Edward stepped outside of the train. He watched the people get off briefly, and one of them caught his attention. Someone he thought he recognized. But the man was gone before he could verify. He walked off the station. His destination wasn't that far from here, so making the way on foot was fine.
There were only a few streets and turns he had to make to reach a specific path in the forest. One that was easier to follow than just walking into the dense tree line.
He knew of this path from his time living around the area. Although his childhood was mostly fuzzy to recall. He could at least recall a handful of things.
The path wasn't hard to miss either. The trees were parted, like an open maw. Inside was a deep, festering darkness. One that choked out all light.
It was easy to understand why most people, wouldn't go this way and would instead choose a more scenic route.
But he couldn't help but stare into the abyss ahead of him. One second became two, two into three. He was about to move. To walk into the forest, but his body simply didn't. He was stuck in place. Trapped in his own body.
There was a beckoning call. Something wanted to draw him in. Something from inside the veil laid out in front of him. The feeling was familiar. Strangely familiar. Like he'd felt it before, in this same spot, doing the same thing.
A child's voice called out, enticing him to move. "Come on slowpoke, you aren't scared are you?"
His body felt light as a foot was put forward, then another. The way he was moving, it didn't feel like he was in control.
The voice was becoming louder. In tandem with the forest. The shifting of branches above him. The critters ran across the floor and bolted up the trees. The birds flapping their wings, darting across the sky.
Sounds were merging, deafening. But then, it was silent.
Edward glanced around. Where was he? He knew that he walked here but what path did he take? He couldn't see any footprints in the dirt like they were erased.
Of course, he could try to leave. And that would be the recommended course when a phenomenon so powerful it takes control of the body. But if he did, the request would be left uncompleted. So his only option was to move forward.
As a child. He walked this very forest. Memorized the paths that all looked the same.
He could try and recall the memories. But that was based on the fact they would just magically come to him when he needed them.
So he would choose plan B instead.
He knelt, taking a pile of dirt in his hand. An upside to having an ability. Outside of the magick. Was able to feel and track it through a ritual.
He poured his focus into it, speaking the words under his breath, the symbols on his body reacting accordingly.
The dirt had various hues of colour appear through it, Edward pushing it back into the ground. He watched a path made. Like a strand of distortion inside of the dirt that went in the direction of a more powerful magick.
He took notice of claw markings on the trees.
Edward walked in close, hand moving over the damage. He assumed it must have been the Nightgaunts. The request noted that there were a number of them. seven at the minimum, moving in a pack. But why would one of them go out of the way to do this?
He considered the option to use his ability to grow some wings and search for the Nightgaunts like that.
Although he could cover more ground faster if any of the Nightgaunts were around, they would swarm him in seconds. Not worth it.
He went back to following the path. Even though he could hear animals around him. He couldn't see them. It was almost like they didn't exist. That the sounds were illusions of life.
A new sound made its way into his ears, the sounds of the trees. This time, it wasn't simply the branches that were moving. No, it was more than just that.
It wasn't hard to miss. He could see it just by turning his head. The entire trees were moving, parting to the sides.
Typically, he wouldn't trust it. But the magick was already leading him there. So he had no choice either way.
Even though the path opened up to him, the branches above were still clumping together. Making it so that light was barely making it through. He could only assume whatever was doing this was the same thing that called out to him. That drew him in from the beginning.
He could feel it too. Feel it underneath his skin. Slithering under his flesh.
At the end of the path, there was an opening. It was bright, a large circle that was surrounded by trees. And in the dead centre of it all. A ripple.
A split between the realms that looked like glass splitting apart, barely holding together.
He started to walk closer, looking up at the sky. He could see a large group of creatures hovering.
As he moved closer to the crack, the Nightgaunts dropped down from above. They landed around him, near the edge of the circle in utter silence.
They looked like they were preparing to attack him. He was ready to activate his ability and fight till either he or them. Were dead.
One of them landed in front of him, its face, formless. Nightgaunts were more humanoid than some of the creatures that came from the old realm. But that didn't change the parts of it that made clear it wasn't.
