 |
Caramel Cookie Crunch Oblivion stood in the surf, the waves lapping at his fetlocks. He could smell the saltiness of the sea. The sun kissed the sea as it began to sank. The sky was full of pinks, oranges, reds, and purples. He wondered what lay out there, beyond the sea? What lay beyond the shoals of the small island he resided on? It was only a few minutes swim to the mainland, but he had seldom went further than that. He had been satisfied where he was until the dreams began.
The dreams began the same. It was dark out, the sky black as squid ink. The waves were wild as though a storm was rolling in. His heart was filled with a sudden desperation to get off the Island and go far beyond anywhere he had ever gone before. It was as though something out there was beckoning him.
The water lashed at his legs as he stood there. Always there was a glimpse of someone just out of sight in his dream. The falling blade. The scent of pumpkin. The glow of features in the night. All associated with that mare or stallion who haunted his dreams, their white hair tucked into a dark hood.
The darkness whispered and creeped. Shadows flowed in his dreams as though they had a life of their own--as though there was something formed in the darkness. But it was a dream. How much of it was prophetic or how much that was symbolic? Were these things that might come to be? A warning? A quest?
Way to the Dawn joined his nephew on the beach. They had been sharing some of the same dreams lately. He had told Oblivion that it was a sign, a confirmation of what he had suspected. The dreams were signs of the beginning of their journey, a journey from darkness into light.
He had gone farther ashore than Oblivion, but not far. He'd never wanted to journey into the interior alone, but now that someone shared his dream he knew that it was time.
He didn't know what the journey was or where it would take them. He only knew that it was their destiny. That some where out there was something that they were meant to do. It would be like a different world out there filled with danger and mystery.
The waves crashed at his feet as he waded in. It was only a few minutes swim during high tide to the mainland, but now it was storming. He had been going to wait, but something in him whispered, go now. He could hear Oblivion behind him, battling the current. It almost felt as though the island didn't want them to leave. Every two strokes he took forward, he was pushed back one. But they fought against the current and swam toward the black horizon in front of them. The mainland was there, but they could not see it. They swam on faith and tired legs.
Way to the Dawn's foot struck sand and he surged forward, getting his feet under him before collapsing on the sand.
Caramel Cookie Crunch Oblivion's whole body was tired. His muscles ached from having swam against the tide. It had been an effort to continue on through the dark when common sense told him to stay on the white sand of the island. It didn't make sense to leave in the middle of the storm, but he could not deny that tug he felt toward the mainland as though something was waiting for him.
When they made the beach, Oblivion moved past his uncle panting as he scanned the tree line. "We have to keep going," he said. Though they didn't have a place to go that tug was telling him to go deeper into the trees that their path, the place they should rest would be there.
The beach was covered in shells from the storm, some large and some very small. Carefully he packed away the best ones for barter.
He pulled his uncle to his feet and the slogged through the sand into the trees. All sounds of the sea were cut off beneath the thick canopy of leaves. After an hour of listening to the frogs crying for rain and the cicada's playing their symphony, they found a small area that was clear to camp.
Both of them settled down and were soon fast asleep.
In Dawn's dream, there was a sword. It was red, the color of a bleeding heart. When he touched it, it felt as though it had a heartbeat. The hilt was wrapped in blue and black tassles hung down. It thrummed with a life of it's own, like an extension of his own body. It was as though this sword had been made for him.
Everywhere he looked there was miles of endless blue skies and sand. There were no footprints, no others nearby. There was no sign of life. There was only him and the sword. He had no clue which way to go, everything was the same.
"Oblivion?" He called for his cousin but no one answered. A breeze stirred his hair and he took that for a sign. He went with the wind, trudging the endless miles of sand until he walked only because of the hope in his heart.
In another dreams-cape Oblivion stood amongst the ruins of an ancient castle. He wended his way through the debris. Vines grew over the felled stones in some places. Whatever had happened, had happened long ago. There were no bodies, no bones but there were goblets, broken glass, and weaponry scattered in the mess. Deeper, his heart tugged him further into the heart of the castle. There wind swept through the fallen stones making it sound as though ghosts whispered in the ruins.
He walked through the remains until he saw the something dented, but shining and free of rust. It gleamed black and red as the sun struck it. When he lifted it, it was much lighter than expected. It felt right. Then the world turned into fog and he held on to the shield as he became lost in it.
Soare watched them sleep. They were the ones he had been tasked with finding. These were the ones that Guillotine called "the shared dreamers". They were the ones that would be going on a journey from darkness to light, to finally find the books long sought by Guillotine for the Pumpkin King.
He hadn't known they'd have weapons or armor. He thought they'd be clueless but for the dreams. But lying beside the golden one there was a red sword and the brown one had a shield at his side. Soare could see the tiny footrpints as though some familiar or sentient creature had come during the night to leave these strange gifts.
He didn't know what had influenced them to bring these gifts to them. How far did the dreams extend? How many dreamers were there? An what after all, was the point in these dreams?
There were larger forces at play here, but he did not know what they were. He could only see his part in it, and only so far. But somehow it was all connected, intertwined as though the fates had deemed it so.
Soare took to wing and sailed through the morning sky as he made his way back to Guillotine.
Guillotine packed up the camp as she waited for Soare to return. He knew they were near, the others that would join. Most of her journey had been solitary, only having picked Soare up after months spent alone. The bat had flown into her life one day and stayed. Soare was her only real friend, but she hoped that perhaps this quest would help her find friends. And the book, she needed the book to stop the Storykeeper. She knew and understood that portion of her quest but not what forming a party meant. It certainly meant that whatever lies before morning, just a little later on, would be something she couldn't do alone. It meant something large looming overhead.
Soare flew into the clearing and relayed what he had found of the other dreams. It was only a matter of a few minutes before they were on their way. The sun was just getting above the horizon when she found them.
They lay dreaming a sword by one and a shield by the other. The one with the shield though, his skin held strange patterns--patterns much like her own. She had never seen anyone who had come even close to her design. It was disconcerting. But then, this was truly meant to be.
She'd need to teach them not to sleep so soundly, anyone and anything could sneak up on them.
"Morning boys," her voice was husky and amused as she watched them both scramble to their feet in alarm. They had the decency to look ashamed at being caught asleep. They eyed each other before the brown one spoke.
"Have you had the dreams too?"
She nodded her head, watching her swallow. "All I know is that I'm supposed to find you. It seems someone else found you too." Guillotine pointed at the sword and shield. The stallions both looked stunned. It was as Soare said, gifts left while they were sleeping. But by who? Who all dreamed dreams like hers? What was this besides some omen to a greater destiny?
Because darkness was coming, she could feel that but in what form she did not know. She suspected that it was the Storyteller and his book. They were powerful and dangerous, especially with someone as skilled at deception as he was.
"Tell me, what have you dreamed?" She spoke softly to the two stallions.
"Darkness encompassing everything, thick as oil until the light almost went out completely. It always ends with only a small spark left fighting against the darkness. It flickers and wavers but it doesn't go out." Dawn took a breath. "What does it all mean?"
Guillotine pushed back her hood. "I don't know what it means exactly, but I do know about that light."
"What of the light?" Caramel asked.
"It is us," Guillotine said. "We are what stands between light and dark. My dreams led me here as they have you."
"I'm Caramel Cookie Crunch Oblivion, but everyone calls me Oblivion. And this is my uncle Way to the Dawn, we call him Dawn."
"Way to the Dawn," she smiled. "It seems that this is indeed our shared destiny. I am Guillotine and I am here to quest with you. To teach you how to fight, how to survive. Whatever is coming, we must be prepared."
|
 |
Reply
