FATE\Deus Decipit

Chapter 36: Shapeless

A sea of gold was spread out before her.

She floated through, weightless and drifting, only half awake.

Each droplet was like a star, a piece of glittering gold more brilliant and pure than any she'd seen. She felt it tickle her skin, and envelop her body like a friend, or, perhaps, even more than a friend. She was lost, and only half-aware of her own existence, but she was comfortable, and felt at home.

It was here she noticed a shadow far above, far beyond the sea of glittering, golden stars. A masculine figure that stared down into the safety of her sanctuary. Her tranquility, her peace, was violated, and she felt her being begin to rise in rebellion, panic as her home threatened to collapse. She froze in her fear, staring with wide eyes at the figure beyond the pale, waiting, but for what she didn't know.

Her panic proved justified when the figure raised his arm, the shadow of his sword piercing the sea.

She panicked. She flailed about in the waters, trying to find some safety, but it was all in vain. She couldn't take her eyes off the blade which was raised far above her, and watched helplessly as it fell towards her...

....

9:40 am, Glyfada, Monica's Apartment

She sat up in bed, her heart pounding. It had been a long time since she had anything resembling a nightmare, though she supposed it wasn't quite a nightmare exactly, just... strange. More often than not, she forgot her dreams the moment she woke up, if not soon after, but the image of the golden sea, and the shadow that pierced its depths stuck in her mind, even as she tried to cling to reality.

But reality, as they say, is often as strange as fiction.

As she tried to claw her way out of the strange dream that seemed to try and call her back to sleep, she began to notice odd things around her, though, more specifically, about herself.

Her room was as it should've been, but she was still in her clothes, the same clothes she had worn the previous day. She could still feel the bits of sweat from when she'd been running around the city with Chrysaor, and the way her hair stuck to her head meant that she hadn't taken a shower either.

Memories of the previous day flooded into her mind: walking around the city with Chrysaor, going from chapel to chapel before hurrying home aboard the subway, and...

Assassin.

Assassin attacked. They ran through the city, chased by her, and then...

She saw herself in the glass, her glowing golden eyes, and the beautiful sword in her hand.

She needed to talk to Chrysaor.

She pushed herself off the bed, her sore body rejected the movement, but she pushed through in spite of it, moving as much she could towards the door- and stopped.

She could hear the TV running from the other room. She never showed Chrysaor how to use the TV, and wasn't quite sure whether to be impressed or concerned. Nevertheless, she continued out the door and into the living room. Before she saw Chrysaor, she saw what was playing on the television, a news station. As she walked out, the footage cut away from the buxom newscaster to the scene of the crime.

It was impossible not to hold her breath.

The diner, the overlook that she and Chrysaor had sat on just the day before, was gone. Not destroyed, not damaged- gone, reduced to indistinguishable rubble. Bits of iron bar from the railing were scattered across the rock and pavement, decorating the amphitheater below. The Grecian flag which flew there could be seen caught in the seats.