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Chapter 1: Echoes of the future
I had been drifting through the darkness for an eternity and would continue to do so until the end of time. All of creation had perished, leaving me as the sole survivor. There weren't even any sounds left apart from my beating heart.
I had long since given up hope when they found me at last. Turns out they had been searching for me since the moment I doomed the universe. Some hated me for what I'd done, others defended my decision. Ultimately it doesn't matter as they offered me a deal and I took it.
All I can remember is that my entire body was engulfed by a blinding flash of light.
Perhaps this time...
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When I woke up I found myself in another nightmare. My hometown Arlin was burning and bodies littered the ground. Someone came running towards me but he was cut down by a single sword strike before he managed to get too close. The weapon belonged to my father and he...was licking the blood off of his blade. That alone would have been disturbing enough but he also looked strangely rejuvenated, as if he was just a few years older than me instead of 50.
Someone else was standing next to me but all I could see was a purple dress drenched in blood before my body started to move. I didn't seem to be in control and had to watch myself walk towards the house where my girlfriend Emily lived. The door was blocked by debris but I saw the redhead standing in front of a window, pulling on something. Judging by her words she must have been trying to pull out her grandmother. I was only a few feet away when she finally noticed me.
“Drake, thank god! Please, help me pull her out before the building collapses!”
She turned around again, just to be skewered by my blade. Her body fell to the ground, framed by her beautiful red hair and a gorgeous pool of blood. She stared at me in disbelief while her life was slowly fading away.
“W......hy?” her words were barely audible as she gurgled up blood in the process.
I didn't bother to reply. Instead I kneeled down and jammed a finger into her wound. She cried out in agony while I savored the taste of her blood. You can't imagine the wonderful sensation that spread all throughout my body.
“Is this how you want to end up?”
I didn't recognize the voice and whirled around, ready to cut down anyone who tried to get in my way. A man wearing gray robes was standing behind me and as my sword connected I stumbled to the ground.
“How is this possible?” I screamed because the blade had cut right through him as if he wasn't even there.
“You need to wake up, Drake!”
And the world collapsed.
I awoke with a pounding headache, drenched in sweat. It had been years since my last nightmare and none of them had ever felt this vivid.
“What was that?”
“I suppose you could call it a vision,” answered a familiar but unknown voice.
I jumped from my bed, grabbed my sword and attacked the person sitting by the door, only to stumble to the ground once more.
“Do you intend to do that every time we encounter each other?”
He should have been right in front of me, but instead he was sitting on my bed, his body entirely hidden by gray robes.
“Who are you? And how did you get into my dream?”
He smiled...at least I think he did even though it should have been impossible to see him do so.
“Which one? This dream? The one where Arlin burns?”
“What are you talking about?”
He responded by waving his hand and removing the entire southern wall of my room.
“You are still dreaming, Drake. I wouldn't be able to talk to you otherwise.”
I had finally managed to gather myself and went towards the gaping hole. The entirety of the small village of Arlin should have been visible but instead there was nothing but a swirling chaos of colors.
“Who exactly are you?”
“My name...well, I've long since forgotten my real one. Now I'm called the Alp and I'm the sole inhabitant of the dreamworld.”
“But I'm inside this dreamworld right now, aren't I?”
“Of course. Every being capable of dreaming visits this realm day in, day out. I, on the other hand, am trapped here, only able to reach out by invading the minds of others.”
He sounded kinda lonely. I suppose that's to be expected when you've got no one to keep you company.
“And why have you invaded my dream?”
“Because I need to warn you. You father is in danger.”
I turned around, enraged.
“You shouldn't make fun of something like that! He's the only family I have left!”
“I am not making fun of you,” he said while pulling a book from beneath his robes and sifting through its contents, “Your father has left in the middle of the night, after you and Emily fell asleep following her birthday party. At the moment he's waiting for the sun to rise before he enters the tower in the north.”
“Why would he go to the tower? He seemed to hate the rich couple living there.”
“That's inconsequential, seeing as they've been dead for about 10 years.”
“Liar! I've seen their servants just a few days ago!”
“Looks can be deceiving. The only creatures left inside that tower are skeletons, gargoyles and their master: the vampire Modera! She's the reason your father left. He is trying to prevent her plans from being set in motion.”
It sounded ridiculous but he seemed too confident to be lying.
“And what are these plans?”
The Alp pocketed his book before he stood up and began to walk towards me.
“I am not allowed to tell you. Not yet, anyway. However, you might be able to save your father and escape your destiny. You have to hurry, though. If you don't manage to reach the tower before sunrise everything will be lost!”
He stood in front of me now, raised his hand an pushed me through the hole before I had time to react. I screamed, falling and falling and falling...
“Wake...up...!” the Alp's voice echoed through the chaos...
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