Yume no Taisen
Act I: Reach Out to the Truth
The lead guard's eyes roll as you mutter to yourself. They all watch -- some flinch -- as you stick your finger in your palm. Nothing happens. 'So this one has no marbles? That explains a lot.' This earns a chuckle from the guard's men, who are likely as confused as he is with whatever you thought would happen.
'Wait', you say to yourself more than them. 'People fly when they dream lucidly.' You think of Norway and the flights you'd take there and, with some effort, manage to lift yourself a few inches from the floor. The guards watch in awe until they are told to nab you before you fly away. 'You idiots almost let him escape!', their leader says. 'Move!' Shoving past the others, he puts himself behind you and produces a set of glowing purple handcuffs. He's preparing to clasp your hands behind your back as he speaks. 'Alright', he says. 'We're taking this one to Terminus. Let 'em know we're--'
He never finishes, because the sounds of screams soon replace his contemptuous voice. His men, one by one, are being dispatched by . . .
something. What you can only describe as a black-purplish blur with a streak of yellow, dashing this way and that, is absolutely demolishing the entire unit!
'You idiots! Aim first! Nightmares aren't invincible!' But the lead guard's advice is futile; his men are either torn to shreds, or, should fortune favour them, running away from the woods entirely, screaming and calling for backup. 'Damn morons are too yellow!' He reveals a white and purple pistol . . . at least you think it's a pistol, and starts squeezing its trigger frantically, aiming for the dark blur. No shot rings true, and by the soft CHINK sound his weapon makes he's out of ammo. Not that it matters, because the blur stops right in front of him, before slashing him across the chest with its large, rigid claws. He keels over, then falls to his knees as cobalt fluid pours from his chest. On the throes of death, his final words are an anticlimactic curse at whatever this thing was that bested him. The pistol plops to the ground, and his body introduces itself to the same.
Now it's your turn. The black-purple blur jerks its head in your direction. Now you see it clearly. It's a short, square creature, with two glowing yellow orbs and a darkness so alien, you'd swear that the colour black was just reinvented before your very eyes. As it begins to inch towards you, you reflexively, back up. Sadly, there isn't much room to move, as you're no farther from the cliff that blocked your escape from the "men" in white seconds earlier.
You remember what the lead one had said: "Nightmare". So that's what this was? A Nightmare? 'Hey', you say with your back against the cliffside. 'No trouble here. I'm stuck here and just want to get back home.' It pays your statement no mind. All it does is cock its head to the side as if to research what you just said, but doesn't relent in its way to you.
Just then, everything goes black, and suddenly you're falling. You land on your feet, and when you do, everything becomes grey. In fact, the only feature you can glean from your new surroundings is grey. Grey as far as you can see. 'Okay', you mutter. 'This is new.' Then, in moments two small tables appear. On each is a sphere of some kind of energy. One is black, while the other is white.
Don't worry; this is only your Ordeal. All must face the trial.
You're not sure if you're hearing things or if you're officially crazy, but you could've sworn you heard a voice. Well, a not-voice. It speaks, but it speaks in you, rather than to you. You're not sure that makes sense. Yeah, crazy sounds like the simpler explanation.
Duality is one of the Seven Truths. For everything that exists, there must be an opposite. You won't survive the Ordeal without making a choice. Before you, lie two paths. One: the path of Light. A flame, a beacon that illuminates those around you. A sentinel and a guardian. To heal and to fill with warmth. The Light is a refuge of safety and purity. It is also zealotry, and can turn one to become the Darkness that they fight against. Light desires patience and moderation. For a flame--bright as it may be--will burn to one's touch. The brightest light can blind. And, the larger the light, so too is the shadow it casts immense.
You observe the white sphere. You'd guess that's the Light path. Its luminous shine warms you, sending vibrations through your being.
The other: the path of Darkness. A shade, obscurity, refuge from the shining eye of Light. A swift ally and a deadly foe. To be fueled by emotion and fill foes with dread, fear and confusion. The Darkness is a refuge of stealth and illusion. It is also volatile. For one's emotions can send you down a path of rage, hatred and delusion. The Abyss will boon, but always demand a price for its generous gifts. It is to be treated as an animals plucked from the wild; never truly tame. Always requiring a tempered hand and keen mind to wield it. Darkness will consume. The only question is who it consumes. Take heed that it does not consume you.
Now you look at the black sphere. You can feel the raw essence of power calling to you. Seducing you. It makes you confident that you can slay any foe.
Time is precious. Choose a path.
> Light
> Dark
- You are male
- Your name is
- You can (kind of) fly?
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Topic: [SG] Yume no Taisen (Read 1642 times)