Night and Day

Under the starry night sky a cold wind howled between the moon lit trees.

The wind blew swinging the branches of trees and tall grass alike, fire crackled the shadows dancing along.

When night comes stories continue without the presence of the sun.

Underneath the moon a vast expanse of the forest curved along the horizon.

In the shallow cave a lone figure slept with his back against the wall hugging the shadows that enveloped him.

"Boom" an intense light blinded him, disorienting his senses.

A high pitch rang in his ears that drowned out all the sound.

His eyes that tasted the sweet delight of sleep had trouble withstanding the warm bright lights squinting his blurred eyes he could only see light that only brought him tears decreasing his sight further.

A silent musical staged into play, one with mass manufactured beds in rows that stretched throughout the sleeping hall.

It's music absent eerily quiet the once pristine Church windows where the sun shone through

in the morning.

A symbol of hope, for the orphaned children without a future.

A barrier from a world where they were safe from cracked.

Slowly his ears stopped ringing the orchestra rose the symphony of screams and cries flooded his ears.

His eyes adjusted to the bright lights of fire that scattered the sleeping hall

The candles burned the sheets the fire ate the wooden floors and furniture.

Heavy steps produced the cadence of drums

the sleeping hall decorated with limbs, organs and mutilated bodies.

The audience of the musical were blooded or running around the hall.

Some tried to hide under the covers in desperation.

Others picked up their guts in a desperate attempt trying to force back their intestines in their place.

A few walked around in a daze, half their face bitten off.

Seeing this scene his heart began beating faster a heavy doom sunk his heart out of his body.

Cupping his ears shielding them from the screams of terror.

In a stupor a cold hand grabbed his shoulder, losing the last remaining color in his face.

A weight suddenly crashed into him forcing him out of his daze.

He fell from the bed tangled in a mess of blankets his head bashed and bounced against the ground almost losing consciousness.

A dull and sharp pain flooded his mouth jolting him awake.

He tried to scream but only gurgled his mangled tongue bled filling his mouth with blood.

His lungs started to burn running out of oxygen.

In a desperate attempt trying to breath his hands tried to grasp at anything that could leverage him.

He only felt more blankets.

In a panicked state he struggled to break free out of the blankets.

Claustrophobia blinded him with fear and irrationality.

Small black spots filled his already dark vision. His arms turned sluggish losing power.

A dim light shone through one of the blankets. That should be the open spot he thought.

Twisting his body he turned around trying to break free out of the seemingly endless blankets that suffocated him.

He felt more dizzy by the second

with his last remaining power in his body he kicked against the blanket freeing his head.

He slowly crawled out of the blankets inhaling the oxygen rich air.

His mind jumbled nothing made sense he tried to stand up but couldn't.

He crawled for a distance his small body exhausted.

He rested on his elbows trying to catch his breath, breathing jaggedly.

"Mama where are you", he quietly cried.

Countless memories resurfaced of his mother.

"Mama why aren't you eating, aren't you hungry".

While stuffing his mouth he added "it's delicious".

A hand caressed his head while he was focused on the plate.

"I already ate sweetheart, thank you". Said his mother contended.

Looking up he saw his mother smiling at him filling his heart.

Forced out of his memories a clicking sound dragged him back to a cruel reality.

A weird layered clicking sound came from behind.

Looking behind him a distorted silhouette moved towards him.

He crawled with haste under the nearest bed quickly sliding underneath it.

The clicking sounded louder and the silhouet grew stopping at the heap of blankets.

The creature now barely visible looked like a giant roach it's antenna's almost reaching him.

The beast reeked of a oil and mildew he could taste it.

The smell was overbearing causing him a headache, suffocating him.

With every second pressure began building up in his body.

A terrible nauseating feeling spread through his body it amplified when it reached his stomach.

It felt like something was squeezing his stomach.

And then he vomited with terrible force it felt like he would vomit out his own stomach.

After a couple projectiles there was nothing more to vomit yet the urge persisted.

This is bad I need to get out of this place was the only coherent thought he could muster.

Everything seemed to slow down and almost came to a stop. that's when he caught glimpse of the huge roach like creature.

An almost palpable dread hung in the air his body acted on pure instinct seemingly moving on its own.

He swiftly crawled from underneath the bed and then began running with the vigor of life.

All around him roaches were dismembering the children mangling and tearing out chunks of flesh.

Time began to move a bit faster his fear grew imploding and then multiplied.

His heart pounded loudly in his ears it felt like his heart was trying to break free, escape and save itself from a horrible fate.

The action of crawling out and then running with all his might took less than 10 seconds.

The actors of the musical revealed themselves basked in reverend insanity.

The twisted orchestra played in the contrasting church where sacredness no longer filled the halls.

Looking over his shoulder the roach scurried disgustingly fast on the ground as if it was gliding.

His instinct and will to survive went into overclock.

The disgustingly sooty mildew musty smell that the creatures emitted returned.

The same pressure began building in his body with renewed vigor.

One of his knees buckled making him tumble and then crashed right into another roach.

He tried to stand up and run but his right hand slipped against the ground sending him back to the floor.

He peeked at his hands and could feel a waxy substance on it.

