Volume One: The Long Sleep
created by
Neil Gaiman
Introduction: This series came
about in a variety of ways. It started when I bought a copy of
'the Dreaming: Through the Gates of Horn and Ivory' TPB. I had
heard of Sandman and Neil Gaiman's work but, not wishing to cave
in to what might be considered comicdom's conformity, I chose not
to read it. After reading this collection from 'The Dreaming,' I
picked up volumes 1 & 2 of 'Sandman' ('Preludes &
Nocturnes' and 'A Doll's House'). I became hooked. I quickly read
the entire series. I also got my hands on all the 'Dreaming' TPBs
and one-shots I could. I also picked up all the available
'Sandman' one-shots and mini-series (I am currently collecting
the Sandman Presents mini-series). Around the time I fell for
'Sandman,' I also picked up a copy of 'How to Draw Manga: Occult
and Horror' by Anarctic Press. Eventually the thought occurred to
me: what if the two were combined? Since I obviously do not have
the resources to fund either an anime or manga version of
Sandman, I decided to incorporate Japanese and Manga styles into
a fanfic series. As brief research I picked up the 'Sandman:
Dream Hunters' to see how Mr. Gaiman handled Asian culture. I
then flipped through my handy Japanese to English dictionary and
jotted down some basic plot points. The result is what you
currently read. I hope you enjoy it! If the series is popular, I
may finish off an entire adaptation of the whole series (I've
begun making notes if I ever need to write a Sandman: The Manga
Companion).
Chapter One: Dreams of a Setting Sun
The bald man worked tirelessly finishing the circle in salt. It
encompassed the majority of the area in the basement of the
temple. The sun had set long ago, and the darkness now surrounded
the elegant and impressive shrine that was his home. But long ago
it had passed from the Way of Buddha, to the monk's new religious
sect; the Order of Ancient Mysteries. In the inner chamber of the
temple, many people crowded around the monk, all wearing the
black shroud that the monk himself wore.
"For years," said the monk, "I had been a loyal
servant of the Buddha." All the followers quieted. "I
accepted a life of servitude, in the hopes of one day reaching
the nirvana and overcoming the pains and decay of life. For if I
did not become enlightened, I would - like all of you - be forced
in samsara... the continuous circle of life, old age, and
death."
"But then," preached the monk as he reached into his
dark robe. "I came across a scroll written long before the
enlightenment of Buddha... before all other known scrolls."
He now produced a cylindrical canister, the kind normally used to
store rare and important scrolls.
"This scroll explained, in detail, the existence of seven
beings higher than Buddha or any of the other gods." The
entire attendance grew wide-eyed and a cold dead silence filled
the room. "They are Those Without End. They have existed
since before our world, and will continue to exist long after it
is reduced to dust."
The monk now pulled a dirty sac next to him as he continued
talking. "Of all the Endless Ones; the Loved One, the Sad
One, or even He Who Sees All... only one has interested me and
this order; the Black One. Death. It is written that, if one were
to capture Death, then one might have dominion over the forces of
nirvana and samsara. One need not spend his lifetimes praising
the Buddha. Instead, one could enter the nirvana..." The
monk smiled. "...or bring nirvana to himself."
"Now," ordered the monk as he lit seven candles around
the ring of salt, "we will attempt this very thing. Now...
we capture Death!"
If ever applause could be silent, then the small group of
defector monks applauded with the loudest silence ever heard in
the Land to the East. For now, the monk (known to his followers
as Akurei Sama, the Demon King) began the ancient ritual of
summoning.
"I give you coin I made from a stone." Akurei produced
a small round stone. He placed in the exact middle of the circle.
"I give you a song I stole from the dirt." He sprinkled
a fine powder on top of the stone. As the grains fell, it seemed
to whisper an inaudible tale.
"I give you a knife from under the hills." Akurei
pulled a crooked dagger from his bag. But this he laid at his
side.
"And a stick I stuck through a dead man's eye."
"I give you a claw I ripped from a rat."
"I give you a name, and the name is lost." He whispered
something into the middle of the circle that was inaudible to any
other assembled.
