11-12-2023, 02:50 AM
As consciousness fluttered back to Jaxen, a surreal sensation engulfed him. He was drifting, not walking, down an endless corridor, suspended on an unseen bed that cradled him in a weightless embrace. His mind, foggy and disjointed, struggled to piece together the fragments of what was happening. He recognized the corridor, bathed in that otherworldly glow. The curves and arcs of the passageway was familiar, yet the beings that surrounded him seemed to understand exactly how to traverse its mind-bending paths. It was in this dream-like state that Jaxen became aware of the hissing whispers echoing around him.
“..the human," one voice slithered, its tone laced with a mixture of curiosity and eagerness. “Are we sure it's him?”
Another voice, smoother, yet chilling, responded. "We are certain. But is he a threat, or an opportunity? The Great Ones will decide. His fate comes.”
Jaxen's heart quickened, the words seeping into his consciousness like venom. He strained to see his captors, but his body refused to obey, remaining locked in its invisible hold. He wasn’t sure which was more terrifying, an alien escort or the fact he couldn’t control his own limbs.
“I smell it on him… It is the one foretold.” A third voice joined, quivering with an emotion that Jaxen couldn't decipher. Excitement? Hunger? Both? He shivered.
Now, Jaxen was no stranger to unpleasant places before. He just needed to think. Think of a way to escape. Then think of a way to run away. Then think of a way to get back to Moscow. First, he had to think of a way to move.
Wait. Smell him? Rude motherfuckers weren’t they? He was wearing Baccarat cologne for fuck's sake.
Jaxen’s eyes fluttered open to witness the corridor spill into a vast chamber.
In the heart of the chamber, under the watchful eyes of the snake-like creatures, the atmosphere shifted. A sudden, sharp sound, like the crack of dawn, echoed through the space, heralding the arrival of new entities. From the recesses of the chamber’s many round doors, a procession of beings, markedly different from his captors, emerged.
These new creatures bore an uncanny resemblance to some sort of mammal, yet they moved with the same distinct, otherworldly aura. Their heads were angular, with sharp, pointed features and ears that tapered to fine tips. Their eyes, a ghostly white, scanned the room with an intelligence that belied their animalistic appearance. Vibrant red hair covered their scalps, contrasting strikingly with the yellow and red robes that flowed elegantly around them. Each one wore a bronze sword at their belt, the metal gleaming in the glowing world.
Silently, the two sets of aliens formed a circle around Jaxen, their eyes fixed upon him with an unsettling intensity. One of the animal-like beings stepped forward, its hand raised in a gesture that was both commanding and graceful. As its fingers moved through the air, Jaxen felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, his senses assaulted as a cloud of images and sounds washed across his mind.
Horrific sights bombarded his field of view: visions of people consumed by fire, of snakes swallowing him up, of darkness so profound it seemed to kill the light itself, of acid raining upon the faces of melting skin, of it dripping on him. He closed his eyes to block the view, to squirm away from the terrors surrounding him, but the more he tried to hide, the clearer the visions became, each one more terrifying than the last. His heart raced, panic clawing at his throat. A scream was trapped within him.
As his fear escalated, he caught a glimpse of a disturbing phenomenon. The beings around him began to inhale deeply, savoring the scent of his terror. Their robes fluttered slightly, stirred by an unseen wind, and their eyes glowed brighter with each passing moment. A soft humming sound filled the chamber, emanating from them, and Jaxen twisted as much as he could to discover they were all entranced with the same drunkenness as the images continued to barrage him, wave after wave of sights plucked straight from his own subconscious.
Trapped amid a circle of predators — for that was certainly what they were — Jaxen realized with chilling clarity that they were drinking the fear they elicited from their own illusions. They were using an illusion — a fucking illusion — to assault his senses. And that was royally pissing him off.
He anchored his mind to anger, and his resolve hardened.
The shift was instantaneous. The once paralyzing dread that had coursed through his veins now burned away, replaced by a blaze of fury. The air around him crackled and hissed, reacting to the sudden change in his emotional state. The Ancient Power within him, dormant under the weight of his fear, now roared to life, fueled by his rage.
