Post by Cadence Silverstream on Jan 21, 2018 1:46:30 GMT 10
--Prologue--
Thunk.
I sat up, and looked around. I wasn't sure if I was conscious or not, asleep or awake. All around me was a black abyss. For some reason, I didn't feel alarmed. I felt welcomed. I seemed to be floating in the abyss, but I couldn't see myself, nor move. I still didn't panic.
Thunk.
What is that noise?
Thunk.
I looked up. Everywhere I looked, there was only more darkness. However, I began to panic, my insides twisting and tumbling without my consent. I could feel my heartbeat racing, my breathing growing rapid, knowing what was to come. I'd experienced this same nightmare for the past few nights, and I still wasn't sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. Just like yesterday, an eerie form peered out of the abyss, right into my soul, with glowing red eyes that sent a chill spiraling down my spine. "Hello." His voice was very strange, like a chorus of voices, all mixed together into one. Some voices were extremely high-pitched, others low and gravelly. He seemed to come closer, and panic clasped my chest, wrenching the breath out of me. His eyes seemed to laugh, and his form seemed to smirk. This time, hot anger built up in my stomach. I longed to send a punch straight at this thing's... Face? As soon as the thought crossed through my mind, I could see myself again, could see my fist slamming into the monster's form, right between its eyes. It laughed at me, a creepy laugh that echoed throughout the abyss in a million different ways, turning from amused to sad to evil to nervous. What was this thing? And what did it want from me?
I shivered as a tentacle of darkness reached forward, towards my shoulder. I stepped back, shaking and trembling with fear and anger.
"W-What do you want from me?" I forced out, trying to sound confident. I could not let whatever this thing was know that I was afraid. I tried to collect my emotions, take deep breaths to slow my trembling, but nothing worked. It seemed as though just being near this thing caused a massive wave of emotion in me. My angers and my fears came sliding right off of my tongue. "Why does my sister have to be so perfect?" I asked the monster. "Why does she have to get perfect grades and act like she's better than everyone? Why does she have so many friends? Why can't I be more like her?" My voice transformed, from flat-out angry to trembling, fighting tears. "Why can't I horseback ride as well as she can? Why can't I do anything as well as she can? Why does she get to have all of these special powers and have everyone love her? Why does she get to save the island? Why does she get to be the fifth soul rider?" My tears were slipping down my face now, no matter how much I tried to fight them.
"Fight me," the monster murmured. "Kick me. Hurt me. Take your angers and fears out on me. I won't hurt you back." I felt myself moving towards it. My brain screamed at me to stop, to turn around, but all I could feel as I stood next to this thing were my questions pounding in my head. With a battle cry of anger, I launched myself towards the thing, kicking and punching and screaming. I felt the darkness envelope me, and pull me away into its abyss. I expected myself to feel better, to have the anger and fear wane and eventually die out, same as always. I expected to wake up in my bed, as I always had at this point in the nightmare. But nothing waned. In fact, the farther I felt myself drifting, I knew I was never going to be the same person again. It was like I was being taken into my own private, dark world filled with my own questions, my own fears. I felt my soul drifting away from my body, the light that had always been flickering inside me die out.
I was all darkness. And there was nothing that would stop me from getting my revenge.
-- Chapter One --
"Jade..." A voice from inside of my head spoke to me. The monster. "Jade, follow me." I felt no fears twist my stomach, nothing but anger, as I walked forward, with or without my consent, I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure how I could tell this monster from the rest of the abyss around me. I just could. I followed him through a twisting maze of dark tunnels. I heard voices screaming out for me, people burdened with fears just like my own. Closing my eyes and seeing no difference, I continued on, feeling more and more at home with each step. "There are other people just like you, Jade," he said, leading me down farther into the maze. "Where we are going, you will never be jealous or alone again." Finally, we arrived at something that glowed pink. The voices pounded on me now, and my legs threatened to buckle with the weight of the wave of emotions that rolled over me. However, I forced myself to continue on. I stumbled towards the pink, glowing ellipse, and I realized that it spiraled downwards. I peered into it. At the very bottom was a single speck of darkness, but it felt like so much more. Longing pulled at my mind. "Go on." A small smile formed on my lips as I pushed off of the dark abyss with my feet and tumbled into the pink portal.
