NiGHTS was no longer hurting. His
irritated hide was soothed enough by the cool stone so long as he
remained motionless. The Nightmaren knew that the moon would be
high in the sky by now, but he had already been out all day, and was
now in no condition to rise. Nothing could possibly have
enticed NiGHTS out of his lair.
NiGHTS!
NiGHTS flinched, causing a fresh round of
itching. Nothing but Wizeman's orders, anyway. But the
thought of rising before the itching had subsided was the last thing
that NiGHTS wanted. He half entertained the thought of
pretending not to have heard the summons. NiGHTS!
NiGHTS was airborne and snarling miserably at the itch in
a heartbeat. Breeding, instinct, and training had combined to
become an irresistable force, and NiGHTS was flying for Wizeman's
chamber before he even realized it.
Wizeman waited patiently. His chamber was actually a separate
dimension that was linked to the rest of the castle, and from there
to Nightopia. It was done seamlessly, giving the impression
that Wizeman and the realm known as Nightmare had always existed in
that particular place.
NiGHTS was coming, Wizeman knew. He
also knew that the purple Nightmaren was in extreme discomfort.
That he was still driving himself to obey Wizeman's summons was a
testament to the time and effort that Wizeman had put into each and
every Nightmaren.
Wizeman waited contentedly as he sensed
NiGHTS approaching at great speed. Closer and closer . . .
His six eyes blinked as NiGHTS came barrelling in.
"ITITCHESITITCHESOHMASTERITITCHES!"
NiGHTS squeaked as a massive hand snatched him out of the air and
pulled him into a ring of eyes, each set in the center of one of
Wizeman's hands. Wizeman observed the Nightmaren, who was now
twitching despite himself as his sunburn was irritated.
Wizeman released him in disgust. You were outside of
the castle during the daytime. He noted. NiGHTS
landed miserably. "Yes, Master. . ."
Wizeman pressed a fingertip under the Nightmaren's head, forcing
NiGHTS to look up at him. Why?
NiGHTS blinked, wouldn't Wizeman already know the reason? Or
was this a test, to see if he would lie? NiGHTS shuddered at
the thought of telling the truth, that he had declared war on the
sun. He winced as Wizeman tightened the circle of hands
warningly. Why, NiGHTS? NiGHTS tensed and
straightened, at attention despite his itching. "I was
exploring, Master!"
That was true, wasn't it? It
wasn't his original reason for staying out, but that was why NiGHTS
had stayed out. Wizeman seemed to accept that answer, relaxing
a little. And what did you discover? He
spoke in the tone of a parent, humoring a small child.
NiGHTS considered, feeling a little excitement seep into his voice.
"Everything looks different when the light touched, Master.
It looks like a different place! Not like the places where the
dreams are, but like nothing I've seen before. . ." NiGHTS
caught himself rambling and quieted, embarrassed.
Wizeman
considered. But you stayed out too long, NiGHTS.
The light has harmed you. NiGHTS winced at the gentle
scolding. "Yes Master, but. . ." You
will not repeat this folly, NiGHTS.
NiGHTS was
silent at that. No more sun wars or exploring? He had to
stick to the same schedule as the other Nightmaren, seeing only what
he had already seen a thousand times over? That fate seemed
terribly cruel to NiGHTS. He looked up pleadingly. "But
Master. . .!"
Wizeman's eyes darkened. You
will obey me, NiGHTS! NiGHTS tensed, dropping into a
kneeling position despite part of him screaming to stand up for what
he wanted. The possibility of standing up to Wizeman was
unthinkable and blasphemous. NiGHTS truly had no choice in the
matter. "I will obey you, Master Wizeman. . ."
Wizeman
radiated pleasure, rewarding NiGHTS in his own manner before
extending a hand in a farewell gesture. Very good,
NiGHTS
"Crush your
head!" A pair of gloved fingers came together before
releasing. "I crush your head!" Again, the
fingers pinched air.
The fingers belonged to a yellow and
orange glove, which in turn belonged to a floating cuff. That
cuff belonged to a massive flaired mantle. The mantle belonged
to a red collar and a horned helm. And withing that helm
floated a set of unfocused blue eyes, and a freakish Cheshire Cat
grin.
A pair of booted feet swung playfully beneath the
mantle as Jackle watched his brother Nightmaren go about their
business. At least, he watched until one came into range.
