The Game: Enter the Darkness of your mind

Part One: Just a game? Reality Now CHAPTER 1

“Is all that we see or seem,

But a dream within a dream

-Poe”

Chapter 1:

 The thick gnarly underbrush grabbed at the four figures' clothes as they ran through the dense forest.  "Hurry up guys," cried the lone girl in the party.

      "She's right.  I think they are following us," someone said, panting an answer to the comment.

      The forest seemed to close all possible escape routes.  They ran on, single file - as space permitted; knocking the branches, which seem alive, out of the way as they ran.  The leader of the group suddenly stopped.  

The others plowed into him.  Something could be heard following the group.  "Why did you stop? "You dope!" someone yelped.

      "They are almost on us," called another.

      The leader turned around.  "LOOK!" he called out to the three with him.  There before them was the entrance to a cavern.  Was this refuge or Doom??

      "Well, I'm not staying here," the girl yelled and ran blindly into the gaping mouth.

      The fourth and last person, a warrior, said, "I'm ready for a fight."  He grabbed his sword, which immediately burst into flame.  The person nearest to him grabbed onto his tunic and pulled him into the cavern, just as several undead soldiers burst from the fetid forest.

      Mumbling could be heard emanating from the cave.

      The undead, slobbering and salivating, pulled themselves from the forest.  Their stride was slow and laborious.  One beast crawled forth dragging his useless legs behind.  They could sense their prey just inside the gaping jaws of the cavern's mouth.  They began to rush forward, no longer inhibited by the brush.  The one crawling forward reached the mouth first.

      A strange vibrating filled the air.  Someone was using a magic spell.  An ominous, inhuman fog crept forth out of the cavern's mouth.  The fog filled the clearing.  It transformed the mouth of the cavern.  Inside, the cavern became black.  No longer could any light be seen.  A wall had formed, blocking the undead's path.  When the fog cleared, a bestial wailing filled the air.  The inhuman sound caused the four travelers inside the cavern to grab their ears.

      The beast crawling on the ground was not as fortunate as its comrades.  It had been stuck midway inside the mouth.  It was now imbedded in the wall.  The beast struck out with its claws.  Outside, the legs flopped wildly.  The other undead beasts, oblivious to their partner's dilemma, began looking for another way in to get their prey.

      Inside, the warrior saw what had happened to the beast crawling after him. "You got to be kiddin'."   He drew his sword once again.  He lunged at the beast imbedded in the wall.  The beast grabbed out for its food.  The warrior swung, knocking the head from the beast's body.  He lit the sword's mysterious flame.  Now, the sword burned the undead flesh in an instant.  The beast lay limp, unmoving, finally. The warrior went over to the body and kicked it, making sure of its death.  When he felt satisfied, he grabbed the head and cut the left ear off.  He went to work, attaching the ear to a necklace of ears cut from his past opponents.

      The other members of the group were occupied, while this aggressive action transpired.  Two members of the party bent over the prone body of the companion who had cast the spell saving their lives.

      "God, that's what I hate about using magic!" he said as he staggered up with their help.  The three started moving towards the center of the cavern, amazed with what the warrior was doing to the trapped beast. As the fighter finished his chore and joined the others, a blue sphere floated down from the ceiling orifices.

      A disembodied head floated in the shining blue sphere.  The head spoke, "I am your nightmare controller.  The god of this universe, my father created!  The absolute authority! ONLY I know the perilous paths and from whence they came and will traverse.  Your fate is in my hands!" 

      The girl raised her left arm, clenching her fist, "I am Wotar the witch.  I have great strength and powers, the strongest of all dream weapons, strong armor, and the mighty talking sword of darkness."

      Raising his hand in a similar fashion, the next figure whispered, "I am Duncane the dream-maker, the cleverest of all the dream warriors, not so strong but with enough tricks and powers to keep me safe."

      The small warrior saluted like a German soldier, "I am whom they call Pyro - destructive.  I have the fire - sword.  I enjoy welding it in many ways!"

      The last figure, unlike the rest, was hooded in a white religious garb.  "I am Petrea, a holy man.  In reaching the ninth level, I have gained many magic spells and charms.  The greatest is the graven claw of Desmos.  I also have a sword used only should my magic fail me.  My greatest powers relate to dreams.  I can make my dreams reality and I can enter other's dreams or NIGHTMARES!"

      The nightmare controller began to speak again. He explained the surroundings to the travelers.  "You have come through a wasteland of gnarled hills, covered with withered trees and dried grass.  Beneath these hills lain the entrance to the f*******n mazes of the Dreamicon, which you have now found.  It is rumored that within these mazes lives the mutated people, once human they are now unspeakably vicious.  It is also known there are wondrous treasures in these mazes for those brave and clever enough to find them.  Thus warned, shall ye enter the game?"

      The group cheered, "Aye!"

      The sword's light flickered and died.  One of the figures giggled nervously.  The nightmare controller blinked and the flame re - lit.  He spoke, "Let the journey begin ... from whence you last ceased."

      The foursome cautiously backed away as the cavern rumbled and a secret passage was visible where the wall crumbled.  The sword's flame, throwing grotesque shadows upon the walls, was their only source of light.  A map of the nightmare realms was placed in the middle of a pentangular table.  The controller's father designed the map and was one of a kind.  It was created on genuine papyrus, inscribed in ink, and tied with silk strapping.

