The fifth orb

Carmen opened her eyes to find herself in a strange ethereal realm. The air shimmered with an unnatural light, and in the distance, a towering figure stood watching her. The figure was radiant and glowing with an otherworldly beauty. Carmen could see from her slightly open eyes that the figure was feminine. She could also feel the power emanating from her, as she couldn’t even move her limbs without them feeling heavy. The figure was sharp and divine. Carmen likened her to a Greek goddess from the way her flowing robe sparkled like stardust, and wings of translucent silver spread behind her, glimmering faintly.

“Who…who are you?” Carmen whispered, her voice trembling as she managed to speak.

The figure stepped closer, her expression unreadable. “Hello, Carmen.”

“Who…who are you? And how do you know my name?” Carmen stammered, her voice barely audible.

The figure stepped even closer, her presence both mesmerizing and overwhelming. Carmen tried to step back, but her legs refused to move again. It was like it was glued to place. The figure continued to move closer to Carmen, her glowing purple eyes pierced through Carmen, yet her expression remained calm.

“Do you know you’re dead?” The figure asked, chuckling. Her voice was smooth and soothing, but laced with a rough edge to it.

Carmen blinked, the weight of the statement pressing down on her. She knew she was dead and if this woman was here, it meant the woman also knew she was dead, so why then was she asking her the obvious question. “Yes… I know I’m dead,” she admitted shakily, glancing at her translucent hands. “But who are you? And where am I?”

“I am Nyx,” she said softly. “Goddess of the Night.”

“God… Goddess of wh…what?” Carmen’s breath caught in her throat. She had never believed in myths or gods, but the presence before her felt undeniably real.

“You harbor great anger,” Nyx said, her piercing gaze studying Carmen. “You cannot rest because your soul is bound by vengeance, lady.”

‘Great anger?’ Carmen scoffed internally. She wanted to kill them. To make them feel the exact same pain they made her feel. But unfortunately, she couldn't because she was dead.

“They betrayed me,” Carmen spat, her voice trembling with rage. “My husband. My best friend. They left me to die like I was nothing. They…they killed me.”

Nyx tilted her head, her expression contemplative. “You seek revenge, yet you are powerless in this state. What would you give to make them pay?”

“Anything,” Carmen said without hesitation, keeping her voice steady. “I’ll give anything.”

Nyx's eyes gleamed, a faint sinister smile curving her lips. “Be careful what you wish for, mortal. Vengeance comes at a price.”

“I don’t care,” Carmen said, her fists clenched. She couldn’t care less about some sick price awaiting her. She had already died once, so what other ‘price’ was greater than death itself? “They took everything from me. I want them to feel what I felt. I want them to suffer.”

Nyx extended a hand, her long fingers glowing faintly. “Then rise, Carmen. Rise as the herald of the night. Your vengeance will be your strength, and your fury will be your weapon. But remember—once you begin this path, there is no return.”

Carmen hesitated for a moment, the weight of the goddess’s words sinking in. But then she thought of Cody’s cold eyes, Millie’s cruel smirk, and the pain they had caused her, cleared all hesitation from her mind.

“I accept,” she said, her voice firm.

Nyx smiled, and the surrounding realm erupted in blinding light. The shadows of the vortex surged back, enveloping Carmen and transforming her. Her spirit solidified, her form glowing with a newfound power. Nyx’s glowing hand lingered in the air, her sharp features illuminated by the faint light emanating from her being. She regarded Carmen with a cool detachment, the faintest trace of amusement could be found in her lips.

“You have chosen vengeance,” Nyx said, her voice resonating like an ancient bell in the Azuchi-Momoyama Period. “But know this—your time for salvation has passed. You’ve been dead for over an hour and thirty minutes, Carmen. Your window for returning to the mortal world closed thirty minutes ago.”

Carmen froze, her chest tightening as Nyx’s words sank in. Her fists clenched, her voice breaking with anger and disbelief. “What the hell do you mean, my time has passed?!” she shouted, taking a step forward, but Nyx was locked in place. “Why didn’t you tell me?! You let me sit here, talking about pain and betrayal, when you could have just returned my soul! What kind of sick twisted game is this? What do you plan to gain in all of this?”