The beings staggered back, taken by surprise from the sudden shift in emotions as if the intensity of Jaxen’s anger was a physical force. The invisible bonds holding him shattered, and even in his suit, Jaxen landed nimbly on his feet, body charged with a newfound energy. The illusions that had tormented him dissipated like mist under the sun, their power broken by realizing what was happening.
The chamber, now clear of the haunting visions, revealed the true extent of its size and audience. The snake and animal beings surrounded him, but where they gripped bronze swords and coiled to strike, Jaxen surged with the Ancient Power. A bright arc of energy erupted from his outstretched hands, striking the nearest of the creatures. The being was thrown backwards, its robes billowing as it collided with the chamber wall. The others hesitated, their eyes wide with uncertainty, as Jaxen turned his burning gaze upon them. The snake-creatures, sensing the shift in power, began to hiss and coil, readying themselves for conflict. But Jaxen was a tempest, uncontainable and fierce. He moved with a speed and agility he had never known about himself, each movement infused with the intensity of his rage and the Ancient Power within.
The battle reached a crescendo as Jaxen faced his otherworldly adversaries, ready to burn the entire place to the ground if he had to, when a commanding presence suddenly silenced the tumult.
High above the fray, on a balcony that overlooked the chamber, emerged figures of regal bearing. They exuded an aura of authority that dwarfed all the creatures Jaxen had been contending with. These were the rulers of these alien beings, their demeanor marked by an air of serene command that was instantly recognized by their people.
A striking figure with scales that shimmered like moonlit water, raised a hand. The gesture was elegant, yet it carried an undeniable presence. The other, with hair as red as embers and eyes that held the depth of ancient wisdom, stood beside their counterpart in a silent show of unity. At their signal, the room fell into an immediate, almost oppressive, silence. The beings retreated with a mix of reluctance and obedience. When they slunk away, their eyes were still fixed on Jaxen, but now with a hint of wary respect. They lowered their weapons and slipped into the round openings from which they had first emerged.
Jaxen, his fists still clenched in readiness, watched as the beings retreated. His heart still pounded in his chest, yet he met those haughty eyes and raised his voice,
“Let me go, or I will burn this place to the ground.”
A pause followed, filled with a palpable tension that made Jaxen wonder if they believed his threat. Then, in unison, the two royal creatures declared: “We will bargain with you.”
“..the human," one voice slithered, its tone laced with a mixture of curiosity and eagerness. “Are we sure it's him?”
Another voice, smoother, yet chilling, responded. "We are certain. But is he a threat, or an opportunity? The Great Ones will decide. His fate comes.”
Jaxen's heart quickened, the words seeping into his consciousness like venom. He strained to see his captors, but his body refused to obey, remaining locked in its invisible hold. He wasn’t sure which was more terrifying, an alien escort or the fact he couldn’t control his own limbs.
“I smell it on him… It is the one foretold.” A third voice joined, quivering with an emotion that Jaxen couldn't decipher. Excitement? Hunger? Both? He shivered.
Now, Jaxen was no stranger to unpleasant places before. He just needed to think. Think of a way to escape. Then think of a way to run away. Then think of a way to get back to Moscow. First, he had to think of a way to move.
Wait. Smell him? Rude motherfuckers weren’t they? He was wearing Baccarat cologne for fuck's sake.
Jaxen’s eyes fluttered open to witness the corridor spill into a vast chamber.
In the heart of the chamber, under the watchful eyes of the snake-like creatures, the atmosphere shifted. A sudden, sharp sound, like the crack of dawn, echoed through the space, heralding the arrival of new entities. From the recesses of the chamber’s many round doors, a procession of beings, markedly different from his captors, emerged.
These new creatures bore an uncanny resemblance to some sort of mammal, yet they moved with the same distinct, otherworldly aura. Their heads were angular, with sharp, pointed features and ears that tapered to fine tips. Their eyes, a ghostly white, scanned the room with an intelligence that belied their animalistic appearance. Vibrant red hair covered their scalps, contrasting strikingly with the yellow and red robes that flowed elegantly around them. Each one wore a bronze sword at their belt, the metal gleaming in the glowing world.
