The Return | Cricky [C]

Chapter XIX: Milky Way

Despite the months I've spent here, I won't say I understand this world. There's still so much that feels far from my grasp. When I was a young vampire, born of both flesh and fang at the height of the Romantic era, the night sky felt like something I'd never touch. Despite what I'd come to know of the power a man could have and the unnatural darkness that lurked beneath our feet, I never thought either would ever walk in the Heavens.

Then, the years began to change. Man learned to harness the Earth's power and built machines, they found a way to send messages across the sea in seconds, they grew wings and called them airplanes, and eventually, those wings evolved and they planted a flag on the moon. At the time, I thought I'd never see something so miraculous again. Then, I arrived here, and I realized what a miracle really was—Unexplainable, yet unquestionable.

On Earth, everything had a scientific explanation. Whether it be the rage of a forest fire, the innate nature of an animal, or the lights that danced in the Northern sky, their beauty became demeaned when torn apart by rationally obsessed lab coats. Here, no one questions the reason for something's existence. They merely appreciate the fact that it exists. From a moon elf's healing touch, to a demon lord's ungodly power. Everyone here seems to be freer because of they choose to dance to nature's drum instead of over-analyzing it.

This is what I thought about most often when I had strange dreams here. An overactive mind is nothing new for me. From the time I was turned, I didn't get through a night's sleep without bizarre dreams and nightmares. I'm afraid what I've found myself in tonight is more than just a dream, though. Everything felt a little too real. My skin, I could feel it's frost, and my vision, it was so sharply clear.

I knew this wasn't the real world. The clothing on my body was mine, but I hadn't worn something as urban and modern as this since I was last on Earth. More importantly, the world that surrounded me had no ground, no walls, no perception of gravity entirely. I was surrounded by a void filled with glowing stars. Strangely, it didn't feel like I was in danger, but I knew I wasn't alone.

An omnipresent voice addressed me from the void, "You're pretty calm for an outsider." It was male, expressive, gentle yet attention drawing. An outsider, he said? He knew I wasn't from this world?

"I'm not like other people from my realm." I responded.

He laughed energetically, "No kidding! I've partied on Earth a lot, but I've never seen anything quite like you."

"Not to be rude or anything," I said, "But would you mind telling me why you've decided to invade my dreams?"

"Invade?" He remarked, "Baby, I just saved you!" Among the stars, the outline of a face materialized. It appeared as if it was made out of blue neon. I could make out a star shape, an eye, big lips and long hair. "There's a dream nomad I'm hunting down. It's against cosmic law for them to make contracts with the living, but there's one working for a demon lord."

"Nomad normally implies wandering aimlessly, but something tells me this one's pit stop through my head was intentional." I replied.

The present smirked, "Maybe, Baby."

Everything around me faded in an instant. I woke up, safe and sound in my coffin. What the actual fuck just happened? In the moment, it felt normal, but now that I'm thinking about it, I feel like I was just on an acid trip. Was that even real? Just in case it was, I should tell Ricky. He'd know about this better than I would.

I didn't like the idea of something having the power to enter my dreams, or a demon lord commanding such a being. Yet, I was actually hoping that was more than a dream. If it was real, that means there's someone out there who knows how to access the different realms. That... Thing, it talked about going to Earth like he was taking a weekend trip to Vegas. Here I thought the strength of a demon lord was insane, but something that grand, that otherworldly, was on a whole other level.