It was very still. Very quiet. Very tight and confining.
Was this what it felt like to be dead? NiGHTS knew that he was not dreaming, because Nightmaren cannot dream. This was genuine, then.
NiGHTS was dead, victim of the sun's relentless beams. There would be a great uprising in Nightmare.
NiGHTS sighed. Of course, the uprising would be mainly to decide who would take his place.

NiGHTS became aware of vague, hissed vocalizations. Ah, yes. The humans had some sort of spirit guides, didn't they? Winged beings that took the dead either up to a bunch of puffy clouds, or down to a lot of fire and 'Maren-like beings. NiGHTS personally found the latter slightly more attractive. At least he wouldn't be the odd one out.
"There!" A harsh voice rang out. NiGHTS waited patiently. If the humans were correct, he would soon have new Nightmaren to meet.
"Looks like the idiot got himself knocked senseless. Help me grab ahold."
The demons of human legend sure sounded a lot like Reala . . . . NiGHTS waited to see what would happen next.
"Is he supposed to be that color?" A new voice inquired. The Reala demon made a disgusted sound. "What was he thinking, heading out in broad daylight? Oh for Wizeman's sake, touching him won't hurt you! Now come on! Oh forget it, I'll take him myself."
NiGHTS abruptly felt himself floating - no, no he was definitely falling. Now he was being draped over . . . oooh, the itching was back! NiGHTS' eyes flew open in shock and discomfort. "I'm . . . . not dead!"
Reala glared at the 'Maren currently draped over his shoulder. "What was your first clue?"

NiGHTS whimpered as each step Reala took caused his entire body to itch and ache. Reala must have noticed, because he halted to study his sunburned brother.
NiGHTS studied the horizon, trying to distract himself. The clouds were a lovely pink shade, slowly changing purple, then blue. "The sun. . ." NiGHTS sighed, thinking of a wasted day. And if he slept all night, the other Nightmaren would think there was something wrong with him.
Reala smirked. "The sun is what did this to you. What were you thinking, getting yourself stuck out here? Were you flying away or something?"
NiGHTS gasped, then again as it caused his body to hurt. "N. . . no. . .!" He groaned.
Reala signalled to the two Nightmaren with him, a red and white Nightmaren and the larger caped Jackle.
Jackle huffed at the signal, moving closer to shade the smaller Nightmaren. "He's a mess, let's just leave him." Reala glared. "The Master wants him, so we're bringing him back!"
Reala had the satisfaction of seeing Jackle grimace, giving in. NiGHTS sighed. "Just because Wizeman says so, huh. . .?"
Reala blinked in surprise at the question. "Not just . . . oh, what does it matter? Would you rather we left you here?" NiGHTS grumbled. "No, right now I want to be locked in the darkest place you can find and not even hear about the sun for another hundred years!"
As Jackle moved slightly, NiGHTS snarled. "Hold still, Jackle! I'm in no mood for this!"
Reala smirked. "Now you're sounding like a Nightmaren." NiGHTS glared back. "Feh, and what else would I sound like? A Nightopian!"
Reala chuckled as he lifted NiGHTS again. "Well, you are partly pink. . ." NiGHTS whimpered as he was carried home. "Sh. . . shut up, Ree. . ."

It seemed like an eternity before they reached the unstable structure that some dreamers called a castle. To others it was a vast, roiling stormcloud. Nightmare had no set form, it simply was.
Reala was in a good mood for once, teasing NiGHTS mercilessly as they entered. "So should we rename you Pinky? Hmm . . . PiNKS!" NiGHTS snarled and aimed a fist, missing badly and growling at the resulting pain and itchiness. Reala laughed.
Jackle followed silently. He hadn't been told to return to his lair, and so stayed close to Reala, as he had been ordered to do. The large Nightmaren grinned at Reala's teasing, cackling shrilly in time with the smaller Nightmaren's laughing. Reala stopped and scowled. "Jackle, be quiet!"
Jackle quieted, making a disgusted face. The largely invisible Nightmaren made a mental note to finish that cackle later.
NiGHTS kept growling as Reala carried him. Reala finally reached NiGHTS' lair and dumped him on his seat. "Oh shut up! You sound like one of those pathetic little Dreamers that are always bothering us!"
NiGHTS was too busy snarling at the intense discomfort of his landing to answer.
Reala watched with some amusement before deciding that taking advantage of NiGHTS was getting old. He turned and flew off, leaving NiGHTS alone.
NiGHTS closed his eyes, partly in pain and discomfort, and partly in relief as the doors closed and pitch blackness enveloped him. Darkness was a Nightmaren's friend.
The darkness was the unknown. The unknown held infinite possibilities. Everything was born from the darkness. The world itself rested within a void of darkness.
NiGHTS felt the cool stone beneath him soothing his sunburn somewhat, and allowed himself to drift back into unconsciousness.

Nightmaren do not dream. The capability might have been there if not for the fact that the very traits that made a Nightmaren successful, also impeded the imagination. Claws designed to inflict pain could never paint a portrait. Likewise, minds programmed to be merciless and cunning lacked the imagination needed to dream, or even understand a dream's purpose.
No, Nightmaren do not dream. Nevertheless, NiGHTS imagined.
He envisioned a vast, rolling dreamscape spreading out beneath him. A new adventure about to enfold.

To Be Continued. . .