Chapter 2: It's just Dream...Isn't It?
Imperial shouted to no avail into the nightmarish gloom that surrounded her. Although she couldn't see anything, she knew she wasn't alone in the threatening emptiness. She could smell the acidic, pungent breath of unseen creatures circling a hair's length away around her. They always let her know of their presence by their low ominous hissing, tense and ready to spill her blood.
The unseen beasts would scratch at her skin lightly and nibble her flesh, moving easily into the surrounding murk when Imperial tried to retaliate. The creatures circled closer, quickly tiring of the cat and mouse game they played. They readied themselves to pounce on their prey, to bite into her flesh.
When she felt the first of the claws touch her neck and the horrific screams that followed, she would usually awaken, gasping for breath, shivering with fear and dread. This was the way her nightmares have been ever since she could remember and every time it felt as if it was real...
Yet this time something changed. Just as the monstrosities were about to tear into her, a blinding flash of flame shot up from the darkness surrounding her. Instead of intense heat burning her body, the flames protected her from whatever stalked her. Those closest to her cried out in agony as the blaze seared their malformed bodies. The rest of the fiends still eyed her at a safer distance.
Inside the fiery ring Lakaiko stood holding an orb of pure green chrysm. With his arms lifted to the darkened sky he completed the flare spell, which surrounded them. Letting his hands down, he turned to Imperial with a great smile upon his face. Imperial smiled slightly as he walked towards her showing the possession he held. Inside the chrysm ball a miniature world revolved in it own space. Kaiko stood there engrossed with what lied within his palms. The idea that he held this fragile planet in his small hands occupied his every thought.
A soft whisper pushed into her mind "Time is moving too fast to stop the process."
Yet before she had moment to ponder the cryptic message, a glistening beam of light appeared near Imperial. A gasp caught in her throat as turned her head to see an aged man standing beside her. His face was veiled from her within the darkness. His white hair was far too long, enough so it reached the back of his uncovered feet. In spite of that, his feet and hands were what were truly stunning, they were tanned almost to a point that it seemed they were made of bronze.
The golden robes that covered his body shimmered brightly throughout the darkness. Imperial could only stare at the sheer beauty of him. Taking no notice of the young woman beside him, the elder turned to the boy. He walked over to place a kiss on his cheek, softly tussling his hair.
"Destiny is a circle, it brings forth life and ends life. It's the force that surrounds every living creature and thing. From the grand mountains to the smallest organism, destiny is what sustains them. It is the good and evil in everyone." The unknown's soft voice revealed to her.
"Who are you?" Imperial asked to the surrounding area, as she glanced up at the elder then back at Kaiko.
"Destiny must be at balance with righteousness and vileness. It cannot exist with just one or the other. " The voice continued, ignoring Imperial's question. "Things cannot be pure without knowing what wickedness is. One cannot be evil if he has no understanding of good. The Demon is trying to shift this balance. If this happens, the cosmos itself will fall in anarchy. It has come earlier than we expected yet, you must make your decision."
"I don't understand. What decision?" She question back. With that being said, the old man lifted his face slightly to look at her. She took no notice of any of his facial features other than the icy purple eyes that bore into hers which caused her to shiver slightly.
"IT knows you." The voice continued on grimly in hushed tones. "Disruption of the balance has already begun. It will take any and all life forces to sustain itself..." Imperial turned toward the elder, who continued staring at her.
Placing her hands on her hips she became annoyed at whoever was whispering at her "This is just a dream it's not real, none of this is real." She replied motioning around her. "Soon I'll wake up and this sick nightmare will end! Just like they always do."
Without warning the old man reached out and placed his hands on her face. Imperial felt their warmth on her skin. She recoiled with surprise and fear, yet he held her face tightly.
She felt his hands on her face!
In dreams you not suppose to feel anything, especially other people!
"This can't be real." She stared at him in confusion "This is just a dream..." The old man slowly let her go as his hand touched her wings slightly with distaste.
