LadyMara
Loyal Servant of Altera
Here we go, I hope this is what was meant with this section and I hope it fits the original idea.
The Edge of Reality
(by LadyMara)
Chocolate.
I’ve been here now for a few days, here in this strange place that seems to be stuck between the worlds, between the earth and some other place.
The light of my lantern makes the fog look even spookier than normal. I almost regret killing the poor man for his lantern, but I needed the light.
I’ve no memory of how I ended up here, in this forsaken place, actually, I’ve no memories at all, not of who I am, not of where I came from, but no-one around here seems to have them. Some remember their names, but not me. I’m an empty shell, nothing left on the inside of who I once was.
I brought nothing to this place, only an old, rusty sword, at least I think I brought it with me. It’s also possible I stole it from a grave.
There are a lot of graves around here, a lot of people dying around here. By the strange creatures that roam the forest at night or by themselves, driven crazy by the longing for food.
There is no food here, not a single crumb of bread. Strangely enough this does not bother me, I think it’s convenient. Only….chocolate…
I shake my head. I should not be so silly, if there’s no bread, there’s no change of finding chocolate around here.
I close my eyes for a second, it’s not night yet, so it’s still safe to do so. The pictures of the dead man won’t leave me alone. My sword sticking through his body, his accusing eyes with a speck of relieve in them, the way he defended the lantern like it was the most precious thing he had ever possessed.
I possess the lantern now, I will defend it with my life now.
I buried the body, letting him keep his clothes and the strange silver earring he was wearing. He did not seem the man to wear an earring to me, but who am I to judge people? Someone without any memories, without a past.
His last words are ringing in my head like he’s constantly whispering them in my ear. “Remember, lass, there’s no way out, never, only death is the exit. None of those cursed doors will bring you out of here.”
These words, they made me curious about the doors, they seem to be everywhere. I saw them disappear every morning at sunset, and other appearing out of nowhere at the same moment. The doors just lead to nowhere, walking past them is as effective as walking through them. But the others, they are interesting, the doors with the strange markings. The lead to somewhere else, like you’re transported by unknown forces, like the wind, but it takes no time. I think you can travel across the entire world with one of those without losing a single second.
I shiver, the fog is getting thicker, the sun is setting. Holding the lantern firmly in my left hand and my sword in my right. I know the demons are coming, from their hidings under the trees, from the swamp that is close by. All trying to find the lost souls that ended up here, all trying to get a soul.
I walk through the forest, banning the thought of chocolate, the one thing I miss, the one thing I can remember I liked to eat, to the deepest corners of my mind, along with the dying man’s face. I try to make no sound.
A door, right in front of me. It’s a door with runes, a portal door. I feel the demons coming closer at me, but they won’t reach me, the light is keeping them away. I open the door, carefully, and step through.
I look around, a ruin. I sit down in a corner, wondering where I am now. Half of me wants to believe I’m already dead and I’m in Hell now and that dying means going to Heaven. The other half thinks this is a world between worlds, between Earth, Heaven and Hell, and that where you go next, depends on your actions in this world. A ridiculous idea, both of them. I look at the sword, noticing the bloodstains that cover it, some are old, some are fresh, like the stains from a few days ago.
Once again, I wonder who I am and why I am here. But I can’t remember.
I get up to wanderer around a bit in this ruin. The strange runes are all over this place, but I can’t read them. I don’t even know if I was able to read once.
I hear strange sounds in the distance. In all the days I’ve been here, I’ve not encountered one of them. Actually, the man I’ve killed is the only living soul I’ve seen here. There must be others, it cannot be that I’m the only one living here now.
I follow the staircase up to the tower and watch over the foggy forest beneath. I see shadows moving in the dark.
Evil does not sleep, Evil never sleeps, never misses a change to deceive you, to hurt you and eventfully, kill you. Evil does not sleep.
