5/16/2025, 6:57 PM
Skill:
![[Image: dg0rdbk-27b1f87f-08bc-4a0a-9af6-c9bf7c6c...QjlKzVQY-0]](https://images-wixmp-ed30a86b8c4ca887773594c2.wixmp.com/f/b6bd577f-dd3d-47c7-bbef-8edd89e3b07f/dg0rdbk-27b1f87f-08bc-4a0a-9af6-c9bf7c6c8a9f.png?token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJzdWIiOiJ1cm46YXBwOjdlMGQxODg5ODIyNjQzNzNhNWYwZDQxNWVhMGQyNmUwIiwiaXNzIjoidXJuOmFwcDo3ZTBkMTg4OTgyMjY0MzczYTVmMGQ0MTVlYTBkMjZlMCIsIm9iaiI6W1t7InBhdGgiOiJcL2ZcL2I2YmQ1NzdmLWRkM2QtNDdjNy1iYmVmLThlZGQ4OWUzYjA3ZlwvZGcwcmRiay0yN2IxZjg3Zi0wOGJjLTRhMGEtOWFmNi1jOWJmN2M2YzhhOWYucG5nIn1dXSwiYXVkIjpbInVybjpzZXJ2aWNlOmZpbGUuZG93bmxvYWQiXX0.uJQpTWpmZ8aDQRVTuh2Lo2gBt5LNgneF4QjlKzVQY-0)
Everything became overwhelming as his sensory deprivation began to play at his emotions. He felt on edge, heightened in his anxiety and confusion as his cinnamon gaze attempted to pierce through the overwhelming darkness. There was a voice — no, voices. They slithered toward him from the shadows, and he felt helpless and agitated as he attempted to find the source of the sounds.
But it was all mist and shadow.
“Not sage,” said one, and another voice seemed to reply to it with foreign prattle. “You are wasting time.” The two spoke in tandem, lighting up the silence with the static of cacophony.
Alright, it isn’t funny,he hummed, taking a few steps backward and feeling the mist slither up the back of his legs. The fur along his hackles rose, his ears pressing forward as his tail lashed behind him, as if he had any chance of slicing through the poor visibility.
“Torben.”
His skin was crawling, his nostrils choking on the mist.
When was he going to wake up?
And then, from the shadows, he saw her. Before long, she was basically on top of him, the heat of her skin radiating close to his chest. For a creature of nightmares, she certainly … was beautiful. He could feel the pounding of his heart (perhaps she could, too, with how close she was), his eyes widening as he simply stared at her. Her, this strange, otherworldly being that his unconscious mind had conjured. This Maiden of the Mist. And she wanted to help him.
Sure she did. (As if he didn’t know how horror worked.)
Listen, I’ve realized it’s a dream,he announced loudly, as if speaking it beyond her and into the background. Perhaps if he acknowledged it out loud, he would wake back up.
I’ve realized I’m quite creative, and I’d like to … wake up.And he waited, hearing his voice for a moment before it was eaten by the silence.
He didn’t wake up.
Alright,he continued, hushing his voice as he turned his gaze toward the Beautiful Nightmare.
Hit me or something, would you? That may jolt me awake.Was he frantic? Was he sounding desperate? Perhaps he was — he wanted out of this stubborn, stupid dream.