Nightmare Realm Summoner

Brilliant white light enveloped the world. Alex felt the ground drop out beneath him, and then he was falling. His stomach lurched up into his throat. Even though he was still holding Claire’s hand, he couldn’t see anything at all. There was nothing at all but white.

It wasn’t even bright. His eyes felt like they were working perfectly fine. This white was closer to what could only be described as infinite. It was so white that nothing else could exist. There were no shapes, no shades, and certainly no other colors.

And then his stomach slammed back into its proper position. Alex’s feet hit the ground. The omnipresent white tore apart like confetti, and he found himself standing in heaven.

He blinked.

What the fuck? Am I dead?

Fluffy white clouds ran beneath his feet in every direction, rising up in a gentle slope before him that built up to a mighty mountain. Brilliant marble buildings rose in neat, orderly rows, growing more grandiose the farther up the mountain they sat. Many of them looked more like palaces suited for kings than normal houses. But in spite of their arrangement, not a single pair of the buildings looked the same.

It looked like the whole place had been built by a genius architect whose plans could only be appreciated in true after they had been completed. This was the kind of city planning that would have given any politician back on Earth a heart attack from merely hearing the concept of it. It was so grand, so vast, that its existence didn’t even feel possible.

Pathways of golden light arced between the beautiful buildings, forming a shimmering spiderweb in the sky. Many of the paths ran between buildings. Some simply seemed to be transport between various sections of the city. Others rose up into the sky, where massive networks of buildings — some seemingly as large as their own cities — floated in the distance.

This place was was huge.

Beyond huge.

Is this seriously the Empty Court? I was expecting a hideout, not a literal alternate dimension.

“Wow,” Claire breathed.

Alex looked down to the fluffy clouds at their feet. He couldn’t resist the urge to crouch and swipe his hand through it. The white substance bent beneath his touch. It definitely wasn’t water vapor. It felt more like a really, really plush beanbag. One that was surprisingly comfortable to stand on.

And if one knew anything about beanbags, it was that they were not typically meant for standing.

“This is not what I was expecting,” Alex muttered. He rose back to his feet and squinted into the distance. He couldn’t even make out the very top of the mountain. It was obscured by all the weaving paths of light and hidden behind what seemed to be an actual covering of clouds.

“It’s… beautiful,” Claire said in awe. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”

“Neither have I,” Alex said. He swallowed, suddenly feeling sharply out of place.

He could see people walking along the pathways in the distance and milling about around the buildings. They certainly weren’t alone here, though nobody was close enough to make out. There didn’t seem to be anyone in the particular spot that they’d arrived yet. He sent a glance over his shoulder.

Rising behind them was a large gate, crafted of brilliant golden-yellow stone that glimmered like a ruby in the warm light illuminating the mountain. It was nothing more than two pillars with a flat beam across their top that sloped upward at its ends, almost like horns. But even the gate was beautiful in its simplicity.

He and Claire stood there in mute silence for several more seconds. Neither of them were able to muster up more words. All they could do was just try to absorb the immensity of the Empty Court.

Alex had been fully expecting some kind of arena. Something more… combat-y. The whole point of this place had apparently been for a bunch of unhinged people constantly looking for the best fights and the most competent warriors. But this looked more like an impossibly fancy country club for dead philanthropes.

His eyes were still trying to take everything in when he noticed someone heading toward him and Claire at a rather disturbing speed. It was a huge man, bordering on a giant, and he seemed to be sprinting straight in their direction. Every stride he took down the fluffy streets took him as far as five of Alex’s normal steps. He was practically flying.

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“Uh…” Alex nudged Claire. “Are you seeing the freight train headed in our direction?”

“Yes,” Claire said, taking a step back and lowering her stance. “Guard up.”

Alex drew on his magic. They didn’t have any more time to talk. The huge man had closed the distance between them impossibly fast. He was already just seconds away. Alex caught a glimpse of the man’s silken clothes snapping in the wind behind him before he skidded to a stop, starting nearly a street away from them and still only coming to a halt a few feet away.

“You made it!” the man exclaimed with a huge grin. He was completely bald, and his head strongly resembled a thumb with a face upon it. There wasn’t a single scrap of hair anywhere on his square features. That had all been replaced by scars crisscrossing across every inch of his exposed skin. He flashed them a wide grin, revealing two rows of uncomfortably sparkling white teeth. “Sorry I’m so late. Should have known. Heard that you were showing up today and noticed the passageway activating, but I thought the one who invited you would have welcomed you in. Should have known this was why that bastard told me about the whole thing.”

