Part two: Just a game? INSIDE THE REALM NIGHTMARES DAY ONE: CHAPTER ONE
990 Words
"It is a profound mistake to underestimate the lure and attraction of a great evil."
- Unknown
Matt could hear voices in his dream!
"That's him I tell you!" Said a garbled voice.
"You're wrong Juda. This is a boy! Do you realize what you're saying? You're saying this person hasn't aged in over six hundred years," asked a deep voice.
The person called Juda responded quickly, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but this is the child warrior that defeated Vladu Thorne, the vampire, the beast that took over Valhegen Graveyard six hundred and sixty-six years ago."
"Juda, this would mean Matthais is older than Caiaphais the Grand wizard. Even older than myself, Iscari," said a higher-pitched voice.
Juda, with the garbled voice, stood up to emphasize his idea.
"I'm telling you, this is the boy king, whom Arcan - your predecessor Caiaphais - brought back to defeat Vladu. He is the one who gave me this scar and told me to betray Vladu and work for Arcan. If I can remember correctly, the boy told me when we battled, 'You Juda remind me of another. Betray Vladu or perish.' When I gave away Vladu's hiding place, the boy told me, 'Juda! Work for Arcan then Caiaphais, for one day I shall return and call upon your services once more!' So, listen to me master. This is the Matthais who has been before and will be again."
With these words, Matt awoke. The dim light in the room was a comfort to his sore eyes. When his eyes became accustomed to the light he saw the magician, who appeared in his room. He also saw a short, portly figure he guessed to be a midget and then the last figure stepped into the light.
This abhorrer frightened him the most. It was a vampire, one of the minion. It's yellow fangs glimmering in the candlelight.
The vampire spoke, "See master he awakes!"
Matt looked at the figure, who had brought him to this strange world. "I am Caiaphais," he said. "This is Juda," he pointed to the vampire. "And this is Iscari," he said pointing to the midget.
"You Matthais are heir to this kingdom! This honor was bestowed upon you by the great one. Creator of this universe, our God."
That statement caught Matt by surprise. He didn't know why he was so great and he didn't like being appointed by a God.
"Why me," he muttered.
Juda spoke up despite Caiaphais' protests, "You were the chosen because it was said you know the realm better than any living creature. You were here before and can restore peace to the realm. Now you are here to vanquish the evil that is upon us. The evil has captured our lord and is keeping him until your arrival, to meet his challenge."
Matt just looked around the room, for the first time. The room was like a model his father had made of Basafal, the Grand wizard's chambers, from his father's realm. The room was stone with an ancient wooden table in its' center. On the table, potions, spells, jewels, gold, and some indiscernible items set. There were mats on the floor used for sitting, sleeping, and who knows what else. Matt asked, "Am I in Basafal?"
Juda fell to his knees whimpering.
Caiaphais spoke once again, "How ... how did you know the name of this place?"
Matt said, "I just guessed." He was beginning to like it in this place. He thought he must have been shocked and passed-out when his computer exploded. This could be a
dream.
Iscari, as if he read Matt's mind, answered, "No Matthais, this is no dream. The evil is also not easily vanquished."
Matt looked at Juda and shivered. He thought for a second he recognized the vampire. It must just have been the idea that Juda looked like a metal miniature his father made.
Matt sat on a carpet lying on the floor. He asked Caiaphais to please explain the situation so that he might understand what he was going up against. Caiaphais began his long tale, "Our lord, creator of the realm lives in ..."
Matt interjected, "Labeques?"
Again Juda cringed at the knowledge this outsider possessed. Especially, if Iscari was correct in his belief that it wasn't the same person whom defeated Vladu ñ the ghoul.
Caiaphais stared at Matt for a moment, then continued, "Yes! In Labeques. I will show you a holographic image of him later. Our God, fortold of a time of danger and dispel in the realm. It has come, again. The first time was six hundred and sixty six years ago. An evil vampire took over control of a graveyard south of here."
Matt interrupted again, "Your God told Arcan to go to the realm called earth and get a specific person. A boy. This lone boy could defeat Vladu Thorne at Valhegen graveyard. He acquired the help of a vampire and tricked Vladu into losing control and ultimately his life. That is the vampire who helped destroy Vladu." Matt pointed at Juda.
Juda now had no doubt this was the saviour of the realm.
He had been born six hundred and sixty-six years ago and rose
from the dead today, to defeat the unknown evil.
Caiaphais now was amazed. His God had told him when. last they met, "If I disappear, go to Earth (Our sister World) bring a boy named Matthais back. He is our only hope, he knows the realm and has been in it before. He is shy and will not remember being here. Prod his memory and you will be surprised."
Caiaphais asked Matt, "How ... how did you know all this?
Again Matt shrugged, "I guess I read it somewhere in a manual."
Iscari, who had been speechless, again spoke in his high pitched voice, "What is a manual and what would it tell of this world?"
Matt didn't answer. He was now afraid. He couldn't remember how he knew so many details of the realm. Caiaphais noted his frustrations and emotions and told him to sleep, it would be a long days traveling to get to Labeques. Matt laid down listening to the other men arguing and fell right to sleep. He dreamed strange dreams, about his father and the realm and his game.
- Writer
