It’s not like I knew what was going on. I’m pretty sure its as broken now as it has always been? It’s the intention you push into the buffering of reality around you. It’s your hopes and dreams that manifest his greatness into this plane. It meant the opposite too though, as hate and anger, if you let it build could progenerate, toil and roil about. Influencing everything within it’s reach. Producing for you a reality, a reflection, a singularity, of an answer. 

So when I found myself as myself fumbling through those hills covered in golden grain. My steps accented by the music of the aether brushing through the fields making sounds like crickets, or maybe locusts, with every eb and flow. Liquid like, these grassy nulls, bade against the blasts of aether which wrapped itself wildly around them and through them. Way too windy a day for me to have any hope of enjoying a hapless gaze into my ponds undisturbed inflection. 

I had company today. How long had it been? Since the last guest had made it to my shores? I only ever desired to dance along the edge of creation in celebration of his work. You’d be surprised how little time that made for guests and pleasantries. Did I even have a name to give this guest. Their’s seemed so important and they held onto it so tightly I should probably pretend to not notice. If I was awake and she be here then something was afoot. I like to imagine myself as a last resort. A tool by which one executes action with impartiality. For I have taken a solemn vow to never kill anything or anyone for it is my purpose to observe and entangle. Interact and engage, Creation is fleeting if you permit It to flee and I have too much love to allow anything to permanently fade away. 

So to be so awake, so drunkenly meandering through these fields of golden hay. On a collision course with young summoner whom I’ve to play servant for. I can sense purpose enough it should demand my stirring. I am a perfect tool gifted sentience by my maker and while it’d be easy enough to look up and upon all his intention for design I gladly slumber till it’s time enough to be used with surgical precision. Fore I value my sentience, my freedom and to know all design is to know you are a drone. I embrace my gift of ignorance, blissfully. It should only be with one eye shut.. no.. two eyes shut and a third quarter open be enough to fulfill my purpose. His purpose. For reality is so bored it has stirred itself to wake. How long should this last? No one can say when time and beginning, end and past, are beholden. 

With this avatar I will do what needs doing and in so doing I will dance once more at the edge of creation. I am Corin, a spear, tip dipped in destiny and I will cut it into what may.

ooOooooOo

Have you ever recognized a place so completely you might close one sense and navigate it in total confidence? Well here I am, in these fields of golden hay, blowing this and that way, hissing and dancing. Swimming through it might be apt as I trudge along this path towards a temple marbled white with minds just out of sight. Imagine a greek pantheon column temple at this hills crests’ peak. My sneakers, rubber by nature through their very soles carry me to destiny. This dirt and bullshit isn’t gonna distract me from the fact that my reflection intends to betray me. It’s a good thing its so fuckin’ windy here that there should be no reflections cuz there are an unreasonable amount of ponds just like everywhere. Whats the shit is this place? 

I ask myself as I collect my surroundings. “I’m not in Kansas anymore toto“ I mumble.

The hell is going on here? I must be fast asleep because this shit looks crazy. I wonder if technology will ever catch up to what the brain can produce? Man, I’m totally okay with never remembering my dreams if it means they’re this empirically awesome. Wait so if I’m dreaming then that means I get to do what ever the fuck I want? Dangerous…..

“You seem to have taken to this form.” Something says behind my ear. As it manifests into the room. Apparently I was in a room. Huh…

I would describe it to you but how do I explain a being who’s plane is constantly shifting this way and that way. Like I don’t really know how the first, second, and last step is going to look like but that’s what it looks like? I could say blackness, robes and all that shit but if I’m being honest with myself it just scares the shit out of me.

I try to make intelligent interaction but you’ll understand if I say that didn’t happen right? Like, I need to get the hell outa here right now before that thing can do something to me… I’m clearly in over my head. Wait.. Stop thinking… no… thoughts… just.. exist…

And that’s when she hits me. Well I mean bumps into me. This strange hairy looking girl dressed in weird cloths. Boom!

We both gasp in surprise. Eyes scanning each other as quickly as one can. Her eyes opening even further when she sees that thing standing behind me. Don’t blame her. In fact if she’s just gonna freeze like that then maybe I can maneuver myself behind her. As like a shield or something. I’m really not proud of myself right now I’m sorry. I just know at my core that distance is a necessity even if this is all make believe.

“So our guests are all present for this special occasion.” The create says aloud. How do I describe how it sounds. My instincts tell me I might not be actually hearing it so much as knowing what it means to say.

“I know not realm I stand in and who I am before but I know enough that I cannot bind you.” The furry girl says aloud as she buries her head to the ground. I’m unsure if it’s wise to take your eyes off this thing but I’m also unsure if its wise to spend too much time seeing it either. I’m pretty sure the best option is to keep myself a fly on the wall as much as possible.

“It is good to know you are not a fool, little Nora Ashtemen Algemast, summoner. Small. Tiny thing.” The creature retorts. I can feel the satisfaction through its words. “To find yourself groveling here. The honor of it all should see you six feet under how deep the respect you in-debt yourself.”

Alarming… Thats a very scary way to see it. Definitely am not going to take my eyes off this one.

“Corin… It is good to see you physically unburdened.” It says to me as it bows it’s head ever so slightly.

“Yeah, well, thank you.” I reply with a gulp. “Good things are good.”

“Indeed,” it intones back.