I don’t know where these words come from. My mind is spinning with the lack of sleep. I’ve not slept for days, not eaten for days. But I do feel the need to sleep, not the need to eat. Hunger does not exist here, only craving, craving for food, for water.
Chocolate.
Actually, I don’t know what it is, but I crave for it.
I shake my head fiercely, don’t think of that. I wander through the deserted ruin.
Suddenly I feel like the blood freezes in my veins, a demon is coming for me, it’s walking through the hall way, in my direction. But I do not turn, I walk straight at it.
I put the sword away, and stretch out my hand. So does the demon. But my fingers do not encounter it’s claws, no they meet something cold… A mirror!
I stare at the demon in the mirror, into its deep, black eyes, and realise I’m staring at myself. I look at my hands, and see claws. I feel my head, and find horns.
I smile, showing myself my white, pointy teeth.
Now I understand why the demons only followed me, but did not attack me. I am one of them, but I had to reach my true form yet. I smile again, feeling less empty now, more complete.
I walk back to the balustrade, calling out, suddenly knowing what to do, my instincts taking over. A demon bird lands beside me at the balustrade, it’s gigantic claws crumbling the stone. I pet his sharp beak. “Hello my beauty.” I say, smiling still. “It’s time to hunt.”
I climb on its back, sitting comfortable in front of its shoulder, just behind the head. I still hold the lantern in my left hand, it will help me hunt.
In the days that have passed since I’ve stolen the lantern, the light did not decrease, it’s burning forever, like the flame does not need anything to feed on, just like the humans that are lost in this realm do not need to eat.
The bird stretches its wings, taking us into the air. It circles around the ruin once. “You will find it back after the hunt.” I say softly, deciding this place will be my base.
Down there, things are moving in the shadows, some are on my side, some should be but are still against me. It’s everyone for themselves, but I’m the stronger one. I was human once, but I gave it up, gave it up for this, for power.
I remember now, I remember who I was, what my plans were.
But the memories are for later.
Now, it’s time to hunt.
And, after some thought, apparently, the power I can have in this realm, was even worth giving up on chocolate.
The Edge of Reality
(by LadyMara)
Chocolate.
I’ve been here now for a few days, here in this strange place that seems to be stuck between the worlds, between the earth and some other place.
The light of my lantern makes the fog look even spookier than normal. I almost regret killing the poor man for his lantern, but I needed the light.
I’ve no memory of how I ended up here, in this forsaken place, actually, I’ve no memories at all, not of who I am, not of where I came from, but no-one around here seems to have them. Some remember their names, but not me. I’m an empty shell, nothing left on the inside of who I once was.
I brought nothing to this place, only an old, rusty sword, at least I think I brought it with me. It’s also possible I stole it from a grave.
There are a lot of graves around here, a lot of people dying around here. By the strange creatures that roam the forest at night or by themselves, driven crazy by the longing for food.
There is no food here, not a single crumb of bread. Strangely enough this does not bother me, I think it’s convenient. Only….chocolate…
I shake my head. I should not be so silly, if there’s no bread, there’s no change of finding chocolate around here.
I close my eyes for a second, it’s not night yet, so it’s still safe to do so. The pictures of the dead man won’t leave me alone. My sword sticking through his body, his accusing eyes with a speck of relieve in them, the way he defended the lantern like it was the most precious thing he had ever possessed.
I possess the lantern now, I will defend it with my life now.
I buried the body, letting him keep his clothes and the strange silver earring he was wearing. He did not seem the man to wear an earring to me, but who am I to judge people? Someone without any memories, without a past.
His last words are ringing in my head like he’s constantly whispering them in my ear. “Remember, lass, there’s no way out, never, only death is the exit. None of those cursed doors will bring you out of here.”
These words, they made me curious about the doors, they seem to be everywhere. I saw them disappear every morning at sunset, and other appearing out of nowhere at the same moment. The doors just lead to nowhere, walking past them is as effective as walking through them. But the others, they are interesting, the doors with the strange markings. The lead to somewhere else, like you’re transported by unknown forces, like the wind, but it takes no time. I think you can travel across the entire world with one of those without losing a single second.
