//------------------------------// // 19 - Epilogue -- The Dream of Nyx // Story: The Story of Everfree - a Narrative Chronicle // by Recon777 //------------------------------// I am floating. Warmth.  Comfort.  Love… It was my fondest memory—one I have always tried to return to. But it was only ever a glimpse. In the darkness, there was no fear. I swam in the tight embrace, forever submerged with my long legs folded tightly against me, and yet, I did not drown. Neither was I alone. My two companions soothed me in their persistent rhythms. Heart. Always steady, always with me, I could not only hear her but feel her soft thumping. She was strong, much stronger than my own quicker heartbeat. And I knew she could never fail me. Breath. I never quite understood her, for I had no counterpart of my own. With her, came a slow, heaving sound, and my whole world moved with her. Up. Down. Tightening, ever so slightly, then relaxing again. She soothed me to sleep when my thoughts became jumbled. Assured me with soft coos, in a language I did not understand, that I was loved and cherished. And so it was, for all time. Until it wasn’t. Trouble. Heart was quickened. Powerful. My world was shaking, moving, and twisting. Breath was also strong, heavy, and jagged. New sounds, loud and awful, punished my ears. Bright lights and flashes, muted against the soft, red walls of my world. I did not understand. My own heart quickened to match my companion as I felt emotions new, and foreign, and unwelcome. Fear. What had happened? Why was my world in turmoil? Something smashed hard into my world and then all was still. The faint red glow had gone black. Breath was…  “Breath?” I asked urgently in my mind. “What is wrong?” She had become ragged, strained, desperate. Always so calm before, I could no longer feel her reassuring rhythm. At least Heart was still strong, pounding in my ears, urging me to pay attention. Minutes passed slowly, going from bad to worse. “Breath? No, don’t go! I need you.” She had slowed, coming in short gasps. Then, my world stopped moving. “Where are you? Breath?!!”  Heart was worried as well. She had never faltered until now. Thump. Thump-thump. Th— Silence. I had never experienced silence before. My companions were gone! I was alone. My thoughts became a frenzied panic. What can I do? I tried to kick, but my world held firm. My thoughts… I can’t think clearly. Becoming fuzzy. What will… Suddenly, I felt myself being pulled harshly away. I can’t feel my legs. Where is my body?! Someone new was with me. A new companion, perhaps? Someone new who would love me and assure me that everything would be alright? Horror. My body was gone. Not numb… simply gone. I was brought into a place impossible to describe. In my consciousness, I could see terrible things. I never knew the world was so big! So very, very big. And so horrible. Others were here, not my companions but entities I could not hope to understand. And they fought one another in ways that made my mind freeze up. I became wrapped around one of them. Finally, an anchor once more. No. No, this can’t be. New emotions invaded my mind, forcing me to submit. Hatred. Malevolence. Fury. I can’t… There is no longer choice. No love. No comfort. I felt myself change. He was so powerful. Who was I to resist? So overwhelming, telling me what I must think and what I must feel. The passion. The breathtaking drive to… destroy. I had become a new thing. Something I was not. I am now given purpose. One singular task. To slay them. All of them. I am… The Nightmare.