Beyond Reverie

Prologue

The illusion of tender flesh ripped and tore as the girl, dressed in a white cotton nightgown, ran from her would-be captors. She paid no immediate mind to the pain in her feet, though they readily complained. Instead, her focus was aimed on those who were quick in pursuit of her. Heavy breathing huffed just within earshot, a grunting with each new stride behind her. She dared a glance behind, trying to determine what she was up against. Contrasted against the waves in the violet sky, blotted amid the trees, were at least three creatures.

The first was large, at least as broad as a bull with two large tusks emerging from lips covered in a foamy spittle. From the shape of his body, it was evident that the creature might stand on two legs when not running. Sinew worked hard to bring the beast toward the small girl. The second was smaller, more slender, it found the trees easier to maneuver. He was the one who was right on her, a croaking cackle echoing through the area. The third wasn't humanoid at all, but equine. Wild eyes kept her in sight, and sharp, shark-like teeth gnashed against each other,  in anticipation of driving themselves into the girl's skin.

It was enough, she couldn't look anymore. She didn't want to be caught, she didn't know what was going to happen, and she knew that she could only run for so long. However, just because she was able to run, it didn't mean that the path ahead would last. She hadn't been paying attention much as she turned, and a rock found her foot. She stubbed her toes and fell forward. Dirt caked her nightgown as she skidded against the ground. It had hurt, but even as it hurt, she pushed herself to her feet. Ahead, she found herself trapped in the crook of a tree's roots. Seemingly stuck there, she touched the trunk as if trying to find a way to climb it to no avail.

The three creatures were close behind her, their grunts, cackles, and whinnies all heard fast approaching. The spindly one was the first to reach her, and for a few moments, she pressed against the tree. As real as it felt, she knew it was a dream, right? 'It's just a dream, it's just a dream.' She repeatedly told herself in her head. Even if it was just a dream, it was one of the most vivid ones she'd ever had. If it was just a dream, she should be able to affect it, at least that was what she told herself. Turning her back to the tree, she had prepared to face down these monsters as if they were schoolyard bullies. 'I can do it.'

The equine one was the next to arrive and the slender one's cackles rose higher and louder as he saw the girl trying to stand her ground... not that there was anywhere else to go. The two held back, though, waiting for the third to arrive; he must have been the leader. They paced before her, the equine snapping at her occasionally to try to scare her. The creature had eight legs, a lion's tail tipped in flames, and a burning mane. She could feel the heat radiating off of the charcoal beast, its skin was like cracked stone with lava holding it together, the little pieces shifted and flowed  around its body. The creature snorted and pawed the ground impatiently with split, sharpened hooves. The one in the tree was long limbed, with a long, gaunt face, only a few wisps of hair on its head. Its arms reminded her of a spider's, the legs of a grasshopper's. In spite of the latter fact, it skittered back and forth along a limb, its gaster, a hornet abdomen, rising and lowering behind it.

Finally the third arrived, ripping out a small tree that was in his way. As she saw him she swallowed her fear, doing her best to maintain a strong face. Holding up two small fists, the expression on the girl's face hardened. 'I can do this!' She couldn't have been more than ten, with long dark hair messy around her head. Looking up at the three who were closing in around her, she shouted out, "You don't scare me, you stupid wannabe monsters. Couldn't you find better people to scare, or can't you hack it with someone older!?"

This did not deter the trio, instead they continued to near her. Even the equine had a laugh at that, rearing up with a sound not at all human.  When it reared up, she stepped back, placing her heel against where the tree met the ground. The slender one with thin, long fingers tipped in needle-like claws at the ends of the arachnid arms stretched a claw near her, cackling as it tried poking her body. She was young, of course she was soft and reactive, she jumped whenever he poked at her. It hurt, like getting jabbed with pins. The leader scoffed, standing to a full nine-foot height, though in the girl's eyes, he was a giant beyond measure. "You will learn about trespassing in Kursahuldim."

That had caught her by surprise, she had no idea she was trespassing. She looked up with indignation, "I had no intention of coming to this place. I was just getting a drink of milk! So buzz off!"

The leader neared her, a few jumpy squeaks heard as the slender one continued to poke her, though she did her best to give no ground, even as he talked about how much he wanted to eat her. But, the leader got first dibs, she figured, and he was playing with his food. "You have a gut, but you have trespassed. Know it or not, little girl. Outsiders don't come onto this land."

"Indeed they don't." There was a fourth voice, suddenly, behind her, coming from above. All attention was commanded by it to pay heed, the beasts out of familiarity, the girl out of curiosity. The figure that the voice belonged to was like an angel with chiropteran wings, though they were like no bat that she had ever seen. The question was, was the angel there to help her... or the ones who surrounded her? The voice was masculine, soft at the moment. It might have almost been calming outside of the situation. Despite the quiet tone, there was an undercurrent of authority and nobility that threaded his words, he was the one who would decide her fate,"What will we do with this strong-willed little one...?"