It was larger than him, just a couple of inches. Its skin was like black leather, the horns on its head curved in, its tail was barbed at the end which made getting whipped by them all the worse.
Its large bat-like wings were capable of easily carrying its bodyweight and the talons on its feet made swooping people up and tearing into them easy.
It started to approach him, taking a step with its head shifting to the side, talons sinking in the dirt as they closed.
The way it moved, shifted its body. It didn't want him dead. No, it was curious.
Letting it be curious was a good thing. It made it so he didn't have to kill it and fight off the other 14 Nightgaunts. That was unless it disliked what it found.
It leaned in close. Even without a nose, it was sniffing him. Examining something. It moved backwards, lowering to the ground with its face to the floor. The rest of them followed the example.
What's happening? Why are they bowing to me?
He looked at the crack. A soundless voice was inviting him.
The Nightgaunt in front of him moved out of the way, letting him walk close enough to the point he could touch it.
He started to raise his hand, moments from putting it through the opening. He knew what was on the other side. The unsung horrors that if ever escaped, they would invoke eternal madness across the world. Even with that knowledge. He was being drawn to see what waited for him.
It was a strong pull, one that went against all common sense. Every fight or flight response screams at him.
He stopped, keeping his hand raised. Instead of moving closer, he began the ritual. "Ashta sonda ecna." The wind started to warp around him. The crack pulsed with a soft pink that shifted to purple. The voice he spoke in was no language known to man. His voice was layered over itself. like he was speaking with many.
The Nightgaunts were becoming agitated. But never dared to move closer. Afraid of something.
"Bak phon skan." His marks started to glow underneath his clothes, tightening on his body. He tried to step back, to move away from the opening during the ritual. So that if anything came out to stop him. He was prepared.
Instead, he was being pulled closer. Leaning his body back, boots digging into the dirt in an attempt to move slower.
Suddenly his arm was forced down at his side by an unseen force. If he said anything outside of the ritual, then it would stop. "Cra vako kil."
A hand came over his mouth from behind, keeping him from speaking. A tutting sound in his ear. "No no no. Don't want to ruin the show before it starts." The voice was human. But the malicious glee behind it wasn't.
His eyes drifted, trying to get a look at who it was.
He could only really make out his face. His hair was grey and short, kept tidy. Over his eyes were grey-lensed circular glasses. However, that didn't make it any harder to see the nature of a killer lurking behind them.
He recognized him first as the man from the station. But he also knew him from somewhere else. The cult that worshipped the old gods.
The man's second hand drifted to the back of Edward's head, gripping his hair firmly. "Why don't you take a look?" He drove Edward's head forward. It was fast, sudden. If Edward saw the other side, his mind would shatter and the rift would be left open.
He slid his foot forward, putting all of his strength into stopping the action. His eyes glared back as he was pushing against the force of the hand.
Being this close to the rift had an upside to everything. Since abilities came from the old realm. They grew stronger when closer to it.
Because of that, he could transform instantly.
Edward turned as his skin became more pale, his nails grew into claws, his eyes became a seething blood red and his canines extended into fangs.
From the transformation, he had become stronger. Managed to overpower the man and made a swipe motion with his sharpened nails.
The man pushed backwards, sliding back when he landed. Like his momentum somehow doubled when he moved.
He was wearing nice clothing that had a traditional design to it, an open kimono draped over his body.
"A vampire. How fancy." Edward started moving toward him, snarling with saliva falling from his mouth. He wasted no time rushing at the man. Moving so fast that he was already in front of his target. Mouth wide open to bite into his neck.
The man had a subtle grin, a subtle cyan glow seen at his neck. The wind stopped and the grass that was previously shifting was now frozen.
Then everything started to move in reverse. Edward ended up back in his original position, moments before he transformed.
And then everything resumed. Edward could still remember the transformation, so when he went from being in one to suddenly out of it. He was confused. Turning to look at the man. "What did you just do?"