Now, Akurei raised the dagger at his side. He lay it flat against
his tender forearm. He turned it slightly and put pressure on the
blade. "I give you blood from out of my vein." The
black and viscous liquid poured down his arm and dripped twice
into the center of the circle.
"And a feather I pulled from an angel's wing."
"I summon with poison, and summon with pain."
"I open the way and open the gates."
"Come." As he said this one word, his acolytes
repeated.
"From the dark they call you... into the dark they call you.
Coin and song, knife and stick..." The air in the center of
the circle began to shimmer. "Claw and name, blood and
feather... Here in the darkness..." Now the shimmering of
air began to take shape. "Here in darkness, we summon you
together," cried the monk, his voice rising with excitement.
And then, all the followers including the Lord Akurei himself
spoke at once: "COME!"
And then, the center of the circle erupted. The drops of blood
spun and multiplied. The seizing and bubbling blood began darting
wildly in the circle as if it were alive. Then, it became a giant
column of swirling and boiling sanguine liquid that reached all
around to the confines of the salt circle.
"COME!" cried the Order of Ancient Mysteries. And come
he did.
The blood dispersed. And the men crowded around. In the center of
the circle, where the offerings once stood, was now the collapsed
figure of a man. His body was covered in a black kimono whose
trail appeared to dance with flames. Near his hand lay a closed
pouch. Around his neck hung a magnificent ruby, as red as blood.
And on his face he wore an ancient kabuki mask that appeared as
though a deformed and comical skull.
One of the silent followers stepped forward. He was a young boy,
barely 10. He appeared to be the youngest of the group. His
features were eerily similar to the Akurei Sama's. "W-we did
it!" he cried. His eyes were wide and a dumbfound smile was
spread across his face.
"No," said Akurei solemnly. He began to push through
the crowd to get to the stairs. Dejectedly, he ascended the
stairs to the main chamber of the temple. "We have
failed," he said as he disappeared up the stairs. "This
isn't the Black One. This isn't Death."
"What!?" cried the young acolyte.
After a moment, the head of the Lord Akurei appeared again from
above. "I suppose he can still be of use. Strip him. His
garments may prove... useful."
The agents of the Order worked in silence for the next hour,
disrobing their unconscious quarry and casting various spells of
protection on them. As they did, Akurei Sama enacted all the
arcane spells and incantations he knew in his own personal
chamber. The spells of binding and the spell of trapping made
sure that his new prisoner would not escape. His spells were
scrying spells. He needed to find out who his prisoner was. He
needed to find out what horror he had unleashed.
* * * *
It was seven days and seven nights before the
Akurei Sama's prisoner awoke. It was late. Near midnight. Akurei
had sat in wait for nearly the entire week, waiting for the
mysterious man he had summoned to wake up. He hadn't slept in
days.
"Who are you?" asked the monk as he saw his prisoner
stir. "I know you are not the Black One. It is doubtful that
you could be the Indescribable One, or the Pleasant One. Who are
you then? The Knowing One? Or are you the Seventh One who is
mentioned only once in the scroll?"
The black-haired man said nothing. He sat with his knees to his
chest in the center of the circle. He was naked. Nonetheless he
moved not to cover his body, simply to keep away from any edges
of the circle. His body was covered in bruises. The Order had
found his body that way when they stripped him.
"Talk to me," pleaded the Lord of Demons. "We can
negotiate for your freedom." The prisoner said nothing.
"I know you can offer me things. Immortality. A boon.
Protection from revenge." He waited. Nothing. Akurei Sama
was worried. He was no longer able to lock eyes with his
prisoner. He quickly looked away and retreated up the stairs.
Before he disappeared, he stopped on the stairs and looked back.
"I will control you, you know. Once I have your name, you will
be mine." His prisoner simply looked silently. Stars
sparkled in his eyes. Akurei Sama quickly ran up the stairs and
disappeared. The prisoner heard a heavy door slam.
The man in the middle of the circle sat in silence after his
captor left. His attention turned when he heard the faint sound
of 'drip.' He looked to a corner of the room. A single drop of
water fell from a crack at the base of the ceiling above him onto
the cold floor. The ground in that area was discolored.
'Patience,' thought the dark man. 'Wait.'
