Memories (Of Dreams and Demons)

Moloch's Entrance

Radiating power, Alia leaps into the air, brushing off wings that had sat unused for far too long. A little kitten dashing forward promising doom, she spins and shoots glowing feathers towards the charging beast. Like arrows they fly forward, tipped red the color of blood, eager to pierce the beast's hide.

I thought I had gotten used to this. The running. The shadows. The danger. The talking animals.

A tiny kitten with golden feathers and sharpened claws as weapons, telling terrifying beasts to die? I guess not.

With every passing chapter I feel my sanity fading, the list of questions ever growing. What have I gotten myself in to? The Realm wavers, swirls around me but a moment, before Naoko places her hand on my shoulder to steady me again.

Before us, the beast and Alia collide. The kitten, sure in her strength, latches straight on to its face, her claws burrowing unpleasantly and painting streaks of blood.

In return the beast howls, this time of anguish rather than anger. It stumbles forward as Alia's claws dig deep into its sockets, blinding it completely. But it does not slow down; even lacking sight it rushes forward, trying to tear Alia in half. My eyes widen, and I grab Naoko just in time.

"It's coming," I manage to say before we both dart to the side.

Slipping forward on the mud, the beast flails about as it reaches the spot we had just stood. Alia, realizing what is happening, leaps off and glides over to land atop Naoko's backpack.

The beast stands off-balance, leaning precariously over the edge of the pit. It tries to scramble and hold on to the edge, anything, as the ground caves in and gives way beneath its weight.

The muddy slopes forbid it from gaining any sure and safe footing. In a final, almost fateful act of defiance, it manages to grab me instead.

Time slows as Naoko cries, and she reaches out to grab me. Our fearful eyes meet, and I admire her light one final time even as I shake my head. I pull my hand back so she cannot grab me; the beast would surely drag her down with me into darkness.

"Run," I shout as I fall, "get away."

So the beast and I tumble into the pit of shadows. Rocks slide around me as I try to kick it free, and mud drenches me in thick, wet sludge from head to toe. Its claws tear my left leg to shreds, rake my shoulders and back with further gashes deep enough to form lifelong scars.

Rolling off the last rocky outcrop, I slam into the ground jarringly and the beast lets go. It rolls further on, driven by its bulk, and slams into the side of our cubby house. The wooden wall shatters, and the entire structure bends inwards, compromised.

Deep within the sea of blackness, I watch as shadows swirl around me at unreal speeds. The entire cavern is awash with darkness given form; that recognizable thick black sludge of oil, or ink.

It strangles tree and shrub, cubby house, fence and flower; a curse shoving down on a dream until it dies under its weight. The waterfall is no more: once flowing life is now just a stream of smoky poison. Looking up, my vision is marred by black spots, but I can still see Naoko standing above on the edge of the cliff, safe.

Tears stream down her face, red from both anger and grief. Alia sits shocked beside her, a kitten again.

"I didn't mean for you to fall too," she cries.

My left leg is numb and red, my right foot twisted violently and broken. My right hand is bruised and blue; my fingers feel damaged from the fall.

Blood streams down my arms and back, mingled with thick mud that stinks like a stale corpse. I frown, looking about my beaten body, not feeling the pain threatening to knock me unconscious.