Memories (Of Dreams and Demons)

Prologue - A Tempest Untamed

This is the first rough draft for Prologue 4 - A Tempest Untamed - plot and action outline, needs polish and to paint the background scene.

With his full force and focus bearing down upon me, Ghekre is caught completely unprepared. He takes the rodent's blade in full, the steel of venom and shadow piercing true, effortlessly sliding through vital organs.

Despite the severity of the wound, Ghekre barely grunts, instead glaring down at the disgusting creature, fury taking over his features. Lightning rocks the ship, rolling across the icy sludge, roaring a challenge. Yet Ghekre falls to his knees, his eyes wide at his sudden lapse in strength.

The rodent just pulls a face in return, disgusted at the sight of the gorilla, before unceremoniously pulling the toxic blade free. With an almost dismissive grunt of exasperation, the rodent scowls and boots Ghekre aside.

The force of the kick betrays its perpetrators hidden strength, sending Ghekre stumbling backwards. He tumbles through wooden railing, frantically reaching for rope or grip to save him from his fall. But it is to no avail; the painfully loud thud of his body hitting the deck below is matched only by Fudo's shout.

"Father!" Fudo cries as he rushes down the deck-stairs to be at his side.

Kaiken, her parried dagger still locked against Ghekre's failed strike, stumbles forward when the rodent kicks the gorilla away. She is exposed, and Hannya shifts her balance to try and break free from my grip to lash out at her as she loses her balance.

The power of the shadows still warp through my body, toy with my movements as if I am a child learning to walk.

Hannya, locked in my embrace of darkness, seems to give up on her attempts to again at Kaiken. Struggling against my shadow chains that seem to disintegrate when she squirms, Hannya turns to face me and sinks her tekko-kagi swiftly into my stomach. The sharpened blades of both hands, ten punctures sending waves of pain throughout my body as they slice nerves.  

Pain. I glare down at Hannya, my fingers twitching as I try to force myself to strike back beneath the darkness. But Hannya just twists before withdrawing her claws, and just as swiftly as they came the shadows now fall from her wounds like a waterfall let loose. 

I drop all thoughts of fighting to try and stem the shadow that flows forth. Whatever power was gained by their embrace now slips between my fingers, slippery black blood, as I desperately try to hold them in.

"Who are you?" I choke, falling to my knees again.

Hannya's eyes just stare blankly back in return, before lighting alive with flame as I begin to bleed. They crinkle up in delight at my pain, my hands raising in a desperate attempt to stem the flow. Shadows splutter about the deck instead of blood. There is nothing to do but cling on to the hope Kaiken will be able to deal with her.

But I am not the only one who has fallen to my knees. Kaiken too, her wounds fester, Hannya's poison already having taken a heavy toll on her body. Her veins are little rivers of black that run up from the gashes caused by Hannya's tekko-kagi.

So Kaiken and I both kneel before Hannya, the masked banshee, shadows pouring from my body and poison wracking Kaiken's. I can't believe she's won, just like that; a lifetime of adventure crossed out in a few minutes at the hands of this sea wretch.

"Watch," Hannya licks her steel claws, covered in blood and venom, her feathers bristling with delight in the wind, "as your love dies."

No. I see it before it happens: Hannya slicing Kaiken through neck until she is beheaded, tossing her corpse into the black below. Darkness roars, the shadows stop falling from my wounds a waterfall. Something within.. awakens.. at the thought of that happening to Kaiken. I won't believe it. This is not real.