A pair of sleepy, colorless eyes opened and gazed around the space out before them. The fluid filled orbs slowly twitched back and forth between objects both large, and small. All entities had a moment in the dark spotlight that emerged from Somnus' eyes, however brief, until at last they settled on their goal. A miserable wretch of a mortal creature, it's name unimportant. It's existance, like so many others', insignificant. Yes, this was the one.
This was the one, Somnus thought, who had disturbed such a peaceful slumber. The colorless eyes kept their focus on the soundly sleeping soul before them, not leaving it once as the rest of their owner's body slowly pulled its way through the ceiling above. The first thing to push through the elastic surface was a pair of hands, pushing through to clear the way for the rest of the body behind them. The next to come through was Somnus' head, and then his neck, his shoulders, and his torso. The ceiling around his body stuck to his skin, as though it was made of a thick and viscous substance, or as though it was reluctant to let him pass.
The tar eventually gave way for a pair of legs, which simply started walking down towards their body's destination. The Dreamer moved as though the air as though the room was turned on its side, not bothering to adhere to the boring laws and theories that such mundane minds had bothered to invent. He was near his resting spot now, almost right over the sleeping body below now. Only one more step was required, and it was taken with a very deliberate slowness.
Somnus was nearly touching the sleeper now, less than a millimeter away from making contact with the creature's skin. He stood for a moment, simply admiring the passive look of one entering his domain. So far everyone who the Dreamer had observed wore a different mask while they rested, some were pensive, others joyous, occasionally one was somber. This one was reminded him of the dead, with its quiet and stiff countenance.
Only the dead deserve such an expression. Somnus' arms locked down on the figure a hair's breadth away, holding it down for the mania to come. As soon as the pitiful creature awoke, it would find the immortal floating on top of it opening it's mouth in an inversed scream, twisted and contorted into a grotesque image, sucking the very sound from the atmosphere around it. Somnus' head would quickly blacken and char, the results of some unseen and unfelt fire surrounding it as it slowly collapsed in on itself in the same manner that a supernova would form a black hole. The expansion would steadily widen until it was large enough to consume the room that it occupied, and only then would the steely arms loosen their grip, allowing their captive to fall deep within Somnus' realm.
Post by Marcus Drago on Jan 17, 2015 15:43:20 GMT -5
"Yeah, I got the item," Marcus said as he took a bottle to his mouth. He had been drinking all day and how much for how long could be told be the way he spoke. "But I want more money in return." The person he was talking to wasn't himself, but a client through a phone line that he was in. "What do you mean I can't get more fucking money? I killed thirty people to get this shit for you, which was not in our original agreement!"
With every pause that the daemon gave to listen, he only grew more furious. "That was not MY fault! You sent me in there with little information. What happened wasn't MY fault, it was YOUR fault for not prepping me! And until you agree to raising the price, you or anyone else in this world will never see this artifact!" He hung up the phone, pressing down the end button until it nearly broke. His hands then went to his head, and he began to cry, sorrow falling from his eyes, but as quick as sorrow came, rage followed. He stood from the couch which he sat in, and with bound fury he threw the bottle of liquor across the room.
"TRY AND TRICK ME WILL YOU?!" He screamed loud enough for the whole world to hear. "DO YOU THINK I AM A FOOL?! AN IDIOT FOR YOU TO ABUSE?! I AM DEATH INCARNATE! YOU DO NOT TRICK DEATH, YOU FEAR HIM!" In anger, he threw his hands into the air, but tipped himself over and clumsily fell onto the couch; however, more happened while Marcus fell. As his butt met the furniture, everything metal in front of him and behind him flew to the nearest wall, making large crashing noises. One metal lamp was controlled with so much power that it flew through Marcus' apartment window.
There was a small moment of silence; he did nothing and said nothing. After a while though, Marcus rose from the couch and staggered to his bed. Something today may have distressed him, caused him to question his own existence and answer with many bottles of liquor. He had been on this earth for years, and grown pervious to its affects; if he was this drunk today, then he might have gulped beyond the limit of him or anyone else.
