A Strange Dream

Status
Not open for further replies.
Home? Am I home? The land feels familiar, the scent on the wind is comforting, but something is wrong. The familiar faces are hanging, submissive, and I do not understand. These once proud people are walking in line, quietly, orderly. Their work is efficient, and all the familiar faces show deference. Something is very, very wrong.

Suddenly the orderly lines, filing from one place to the next part... and the people stand to the side, their heads hang low, submissively, without a word. I can see him in the distance, the tall man with darkness swirling around him. Even in the daylight, his red eyes glow. His voice echoes across the plains, off the walls of the village: Dissonance. I step to the side, blending in, hanging my head slightly, but keeping my eyes on him as he walks.

A shadow is traveling up the road behind him; something is blocking out the very sun. I cannot look up without betraying my presence, but I can see clearly the outline of the shadow: a raptor with a monumental wingspan. It does not circle, it does not dive... it is no longer wild, but merely following the Dark Man. Something is very, very wrong.

I do my best to hang back, and I try to follow Dissonance and the bird which must still be flying above him. Suddenly, there is no noise, no familiar smells on the wind. I look up, and I am in a mostly empty field. A bird of prey, fiercely staring at me, throws itself repeatedly against the confines of its iron cage. Upon trying to identify the lock, I find a brightly colored and flashing puzzle with many numbers, a complex lock that seems oddly familiar… almost like a game I’d played before but forgotten. I manage to solve the puzzle with simple arithmetic, and open the cage, jumping back quickly to avoid the flashing talons as the bird screeches a cry of war, suddenly sporting a type of battle armor and changing shape as it flies…. immediately out as though preparing to engage a foe. I watch it continue to change… can that really be a flying lion?... and disappear into the sun, until I am blinded by the brightness of the light.

- Brandr of the Misfits
 
::wisps of steam and smoke carry upon them feelings of confusion and panic::

Focus, focus. Where am I now? The snow is gone, the ice is gone, the bird of prey is... gone? I do not see it, but I feel its presence. There is darkness all around me, am I laying down? Yes, I'm laying down. The bird of prey is watching me, I can feel it. I must sit up, get up, find my way out of this.

---------
(Councilor? Councilor?? She's sitting up! Her eyes are open! Councilor? What's wrong? She doesn't see me...)
---------

Upon standing, I see a building. It's the tallest building I have ever seen. A tower, stretching higher up than my eyes can see. That's where the bird of prey is perched, I know it. I run quickly to the building, and find a door. I expect a lock, a puzzle, something to prevent me from entering, but the heavy door opens easily, without even so much as a creak.

---------
(She's moving! She's still burning hot, still unseeing, but she's up and moving. Call everyone back, something has changed. She has her strength back, but something is wrong.)
---------

The inside of the tower is vast, doorways and hallways extend out from the entryway, but tall staircases leading upwards beckon me. My feet are carrying me upwards; I must get to the roof. A few flights up, I cannot see where the next staircase begins, and I begin searching. I take a right, then a left, then another right. WHAT IS THIS? A sign is now in front of me... it laughs at me and says, "Wrong way! Don't go this way, little fishy!"

I try to move past it, but it moves to block my way. Fine. I take a left instead, and find the stairs again. Up and up I go, ignoring the burn in my legs. The sign appears again, making sure I find the staircases each time, keeping me going ever upwards. Is this a trap? Why would someone be helping me reach the bird of prey?

Finally! Finally, I have reached the top! The room is empty, and my footsteps echo softly off the walls. "Hello?" My voice resonates with something metallic that sounds like it's not far in front of me. I walk towards it.

A blinding, burning flash of light erupts, and I shield my eyes and scream. I am being pulled somewhere.


---------
(Councilor! Are you okay! She's screaming, wincing. More water! Get more water! The fever is killing her!)
---------

The light begins to fade. Whatever you are, bird, you have my attention.

Wait. I am NOT in the tower. Where am I? This is not Mercados. This is not Prashant, or any of the lands I've traveled between. The Wilds? Could this be the Wilds? No, this is impossible. I could not have traveled here. Who could have transported me here so quickly? I should not be here. I should not be here.

YOU. You? The cackling, mad wizard of the tower? It can't be. How can you be here? You don't belong here.

"At last, a little fishy! A bite on the hook yielded a catch! I hate to say this, but I'm stuck, and well, that never happens. I'm glad you can hear me better than the others. I usually don't ask for help, but seriously, look behind you!!"

I turn around, and reality has sunk in at top speed: there is an army, I hear the screams and wails, and they are running, running. NO. This cannot be allowed to happen. NO.

FOCUS, Elf. Focus.


::the mist and smoke clears::

---------
(What's happened? She's up and moving, sir, but she can't see us. She was screaming, and wincing, and we cannot keep her cool. She's gone mad, sir, the fever has finally taken her.)
---------

I AM NOT DYING.

"Councilor? Hiranya? Can you hear us? See us?"

Yes, Arbiter Harris, I can see you just fine. We need to go to him. Ravineous has the scales. He has them somewhere full of energy, buzzing with power... in the Wilds... and there... there are Husks there, Arbiter.

"What?"

I know how to get there. We have to round people up who can stop this. This can only end poorly. I know what to do. To the Tower. To his tower, NOW. It knows how to bring people to him. I know we cannot directly involve ourselves, the Consortium, but if something isn't done, Arbiter... we will all become nothingness and darkness.

Get the word out. Round them up. Now, now, now.
 
Adventurers of these lands, adventurers from beyond the mists:

If what we have all dreamed is true, we MUST do something to stop this, immediately. Gather yourselves and come to me, so I can show you how to get to where Ravineous is.

Gather your best, brightest, and strongest. Make it quick. There is no time to waste.



~Councilor Hiranya Navsuk
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top