Nightmare (Solo)

[Liam]

Timestamp: Spring 31, 510 AV Liam was at rest, though to call it sleeping might be a bit inaccurate. As a ghost he did not need to sleep, but Liam did need to rest and he soon found his mind drifting to the world of dreams. "Liam..." Liam's eyes snapped open and he looked around in confusion. No longer was he in the abandoned shack he had chosen for his resting place. Liam was shocked to find himself standing in a distantly familiar pasture. A horse was running across the pasture, it's strong legs pumping and shoed hooves kicking up dirt as it flew past. A boy was riding on it's back.. one that Liam immediately recognized. Daniel! Liam tried to shout but found he had no voice. Daniel, my son!. Bit Daniel rode on, unhearing and unseeing. "Liam..." Liam was in a room.. it took him a moment, but he quickly recognized it as his old bedroom. This is impossible... Liam was facing the mirror, and the man he saw made his jaw drop. It was him.. Only alive, and years younger. Liam slowly approached, his hands raising fearfully to his face... He could touch it. He could feel it, feel his face, his smooth shaven skin warm to the touch. How is this possible? A sound from the kitchen snapped Liam out of his trance and Liam turned to the door, going to investigate. His wife, Cassidy, was sitting at the table waiting for him to come to breakfast. Eggs, bacon, fresh milk.. The light in his wives eyes, what was the occasion? "Good morning darling." "Good morning love, what's the occasion?" His wife jumped to her feet, the smile on her face and look in her eyes was glorious. Wait.. this can't be.. I.. I remember this. Cass practically leapt into his arms giving Liam a heartfelt kiss which Liam returned happily. "Oh Liam! I was going to wait until your mother got here this afternoon but I just can't wait!" Cass took a step back and smiled happily. "What? What is it, love?" "I am with child, Liam... You're going to be a father!"

[Liam]

Liam's eyes snapped open. He was in the market, a merchant was saying something and he had a bottle of fine grape wine in his hands. No! No!! What am I doing here? I have to get back home! "That'll be five mizas, milord." he merchant's words snapped Liam out of his trance and he realized he had yet to pay the man. "Oh, of course," he replied as he fished the coins from his coin pouch. "Here you go. I don't usually go for this stuff, but tonight I celebrate. I'm going to be a father!" "Liam..." His eyes snapped open again. Liam was on his horse, the familiar feel of the steed beneath him something that once brought him such joy. The bottle was stashed firmly in one of the saddlebags, but all was not well. Liam's sword was drawn and he was staring down the road. Three men that he could see, though likely many more, were hidden next to the road. By the sun's place in the sky Liam figured it was about noon, and a carriage that could only be his mother's was turning down the road leading into his farm. No! ...not this. Don't hesitate, go! The men sprung from hiding. Liam heard the cries of the driver, not his mothers voice, though he knew she would be next if he didn't act now. Liam charged, shouting a cry of challenge at the men surrounding the carriage. Three turned, though how many more were on the other side of the carriage he did not know. One raised his axe and slashed as Liam charged in, felling his horse and sending Liam flying fromthe saddle. Liam rolled to his feet and met the attack of a second man with such a fury he never knew he possessed. Not only did he stop the swing of the bandit's blade but cut through steel of blade and armor alike, splitting the man in two and ending his life. The first and third man flanked him and Liam fought them off as the cries of his mother sounded from the opposite side of the carriage. In an instant the two men were dead and Liam was running for the carriage. The eyes of their severed heads watched with gaping mouths as Liam rounded the corner.

[Liam]

Liam came around the corner and into a dark room, illuminated by a lone candle sitting on a desk. Next to the candle was an open journal, and Liam slowly approached. No! Mother! Go back! We have to help help her! Liam was in front of the desk, his body shook as he read the words written in black ink across the page: 28th of Spring, 495 AV The bandits we hired to kill his mother were slaughtered, except for the one that got away. According to him it worked out better than we anticipated. We were just trying to break his spirits, to ruin his perfect day. The news of his son would be nothing in comparison to hearing of his own mothers death. We never dreamed he would be there to see it... But it worked out better than that. Liam blamed his goddess for the death. According to the bandit he cursed Rak'kelis name when she died. We couldn't have dreamed a better outcome. That was all Liam read. The rest didn't matter...

[Liam]

Liam rounded the corner. His mother was lying on the ground, blood pouring from the wound over her chest. A beast stood over her, like nothing Liam had ever seen before. It was laughing, "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It lauhed as Liam ran past it and fell to his knees beside his quickly fading mother. "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It laughed as he pleaded with the goddess to save his mother, two save her priestess who had saved so many before. "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It laughed as he cursed Rak'kelis name and demanded she do something. "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It laughed as his mother begged him with her last breath not to blame the goddess. "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It laughed as Liam swore never again to speak the name Rak'keli in kindness for the rest of his years. "AHAHAHAHAAA!" It laughed as Liam wept over his mother's remains, and laughed as he broke the news to his wife. It laughed as he buried his mother, and burned the symbol of Rak'keli upon her grave. It laughed and never stopped as Liam's life continued to fall to shambles, as chaos infected his every living day. It laughed when he embraced chaos as his only salvation, and it laughed as he died fighting against it. "AHAHAHAHAAA! AHAHAHAHAAA! AHAHAHAHAAA! AHAHAHAHAAA! AHAHAHAHAAA!"

[Liam]

Liam's eyes snapped open. He was in the room again, lit only by the single candle. The desk was gone, as was the journal, but the beast stood before him, the candle flickering dimly in it's hand. Liam stared into it's eyes, swirling pits of chaos on the otherwise calm face. The beast leaned down until it's eyes were even with Liam's. Liam did not back away, did not cringe or flinch, his rage wouldn't allow it. The beast spoke, it's voice was deceptively soothing. "You are mine, Liam Ward. You have always been mine. You will always be mine." "NOOOO!!!!" Liam's eyes snapped open, or rather, he was suddenly aware of his surroundings. He was in a dark and dusty room. Old empty crates lay strewn about and cobwebs were everywhere. Liam was awake, it had been nothing but a nightmare; he remembered it all. The dream wasn't exactly like it happened.. But it brought the real memories back to him, of his mothers death and his inability to save her. The memories he had forgotten or buried, though the rage behind them never left. The beast was Rhysol. Of course, it wasn't really Rhysol. Liam had never even seen the deity, much less stood face to face with him alone in a room. But the symbolism had been real enough. Rhysol was the cause of all the troubles he'd had in life, and his reason for remaining after death. "I am not yours, Rhysol. I will never be again..."

[Seth]

Liam: Lores: The Joy of a Newborn Father, The Pain of Watching your Mother Die, Using Rage to Strengthen your Blows. The Method behind my Madness : I just awarded you some lores, since like you said, there wasn't any real-life action in this thread. Let me know if you thought you deserved any other lores. Good read! I am enjoying following along with Liam's tragic tale! <3!