Resting in his crooked bed, he quickly fell asleep with no hesitation, falling deep into the world of dreams. If he were to go through something tonight, he would probably not remember in the morning. While he was sleeping, something strange was going on within his room. He felt it well, the sensation of knowing that there was another being watching him. It had been felt for quite some time now; however, his state prevented him from acting on it. When what was left of him tried to wake the rest of him up, all Marcus could do was close and open his eyes.
Although he could only do those two things, Marcus was able to realize everything that was happening; but still, he could not do anything to defend himself. What he saw was a man slowly peeling his way through the ceiling, the world turning silent in his presence. Marcus' heart pounded as he tried to will himself to move, but he couldn't. His eyes closed again, but he opened them. This time when they opened, the man was floating towards him, Marcus' heart seeming to pound harder. Then his eyes closed once again. This time, he could feel something strange happening to his body. All life withing his heart stopped, and for a moment he was dead. His eyes opened for the final time, and what he saw was pure terror.
His heart pounded to heart attack levels as the being he once saw was sucking him into itself. All he could see was darkness while his body dispersed in particles, little be little, until he no longer existed on earth. When Marcus was finally aware of himself once again, he was not where he was before.
There was nothing beyond the portal. There was never anything beyond the fleshy black gates of the subconscious, just void. Yet, the longer one observed the inky darkness the more everything became apparent. The trees, the path ahead, the stary sky and the bright orange moon. Steadily the trees grew, both in height and in heft, until one deposited in this hellish landscape would find themselves in a dark wood.
The area itself was familiar as if it had been traversed many times in the past, but at the same time it was entirely alien. Trees had always been red with purple leaves, right? Of course, of course! They had always been that way, what else could they have possibly looked like? But, what of the earth itself? Certainly it had always been reflected from the skies above, resembling the white spotted ink exactly. The few samples of the native vegetation glowed a vibrant blue with splotches of yellow mixed in, though the colors acted as though they were oil and water. Where they overlapped was not the shade of green that might have been expected, but distinct patterns of spots belonging to the opposing colors. This was perfectly normal of course, and odd that anyone might have thought differently.
The purpose of being on the road came after only a brief moment of pondering it. A nearby bedroll and lantern leaking luminescent brown light courtesy of the blue flame within. Surely any who may find themselves on this aged path through the wood would know that this place was theirs. A secondary inspection revealed a curious reflecting glass hung from a tree near the lantern. It hadn't seemed to be present the first time the bedroll and lantern were spotted, but certainly one's mind had just been playing tricks on them.
Post by Marcus Drago on Jan 18, 2015 4:04:28 GMT -5
Marcus eyes widened as he assessed his surroundings. However, no matter how hard he looked, he could find nothing. No moon, no sky, no trees, grass, or life; only him. "What a way to die," he thought. "Alone and inside an abyss of darkness, perfect for me..." Marcus was ready to accept his life of loneliness and death, but suddenly the world seemed alive and full again. Trees began sprouting from the ground, along with it grass and light. He could also see a sky now, but it seemed different than how it normally looked. How did it normally look?
The daemon gave a questioning look towards it, then the trees near him. Their color were definitely something he was not use to, and yet he was use to them. His mind went crazy with how familiar yet unfamiliar this world seemed. He took a look around the forest, then realized that he had been here before.
"If I go this way..." The daemon began walking down a path, one which he believed he had never seen before, and yet its intimacy with him was fully alive. As he kept walking, he soon discovered light not far from his pathway. His cautious movements turned to excited jogs as he moved closer to the light. When its cause was finally revealed, Marcus was surprised to see the results. Laying next to a tree where his lantern and his sleeping bag. "So that's where you two where. For a minute I thought I had lost myself in these woods, but luckily I know these trees like the front of my hand." The daemon chuckled, smacking the near tree gently with a great smile on his face. However, his cheerful spirit would be killed by the silence as he would remember that he was alone, a feeling which he loathed more than anything. He sighed, "Maybe I should find an animal to tame or something. There has to be one around."
