That which lies in the dark
Beyond the borders of the peaceful kingdom of harmony. Past the lush green forests that teem with life. Further beyond than where the settlers tend the new land. This is a place even the mighty dragons fear to tread. A desolate land that the sun doesn’t even want as it tries to burn it off of the face of the planet. All life stops here. A place that is known by many names.
The Desert of Death.
The Scorched Plain.
The Poisoned Valley.
The Badlands.
Not much is known about the Badlands. And like all things of the unknown, myths and legends spring up everywhere. From a kingdom that had fallen from a curse to it being the hidden entrance of Tartarus.
Something that all of those myths and legends have in common. There is not a speck of life in that barren wasteland.
But, what does roam the Badlands is the things of nightmares. They are the shadows in the corner of your eye. The flicker of movement in the mirror. They stalk those that walk in the night. Always waiting, always watching. They are the cause of the sudden chill in the air. The faint sound that you hear following you, but when you turn to confront them. You will always find…
Nothing
All anybody knows about the Badlands is what they can see, but like all mysteries the deeper you look the more questions you tend to find. And this place is no different. For underneath the brittle soil that lines the valley floor, lies a vast network of tunnels. Always twisting and turning, branching off only to reconnect, doubling back on itself, and often coming to a dead end.
Continuously sloping up and down, slowly ever so slowly leading you further and deeper into the volcanic bedrock.
If anyone managed to navigate that labrinth. You would find an immense fortress of black crystal that appears to be illuminated with a sickly green light. It didn't look like it was built. It had a look of of an ocean wave frozen in time. The towers and the ramparts seem to flow in a graceful dance.
Something seemingly emerged from the walls. Monstrosities with chitin of obsidian, punctured with the scars of numerous battle wounds. Their soulless eyes entrap the unwary with a cold, calculating stare that seems to freeze your body and mind in place. Rendering you immobilized within the icy blue void.
First you would try to run, trying to escape the creatures that plague your dreams. Only to round the next corner and find another one waiting.
When running proved fruitless, you would hide. Hoping beyond hope that you would go unnoticed as the demon-spawn searched fervently for you.
And when the coast seems clear. You would emerge with a victorious grin, thinking that you have outwitted the monster, only to have it quickly melt away as you sense something behind you. Only, before you can turn around to confront the creature. You are rendered paralyzed by a spell.
As you are being dragged across the rough cold stone floor into the fortress. The last thought that goes through the minds of these unfortunate souls, is thinking that you could get away is about as possible as running from your own shadow.
The gate to the impervious fortress then closed with a thunderous boom as you are dragged further into the depths, silently screaming.
You are then brought to a room filled with hundreds of others, each of them encased in a cocoon.
You are brought up to the wall with an empty cocoon. You try and struggle but your body remains unresponsive as they start to lift you up and seal you into your prison. The confinement of the space causes them to force it into a curled up position.
The walls start to secrete some sort of sickly sweet smelling liquid, slowly filling up the small space. You try to panic or hold your breath, but still you're just a passenger within your own body as it refuses to react in any way. The liquid reaches your neck and continues its steady climb, making its way past your nose. Your body starts to convulse as it tries to cope with the lack of oxygen. Then your body starts to relax again as it breaths in the liquid as easily as it would air.
Eyes begin to droop as you are overcome with a sudden lethargic feeling. As your eyes droop closed for the final time you feel a sense of tranquility and peace. Then the world that you have known, fades away.
As the years go by the cocoons, which reflect the state of the prisoner within, started to decay. Why this happens is because the vitality of the prisoners not only feeds the hive but also maintains the structure of the cocoon. So the only way to escape is to die.
This went on for years, centuries even. Word eventually got around to everybody to stay far away, and slowly but inevitably there were less and less prisoners, and more mouths to feed. Even the six noble warriors, who had embarked on a foolish quest at the behest of their beloved ruler, started to go out one by one. Till only one remained.
The hive was in a panic, for their seemingly endless supply of food had reached its limits. So their loving mother came up with a plan. They would no longer hide in the shadows, but step out into the light and finally take what’s rightfully theirs.
And they would start at the kingdom of harmony.
And so they left. Leaving nothing but a handful of guards to watch over the eggs of the next generation and lone prisoner.
The prisoner’s cocoon looking like he had only a couple of weeks left before his usefulness fades. Far along in his years as shown by the grey in his mane. He’s been here for almost a century. His lean and strong frame, now withered from the many years of disuse.
His prison providing enough to keep him from dying. Prolonging his life so he can live a fate worse than death. If he was awake then he would be forced to endure agony. Fortunately his captors need him to be in a dream like state in order to them to take what they want.
So he floats, in the slime of a cocoon. Forced to be the nourishment for the thousands of the creatures that stole away everything that was dear to him.
While he’s sleeping his forced sleep, dreaming dreams of happiness and love. A faint smile on his face.
But like with all things, they must come to an end
And the dream fades