* * * *
It was a month later until the Akurei visited the
man again. He walked slowly down the stairs into great round
chamber. This time he was not alone. Following close behind him
was the young acolyte who had been so excited the night of the
summoning. The boy carried several large scrolls underneath his
arm.
Akurei Sama spread out his various objects of arcana that he had
gathered. He was busy at work extracting juice from a freshly
picked animal liver. It dripped into a small brass pan. He
sprinkled various powders in it. He began reciting a spell in a
long dead language.
All the while, his young acolyte stood looking at the prisoner.
The pale man sat in the same unmoving position since he had woke.
The young acolyte's eyes were transfixed on the prisoner's. The
dark-haired man had empty eyes that were dark in a manner that it
appeared as if he was both staring at the demon king's son and at
the demon king himself.
The young apprentice walked silently towards the prisoner. His
hand was outstretched, as if he wished to touch him. A glazed
look was in his eyes. It was as if he were in a trance. The boy
walked forward. His next step would be on the thick barrier of
salt.
"Deshi, you foolish boy! Wake up!" cried the Akurei
Sama. He had just noticed the advancement of the boy.
Deshi shook his head as if dispelling a troubling thought.
"F-Father?"
The Lord of Demons looked angrily at his apprentice.
"Father? You have no father. You are the bastard child of
worthless whore! I am no child's father. I am the Lord of
Demons!"
It appeared as if Deshi had finally come back to reality.
"I... am sorry, Lord Akurei. I did not mean..."
"Do you know who he is?" asked Akurei Sama.
"The prisoner? No I... do not know. I read the scroll
but..."
"Did you read the story of the monk and the fox
maiden?" asked the man.
"Yes, sire."
"Tell me, who did the fox maiden turn to?"
"I forget his name, lord. But he told her to..."
The lord was becoming impatient with his son. "And what did
he look like?"
Recalling from memory, Deshi began to recite the story. "The
man had flowing hair as black as midnight. His skin was the color
of pale milk. His eyes were like tepid pools, each containing all
the stars of the universe. He wore a cloak made of shadows, with
flames dancing at his feet." At this point, the young
acolyte turned back to the prisoner.
"He is the King of All Nights Dreaming." Answered
Akurei Sama. He now continued to add ingredients into his putrid
concoction. "I would have known, but he is barely mentioned
in the scroll. The focus is put on the Black One and the One Who
Knows All. Unlike the rest of them, he has no stories of his own.
He is known only through the stories of others. He is the Prince
of Stories, the Opener of Doors and the Lord of the Desert Behind
One's Eyes."
"The King of Dreams." Echoed the child in awe. He
looked back at the solemn, imprisoned man.
"Get away from him!" cried Akurei Sama. "He almost
had you once. To look into his eyes is to be lost in dreams. He
will use you to break the circle and set him free. Then he will
kill you and torture me for an eternity. Is that what you
want!?"
The young acolyte lowered his head. "No, sire." His
head perked up. "Since we know his true name, does that mean
that we can force him to do our bidding!?"
The Lord of Demons looked at his bastard son. "You truly are
a fool! Firstly, he has no true name. He has no name. He simply
accumulates titles. They are attributed to him, they do not
define him. And secondly, that kind of incantation will not work
on his kind. We are not dealing with a mere demon or
goblin."
"Well, if he is a god..."
"Shut up! He is not a god. Gods come and go. Gods can die.
He is much older. He is of the Endless Ones." Akurei slowly
poured the contents of a small vial into Now leave me."
Deshi slowly ascended the stairs. "If you cannot conjure a
spell against him, what are you mixing?"
Without turning from his work, Akurei answered. "I am making
another spell of summoning. If he will not grant me protection, I
will find someone who can." Deshi disappeared. The door
slammed.
Akurei produced the kabuki mask that had been stripped from the
pale man. He set it on the floor and dipped his hands into the
putrid mixture he had just made. He made a small circle around
the mask. Before he began his enchantment, he turned to his
prisoner.
"I don't need to do this. I can give you back your...
tools... of you like. All I ask in return is immunity from
revenge. All I want is to live forever. You can do that. I know
you can!" The pale man did not answer. "Very well. Say
goodbye to your mask. It will by me my protection. Perhaps I can
bargain a few centuries for it."
