Most of us long to "Be" but when the path gets too costly, or steep, we take solace in what we "Have." Remove the trappings of what we own, and then what is the sum of us?
They were the survivors, abandoned by the allies who swore to protect, in...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Selene, skin like ivory, naked; her long dark hair spilling down over her lovely form like a cloak of tangled serpents. They were all alone in a small cave, its walls and floor adorned with cryptic, runic scribing, carved deep into the stone. Scattered all about her the yellow skulls of leering beasts. Horned, toothed, and taloned, some he thought, what were they? They didn't look quite right, were they from animals he had even seen before?
His sense of unease grew, she was saying something. What? He couldn't focus, there was a sharp pain in his head, but Selene never uttered a sound, she couldn't. Huh, what was going on here? Her voice was as enchanting as it was beautiful, rising as she spoke with power and command.
"You have at last, come to me? You are almost ready, but not yet!" Her words filled the chamber. "No, not yet." She hissed "Soon though, soon, very soon..."
The walls seemed to shiver and move, no that couldn't be possible, as he reached for the hard stone to confirm his reality. Alarm rising as the stone did not feel like stone. It was hot to the touch as it wavered in his sight, and he was suddenly aware that he too was very hot. Her voice was still screaming in his head.
"You must claim your father's inheritance but only, only if you are truly worthy..."
He was beginning to feel panic now, and a terrible thirst was suddenly upon him. Cool water, drink, I must drink I must. There in front of him a shallow pool, curiously it appeared lit from beneath, though how this was possible he could not guess. Why hadn't he noticed it before? None of this was making sense. The water was clear and bright, he must touch it, he must drink...
He crawled toward its greenish glow across the rune covered floor, and looking into its shallow depths he saw the most beautiful weapon he had ever laid eyes on. Lovingly crafted, by a master of the art, power exuded from its predatory form. A curved katana blade unlike any he had ever seen, its gleaming finish was not the argent of the usual weapon, but appeared an other worldly anodized black, wickedly sharp, etched with intricate designs two dragons entwined on the pommel. There was something familiar about the design it occurred to his groggy senses.
"Yes," Selene's seductive voice went on as she hovered somewhere above him. "The sword Blacksteel, arcane weapon of power, the inheritance for the rising son of house De Sade. Yes, my dear it will be yours if you do prove worthy?"
He was so very hot now, and Selene seemed all about him, her hair touching him becoming hundreds of little writhing black snakes. He was sure the skulls that littered the floor had all begun to watch with their sightless gazes. No, no, this was not possible, none of this was happening! None of it! Deep seated fear overtook him then, and blind panic became his master, he had to get out, he just had to. Madly clawing at the hot stone walls that didn't quite seem walls at all, in his desperate bid to escape...
*****
Instantly Carlos was wide awake, nails clawing at the steel wall, hot with the sun's warmth already on its side. Only a dream he thought a trifle foolishly, yet with much relief.
