Adakon

Chapter 2

Patterns swirled around, no shape or form, as dreams normally tend to start out as. Then everything clicked and became clear. I was in a mountain range, one I didn't recognize. It was a vision. Something out of the corner of my eye moved in the shadows. I turned, seeing nothing.

I was about to turn away when the shadow grew, elongating, then splitting into two. A man formed, and yet, it wasn't a man at all. It had eyes, glowing like dying embers in a fire. His skin was pale and light, making him look like a ghost. He walked barefoot. The ground where he walked seemed to die at his touch. He had rugged pants on, torn in different places. He wore a shirt that could have been nice at one point, but was slashed and shredded beyond recognition. He opened his mouth, letting it grow wider and larger. He spoke.

"On the morrow, Adakon will finally realize the mistake they have made, banishing me, and hoarding their technology! Tomorrow, we will finally make our stand!"

Thousands of shouts erupted from in front of him, yet I saw nothing. I walked forward, not worried about being seen, for I was really not there. To my horror, it was more than thousands. Creatures, the color of ebony and things of nightmares, stretched back as far as I could see, equipped with razor sharp talons, and long snouts lined with teeth that could be mistaken as daggers. They chanted one word that made my blood run cold. Erebus.

I knew I had to warn my father. I tried waking up. I did anything and everything I could to wake up, but nothing worked. The man turned to my direction, seeming like he knew I was there.

"Soon I will be rid of the royal vermin. Soon they will all be dead and gone and I will have the kingdom in my grasp." He started laughing maniacally and the dream dispersed.

I woke up with a start, his laugh still ringing in my ears. I was drenched in a cold sweat. I quickly ran out of my room, running to my father. I burst into the room with a loud clang of the door hitting the wall. My father woke with a start.

"What is it, Chronos?" He said irritated about being woken up so abruptly. My mother sat up, looking at me, confused and curious.

"Erebus," I said, "Erebus is-"

"Where did you hear that name?" My father said, his eyes stern, radiating with anger.

"I read about him in the library, but that isn't important. Erebus is on-"

"How did you find a book that spoke of him? Who gave you the book, and where is this person so that I may punish him for breaking-"

"Will you shut up for just one second!" I shouted. I quickly regained my composure, "Sorry, but me learning of Erebus is the least of your worries right now. I had a vision. He has an army, larger than anything that we could fight with our armies. And he is coming tomorrow morning."

My father and mother's faces changed, their fear becoming more and more noticeable. They got out of bed and ran to the captain of the guard.

"Ring the warning bells. Now. Our worst nightmare is coming true. Erebus is making his move."

Loud bells were sounded across the kingdom, waking everyone up earlier than they planned. The rest of the guards woke and came to the throne room, a place where my father can be broadcasted across the nation.

"Citizens of Adakon, I am afraid to tell you that our kingdom is now at war, and is under attack, or at least will be soon. Please go to the nearest outpost of guards for further instruction. Please go in an order-"

My father was cut off in his broadcast. On the television behind us, a new image came up. I recognized who it was, though he seemed less ghostly. A sinister smile widened across his face.

"Ah, it is good to back! What's it been, oh, two hundred years since I have been here? But no matter. I have come for one thing and one thing only. Citizens, you have no need to fear me or my Chul," his face hardened and the shot widened to reveal thousands of his obsidian black creatures, fully dressed for battle. The Chul howled in unison. Erebus spoke again, "unless you try to protect the royal family that is. All of you royal pests will be dead by midnight tonight. That is a promise that I intend to keep. Stay out of my way, and you will live."

The transmission cut out. The broadcast changed back to my father, who was trying to look brave, but his eyes betrayed him. He was terrified. He was terrified for his life, my life and my mothers. He knew the dangers that lay ahead of us.

"Please do not worry, citizens, all will be fine. You now know our enemies face, though most of you do not know who that is. His name is Erebus. A man who was exiled two hundred years ago, as he stated. He is a man who is not to be trifled with. Please stay out of his way and let us handle it. We will be able to get through this. I know we will. I will see you soon, and when I do, we will be free from the invaders that assail us." He lightened for the sake of others, and closed with his favorite line. "Over and out."

He turned to me. Then looked to the guards. He nodded at them and they started moving. They grabbed me. I was shocked and started to fight against it. I looked at my father on why he was doing this. He looked at me sternly.

"If I die, then the kingdom is passed onto you. Erebus is on his way here now and will kill all of us. If you go, the kingdom has a chance to make a comeback, to be able to become the utopia that it is now. You are our last hope if I die. You have to go. I have built a chamber especially for this. My guards will take you to the chamber. In secret we have been working on a device that will erase memories for emergencies like this one. Once you have been dropped off, we will erase all our memories of the location of the chamber, and destroy the device. No one will know where it is. Once inside, there will be a television that will pick up any broadcast from the palace. I will see you again. And good luck."

I gave my mother a hug, looked once more at my father, and went with the guards. Soon we were at my room. They went to my closet, threw beside my clothes, and hit the wall in a series of bangs. A little thumbprint pad came out. One of the guards used it and the closet door slid open revealing another room, complete with a bed, chairs, kitchen and food. I walked inside, and the door closed behind me. A loud zap was heard on the other side of the door followed by a second one. Their memories had been erased. I was alone and I walked to the bed and turned on the the television, waiting the word that we were all clear, though I knew it would never come.