Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 24, 2015 18:55:30 GMT -5
Cinnia soon began to whimper in her sleep, visions of beauty and what could have been soon going to such awful things. She wanted to awaken as she saw the awful creatures patrolling around the citadel, she found herself entering the citadel and looking around. It was beautiful and much larger than her own simple hut. She couldn't help but grace her hands over the walls and pillars as she looked around. She could hear the monsters, the beasts larger than she ever could be, surrounding the citadel. A door stood before her, large and white as if it was the door to the heavens itself. She walked towards it slowly, looking from left to right before she began to push it open.
She woke with a start, taking in a deep breath before sitting up with her head in her hands. She seemed unaware of the man floating in front of her as she mumbled curses to herself.
"Damn nightmares...what even was that?" She mumbled, removing her hands from her face and running one through her hair. She finally looked up and jumped and hit her head against the headboard of her bed and let out yet another string of curses. "Does everyone want to give me a fucking heart attack today?!" She groaned, rubbing the back of her head. Memories came back to her slowly and she realized she shouldn't even be here. Whoever this person was had taken her home and probably had been watching her sleep. OK, shit just got creepy.
"Er...who are you and how did you know where I live?" She questioned, finally realizing the man was floating. Great, he wasn't a hunter. Didn't mean he wasn't dangerous.
The floating Somnus smiled briefly to himself as the woman began to wake from her slumber, an event which he always cherished with a bittersweet appreciation. The sleepy expression, occasional off-beat remarks, even the lack of a fully functioning conscious self were all marks that a person had visited his realm, and had taken their leave but moments before. As much as he would like them to, Somnus knew that they couldn't stay there forever. People were busy creatures, unfortunately. Far too busy, most of the time.
The woman's question didn't come as a surprise to him, seeing as a complete stranger were just floating there over the foot of her bed. Regardless, her answer would come soon enough. There were other, much more important things to do before then.
"Did you sleep well?" were the first words to roll off of Somnus' tongue, the rich and savory sounds echoing from his cavernous mouth softly filling the room with ease. After hearing her answer, a quick "You became rather intoxicated, and told me where you live." followed his first set of words. Saying this, he would allow his legs to uncross and touch down on the floor just to the side of the bed. After a short walk to the nearest window, and after opening said window, he would continue with "I am the moon, and you are a delectable little flower. Weakened and broken by a passing foot too careless to stop and consider your importance, but beautiful to all. Pleasantly fragrant and yet... deadly, in the wrong hands."
The window would open with a light touch from the comparatively tall humanoid, allowing the cool night air to circulate within the dark room. "I have something to ask of you, and it will not be an easy task to accomplish. Impossible to accomplish, on your own. I will help you, along with others. The rewards will be... unfathomable, if you agree to assist." he would say shortly before turning to regard the Fae with his dusky green eyes, the edges of his lips slightly upturned in a confident smile.
Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 24, 2015 21:50:58 GMT -5
Cinnia sat there, blinking for a moment. She didn't remember anything. She remember feeling a burning sensation and passing out...but if the man was telling the truth he was at least kind.
"Erm...I slept fine, thank you." She mumbled, moving so her small feet touched the edge of her bed. She listened carefully with her still sleepy ears, luckily they talked slowly to let her actually take in the words that otherwise she would be to sleepy to translate into an actual language. If it weren't for that it would've sounded like pure gibberish. Even then, it didn't really help. What was with all this moon and flower talk? Why were they suddenly calling her beautiful? Along with that, why the hell did they suddenly expect her to complete some task?
"OK, look dude." She said, standing and stretching. "I appreciate you takin' me home, really. Surprised you didn't bone me while I was in whatever stupor I was in, but that isn't the point." She took a hair tie from the small bedside table and turned, looking in the mirror in putting her hair in a loose ponytail. "But keep in mind we literally just met, if I turn down the task don't be surprised. It just depends on what it is I suppose and I ain't one of those rits who want some kind of huge quest out of life." She turned back, leaning on her table with her arms crossed. "So, I guess tell me it and I'll see what I can do, ey?"