I drifted downwards, slowly, savoring each moment. The farther I got, the better I felt. I felt assured that I would be fine. I passed people, people radiating light, that made me hiss with anger. They were covered in something pink and thorny, trapped here forever. I floated past them, past their screams, without feeling a thing but anger. My anger intensified into pure darkness, something bitter and sad and sure. Finally, when I plunged into the speck of darkness, it became a dimension. The realization made my heartbeat swell. Pandoria!
Suddenly, a thought struck me. I asked, "B-But won't I go insane if I enter Pandoria?" Many things Jade may be, but insane wasn't on top of my list. I began fretfully clawing at the pink stuff surrounding me, but it was like trying to grasp air made of silk - Thick and heavy and solid but too smooth to get a hold of. The monster laughed.
"No, Jade. Back in the abyss, I purified you. Made you completely dark. Pandoria is nothing but darkness. You'll be welcomed there... Absorbed." I pushed back the panic forming in my throat. I had to. Voices continued to roll over me.
Mom, dad, come back! Why'd you leave me?
Why are you so mean to me, brother?
Why can't I be half as important as you are?
Many voices pushed on my mind all at once, but I didn't find myself panicking. I, rather, relaxed to the thoughts, the questions, of others. Whether I should be disturbed about that or not, I wasn't sure, but I never closed my eyes. I didn't want to miss anything. After what seemed like hours of just peacefully drifting, my feet touched something soft. Looking down, I saw myself standing, wearing black riding boots, on some sort of soft, pink ground. I laughed. I was finally here! The dimension was beautiful. White willows that shimmered with pink darkness dotted the edges of my vision. Gigantic monsters of all shapes and sorts flew around. Many different types of plants grew here. This place was surely better than Jorvik.
I took a few steps, a silky black cloak billowing around my shoulders. Its fabric felt soft and smooth and cool, and whenever my bare skin met it, it seemed to sink into me, become a part of me, but I wasn't afraid. I embraced the darkness. I let myself find fuel in my fear and anger, which I saw as a good thing. I could get revenge through anger. I could have power impossible to those do-gooder soul riders like my sister. Anger flared through my heart again, like a red-hot lance jabbing my mind every time I thought of her - Elegant, graceful, beautiful, "tough", powerful, whatever you want to say about her. I was just her little over-shadowed sister. I'm not as pretty as her, for sure, I won't bother denying it. I have jet-black hair cropped short and stuck in spikes around my neck, and my eyes are emerald green. That couldn't compete with her luscious, beautiful amber hair that caught the sunlight in the most wonderful way, and her green eyes that brought out the light in everyone, showing her emotions and blah blah blah. I could tell you all of the good things people say about Juliette, my sister, but then we'd be here for hours, and I have better things to do here than talk about my past.
Most people would call this whole scene cliché. You wouldn't if you were me.
I spotted a person on a floating island near mine that was connected by a rocky bridge. I wondered if walking was still the same thing here. When I stepped, I stepped. Everything seemed to be in order. I jogged over to this person. She had black hair like mine, but very long and slightly wavy. Her eyes were light blue, but they might as well have been black with her obvious distant personality. She stared at me, and I stared at her. I wasn't afraid. I was good at not being afraid.
"I'm Shade." Her hair softly rippled in the... Breeze? Or was it just the pink, silky air moving? I began to introduce myself, standing up taller and trying to look confident and cool, like her. Shade stopped me. "No. You need a new name, to represent your new life - and your loyalty to the dark side." Her voice was soft, but her words were ominous, and I had to think for a moment on whether or not I wanted to do this. The moment my doubt started to take hold, I had flashbacks, of me sneaking out of the back door while my wonderful sister brought old ladies to our house because they were lonely. I remembered all of the times my mum had patted her on the head due to her good grades, and given her candy and stickers. When she came around and looked at my first grade report card, all she did was rub her temples, sigh, and walk away. Many memories slipped through my mind in such a small amount of time, I wouldn't have thought it possible if I hadn't been abducted by a monster and brought into a pink hell. "What name will you choose?"
"Umm..." I thought for a moment. "I-Is the name 'Raven' taken?" I asked her.
"No," she responded. "Raven. Raven is your new name." Although I felt committed to my revenge, and to fitting in here, I could feel my heart sinking in my chest as the last piece of my old life slipped out of my soul and died out in air. I couldn't help it. I didn't know if I'd even get to breathe real air again, or ride a horse. I didn't know anything, and it made me feel helpless as a baby.
