An Axe in the Flames

Everything That Glitters

"The riches are mine, the power of coin. I will lend but then come calling for what is mine to have, to hold. To keep forever in my grasp." Poe mumbled as he crossed the room.

A mirror stood in the corner, leaning from the floor to halfway up in the wall, he paused for a moment. Still stuck between reality and the waking dream he was living, he saw himself in the mirror as the Poe he knew but there was something else...someone else. The man was easily three to four heads taller than Poe, and his girth was just as much. A great fat belly protruded from him, covered in scars and hair. His forearms were thick and sinewy like a tree trunk, and his upper arms twice that. His face was twisted and pale, deep sunken eyes stared back and an evil, almost shark tooth like grin smiled back. This was not normal, Poe knew that, but he couldn't shake himself awake and he couldn't shake that waking up would not end this.

He reached for the mirror and the great fat man laughed at him, "Speak my name. Make me whole."

Poe jumped back in alarm. Had he spoken those words or were they of the others volition? His vision was still split, seeing the room but also seeing the cave. Had he actually fought a troll or was that part of this dream scape? He had no idea as that part had seemed so real, his hands were wet and slick with dark blood. He had to have slain a troll, but where did the troll come from and was he transported to this familiar yet unknown cave? His mind reeled and spun with so many questions and so many unknowns. He stared back into the mirror.

"What...what is happening to me?"

The monstrosity in the mirror laughed, its double and triple chins shaking. "In the time after Cor deceived Shathari with her lies, they shattered in their fight. Bits of them becoming Gods to continue their fight for the balance of all. I am the great gluttonous one, known as Symbar."

Poe reached up to his face and could feel the stubble on his chin, but he also saw the thick arm of the man in the mirror reach up and touch his dimpled and scared chin.

"Am I going crazy? Has someone slipped me a poison?"

The man in the mirror laughed again, his belly jiggling, "I assure you, this is very real, Master of Coins."

Poe stared into the mirror, then around it, seeing both the cave and his normal bed chambers.

"I don't understand. Am I being possessed?" Poe asked as he sat back on the edge of his bed.

"Possessed is such a....temporary word. What is happening to you now, is very...permanent." Symbar said.

Poe ran a hand over his bald head and felt sweat beaded up on it. It was cold in the room but he was sweating. Was this some sort of fever, a hallucination or trick of the mind? He had to keep talking, keep asking questions, he needed information if this was real and if it wasn't...well then if was very entertaining for a fever dream.

"Why me? Why is this happening? What if I choose to not allow it?"

Symbar snorted a laugh, "You presume you have a choice in this matter, you do not. There have been changes in this world that have created the chances for me to be reborn and I chose you, Poe. The Master of Coins, the keeper of all that matters."

Poe blew out, trying to calm his shaking hands and nerves, this all felt so real, "What...what does this mean?"

Symbar smiled in the mirror and rubbed his belly, "This means that your war is trivial. It means that your life is forfeit. There will be some semblance of you left, but once the transformation is complete, I will be reborn."

"My war is trivial? As in the coming war between the Thanish, Flame Sect, and Emerald Kingdom ? How can that be, it's real, it's substantial." Poe questioned as he stood up and paced in front of his bed.