The Midnight Queen Read online

  Super Dungeon Series

  The King’s Summons

  Adam Glendon Sidwell and Zachary James

  The Forgotten King

  D. W. Vogel

  The Glauerdoom Moor

  David J. West

  The Dungeons of Arcadia

  Dan Allen

  The Midnight Queen

  Christopher Keene

  Other Books by Christopher Keene

  A Beginner’s Guide to Summoning

  A Short Story

  War of Kings and Monsters

  Dream State Saga

  Stuck in the Game

  Back in the Game

  Ghost in the Game

  Lost in the Game

  First in the Game

  A Short Story

  The Midnight Queen

  Cover and Interior Illustrations © 2020 Soda Pop Miniatures LLC

  Characters contained in the text © 2020 Soda Pop Miniatures LLC

  All text, excluding characters © 2020 Christopher Keene

  Published by Future House Publishing LLC under license from Soda Pop Miniatures. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without permission in writing from Future House Publishing at [email protected].

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or to actual events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  ISBN: 978-1-944452-88-9 (paperback)

  Super Dungeon created by Chris Birkenhagen, John Cadice, and Deke Stella

  Series Story Development by Zachary James

  Developmental editing by Emma Hoggan

  Line editing by Stephanie Cullen

  Copy editing by Sydnie Brewster

  Proofreading by Monica Bullock and Isabelle Tatum

  Interior design by Ahnasariah Larsen

  Dedicated to Emma Hoggan, a true team leader.

  Contents

  MAP

  Chapter 1: Otto the Royal Paladin

  Chapter 2: The Rain Court

  Chapter 3: The Crystal Chamber

  Chapter 4: Rescue

  Chapter 5: Nightsong the Eternal

  Chapter 6: The Fae Wood

  Chapter 7: Aelyph Maleroth

  Chapter 8: Flicker Fire Grove

  Chapter 9: The Flicker Cells

  Chapter 10: Interrogation

  Chapter 11: Corruption

  Chapter 12: Those Whom I Must Protect

  Chapter 13: Blackroot Grotto

  Chapter 14: Grim News

  Chapter 15: Escape

  Chapter 16: The Acathia Ruins

  Chapter 17: The Grim Herald

  Chapter 18: The Nether Rifts Coast

  Chapter 19: The Fallen Wood

  Chapter 20: A Missing Princess

  Chapter 21: Punching Your Way Out

  Chapter 22: Vision

  Chapter 23: The Midnight Tower

  Chapter 24: The Climb

  Chapter 25: The Midnight Queen

  Chapter 26: Princess of Hearts

  Chapter 27: The Oubliette

  Chapter 28: Dragonslayer

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  MAP

  Chapter 1: Otto the Royal Paladin

  Deep within the barracks of Crystalia Castle, Otto the Royal Paladin sat at a long, marble table accompanied by the white-armored members of his order. The men murmured about the rumors of Princess Ruby’s death, exchanging furtive glances with each other.

  Otto looked up from his clasped hands as his father, the leader of their order, strode in and sat down at the head of the table. The middle-aged man rested one gauntleted hand on its marble surface, the other brushing his long, blond hair from his face. Otto had inherited the golden color from him, but over the years the great warrior’s hair had become flecked with gray.

  “As we have feared,” his father began, his voice hollow. “Those who traveled with her have confirmed that the death of Princess Ruby was caused by none other than the Midnight Queen.”

  There were gasps and whispers around the white war room. Being the latest and greatest of the Dark Consul’s generals, the Midnight Queen had devastated the royal line, and Otto was unsettled by how quickly she had managed to achieve such a feat.

  His father lifted a hand to silence them. “As the order of Paladins, one of us must join the party of Heroes tasked with capturing her. I will be honest with you: whoever undertakes this burden will not likely survive it. Therefore, I ask only for volunteers. Who among you will take up this quest?”

  The majority of the Paladins avoided his gaze, some twiddling their thumbs, others their mustaches. The dark rings around his father’s eyes appeared to deepen.

  Swallowing his fear and steeling himself against the decision he knew would change his life forever, Otto raised his hand high. “If no one else will rise to meet this challenge, then I shall!”

  Grunts of disapproval surrounded him. He was the youngest of their order, after all. However, the pride that appeared in his father’s eyes quashed any uncertainty that arose. That was all he needed to know: taking this quest to rid the land of such darkness was the will of the Goddess.

  “Very well, a meeting of great Heroes will be taking place at the Rain Court soon,” his father said. “As the only Paladin there, you will be the representative for our entire order. Is that clear?”

  Otto nodded, avoiding the contemptuous expressions of those around him. “I understand.”

  The second-in-command stood up. “Commander, I—”

  “The decision has been made,” his father interrupted. “King Jasper was quite clear. Many Heroes have already requested to join the quest, but only one warrior with an affinity to the Goddess is required.”

  The man returned to his seat.

  “The rest of us will rally our numbers for the front line.” His father stood. “There is a great battle ahead of us, and we must all be prepared. Paladins, that will be all.”

