THE EYES OF THE NIGHT
I can't do this all alone, I'm completely incomplete,
I can't struggle on alone, you made me strong when I was weak
In an underground cavern far away from Camelot something stirred. It reared its' ugly head, saliva dripping from gleaming fangs and roared. The walls of the cave seemed to glimmer in fear, the warm glow of something up ahead flickering away to almost nothing. The beast had awoken in a terrible mood.
It flexed its' powerful muscles and shifted its' grey muzzle, torn and tattered, in the direction of the small light source. It was up ahead, floating in the middle of the air. Like magic, it thought, and smiled a slimy smile. Its' eyes glowed red, yellow specks appearing, dancing from the strange glow.
"Who dares," it growled, the beast's voice hoarse and wary from months of silence. "Who dares," the monster repeated and the moving light ceased moving. "Who dares enter Kolan's lair?" The glow twitched in reply. "I could kill you with a single breath, you know."
"I-I know," came the answer. It was a man, and Kolan could tell from the way he spoke that he was trying to keep the fear from his voice. "I have come to ask for your help," and the light moved rapidly towards the great beast showing a young man, his dark green eyes set deep in his pale and sickly face, a mound of dirty blonde, flowing hair atop his head. "Sir Kolan."
The beast roared, not with anger but with laughter. "You have done you research, puny traveller."
"Your help," the man said, ignoring Kolan's jibe. "I need it, for revenge."
"Oh yes?" Kolan asked, raising its' eyebrows- if it, indeed, had any eyebrows. "And why would you want my help? The mere mention of my name would have most normal citizens of the great city running for the hills," hunching its' great shoulders, the beast leant forwards. The man could feel the stench and husk of Kolan's breath upon his face and had to do everything to stop himself from turning his elongated nose up. "Why are you treating me like an ally?"
The young man swallowed. "You are an ally. In the fight against the tyranny that rules this realm," he seemed to have found his voice, the waver and uncertainty now lost. "The Pendragons and their inhuman attitudes banished you from their realm when they realised what you would become. I know the tales, good sir, I know what happened."
Kolan shifted restlessly, its' eyelids fluttering, its' nose sniffing at the damp air. "If you know the tales, why are you down here?" he asked. "Do you not realise that I could kill you with one swipe of my hand." As if to show its' meaning, Kolan raised its' mighty arm.
"I do, and that is why I need your help."
Kolan lowered its' arm.
"I have vowed to myself I would take out revenge on Uther Pendragon. However powerful I may think I am, I am not as powerful as you, Sir Kolan. I know that you hate Camelot as much as the next man, possibly more, so there is no reason for you to deny me this request."
"And what," Kolan asked. "Shall I get in return?"
"When we have taken Camelot and destroyed the Pendragon name," the young man said. "We shall rule the kingdom together. People shall fear you, but because you are almighty. Because you are all powerful!"
The beast let out a hideous screech, rearing up onto its' hind legs and slamming its' forelegs into the ground causing the man to stagger backwards as even the floor of the cavern seemed to shake with victory.
"Young man," Kolan cried over the echoes of his own beating paws. "You have my companionship upon this perilous but awesome quest. We shall rule Camelot with an iron fist and bring sorcery back to the empire. But," he bowed his head towards his visitor. "I have heard many tales of travellers passing through these caves that the residents of Camelot are well equipped against magical beasts. I, myself, have fought with such weapons and know that, however powerful you and I are, we may fall at the hands of Arthur Pendragon. I know that he is an almighty warrior and that, it seems, there is some sort of guardian angel overlooking him."
The young man's eyes seemed to glimmer; the hope of defeating the Pendragons was something he had thought about ever since he was a young boy. "Do not worry, Sir Kolan. I have the perfect solution," and from the pocket in his long and bedraggled coat, he extracted a large vile of a viscous purple liquid.
Kolan's face stretched into a hideous smile. "You are ingenious young man. I fear we may work well together in this task. What pray tell is your name?"
The man's face twisted into a smile, almost as terrifying as that of the beast; toothy but full of malice and revenge. "My name," he said. "Is Alvarr."
And many miles away in a small room at the back of the physician's chambers, a young boy's dreams turned to horrific nightmares of beasts and demons, yet still he was unaware of the terrible danger soon to befall Camelot and the horrific ways in which his emotions and loyalties would be strained further than they ever had before.
"Sleep well, Emrys," Alvarr hissed, his maniacal laugh filling the cave. "For it may be the last dream you ever have."
- Sonic Syndicate, Red Eyed Friend