Last Edit: May 24, 2015 21:51:41 GMT -5 by Cinnia Keriam
"I can see you aren't one for metaphors, I will be straightforward then. You may refer to me as Somnus, and the moon is my ultimate place of residence. Unfortunately I have been asleep for quite some time now, the past few thousand years in fact. My disciples are all long dead save maybe a select few, and my name seems to have been forgotten with time. In addition, I am much less powerful than I once was. I am in need of a new temple, a place of worship while repairs and construction projects are underway. You would spread word of me, and gather up as great a force as you can muster. They will be used as laborers, and will build me a citadel unlike any other." he would say, maintaining his overall tone and volume as he did so.
His garb, consisting primarily of some lacy, almost sheer cloth wrapped about his waist, attested to his claimed age. A pair of slender horns curling from his forehead and back about a foot were certainly a sign of his inhumanity, though not necessarily indicative that he was any older than twenty seven.A certain accent hung about him, however. One that was both ever so slightly familiar, and almost archaic sounding.
After waiting a moment, Somnus would say "The rewards for accomplishing such a feat would be immense, to say the least. Such quests usually yield great fortune, and this will be no exception. After all, what is a god without a prophet? A kingdom without a queen? Both rhetorical questions, mind you." as he slowly began to creep forward. He would end his latest verbal string as he sat, one leg folded under him, on the side of Cinnia's bed. He would extend one of his large, soft hands out to the woman in bed, and say "Allow me to show you, if you have any doubts."
Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 24, 2015 22:47:48 GMT -5
She watched and listened as he moved, nodding her head along as he spoke. Spread the word of a god? Well, that wouldn't be to difficult. She would just need a bit of help and most Fae were more than willing to help their brethren. As long as they didn't think she was fucking bonkers.
As he sat on her bed she eyes him a tad and even more so when he extended his hand. What kind of reward was he gonna give her? For all she knew she could've done something to piss the guy off! However, she was more afraid of the outcome of saying no than anything else and she stepped forward. She looked at the hand, about to place hers against it before pulling back with a loud breathy sigh. Was she afraid?
Yes. That was the definite answer. She didn't know what she would see or what would come of this from it. She looked at him, biting against her lips gently before taking his hand. He said he would prove it to her and if it's as good as he said he better show her so.
On contact, an almost electric tingle would flow from Somnus' hand into Cinnia's. The world was immediately... something else entirely. What was once a cozy little bedroom turned into a blisteringly cold mountainside. The winter clothing that both Somnus and Cinnia were equipped in did very little to protect them from the elements, despite the obvious thickness. The taller of the two seemed to pay no mind to the icy gales as he walked along though.
After a short hike the two would come along to an enormous cliff face, with a small overhang at the top preventing snow build up, if only somewhat. The real marvel of the moment was the structure that appeared to be embedded approximately halfway up the sheer wall. A great doorway simple in appearance but not so much in stature marked the entryway to the temple of dreams. A subtle wind blew before the two as they made their way towards the doors, revealing a prostrated statue, a stylized ramp, leading up to the entryway.
Within the compound was an immense network of tunnels, leading from the very top of the mountain down to it's very base. Grand works of artists known and unknown, new and old, famous and infamous all were scattered through the marble halls. A strange warmth emanated throughout the stone corridors, and the thick moss covering the floor underfoot was soft and comforting. At the center of the main room, there was a spiral staircase carved out of a mammoth support pillar, and at the staircase's top was a reasonably sized room arranged in a circle. Around the circle were many forms of seating, each spot having been decided on by it's occupant. Somnus' was a circular loveseat, colored in his trademark orange but otherwise unremarkable. Just to it's right was another seat, which took the shape of whatever Cinnia found fit to place there.
"This is modern day Tibet, hidden deep within the tall mountain ranges. These halls will be filled with glorious music, poetry, the sounds of lovers and of blissful sleep. A haven for all, against the elements and the stark reality that awaits outside. Your place would be here, to my right. Within these halls your name would be known to all, and your presence revered. Everything that could ever be wanted will be found here, in my temple. If there ever were a place for the boundaries between dreams and reality to blur... it would be here." he would utter, just as the illusion faded away and brought them both back to Cinnia's bare-by-comparison room.
Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 25, 2015 1:18:16 GMT -5
As the illusion began Cinnia found herself immediately shivering, pulling the coat she had on closer to herself as she shivered. She quickly followed the man who spoke little a word, eager to get to where ever they were heading just to be some place warm. As the hike ended, she marveled as they entered the network of tunnels with a gentle sigh as warmth began to over-take her and make her somewhat tired. Her eyes beheld the tunnels and staircases as though they were works of art she would never get the chance to see again.
Upon seeing the room, she couldn't help but go to touch it. The chair to the right made of pink velvet and weaved with gold. She placed her hand along it, running a hand along the arm of it and seeing a figure from around it. Was that her? She took a small step towards the figure. her hand reaching out as if reaching for something so delicate that even the gentlest of touches before Somnus spoke, causing her to turn back to him just as the illusion ended. She looked around her plain room, wondering how she got back to such a plain place before snapping back into reality. Her palms turned as though she was reading her own palms.
"If I do this," She began, her head turning back to him with eyes that seemed tired and sad. "All of that will come true?"
A quiet and sympathetic smile spread across Somnus' face as he listened to what the woman had to say, his own eyes reflecting a sort of bittersweet happiness. His warm and spacious hands would gently slide under hers to apply a reassuring squeeze, while he said "All of this and more. After all, what I have shown you is but a taste of what will ultimately come to pass. A small glimpse into the beyond. Will you do this with me?"
He would look her directly in the eyes while he awaited her answer, the same gentle warmth from before emanating from his entire presence. A light pulsing would start to come from his hands, matching the heat leaking off of his still glistening and supple form. In fact, the whole room would seem to heat up a few degrees. Emotions and hormones would once again begin racing about on high alert, though not nearly so much as they were a mere few hours before.
One of the many benefits of essentially being the godfather of a certain breed of Daemons, was Somnus' peculiar ability to bolster the effects of any emotional activity, and to then choose whether or not to feed off of it. Sometimes it was beneficial to feed, others it was more beneficial to just let the tension build. This happened to be one of those times where it was better to let the tension build, rather than allowing someone to objectively see a situation. Not that there was really any large downside to accepting the offer of a half god to be turned into his prophet.
With any luck, the Tibetan temple wouldn't even be a large part of the journey to come. No, Somnus had his sights set on much larger things. Much more... Astrological things. Earthbound temples had a habit of being found, and potentially invaded and/or razed. A place unreachable except by very few means was a much better area to put a temple, if it could be managed. Say, the Moon, for example.
Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 25, 2015 13:11:52 GMT -5
Cinnia began to feel her cheeks heat, a light tinge of green against tan skin. Everything and more? She could finally have Kabira back? Maybe she could even convince her that supernaturals weren't bad. If what the demi-god said was really true then everything could go back to what it once was.
Her eyes would lock with his, the heat making her blush even more. She would sigh as all the emotions coursed through her veins like a river of lava that heated her to the very core. Was he really telling the truth? How could she know? She supposed there was only one logical answer to that. She didn't. She would have to put her faith in this man blindly and never look back. She just hoped and prayed that he was indeed telling the truth.
"I...I'll do it." She said, her eyes finally moving away from his. She felt the surge of emotions heat up and she bit down onto her lip. Her entire body felt so warm and even mildly tingly. "I just want her back." She would find herself mumbling, she always did have a bad habit of thinking out loud didn't she? But with any luck that's exactly what would happen. Kabira would be back and Cinnia would once again be safe and happy in her arms.
Elated at the acquisition of his first follower of many, Somnus' smile widened and stretched to its full capacity. His large, warm hands wrapped around Cinnia's much smaller grabbers and squeezed gently in appreciation. In a fraction of a split second, he had even advanced just enough space to plant a gentle kiss on the woman's forehead. Granted it wasn't much space to advance, and to advance it all he really needed to do was lean forward.