Words spilled from the large man’s lips in a waterfall, each one coming so fast that there was barely any time to process what he was saying.

“Huh?” Alex asked, not particularly intelligently. He squinted at the giant. “So… does this mean you’re not attacking us?”

“What?” the man blinked. “No. That comes later. You just got here. What kind of savages do you think we are, trying to beat the life out of newcomers the moment they step foot inside? Oh. Whoops. This is your first time. Welcome to the Empty Court!”

Alex and Claire stared at him.

“…thank you?” Alex said slowly. “So you’re our… guide?”

“Oh, no. We don’t really do stuff like that.” The huge man waved his hand in dismissal. “Things are pretty relaxed ‘round these parts. Nobody is much a fan of formalities. There’s enough of that back on whatever planet it is you came from. I’m just here as a favor.”

“A favor?” Claire asked, tilting her head to the side. “To Zeal? And I don’t suppose you’d mind starting at the beginning? I think we’re feeling a little lost.”

“Right. Yes. Of course. My name is Liam,” the man said, pressing a hand to his chest and flashing them another look of his pearly whites. “Member of the Empty Court.”

“Isn’t everyone here a member?” Alex asked.

“Yes,” Liam said. “But there are different kinds of members. I’m just a normal one.”

What is this, Animal Farm?

“Right,” Alex said. “Pleasure to meet you. I’m Alex. This is Claire.”

“I know,” Liam said. “Welcome to Empty Court.”

Already said that. He’s taking the restart at the beginning part real literally, huh? How did someone like this get here? He seems more like a golden retriever than a bloodthirsty psychopath that wants nothing more than to grow strong. I bet he’d get on well with Derek.

“Thank you,” Claire said. “So there isn’t an orientation or anything? We’re a bit out of our comfort zone right now. Is there a list of what the Empty Court actually is? Rules? Services? Anything? I’d love to know more about what we’ve been invited to.”

“I’m sure there is,” Liam said. “But you can find that later. I’m sure you’ve got lots of questions. I definitely did back when I first got here. But I’m in a bit of a rush. Lots to do. I’m really only swinging by as a favor. It would have been bad if you just showed up here and wandered into something you don’t want to. Just a few rules.”

Why do I feel like our words are going in one ear and right out the other?

“That would be perfect,” Claire said with perfect patience.

“The Empty Court has resources,” Liam said. “A lot of them. And if you want to get access to more, then you need to prove that you’re more worthy than everyone else competing for them. You can do that by beating other members in duels. Terms are decided by the two of you on duel start, so make sure you put some real thought into what you agree to. No killing other members. Ever. Not within the walls of the Empty Court, at least. Do what you want if you run into anyone outside of it.”

“So it’s just a giant fight club?” Alex asked.

“Oh, that’s a good way to describe it.” Liam nodded. “Yes. That’s quite accurate. And a fantastic training ground. Well, there’s some other stuff too. But I haven’t really had the chance to look too close at it. Been busy. I’m sure you’ll let me know if you see anything interesting.”

“How long have you been a member?” Alex asked suspiciously.

Liam tilted his head to the side. “Oh, around 10 years or so. Not too long.”

“Right,” Alex said. “Not too long. Not at all.”

“What if you don’t want to fight?” Claire asked.

Liam sent her a funny look. “Then you shouldn’t be here, should you?”

“Wait,” Alex said. “You can’t refuse a duel?”

“No. Of course not. That would defeat the entire point of coming here.” Liam shook his head. Then his eyes lit up as he remembered something. “Oh — you can’t challenge the same person twice in a row, though. No harassing people. It’s annoying.”

“Anything else we should know?” Alex asked warily.

“Probably,” Liam said cheerfully. “But I really do need to get going. I was only coming to grab you real quick. Gotta deliver you.”

“Deliver us?” Claire asked. “To where?”

“To the guy that provided the reference Alex over here,” Liam replied, smiling as he nodded to Alex. “He should have been here to meet you from the start, but he’s a bit of an asshole. I’m sure you know that already.”

Alex’s brow furrowed. “I don’t, actually. But I’d love to know. I’m not actually sure who it was that invited me to Empty Court.”

“You don’t?” Liam blinked. Then he let out a snort of laugher. “Of course he’d be like that.”

“Who?” Alex asked, firmer this time.

“Stargazer, of course,” Liam replied. He turned on his heel, gesturing for Alex and Claire to follow. “Come on. I’ll take you to him. Despite how he acts, I know the smug bastard has been waiting for this for quite some time.”