Marcus moved to pick up his lantern, but quickly stopped as he noticed something odd among the woods. The tree near him held what he thought to be a glass that reflected his image. He stared at it, a little disturbed by its sudden appearance. He had not seen it before now, and he had spent more than a minute with the same tree while he thought about his deepest desires. Was this mirror always here? Certainly not if he had spent years in these woods and only noticed now. And also, a mirror on a tree seemed as ridiculous as the trees being the color brown and green! However strange it seemed, it was there just the same as his things where there, so he must have recognized it before. Maybe him not remembering it was a form of memory lost, like how he had almost gotten lost in his woods. "This memory loss might be troublesome in the future."
Marcus sighed again, then unfolded his bag to prepare himself for sleep.
It has been rumored that reflecting on things often times leads to the answer. Whether it be a literal reflection or simply another word for introspection was never specified, but perhaps both would work equally well. If that was the case, would performing both at the same time lead to any different results? Perhaps it would tell the reason for being so stranded and alone, with naught but a lantern, bedroll, and the quiet sounds of the purple leaves rustling in the cool night air. Surely there must be some purpose to being there, alone, in the wood.
In the distance a soft and mournful howl bellowed from the belly of some great beast, shortly thereafter accompanied by a similarly sad sigh weaving through the limbs and arms of the trees. There are tales of those who roam amongst the solitary towers of wood here, and most of those tales depict strong creatures from beyond. Creatures forever doomed to wander amonst the Krill trees, each representing their own personal goals and aspirations, each forever lost to the world beyond. That was the fate of those who lingered for too long in this old and powerful wood.
A faint rustle, the distinct snap of a twig. You are not alone here. Is it safe to move, to look, even to breathe? It is impossible to tell. A snarl, a growl, a faint flash of frighteningly split eyes in the forest. What beast stalks you now is unknown, and shrouded in the deep shadows. A quick glance to the mirror may reveal your opponent, but any sudden movement might too put out the light that has kept you safe in it's warm blue glow.
The lantern!
That must be it! It has to be! What has been keeping the darkness at bay, what has been staving off the beasts that reside within. The lantern must be protected, but not too much so for risk of snuffing out the timid flame of life.
More snarls, another rustle in the unnatural stillness that has enveloped the darkness creeping in. There is little time left to act, and the encroaching beasts seem to be getting fiercer by the second. If anything were to be done, it would need to be done quickly.
Post by Marcus Drago on Jan 19, 2015 20:17:31 GMT -5
Before Marcus climbed into his sleeping bag, he first looked through it to see what else he had. Surely he would not come out into a forest without the necessary tools to live. Just a bedroll and a lantern would be idiotic. As he rummaged his bed, a large sound caught his attention, followed by the sudden feeling he knew all to well.
~Ping~ Went his senses as danger made its voice heard and its growl sharp. He could hear within the bowls of the darkness a feint snap of a twig, he could see eyes making themselves known only once from the shadows, and he could tell that death was returning to claim its title.
Marcus stared at every area around him, but what brought attention too his eyes was the movement within the glass. All this time, a beast was lurking in every corner around him, so much so that Marcus could not pinpoint where it was, but the mirror gave him clarity. The mirror only showed one location, which was all Marcus really needed to focus on to see what beast hunted him. One exact location which he could not see on his own, for his eyes could not move far enough to see his back.
He stared at what was haunting him, looking to see what it was. Was it an animal he seen before? Did it have sharp teeth, terrifying eyes, a big belly just enough for him to fit into? Were there more next to it or was it alone? The Mirror would tell it all to him. However, it would not answer his next question, which was "why doesn't it attack?"