The pale prisoner did not answer. Instead, his attention was
turned to the corner of the room. A small drop of water fell to
the floor. It landed in a small pool.
'Patience,' thought the Lord of Dreams. 'Wait.'
* * * *
In the Realm of All Night's Dreaming, the skies
were gray. The clouds were no longer lighter than the sky. Since
six months ago, the clouds had turned black. The sky was
especially dark at the Obelisk, which laid at both the outermost
rim of the Realm of Dreaming... and at its center.
The Obelisk was a place where few beings, mortal or dream, dared
to venture. It wasn't because the sky was always dark (which it
was). It wasn't because the ground was permanently charred and
black (which it was). And it wasn't because it was home to the
mysterious Obelisk which evoked fear in everyone short of the
King of All Nights Dreaming (which it was). It was because this
Realm of Dreaming was home to the darkest and evilest of living
nightmares.
Inside the short, yet wide palace, a single Living Dream stood
wondering. He was a tall man with broad shoulders. His hair was a
pale white that glistened like pearl. His eyes were obscured by a
black cloth which he had tied to cover her eyes. he stood
silently in front of mirror. His eyes were fixed on his own
reflection.
The being known as the Kougaku was always fascinated with
mirrors. Every surface in his palace of metal he called the
Obelisk was a reflective surface. His obsession was justified.
The Kougaku himself had been created as the dark mirror of the
human soul. Inside his mysterious eyes, lied the evil behind
every living human soul.
'The Lord of the Dreaming is gone,' thought Kougaku as he studied
his mirror.
As he stared at his reflection, the harder he looked, the less
definite his form was. As he stared hard at his own reflection,
he saw his body begin to fade. It was not a fading like a
disappearing, but rather it was more like him looking beyond his
own form to a different level of his being. In the mirror, in the
place where his stomach would have been, hovered a shining silver
gem as big as his fist.
Curious, Kougaku dug his hand into his stomach. With the Shaper
of Form gone, the forms of those he had shaped became less
distinct. Kougaku reached deep into himself. He didn't know if he
was going into his physical or spiritual self. He didn't even
know if those two things were separate. Finally, his hand grasped
something hard. Slowly, he extracted his closed hand from his
stomach.
He held the jewel up to his face. It was perfectly cut, in an
octagon. Its color was deceptive, making it appear as if it were
made of metal. It was the color of quicksilver, a perfect gray
metallic luster. Yet, from the inside, it glowed with a white
light that the Kougaku had only seen wielded by his master.
Kougaku walked outside his Obelisk, holding the gem in his hand.
He walked several yards away from his palace. He walked forward
until the landscape began to blur. Kougaku found himself in the
Graveyard, an annex of his own realm. All around him were burial
plots. On top of the plots were bones of various shapes, sizes
and species.
The Graveyard Where the Dead Still Live was one of the places in
the Realm of Dreaming that was most often visited. Along with the
Great Sea Where One Might Drown, and the Mountain That Causes One
to Fall, there was never a time when one could find these places
empty. Yet now, Kougaku was the only one for miles.
Confused, Kougaku raised his arm which held the silver jewel. He
aimed it at a nearby skull. In what seemed like instinct, he felt
his own life essence channel through the gem. It began to glow. A
ball of energy formed around his hand. With a blinding flash, a
beam of bright light shot out of the jewel and blasted the skull.
As the light dissipated, Kougaku looked at his handy work. Where
the chalky skull once lay, now was replaced by a fleshy and
bleeding severed head. The head, though decapitated, was still
living. Moving its jaw muscles slowly, it attempted to talk.
"Hhhheellp meehhgggg~~*" The head let out an eerie
petition.
Calmly, and with little change in his stoic appearance, Kougaku
energized the gem again. It blasted another blinding beam. As the
light faded. The entire area where it had hit no longer existed.
All around the area was dirt and bones and shadows. But the area
where the beam had hit was a white void.
Kougaku held the jewel in both hands. The glow surrounded him.
