Chapter 21: Nightmares
Steve felt himself sitting in a dark room, it was cold. Not a single ray of light broke the endless void. Steve knew he was dreaming, it was kind of odd that he knew this though. Obviously he has had a dream before but never has he had a Lucid dream like this, one where we had control over. He just sat there waiting... waiting for something to happen.
Steve: *Sigh* …
?: Whats wrong boy? Are you depressed?
Steve: This stupid voice again... what do you want?
?: A little feisty aren't we? I wonder what could ever caused so much pain.
Steve: Just leave me alone. I've lost everything... last thing I need is a stupid voice in my head making fun of me.
?: Just a voice? My dear idiotic child, I do in fact exist. We've met before don't you remember?
Out of the darkness a tall slim man began to appear. He had a wicked grin that stretched from ear to ear, small gray lines traced throughout his hair, his eye's glowed a soulless white, and he wore the same exact type of clothing as Steve. A spitting image of what Steve would look like in another 20 years or so.
Steve: … The Forest.
?: You gotta be half as mad to dream me up boy, Hehehe.
Steve: What do you want?
?: Just wanna have a little chit-chat with my favorite lad.
Steve: What the hell do you want with "Me"?
?: It's not the matter of what I want from you Steve.
Steve: You know my name?
?: I know a lot more about you then just your name Steve... a lot more.
Steve: …
?: There is something very special about you boy, something "very" special.
Steve: What do you mean?
?: I saw you at the village, you really like to kill things don't you?
Steve: …
?: You get a little bit battle hyper when you fight huh? I wonder how such a violent being could be contained with such a gentle soul.
Steve: … What are you talking about?
?: Of course, you don't know. Here let me show you -Snaps his fingers-
A flash of light blinded Steve as the man snapped his fingers. When his sight came back he saw two figures fighting in what seemed like an arena.
Steve: W-Wait a minute... this is... what is this?
?: This is your memory, a reflection outside your body if you may.
Steve: I'm fighting... Kano.
Steve watched himself as he jumped onto Kano's back and dug his blade deep into him. He watched as Kano screamed in pain as he held onto him for dear life. Kano grabbed Steve by the hair and threw him off, he slowly took the blade out of his back and walked over to Steve. He forcefully brought down the blade as Steve desperately tried to over power him.
Steve: What the hell is this?
?: -Puts his fingers to his lips and grins-
(The Memory)
Kano: Hehe, you wanna know what I'm gonna do after I get do cutting your heart out? I'm gonna go to that cute little village of yours,
Steve: -Struggles to look at him-
Kano: I'm gonna go door to door and grab every last bitch by there hair... and I'm gonna gut every last one of them.
Steve: -Struggles- … N-No...
Kano: And when I find the little brat and that whore mother of her's. I'm gonna wring there little necks with a rope and hang 'em for all to see! It's going to be amazing! Hehe, Ahahahahahahaha!
Steve: …I
Kano: Huh?
Steve: ...I ...won't... LET YOU!
Steve watched as he shoved the blade into his own chest, the sight of himself shoving that 8 inch blade through himself made his spine shiver. He watched as the psychopath threw the large man off of him and proceeded to beat the living hell out of him. He punched and elbowed his face into bloody mess and continued to laugh as he proceeded to pull the knife right out of his own chest without hesitation.
Evil Steve: Time To Die! Ahahahahahahahahaha!
The psychopaths voice was a bone rattling and blood curdling mixture of Steve and some type of evil entity. Again and again the crazed maniac brought down the blade over and over again, blood spewed from the chest cavity as Kano screamed in agonizing pain. Steve watched in horror as the figure stood up and ever so slowly turned and faced him. One of his eyes were cut very bad and was spewing blood, the lunatic didn't seem to care nor was he in pain, the other eye was a hell fire red signifying his twisted evil spirit. He smiled at Steve, his twisted grin stretched from ear to ear.
?: Do you see now? This is the being lurking inside you Steve, he's waiting. Waiting to be freed from his cage.
Steve: N-No... That's... not me...
?: Don't deny it Steve. You know it's true, you take to much pleasure in fighting. Every time you pick up a sword you get a little anxious. You and him are practically... well the same person I guess. Ha! See what I did there!
Steve watched as the mirror image of his evil self disappeared into thin air along with Kano's body. Steve felt an arm wrap around his shoulder, he looked over and saw the white eyed man smiling at him.
Steve: Why...
?: Why? Why what?
Steve: Why would you show me this?! All of this! What the hell am I!
Steve jumped away from the old man in a fit of rage.
Steve: All this time I've been some kind of monster... has Pete known? Have I hurt him in the past and don't even know it?
?: Monster... is that what it is? No my dear boy, that was an work of art!
Steve: … Art?
?: The perfect being to succeed the throne.
Steve: Throne?... Wait a minute who the hell are you!