While he was in the motion of standing up agai-

A stream of partly digested warm liquid flowed on his head.

An antenna poked him suddenly, he slowly lifted his head up.

His breath out of sync, beads of sweat rolled down his face.

Terror filled his entire being as he stared into its maw.

He screamed out of terrific fear his mind tethering on the edge of sanity.

The dream abruptly ended.

He jolted awake gasping for air, he deeply

breathed sucking in air like a gluttonous pump, his hands trembled against the cold wind. Lately life has been seeping into the only sanctuary he had, his dreams. The only thing he

remembered before falling asleep was that he was resting after being chased for the past few days.

He fell asleep when the sun was at its dusk now the full moon shone over the trees. The fire still burned lonely in the dark misty forest.

Somewhere deep in the forest a slender build figure dressed in white was running,

Constantly checking the crystal mounted on his wrist. Changing the coarse of direction multiple times. The Mark of Finding sure comes in handy when tracking people he thought but it cost him money he didn't have. So he used the funding for one of his research projects to afford the mark and then some which he made alchemy potions with. The reason he took on this man hunt that everyone avoided like a plague. Was so he could escape those old farts that constantly were talking about what good behavior for a respectful mage should be.

He hated being told what to do and despised being an idiot even more. Mannerism was just something he didn't care about it was a waste of time.

He hadn't read the description of the man he was hunting looking only at the rewards. Beside the reward the only thing he remembered was that a couple bounty hunters disappeared only one turned up after chasing rumors around.

He thought nothing much of it using the opportunity to test his spells in battle.

Step step countless legs moved through the dense bushes, saliva dripped from its long thin translucent teeth. It painted the bushes deep crimson blood. Leaving a trail of purple hue in the mist wherever it walked. It came to a complete stop driven by hunger the beast, reduced to its most primal instincts. Glared through the leaves, to where the scent originated from.

The beast unleashed killing instinct out of ecstasy, for a fraction of a second before suppressing it once again. It had found food, excited the beast opened its maw and spewed purple energy that melted through the bushes and branches which liquefied on contact pooling on the sand.

"Solar pulse", he whispered.A pulse traveled through the ground which projected everything in the vicinity in a 3D image. The tall figure cloaked in black slowly stood up "replace" the figure vanished from view only a leaf was left behind.

The beasts glow intensified it casting the surrounding area in purple light. The beast opened its maw spewing out a stream of purple energy that melted anything it came in contact with.

He landed on a branch behind the creature

it's scales moved dynamically with a faint purple hue glowing through the cracks of its scales.

A blade slowly rose out of his scabbard and floated next to him

"Chase your prey python"

The sword crackled with great speed through the air leaving strings of electricity in its wake.

Firmly lodging itself in the creatures head.

"Retreat" the sword flew back with the same intensity, scattering blood in the air. Steadily decreasing in speed before the sword slowly flew in the scabbard.

The figure jumped from the tree landing near the campfire a book appeared out of his cape.

The book depicted drawings of monsters with a big print in the middle that read "Monster Manuel".

The book slowly floated out of his hand fluttering the pages before stopping on a page.

"Serpens illusion a creature that feeds on dreams, it's unknown on how the creature came to existence. Some schools say it originated from the astral realm and other schools hold the belief that it escaped from a facility where it was created. Leaked classified documents from unknown origins have been found detailing failed attempts on recapture and later extermination.

Due to insufficient intelligence regarding the abilities of the creature rendering the capture teams under equipped resulting in the deaths of several foundation members."

He sighed clouding his face in condensation, it wasn't a demonic beast.

The figure traced his fingers along the pages examining the several illustrations of Serpens illusion. In the drawings the beast only had black scales. Which meant the beast had evolved into something else he thought.

The realization hit him he jerked his head to where he killed the beast.

Finding no trace of the beast except the glittery dark pool of blood.

"Solar pu-, a few droplets rained on top of his head in the otherwise clear night sky, interrupting his technique. A screech broke the tense atmosphere ringing his ears and which made his heart beat again. Looking all around him purple trails filled the forest and sky alike. Trailing purple matter behind with each flap of its wings. The beast soon flew into the milky white clouds.

Unbeknownst to him something was heading his way.

A small green head popped up out of his front pocket, the small plant like creature yawned tears filling its eyes. "Wow" it said in admiration looking at the magical scenery without blinking.

Fearing it would be a figment of imagination the plant keep his sleepy eyes open.

For a short moment it kept staring before pulling its sleeping mask down crawling back into his pocket.

The book floated back into his coat after which he took off his coat. He threw it next to the campfire. The fire and bright moon shone on his white mid length hair. White striped eyes and caramel colored skin. He had a lean tall muscular build.

Something prickled his senses shifting his gaze into the misty dark forest, where countless trees blocked the moonlight . Even his solar pulse came back negative.

a blot of light shone through the space between the trees. It Increasingly shone brighter it grew from the size of a dot almost invisible to the eye to the size of a small rock and it increasingly got closer and faster. It went through trees like a hot knife would through butter.

He stood unmoving while his sword floated next to him. He closed his left eye by that moment the projectile was an arm distance away. Lightening the surrounding area like how a lantern would.

