A Nightmare's Honor

A Proposal

Author's ([Sky]'s) Note: This chapter will depict many things not suitable for some audiences. Said things are direct and implied mentions of blood and death. Some aspects of this chapter emphasize claustrophobia, so be aware. Lastly, some descriptions of things may be gorey or gruesome in nature, most prominently wounds and beings/"entities".

Have a good day/night! On with the story!

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{?} ??? POV:

Fear. Energy. A clump of shadow and sludge treaded in the gaps between spruce trees. More amalgamated clumps like it followed suit, the ground turning black and the plants wilting as they passed. The forest, which was usually alive with the sound of birds and other animals, was deathly silent. Only the occasional crunch could be heard as the clumps walked or slithered over the dying plantlife.

The earth began to shake, causing whatever few birds were left in the spruce trees to flutter off in a panic. The shadowy entities looked around with eyes that phased in and out of existence along their strange bodies.

They sensed two powerful energies: one to satisfy their hunger, and the other to quench their thirst for violence. They dare to return. Our use has come to fruition once again. The amalgamations, their hunger stronger, approached the closer energy. We shall feast today.

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{M} Sandstone/Nightmare POV:

Dozens of books and scrolls littered my normally tidy desk as I rummaged through drawers. Where are they? I quickly scanned the names and seals of the varying papers crowded around me, but couldn't find what I was looking for.

The door creaked open slightly, but I paid it no mind as I continued my search.

"Your Majesty," a Yellow Guard addressed me nervously, "I'm surprised you're already awake. It's not yet dawn." I recognized it to be the voice of one of the night-shift guards often on duty just outside of my room. I believed he was an Unnamed among the current youngest generation.

"I didn't sleep," I responded simply.

"Oh. I see," the Yellow Guard replied awkwardly. "...May I ask the reason?"

"An ironic dilemma, I'm afraid. Nightmares."

The Yellow Guard did not respond, instead observing what I was doing. Finally glancing up at him, I found that I had been right about his identity. We made eye contact, to which I gestured him to approach.

"While you're in here, I suppose I could do with some help," I admitted. "I'm sending out some Yellow Scouts in the morning, but I'm having trouble locating the necessary maps."

The Yellow Guard approached at my gesture and words, glancing over the varying documents with interest. "What maps in particular are you looking for, Your Majesty?" he asked with a short respectful bow.

"Maps of the Green Kingdom and of the Violet Kingdom. They were made by their respective current Leaders, and were a gift to the Yellow King when he was... still with us," I answered him, opening another drawer and skimming through the contents. The failure to find the maps was beginning to aggravate me. "I believe I stored them somewhere in this cursed desk, but I can't find them."

"Do you think that perhaps they might be in the Yellow Kingdom's vaults? I know there are many odd articles there."

I stopped what I was doing and looked up at the Yellow Guard with sudden uncharacteristic excitement. "Of course! The Vault. Let us go there at once!"