Random Oneshots

The Release of the End

What means more to you, your friends, this town, or the power you seek...

Esme awoke on the floor of an empty room, their surroundings pitch black. Confused and on edge they slowly sat up, looking around in an attempt to find a source of light but it was a darkness even they couldn't see through as far as the eye could see. As they began to stand they noticed a figure appear in front of them, a masked wizard dressed in dark robes with the hood pulled over their face, a book outlined in a pale blue glow floating in front of the wizard. "Who are you?" Esme called out, a hand reaching for their waist before they realized they didn't have their dagger.

The figure didn't respond, instead waving their hand in the air and watching as it filled with mist that soon formed vivid shapes, Esme watched as the mist began to become more detailed and slowly they recognized the figures, one was themself and the other was Ali, their elven party member. Esme couldn't help but feel their attention being caught by the misty scene unfolding before them, the two seemed to be arguing but they couldn't hear anything, an image with no sound, the two were surrounded by faint glowing, for Ali it was something pure, a bright yellow that could compete with the sun, but for Esme, a black so dark it somehow made where they stood appear bright. There was a gate behind Esme, the same black glow emanating from it as the image of them turned its back to Ali, pulling out a key and unlocking the gate. Before they could see anything else the image faded, as Esme turned to the wizard to question them they suddenly found themself unable to speak. "The demon." was all the wizard mouthed before disappearing as well.

Esme awoke in their bed and quickly sat up, sweat dripping down their back as their heart raced, and a look of fear in their eyes. Esme looked around for a moment, relief flowing through them as they realized they were now in their own room in the lodgings the team had gotten for their current mission, Ziva, the party's own wizard, was still out cold in the bed on the other side of the room. As Esme looked out the window they saw the curtain was open and the window cracked despite it now being dark outside. Esme got out of their bed and walked over to the window, looking out it for a moment before closing and locking it, dragging the curtains shut. With a sigh Esme returned to their bed and began to sleep once more, attempting to push the thoughts of the dream from their head.

Esme hated to admit it but no matter how much they tried to distract themself it was impossible to forget about the dream they'd had, the power, the gate, and Ali... They couldn't understand why she'd been in the dream, but they knew they recognized the gate. As the team returned to the inn for dinner Esme excused themself to their room, grabbing the book they'd received years ago when, in a moment of desperation, they'd made a deal with a deity they couldn't meet. "You finally understand then" a voice rang out in their head as they opened the book to the last page. Startled, Esme looked around, not seeing anyone else in the room. Slowly they turned back to the book, staring at the sketched image of a gate that was said to hold a powerful demon who had been sealed away centuries ago. "Release it." the voice rang out in their mind again and Esme shook their head in a failing attempt to rid themself of the voice. "I can't, that would put everyone in danger." They said despite there being no one around to hear. "You'll gain the power you need to protect them, you could be strong." The voice spoke again and, for once, they continued to listen, staring down at the page in front of them for a moment longer before shutting the book again. "No. This isn't how to do it. The others would never forgive me if they knew."

"They don't have to know, all you have to do is keep it secret, they won't know so long as you're careful." the voice persisted and Esme could feel their will slipping away once again. All they wanted was to protect their friends, and if they had this power they could finally do it... "Fine. How do I do it?"

That was how they ended up where they now were, the book in one hand and a key in the other as they walked down the stairs to the very bottom level of the town guardhouse, their previous response to the voice burning into their mind. It was now the middle of the night, the torches in this corridor clearly hadn't been lit in years, proof that no one dared get near the gate. But Esme didn't need the light to see, undeterred they continued to walk towards the gate.