Somnus would watch as his first prophet's facial muscles began to relax into the telltale sleepy visage of a Daydreamer, and as the fire of life captured within her eyes brightened and grew. She was his now, whether she knew it or not. The only real question remaining was how well she would truly perform, and the resident Dreamer had confidence that it would be at least adequate.
"Consider this my boon, a gift for your cooperation. The more you prove yourself, the better it will become. For now though, there is work to be done. You must seek out the jaded of this world, those who have lost their way, who have given up hope. The rejects and the downtrodden will be the first of my loyal subjects, and you will be the one to guide them to my righteous path. It will not be easy by any means, but should you find yourself wanting for help... I will be but a single dream away." He said, relinquishing her hands and pulling away. He would stand, then, a smile still stretched over his countenance.
The raging hormones and rampant emotions would still be present as he wandered his way over to the open window. "Now. I will allow you one last gift, before I go. A farewell present for being such a precious little flower. What is it that you would ask of me, my favored little Fae?" Somnus would ask, smile still present and with a light glimmer in his eyes. He would turn to face her as he finished speaking, waiting patiently for her response.
Post by Cinnia Keriam on May 25, 2015 21:19:44 GMT -5
Cinnia was a bit surprised at the sudden gentle kiss on her forehead. A blush overtook her cheeks, she swore that was all she had been doing this entire time. She felt her face relax slightly at the gentle kiss and she looked at him, nodding with every word he spoke and listening to the honeyed words like a drug. As he began to leave she almost didn't want him to, but when he spoke those words there was only one thing that filled her mind. Her.
She thought for a long time, she would have to word it right or else she would more than likely kill her this time. The one she loved most hated her with such a passion and it killed her inside. She pondered more, looking down at the hands that were no longer in the warm embrace of the gods and instead imagining Kabiras. The sweet embrace and her laugh, her eyes that seemed as mystical and full of life as the forest during spring. Her fair chocolate skin and gorgeous blonde hair.
"I want her back." She said, looking up at him with eyes that seemed filled with emotion. "I want my Kabira back. I want her to see me for my personality instead of seeing me as a Fae. I know she will love me like I love her, I just want her to give me a chance to prove it." Cinnia breathed out, shivering as she had finally let out what she had held in for so long. "Please."
Somnus would sink through the open window when Cinnia finished speaking, uttering a soft "Dreams are wondrous things. I shall do what I can." before turning and wafting away into the night sky. A disappointed frown would slowly creep across his lips at the extra effort now needed to maintain the loyalty of his singular subject, even if it was going to be worth it in the end. Despite his half-godhood, remnant scraps of power left over from his great hibernation really, he was no master of free will. For now, his pet would have to make do with saccharine dreams.
His next stop was the residence of a certain human, who would have very different dreams that night. They were about to have a very different few months of dreams in fact, as even though free will was a domain in which no real entity had any power... subtle suggestions could be introduced into the subconscious via complex dreams and hallucinations. Wasting no time, Somnus got to work on constructing the framework required for further advancement along the road of brainwashing. It wasn't the cleanest of ways to get things done, and it certainly was not at all natural by any means, but it was what his little flower had asked for.
And what a nasty little piece of work the human was. It was going to take some doing to well and truly prepare her for the immense rewriting to come, but it was beyond possible to do. The whole process was quite easy in fact, just time consuming and rather boring. What a saving grace it was that Somnus didn't have to be in more than one place to affect more than one place, otherwise things might never get done around his domain. A place where, coincidentally, nearly all rewritings inevitably took place.
In Somnus' world, it was a simple matter of just setting the pieces into play and letting them go. He had only to supervise events every so often to ensure smooth sailing, and could use the rest of his time to work on other more important things on his agenda. Things such as afflicting villages and monasteries full up with people and monks, with nightmares and signs of his coming. When the time came to begin construction, he would have an army of peasants to work under those who were recruited by his prophet. For once in the past few decades, things were starting to go well.
