Heroic Dreams

June 23 Wow, I had the strangest dream last night, guess it's me not being used to my new 'home'. It was kind of long and complex and taxing, I didn't rest very well... to tell you the truth it didn't make much sense, hopefully time will clarify the meaning of these hellish visions. Meanwhile, we've finished moving out... or rather settling in, seeing as we were evicted from our home because of that stupid skyscraper project.

Mother took it quite well though, says this could be a new start, and our aunt had a couple of extra rooms she was glad to offer. I hope things get better. What a 22nd birthday this turned out to be. Can't shake that dream away...

June 24 That dream again, oddly it all happens exactly where we live right now. This sorry excuse of a house is actually more like a shack. It has a chicken coop right next to it, but we've got no chickens. Our aunt says they all died recently, before we moved in. She lives in a single-story house on the other side of the shack, man I wish we could stay there, this is horrible. One of the neighbors (a weird old lady) said that the chickens dying was a bad omen, but I don't believe none of that.

Some people are gathering at the street, gonna check it out...

You're not gonna believe this! Some old dude came limping, in a very ragged and blood smeared suit, even had a very run down top hat. Looks like he was attacked by a pack of wolves, except for the fact we live on the middle of the city. Luckily that CPR certification I attended back at college turned out to be useful and the man stabilized after much effort, despite having lost a lot of blood. Mr. Gomez (another neighbor) called an ambulance and they took the man away, the people cheered me on and we threw a small party when the ambulance departed. All this for saving a man? Hey, I could get used to this.

That man looked familiar, I wondered where have I seen him before... The only words he could whisper for the few seconds he came back to himself where really odd: "I found you..." he fainted immediately after that. Oh well, I feel great having saved a life and all.

June 25 We have no news of the man, but we think he must've recovered by now. The party went on 'til real late yesterday, some of the neighbors still cheer me up when they see me.

My cousins (twins, females, 19 y.o.) visited us today. We were having lunch at the backyard when they arrived. It's an odd coincidence, it's been roughly 6 years since I last saw them. Something's odd about them though... they have this gloomy aura about them.

Daena was dressed very oddly, I mean, I know she digs gothic stuff but she pretty much overdid it, what with the cape and leather dress. Almost made me think kinky stuff, if only she wasn't my cousin. Sonia was her good-old self, the usual cheery, happy-go-lucky girl. Yet her eyes had something peculiar, some sort of shine to them. Almost like the glare in the eyes of a rabid dog, and she spoke a bit hastily, as if she was on a sugar rush. I passed it away as the joy of not seeing their cousin after so long. Before they departed, Daena handed me an envelope. She said she wanted to invite me to an exclusive party in honor of my heroic deeds. I know I blushed but I'm actually excited to see what this is all about.

The party is two days from now, so I've got time to think what to wear, maybe I'll even get lucky.

June 27 I'm ready and about to go, I've been thinking about this party and realized something. I never really did tell Daena nor Sonia about saving that old man... I wonder how they knew, or what this party (IF there's a party) is all about. Damn, I'm a bit nervous but I guess it's just stuff happening real fast so I'm sorta jumpy.

They're here... and they brought a damn carriage! Damn I'm gonna look hot arriving on that thing with both my cousins at my sides. I'm already enjoying it!

June 29 The party wasn't what I expected in the very least. We arrived at a very run down building which I thought was condemned but Daena had a key and opened the door. It was pitch dark but when we entered and walked down the main hall rows of candles started to light as we stepped further and further. We came accross a cobblestone archway and past that, all hell was breaking loose. Literally.

I could not believe my eyes but a host of horrible creatures spawned right out of my worst nightmares where having the party of a lifetime. I was disturbed at first, but Daena looked at me with a cold stare and pretty much forced me to not loose it. Sonia on the other side was eager to dance and skipped happily towards the dance floor.

All around me all manner of creatures were either relaxed, eating, laughing, involved in conversation or not paying attention to me at all. They were all but normal humans, some where demons, succubi, ghouls, ghasts, I felt like it was Halloween... only something in my gut told me this 'things' were the real deal.