Nyx raised a hand, silencing her with an icy glare. “Your death is not the end,” she said. “It is merely the beginning. And it isn’t my place to tell you what I hope to gain from all of this. My purpose was never to send you back—it was to prepare you for what lies ahead. This is your fate now, Carmen. You have a greater journey before you, one that will test your very existence. Brace yourself, for it will not be easy.”

Before Carmen could protest, Nyx extended her arms, and four glowing orbs appeared before her, floating in the shimmering air. Each orb pulsated with strange power, the light from the orbs casting ethereal reflections around the realm.

“This,” Nyx continued, gesturing towards the orbs, “is your choice. Each one holds a fragment of power—one to guide your path. Green for healing, blue for wisdom, red for strength, and white for clarity. Choose wisely, for your choice will determine the foundation of your strength.”

Carmen stared at the orbs, her mind racing. The vibrant colors danced before her eyes, each one enticing her with its brilliance. But something felt…off. Suspicion crept into her thoughts. Nyx didn’t seem like the kind of entity to offer gifts without consequences. She had already deceived her once.

“I don’t want any of these,” Carmen said sharply. “The orb I need isn’t here.” She didn’t know why she said it or where the thought came from, but the words tumbled out before she could stop them. ‘What the fuck did she just say?’

Nyx’s eyes narrowed slightly, but she remained calm, her lips curving into a knowing smile. “Ah,” she murmured, her tone tinged with intrigue. “So, you seek the Fifth Orb. I suspected as much. The master was right about you.”

“Who?”

“What?” Nyx raised a brow in question

“You said something about the master. Who are you talking about?” Carmen looked at her suspiciously. “Who else is in on this?”

Nyx met her gaze, her tone unwavering. “Someone who believes in you far more than I do. You weren’t meant to die, Carmen. But fate sucks.” Carmen gazed at her. “Yeah, it fucking sucks. But now that you are dead, there’s no turning back. You must see this through. You don’t want to see him when he’s disappointed.”

With a graceful wave of her hand, a plain, shadowy orb materialized, flowing before Carmen. Unlike the others, it was dark and unassuming, radiating a faint, ominous energy.”

“Place your hands on it,” Nyx commanded. “Now”

Carmen hesitated, her heart pounding as she reached out. Her fingers brushed the orb’s smooth surface, and for a moment, nothing happened. Then, without warning, the orb filled with swirling black smoke and shattered into shards of light. Carmen gasped, pulling her hands back in shock.

“I—I’m sorry!” she stammered, her voice trembling. “I didn’t mean to—”

Nyx raised a hand to calm her. “No need to apologize. Try again.”

Carmen swallowed hard and placed her hands on another orb, only for it to break as well. She tried a third, a fourth, and a fifth—each one shattering in a cascade of dark energy.

Finally, Nyx smiled, a glimmer of satisfaction in her eyes. “It seems you are beyond the constraints of ordinary power. No orb can contain your existence.”

Carmen’s chest heaved with frustration and confusion. “What does that even mean? What’s wrong with me?”

Nyx stepped closer, her expression softening just slightly. “It means that you are something…different. Something unpredictable. But you must be careful, Carmen. The power within you is untamed, and it will demand control. Heed my warnings: Do not let it consume you, and do not underestimate what lies ahead.”

Nyx extended her hand, and the surrounding air shifted, the shimmering realm beginning to dissolve. “It is time. You will be sent to a place unlike any you’ve known. There, you will find your purpose —or you will lose yourself entirely. Remember my words, Carmen’s and, above all, remember who you are.

Before Carmen could respond, a black vortex swirled to life, engulfing her. Shadows wrapped around her, pulling her into a suffocating abyss. She screamed, clawing at the air.

“I can’t see!” she cried, panic rising in her chest.

“Calm yourself,” Nyx’s voice echoed, distant yet steady. “You’re going to a better place, Carmen. Be the main character of your story. Oh, wait.” She paused “And before I forget, you will forget about this conversation. It is up to you to remember and when you do, that is when your journey starts.”

But before Carmen said anything further, a sinister voice, low and bone-chilling, erupted from within her. “I’m waiting for you, Master. Release me.”

Carmen’s eyes widened in terror as the voice lingered in her mind, dark and menacing. She screamed again, her voice swallowed by the vortex as everything went blank.

The last thing she saw was Nyx, her soft smile fading into the void. Then there was nothing but silence, and Carmen’s world turned black.