And then . . . "Crushed your head, Clawz!"
Clawz, a monstrous blue cat with razor-like wings sprouting from his
shoulders and a love of pyrotechnics, looked over in disgust.
He simply hissed a warning and continued on his way.
Jackle
positioned his hands as if he had folded his nonexistant arms.
"Sourpuss. . ."
A loud BOiNG! announced Puffy's
arrival. Jackle turned excitedly to see the rapidly approaching
operatic Nightmaren. "Puffy! I crush your . . .
GYAHPUFFY'SGONNACRUSHME!"
All activity paused
for a moment as a deflated squeak followed by a loud, strangled
gurgle was heard.
Puffy sat for a moment, smirking
contentedly before bouncing off of the slightly wrinkled mantle
underneath her.
The mantle drifted into the air as if
propelled by a nonexistant breeze before popping back into shape.
Jackle's head, hands, and feet came back into place as the cloaked
Nightmaren clenched his fists. "That wasn't very nice,
Puff!"
Puffy shrugged good naturedly. "That
is why I did it! Pretending to pinch heads isn't very nice
either. . ." Jackle shrugged back. "It's fun."
He grinned, lifting his hand and making a pinching gesture.
"Crushed your head, Puffy!"
Puffy bounced back
onto Jackle. "Crrushed YOU, Jackle. . ." She
rolled the 'R' slightly. Jackle let out a pained squeak in response.
NiGHTS drifted forlornly back toward
his lair. No more challenging the sun. No more
adventure. No more satisfying his curiosity. No more fun.
. . "It's not fair!" NiGHTS complained,
slamming a fist into a convenient wall. The wall gave a
startled yelp before it whimpered like a beaten dog. NiGHTS
sulked. "Sorry GillWing. . ." He continued
along.
The eel-like dragon known as GillWing watched for a
moment. NiGHTS was sad. GillWing had long since taken a
liking to his purple sibling, and so chose not to leave NiGHTS to
face whatever was troubling him alone.
NiGHTS was distracted from
his sulking by a menacing shadow falling over him. He halted,
narrowing his eyes suspiciously. GillWing halted as well,
watching NiGHTS quietly.
When NiGHTS turned around,
GillWing launched himself, swooping over NiGHTS to land on his other
side. NiGHTS scowled at the empty corridor behind him. No
stalker there. . .
NiGHTS turned back, blinking at a soft
whoosh as GillWing leapt him again. "hm, there's a draft
in here. . ."
Continuing on, NiGHTS quickly realized that the
shadow was back, dwarfing him in darkness. He halted again,
doubly suspicious now.
GillWing observed contentedly as
NiGHTS seemed to be waiting for something. This was a fun game,
the dragon decided. GillWing was caught unaware when NiGHTS
abruptly bent over, pulling his head between his legs to scowl up at
GillWing. "GillWing, you're following me! AND
upside-down!"
GillWing blinked down at NiGHTS. Even he
knew that that was just plain silly.
NiGHTS rolled his
eyes. "No, GillWing. Don't follow me! I'd
rather be alone. . ." He scratched irritably as his
irritated hide chose to remind him of his condition. GillWing
whimpered sympathetically, opening his mouth to present NiGHTS with a
sloppy slurp. NiGHTS cried out at the resulting itching.
"FORTHELOVEOFWIZEMANNO!"
GillWing jerked back
in surprise, not understanding the problem. NiGHTS whimpered,
now thoroughly uncomfortable once again. "Don't touch
me!"
GillWing flopped limply with a broken hearted groan.
NiGHTS covered his face. "It hurts, stupid. . ."
GillWing cocked his head thoughtfully. His good friend
NiGHTS was hurting? Then he, GillWing would help!
NiGHTS scowled, then gasped as GillWing opened his mouth to bugle a
happy note. NiGHTS' eyes bugged out as the dragon descended on
him. "Wha! GillWing, don't! I said don't!
Do-GYAH!"
All went dark for NiGHTS as GillWing's jaws
snapped shut.
GillWing flapped along happily, worming
his way into a small portal that spat him out into NiGHTS' lair.
GillWing then spat NiGHTS out.
NiGHTS coughed, twitching
painfully. "Sometimes you make me hate you. . ."
GillWing
ducked his head with another whimper.
To Be Continued. . .
