The sun hung high in the sky, and the breeze was soothing.
Within the worn-out and decayed walls of the castle, some areas were frigid and forlorn, while others bustled with activity.
Perhaps she'd never felt such loneliness before. Because she was the Lord's daughter, she was admired by all the common people. But now she was all alone.
She stood on the castle's terrace, her gaze cast far into the distance as her sight followed the ordinary people going on with their daily lives.
Adrienne was not sad, neither was she angry. Only, a coldness had sunk its claws into her heart, melding with her increasing melancholy.
* * *
Darkness. Boundless darkness.
A soul gradually regained consciousness in the midst of this endless darkness.
"Where?"
"What exactly is this place?"
As the soul's lucidity grew clearer and its thought process began, it started to ask questions. The endless darkness that surrounded it felt deafeningly silent and lifeless to it, scaring it. But there was no answer to its questions. As the optimism in its heart faded, it tried examining itself, but surprisingly, it couldn't find itself. This made the confusion in its heart inevitably grow.
"Rather, who am I?"
"And what is this place?"
Its frustration deepened as it realized that, while the darkness was safe at the moment, it was also endlessly monotonous. It was akin to being trapped in a prison, one that was infinite. It felt like a nightmare, and the notion of being imprisoned in it forever terrified the soul.
But as if in response to its cry for help, a faint beam of light appeared in this darkness - a very faint glow.
However, the endless blackness made its existence obvious and distinct. This sudden phenomenon attracted this soul's complete attention, and its curiosity grew - for this might be the answer to its pleas.
The soul moved closer to the glimmer of light as if it were a path out of the darkness. After an unbeknownst amount of time, it seemed to have approached closer to the light as it had gotten slightly larger than before. The earlier light was a faint flame.
The faint flame seemed to flicker in the air as if it would go out with the slightest wind.
Longing to be free of the darkness, the soul approached the light with growing zeal, attempting to touch it, when the world began to change.
The world around it started changing, the darkness that engulfed the soul was now replaced with a new sight, a vision to be precise.
The dark heavens consumed the earth while the mist was rising from the earth - a muddy trench, with boots immersed in the mire. A boy was sprinting through the rain, approaching someone. He was following a known trail.
'What is this?' This sudden change in scenery befuddled the soul.
The world was drenched in the chilling rain. The path seemed too far away for quick steps for the young boy, and the dirt persistently tugged at his feet, slowing him down, muddying him. Regardless, he made it to the finish. That toddler tugged someone.
'Who is he? Why does he appear so familiar? It's as if I have seen him before.' The soul was now confused with the vision, with various questions in its mind.
Suddenly, that 'someone' came to a halt and turned around, while the boy raised his head with a quivering heart and peered closely into that someone's eyes. 'He,' too, faced the youngster.
The boy then became scared. What is he going to say to me? Is he going to let go of me? Will he leave by himself?
As the soul noticed the little child and the 'someone' at a distance, it glanced around the surrounding which appeared somewhat familiar to it. Suddenly it dawned on the soul and it came to a realization, mumbling in shock.
'…Is that boy me when I was young?'
Slap!
The thoughts of the soul came to a screeching halt at the sound of the slap. The young boy had his head lowered, his left cheek red.
[Because of you…]
Slap! Slap! Slap!
His hand resembled a vicious hammer as he struck the young boy, again and again. The young boy was in agony, his body covered in black and purple bruises, tears welling up in his eyes, but his lips were still set in a smile.
[You cursed monster…]
'F-Father?'
It was then that the soul realized what was happening. It was a memory from its past, something that it had buried deep long ago. But now with the vision playing again, the soul was in anguish.
[I said wipe that smile off your damned face…]
The man whirled around in a rage, flicked his hand as if it had touched filth, and strode off. On the other hand, the young boy, Aamon, gently stroked the red cheek with his hand as he fell to the ground, his eyes stinging from tears.
The world started to change again, the vision slowly become dark streaks and came crashing towards the soul, merging with it. The soul then started transforming, its shape growing in size - until it became Aamon. When he opened his eyes and glanced around, he saw the endless darkness that was replaced by the vision earlier attempting to drag him into a colossal void that had risen suddenly behind him, while a figure of his father from the dream pushed him down into the void.
[Don't forget!]
[Even in death, you must not forget what kind of monster you are!]
The rage-filled screams of his father continued while his instincts warned him that if he allowed himself to get drawn into that world, something irrevocable would happen since all he could see there was death and despair.
He dug his claws into the ground, clenching it in terror, while frantically trying to cling on to it. He clung to the ground until even his skin could be seen through the abrasions on his palms. The darkness started to take him deeper and deeper into the shadows, though.
'What will occur if I'm pulled into that abyss?'
'Will I eventually corrode?'
'Will it be better than living?'
As such thoughts plagued his mind while he continued to cling to the ground, his grip loosening, a shadow appeared on the horizon as he silently observed his body slowly vanishing into the night.
He felt the shadow infiltrate his body. His entire body burned with soul-crushing pain for a brief period, keeping him awake but driving him insane. He briefly felt like he was on fire. An icy sensation shot forth from his body, colliding with the flames, making him feel as if he were about to be sheared apart.
He gritted his teeth, using all of his tenacity and resolve to keep going until the full shadow had infiltrated his body. He relaxed only once he had absorbed the last of it.
When he had absorbed the entirety of shadow, a vision flashed past his eyes. A vision of 'No moon, no stars, just untamed energy devouring the entire cosmos in an endless void of darkness. The originally chaotic energy's pathways eventually focused on one spot - at him - creating a towering shadow that loomed above the chaos.
The shadow that had infiltrated him before now broke free and began to emanate darkness. When those streaks of darkness struck the beings in my dream and the other darkness, they were swiftly burnt to pieces and finally reduced to ashes.
[Synchronziation Progress: Currently 20%]
* * *
In a dimly lit room, a young man lay on the bed, plagued by a nightmare, shivering uncontrollably while his eyes trembled.
Suddenly he jolted awake, sat on the bed, and began panting heavily after successfully escaping from the nightmare. His whole body was drenched in sweat while a certain feeling of deja-vu washed over him. He remembered the events of a few days back when possessed this body.
As he finally looked around, he saw a young woman sitting on a chair beside him, sleeping. Adrienne. While he was covered in fur in the winter, she sat there, just in her clothes.
Her soft breath, her peacefully resting face - it was the only thing that could provide warmth to Aamon's already chaotic heart. And it did.
As he thought so, a solemn look marred his face. Even if the means were unjustified, she was someone he loved and he wanted her, but after he married her, all he got was her hatred for him. Still, he did not regret it.
Thinking so, he gently caressed her face as if to feel her peaceful touch and went back to sleep again. Even if it was a nightmare, her presence was enough to lighten up the dark world. He wished to lovingly hold her into his embrace once he wakes up.