"As much as I would just love to shove your face into the mud. You're not my priority." He looked around at the Nightgaunts, pointing a finger to the sky.
All of the creatures started to flap their wings and took off one after the other, leaving only Edward and the man together.
"I'll be seeing you again." He gave a wave and then vanished.
Edward's eyes darted around the area. He was completely gone. No evidence that he was even here.
His body felt strange, it didn't feel like he was forced out of his transformation, it was more like it never happened in the first place. Leaving him to wonder over what occurred. He felt something like an ability going off. But it was instantaneous. Too fast for him to figure it out.
The rift was gone. Likely closed. Either by the ritual or something on the other side.
He moved a hand through his hair. His job was done, except for the Nightgaunts. But it wasn't like he could kill them now, not when he had no idea of where they went.
He did wish he had gotten some answers before that guy left. Like why the Nightgaunts had bowed and how he got them to follow an order.
Nightgaunts were the devoted servants of the Gods, so the idea that they would listen to a human was never heard of. Maybe it was his ability? No, it would have been obvious with him pointing at the sky.
His eyes scanned the area.
Now then. Where the hell am I?
* * * * *
The grey-haired man was walking through the forest, a phone to his ear, the voice on the other end asking him a question. "Hunter, did you accomplish the task?"
"I got the Nightgaunts to start heading to the base. But as for Keha. I failed to get her pet into the old realm." He admitted nonchalantly. "We can always try again. Good work." The call hung up.
Hunter put the phone into his pocket, his eyes holding on to the trees in front of him. "There you are." He appeared forward with no trace of movement, his hand over the mouth of a small creature that was squirming in his hold.
It looked like a large clump of living, moving grass, with holes for the mouth and eyes. Orange dots peering at him. It was scared of him.
This thing wasn't deadly. But it was known for causing mischief in forest areas. Making it feel like they were being rearranged and erasing footprints.
His hand started to tighten over its face. "I'm going to be leaving this forest on time. Which means." He held it by the head, letting it hang at his side, holding it firmly while walking. "I can't let you just roam about. So you're coming with me."
* * * * *
Edward had been walking around the forest for what felt like hours by this point. It would be a lie to say he knew where he was.
Why is everything so goddamn complicated? This request. Getting here. Leaving.
Guess this is my fault. I wanted to go alone. Wanted time to think to myself.
He stopped, letting out a sigh of frustration, putting his back to a tree. He grew up in this forest. Grew up roaming every path, every turn and twist. Nothing about this place should be confusing to him and yet. Here he was. Entirely lost.
He shut his eyes. Trying to recall his steps as a kid.
He could hear the child's voice again. "Come on! Let's go!!" He opened his eyes and looked in the direction it came from.
He could recognize it from many years back, starting to walk in its direction.
This could be a trick. The forest already showed him that it wasn't normal. Something inside of it was altering what was around him. Causing sounds that weren't real or making the trees move.
Even remanets of magick from the rift could be causing it. The old realm was a tundra of magick that was always at a tipping point. Like a glass so full, it could shatter. So whenever a rift opened. Magick came spilling out.
This not only attracted paranormal entities, either seeking power or to let something through. But if given enough time. Could distort reality. Brings things to life that are better left untouched.
Still, this was his only chance of finding anything.
The direction he was being led was familiar. He could recognize the stumps made from when trees were hacked away with an axe.
Dirt was lined with stones at the edges of it to make a path that could never be cleared.
He was taking the path that led him home. A path that he walked many times. A path that held memories of warmth. Until they were taken from him.
He reached the end, the charred black cabin still there, the roof caved in, the walls barely holding together.
It was a reminder of his pain and grief. Always there. Always haunting him. He could go as far as he wanted to try and escape it. But it would always loom over him.
Edward couldn't help but just stare at it. A longing look in his eyes. He could hear the sound of two children laughing. Looking in its direction. Shimmers in his view.
He started to walk toward them, kneeling to get a look at the face of one. The other's was blurred. The one he was looking at, the one whose face he could make out, was himself. A much younger, more innocent him.
