse lay in front of her, and yet… something about it unnerved her. Her eyes were drawn to the helmet that obscured his face, a strange design that seemed out of place.
The subordinates wasted no time; they quickly shackled the corpse’s limbs to the cell floor, the metallic clinks of the chains echoing through the small room. They worked methodically, as if this was routine, as if they had done this a hundred times before. When they were finished, they left without so much as a glance at the girl, the cell door slamming shut behind them.
The silence that followed was suffocating. She was left alone in the cold, dirty cell with the chained body of a dead man, her mind racing with questions, fear, and confusion. Her body still shook from the encounter with the masked man, and her skin crawled with the sensation that something far more sinister was at play.
The corpse lay still, but she couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't entirely dead.
The girl hesitated for a moment, her breath still shallow, before slowly crawling closer to the body. Up close, the sheer size of him became even more apparent—he was massive, towering, with muscles that looked as if they had been carved from stone.
As she inched nearer, more questions flooded her mind. Who was this man? Why had they imprisoned someone like him with her? What had he done to deserve such a fate? The thought gnawed at her—he wasn’t like the others she had seen before. No one from Beliauli would accept someone so… strange. He didn’t belong.
Her curiosity and unease battled inside her, but despite her fear, she needed to know more. With trembling hands, she reached out and gently pressed her fingers against his chest. She half-expected his skin to be as cold as death, but instead, she felt warmth beneath her touch. For a moment, she held her breath, focusing intently on the faint rhythm beneath her fingertips.
His heart was beating. Slowly, faintly, but unmistakably alive.
A wave of relief washed over her, and despite herself, she smiled. It was a small, weary smile—tinged with disbelief and exhaustion, but also a glimmer of hope. He was alive. Then, her gaze drifted to the helmet. It was unlike any she had ever seen before. Rust clung to its surface like decay, and the design seemed more chaotic than refined—nothing like the polished, symmetrical helmets of knights. This helmet appeared to be crudely pieced together, as though different metals had been fused in a barbaric, almost desperate way. It bore the scars of countless battles, dented and worn.
Intrigued, she stared at it more closely, trying to discern who—or what—this man truly was. And then, she saw movement. The man’s eyes were beginning to open, just barely visible through the narrow slits of the helmet. They were a striking blue, as vivid as the sky on a beautiful clear day, a stark contrast to the savage armor that encased him.
But despite the danger that this stranger might pose, she found herself smiling shyly again. For the first time since she had been locked away, she felt a flicker of reassurance—she wasn’t alone anymore. But her relief was short-lived. In an instant, without warning, his fist lashed out at her with brutal speed. She barely had time to register the movement before the impact hit her square in the face, sending her body hurtling across the cell. Pain exploded through her skull as she slammed against the hard stone wall, crumpling to the floor like a rag doll.
-For God Sun’s sake!- The man cursed, his voice raw. -Do you know that you should NEVER touch a fainted man with something cold? Especially a cold hand!-
His words echoed through the cell as he stood, his towering form rising like a giant above her. The force of his blow had left her stunned, her vision blurred, and her mind reeling from the unexpected violence. She struggled to focus, her body shaking as she tried to push herself up.
Dazed, she blinked down at the ground. There, smeared across the filthy stone floor, was blood—her blood. It dripped from her nose and mouth, staining her hands as she instinctively touched her face. The warmth of it, combined with the ringing in her ears, made everything feel surreal. The sharp pain in her head and the taste of iron in her mouth were the only things tethering her to reality.
Her breath came in ragged gasps as she looked up at him, fear and confusion swirling in her mind.The girl pressed herself against the far wall, her hand still trembling as she wiped the blood from her lip.
The man didn’t move any closer to her, held back by the heavy chain that restricted his movements.
-Whoa, whoa, hey, calm down- He said, his tone shifting abruptly. His voice, once filled with fury, was now more relaxed—almost apologetic, even embarrassed. He rubbed the back of his neck, his posture softening as he looked at her with a hint of regret in his eyes -It was just... because you scared me-
He let out a frustrated sigh and shook his head -Damn, I’m not a woman beater. My Boar Mother taught me that you don’t hit women. Ever-
As he spoke, he started pacing around the cell, though the chains clanged and rattled, holding him back from moving freely. When the restraints stopped him from going further, he gave a sharp tug on the chain, testing its strength. With a sudden, powerful jerk, he ripped it free, the metal links snapping apart as though they were nothing more than brittle twine.
The girl’s eyes widened in terror, and a scream escaped her lips. She pressed herself against the cold stone wall. She was trapped in the cell with a monster—a brute who had already struck her once, and now he had torn through his chains as if they were made of paper. Her heart raced, pounding wildly in her chest as fear seized her. What was he going to do to her now?.
The man paused mid-step, looking back at her with genuine confusion -Why are you screaming?- He asked, his brow furrowing -I was about to break your chains too-
Without waiting for a response, he bent down and grabbed the thick iron links binding her wrists. His grip was firm, but not painful. With brute force, he began pulling the chains apart, snapping the metal as if it posed no resistance at all. Each link shattered under his fists, scattering to the ground with a series of clinks, the sound echoing through the small cell.
