ShogunXII prologue
ShogunXII prologue
"I always hated this dream. Every time I closed my eyes, I feared that I would fall into this hell again"
From what she spoke, this nightmare was what she feared most in life. Being powerless and unable to help anyone as she idled by. It was hard to be trapped in a spherical prison that locked her arms and legs while the cries and prayers of innocent mortals echoed in her ears. Overlapping cries riddle her mind: the pleading and screams relentlessly bombarding her all around as she floated in a realm of nothingness. A black empty void that only conjured the feeling of sorrow and failure. Each tormented soul was breaking this girl's spirit inch by inch. The warm hue of her mocha skin faded to an empty gray shade; nearly resembling those defecated from life. Her silk carmelled hair with shades of maple changed as her skin. All of her every being, drained.
"I can't do anything. I can't move....I can't speak.... All I can hear is those in the world suffering."
Tears swelled in her eyes, and began to fall down her once rose red cheeks. "I can't stand this. Why?!!! Why do some many suffer?!!!". Thought to be alone in this hell of hers, a whisper came to her ear. Overcoming the screams and cries of the damned that begged for her hand.
"What will you do Allanah?"
"What?"
She replied to the heavy voice whispering to her.
"What would you do to save those in turmoil, Allanah?"
Allanah, she was called, could only answer with a faint mutter.
"Anything."
That small array of hope was enough. The prison that held her from blessing those in need began to crack; stretching from her limbs to the core of the sphere. Finally, the prison shatters like glass all around, releasing her to the void. Gracefully she drifted down through the empty realm gradually as the ocean itself surrounded her. What seemed to be never-ending quickly came to a surprising end. Allanah gently touched down to the floor of the emptiness. Echoing a tranquil sound of the last raindrop falling into a puddle.
"I'm free..."
She felt light as a feather, hovering over the dark floor with ripples spreading throughout underneath her.
"I can finally..."
But as she opened her eyes, Allanah awakened into another nightmare. From where she stood, she saw the ruins of a destroyed city smoldering with ash and brimstone. The world tattered with despair and anguish while the sky burned with a tainted smell of incinerated remains of mortals. Unfortunately that wasn't the only horror that caught her hazel eyes. Above, the moon and the sun had merged to create this ominous light that casted a burning stream of fire across the sky. The flames parted the heaven's from the earth, but what was strange came from the depths of this new devious creation. From its mouth poured burning light that resembled the essence of lava onto the clouds.
"Where the hell am I?"
She spoke with a trimmer of fright quaking from her voice. Allanah frantically looked around for someone in the street to be seen. Not a soul was found. Only the apocalyptic scene that she woke into. As her back was turned, a wave of tremendous force erupted only several yards away.. The winds twisted and turned, nearly knocking Allanah to her feet. Covering her eyes, she shielded her vision from the debris and dust soaring through the air.
"Ugh!!!!"
As quick as it came, the thundering force dissipated into nothing. Unveiling her eyes, Allanah caught a glimpse of two armored men wielding their weapons against one another. To the left, a taller muscular being bearing a sword seeming to stand nearly as tall as he. The other, a slimmer man wearing a band around his head, standing vigilantly with a Lance or staff against the sword. But what Allanah saw of the two was quite confusing. Both men wielded no face. From her own eyes, the faces of these men were shadows; empty of any features or identity to be known.
"Who?... What are they?...."
Restless the two warriors battled; breaking and destroying everything that surrounded them. The ground beneath their feet even began to falter under the weight of their power. Allanah tried to continue watching the two, but the force of their weapons colliding threw too much debris in the air.
"Such beings like this still exist?!!!"
Mortals with such magnitude of power haven't been seen or heard of in centuries. But yet, Allanah beared witness to two mighty warriors that could only be mentioned in legend. As the two dispersed, a star that hung over the burning moon appeared to be glaring bright as the northern star. It was something that drew Allanah's eye away from the battlefield a few yards away.
"What is that?"
She asked. Closer and closer it came at the raging speed of a comet. Before she knew it, the light had appeared before her, emitting a light that shined brighter than the sun. From its star-like presence, wings emerged from the shapeless star.
"Ugh."
Allanah couldn't bear to keep her eyes on the light. Unbearable as it was, Allanah could only shield her eyes with her hands until she had to turn away.
"Allanah..."
From the raging star, a divine voice echoed her name. To her ears, Allanah thought that the voice was seemingly familiar.
"That voice. Could it be the same as before?"
It was. The same divine voice that focused Allanah's mind while imprisoned in the dark realm. Bold, Allanah had to ask this mysterious being. "Who are you!!!"
She shouted as a commandment. Heeding her words, the shapeless star dimmed it's holy awe and forged the shape of a mighty beast. From what Allanah witnessed shaping in front of her was a massive lion, whose fur was transparent to the night sky. Burning stars cover its backside while six pale wings emerged into the air. Below its mane, upon its shoulders, and head it wore a bronze rustic armor that glared from the light. Allanah stood speechless as the beast rose above, growling to the heavens as it immersed itself into this realm. "What the hell?" she trembled. Setting its eyes upon Allanah, the beast spoke with a heavier divine trim in its voice.
"I am Josiah!!! The Beast of the Oracles."
Allanah's eyes locked into the beasts; staring eye for eye. Her hands resting by her side shook with fright of the beast's intimidating glare.
