Nether

art by Sozz

I.
As the son of a renowned alchemist and a gemstone collector—how do you make your way in the world?
Nether wants nothing more than to be an explorer, but there’s just one problem: he gets homesick.


II.
He grew up watching sibling after sibling leave the icy lands. They weren’t motivated by the excitement of finding something new, but by the prospect of a “better” life—a warmer, wealthier, easier one.
Nether never thought twice about the harshness of the Southern Icefield. A cheerful, sprightly child, he helped his mother with gathering, washing and sorting herbs, and his father with everything from mining to cutting gemstones. He was also quite good at playing any musical instrument, repairing furniture, and cooking.
But the desire to explore grew so strong inside of him that it sometimes distracted him from these tasks.
How would he explore without leaving the Southern Icefields and his parents?
Those who tried to explore the Southern Icefields vanished, never to be seen again. Often, their remains weren’t found either.
But still, the desire grew.
One night in their tent—after the raid, but before Niwi’s clan set out to leave—Nether posed the question to his father.
Xiuh’s eyes gleamed with mischief.
“Simple. You tell your mother and I where you’re exploring, and we go get you if you don’t come back. What’s more, there’s a cave connected to a bunch of old ruins nearby. It’s where your mother and I really got to know one another.”
Xiuh winked at Steely, who flicked him with her tail without pausing in her work.
“You should hurry, though,” Xiuh concluded. “Our clan leaves in a week.”


III.
So, Nether set out fully prepared.
Kettles of soup, a sleeping back, and more filled his heavy pack, along with matches and pans.
He paused outside the deep, black cave. The world was very silent, bright and snowy. All the white surrounding it made the black look even deeper.
He blew out a breath. It was now or never.
Lighting his torch, he took a step inside.
The inside of the cave took his breath away. It was all glossy, icy blue, carved with exotic runes and ancient designs. Here he saw a picture of the Icewarden battling the Gladekeeper, and many more designs he didn’t understand. Cave paintings showed the past and the future: apparently the world ended in a great sea of fire and flame.
Shuddering, he pressed onward.
He passed a few piles of bones (dragon? Beast?), and nosed a pile of old scrolls.
He couldn’t stop shaking, but not from the cold. Excitement. He was doing it—he was exploring! And all with the blessing of his nearby parents, who would come rescue him if…
He paused.
The cave ended, opening up into a strange, silvery building. The abandoned cathedral looked like a ghost on the white plain of snow, completely surrounded by heavy rock walls. Even the sky above it looked different—a breathless, milky white.
For the first time, Nether felt fear.
He didn’t want to go into the strange church. But his lust for exploration prodded him gently onward. His curiosity and fear warred with one another, and curiosity won.


IV.
The church was eerier than the cave. Glass tiles engraved with wind roses cracked beneath his feet. Or—not the tiles themselves, but a thin rime of ice that had grown across them.
His breath came in great, white fog. Someone once lived here, he thought. The idea made him sad.
The church opened into a grand marble hall, complete with a long-unused fireplace and unlit chandelier. Lush but torn scarlet couches lined the walls. And there were paintings—of a young, pretty white Skydancer wearing a gilded crown.
He paused beneath her painting and offered a prayer to the Icewarden, trying to ignore the dread that overcame his every step.
Pushing on to the end of the atrium, he opened double doors and stepped into a long, stained-glass lined hall. Here, strange marble statues stood at rapt attention. Knights, servants, and more—all frozen in stone.
He pressed onward, to another pair of doors. They seemed to open up to the atrium again, but something was different.
He drew back and hissed.
The skeleton of the female Skydancer sat on red cushions at the end of this chamber, glaring at him with eyeless sockets.
Silence reigned.
After a few deep breaths to regain his composure, he stepped toward her. She was covered in white silk and diamonds. He knew his father would be interested in the latter.
But when he went toward her, the skeleton recoiled. The princess’ voice rang through the hall:
“How dare you disturb my slumber!”
Nether turned and ran without grace. When he got back to the hall where all the statues stood, he saw that they had come to life. One—shorter than the rest, with a shield painted with the Ice-land’s crest, joined him. The Cragward Custodian held his shield and kept icy darts and ancient arrows from piercing Nether’s back. Together the two slid, shuffled and scrambled out of the palace.
Behind them came a great, grating, crumbling sound like thousands of glaciers collapsing. The palace fell down in a puff of glass, snow and ice.
Nether grabbed his new familiar and pulled him into the cave with him. The Custodian’s glowing eyes gazed calmly back at his own.


V.
“Well?” Xiuh asked as his son stumbled back home. “How was it?”
Nether looked at his familiar, then back at his parents. The clan was forming a pack train to head for a new land.
Nether swallowed hard. “I think I’ll stick to exploring near you two.”