"For now you must chose what happens to the boy until he is ready. Forces are beginning to move to shift the power. Be wary ..." The voice tried to warn before it was quieted by a new presence.
The body of a youthful woman suddenly appeared out of a gray mist that had gone unnoticed as it surrounded the fire circle. Her flowing white negligee hugged her supple body. After testing the flames with her hand, she stepped into the flame and emerged unharmed, her tan skin held no trace of a blemish, let alone a burn. Her youthful face and long blond locks made her seemed as innocent as an angel. Yet, there was something about her that was dreadful, almost disturbing to a point, Imperial sensed.
"This can not be!" the soft voice openly sobbed until it was heard no more.
The monsters that once paced so closely to the flames scattered as she appeared. When her eyes met with the elder, familiarity gleamed from them for a brief moment, her face twisted with disgust.
"I will cleanse this world. Give up your foolish plans and live peacefully with us. If you try to change the order of things, Cronous, I will make your suffering long standing." She rationalized with the elder.
The old man shook his head slowly at the blond youth. "Fool! You have no idea what you are tampering with, girl. This isn't the last time we'll meet like this. The Awakening will happen, you trifling little insect."
Furious, the youth stretched her fingers until a ball of electricity appeared growing larger by the minute, floated above her outstretched digits. With a sharp yell, she hurled the electric ball the elder. As the energy force whipped towards him, the old man protectively forced Lakaiko behind him. With his purple eyes flashing, the elder halted the ball few inches in front of his face. Placing all his focus on the sphere, he fired the dispersed energy back at the girl. He faltered a bit as the ball reached its mark.
The youth screeched as the bolt hit her, jolting her body and slamming her to the onyx ground. At first Imperial thought the girl was dead until she heard laughing from the dark ground. Recovering, the blond slowly stood up and grinned at the old man.
"You're losing your energy, Cronous. How much time do you think you have?" She smiled triumphantly "I'll find him, kill him and then you will never be able to complete your silly plan, you old bastard!"
"Enough!" the elder shot back. "The Awakening will come sooner than you think and when it does, I'll see to it that you and your kind are dealt with." With that, the elder closed his eyes and disappeared, leaving a trail of gold dust flying up into the darkness.
The girl spun towards Lakaiko, glaring at him through silted eyes "Not if I can help it."
The girl strolled in the direction of the child. Imperial tried to run towards Lakaiko only to realize that her feet were rooted to the black ground. She strained to reach the boy, struggling with all her might to move.
Imperial continued to fight against the unseen force that stopped all her movements. Lakaiko ran over to Imperial, hugging her legs. He glanced up at her with eyes full of laughter and hope, smiling that little impish grin. Imperial longed to wrap her arms around his small frame to protect him, yet her body wasn't responding. All she could do was look at the small boy.
Lakaiko ran to the blond hair woman and showed her the world that he held in his hands. He held it out towards her, presenting it to so she could see all the mystery and wonder it held within.
The young woman snatched the orb and threw it towards the monsters that were still circling outside the fiery ring. "It would be better off in the hands of those monsters than in the hands of you, demon!" she spat at the child. He glanced back at Imperial with his eyes full of panic. He turned to run but she curled her hand around his shoulder, halting his small steps.
She spoke angrily. "In the name of the Goddess, I will find you and destroy all of your kind!"
The woman's hand began to mutate into long sharp knives. She grabbed Kaiko's hair pulling his head back.
The girl's face held an ominous stare "I will stop The Awakening before it starts."
With that the girl ran her bladed hand into the chest of the little boy. Imperial stood in shock as the girl pulled her bloody hand out of his pierced body. Using a levitation spell to pick up his limp body, she walked towards the darkness and carelessly dropped the boy's remains in front of the monsters. The smell of the boy's blood caused the beasts to run rampant upon the body. Imperial screamed in fright and rage as the flame barrier died out.
She continued to shriek until she felt the claws of the beasts once again tighten upon her neck...