If Marcus was a monster ready to kill, he would not waste a second. So, there had to be something that was stopping it. Marcus looked down at the lantern then made a conjecture in his head. "Is it the lantern?" He thought to himself as his mind raced, remembering everything about everything involving animals. Their natural instinct, their actions when involving food. Some ate from the ground, some hunted. He was being hunted but not eaten. "It has to be the lantern." He had no weapon but wings, no food source but himself, and no way to peer into the shadows but a lantern to protect himself from them. If the lantern was the only thing he had then it was the only thing protecting him.
Marcus stared at the mirror as a million thoughts ran into his head, all about a best plan of action. If he ran, he would lose the flames, if he did then he would forever be lost in the forest without light. If he did not run then this monster would hunt him down viciously, probably shredding his bones as well.
The beasts snarls grew more agitated, testing its danger boundaries. To keep it from attacking him, Marcus released his aura, casting fear into every beasts heart that was near him. His wings made little wind as it slowly rose to its highest in the air. After getting another look in the mirror, Marcus would turn his back to the tree, but not touch it, then slowly rise with both hands holding the sleeping bag, what ever he got from the sleeping bag, and his lantern. His eyes darted from place to place, looking for the monster, all the while he kept his aura up and his heart from pumping to fast.
"I might run," he thought, "but first I must know the enemy that haunts my every movement. I must look into its eyes and see what I will face in the future, what I will LIVE THROUGH in the future, and what it looks like when fear sets in its eyes." His eyes became furious as he waited for the monster to reveal itself. If it did, if it grew bold enough to realize that the light was not its enemy, or that the light was never its enemy, then he would give to it a mind full of terrors, then use his wings to soar as far as the trees height, then use the trees as coverage to make a hasty retreat. He would lose his lanterns light, but if he survived the night then he may live through the day.
Oh so many questions, and with precious little time to answer any of them. What was that, lurking in the shadows? How many things were pacing just beyond the edge of the lantern's glow? How many more would come, sensing a bloody chunk of meat about to be tossed high into the air for all to fight over? There would be no answer to any of these.
And, just as all quieted down, the light went out.
There were no theatrics, no blaze of flame or flickering, just the dark. The encroaching, unwavering, cold, still, dark. It was as if the lantern had been snuffed out purposely, as though some creature other than the one presently standing in alone in the night air was present and plotting. The pressure of the pure and unaltered light of the moon was suffocating, intoxicating, paralyzing. There was a reason that one brought a lantern with them into the darkness of this wood, and that reason was now evident.
The lantern had kept the beasts at bay for a time, yes. It had staved off the cold and the night's chill, to a degree. All of those things could be combated by other means, however. The true purpose of the lantern was to fend off the gaze of the moon. If it could be called a moon. Without the protective glow of the lantern the large orange sphere seemed to change and shift, until a glowering pupil turned about and contracted. It's gaze directly focused on the unfortunate soul lying defenseless in the cruel shade of the Krill trees.
All at once the forest would come alive, screaming, screeching, bellowing, sobbing, snarling, growling, and wailing its lament to any caught under the gaze of its master. Folliage would shudder and shift, the limbs of trees would tremble and the ground itself quaked with the energy being pouring into it by the great eye above. Coarse and thorny vines spontaneously grew from the ground and wrapped themselves like chains around anything moving and with a heartbeat. Furious toadstools and mushrooms of all kinds and colors gathered round to celebrate their newly granted feast, which the vines now were dragging to the nearby mirror.
The mirror which would force the captive creature to watch as it's wings were torn asunder, as it's clothes were ripped and torn by the clinging vines and their thorns. Forced to watch as the ground beneath it sparked and ignited, obliterating any last connection to the abilities and powers that were once held.
Post by Marcus Drago on Jan 20, 2015 21:18:58 GMT -5
His only sign of hope went out, covering him in darkness once more. He wanted the light to be his savior, his small will-o-wisp that would keep the night from his pale skin. However, the light was nothing no more. All he had was himself, is fists, and his wits. Unfortunately, those would probably not be enough to protect him from what came next.
The world went silent, and Marcus felt as though the creature he thought he saw was nothing but his imagination. A figment of his dreams, made for the sole inspiration of keeping his mind entertained. However, that was not the case; that was never the case when it came to the world he lived in, or the world he was in right now.