  As the meeting concluded, Otto rose from his chair and moved to the exit before anyone could attempt to change his mind or explain how the glory of such a quest was not worth the risk involved.

  I’m not doing this for glory, he thought. I’m doing this because it needs to be done.

  The second-in-command stood and raised a hand to block his path, but Otto simply walked around him, heading straight to the Cells of Silence.

  ***

  According to the many lessons Otto had received from his father, the Cells of Silence were a place for quiet rumination, where priests and mystics from all across Crystalia could read signs and cast spells to locate places of gathering evil, and where Paladins could pray before leaving to face them.

  When he was done, he rose from where he had been kneeling and made for the door. Entering the connecting hallway, Claire of the Sisters of Light pranced over to him. Claire’s smile lit up the dim corridor. Her long, blonde hair was in pigtails that fell from the hood of her blue and white habit. The front of her garment was marked with a golden cross which swayed with every step.

  “Otto! Otto! Otto!” she called as the door to the high priest’s chamber swung shut behind her. “I heard you’re going to join the group of Heroes that will soon be leaving for the Midnight Tower!”

  “I say, would you keep it down!” Otto glanced around at the priests who were giving them sharp looks at her outburst. He turned and strode from the Cells of Silence. “But you’re correct, and according to the high priest, you are to accompany me at the meeting so you can inform him on everything that
occurred there.”

  Claire chased him down the winding corridors and through the Halls of Honor. Along their walls were the portraits of past Heroes, kings, and queens, as well as a large landscape painting of King Felspar I—the first king of Crystalia—looking out over the countryside surrounding the Castle.

  “But it makes no sense, Otto,” Claire called as she caught up with him. “Why are we only now sending a group of Heroes there?”

  Otto shook his head. “Because this is the first time they have been together since they were sent on their own quests to retrieve the princesses. After what they have all been through, they’re all invested in seeing this through to the end.”

  “You don’t think the king will want them all to stay here and guard the princesses after everything that’s happened?”

  “The princesses were able to handle themselves well in the most dangerous parts of the realm. I’m sure they will be safe inside the Castle. It would take a large army to breach these walls and enter by foot.”

  Claire skipped to catch up with his long strides. “So, there’s no other way in?”

  Otto cupped his chin. “By air, perhaps . . .”

  “I’m sure the Midnight Queen has allies that can attack from the air.”

  “It’s a possibility but a risk we’ll have to take. We must travel to the Midnight Tower and capture her as soon as possible.”

  Despite saying this, Otto knew the Midnight Tower wasn’t a place that a soldier could just stroll into, even a Royal Paladin like himself.

  After his initiation into the order of Paladins, his life had been a series of going on dangerous quests and recovering from the injuries he received on them. Whether it was bruises from the Wandering Monk Mountains in the east or broken bones from a fall in Dragonback Peaks, he had always returned with some wound that the Sisters of Light would tend to.

  This was how he’d met Sister Claire. Ever since he had shared the story of his journey as she healed his broken arm over a year ago, she had demanded he come to her the next time he needed healing so she might listen to his stories of places she would never journey to. They had been friends ever since. Otto was more than happy to share his tales. It allowed him to return the favor for the effort she put into healing him, and the enchanted look he received from her always raised his spirits during his painful recoveries. Now whenever she was with him, her smile made obvious the affection she had for him—perhaps too much affection. His duty demanded that he exclude all emotion that might serve as a distraction. If he let himself feel the same for her, it would only hurt them both whenever he embarked on a quest.

  They entered a stairwell at the end of the hall and climbed the many stairs that led up to the Rain Court. Otto came out into the great, open hall at the top of the Castle. High walls blocked the swift wind, and the bright afternoon sun shone down on the large circular table where King Jasper III, his two remaining daughters, and the greatest Heroes of the land held court. Looking at them, Otto wondered which of these Heroes would be accompanying him.

  Chapter 2: The Rain Court

  “Ah, the Royal Paladin . . . Otto, I believe.” King Jasper III gestured to a place on the table across from him. “Please, take a seat.”

  “Your Majesty.” Otto bowed to the old king and walked forward.

  The normally jovial king looked tired, and Otto couldn’t blame him. Two of his five daughters were still missing, and Princess Ruby was with the Goddess once more. With the kingdom’s hopes that his daughters could fulfill the Prophecy of the Five shattered, it would have been enough to break anyone’s morale.

  Otto sat down in his chair, Sister Claire sitting at his side, listening for anything he failed to hear. He looked at the many Heroes also at the table. They were a diverse bunch, to say the least: humans, several elves, a dwarf, a Deeproot Druid, and even a young Riftling girl.

  Things must be very desperate if one of them is here.

  “I know many of you have heard the rumors about the rising peril in Crystalia,” King Jasper said. “Many of you have sacrificed much for the safety of this kingdom and my daughters. But I am afraid we still have a great evil to face. Deeproot Druid Terras, can you tell everyone what has happened?”

  A green-haired, primitive-looking man in a bearskin coat nodded to the king and stood. “By your command, I journeyed in search of Princess Ruby, who herself went looking for Princess Amethyst. However, once my party found her, she was determined to close a breach to the Dark Realm within the Blasted Tombs. Before we could close it, a horde of Nether Elves, the golem Daemonus, and the Midnight Queen came through.”

