Dream: Distorted Truth

Date: 8/14/2021

Was a skilled magic user who could walk between the realms of the living, the dead, the shadows, and the mirrors. Was named Ashton but sometimes was just called Ace. Was female. Approximately 23. Lived with mom, twin brother, and two younger brothers. Went out with some allies (and friends) of mine to make sure the borders between the four realms were still stable. Primara wound up captured by something that crossed over from one of those realms. Amaraq barely managed to activate her tracking charm, something only he could track, before she was gone from sight. Kiffrin closed that point and we left to try and find another point closer to her new location. Hours of tracking and fixing older border seals... Amaraq finally found her new location. He and Kiffrin went to get preparations made for getting Primara back. I made my way towards my home. I had to make sure they were safe and prepared for what may come. When I arrived I saw some new man in the home. The more I watched him the more I realized he wasn't new, just looked a bit younger than I last saw him. "Dongho?" I asked in surprise. The man nodded and tipped his hat to me. He motioned for me to join him by the window. He used to look almost 40 but now he could pass for about 25. It was a striking change. "What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised my family wasn't out in the front room right now. "They sleep, Ace, as they should. Rest will be needed with what is coming." Dongho told me. "That doesn't explain--" He put a finger over my lips to silence me. I nodded. He grinned, "I am here to repay my debt. You gave me a place in this realm to protect and guide others. Something your predecessors likely wouldn't have tried. As one of the shadows... my kind are usually demonized before given a chance to show we are not such a thing..." He smiled warmly, "I wish to help your family. They have gifts hidden within that can guide and protect them with those beings trying to get loose." "What are they?" "My kind always called them 'void beings' or some variation of it. They are from the space between realms...and are most vile." "Do you know how to stop them?" Dongho shook his head. He smiled wearily, "But your predecessors knew. You know you can call out to them for guidance." "I'm not sure there's enough time." "Amaraq and Kiffrin will end up captured whether you make time or not. I have seen this. But if you don't make time... you will fall... and not even I can guide enough people to stop those things." I grimaced and nodded, "You'll watch over me while I'm under, right?" "You know I will," he smirked. I felt my cheeks heat up. I hated that he looked even more handsome now. It would become a distraction if I wasn't careful. I climbed up on top of the table and sat cross-legged, both hands resting on my knees. "Whispers of the past now become clear." I stated firmly as I felt my magic course through and send me to the realm of the dead. It was colder. The colors were still there but almost muted. I could feel some spirits nearby. Older and newer alike. I got up from my body and looked around at those nearby. "Make sure to use a tracker. Something you were handed from them." I heard Dongho's voice call between the realms. It was a bit distorted but I understood it. I lifted my snake amulet from around my neck and looped it around my left wrist, holding the amulet in my left hand. "Great protector and guide of my line, please help me find one of my predecessors who can help us win this fight." I traversed a while. A light from my amulet leading me to them. I don't remember what they told me but something in me said I'd remember once I needed to. I returned to my body. Dongho had a hand on my shoulder when I returned to the realm of the living. His eyes seemed deeply concerned. I didn't understand why at first but then I felt the blood dripping from my nose. "Occupational hazard. I had to go pretty far in to find them. You know it gets pretty cold there." I grabbed some tissues and wiped the blood away. From their I used some minor healing magic. He let go of my shoulder and I got up from the table. I wrote out a quick letter for him to give to my mom or brother, whoever wakes first, so they'd know why he was there. "Ace, you must be careful." I hugged him, "I promise I will. I need to get the rest of my patrol back." He hugged me back and buried his face in my shoulder. "Please make sure that you come back too." "I'll do my best." I had no idea if I'd survive this. I did know, however, that I had plenty of people who still needed me here. Time passed. I was now out amongst the ruins of an old fortress. Amaraq was still there, barely standing. Kiffrin had been taken moments before. Into that space of the void. "Where have you been?" Amaraq snapped as he tried to stay on his feet. "Getting answers. These aren't from the four realms. They're older." I told him and placed a hand on his shoulder, forcing the