Title

Chapter 17

It was bad. I mean the dream. Or is it considered a nightmare?

Anyways, I open my eyes to see a really dark, dreary, distorted world. The sky is a swirling mass of murky/swampy green clouds. All the clouds seem to be heading to one point in the sky, like a reversed tornado. I glance around. All around me are thorny green plants that look dead. Black, gnarled trees reach their claw-like branches towards the vortex in the sky. Thunder booms, and a few seconds later, green lightning streaks down and leaves a smoldering crater in the rocky ground. Far in the distance, a volcano spews green acidic lava. Large, hulking beasts who look similar to dogs pace the area near to the volcano.

Gods, what is it with this place and green? I figure I should keep moving. If I am draming, I should be able to wake up, but... As I try to stand up, my feet start moving by themselves. Startled, I realize that they are pulling me towards the volcano in the distance.

I know of other realms besides the Earth. I just never visited one before. I'm pretty sure that this is another realm. It's too detailed to be a dream...but I'm dreaming that I'm in another realm?

So as I walk towards the volcano, I start to see things. Like, things. Not good things. Shadows with forked tails and claws leap around me as I meander towards the volcano. I had Metatorion, but the blade would do me no good if I couldn't control my feet.

Suddenly, a large beast with two heads and two sets of vicious teeth pads up to me. The thing is large, much taller than me, and I would stand no chance against it. It reminds me of a Hellhound, but (like everything else on this plane of existence) its green. Saliva drips out of both of it's mouthes, and pools at my feet, which have thankfully stopped moving on their own.

I don't really know what the Hellhound-like creature was doing. It seemed to be inspecting me. It sniffed and then let loose a howl that shook the land.

Slowly, other things began to appear in the distance. They moved closeer, and closer, silently. All of a sudden, a shadow whipped by me, yanking me off my feet.

"Hey! Watch it! That Core Hound was going to call its friends." a voice whispered in my ear. "This way, and hurry!"

I couldn't see where I was going, the only thing that kept me moving was the shadow's light touch on my wrist.

"Who are you? Where are we headed? What are you?" questions tumbled out past my lips.

"I am just a shadow. You are going to come with me. I am no one of import right now." the shadowy figure pauses to tell me before hurrying onward.

I am too out of breath to ask anymore questions, so I just follow along.

We stop in front of a wall of solid rock. The shadow cautions for me to be silent, and silently moves to peer around the corner, then motions me foward. I hear a hissing in my ear. "We will be safe below ground. He and his minions won't follow us down there. I will explain down below."

"Whe-" I start but lithe, shadow fingers clamp over my mouth. "See the door? It looks like a part of the rock, but it's right there. Get inside and go down the stairs. I will ward the entrance."

I have no choice but to comply. I am dreaming (maybe), and I need to wake up, but for some reason I can't. So I go through the door, the shadow person at my back. Downstairs....is a tavern. There's no one seated at any of the tables, and no bartender at the bar, so I kind of just stand at the base of the stairs like an idiot until the shadow comes down.

"Have a seat." the shadow's voice sends chills down my spine. "Anywhere's fine, really, the place has been abandoned for a while."

I take a seat and so does the shadow. I start to spew questions. "What are you? Where is this? How do I wake up? Who are you? Why am I here?"

"Please calm down. All will make sense soon." The shadow stared at me. "Let's see, where to start....? Well, I suppose I can start by answering your inqueries. You are in Detrius. You are here most likely because this is his realm. You say you want to wake up? Someone in your realm will have to wake you, probably. I am just a lost shade, I have no real name. I simply help those who are lst so that they don't end up like me."

As my brain began to sort out the sudden influx of information, I noted that the shadow person was literally made out of wisps of darkness and mist. It had no facial features, and it appeared to watch me intently.

"Who's realm is this? You don't mention a name. What is Detrius? I haven't heard it anywhere before." I ask, then add on as an afterthought "What happened to you?"

"Names have power, girl. You can't be too careful around these parts. Hell, you might just accidentally summon Him if you even so much as talk about Him, so I won't say anything more about Him. Anyways, moving on, Detrius. It is another realm, and its definitely not on anyone's map. Detrius was created by that person who I can't talk about. He made it from dark thoughts and dead souls, and blood and bone marrow, demons and dancing imps." The shadow looks at the wall and stops talking.

"Thanks for all the info, but you didn't answer my last question." I say.

The shadow freezes. "That's not-my past-doesn't concern you...it's not your problem."

"Ok then. How do I wake up?"

"I told you. Someone in your world has to wake you."

"So there's no other way?"

"I don't know, I don't have this problem." the shadow snapped. "Any other questions? You're bound to have some. Ask away."

"So what was that thing earlier?"

"You mean the Core Hound?"

"The dog like things with two heads and an oceans worth of saliva."

"That would be a Core Hound. They're nasty. They are related to Hellhounds...only Core Hounds are made out of poison and bits and pieces of dark energies."

"That and drool." I say.

"Lots of it." the shadow agrees.

I start to feel light-headed.