  This drew a collective gasp from the gathered Heroes.

  “I’m sure you all have heard what has happened to Princess Ruby.”

  Across from Otto, Princess Sapphire, hair as blue as her cape, reached out and touched her sister’s shoulder. Princess Emerald brushed her long, green hair under her top hat with one hand and gripped her rifle like a walking stick in the other. She bit her lower lip, attempting to hide the sorrow of losing their sister.

  Terras continued, “When it became clear that we were winning the fight, the Midnight Queen ordered the golem to take Princess Ruby’s body, which I had wrapped in a stasis chrysalis. In the ensuing fight, the Midnight Queen was forced to retreat to the Dark Realm, leaving her golem and Princess Ruby behind. We’re fortunate to have captured Daemonus; the golem may yet reveal the location of Princess Amethyst.”

  “And you still have Daemonus?” Otto asked. “Princess Amethyst was always close to that golem. Whether it was involved in her kidnapping or not, it’s sure to know more about her disappearance than anyone.”

  Terras nodded. “It is locked in the magical prison under the Crystal Chamber, where the land’s magic is strongest. Even then, with the sword that Gork put inside of it, it shouldn’t be able to move.”

  Otto lifted an eyebrow. “Gork?”

  Terras pointed to the young, bearded dwarf who was frowning down at the table across from them.

  “It was the least I could do,” he muttered.

  “Capital, good Sir—” Otto noticed Sister Claire shaking her head at him. He paused and merely nodded respectfully.

  “Your Majesty?” a dark-haired warrior in a cloak spoke up.

  The king’s eyes shifted to him. “What is it, Hatch?”

  “We believe the Midnight Queen is also holding Princess Citrine hostage. During our time in the Moor, we heard her name more than once. After our battle with Nocturne inside the Von Drakk Manor, he called out for the Midnight Queen to help him escape. Princess Citrine went to stop him and ended up going through the portal herself.” Hatch’s head lowered. “Unfortunately, the portal closed before any of us could follow. The witches in the Moor were certain that this Midnight Queen resided in the Midnight Tower. That seems the most likely place to find Princess Citrine.”

  “I would question the reliability of these witches, but considering it’s the realm of the Midnight Queen, it makes sense,” Princess Sapphire said, and her eyes shifted to another woman at the table. “Blaze, please explain to my father how we also came across her name.”

  Blaze leaned forward in her seat. She had dark hair and wore a navy-blue cloak with a hood, but unlike other mages, she carried no staff. “Princess Sapphire and I were fighting Rimefrost Orcs in the Frostbyte Reach. They had been forming an organized army under a demon called Cernonos. The demon mentioned the Midnight Queen.”

  “The Midnight Queen had a hand in our battle as well.” A tall elf with long, blond hair in a ponytail stood up at the other side of the table.

  Otto recognized him as the Glimmerdusk Ranger, Treffen, who had returned with Princess Emerald.

  The Ranger twisted the loose end of his belt between his hands as he addressed the king. “Along with Sir Gawain, I entered Lordship Downs on the assumption that Princess Emerald was being held captive inside.”

  Princess Emerald snorted and rolled her eyes at him.<
br />
  “She wasn’t,” Treffen continued. “She was also looking for Princess Amethyst. With her help, we were able to destroy the magic that kept the Forgotten King alive. During the fight, he mentioned a deal with the Midnight Queen.”

  “What sort of deal?” Otto asked.

  Princess Emerald spoke up. “He was rambling and nothing he said made any sense. That old goat could go on forever.” She smirked. “He seemed to think she was going to give him Crystalia Castle.”

  Treffen returned to his seat.

  “That confirms the Midnight Queen’s association with these villains.” Otto gripped the arms of his chair and made to stand up. “In that case, we should—”

  King Jasper raised a hand to stop him. “I understand that this is a lot to take in all at once, Otto, but there is one more testimony I would like you to hear.”

  Another elf stood from his chair next, his slanted eyes downcast. He looked more haggard than the Ranger, his battered armor showing him to be a soldier from the front lines. His hair and face were a mess even though he was in the presence of the king.

  “We don’t know who’s commanding them,” the elf said, “but thousands of kobolds and other Riftlings have been trying to extend the Rifts . . . and they’re succeeding. A few weeks ago we could go straight to the base of the Midnight Tower. After Princess Ruby’s death, it’s like something has lit a fire up the Grim Heralds’ backsides and the men no longer have the heart to fight back.”

  Otto’s jaw clenched when hearing how hopeless the situation had become, but his attention returned to the elf as he continued.

  “Just before their advance began, we could hear someone singing a melody from the Tower. Thanks to our elven ears we recognized it. It was the Goddess’s song.”

  Princess Sapphire’s gaze, which had been lingering on the table, shot up and her eyes met Princess Emerald’s, who was sitting upright and alert now as well.

  “Citrine . . .” King Jasper’s eyes lit up with hope. “She would hum that melody from dawn to dusk. You don’t think . . . ?”