The Red Moon Chronicles Book 1: The Crown Of Xenthos

The Realm of Dreams

"Keenio... Keenio..." A familiar voice called out to him, "Keenio.."

Keenio opened his eyes, he found himself standing in the throne room of Xenthos. He was looking up at the golden throne, and upon it sat a familiar face. He looked into the man's old eyes, he looked at his beard and his black armor and red cloak.

"F-father..."

"Yes my boy.." Stilphius stood up and worked his way down to Keenio, "...you spaced out there.. are you okay?"

Suddenly Keenio felt off, he felt light headed and dizzy. Something wasn't right. For a moment he forgot everything.

"..this... Isn't right ..." He felt his head, "you can't be Stilphius.."

"..what do you mean? Are you okay son?" Stilphius places his hand on Keenio's shoulder, "..if course I'm Stilphius, how can I not be?"

A sharp pain shot into Keenio's brain, it felt like pins and needles, like rocks were being buried at it.

"..no! This can't be it!! You're not Stilphius!!" He found himself fighting an invisible force, "...Stilphius is dead..."

"No.. I'm not.." Stilphius voice began to change, it sounded almost demonic now, "..I am Stilphius.."

"..No!!" Keenio screamed and the area around him began to change, and then Stilphius transformed into a black mass.

"How dare you break my spell human!!"

Keenio's head began return to normal, the pain left immediately.

"A shadow..." Keenio huffed, "that means..." He looked around him, the throne room had now become an empty stone chamber, "..damn it.. the nightmare got us..."

He tried reaching for his sword, but there was nothing in his scabbard. He then reached for his daggers, but they too were gone. Keenio found himself unarmed before the dark mass in front of him.

"You dare break my hold on you!!" A deep roaring voice eachoed form behind the darkness, "I wanted to make this easy, but that can't happen now..."

The black mass appeared to be shifting into itself, creating a dark fanged figure, tall and blocky.

"Damn it!! I'm in the dream realm... And I don't have a weapon..."

The creature swatted at Keenio with its claws, but nimbly Keenio dodged. Again is swing this time Keenio blocked with his golden gauntlet. The shadow seemed to continue it's assault, but Keenio keots dodging and blocking.

"Stay still you pathetic mortal.."

Keenio kept dodging the creature.

"This won't be easy..." Keenio huffed, "...I wonder.."

He dodged again, this time ducking under his enemy's claw. With a counter strike, Keenio drive a spinning orb of chi into the chest of his attacker, the orb spun so fast and violently that it tore through the shadow killing it instantly.

As the shadow died, a door appeared infront of him.

"Hmm I need to find the others..." Keenio huffed.

He opened the magical door and walked through it. The door vanished behind him. He now found himself within a long stone corridor.

"Hmm..."

He continued through the hall, wondering aimlessly in the darkness. The corridor faded into darkness. The cold air surrounded him, yet Keenio continued, ignoring the hollowed feeling in his stomach, the pull drawing him in more and more as he wondered.