Daena instructed me to wait while she introduced me to the host, so I stayed in the corner trying my best to not give in to the terror that coursed trough my body. I was trying my best to control my shaking, but the sweat and my paleness gave me away, I'm sure, because a couple of creatures that looked like what I can only describe as the mix of a hog and a yeti. The beasts were 7' tall, fully coated in hair, a distorted face crowned by two pairs of totally black eyes distributed through what I assumed first was their forehead, and an impossibly huge mouth that seemed deeper than the coldest abyss filled with spear-like teeth, jagged and still reeking of death. They stared at me with a predatory intent, like I was their next meal, and I'm sure I would've been if it wasn't for Luna, who I stumbled upon as I was trying to back away from the morbid creatures.

She was the exact opposite of the nightmare I had just faced. She had an unnatural feeling to her beauty, almost as if she was designed to lure men into her arms with emerald green eyes, lips that invited you to bite them, long, straight, blacck hair and a body I'm sure all women would've killed to have. She smiled as if I was just a kid with an intriguing look in her eyes.

"So you've met the Nyalmos" she suddenly said, snapping me out of the trance her beauty had induced me into.

"Excuse me?" I could barely say as I was shaken back into reality like pulled back into my body from an astral projection.

She quickly turned her head, towards the horrors I had managed to push out of my thoughts for the brief seconds I delighted in the sight of this woman. Then she bowed her head as a sign of respect and stealthily gave me a look that hinted I should do the same, so I did. The beasts, a lot more calmed, civilized even, responded to the bow with a loud croak and proceeded on their little walk.

"You're a human, right? Always quick to panic" she said, in a tone that sounded like a scold, it made me feel really ashamed of myself to have let the panic show like that and felt a lot more relaxed after that.

Conversation went on and I found she was not human, but a succubi, and that I somehow had earned the trust of someone really powerful to be there. I wasn't really into the talk, I was completely dumbfounded by her beauty and she seemed to notice, smiling every now and then and letting out a sweet giggle of contempt.

An hour or so must've passed, because out of nowhere Sonia appeared and started scolding me, saying Daena had been waiting for me and that "Our host must not be kept waiting for long". I invited Luna over to greet the host, I had taken a liking to her despite our different origins, and surprisingly she accepted, although I think it was more out of curiosity than wanting to be with me.

Passing through tables filled with ranks of chatty imps, skeletons, gargoyles and other sorts of demonic beings, the room suddenly gave way to a pool filled with what I presume was blood. Having depleted my traumatizing experiences of the day, I paid no mind to it, looked up and noticed that, overlooking the whole extent of the area, which now appeared too huge to fit into the building we initially entered, was a balcony with a throne and a familiar figure in it.

The old man I had saved sat atop the throne, a wine glass of blood in his hand and a host of courtesans surrounding him. Daena pointed towards him and out of nowhere a staircase of sand shifted into existance. Sonia giggled maniacally and prompted me to go up, before happily skipping back to the dance floor. I turned to Luna and was shocked to find out she had a look of pure terror on her face. Her perfect features distorted into a transfixed expression. "Shit" I remember saying to myself "can't be good if her, a demon, is this terrified." I waved my hand in front of her face a couple of times before she reacted, she told me she had never imagined I had friends in such high places, a remark that made me laugh because it was a stupid pun for a demon to make.

Daena, Luna and I ascended the stairs and this time I was the first to bow in front of the host. "Please" he said, as he raised his hand to stop the motions of his female companions and vanished the glass in a quick swirl of black smoke. Luna and Daena stayed silently behind me, and I raised my head and thanked the man for the invitation. He let out a chuckle that sent chills down my spine before fixing his mouth into a disturbing grin. His voice was deep, like that of a heavy smoker, and resonated within the hall like the roar of the thunder.

"You were found and have been chosen" he said, gesturing at a lesser demon that was quick to fly towards me and give me a small chest. "An offering for the savior" he barked rather than talked the words, as if to stress the sarcasm his tone displayed.

I took the small chest and the moment I held it I felt a sudden rush of darkness crawl through my arms and up my chest. I felt ecstatic, but invigorated by this power I was quick to thank him and open it. I heard a loud thud behind me, noticing Daena had collapsed and her body was being engulfed in flames. I stood motionless, not feeling remorse or sadness, but rather impressed by the power that overflooded my every breath. I saw Luna fall to her knees and her expression turned into one of extreme anguish and pain.

She cried as my cousin's body reduced to ash before me, a vision that complied in an almost delectable harmony with the creaking of the bones, the sizzling sound of her boiling skin, all I witnessed did nothing to disturb me, and Luna's wails grew louder and louder.