"Boys come in for dinner!" He heard called out from the cabin. He recognized the voice. Warm, pleasant. Every word spoken was as beautiful as birds singing or a setting sun.
The two children yelled back and ran to the door.
He stood, watching them, the boy whose face he couldn't remember glancing back at him, then shutting the door.
He had an idea of who the boy was, walking up to the entrance, about to grab the handle. Till it burst open, flames roaring out as he was flung back, hitting the dirt floor on his back. Though he was left unscathed.
"No." He uttered in disbelief and shock. He pushed up to his feet, about to run in. A hand taking him by the wrist.
He turned and saw his younger self, holding him. "Let me go." The child shook his head, his eyes were sad, but accepting of the situation. Something he was incapable of. "You can't change the past." The boy said.
Edward looked forward, eyes held on the raging inferno, screams of pure horror filling the sky. "Let me try!" He yelled, trying to escape, but all of his strength was gone. Like his body was consumed with terror, refusing to budge.
A different sound started to talk over. One that wasn't human. It's ghastly bellow dancing in the moonlit sky. Clawed hands holding the frame of the door. A figure inside that he couldn't make out through the wrath of the fire.
He fell to his knees, crimson rain pouring. Reliving that night was just as painful as the day it happened.
A small hand was on his shoulder. "Why did this happen?" He asked himself, turning to look at him, but he was gone.
The sun was in the sky, no rain in sight, and the cabin was destroyed once again.
He lowered his head, dejected eyes on the dirt. This was what he wanted. But now he was left with more questions and a deep pain in his heart.
What caused the fire? Why did the Nightgaunts act how they did? Why was that man here?
He wanted answers. Just like he wanted his death.
To see the story retold of what he longer had, only served to reinforce that idea, that desire of wanting to see what awaited him on the other side. To see if his family was waiting for him, to hold him in their embrace. Or eternal blackness waiting to swallow him whole.
So although he might be seeking answers if he wound up dead along the way. He would not be angry or sad. He would be satisfied.
He moved to his feet, the symbols on his body glowing. Taking a path out of here on foot was too much of a nuisance to consider. So instead he chose to take some attributes from a creature he slew a while back.
Two large wings sprouting from his back, tearing open the fabric of his clothing.
His joints audibly popped, the bones shifting to accommodate the new appendages. All the while Edward held his teeth on his lip. Using it to muffle his anguish of the transformation.
And when it was over. He took off into the sky, the flap of the wings making a gust of wind that shifted the grass beneath.
He flew back to the station, landing nearby. Not wanting to waste all of his energy.
The wings started to shrink, returning to the skin on his back. His bones relocating himself. A process best done keeping still.
When it was finally over. He waited for the train and used the same ticket from his first journey to get back.
This time he didn't sleep. He stayed awake, thoughts hanging on all that happened. It didn't feel like he accomplished much in the grand scheme of things. But that didn't matter when taking in the new factors.
He knew that something wanted him. Recalling the voice that drew him in, called to him from the rift.
And he knew that man wanted him to go through said rift. Likely for whatever abomination of God was on the other side to get a chance at him. Which just brought to question what his place was in all of this.
He leaned back in his seat, his eyes on the window, looking at the passing scenery.
He still didn't get any answers about last night. Though he did wonder something. If the same thing that made him forget the previous night, also caused his memories of the past to be clouded and if it was. Just which of the old gods was capable of that?
"Edward Merritt?" He heard a voice ask from his left, turning his head to get a look at them.
It was a middle-aged woman in a black suit, an uncomforting aura about her, her eyes glistened black. Edward didn't know how he should proceed.
She knew his name and appearance already, meaning that she was sent here specifically for him. He could subdue her. Try and get her to the floor before she could do anything.
But if he was too slow, something horrible could happen.
She reached into her suit, grabbing a device that had a switch on it. He was already moving, about to grab her arm and slam her into the floor. But she already flicked it.
A fiery tundra consumed the carts of the train.