Awakening

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the sinister spectacle. The blackened vortex was hungrily devouring the reddish sky until it's last bits of meager light disappeared. Darkness befell me.. no... not just darkness... eerie silence all around me, not even a blade of grass could be heard.

'What's going on? Where am I?' I said as I could finally hear the sound of my rapid heart. I took a few steps fumbling around the darkness, desperately trying to discern any details past the veil of darkness... a futile attempt.

*plop* Suddenly a humid sound, as if someone stepped on a puddle broke the silence. Did I step on something?. I look down in order to confirm my surroundings only to realise that I couldn't even see my hands.

*plop* I...I didn't move this time...The sound is coming from somewhere behind me.

*plop* I could sware this sound was coming inches from me at this point. I wanted to turn towards it but my body screamed in protest. The fear took hold of me.

Than I felt it. A cold shiver ran through my spine as something was crawling up my leg. Released by a greater, primordial fear, I am finally able to move. I try to shake it of, I try to run but to no avail, whatever grabbed me won't let go. Another attempt to free myself and it's force makes me fall to the ground. A hand. It was a hand, and it was pulling me.

"LET ME GO!" I yelled as I was desperately trying to grab onto the ground and crawl away. As he pulled me closer and closer it's frozen breath made my hearth stop. I knew I was about to die.

Funny how courage sometimes comes from unexpected places. It was only by accepting death that I finally managed to turn around to face the beast. But even than, all I could see were his rows of sharpened white teeth that seemed to somehow devour darkness itself .

I opened my mouth, but instead of a yell, a chuckle:

" Dang, you sure keep your oral hygiene if nothing else, huh? Well, if I am gonna go, at least I'll go in style!"

With my fear replaced with some sort of bravery, I make my final move, I strike the damned thing.

But it wasn't my first that connected with the creature. A golden lightning bolt suddenly struck out from my hand impaling the creature right past its shining teeth into its brain. The monster shriveled letting out a deafening shriek before dropping forever silent.

" Huh? How are you dead ? And how am I alive? And what is this?"

The same hand that was clenched in a first a moment ago was now firmly gripping a short sword. 'It wasn't a lightning bolt that shot out of my hand, it was this sword' I finally realised.

After a god-sent moment of respite I get up and pull the sword out of the its head. It took a bit of struggling to get it out but as soon as I did I found myself shielding my eyes from its blinding light. When I managed to adjust to the light I finally layed out of my source of terror. Alltough his features were hard to distinguish due to his dark, almost fluid, skin, I could still determine that alltough he presented vaguely humanoid features they were highly deformed. His arms and legs were roughly about the same length, which would explain why it took him so long to drag me towards him, and perhaps the most disturbing of all was his, or perhaps his lack of, face. There was no nose, no eyes, no hair, only a mouth that stretched from one end to the other.

Shivering away from the unsightly creature I turn my attention towards my life saviour. Despite the fact that the sword was still glowing a brilliant yellow I could now see it whiteout burning my retina... I hope. The sword itself resembled a Roman gladius but with a more conventional European guard. But by far the most entrancing detail about the sword was it's the streaks of golden energy which seemed to be constantly flowing towards the its tip. On a closer inspection I realised that the flow did not originate from the guard as but instead originated from... me?

Whitout a warning a soaring pain took hold of my arm. I couldn't hold it in no longer, I started yelling:

"AAAAH" I jolted from my bed still gripping my arm. I looked frantically around me until I confirmed my surroundings. I was in my room. It was a dream. Thank god.

Letting out a relieved sigh I fall back in bed. The room was nothing impressive to say the least, it was a small room barely able to fit a coach, an ancient-looking bench and drawer, but right now I couldn't have been more happy to be here.

" Gabriel are you alright? " a familiar voice called out as gramps opened the door.

" I'm fine, just a nightmare. " I quickly responded. * Sorry, I woke you up... " I continued after realising how late it was.

" Don't worry kid, these days all I do is rest, I won't miss a couple minutes " he smirked " You on the other hand should get back to sleep. School is back in session tomorrow. "

" Mhm " I responded absent - minded, as my thoughts were already drifting back towards the dream.

Gramps must've sensed that there was something bothering me as he continued on a more serious note:

" You know, you don't have to go to school tomorrow... the world out there hasn't calmed down yet and you'd be safer here "

This took me by surprise a bit as I'd never have imagined gramps ever telling me NOT to go to school. As a former member of the army, specifically the military police at that, he was always strict about the rules, it was his nature. It just goes to show how much ' the fall ' has shaken him as well... Alltough it has already been a week and a half he's still worried about it.

" It's been more than a week already I can't stay here forever, if I wait any more I'll fall behind... besides, the police along with the army are still patrolling around in case anything happens " I try to assure him.

" That's exactly what worries me... " he mumbled, " Alas, you are right,we cannot cower in here forever. " he smiles " I've raised a good boy " he adds while petting me on the head.

" Please gramps, I am not Sparky... "

" Oh no you're not, Sparky is a very bad boy " gramps replied by letting of a chuckle.

"Woof!" Sparky barks, confused as to why he has been called.

" There you go, bad boy! What have I told you about barking at night! "

" whimper..." the dog immediately conceded, falling back to sleep.

Poor doggie... I woke you up as well, didn't I?Don't worry I'll give you a threat in the morning.

" That's more like it! Now, kiddo, you need to follow his example if you are to wake up in the morning, hurry back to sleep! Night-Night now " he said as he retreats in his room.

" Good night gramps... "

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