//------------------------------// // Short - Dreams of Ancients // Story: Welcome to Distopia // by LucidDreamer //------------------------------// John lay snuggled in Lorraine's arms. His face was buried in the fluff of her chest. Within her fluff his face scrunched up. His legs gave tiny kicks. John dreamed. Ah. Fate seems to have noticed you. I am sorry John... This may not be pleasant. The world was black. It was as if there were no stars, nor Sun, nor Moon in the sky. The world was lit by multicolored flames. Fire of shifting colors rippled over a barren landscape of black rock and ruddy red clay. A towering thing was lit by the flames. It's body was dull, gray-ish flesh and thick black fur. It stood on two multi-jointed legs. It's feet were black, chipped cloven hooves. Shaggy fur ran up it's legs up to it's waist. Its bare stomach and chest rippled with muscles. Broad shoulders gave way to forearms covered in more shaggy fur. Said forearms, in turn led to gnarled hands tipped in sharp-nailed claws. A pair of massive black bird wings protruded from the center its back. Its neck was covered in more shaggy fur. Its head was like that of a goat, covered in shaggy and unkempt black fur. It bore eight eyes of solid, fiery red. Three were on either side of it's head and two were on its forehead. Four twisted horns protruded from the back of its head. Baphomet. Spawn of the Father of Monsters. Scourge of eons past. Baphomet seemed to notice something. He turned. John's vision shifted. A being stood against the demonic beast. It stood on two legs. It's feet seemed more like boots than humanoid feet. Said "feet" appeared to be some kind of silver metal. The metal ran up to its ankles, beyond that was a bright red substance that looked almost organic, it flexed and shifted like muscle would. That substance ran up to its knees where a diamond-shaped metal plate covered each knee. Beyond the knee was more of the red "skin." The being seemed to be androgynous, for there was nothing at the crotch except more of the red skin. At it's waist, like a belt was a line of metal. Beyond laid prominent abdominal muscles that flexed under the skin. Starting at it's ribs were bands of thicker metal plates, like armor. These plates ran up and covered its entire chest, connected to a set of plates that covered its shoulders, and ended at its collarbone. Between each plate on its chest was a line of gold. in the center of its chest was a circle that glowed with a solid blue light. Its arms were covered with the red skin, with two exceptions. A band of silver went around it's elbow and the elbow itself bore a metal plate in the form of a diamond. From the middle of its forearms down, the skin was replaced with the same metal substance. They thickened into something resembling plate gauntlets. Its neck was the same red skin, though it quickly gave way to a mostly metal head. The being's face was very similar to a death mask. The face was silver, yet small shifts made it appear like skin. The face was in the shape of an oval. A straight line indented the metal at where a nose would be. With in the indentation was a ridge that gave the impressed of lips. A pair of lines angled down to give the impression of a chin. It didn't have a nose. Instead in the middle of the central line, a fin grew and ran up the center of its head, over the top of its head, and around to the back of its neck; where it formed a small dorsal fin that ran the length of its spine. (Said dorsal fin was red when it reached its neck and it bisected the armor on its back.) A white diamond-shaped gem was set within it's forehead, bisecting the fin. Its "eyes" were slightly angled ovals of solid blue light. Yet they too shifted slightly like the metal circling them were like eyelids. Instead of ears, it had a pair of protruding boxes with a smaller indented box inside. The metal of its head ended at the back of its neck, where the neck met the head proper. John knew this kind of entity. But did not have time to give it more thought. Azrael. Giant of Flame and one of the mightiest of my children. 'Azrael' The deep voice chilled John to his very soul. His vision shifted to Baphomet as the demonic goat took a step forward. John's vision shifted and panned out so he could see both of the probable combatants. 'Only you come to face me? Are you brothers and sisters cowards?' Azrael's metallic fists balled up with a creaking of metal. His stance widened as his fists raised like those of a boxer. 'You truly think to take me alone?' A bleating, raspy laughed rumbled from the goat's barrel chest. He stomped a hoof and flare his wings as his claws lit up in a painful riot of multi-colored flames. 'Come then...' "WRRRYAAH!" A deep bellowing war-cry echoed from Azrael as he kicked off into a sprint at the demon. His footfalls cracked the stone and sent shards in every direction. He kicked off the ground and cocked an arm back. His fist lit up in red-orange flames. He swung. Only for Baphomet to leap back with a beat of his wings. The moment Baphomet landed he raised his claws. Bolts of colorful fire streaked towards Azrael. The Giant raised his arms and covered his face as the bolts smashed into him, leaving black burn marks all over his body. Azrael roughly flung his arms wide, dispersing the bolts. "WRRRY!" With another war-cry, his fists ignited. He started rapidly punching at the air. Bolts of red-orange flame burst from his fists and shot towards the goat. With a cackle, Baphomet beat his wings and rose into the air. He shot off, arcing around. Azrael followed, turning and continuing