Silently, the two sets of aliens formed a circle around Jaxen, their eyes fixed upon him with an unsettling intensity. One of the animal-like beings stepped forward, its hand raised in a gesture that was both commanding and graceful. As its fingers moved through the air, Jaxen felt a wave of dizziness wash over him, his senses assaulted as a cloud of images and sounds washed across his mind.
Horrific sights bombarded his field of view: visions of people consumed by fire, of snakes swallowing him up, of darkness so profound it seemed to kill the light itself, of acid raining upon the faces of melting skin, of it dripping on him. He closed his eyes to block the view, to squirm away from the terrors surrounding him, but the more he tried to hide, the clearer the visions became, each one more terrifying than the last. His heart raced, panic clawing at his throat. A scream was trapped within him.
As his fear escalated, he caught a glimpse of a disturbing phenomenon. The beings around him began to inhale deeply, savoring the scent of his terror. Their robes fluttered slightly, stirred by an unseen wind, and their eyes glowed brighter with each passing moment. A soft humming sound filled the chamber, emanating from them, and Jaxen twisted as much as he could to discover they were all entranced with the same drunkenness as the images continued to barrage him, wave after wave of sights plucked straight from his own subconscious.
Trapped amid a circle of predators — for that was certainly what they were — Jaxen realized with chilling clarity that they were drinking the fear they elicited from their own illusions. They were using an illusion — a fucking illusion — to assault his senses. And that was royally pissing him off.
He anchored his mind to anger, and his resolve hardened.
The shift was instantaneous. The once paralyzing dread that had coursed through his veins now burned away, replaced by a blaze of fury. The air around him crackled and hissed, reacting to the sudden change in his emotional state. The Ancient Power within him, dormant under the weight of his fear, now roared to life, fueled by his rage.
The beings staggered back, taken by surprise from the sudden shift in emotions as if the intensity of Jaxen’s anger was a physical force. The invisible bonds holding him shattered, and even in his suit, Jaxen landed nimbly on his feet, body charged with a newfound energy. The illusions that had tormented him dissipated like mist under the sun, their power broken by realizing what was happening.
The chamber, now clear of the haunting visions, revealed the true extent of its size and audience. The snake and animal beings surrounded him, but where they gripped bronze swords and coiled to strike, Jaxen surged with the Ancient Power. A bright arc of energy erupted from his outstretched hands, striking the nearest of the creatures. The being was thrown backwards, its robes billowing as it collided with the chamber wall. The others hesitated, their eyes wide with uncertainty, as Jaxen turned his burning gaze upon them. The snake-creatures, sensing the shift in power, began to hiss and coil, readying themselves for conflict. But Jaxen was a tempest, uncontainable and fierce. He moved with a speed and agility he had never known about himself, each movement infused with the intensity of his rage and the Ancient Power within.
The battle reached a crescendo as Jaxen faced his otherworldly adversaries, ready to burn the entire place to the ground if he had to, when a commanding presence suddenly silenced the tumult.
High above the fray, on a balcony that overlooked the chamber, emerged figures of regal bearing. They exuded an aura of authority that dwarfed all the creatures Jaxen had been contending with. These were the rulers of these alien beings, their demeanor marked by an air of serene command that was instantly recognized by their people.
A striking figure with scales that shimmered like moonlit water, raised a hand. The gesture was elegant, yet it carried an undeniable presence. The other, with hair as red as embers and eyes that held the depth of ancient wisdom, stood beside their counterpart in a silent show of unity. At their signal, the room fell into an immediate, almost oppressive, silence. The beings retreated with a mix of reluctance and obedience. When they slunk away, their eyes were still fixed on Jaxen, but now with a hint of wary respect. They lowered their weapons and slipped into the round openings from which they had first emerged.
Jaxen, his fists still clenched in readiness, watched as the beings retreated. His heart still pounded in his chest, yet he met those haughty eyes and raised his voice,
“Let me go, or I will burn this place to the ground.”
A pause followed, filled with a palpable tension that made Jaxen wonder if they believed his threat. Then, in unison, the two royal creatures declared: “We will bargain with you.”