Thunk.
I sat up, and looked around. I wasn't sure if I was conscious or not, asleep or awake. All around me was a black abyss. For some reason, I didn't feel alarmed. I felt welcomed. I seemed to be floating in the abyss, but I couldn't see myself, nor move. I still didn't panic.
Thunk.
What is that noise?
Thunk.
I looked up. Everywhere I looked, there was only more darkness. However, I began to panic, my insides twisting and tumbling without my consent. I could feel my heartbeat racing, my breathing growing rapid, knowing what was to come. I'd experienced this same nightmare for the past few nights, and I still wasn't sure how I'm supposed to feel about it. Just like yesterday, an eerie form peered out of the abyss, right into my soul, with glowing red eyes that sent a chill spiraling down my spine. "Hello." His voice was very strange, like a chorus of voices, all mixed together into one. Some voices were extremely high-pitched, others low and gravelly. He seemed to come closer, and panic clasped my chest, wrenching the breath out of me. His eyes seemed to laugh, and his form seemed to smirk. This time, hot anger built up in my stomach. I longed to send a punch straight at this thing's... Face? As soon as the thought crossed through my mind, I could see myself again, could see my fist slamming into the monster's form, right between its eyes. It laughed at me, a creepy laugh that echoed throughout the abyss in a million different ways, turning from amused to sad to evil to nervous. What was this thing? And what did it want from me?
I shivered as a tentacle of darkness reached forward, towards my shoulder. I stepped back, shaking and trembling with fear and anger.
"W-What do you want from me?" I forced out, trying to sound confident. I could not let whatever this thing was know that I was afraid. I tried to collect my emotions, take deep breaths to slow my trembling, but nothing worked. It seemed as though just being near this thing caused a massive wave of emotion in me. My angers and my fears came sliding right off of my tongue. "Why does my sister have to be so perfect?" I asked the monster. "Why does she have to get perfect grades and act like she's better than everyone? Why does she have so many friends? Why can't I be more like her?" My voice transformed, from flat-out angry to trembling, fighting tears. "Why can't I horseback ride as well as she can? Why can't I do anything as well as she can? Why does she get to have all of these special powers and have everyone love her? Why does she get to save the island? Why does she get to be the fifth soul rider?" My tears were slipping down my face now, no matter how much I tried to fight them.
"Fight me," the monster murmured. "Kick me. Hurt me. Take your angers and fears out on me. I won't hurt you back." I felt myself moving towards it. My brain screamed at me to stop, to turn around, but all I could feel as I stood next to this thing were my questions pounding in my head. With a battle cry of anger, I launched myself towards the thing, kicking and punching and screaming. I felt the darkness envelope me, and pull me away into its abyss. I expected myself to feel better, to have the anger and fear wane and eventually die out, same as always. I expected to wake up in my bed, as I always had at this point in the nightmare. But nothing waned. In fact, the farther I felt myself drifting, I knew I was never going to be the same person again. It was like I was being taken into my own private, dark world filled with my own questions, my own fears. I felt my soul drifting away from my body, the light that had always been flickering inside me die out.
I was all darkness. And there was nothing that would stop me from getting my revenge.
-- Chapter One --
"Jade..." A voice from inside of my head spoke to me. The monster. "Jade, follow me." I felt no fears twist my stomach, nothing but anger, as I walked forward, with or without my consent, I wasn't sure. I wasn't sure how I could tell this monster from the rest of the abyss around me. I just could. I followed him through a twisting maze of dark tunnels. I heard voices screaming out for me, people burdened with fears just like my own. Closing my eyes and seeing no difference, I continued on, feeling more and more at home with each step. "There are other people just like you, Jade," he said, leading me down farther into the maze. "Where we are going, you will never be jealous or alone again." Finally, we arrived at something that glowed pink. The voices pounded on me now, and my legs threatened to buckle with the weight of the wave of emotions that rolled over me. However, I forced myself to continue on. I stumbled towards the pink, glowing ellipse, and I realized that it spiraled downwards. I peered into it. At the very bottom was a single speck of darkness, but it felt like so much more. Longing pulled at my mind. "Go on." A small smile formed on my lips as I pushed off of the dark abyss with my feet and tumbled into the pink portal.