?: You find out soon, very soon. But for now... it's time to wake up.
Steve: Wake up? Oh hell no I'm not leaving till I get some-
(Dream Ends)
Steve suddenly woke from his dream, dripping sweat and breathing erratically. He looked around and saw that he was in the room he stumbled into exhausted. He slowly crawled out of bed and looked out the nearest window, it was still dark outside.
Steve: The hell was that?...
Steve ran his fingers through his hair as he tried to make out what just happened. He flopped back down onto the bed and stared at the ceiling, trying to forget that wicked smile from his apparent white eyed ghost who seemed to be tormenting him. But what was more disturbing was the vision he saw, that evil version of him that tore Kano apart... was that really him? Did he really do that? The whole ordeal left Steve completely in the dark. He didn't even have the slightest clue who that ghost really was. All he had was... that scroll.
He sat up and pulled it out of his pocket. The candle that lit the room gave Steve a better look at the scroll than the darkness of the forest did when he received it. The handles seemed to be some type of bronzed colored metal and the fabric seemed to be some kind of old leather.
Steve: Alright, I'll play along. Let's see what you want me to see so badly.
With ease Steve slowly undid the seal and opened it. The top of the paper/leather seemed to be cut off, it looked like it was torn off from a bigger piece of fabric and attached to these two metal handles. Steve expected to see some kind of picture but all that there was... was one word. It was written in some kind of ancient text, he had no clue what it said or what kind of language it was.
Steve: A word that looks like scribbles... is this what you wanted me to see?
Out of disappointment Steve rolled up the scroll and stuffed it back into his pocket. He got out of his bed and made his way to the door. There's no point in trying to go back to sleep now, only nightmares will be waiting for him. He slowly made his way down the hallway dragging his feet partially. Even though he got a good few hours of sleep the night terrors did one hell of a job on his mind, which left him a bit groggy. He stumbled into the small dinning room where Cupa displayed her overpowering discipline skills on him and saw Andr still sitting at the table, it looked like she was going over some kind of notes. She looked up and saw Steve walk in the room half sleep. She rolled her eyes and started to skim through her journal she had right next to her.
Andr: Morning dirt bag, can't sleep?
Steve: What makes you say that? -Pulls up a chair and sits across from her-
Andr: You mumble in your sleep a lot. I guess you had one hell of a dream.
Steve: I guess you can say that. Why are you awake?
Andr: I don't sleep much, no need. I'm more of a night owl if you catch my drift.
Steve: I see... so what are you working on?
Andr: -Glares at Steve- None of your damn business.
Steve: … I'm guessing your still pissed at me for calling you flat chested aren't you?
Andr stared at Steve in rage. Her pale white face started to turn a bright red out of anger, she dug her nails deep into the table and dragged them across the surface leaving claw marks. She grabbed a book and threw it at Steve, who ducked out of the way just in time.
Andr: Do you think I like looking like this you son of a bitch! So what if I'm flat up front, what's it to you! It's not like I'm trying to impress anyone! So why don't you go to-
Steve: I'm sorry...
Andr: What!
Steve: … I said, I'm sorry.
Andr: …
Steve: I shouldn't have said those thing about you, it's my fault and I apologize.
Andr: … Fine whatever.
There was a long pause between them, a long deafening silence. Andr continued to skim through her notes as Steve tapped the edge of the table out of boredom. Andr looked up and saw Steve still looking at her, he wore a stupid looking smirk on his face as he held his head up with his arm and continued to tap the table with his finger.
Andr: If I tell you what I'm working on do you promise to leave me alone?
Steve: Sure.
Andr: I'm just going over what I learned from these temples I found alright?
Steve: Alright, what's so special about these temples.
Andr: I never agreed to answer any question's.
Steve: -Grins and stares-
Andr: Grrr, Fine! The reason is Yuri and her scouts have been entering in and out of them almost frequently. All I learned so far is that there past human temples, places of worship. If your so damn interested then here! -Balls up a piece of paper and throws it at Steve's head- Educated yourself!
Steve laughed a little on the inside. He undid the wad of paper and saw that there were hieroglyphics written on then. It was odd, the same exact writing on the paper matched with the word written on the scroll.
Steve: It seems that your quiet educated.
Andr: So what if I am? It's not like it matters.
Steve: I got one last request.
Andr: *Sigh* What?
Steve: Do you mind translating this for me? -rolls the scroll her way-
Andr: Fine if it makes you leave me alone. -unrolls it and reads- bróðir, that's the ancient nordic word for brother... wait a minute. How did you get this?
Steve: A man with white eyes gave it to me.
Andr's eyes darted from the scroll to Steve, she had a serious and concerned look on her face.
Andr: So you saw him didn't you?
Steve: Saw who?
Andr: … Herobrine.
-To Be Continued-