Ch 1: The Voice of a God

Chapter 1

 

 

     My eyes, weighed down by steam, refused to open. I’d been taking a hot bath and must’ve passed out. I tried to find the edge of the tub but it just wasn’t there. Finally willing my eyes open, even through the hazy spinning, I could tell that I was most definitely not in the bathtub. I seemed to be in a hot spring, in what was a cave-like basilica of steely blue stone and ice. My mind couldn’t really process any of it, especially considering that through the thick, rolling steam, I could make out a flame moving toward me. I knew this had to be a dream but was nonetheless overcome with fear. My mind became unable to produce rational thought, and my body rooted to the spot unable to move. More than just being scared, I was terrified by how fear could instantly destroy every ounce of strength in my being. For a moment that terror was all I knew, and I no longer existed. But the flame was almost upon me, and that revelation jerked me back into myself.

     Within that flame I could make out a face, one of pale beauty with jade colored eyes staring at me with a ferociousness that stopped my breath. She seethed with murderous intent and I stood powerless before her. Her shocking red curls had been the flame that I’d seen just moments ago. She shook off a heavy, white fur cloak, revealing a long bell sleeved gown of white with a copper coin belt at the waist, each coin studded with an emerald. She looked like a Welsh goddess, and no matter how sure I was that she was going to kill me, I couldn’t help but admire her stunning beauty. I might have gone peacefully if it were just her come to take me, but I saw several large, shadowing figures emerge in a row behind her.

     They were all large, muscular men, all wearing bleached leather armor with sheathed swords at their belts. They had all shrugged off hooded white fur cloaks of their own. The white had blinded me to their approach; I’d only seen the woman. Strangely enough, though they were intimidating, they still could not match the menacing air of the flame haired woman. A man standing directly behind her stepped forward to her side. Whereas her skin was like ivory lace, his was vanilla cream with eyes that matched the cold stone of the cave and hair a dark shade of ashen blonde. His expression was all seriousness, but lacked any ill will, which was actually refreshing and startling all at once, leaving me ever more unsure of myself.

     Feeling bold and more certain I was dreaming, I stepped out of the water and onto the hard stone. I was nude but didn’t think it really mattered. Even in my dream I was utterly exhausted and I just wanted a deep dreamless sleep to take me. I sighed, and looking at the two of them I asked a question far too simple given the situation. I asked, “What’s wrong?”

     This got me startled looks before the two turned to each other and started arguing in some language I don’t think I’d heard before. Now I was less certain about this “dream”. I tried to calm myself. I hadn’t had a lucid dream in a while; I could make this dream fun. I willed time to stop but nothing happened. I willed bunnies to suddenly appear out of nowhere, but still nothing. The realization dawned on me that this all might actually be happening. At first, panic started creeping over me, but as I let my fantasies run wild, it was replaced by excitement. I imagined I was in a fantasy world with magic and wizards, warriors and such. Suddenly I wasn’t scared anymore. Even if I died, at least my miserable little existence would be over. Empowered, I took a step toward them and asked a different question, not really caring if I would be understood. “Where am I?”

     Mr. Serious gave me a look of concern, but Ms. Menace’s eyes widened before she started yelling at him while pointing at me. I was losing patience with them, and out of the water, still nude, I was getting cold. “Fine then”, I said right before turning my back on them and stepping back into the hot spring. I could feel a hum of energy crawling all over my body and the spring itself looked like it was glowing. I was so enraptured by the pleasure of it, that I forgot where I was, what was happening, and the voices disappeared entirely. I suddenly felt something sharp and painful in my back, making my eyes snap open. I hadn’t known I’d closed them. Looking down I saw blood pool around me. “Oh”, was all I said before falling backwards into the warmth that enveloped me, blanketing me in sweet oblivion.

 

 

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     I sank into a most wondrous dream; my body was being wrapped in golden, pearly tendrils of light that hummed against my skin. A gentle voice, so strong, rich, male, planted itself into the deepest reaches of my mind. I couldn’t ever remember it not being apart of me. I didn’t hear the words being spoken, I could feel them, almost as if it came from myself, but the alien warmth that filled me was ever present, ever reminding me of that other consciousness.

And then, so suddenly, I was overwhelmed with emotions not my own. I felt hope, joy, fear, pride, anger, regret, sorrow, remorse, love, passion, envy; and all of these feelings came with lifetimes of images, experiences. It was too much for me to bear, I cried, screamed, laughed, and literally lost my sanity. Quite unlike how it had come, it all gently faded away from me, leaving me, but before the consciousness left me completely, I felt the words “Help them, us…” and all the emotions those words bore.

Reviews

[Scott Cockwell]

I really like this story, and you've got great imagination.
If I was to give any sort of criticism, it would be that you need to concentrate on your formatting, such as starting a new paragraph whenever there is speech.

[KA Sharp]

Thank you! I thought long and hard about whether I should format it that way, but a lot of books I've read written in the first person don't, and since there's so little dialogue in the first few chapters I didn't think it would look good. But thank you for bringing it up, I'll definitely look into it.