The girl’s breath caught in her throat, too stunned to move. She watched in disbelief as the restraints that had held her for so long were effortlessly destroyed, one by one.
-Consider an apology for hitting you earlier- The man said with a soft chuckle. There was an odd warmth in his voice now, as though he genuinely meant it.
As the last of the chains fell away from her, she hesitated, still unsure whether to trust this strange, unpredictable man. But one thing was certain—she was free from her bonds, and he had made that happen.
-I'm Icarus, by the way- he said suddenly.
"Icarus?" she repeated the name in her mind, turning it over. It was a human name. He was human, despite his strange, almost bear-like presence. But still—human.
Icarus reached into his pants and pulled out a crumpled paper towel, clearly old and somewhat stained. Without asking, he pressed it gently against her face, wiping away the blood from the blow he had dealt her earlier. The smell of the towel was unpleasant, but her head was still spinning, and she was too weak to protest. She accepted his gesture, though something about it made her uncomfortable. His rough yet careful touch was oddly soothing, but at the same time, she felt her personal space being invaded. She pushed him away slightly, trying to regain some distance.
-I-it's fine- She muttered, her voice shaky but firm enough to let him know she wanted him to stop.
Icarus nodded in acknowledgment and pulled away. He didn’t seem offended. Instead, he simply resumed walking around the small cell, inspecting it as if he had never been in a place like it before. His eyes (or at least, what she could see of them beneath his helmet) roamed over the moldy stone walls, the cracks in the floor, and the small, barred window that barely let in any light. Meanwhile, she stayed frozen in the same spot where she had been chained, still processing everything, her mind swirling with a mix of emotions and unanswered questions.
After a long pause, she finally found her voice.
-What... is this place?- She asked, interrupting his exploration.
Icarus stopped in his tracks and turned to face her, his helmet moving as if it were an extension of his own head. He studied her for a moment before answering.
-I thought you knew. It’s no small thing to get kidnapped by a cult of the Seven Catastrophes- He said casually, as though this were the most normal thing in the world.
Her heart skipped a beat. Kidnapped? A cult? And who—or what—were the Seven Catastrophes? She felt a cold chill crawl up her spine as confusion and fear tangled together in her mind.
-A... a cult?- She stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. She felt like she was losing her grip on reality. Nothing about this made sense.
Icarus nodded, the movement of his helmet giving the impression of a casual, almost playful agreement. -Not the real 'Seven Catastrophes’, they're long dead, silly!. No, this is just a cult that follows their image. A bunch of wannabes, if you ask me- He said and laughed then, throaty chuckle that filled the small cell. Without a care in the world, he sat down on the filthy, dirt-covered floor, crossing his legs like a child. There was something both bizarre and disarming about how at ease he seemed, despite the dire situation they were in, she sat in front of him, obviously with distance.
-Sooo… what's your name?- Icarus asked, breaking the silence with a sudden change of topic.
The girl, startled from her thoughts, lifted her head from where she had been staring at the floor and met his gaze. After a brief hesitation, she spoke her name softly, almost unsure if she should share it with this strange man. Icarus tilted his helmet to the side, mimicking a confused expression. It was almost comical, like watching a child pretend to be puzzled, though his face was hidden beneath the heavy metal.
-What kind of name is that! Can you say it again?-
She frowned, feeling a spark of annoyance rise in her chest - Are you messing with me? That’s my name!-
-I’m serious,I can't pronounce it… it's a weird name!-
Icarus replied, his voice lighthearted but genuine. She blinked, momentarily taken aback. Her name wasn’t strange at all—at least not in Beliauli. In fact, it was one of the more common names. But then, as she studied Icarus, she remembered something. He wasn’t from Beliauli. She thought for a moment, considering how to respond. Maybe a more familiar version of her name would help him understand
-It’s… Morgana- she said, deciding to give a more formal, human version of her name -You can call me Morgana-
Icarus suddenly sprang to his feet, his movements filled with a strange determination. Though she couldn’t see his face, she got the distinct feeling he was smiling beneath the helmet. There was an energy about him now, something almost electric, as if her name had triggered a newfound sense of purpose. Without warning, he approached the barred window, looking out into the bleak landscape beyond. A shiver ran through his body, but it didn’t seem to be from fear. No, it was something else—an excitement, a rush of anticipation.
Before Morgan could ask what he was doing, Icarus let out a low growl, then, like a wild animal, he charged at the cell bars. With ferocious strength, he slammed his helmet into the metal, again and again, the loud clang echoing through the cell. Each impact seemed to rattle the bars, until, with one final blow, he grabbed hold of them and began to pull.
Morgan watched in disbelief as the iron bars, which had held them captive, bent under his brute force. With a final heave, Icarus ripped the bars apart, creating an opening wide enough for them to escape.
He stood there, breathing heavily but triumphant, before turning back to her, extending his hand with a wild grin she could feel through his body language alone.
-Well, Morgan! Let’s go kick some culty ass!- He declared, his tone filled with excitement and reckless energy.
-EH?-