Imperial shouted to no avail into the nightmarish gloom that surrounded her. Although she couldn't see anything, she knew she wasn't alone in the threatening emptiness. She could smell the acidic, pungent breath of unseen creatures circling a hair's length away around her. They always let her know of their presence by their low ominous hissing, tense and ready to spill her blood.
The unseen beasts would scratch at her skin lightly and nibble her flesh, moving easily into the surrounding murk when Imperial tried to retaliate. The creatures circled closer, quickly tiring of the cat and mouse game they played. They readied themselves to pounce on their prey, to bite into her flesh.
When she felt the first of the claws touch her neck and the horrific screams that followed, she would usually awaken, gasping for breath, shivering with fear and dread. This was the way her nightmares have been ever since she could remember and every time it felt as if it was real...
Yet this time something changed. Just as the monstrosities were about to tear into her, a blinding flash of flame shot up from the darkness surrounding her. Instead of intense heat burning her body, the flames protected her from whatever stalked her. Those closest to her cried out in agony as the blaze seared their malformed bodies. The rest of the fiends still eyed her at a safer distance.
Inside the fiery ring Lakaiko stood holding an orb of pure green chrysm. With his arms lifted to the darkened sky he completed the flare spell, which surrounded them. Letting his hands down, he turned to Imperial with a great smile upon his face. Imperial smiled slightly as he walked towards her showing the possession he held. Inside the chrysm ball a miniature world revolved in it own space. Kaiko stood there engrossed with what lied within his palms. The idea that he held this fragile planet in his small hands occupied his every thought.
A soft whisper pushed into her mind "Time is moving too fast to stop the process."
Yet before she had moment to ponder the cryptic message, a glistening beam of light appeared near Imperial. A gasp caught in her throat as turned her head to see an aged man standing beside her. His face was veiled from her within the darkness. His white hair was far too long, enough so it reached the back of his uncovered feet. In spite of that, his feet and hands were what were truly stunning, they were tanned almost to a point that it seemed they were made of bronze.
The golden robes that covered his body shimmered brightly throughout the darkness. Imperial could only stare at the sheer beauty of him. Taking no notice of the young woman beside him, the elder turned to the boy. He walked over to place a kiss on his cheek, softly tussling his hair.
"Destiny is a circle, it brings forth life and ends life. It's the force that surrounds every living creature and thing. From the grand mountains to the smallest organism, destiny is what sustains them. It is the good and evil in everyone." The unknown's soft voice revealed to her.
"Who are you?" Imperial asked to the surrounding area, as she glanced up at the elder then back at Kaiko.
"Destiny must be at balance with righteousness and vileness. It cannot exist with just one or the other. " The voice continued, ignoring Imperial's question. "Things cannot be pure without knowing what wickedness is. One cannot be evil if he has no understanding of good. The Demon is trying to shift this balance. If this happens, the cosmos itself will fall in anarchy. It has come earlier than we expected yet, you must make your decision."
"I don't understand. What decision?" She question back. With that being said, the old man lifted his face slightly to look at her. She took no notice of any of his facial features other than the icy purple eyes that bore into hers which caused her to shiver slightly.
"IT knows you." The voice continued on grimly in hushed tones. "Disruption of the balance has already begun. It will take any and all life forces to sustain itself..." Imperial turned toward the elder, who continued staring at her.
Placing her hands on her hips she became annoyed at whoever was whispering at her "This is just a dream it's not real, none of this is real." She replied motioning around her. "Soon I'll wake up and this sick nightmare will end! Just like they always do."
Without warning the old man reached out and placed his hands on her face. Imperial felt their warmth on her skin. She recoiled with surprise and fear, yet he held her face tightly.
She felt his hands on her face!
In dreams you not suppose to feel anything, especially other people!
"This can't be real." She stared at him in confusion "This is just a dream..." The old man slowly let her go as his hand touched her wings slightly with distaste.