I shiver, the fog is getting thicker, the sun is setting. Holding the lantern firmly in my left hand and my sword in my right. I know the demons are coming, from their hidings under the trees, from the swamp that is close by. All trying to find the lost souls that ended up here, all trying to get a soul.
I walk through the forest, banning the thought of chocolate, the one thing I miss, the one thing I can remember I liked to eat, to the deepest corners of my mind, along with the dying man’s face. I try to make no sound.
A door, right in front of me. It’s a door with runes, a portal door. I feel the demons coming closer at me, but they won’t reach me, the light is keeping them away. I open the door, carefully, and step through.
I look around, a ruin. I sit down in a corner, wondering where I am now. Half of me wants to believe I’m already dead and I’m in Hell now and that dying means going to Heaven. The other half thinks this is a world between worlds, between Earth, Heaven and Hell, and that where you go next, depends on your actions in this world. A ridiculous idea, both of them. I look at the sword, noticing the bloodstains that cover it, some are old, some are fresh, like the stains from a few days ago.
Once again, I wonder who I am and why I am here. But I can’t remember.
I get up to wanderer around a bit in this ruin. The strange runes are all over this place, but I can’t read them. I don’t even know if I was able to read once.
I hear strange sounds in the distance. In all the days I’ve been here, I’ve not encountered one of them. Actually, the man I’ve killed is the only living soul I’ve seen here. There must be others, it cannot be that I’m the only one living here now.
I follow the staircase up to the tower and watch over the foggy forest beneath. I see shadows moving in the dark.
Evil does not sleep, Evil never sleeps, never misses a change to deceive you, to hurt you and eventfully, kill you. Evil does not sleep.
I don’t know where these words come from. My mind is spinning with the lack of sleep. I’ve not slept for days, not eaten for days. But I do feel the need to sleep, not the need to eat. Hunger does not exist here, only craving, craving for food, for water.
Chocolate.
Actually, I don’t know what it is, but I crave for it.
I shake my head fiercely, don’t think of that. I wander through the deserted ruin.
Suddenly I feel like the blood freezes in my veins, a demon is coming for me, it’s walking through the hall way, in my direction. But I do not turn, I walk straight at it.
I put the sword away, and stretch out my hand. So does the demon. But my fingers do not encounter it’s claws, no they meet something cold… A mirror!
I stare at the demon in the mirror, into its deep, black eyes, and realise I’m staring at myself. I look at my hands, and see claws. I feel my head, and find horns.
I smile, showing myself my white, pointy teeth.
Now I understand why the demons only followed me, but did not attack me. I am one of them, but I had to reach my true form yet. I smile again, feeling less empty now, more complete.
I walk back to the balustrade, calling out, suddenly knowing what to do, my instincts taking over. A demon bird lands beside me at the balustrade, it’s gigantic claws crumbling the stone. I pet his sharp beak. “Hello my beauty.” I say, smiling still. “It’s time to hunt.”
I climb on its back, sitting comfortable in front of its shoulder, just behind the head. I still hold the lantern in my left hand, it will help me hunt.
In the days that have passed since I’ve stolen the lantern, the light did not decrease, it’s burning forever, like the flame does not need anything to feed on, just like the humans that are lost in this realm do not need to eat.
The bird stretches its wings, taking us into the air. It circles around the ruin once. “You will find it back after the hunt.” I say softly, deciding this place will be my base.
Down there, things are moving in the shadows, some are on my side, some should be but are still against me. It’s everyone for themselves, but I’m the stronger one. I was human once, but I gave it up, gave it up for this, for power.
I remember now, I remember who I was, what my plans were.
But the memories are for later.
Now, it’s time to hunt.
And, after some thought, apparently, the power I can have in this realm, was even worth giving up on chocolate.