Everlasting Presence - Part 1: Dream
. . .
- You’ll see it.
Asterio opened his eyes. He was lying on the moonlit rocks in a small canyon with calm waters.
- Who’s there? - He asked.
…But no one answered. Asterio took a deep breath, and then stood up. The canyon itself was really mesmering: The waters were showing the reflection of the moon, the path made out of rocks seemed to be… sparking? No, this can’t be reality. Something is wrong. Asterio was confused: Why is he here? He should have been sleeping in his comfort hut, instead of being… in this place. Hell, he even wears a white uniform that he usually wears when going to work as a knight, instead of being in pajamas. These times were old, when there were no computers, phones, and other electronic devices which would help today. This is probably a dream, Asterio thought. But what was that voice? Or was it just my imagination?
He started searching for a way out. The canyon had a lot of ways to the surface, and Asterio used one of them.
The surface wasn’t something he expected. From a calm moonlight rays piercing the ground, from sparking rocks and crystal-clear waters the world suddenly shifted into chaos. Moon wasn’t here anymore. No more light rays. The waters dried out, the nature around Asterio withered on his eyes. Nearby villages were on fire.
- You’ll see it. - The unknown’s voice echoed around Asterio again.
- Who are you?! - Asterio was scared. - What does this all mean?
Multiple shadow figures started to fly around, surrounding Asterio.
- Soon… You’ll see the end of this world. The apocalypse. The rise of the dark.
Suddenly, a bigger dark figure rose from the ground. The silhoutte was indeed terrifying: It wasn’t just a humanoid. The entity’s silhoutte had multiple tentacles, monstrous legs and hands… And it had two purple glowing eyes… Actually, were those eyes really? Nothing seemed real.
- Who are you? - Asterio pointed at the silhoutte.
- You’ll know soon. Seek for the darkness. Find the one who leads the swarm.
- What do you mean?
Asterio was completely confused. What does this all mean? Who is this silhoutte? What end of the world is it talking about?
There were more and more shadow figures surrounding Asterio. There was no way out. The weird silhoutte bursted out in purple glow, revealing itself. It wasn’t a human, although Asterio knew so. Not a single human would have such monstrous body!
The monster was completely black with purple glowing unknown runes on his body. It’s mouth was curved.
- He was not supposed to know that. - A deeper voice echoed.
That voice made Asterio shake in fear. The monster suddenly held out it’s tentacles to Asterio and grabbed him, and then it opened it’s terrifying mouth. Everything was so fast, Asterio was shaking, the shadows started to orbit around the monster faster and the leftovers of the light faded out, leaving pure darkness. Asterio started to feel pain and then screamed in despair…
- Asterio? What happened?
He was lying in his bed. It was actually a dream! A girl of his age walked in.
- Asterio! What was that noise?
- Uhh, nothing, nothing. - He looked in the window of his hut. - That was just… a bad dream, Cel.
She looked offended.
- Stop calling me that, you know my name is Celesta! Stop shortening it.
- Okay, okay, sis.
Celesta went out of his room, but stopped in the doorway.
- Oh, almost forgot! The grandma asked you to come in exactly 2 hours. - She said.
- Why?
- No clue, she just asked to message you.
- Uhh, fine.
Celesta then looked in Asterio’s eyes. She noticed something.
- What’s wrong? - She said.
- I said nothing!
- No-no, you look so pale, as if someone would smack you with a club.
- Look, it was just a bad dream.
- And our so-mighty knight would be scared because of a bad dream? - Celesta giggled.
- Stop that!
- Fine. I just wanted to help.
- I appreciate it, just… not now.
Celesta smiled.
- Alright then, good luck! - She waved and then walked off.
Asterio was alone again. He looked on the floor with thoughts. What was that dream about? What was that monster talking about? Maybe it was a prophetic dream…
Maybe it was a prophetic dream…
Maybe it was a prophetic dream…