"Absorb" the now visible white spear vanished into thin air.

Bringing forth winds that threw him backwards into the air for a couple meters.

Above the tree tops the mage dressed in white appeared. He stood on a white construct, runes covered every fiber of his garb.

Against the dark blue sky he looked like a sun.

Their gaze met, his golden eyes was the only thing visible on his shadow hidden face.

He raised his hands and runes flew of his garb constructing themselves into white spheres.

The insides of the spheres turned red and with another wave of his hand they moved behind his back into a circular formation. He held out his hand and opened his palms runes flew into it constructing themselves into a staff. Both ends were red scorching.

The situation was getting tense, normal mages would use raw elements but not this guy.

His sword was trembling eager to shed some blood. It took him considerable strength to keep the floating blade under control. "Swap" the blade swapped with one of the red construct.

Appearing behind the mage it slashed towards his neck. It severed his head in one fell swoop.

Blood came rushing out of his now exposed neck.

"Let's stop with these illusions." The mage was intrigued by this fellow with weird eyes.

He sensed the source of power that his eyes held. "Those are pretty eyes you have there, my eyes can't do that." While his eyes were golden colored it didn't do much except look pretty.

"Lets see if you can take this one". Said the mage while pointing at him. One of the orbs came hurling at him, cracking through the air.

He dodged the orb but then it exploded the fire ate and scorched the surrounding air. It blew away trees and produced a crater the size of a house in the ground. The sound was deafening echoing for miles, a pillar of smoke and dust towered in the air. Where it became visible from miles away.

His eyes held the ability to peer a couple seconds into the future. Seeing the flames expand after having dodged the ball made him swap places.

If he were to be caught in the explosion it would certainly not end well.

It was a game that forced their cards, a battle where the winner set the play ground.

"Taipan scatter" triangular daggers flew out of his robe. They scattered themselves in a hexagonal pattern. The daggers had red marks of eyes etched into them.

In the forgotten forest somewhere where many have wandered. Where the forest listened to tales, its eyes saw through every nook and cranny.

Long chicken legs ran through the forest, thud, thud, thud.

"Sweat heart, eat your fill so you can grow taller." Her sweet voice and hearty meals warmed even the most frosted hearts.

"Join the rest grandma has a guest, Leona make sure the all the plates are empty." She was an old lady with the appearance of a 70 year old women. Her back hunched, a wooden cane in her left hand. Grey and white streaked hair. She Barely reached 5 feet in height. A grey coat hung around her neck reaching her feet.

The inside of the hut was spacious with long corridors and halls. Brooms and many enchanted equipments cleaned the maze like hut. The old lady slowly walked to a red door that went through many colors turning from green to pink, metal to wood each distinctly different from the previous door. Before it stopped on a old wooden door with many holes and creeks where sunlight shone through.

Fresh cold air breezed through the door. The door opened and a disheveled man walked through the door. With long grey hair he had a long messy beard reaching his upper stomach. Brown dark eyes and a pale complexion. The brown robe he was wearing had patches of different materials and colors. He greeted the old lady with a warm hug.

"How have you been mother", he said in a raspy voice trying his best not to cough.

"Oh son come inside" holding back her tears, she put up a troubled face. She sensed with the touch of her hand that his health deteriorated. The painstaking effort and pain he suffered through was for naught she thought.

They soon walked silently through the halls only the scuffling of clothes could be heard.

Hung paintings of plants, landscapes and people were hung on the walls in a neat pattern. The wood creaked under their weight as they walked.

Dark clouds began to form above the forest, rumbling could be heard.

"First form Water slash", he slashed down in a graceful arc.

"Third form Fire dance", changing his tempo to a more fierce and strong style. He swung his sword to the left and right in a consecutive motion.

"Ssssssssshhhhh", he breathed through his mouth slowly pulling up his sword coming to a complete stand still.

He flashed from view only appearing to attack or deflect. Combining the two sword styles of both defensive Water Style and offensive Fire Style. With each completed form he moved faster and faster turning into a blur. Interlinking the different forms going from stillness of water to raging flames.

He dug his feet in the ground and launched himself forward through the air completing the dance.

"Complete stillness" "bright day".

"Cut through the night and day, equilibrium"

"Wooosh", He slashed at the sky producing a sword light that cut through the wind.

Before landing on the ground the sword flew into its scabbard. Steam exuded of his body and beads of sweat rolled down his face.

Sharp pain jolted through his body. instinctively,

putting his hands on his neck. Small amounts of blood traced through the cracks of his fingers down his neck.

The surrounding temperature abruptly dropped an icy wind blew into his face numbing his face.

The shadows grew casting everything in darkness.

Black charcoal like arms stretched out of the shadows pulling themselves out of the thick tar liquid. Muffled crying sounded through the forest crawling out of the shadow a gigantic baby emerged its crying swaying the surrounding trees.

It stopped crying and looked at him it innocently said "Dadda".

"For the past two years gates to hell open, this mark on my neck.

I'm cursed to keep swinging my sword,

Since that day.

Claws, talons, teeth or swords this loneliness hurts me more."