The forest shook and trembled as all sorts of noise was made. Marcus took no time to spread his wings and soar once the riot began. The problem with him soaring was the fact that he had to deal with the trees, and the vines it contained. As his wings carried him up, he noticed that the ground became covered with spiked vines. Before he could notice more, from the side of his eye, one tried to take him down! It came from a tree, already ready to stick its thorns into Marcus' skull. The daemon thrust his head to the left as it tried to wrap itself around him, then ducked his right shoulder and wings to the left to prevent the vines from capturing a part of his body.
What happened next was a series of Marcus flying, dodging blood thirsty coarse and vines, and phasing through any situation he could not skillfully get out of himself. The whole world was out to get him, his best bet was to rise to the sky, higher than the trees could reach. He would try to find one geographic location not enclosed by a forest, and get as much rest as he could before running away again.
If he could, Marcus would finally get out of the forests depths with little harm, his metal lantern and bedroll following him in flight. But suddenly, his right arm would feel weight down. Marcus would look down to see a vine attached to his hand, no spikes stemming from its body yet.
Suddenly, Marcus would feel the tingling sensation once again. Instantly, he would activate his mode of phase to free himself from the vines grasp, just in the nick of time to prevent the thorns from popping out and shredding his fingers.
If all went according to plan, Marcus would be above the ground and trees, safe from the threat of the plant life. He would stare down at the forest, but then look around to see if he could find a place not shrouded in woods, just so that he could survive the night. While searching, he would notice the sky and its odd appearance. Slowly he would turn his head, his eyes meeting the sight of the moon. If its pupils were still shown, he would stare at it with shock, his lids widening at the realization of the moons appearance.
The rules of this place... Well, suffice it to say that the rules here were not meant to be broken. In the rare instances when such an occasion had occurred in the past, drastic measures had to be taken by the system to ensure that the contamination did not spread to any outlying areas. The many gardens, the rest of the Great Forest, any of the lesser cities which did not have walls around them, and the list goes on. Umbra had done well to cast her great eye upon the fiendish creature, but there was only so much The Great Eye, The dark side of the moon could do.
A smile curved the edges of Somnus' lips as he considered his great many options. Short of siccing the entirety of the Moon on the visitor there were few who held the prowess to adequately track, hunt, and capture this 'Marcus' without resulting in his untimely and very unfortunate death. There were the great hunters themselves, those who resided deep within the Great Forest itself and thrived on it's hostile nature. Perhaps, given their reluctance to participate in worldly events, they grew bored their lives. Perhaps they simply wanted to coexist. Regardless of the answer, there were better candidates.
The champions of the cities scattered about Somniculosa were all excellent defenders and fighters, the best there had ever been in fact. But they were ill-suited for a task such as this. Tacticians and warriors were just that, tacticians and warriors. A hunter was needed here, a tracker, an agent of divine will and essence. Somniator, would do perfectly.
Somniator the Tranquil, he was known as. The ascended champion of Somnus them self, he who passed the trials of the moon and was given his due place at the right of the throne. The great sleeper himself, finally given a mark after all of these years. Yes, Somniator would do very nicely indeed. His knowledge of this realm, Somniculosa itself, was unparalleled by any mortal being residing within it's boundaries, his skills far exceeded those of the the hunters who lived among the Krill, and his prowess in battle outmatched the great champions of the cities. It was perfect.
The great Somniator took great delight in being informed of his new status as hunter, enough to bring a small and demure smile to his otherwise placid and sleepy countenance. It had been so long since the last hunt, since he had donned his garb and took to the streams outside of the floating Quies, the capitol of the vast and mighty realm. He would make his lord proud, prouder than he already was, prouder even still that the highest of all his servants still was unmatchable, despite lacking the natural wings so commonly found on his other brethren.