his fiery assault, though every shot seemed to just miss the winged demon. John noted something. Purple lines, like veins. started to form along the red of Azrael's body. Baphomet arced around, seemingly made an impossible ninety-degree turn and shot towards Azrael with a beat of his wings. The demon slammed into the Giant and wrapped his arms around him. The Giant was taken off the ground, as Baphomet rose once again. He soared high as Azrael struggled, only for the goat to drop him. "WRRRY!" Azrael roared as he fell. He slammed into the ground kicking up a massive cloud of dust. The Giant shakily rose to a knee. He shook. The veins grew and started to glow. Mighty does not mean perfect.... Azrael came into contact with the Primordial Waters of Mem. He became... tainted... a failing he struggled with... The taint... changed him. Azrael's red skin shifted. It dulled and morphed to a purple. The gem in his forehead turned green. The edges of his eyes turned red. He fell... "WRRRRY!" Azrael roared as his fists ignited in green flames. He kicked off the ground. His arms outstretched. Tendrils of fire left fro either hand and shot towards Baphomet. "You dare use the power of my Father against me?!" Baphomet roared. Yet the tendrils reached him and wrapped around him like ropes. Baphomet shrieked. It was an unearthly howl that rang in John's mind. Azrael swung his arms down, and the demon was sent hurting into the ground below. Baphomet smashed into the ground, causing a dust cloud, like Azrael's earlier. Azrael sent a burst of flame behind him and shot towards his downed enemy. His arms swung forward and another pair of tentacles. Baphomet growled and rose with an unnatural swiftness. "Enough! I will not be beat by one who stole his power!" With a claw Baphomet knocked the tendrils aside. He then shot off the ground and tackled the Giant in midair. He took the Giant in a bear hug and shot towards a large outcrop of stone. He smashed the pair of the into, and through the crop of stone, causing Azrael to roar in pain. Baphomet slammed into the ground, raised Azrael above his head and slammed the Giant into the rock. He then rained blows onto the Giant, before giving him a final punt to the gut, sending the Giant into another out crop of stone. Azrael hit the stone and laid limp. The purple drained away from his body, returning to the fiery red. His gem returned to white, and his eyes returned to their normal blue state, though they appeared slightly dulled. The circle on his chest changed. It began to blink and angry warning of red. "You were arrogant enough to come face me alone. In my own lair, no less. You should have brought an army of your kin." Baphomet spat on the ground and turned away. Yet... Slowly Azrael's fists clenched. Though battered, he tugged himself out of the indentation he'd made. He staggered forward. Baphomet turned. "You still live... Pathetic creature." The further we fall. Azrael took his fighting stance. He clenched his fists. His gem started glowing. It shifted to a bright gold. He slammed his fists together. There was a flash of blinding light. The further we can rise. A shockwave of heat and white light blew all the fires out. Baphomet staggered back, shielding his eyes with an arm. Azrael stood tall. The middle of a shining light. His entire body was covered in shining metal plate armor. White-gold flames rippled from the gaps in his shoulder armor. A pair of fiery wings had erupted from his back. The bright light illuminated everything. The pair were in a colossal cavern. Not that that mattered, because Azrael raised a hand. There was a roar of flames and as sword of white-gold flame burst into existence. "Impossible!" Baphomet roared as his whole body lit up in multi-colored flames. His claws shot out and a wall of chaotic fire burst forth . Azrael levitated off the ground. He brought his free arm up and his sword arm back. With a boom of displaced air he rocketed forward. He punched through the raging flames and burst through the other side. Baphomet stared, stunned for a moment, before Azrael swung his fiery blade around and sliced through the goat. The Angelic Giant wasn't finished, in swings that were almost too fast to see, he slashed at the demon, then delivered a slash to the demon's neck. Azrael kicked back as the gold-white lines crisscrossing Baphomet shined brightly. "Y-you think you've won?" Baphomet managed to roar. "I-I will return! And I will tear down everything you've built! Everything you know- Everything you love will die!" Baphomet stilled suddenly, the light in his eyes dimmed and he fell backwards. An explosion of white-gold lit silhouetted the Giant of Flame, who began to glow with a gold-white light. His form seemed to dissipate and dissolve into motes of light. In his absence, something much smaller stood silhouetted in the flames. It was the silhouette of a deer with a large set of five pronged antlers. The head turned and glowing gold eyes stared right at John. John snapped awake with a small shake. He blinked as all he saw was fluff. He pushed away gently and looked at the still snoozing noodle dragon. 'What was that?' He thought. Something you do not need to worry yourself over, John. It is ancient history. John blinked sleepily. 'If Fate sent me that, then it has to mean something, right?' Perhaps. Perhaps not. Fate is a spinner and sees all possibilities, past and future alike. So there's no use in worrying about it. 'I suppose you're right.' John sighed and laid back down. Sleep well John, I'll see if I can convince The Nightmare to send you better dreams.