Today, all is unwell. Ripples in reality are falling from the sun through windows bringing ruin to everything they touch. In my infinite heroism I take it upon myself to mend the disaster. Slowly, I fight my way through empty streets until reaching an empty field encircled by steel. Sheathing my armaments I ascend the walls like a spider. Once at the peak I take a leap of faith and quickly pancake.
Hours have passed, the sun is unrelenting and denizens of the fortress have emerged to gawk. Emboldened by the demons I rise, unhindered by shattered bones and sprint towards an ivory pedestal. Having reached my goal I commence the ritual. Speaking in forgotten tongues while spilling blood I dance around the altar in a specific pattern to invoke a great spell. Slowly but surely the sun sets and life returns to the world, sirens whirl and crowds gather. Battered by hours of combat I lack the vigour to even stand and collapse like a rag doll.
I awake in a majestic marble castle, likely the site of a magnificent feast in my honour. Dismissing attendants, I venture through lively hallways until reaching the great hall. Ravished, I fix myself a platter and am prepared to begin chowing down when all of a sudden my arms are firmly gripped by cloaked figures. Startled, I panic which only exacerbates my enemies grip. Screaming and throwing fists I’m dragged from the hall. Unwilling to bend to these beasts yet unarmed I divert my energy from fighting to running. Invigorated by my wits collection I make a mad dash to the nearest window and jump. Landing in a flurry of glass my body is shredded by light wounds which I disregard and continue fleeing. After enough running the landscape becomes familiar, “Sanctuary at last.” I say aloud. Heading inside my keep I quickly break open a cabinet for bandages then collapse atop a ceramic seat after mending my wounds.
Time passes, day does not come. For me one moment simply follows another, there is no distinction between days. When I have sufficiently recovered from my wounds I head outside, sheep frolic to the beat of insidious machinations. Though battered from years of heroic deeds, a fire is reignited and I briefly return inside to fetch my equipment. Now brandishing gilded blades and armor I charge the steel steads, stopping them with just a look, then driving my sword deep into their hulls spilling black blood. This continues for hours, leaving a path of salvation in my wake. Feeling my hero gauge burning at its peak I return home. Exhausted yet not sleepy I rest.
Echoes of times past come to me, I can clearly see the beginning of my epic. I remember the white walls, the empty rooms, the dim lights and rapacious intruders. All around me the trees with their angry tree spirits cry out a lonely song only I hear. In the shadows emerge phantoms of those which we forget. When I close my eyes I can see impossible worlds. Worst of all is the helplessness. In time I would come into my own, slay the trees, vanquish the darkness and anchor my eyes to the reality of my body. Eventually, the day dreams become regular dreams as I fall asleep. In the blackness of night a spectre silently enters my abode having taken notice of my weakened state.
Morning comes, illuminating my guest as I stir. Not recognizing them as an accomplice I am alarmed yet rise to offer greetings. “Good day mon ami, what can I do for you?” Averting my gaze they speak quietly. “To the east lies a manor hosting an otherworldly fiend, slay it.” Intrigued, I laugh then set off, my guest in tow. We passed unending rows of monotonous dwellings till finally reaching something worth describing, the manor. It is majestic yet twisted, with great black spires piercing the sky and grey monsters adorning its aged wood walls. Unshaken by the intimidating sight, we head inside. Immediately, the floor falls away, it is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced.
Now in an impossible world of purple light, alien flora and fauna I can’t help but kneel slack jawed. In time a great rumbling shatters the ground to unveil my harbinger of death, a massive abomination my eyes struggle to even see. Defeated, I collapse to the roar of demons and my insidious guides laughter. My only saving grace, the mortality of the aforementioned guide. In a shockingly drawn out manner the monster’s barbed tongue slowly tears them apart like a cat lapping milk. Their death is seemingly a surprise to them as much as it is to me with a few muted screams, pleads and cusses thrown frantically until just the sound of viscera being consumed remains. Seeing the fate that will soon befall me I breathe in my last and draw my sword confidence restored, if only enough for one last stand. Valiantly I run past all the facades and drive my sword into a hidden anchor. In an instant it’s all undone, the room returns to normal, with one caveat. Blood coats the every single surface in a manner one would only expect from a bomb yet the room is otherwise untouched. Hastily I abscond to my home. Though shaken by my experience I’m eventually overtaken by the sandman and fall asleep. When morning comes I can honestly say for the first time ever, it is a new day.