"For now you must chose what happens to the boy until he is ready. Forces are beginning to move to shift the power. Be wary ..." The voice tried to warn before it was quieted by a new presence.
The body of a youthful woman suddenly appeared out of a gray mist that had gone unnoticed as it surrounded the fire circle. Her flowing white negligee hugged her supple body. After testing the flames with her hand, she stepped into the flame and emerged unharmed, her tan skin held no trace of a blemish, let alone a burn. Her youthful face and long blond locks made her seemed as innocent as an angel. Yet, there was something about her that was dreadful, almost disturbing to a point, Imperial sensed.
"This can not be!" the soft voice openly sobbed until it was heard no more.
The monsters that once paced so closely to the flames scattered as she appeared. When her eyes met with the elder, familiarity gleamed from them for a brief moment, her face twisted with disgust.
"I will cleanse this world. Give up your foolish plans and live peacefully with us. If you try to change the order of things, Cronous, I will make your suffering long standing." She rationalized with the elder.
The old man shook his head slowly at the blond youth. "Fool! You have no idea what you are tampering with, girl. This isn't the last time we'll meet like this. The Awakening will happen, you trifling little insect."
Furious, the youth stretched her fingers until a ball of electricity appeared growing larger by the minute, floated above her outstretched digits. With a sharp yell, she hurled the electric ball the elder. As the energy force whipped towards him, the old man protectively forced Lakaiko behind him. With his purple eyes flashing, the elder halted the ball few inches in front of his face. Placing all his focus on the sphere, he fired the dispersed energy back at the girl. He faltered a bit as the ball reached its mark.
The youth screeched as the bolt hit her, jolting her body and slamming her to the onyx ground. At first Imperial thought the girl was dead until she heard laughing from the dark ground. Recovering, the blond slowly stood up and grinned at the old man.
"You're losing your energy, Cronous. How much time do you think you have?" She smiled triumphantly "I'll find him, kill him and then you will never be able to complete your silly plan, you old bastard!"
"Enough!" the elder shot back. "The Awakening will come sooner than you think and when it does, I'll see to it that you and your kind are dealt with." With that, the elder closed his eyes and disappeared, leaving a trail of gold dust flying up into the darkness.
The girl spun towards Lakaiko, glaring at him through silted eyes "Not if I can help it."
The girl strolled in the direction of the child. Imperial tried to run towards Lakaiko only to realize that her feet were rooted to the black ground. She strained to reach the boy, struggling with all her might to move.
Imperial continued to fight against the unseen force that stopped all her movements. Lakaiko ran over to Imperial, hugging her legs. He glanced up at her with eyes full of laughter and hope, smiling that little impish grin. Imperial longed to wrap her arms around his small frame to protect him, yet her body wasn't responding. All she could do was look at the small boy.
Lakaiko ran to the blond hair woman and showed her the world that he held in his hands. He held it out towards her, presenting it to so she could see all the mystery and wonder it held within.
The young woman snatched the orb and threw it towards the monsters that were still circling outside the fiery ring. "It would be better off in the hands of those monsters than in the hands of you, demon!" she spat at the child. He glanced back at Imperial with his eyes full of panic. He turned to run but she curled her hand around his shoulder, halting his small steps.
She spoke angrily. "In the name of the Goddess, I will find you and destroy all of your kind!"
The woman's hand began to mutate into long sharp knives. She grabbed Kaiko's hair pulling his head back.
The girl's face held an ominous stare "I will stop The Awakening before it starts."
With that the girl ran her bladed hand into the chest of the little boy. Imperial stood in shock as the girl pulled her bloody hand out of his pierced body. Using a levitation spell to pick up his limp body, she walked towards the darkness and carelessly dropped the boy's remains in front of the monsters. The smell of the boy's blood caused the beasts to run rampant upon the body. Imperial screamed in fright and rage as the flame barrier died out.
She continued to shriek until she felt the claws of the beasts once again tighten upon her neck...