Young Writers Society

Sophie came to in a cemetery, sitting against a gravestone. The emerald mist crawled between the corroded monoliths, feeding the lichen that infected the stones of the graveyard.

Standing up, she looked around, not that it did much good. The creeping haze seemed impenetrable, forming a shifting wall in all directions, while the moist soil beneath her was just begging for some rekindled cadaver to come lunging out.

A dizzy knife sapped her senses, impairing her mind for a moment. That’s right. She’d been overcome by Necrophobia...and dragged into his nightmare.

A yoke of anger weighed on her shoulders suddenly, seeping into her body, possessing her with rage. She lashed out at a stone, chipping the block with a furious kick. Breathing heavily, she stabbed her spear into the earth. The mist gave no response to her turmoil.

Her heart pounded a fiery fortissimo against Necrophobia. She had to escape.

Releasing her clenched fists, she examined the tombstone she’d been lying against. Stooping, she brushed away the moss, revealing a name neatly carved into the stone. Alfie Oracle, it read.

Heat boiled through her veins once more. “Alfie,” she seethed. Her brother was dead. Her burning mind began to conjure a picture of earlier days. Back when they were the feared Dream-Hunters. Back when they were a family. Back when they couldn’t lose.

Tearing the blurred image from her mind, Sophie stomped on the ground, sinking a pit into the earth. “It’s not fair,” she whispered. Since Alfie had died, she hadn’t won a single battle. She used to announce her title with pride, and her aura was a beacon that conquered all who dared oppose her. But now...Alfie was dead. For the first time in her life, she felt despair crushing in on her, choking the life from her body.

“We’re not invincible, Alfie,” she rasped. “And now, I don’t even know what’s going to happen. I don’t know if we can get through this.” She covered her eyes with her hand, sobbing. “I just don’t know.”

She cried for a moment, then quickly composed herself, drying her tears. It was only an illusion, anyway. Any moment now, a zombified Alfie would come roaring from the grave, seeking to rip her brains from her skull.

“You know, it’s actually quite nice here.” The voice pierced the fog, its familiarity striking her with sudden shock. “In the dream-world, bending reality, warping the landscape to your whim…” The voice’s owner was a silhouette in the distance.

Sophie uprooted the Lance, tensing herself. “I am the Lance of Judgement. State your name, master, and business.”

“Don’t give me that, Sophie. You know exactly who I am,” the voice spoke, its form barely visible in the dense haze. The shadow grew closer, striding through the fog. A boy stepped forward, the smoky shroud peeling from his shoulders. A cheery grin contorted his face. He spread his arms out in greeting, looking Sophie straight in the eye. “Hey there, sis.”

Sophie took a shallow breath. “Alfie.”

“Y’know, Sophie, I’m kinda disappointed you didn’t guess right away.” Alfie laughed, slipping his hands into his pockets.

Sophie could barely believe her eyes. Alfie was here. But there was something...off about him. His normal red t-shirt had been replaced by an inky black one, while his athletic shorts had been exchanged for pitch-dark jeans. His smile was unnaturally wide, considering the situation.

“So yeah, nice to see you too,” Alfie said. “I’ve been just fine, thanks.”

“Alfie.”

“What is it?” She sensed genuine warmth from Alfie’s smile.

“What happened to you?”

“Uh, yeah, about that.” Alfie coughed deliberately. “Let’s just say that now, I’m bigger, badder, faster, stronger, and all kinds of etcetera. Did you miss me?”

“Alfie!” Sophie threw her arms around him, melting into his arms.

The boy patted her on the back, resting his chin on her shoulder. “There, there, sis. It’s alright now.”

“This is great!” Sophie exclaimed, pulling away. “Now Chaser doesn’t stand a chance!”

Her smile dropped off of her face and plummeted into the earth when Alfie reached his arm around to scratch the back of his head. “Yeah...about that...no.”

“No?” Sophie drew back hesitantly. “What do you mean, no?”

“I mean, I’m not going to stop Chaser. As a matter of fact, I’m helping him.”

They stared at each other blankly for a moment, letting the gravity of Alfie’s words sink in.

“What?!?” Sophie screamed, recoiling in shock. “But you’re-”

“I don’t have time to explain,” Alfie interrupted, cutting her off with a wave of his hand. “But I’m here to ask you, please...just stay out of this.”

Sophie tightened her grip on her lance, pointing the tip toward Alfie. “I-I can’t do that. I can’t let Chaser win.” Her grip shook, but she steadied it as best she could. “I must keep fighting.”

Alfie cast his eyes downward, sighing. “I thought you might say that.” Black sparks began arcing across his face, sealing it beneath a featureless ebony mask. “Still, I can’t let you stand in my way.”

A tear gathered in the corner of Sophie’s eye as she saw Alfie’s writhing aura rise up, like a black veneer around him. “Alfie,” she choked. “Why?”

“It’s not your fault. It’s something that’s plagued our family for years. Our darkest secret. We were destined for this. We’re the Oracles. Or rather, you guys are the Oracles.” Alfie swayed slightly. “Silas Oracle isn’t my father. I’m not you think I am.” A burst of force flooded from his body, ripping the earth apart in all directions. “I’m a nightmare, Sophie. A bastard between worlds. We might share the same mother, but my father is Phobos, the King of Fears.” He choked as he spoke. “I’m sorry.”

Sophie stood there, rooted to the ground, as the whole world collapsed upon her. A hellstorm of emotions brewed in her chest, and the most prominent one was shock.

“What...no way…” She could barely speak. Shaking her head, she refastened her grip. “It doesn’t matter what you are. I’m stopping you right here and now!”

“It appears that your justice differs from mine. So be it.” Alfie lunged towards her, his wraith-like body forming a stream of pure darkness, tearing up the ground beneath him. Sophie grimaced as he neared.

Alfie gasped in surprise, his gaunt punch caught by another. A nightmare in a top hat and suit with a crow perched on his shoulder gripped his fist, halting him completely. “Sorry,” Exem apologized primly.

Pushing his hand forward, he shoved Alfie back a hundred feet, sending the youth tumbling in the dirt, smashing through a row of gravestones before coming to a halt. The crow on Exem’s shoulder burst into harsh laughter.

“Madame, if you would please come with me.” Exem waved his hand, opening up a portal. “I must remove you from this battlefield.”

Sophie hesitated, looking at Alfie, who was collapsed a distance away, getting up slowly.

“Hurry,” Exem urged, tapping his foot impatiently.

“Fine,” Sophie resolved, jumping into the void. Exem looked at Alfie one last time, muttering to himself and shaking his head before leaping through.