"W-what do... you want with me? Why have you come to me in this dream now?"
Boldly she asked, but Josiah still could see that she was frightened of his form.
"I see you still have a tongue to speak with, even in my divine form."
Strangely, the ferocious lion sat upon its hine legs and tilted its head downward to Allanah.
"Are you frightened by me?"
Taking a long deep breath, Allanah firmly stood her ground and ceased her nerves. "No... Because you're just a dream." Josiah thought it was humorous of her to suggest such a thing. Laughing at Allanah pretending to be brave in front of him.
" Is that so?"
He lowers his head even further, nearly touching the ground.
"In the divine world, dreams are windows for spirits to communicate to mortals." It was an afterthought, but Allanah just realized what Josiah had said.
"You said that you were the Beast of Oracles?"
"Indeed."
Curious, Allanah asked.
"So why have you chosen to speak with me?"
Josiah was astounded that Allanah knew nothing of what he spoke of. Difficult as it may be, this also was a grave error that could cause the imbalance of his message.
"Wait… You do not know?"
Allanah still was confused by Josiah speaking to her about the presence of the Oracle.
"Know what? Tell me!!"
A loud sigh arose from Josiah's breath; frustrated of the empty mind of Allanah and her questions.
"Ughhhhh not again. This crap happened last time." He shook his head in shame of Allanah knowingly having no knowledge of her fate. But he knew if she didn't know now, then it would only make it more trivial to comprehend.
"I can't speak too much… All I shall say before or short time ends is to…." Allanah is drawn by the words preparing to roll off his tongue; anxious to know what was being hidden from her.
"Survive Allanah."
Survive? A chill ran down her spine once she heard the trembling word echoing in her ear. Her body locked, her eye fixed in place; ceased by the frightening essence of his words. What does he mean, survive? Is something devastating going to happen? Is she going to die? What did fate have in store for her that she needed to survive?
"The world is going to need you more than ever, and it can't afford to lose its last chance at salvation. " Hope was felt that brought Allanah back from her paralysis state, enlightening a role that Allanah must play in the near future.
"Salvation?..."
Josiah took a deep breath as his presence began to fade into scenery now, becoming vivid to Allanah's eyes. " All I need for you to do is survive, and everything will come to light."
The disturbing realization came across Allanah strikingly; questioning everything she had thought about this so-called dream of hers.
"Behind, stands the battle that happened as a result of mankind's sin. The imbalance of Namira's karma."
Allanah looked passed Josiah towards the two warriors still battling again.
"The one wielding the spear shall bring the trials that will bring you to your breaking point. And the one that bears the sword shall bring you hope in the form of companionship."
Allanah then had to ask.
"And what of you."
Josiah nods.
"I shall be with you every step of the way. I beg of you Allanah, don't die before…." But the last of his words disappeared along with his presence. What was left was the burning image of a great lion watching over her.
Yet still there's so much that has gone unanswered since this dream altered. Especially with the presence of Josiah preparing Allanah for this threat that could end it all. Her eyes fluttered; processing everything that was said until another gust of wind soared through the streets again. Glaring back, the two warriors stood off. Both standing apart with cyclones of aura surrounding them. The spear wielder lifted his weapon into the air, and from its edge came an iris shade seal that stood higher than the buildings behind him. From its core, a horrific dragon-like beast with black armored- like scales and fangs as long as the silver horns on its head protruding downward, crawled out of the resonating seal. A miasma sept out of the seal while the beast pulled its body completely from its walls. For the swordsman standing in its path, he held his blade horizontal with his hand grazing the backside of his sword. As his rival, a sapphire seal appeared before him, humming with an odd oceanic resonance. From it, a large sea like dragon emerged from the depths of the seal itself. Its backside was covered with a dark blue like shield or armor, and a long spear like horn extending from its snout. In awe, Allanah couldn't believe what she was witnessing from these two ancient beings.
"Amazing!!"
Opposing each other's presences, the mighty monstrosity instantly engaged in attack. Both unleashes waves of destructive powers from their breathes that quaked the very ground they stood upon. Before the powers collided, Josiah spoke.
"When you awake, everything will begin." Josiah's voice echoed from the beyond. The waves of power finally collided, immersing the entire city in a blinding white light within seconds. Before being engulfed, Allanah abruptly awakened in her bed unharmed from the ravaging dream that brought sweat upon her brow. Unnoticed, the morning sun gleamed through her window. Looking pass, Allanah became aware of a man sitting in the seal of her stone grey window also looking out to the sunrise. For a moment, Allanah couldn't believe that someone managed to get into her room so easily. She remained speechless. Observing the being bearing a white cloak upon his shoulders and masked a hood that obscured his face. He turned to glance at Allanah , staring confused still of his mysterious presence. But as he did so, his form quickly faded with the rising sun as a mirage in the desert until he was no more. Before so, a smile crept upon his face, leaving Allanah holding an ominous feeling about him.
"What?Who?"
She muttered while placing her hands upon her forehead. Though it was an eventful dream that left Allanah curious and wondering, it also made her enlightened about a bigger path that she must take. The question that rose constantly to her was "how" & and " who" would tell her the truth. All of this had happened in a mere night that brought some many questions and conspiracy to Allanah as she welcomed the morning.