Scenarios

The Fight

I find myself in an open field, but it's the middle of the night. Luna is full, and she shines brightly, illuminating the area for me. A foreboding wind blows, rustling the leaves of the surrounding trees. A see something glint in the moonlight. I wander over and find a sword stabbed into the ground. I pull it out with a heavy tug. Despite my extremely limited knowledge on swordplay, as I pull the sword out, I'm suddenly filled with everything I need to know to use it. I hear a terrible groaning sound, and turn to see a shadow growing in the middle of the field. I hold the sword ready as the shadow grows and grows. Once it's as big as a building, it stops. Then it all rushes towards its own center and tightens into a humanoid form. The shadows fade away to show a person with a dark outline, pale skin and black hair. He opens his eyes and they're glowing red. I shrink back as I realize what it is. It's me, but evil. I'm horrible! I'm such a bad person! I'm so selfish and self centered! The dark version of me laughs and walks closer. I realize that the thoughts filling my head aren't my thoughts at all. The demon is speaking them into my mind. My knees give out and I fall to my hands and knees. I'm so terrible. I'm a terrible person. I'm not good. I'm not kind. I feel a hand on my shoulder and the dark thoughts cut off. I look up at the person who's touching me. Mae, my queen. She speaks, her voice drowning out the dark copy's thoughts. "You're so amazing, my love. You're so kind to me, and all our friends." Another hand lies on my other shoulder, and I look over. My mom is there. "You are so kind and loving. My gentle giant. You're so kind hearted, and always willing to help. You're so good," She says. Their reassurance makes me want to cry. I stand up, and they both turn into a wispy smoke. The smoke swirls around me, and then wraps around my hands, which are clutching the sword handle tightly. They give me what feels like the strength of ten people. I shout out as I lift the sword and rush forward. The dark version of me recoils as I come toward him, and swipe the sword through him with a vicious downstroke. He explodes into shreds of swirling shadow. They swirl around me and then fly off towards the middle of the field where they converge again and start growing. The smoke of Mae and mom disappear from my hands, and the confidence dwindles, if only slightly. I stomp on the ground an growl to hype myself up. The shadow behaves the same way it did when it made the first demon. It grows and grows to a massive size, then collapse in on itself to form a beast with four legs, and three arms. It's limbs slide around it's body, and it is shifting and bulging randomly in places. It's whole head is a face-splitting smile, and a demented, and dismantled laugh emanates from its unmoving smile. Insanity. I back up as the beast, as tall as a diplodocus, stumbles towards me, it's head spinning around and around. It's laugh gets louder and more broken as it gets closer. I'm completely gone. I talk to myself, I prefer being alone, I love my books and games too much. I believe things that aren't real. I'm not normal, I'm the complete opposite. I'm completely insane. I feel no hands this time, as I trip and fall on my butt. I look up to see the beast fast approaching. I feel a pair of presences appear next to me. They step in front of me, both with their own versions of my sword. Swords appear in all three of the beast's hands and it starts swinging them at the pair, who proceed to deflect and block each stroke. "Ian! C'mon, ya douche bag, get up and help us." His rude words are contrasted by his mischievous smile as he looks back at me. Jack? "We're here now! Do not be afraid!" Says the other, who looks back and smiles brightly at me. Tyrone! I get up and jump between them, using my sword to take on the beast's third arm. The three of us all swing our swords, lopping off all 3 of the beast's arms at the same time. It screeches, it's smile never fading. We all jump up and stab it in the head together. The beast screams, wobbling on its feet, and then falls to the ground, still. We pull out our swords and step down from its corpse. I envelope them both in a big bear hug, and they return the affection. "You're not crazy, Ian." Tyrone starts. "Are you serious? Of course you are! We're all completely insane." Jack interrupts. "But! Who cares if we are?" Tyrone continues. "After all, the most interesting people are." Jack finishes, winking at me as they both poof into smoke and wisp away. Not long after Jack and Tyrone leave me (although, they're never really gone), the beast explodes into shadow. It's wispy remains return to the center of the field to repeat its growing and shrinking process. "What next?! I'm ready!" I shout. "How about you?!" "Are you?" A voice whispers. "Are you ready?" Suddenly doubt plagues my mind. What if I'm not? I could die right here. Am I really ready? If I'm not ready now, I don't exactly have time to get ready, the next challenge is already here. The next challenge stands hundreds of feet tall, but the shadow doesn't fall away to show its true form. The massive, dark, humanoid mass blocks out Luna's light, engulfing the field in darkness. "I don't know what you are, but I am stronger than you!" I shout, still full of confidence. "Are you, though? Really?" The demon speaks. "You can't possibly be ready for this. How can you be so sure you're ready for me, when you can't even be sure of or own faith? Of your friends' love for you? Of your own very thoughts?" That's what this fear is! Doubt. I doubt many things. My legs feel weak, and the sword begins to feel heavy in my arms. "I'm- I'm not ready. I'm... I'm never prepared. I can't even lock my faith in place. Doubt will always plague me... you will always plague me..." I feel sick, and the sword drops from my arms, as I'm unable to carry it anymore. The massive, black demon takes a single step forward and it's suddenly right in front of me. It shrinks, but Luna's light doesn't return. It stands over me, and reaches out one of its hands. I feel immeasurable cold as it comes closer. Suddenly a bright light flares, lighting up the night like daytime. At first I think Luna has come to my rescue, which is a little strange, but then I realize the moon is sill encased in black. The dark beast recoils, covering his face as the blinding lights comes up behind me. I turn around, but the light doesn't hurt. It's soft on my eyes. It heals me, fills me with strength. I rise to my feet and lift my sword from the ground. That's right! I may doubt things, like my faith, sometimes, but I always have His help to bring me back within mere seconds. The light flares brighter behind me, and the beast screeches, growing back to its massive size. It rears its leg back in preparation to kick me. My sword lights with a holy fire, and I feel a hand over mine on the hilt. I shout as the huge foot rushes closer. I swing my sword, and right as the two meet, the light explodes, consuming everything. The demon is no more, the shadowy wisps are erased, and all that's left is me and a warming presence. "You did well, my son." Says a familiar voice. I fall to my knees, not out of fear, but respect. "You did well." The voice repeats, as the light around me fades, and I find myself alone in the field once more. No more shadows, no more demons. Only a beautiful sunrise. Sol does love his gifts. I sit down in the grass and relax as the day brightens. I feel free.