information into him. He staggered for a moment but quickly stabilized, "I understand. I'll try and get them out in time." I nodded and felt the snake amulet slowly merge with me, scales working their way across my skin. I gained a fiery glow to my eyes as I charged towards some of these void beings that chose to appear human. "You've overstayed your welcome." I growled as my nails lengthened and became black claws. I slashed at one of the void beings. She dodged my attack and countered with her daggers. "You know nothing of us. We live in the Between. We die in the Between. But there is nothing there." She snarled at me. "We just want to really live. To thrive." "So you take our people and expect us to allow that?" I slashed at her again, managing to cut across her shoulder. Her comrades charged at me. Amaraq dived into their gateway to try and find our friends. We continued to clash. I don't know how long it was. I just remember feeling that something here wasn't quite right. Amaraq eventually returned to the battle. No sign of our comrades. He let loose a pulse of magic towards us. Freezing us all in place. "They aren't our enemy. They are the ones who fell." He told me. I felt my stomach churn. I looked across to the woman I'd slashed. Her image was distorted at first but soon it became clear. She was Primara. A distorted version of her. One of her comrades was a distorted version of Kiffrin. The others all former members of the border patrols. People long thought gone... only to be distorted. "The Between... takes us near death... keeps us... kills us..." one of the older members told Amaraq as he made his way to us all. Amaraq undid his spell and we all dropped to our knees. I felt my stomach churn more. "Then the Between... the void people... are our own..." I couldn't believe this. "Not all. Some are void beings. Nasty creatures... but only wish to stay in their home. Between... something wrong... something in it." Primara stated as she looked to us. She held her hand to me, "You must see." I took her hand and felt the surge of information. I stumbled back and blacked out. Voices. Whisperings. So much information tumbling inside my mind. So much trying to organize inside my mind. I felt lightning race through my veins. "Ace." "You need..." "...come back..." Soon all voices faded. I fell into the darkness. Deep within. I felt a comfort in it. A warm embrace. Almost loving. I tumbled through that darkness. Then I opened my eyes. I was lying on a bed. My head hurt. Something was causing a pounding against my skull. "You okay, Ace?" I looked up and saw Dongho standing in the doorway. He still looked about 25 but somehow he looked even more handsome than last I saw him. He flashed me a smirk and I groaned. "What happened?" I asked him. "You don't remember?" He questioned, a wry grin curling his lips. I shook my head. Only to instantly regret it. I attempted to climb out of the bed but was hit by a dizzy spell. "The pounding still going?" I looked up at him. My head throbbed. I could see shadowed tendrils curling outward from his eyes. Creating tattoo like markings on his face. Proof of him being of the Shadow Kin. "Take a deep breath. Slowly." He told me as he came to my bedside. He knelt in front of me. He took my hands in his and watched as I slowly took a deep breath. I felt my nerves calm and the pounding in my head lessened. I slowly let out the breath and gave his hands a light squeeze. "What is the last thing you remember?" I looked in his eyes. The shadowy tendrils slowly fading beneath the surface. "We found Primara...but she was distorted. So was Kiffrin." I told him calmly, "All our patrol members... they had been in the Between... Becoming distorted into the void people." "All of them?" Dongho's eyes were serious. A hard edge piercing into my memories. "No... Amaraq walked through the gate and came out just fine..." I whispered. I chewed my lip and looked away. He gave my hands a squeeze. "What happened next?" "Primara forced a connection to me. Information shot through my mind. Too much of it. Fractured." "Why didn't she just speak it?" I could almost hear her voice in my mind, "Because he would distort her more. He wouldn't let me leave if I were told. If it looked as though I were worn from the attack... he wouldn't have reason to suspect." Dongho nodded and got to his feet. He kissed the top of my head. I chewed my lip again. "Why would he do this?" "Because, Ace, he was never really part of the patrol." Dongho's voice was cold, "I'd had my suspicions but I suppose it was foolish of me not to act." "Now is the time to act." I told him sternly. Time passed again. I stood in the center of the fortress ruins. Across from me was Amaraq. He was creating distortions in the air around him. Primara stood beside me, Kiffrin next to her. The two of them were fighting against the distortions they'd been infected with. I pushed my doubts to the back of my mind. "Guess we're doing this then." I awoke after that.