Once he finished watching his second dress and then jump to his first destination, a blazing streak across the bleak skies, Somnus turned his attention once more to the visitor he had decided to bring here. The insolent cur had taken to the skies in an attempt to flee from the great forest below him, which stretched still for every direction imaginable.The cardinal directions, not that they existed in a world such as this, were all occupied by trees. A few ruined structures dotted the landscape in the far distance, as well as a few more organic landmarks. Elder Krill trees that stretched unimaginably high, the odd hill, things of that nature. They were all equally hostile however, and the air wasn't necessarily an exception.
The Krawt beasts would be awakened soon enough, and would serve as an excellent way to discourage any further exploration of their home in the air. The Krawt were a fearsome and almost man-sized race native to the land, Somniculosa. Their wings were small but many, and incredibly quiet. Their thin bodies almost gave them the appearance of a dragon fly, only with thick chitinous armor, a mouth most resembling that of a Leech's, and a stinger like a Scorpion's extending off of it's rear end. They were quite the pest in the more active seasons actually, but seeing as this was not one of those times there would likely only be a few dozen swarming about. A much better alternative to the usual hundreds.
Post by Marcus Drago on Feb 16, 2015 22:11:01 GMT -5
"What... The... Fuck..." Marcus' heart began to beat out of his chest as electricity from his brain surged through his body. He registered what he was seeing, a sight that needed to be seen to be believed. What he saw was a full eye, one of malice towards his existence, shaped into the size and position of the moon.
He rubbed his eyes trying to believe that it wasn't so, tried his hardest to believe that this was a dream, that no one from the sky was actually watching him. When he did not wake up, he became frantic. He started rubbing his eyes harder, spouting 'no way' to himself over and over again. He tried his hardest, but nothing would remove that all seeing eye from the sky. Finally, after trying so hard to keep himself composed, he lost his temper.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Marcus stared at the moon, eyes watering and heart aching. His intentions unknown, he focused only on the eye, letting all his emotions flow out of him. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! WHY AM I HERE?! TELL ME! TELL ME YOU DAMN EYE! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! TELL ME!!!" He was ready to continue, his mind set on releasing the built tension until he was drained; however, something stopped him.
~Ping~
It was another ping that told Marcus that he was in danger. Full of hysteria, he searched for that danger, waiting for it to show its grotesque face. His person was tired of letting this world take over him, kill what he was. He was done with being bullied, and readied himself for what came. A small swarm of man sized bug looking creatures, just a short distance from where he was. He looked at them closely as they flowed through the night sky, almost shrouded in its shadows. He watched for any sign of weakness and strength. Their movements, armor and weapons all became known to him. When he was done evaluating, he became angry once again.
"AAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!" He roared as he prepared himself. His body turned light instantly and his wings blew cold wind with great force. His wings stretched to its full width, then he raced towards the small army. His eyes where full of hatred, anger and killing intent. He wanted to leave none of these creatures alive, he wanted to kill every single one of them. As one of the bugs got so close to him, so close that they could almost touch each other, it extended its long stinger to impale Marcus. Unfortunately for it, Marcus had no plans of taking on that creatures stinger body first. The creature flowed through his body as he phased past it completely, no harm done towards him. He did this countless of times before he finally reached the far back of the swarms formation.
As he came upon the last creature, he suddenly became solid. The being tried to do what the first did, but it was too slow. Marcus grabbed its right body with his left hand, then suddenly appeared behind it. Using his full power, him and it began spinning as a course was made for another creatures path. Marcus held onto the beast with a death grip as he forcefully made it impale itself on the creatures stinger.
Flawlessly did the creatures stinger move into the mouth of the one held and appear on the other side, completely breaking through the chitin armor. One creature was now snared on its comrade, the other immobilized. After his plan was a success, he had another idea to bring both monsters down. He gripped the immobilized ones tail then spun with it like last time. Picking up unstoppable momentum, Marcus sent both creatures spiraling out of control to the forest, losing sight of them as they drowned in the sea of the forest.
