A Spirit's Journey (Pokemon Watty Awards 2014 3rd Place Winner: Adventure)

Chapter 15: Nightmare Lord Darkrai

                  Chapter 15: Nightmare Lord Darkrai

I drifted in a world of twilight. My mind was confused and fuzzy. I couldn’t remember where I was or why. I only could remember evil, frightening shapes, which were even now undulating and pulsating around me like a living mess of mutilated and tortured beings. I, however, was in such a hazy state of mind that barely noticed as I drifted past them untouched. I tried to concentrate. What was I doing here again? I couldn’t seem to remember.

Cold laughter echoed through the dark…hall? Chamber? Infinite black void? I couldn’t be sure, but it did cause me to frown. “Uh, what was it I ate? Did someone slip me fermented Iappapa berries?” I wondered aloud, “because this can’t be real.”

“Oh, but it is,” a voice whispered in my ear, “or at least, real enough.”

I whirled around, lashing out with my blade. A dark figure recoiled, laughing wildly. He had a black robe twisted out of the shadows that made up my nightmare. His pale, white skin was so sickeningly white that all the veins and innards could be seen plainly and around his neck was a necklace made of blood that orbited him in an odd, pulsing way, like it was still in someone’s body. But the worst thing about him was his one, blue eye that seemed to send out terror like water from a fountain. I felt my mouth go dry with it.

Despite this, I managed to croak out, “W-who are you?”

He smiled at me, which was by far the worst thing I’d ever seen. “Oh, I’m so glad you asked! I am known by many names. I am Fear. I am Shadow. I am Madness. I am Evil Eye. I am Old Night.” He paused, as if waiting for the tension to build. “I am Darkrai, the Nightmare King. But I am also…your father.”

There was a moment of silence. “No…no you’re not,” I replied very warily, “And I think that’s from a human movie...”

“Oh but I am,” he said, “I am the father of all Darklings.” He bowed slowly with a sinister grace that sent a shiver down my spine. “I am impressed that you are not screaming in terror. Of course, I would expect a Darkling to be more resistant to my…aura than most.” He rose and seemed to grow, filling my vision like a mountain. “Though not enough, I think.”

I wanted to get away from him. I wanted to run, but my entire body was frozen. All my muscles were stiff as boards and would not move no matter what I tried. He laughed and reached out to touch me. I cannot even begin to describe the sheer terror I felt at that moment. It was as if any moment I would die from pure fear. He patted my head, my body convulsing each time he touched me. “Quiet now,” he crooned, “Don’t be alarmed, my child. This is a friendly meeting. I will not harm you.” He smiled again. “Besides, what safer place is there than your own mind?”

A flicker of anger flared through my mind, cutting through the numbness that had enveloped it. “Get out of my head,” I growled softly.

 He laughed wildly. “But this is my realm! My domain! Everyone in the world enters it when they sleep,” he said, gesturing to the phantom world around us.