“Now, I do not imagine we’ve much time together here. I can sense it’s already nearly spent.” It continues on pacing before us, between us. “I’m told to inform you that we accept your charge in exchange for a favor. Which will be acquired naturally through the process of events unfolding.”

The fury girl, Nora was it, seems to stiffen at these words. I’m unsure if it’s elation or fear. I can’t be too sure of any determination by my part not soaked in personal bias at the moment. 

“Do you accept these terms? Small, little thing?”

“I do.” Nora replies still with her head buried in the dirty before the creature.

“Of course you do.” It replies. A smile or maybe a snarl afflicts its face.

“Then it is done and you’ve a summon to rely on.” The thing proclaims as it points it’s finger to me. Against my chest, between my breasts. Right infront of me. Eyes black and spiraling, never ending. A glow with chaos. I can’t help but look away.

It slides it’s finger across my clavicle till it’s palm rests upon my shoulder as it meanders behind me. It’s other arm wrapping around me. Head resting against me. Lips pursed to my right ear it coos.

“I’ve missed you so, have your fun, I’ll see you soon.” 

I shake my head to acknowledge it. Words spoken so softly with such passion I know they’re meant only for me. 

“You’re so perfect. Impossible to kill. So fun to try,” it coos before producing a blade, a dagger of obsidian like material plunging toward where my heart currently beats. I gasp in fright as I wake to my bedroom…

Like my actual bedroom. Not the new one by the college but the one I grew up in back home with mom. I’m alone here, sweat beading down my forehead I unconsciously reach for my chest. Looking down to my heart to find myself unharmed. No, not unharmed, a tiny scratch, a puncture deep enough to permit a droplet of blood but nothing more. 

What. The. Fuck?!!!!

Sounds about right. Should I be so satisfied with how afraid I am. What a crazy dream and what a wild one to actually remember. Like, that was a dream right? Looking down again to my chest, breasts noticeably not present. Just a beed of red bloodlet above my heart which is fucking racing right now. I need to breathe or something. Calm down. I might have a heart attack if not a full blown panic attack. By the way, when did I get home? It’s pretty dark in here. The sun has almost gone down. Not enough to hide the fact that this is indeed my room. Save for the random shit that doesn’t belong here. Like brushes and some girl’s clothes thrown on the floor and chair. 

Gwen’s clothes? She did move in didn’t she? I’m a really bad son I need to just actually know these things you know? Damn that Tye, he must of set me up and dropped me off by my mom’s. I must have fell asleep again… Which means…

I look to the mirror across from me atop a vanity dresser. I seem to have been ceremoniously unloaded onto my old bed. Which is now covered in a very girly pink comforter and matching pillow cases. Definitely Gwen’s work. Cute I guess. Is it the blankets that smell like flowers or is that the room itself? I’d forgotten things can be nice and not on fire or trying to kill you. Well I suppose my comforter is nice. It’s like the only thing…

Either way, my reflection and lack of tits informs me I’m looking rather normal for the moment. The bedding while very pink smells nice and is comfortable and I do not have a dagger plunged to it’s hilt into my heart. So many wins right now it’s hard to be too upset about waking up back in my old bedroom… I wonder how long I’ve been asleep?

You know it’s dawning on me that I should really be getting myself the hell outa here before my luck goes back to normal. I shift myself out of bed, onto my feet, and to the door. Thankfully they just threw me into the bed with my shoes on. So I’m kinda all set to dip. Reaching into my pockets produces me phone and that’s really all I need to scram.

Creaking the door open I can hear the tv downstairs and the sound of lifeforms doing whatever. Some kind of cop drama or forensic case. Means mom’s in charge of the remote at the moment. I wonder if my step father is home right now or if he works this shift? If Gwen isn’t in my room or should I say her room then she’s probably not home or downstairs too. 

I can hear the flaps of a large tail beating against the wood flooring. The sounds of heavy breathing reverberating all the way up the stairs. That's a big dog. Adorable. Big puppy. I gotta be careful it doesn’t notice me. Maybe going down the stairs is a bad idea. Maybe I can just climb out of one of these windows?…

I’ve never actually done that before. It’s kind of a long drop to the grass below. I don’t really think it’s the best idea but I also don’t want to see anyone. I didn’t volunteer to come here and I’m sure Gwen isn’t going to be any nicer to me in the comfort of our home as she would be at our family’s bar. I can’t help but remember Tony telling me to grow up.

I take a deep breath. I’m not very tired and I’m disheveled but currently very normal. I should probably face this head on while the situation is in my favor…

So I land on the grass with a bit of a bang. I can hear the dog barking from the commotion and Gwen and my mom’s hushed voices. Ya know, that really hurt but I’m actually quite satisfied with my decision. I look up to the open bedroom window now ten feet above me. I’ve been made to jump out of places way higher than that. Only a loser mindset would be intimated by a grassy fall. I stop short of thanking Money Lancaster for all the abuse because I refuse to ever thank the man for anything. Either way I’m out of here. The bar is only a mile away and I’m sure I can get my uncle to drop me off if Locke or Tye don’t answer their phones…

I don’t want you to judge me here. I know this lack of conflict might be annoying but you gotta give me my dues. I just am not ready to face all that right now. I’ve got too much going on with my life as it is to have to deal with stuff I spent the last three years running around the world away from. How am I going to just let myself be forced to face it? I’ll handle it all in time. I swear…

Obstacle Twelve. Feralis