Marcus took time to rest, for just doing that was very tiresome, but soon regretted this. In the midst of his victory of defeating two, he had forgotten the ten other enemies that where behind him. After realizing the pain of one stinger being sent through his right leg, he was reawaken to the situation he was in. The daemon, with eyes full of misery and fury, phased through the being that actually landed an attack. He was now behind it, as he had done with every other monster that he phased through, and gripped the tail attached to the stinger splattered with his blood. With all his might, he created momentum, then sent the annoying pest straight towards the trees beneath him. This enemy had no stinger through its mouth or hindrance to its weight; so this creature could recover at any moment. Marcus had to use the little time he had to his advantage, or his chance to escape would be lost. While the other creatures prepared to attack him, Marcus prepared his wings and body for a dive.
Like a bullet, Marcus dashed towards the creature who he had thrown. He hardened his body, stiffing his muscles in hopes of moving faster. The monster he threw, the one whose bodily weapon was covered with his blood, already composed itself, stopping its downwards spiraling road to the ground. Marcus crashed into the being and continued its course. As he impacted with the creature the world suddenly turned dark.
His eyes opened, two blinks per minute, but no matter how many times he blinked his vision could not get any better. He was losing light, and the will to continue fighting. Marcus could see his finger on grassy soil, bald into a whitened fist . He could feel frustration on his mind, along with sorrow and pain. He could feel and do so much, yet his only greatest struggle was moving. Had his body finally reached its limit?
Last Edit: Feb 16, 2015 22:12:12 GMT -5 by Marcus Drago
Few thoughts ever made it out of the mind of a dying creature, much less any thought that mattered. What a shame it was to waste such a reverently solumn state on reflecting on the ever so dull notion of 'What could have been?' or 'What could I have done', or 'Why did it have to come to this?', when so many other things could be accessed immediately from the vault of the subconscious mind, normally inaccessible outside of one's dreams. The twilight of half lidded eyes and of fading pupils was the ultimate key to the secrets that many had, ironically, died trying to retrieve. Locations of great treasures and hidden wealths of both knowledge and gold, stunning realizations, the treatments to sicknesses and illnesses long thought to be uncurable, endless answers to endless questions, and numerous other things.
If one managed to catch but a simple glimpse of any of these it would be life changing, for all the good it would do a dead man. Here, in the realm of the sleeping, things were different. Here, death did not exist in any recognizable form. Thus, when it came time to close one's eyes for good, they would awaken in a familiar wood, with a familiar lantern, bedroll, and mirror hung from a tree nearby.
The bright orange moon above glared with the same intensity as it had long ago, the wavering blue light emanating from the lantern was just as warm and comforting, and a single thought permeated the mind, as persistently as the buzzing of a fly.
Post by Marcus Drago on May 22, 2015 16:06:46 GMT -5
Why was he back here? Why did he recognize the lantern, bedroll, and even the tree? Why was he not dead? Why was he in this world of torment to begin with? Why could he not possibly escape? Too many questions that came unanswered circled through his mind. However, the one he found the most queer and yet the most repetitive was the question, 'why am I alive?' It was as though death was the only anomaly in this world that he wholeheartedly invited. He wanted it quick and he wanted it now. What type of creature could conjure such horrible tortures to make a man who has enjoyed life for one hundred years suddenly abhor it?
Marcus stood up from the devilish soil, breathed in the devilish air, and took in the devilish sight. He loathed the small shine of the lantern that he knew was the only thing keeping his demons from attacking him. He didn't care that it helped, he hated its existence. His wings spread wide, dark red under the moonlight's eye, and he threw them down in a force of power and rage. Marcus soared. He flew past the branches on the trees and the leaves that only served to cut his person and draw blood from it. He flew as high as he could until only he and the moon existed.
When he saw it, he roared. "Show me!" Marcus hollered orders towards the moon, hoping that someone or something could hear him. "Show me your eyes you demon of the night! Let your wicked pupil stare down upon the man you drive to madness! Show me the eyes of evil so that I may show it the world of true nightmares!" He only looked at the moon, with magic radiating from his bosom, and waited for what he wished for.
