The Persistent Darkness ((18+? Violence and Gore))

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NESchampion
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The Persistent Darkness ((18+? Violence and Gore))

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Olaf heard the words emanating from the complete darkness that surrounded him...

"This is our enemy. They will do the same to us if allowed." Ser Rathalan...
"Woo Ah!" Sywyn...
"Lead the way." Daertho...

As the darkness slowly opened up, he already knew what he would see... this nightmare was one he had seen already every night since they had made the rescue attempt. He also knew he was powerless to do anything but let the memories, twisted from reality by his own emotions, do anything but run their course.

As the darkness gave way to a faintly illuminated series of caves, his body moved forward around the corner, following behind the armored presence of Ser Rathalan and Daertho, Falco and Delshandra running alongside of him now as they joined in battle. There it was... the mind flayer. Even his memories in waking hours of the creature caused him visible discomfort, but here in his dreams the creature seemed ever more menacing. It towered grim with dark eyes and the shadows seemed to deepen around it. It unleashed the mental blasts at him, and the pain felt every bit as intense as the real thing, rending his mind so that no other thoughts were available to Olaf except to try and stop this fresh agony which no pain had ever prepared him for.

Daertho and Rathalan are fighting it his mind managed to form between blasts.

Falco is on the ground now he thought for a moment before more suffering washed over him like a wave.

Move he thought, and finally he did. Olaf stumbled behind a corner, quaffing a potion, blood pouring out of his nose and mouth and the corners of his eyes as he struggled to regain his sense of things through the haze of blood and pain. It felt as if everything in his mind took a long time to spell out to himself.

Falco is on the ground now his thoughts echoed back up again, and he stumbled back into the opening, pouring a vial into the halflings mouth as he writhed on the ground.

Daertho and Rathalan are fighting it came his thoughts again, and he looked up through the dark haze to see Daertho stumbling back and Rathalan struggling to hold his ground, the mind flayer seeming ever imposing.

Fight Olaf thought, his mind snapping into the moment finally. The words and motions of the intricate arcane gestures came as second nature to Olaf now, orbs of magical acid, concentrated sound, and sparking thunder flying out and bursting upon the flayer as it fought Rathalan, who now seemed to have the upper hand. The creature stumbled back and Rathalan followed with Olaf giving chase as well; Olaf was both spectator and participant in what he knew was a dream but always felt so real. The mind flayer fell finally, but Olaf knew what would come next...

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"Now!" Ser Rathalan...

Suddenly Olaf stood in a different part of the caves, firing bolts from his crossbow for he had spent all his offensive spells. The metal from his helmet obscured his view only slightly in the darkness. The others had charged the flayer, and Olaf had resisted the mental blasts this time, though Falco beside him stood in a daze. Olaf was about to loose another bolt when he felt the earth begin to rumble from the wall beside him. "The walls!" Olaf heard himself yell in his dream, and leapt to the side, reaching for a scroll in the satchel full of them he had brought with. He unfurled it and read aloud quickly, completing the motions and heralding the arrival of two creatures: the wolf he had summoned, and the Umberhulk that came bursting out of the wall.

His eyes widened at the sight of the creature, and he began to cast his last useful spell, a ghostly visage to ward him. Glancing to his left, Falco stood still stunned, and the others were up ahead fighting yet. He finished the illusion, his skin turning a ghostly palette as it completed, and looked up to see a horrific sight.

Olaf was no stranger to battles now. He had fought the lycans, bandits, orcs, wyverns, bugbears, elementals and more. Still it shocked him with how much ease the Umberhulk picked up the wolf in its massive claws, and then twisted it until it tore in half, blood pouring out like a crushed tomato as the wolf died in an instant without even the time to yelp or whimper. "AID!" Olaf heard his voice ring out, and he stepped into a defensive stance, pulling a thick wooden club from his pack as he dropped his crossbow.

Even in his nightmare, Olaf's thoughts flooded back to his youth, to the practice he had taken with a only the most basic of weapons before starting his study of the Weave. The thoughts lasted only a moment before he snapped back into the nightmare though, the Umberhulk towering above him, eyes red, mandibles twitching. Olaf shouted as he swung with the club, hitting the creature in the leg with a dull *THUD*, but if the beast noticed the blow it didn't show any sign of it, rearing up a claw to strike him. Back up! Olaf thought as the Olaf in the nightmare leapt back, but not far enough, the clawed arm glancing him and knocking the air from his lungs. His knees buckled and his body ached, his mind spent from the previous encounter with the flayer, but he lifted the club again, squaring his stance, unwilling to yield.

The Umberhulk struck out with a backhanded swipe at what clearly seemed like an annoyance, and this time Olaf didn't have the strength to avoid the blow. It felt like time had slowed as he lifted off the ground, flying through the air into the nearby rock facing, his head smacking hard against it, his life saved only by the helmet he had just bought. The creature loomed over him now as he sank to the ground, staring up at it, refusing to look away even now. Suddenly, a barrage of arrows pierced through the beast in the head and chest, which let out a bellow before crumpling over beside Olaf. Relief washed over him, only to be filled with dread... he knew where the dream was headed now, the unavoidable conclusion...

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"I don't like the look of that." Delshandra...

Olaf could see through the portal now, but this time seemed different than his other nightmares. He always remembered this part, couldn't forget it even in his waking hours, suddenly it would flash in his mind, but this specific nightmare felt different. He watched as the duergar and the illithids came into view, and then another group of duergar leading a group of men, elves and dwarves into sight. Then Olaf saw what was different, and though his voice would not respond in this place his mind screamed for an end to this. Taking the place of what, in reality, had been an unknown elven and human captive were, in this nightmare, two very well known friends: Fox and Elleia.

Stop, please his mind pleaded as Fox and Elleia were led up to the Illithids.

Stop it! his mind begged, unable to force his eyes shut or his head to look away or his hands to move as the tentacles crept over their skulls.

STOP! he demanded of his nightmare, knowing what would come next, fearing this nightmare more than the real thing-

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Olaf woke with a start, shaking and drenched in sweat as he panted, slowly beginning to recognize his surroundings. He was in his dorm in the University, safe. As he caught his breathing, wiping his forehead, he finally felt the pain in his arm. Wincing a bit he looked at it, blood flowing from a small wound there. He looked around in confusion while reaching for his dagger but then suddenly stopped.

Looking to his left, he saw the familiar sight of a small rabbit. Sitting on the bed now, the rabbit looked up at him and then to the small wound, clearly a bite, on his arm before nuzzling his hand gently.

"Thanks for waking me up, Stew."
Current PC: Olaf - The Silver Marches
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Killthorne
Orc Champion
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Re: The Persistent Darkness ((18+? Violence and Gore))

Post by Killthorne »

:shock:

Stew to save the day! :fluffy: Nice story!

~Killy~
Current PC: Ethan Greymourne, Ranger of Gwaeron Windstrom
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