      The dream warriors' adventure in the Nightmare Realm was about to continue from within the caverns and mazes of the Dreamicon.  The blue sphere shimmered then burst. The nightmare controller had left them.  They now were to continue.

      The quartet picked up the map from the pentangular table and made their way downward through the darkness.  The caverns and mazes were dimly lit by torches placed randomly throughout the passages.  The smell was dank and musty, much like the smell of decay.  Mist danced around their feet as moisture dripped from the fetid walls.

      After walking for some time, the group noticed a great chasm appear out of the mists.  Once again, the blue sphere visited the travelers.  Twelve blood thirsty minion became visible across the mists.  "In the maze you blindly stumble face to face with a dozen bloodthirsty minion; creatures created by the Dark One.  Beasts of this realm.  Vampiric, shape shifting ghouls - creatures of darkness, sated only by their thirst for blood." said the controller.

      The quartet cheered, "Whew!"

      “Yeah!”  Duncane said, “You ain't holdin' back this time!” receiving disapproving glances from the rest of the group.

      The game master continued, "However, between you and the evil undead is a deep pit where at the very bottom you can see a faint glitter. It could be the legendary treasure of the Dreamicon, or it could be a deadly trap."  The little warrior, Pyro, and the witch, Wotar, noticed a hidden bridge crossing the gorge.

      Ready for a fight, they crossed the chasm.  Pyro lit his sword and began fighting.  Wotar chanted spells.  Pyro was ranting and raving like a maniac enjoying the bloodbath he created.  Soon the minions' numbers were reduced.  The beasts began backing towards the tunnel.  Pyro followed.  Duncane shouted, "I, Duncane, jump into the pit to gather the treasure, how much does Duncane get?"  Then leapt wildly into the chasm.  A great cry echoed through the cavern.

      The controller is visibly flabbergasted.  He didn't expect anyone to be so brash and foolish.  The ball shimmered, then disappeared. He gasps, "It's a trap!" 

      Wotar screams, "No!"

      The controller's voice could be heard although the ball was gone, "The pit is filled with sharp gem encrusted spikes; Duncane the dream-maker is impaled and dies instantly.”

       Wotar whimpers, "Petrea save him! Use your power to raise the dead !"  Petrea is confused slightly.  The action is moving to fast.

      Then he realizes his comrade just died.  "I can't!  I don't have enough points to raise the dead." 

      The quartet returned to the waiting room of the game.  The virtual reality of the game had been broken.  Four mannequins stood against a cavern backdrop. A frustrated, Wotar mannequin screamed, "Oh crap!  Dennis, why?"  Dennis, who had been Duncane, shrugged. A fifth figure materialized out of thin air.  He pointed to the space in front of him.  A menu appeared.  It read: 

 The controller hit the word end and save; the   game shimmered.  Pyro vanished.

      The other four found themselves in chairs with helmets, gloves, and harnesses on.  Dennis was the first to get the apparatus off.  He made his way to the wall and fumbled with the light switch.  The lights brightened the room considerably, causing the group to squint their eyes. 

      Wendy, who was Wotar, continued her ranting, not missing a beat, "Dennis, that was really stupid.  Jumping into the pit without using your sonar first!  Really stupid.  Why did you do that?"

      Matt, the controller, said, "Cheer up Dennis.  You can start again as a new character." 

      Still annoyed at Dennis, Wendy snorted, "No!  That will take him forever to gather power."

      Matt, covering himself, said, "Well, I didn't kill him."

      Dennis cried, "Did so!"

      Peter recuperating from his shock announced, "You weren't paying attention Dennis!  It was your fault!"

      Matt, trying to regain control of the group begged, "Ok! Let's not fight about it.  It's only a game."

      "Right, so, what are we going to do now?" pouted Wendy.

      "Let's call it a night!  I'm tired and I have to type the figures of this game into the computer before I go to bed." Matt announced.

      Wendy huffed, "Since Dennis got his character killed, I agree."

      "What about Pyro?" asked Pete.

      Matt said, "I will give his modem a buzz when we are ready to play again.  He never misses a game.  I think he sleeps in his devices." 

      Walking the trio to the door, Matt asked, "Denny and Pete are you two still staying over tonight?"

      "Naw! Mom says I can't!  That old bat anyway."  Denny complained.

      "I will Matt.  I have to go home to get my clothes and stuff first though." said Peter.

      Matt nodded, "Ok!  That will give me time to type the information from tonight's game into the computer." 

      "Good bye Dream Warriors."  called Matt.   "Goodnight Nightmare - Controller.  Don't let the minion bite." responded the trio.  

       "See ya in a half hour." Peter added.

      "Goodnight boys and girl," called Mrs.  Nightshade to Peter, Denny, and Wendy, who called back, "Goodnight Mrs. N."

      Mrs. Nightshade got up from her chair and walked over to Matt.  "When are you going to stop playing that game?" she asked.

      Matt brushed his mother away saying, "It's all I have left of dad.  You want me to quit and let him go?"

      She apologized to her son by saying, "Your father didn't know what he was creating."  She saw the hurt look on her son's face and asked, "Well how did the game go tonight Matt?"

      Disheartened he replied, "Well Denny's character committed suicide.  Denny and Wendy got into a fight.  Other than that it was great Ma.  Now I have to type my results into the computer.  When Pete comes send him up, please." 

     "Ok son!  I love you."  she spoke.

     "Love you too mom."  Matt walked slowly up to his room.