I drifted downwards, slowly, savoring each moment. The farther I got, the better I felt. I felt assured that I would be fine. I passed people, people radiating light, that made me hiss with anger. They were covered in something pink and thorny, trapped here forever. I floated past them, past their screams, without feeling a thing but anger. My anger intensified into pure darkness, something bitter and sad and sure. Finally, when I plunged into the speck of darkness, it became a dimension. The realization made my heartbeat swell. Pandoria!
Suddenly, a thought struck me. I asked, "B-But won't I go insane if I enter Pandoria?" Many things Jade may be, but insane wasn't on top of my list. I began fretfully clawing at the pink stuff surrounding me, but it was like trying to grasp air made of silk - Thick and heavy and solid but too smooth to get a hold of. The monster laughed.
"No, Jade. Back in the abyss, I purified you. Made you completely dark. Pandoria is nothing but darkness. You'll be welcomed there... Absorbed." I pushed back the panic forming in my throat. I had to. Voices continued to roll over me.
Mom, dad, come back! Why'd you leave me?
Why are you so mean to me, brother?
Why can't I be half as important as you are?
Many voices pushed on my mind all at once, but I didn't find myself panicking. I, rather, relaxed to the thoughts, the questions, of others. Whether I should be disturbed about that or not, I wasn't sure, but I never closed my eyes. I didn't want to miss anything. After what seemed like hours of just peacefully drifting, my feet touched something soft. Looking down, I saw myself standing, wearing black riding boots, on some sort of soft, pink ground. I laughed. I was finally here! The dimension was beautiful. White willows that shimmered with pink darkness dotted the edges of my vision. Gigantic monsters of all shapes and sorts flew around. Many different types of plants grew here. This place was surely better than Jorvik.
I took a few steps, a silky black cloak billowing around my shoulders. Its fabric felt soft and smooth and cool, and whenever my bare skin met it, it seemed to sink into me, become a part of me, but I wasn't afraid. I embraced the darkness. I let myself find fuel in my fear and anger, which I saw as a good thing. I could get revenge through anger. I could have power impossible to those do-gooder soul riders like my sister. Anger flared through my heart again, like a red-hot lance jabbing my mind every time I thought of her - Elegant, graceful, beautiful, "tough", powerful, whatever you want to say about her. I was just her little over-shadowed sister. I'm not as pretty as her, for sure, I won't bother denying it. I have jet-black hair cropped short and stuck in spikes around my neck, and my eyes are emerald green. That couldn't compete with her luscious, beautiful amber hair that caught the sunlight in the most wonderful way, and her green eyes that brought out the light in everyone, showing her emotions and blah blah blah. I could tell you all of the good things people say about Juliette, my sister, but then we'd be here for hours, and I have better things to do here than talk about my past.
Most people would call this whole scene cliché. You wouldn't if you were me.
I spotted a person on a floating island near mine that was connected by a rocky bridge. I wondered if walking was still the same thing here. When I stepped, I stepped. Everything seemed to be in order. I jogged over to this person. She had black hair like mine, but very long and slightly wavy. Her eyes were light blue, but they might as well have been black with her obvious distant personality. She stared at me, and I stared at her. I wasn't afraid. I was good at not being afraid.
"I'm Shade." Her hair softly rippled in the... Breeze? Or was it just the pink, silky air moving? I began to introduce myself, standing up taller and trying to look confident and cool, like her. Shade stopped me. "No. You need a new name, to represent your new life - and your loyalty to the dark side." Her voice was soft, but her words were ominous, and I had to think for a moment on whether or not I wanted to do this. The moment my doubt started to take hold, I had flashbacks, of me sneaking out of the back door while my wonderful sister brought old ladies to our house because they were lonely. I remembered all of the times my mum had patted her on the head due to her good grades, and given her candy and stickers. When she came around and looked at my first grade report card, all she did was rub her temples, sigh, and walk away. Many memories slipped through my mind in such a small amount of time, I wouldn't have thought it possible if I hadn't been abducted by a monster and brought into a pink hell. "What name will you choose?"
"Umm..." I thought for a moment. "I-Is the name 'Raven' taken?" I asked her.
"No," she responded. "Raven. Raven is your new name." Although I felt committed to my revenge, and to fitting in here, I could feel my heart sinking in my chest as the last piece of my old life slipped out of my soul and died out in air. I couldn't help it. I didn't know if I'd even get to breathe real air again, or ride a horse. I didn't know anything, and it made me feel helpless as a baby.