Suddenly, Kougaku's mind's eye was given a vision. Kougaku saw
his creator, the King of All Nights Dreaming. He saw thirteen
gems, of varying sizes and colors. He saw his master build him
around the silver gem. He saw the other gems being hidden in
other dreams. Kougaku was brought back to the Realm of the
Dreaming. He smiled.
"The Lord of Dreams in gone." He made his silver jewel
glow. The area around him warped and spun. Suddenly, he found
himself on the expanse of dreamscape that held the mighty Temple
of the Dream King. The sky here was dark too. Kougaku began
approaching the temple.
He smiled. "The Lord of Dreams is gone... long live the Lord
of Dreams!"
* * * *
The King of All Nights Dreaming sat as a king
deposed. Naked. Cold. Hungry. He sat huddled in the same position
that he had sat in for a decade. He sat quietly. He sat
contemplatively. He sat expectantly. He sat.
The man who called himself Akurei Sama slowly descended the
stairs. He descended the same way he had descended for the past
decade. With him he held the same fear, uneasiness and fatigue
that he had carried down those stairs for the past ten years.
Akurei Sama descended.
"The crops are dead this season. The rice patties won't
grow. The cattle are dying. Meat is scarce. Our Order's numbers
are dwindling. Some of us have died. Others have killed
themselves. Others have simply gone mad. Is this your work? Your
family's? Do you... they... is this an attempt to break me? Is
this some feeble attempt at your rescue?"
The Lord of Dreams sat silent.
"Well it won't work. Whatever your family does to my
followers... it doesn't matter. They never mattered. I used them.
Money. Power. Whatever I wanted. Just as I tried to use you. But
if your family thinks they can make me free you, they are
horribly mistaken. This place. Me. My son... my apprentice. We
are protected. I have made bargains both on this plane and on
others. You tools proven very valuable bargaining chips."
The Lord of Demons laughed.
The Lord of Dreams sat silent.
"I hate you! I can free you! Just say the word and I'll
break the circle and let you go." Akurei Sama sighed.
"There's an epidemic you know. Thousands of children in the
surrounding provinces. They've all... fallen asleep. They won't
wake up. It started the night I captured you. Are you doing this?
Did I do this?"
The Lord of Dreams sat silent.
"Lord Akurei?" A young man peered down the staircase.
"Lord Akurei are you down here?"
"Yes Deshi!" cried the Lord of Demons.
"Now, now," said the Son of the Demon King. "Sire,
you know its Lord Densetsu now."
"Yes," agreed Akurei Sama. "I suppose it is."
"You know, the followers are in the main chamber. They are
waiting for your sermon."
Akurei Sama sighed. "You had better deliver the sermon.
You've done such a good job with everything else. The Order
has... lost its appeal since the summoning. I spent my whole life
searching for a way to prevent death. When I summoned this...
thing, I cemented my fate. The whole purpose of the Order was
made for nought. It is yours now. I am becoming an old man. I
need my sleep."
Lord Densetsu of the Order of Ancient Mystery disappeared behind
the heavy door. Akurei turned back to the King of Dreams. He
sighed.
"Anything you wish to say before I leave? Care to gloat? I
am nearly 45 years old now. Long past my prime. And with all my
incantations and with all my spells and bargains... I doubt I'll
make it another 45. Unless your ruby can help me. I sleep with it
now. For protection. You think it'll hurt me? Should I get rid of
it, too?"
Akurei Sama lowered his head. He had not expected a response this
time. He had stopped expecting a response after the first two
years. He had ran out of spells and incantations in the first
year. Now, he came down out of habit. His visits were always the
same. He no longer worked with his Order of Mysteries. Those
years of his life were gone. Now, all he did was come down there
and petition the Lord of Dreams. He would get no response. He
would leave in the same way. Silently. The door slammed as Akurei
Sama left the chamber.
The Lord of Dreams sat silent. He looked over in the corner. A
drop of water fell. It landed in a pool. The pool was now
contained in a shallow brass container. The container was filled
to the brim. With this drop, a little water dribbled over the
side. A new pool was beginning to form next to the container.
'Patience,' thought the Dream Lord. 'Wait.'
To be continued...
NEXT: 'When I Grow too Old to Dream'