As the stench of burning flesh invaded my nosethrils... a vision strikes me blind out of this place. Luna is carrying a child and I'm... dizzy can't...

July 3rd I don't know where I've been for the last days, I remember being in a rush to write down the memories of the party I attended, but suddenly felt nauseated and lost consciousness... I awoke in a cave, dark as coal, but somehow managed to find my way out of it by following the wall with my hands. It ended at a... a classroom?

The place I'm in now, I recognize as the school were I studied my first 14 years. Never really though I'd see it after I moved out of the old country. Something's certainly gone wrong though, around my neck a pendant in the shape of a key hangs heavily, it glows with an unsettling dark shine and somehow a voice in my head keeps telling me to find them.

I remember now, the dream. It has been happening, and there is more yet to come, part of it came as a flashback, when I found a strange marking in the wall outside the classroom. In dried blood, a painting of a demonic faced stared menacingly at me, over a silver charm shaped like a six or a nine, I still can't figure out which.

I found the old message board at school which triggered yet another flashback, or rather a message. My vision slowly faded away into an endless abyss and the face of the host, distorted with horns that made his skin and features protude grotesquely, appeared from the abyss... asking, ordering me to find the rest.

July 4th I procured myself 2 more charms after an extensive search through the school grounds. I've found out this is not a physical realm but might be an illusion, perhaps even a dream? In the 4 or so days that I might have been kept here I have not felt hunger, exhaustion or any other sign of physical wear.

A man I find difficult to recognize showed up, wearing a full white gown with religious motifs. It's hard for some reason to identify or picture him in this place. Seeing as this is where I spent most of my childhood, I'm sure he doesn't belong here. He seemed rather nervous and asked me in a foreign language (which I could somehow understand) what had I found. I don't really feel like myself and maybe he knows what's going on so I plan on sharing my experiences with him once I finish my task...

I see the old man, the host, who now shows himself in every dark corner light allows to exist. He melds in and out of this shadowy spaces, to encourage me, to guide me. He needs something, and only I can save him again. I did it! He wanted me to attach the charms I found into the pendant, something that seemed impossible but apparently worked out well... he showed up, his body appearing from within a pool of insects that somehow emanated endlessly from an anthill I kicked under the shadow of a tree and smiled. He told me to be patient and attend to the other man, who has been patiently waiting in the principal's office.

July 5th I am a hero.

I have saved the world.

After I finished furnishing the key-charm, I attended the man in white. He explained me the object I had in my hands was the key to hell, a place of darkness and corruption, which was destroyed a millenia ago by the powers of light to prevent the escape of unspeakable horrors to this world. He told me, in a manner most hasteful and hurried, that we had to act quickly if evil was to be sealed away once more.

Chanting in an unknown tongue, that made me feel sick and struck my innards like the blow of a blade, a beam of light took shape around him, his eyes glowing white with a holy glare and out of nowhere, from his back a pair of huge wings surfaced, enveloping us.

Needless to say, I felt terrified, angered, despaired at this sight, was he rightful?

To hurt the man behind my prowess?

I somehow survived the ordeal, despite the terrible pain that invaded me, and when he lifted his wings I could see that once again I was being welcomed by unfamiliar surroundings. Sand, everywhere, as far as my sight can stretch there is only sand.

A sandstorm rages around us and an unnatural vortex of dark energy has filled the skies, thunder and lightning striking down mercilessly, adding up to the chaos and confusion and destruction that plagued my vision.

The man in white extended his hand asking for the key. Quick to react, I tear it from my neck and throw it at him. He makes a quick turn and with a quick motion strikes the ground beneath him. I have seen this before...

I start smiling, relieved. I know I have won. I raise my hands to the sky, awaiting the arrival of the savior.

A pillar of white light raises from the ground around the man in white he glows with the splendor of a true angel and starts yelling yet again in his arcane tongue.

"In nomine patris et fillii et spiritus san...!" his yelling stops.

Before me, my master stands, the man now lies sliced in two on the ground, his blood and entrails being quickly devoured by the shifting sands. As quick as his body was to shred apart, he begins rotting into a mass of pus and dark flesh...

"Not this time, His Holiness"

The familiar voice makes my eyes swell up with tears, and I laugh maniacally as I realize I've achieved my life-long dream, I've fulfilled the expectations of everyone around me, I've become a hero now.

I saved the world... from Light.

Written by Volkoronado.