The Nightmare Club: Part 3 (2016)

Future folds

Beyond your sight

Horizon’s shadow

Brings true light

            The light of the fire danced and flickered across the world. It consumed everything and spread beyond the curve of the horizon where it became invisible to Jason’s eyes. Jason did not know how it started but it seemed the fire now spread across the entire realm, blanketing its omniscient light across the darkness and he stood in the middle of it awaiting his fate. There was no sign of the guardians and fear began to creep through Jason’s spirit. He desperately wanted to wake up but could not. He wanted to run but the flames were everywhere, moving closer with every passing moment. He yelled for help but his voice echoed into the crackling inferno and died, unheard. Jason collapsed to his knees and closed his eyes. The flames danced across the back of his eyelids leaving him with flashes of its orange warmth burned into his brain. He remembered the flash of pure white light that covered everything before the fire started. Jason wished for its return. The flickering twilight of the flame’s embrace left him trapped amidst the dance between light and shadow it created. Suddenly the dark gaze of the shadow beast’s eyes ripped through his thoughts and into his mind’s eye. Terror gripped him as he felt himself fall into pure darkness, untouched by twilight and uncertainty. Jason opened his eyes, his heart racing, and looked around him. He saw a silhouette approaching him through the flames.

            As the figure exited the flames Jason saw that he was unburned. He glowed with an aura he had never seen before but he appeared to emanate his own light like a lantern with a self-perpetuating flame. He was dressed in silver battle armor with a billowing purple cape but he was not wearing a helmet so Jason could see his flowing yellow hair and piercing green eyes. He appeared regal but strong as he approached Jason. The figure extended his hand and smiled warmly as he lifted Jason to his feet. Jason met the figure’s gaze and felt transfixed by its warmth and transparency. A calm washed over him as he tried to speak but could not find the words. The figure chuckled lightly.

“Do not be afraid. I am here to help,” he said in a soft but commanding voice.

“Who are you?” Jason finally managed to say.

“My name is Ahri. I am king of this realm.”

            Jason’s mind immediately began spinning. He remembered Bri’s warning about Ahri and Nyx. He spun around, looking for her or the Shadow Beast.

“No doubt you are looking for my partner, Nyx, or the Shadow Beast. I assure you, we are alone.”

“What do you want with me?” Jason asked, backing slowly away from Ahri.

“I told you,” Ahri said calmly, “I am here to rescue you.”

“Why?”

“You are within my realm and you are in danger. I will not have innocent blood shed because of the deeds of others.”

“But you’re evil.”

“And who told you that?” Ahri questioned, his voice taking a more firm tone. “The woman who invaded my realm and killed my subjects?”

“Bri said you were trying to invade our world and throw it into eternal darkness,” Jason interrupted, stopping at the edge of the circle created by the fire, “She said you tried to kill me.”

“I have no such intentions,” Ahri chuckled, “It is true that the self-proclaimed ‘Nightmare Club’ has existed for centuries, doing battle with my world. But I assure you they have always been the aggressors. Any offensive I have lead has merely been in self-defense. Bri obviously chose to omit certain details from her narrative.”

“But why would she do that?”

“As you can see she is not powerful enough to defeat me,” Ahri said, motioning to the flames around him, “she tries to recruit anyone she comes in contact with.”

“But she said I was the fulfillment of a prophecy.”

“Do you really believe you’re the first person she has said that to?” Ahri asked with a knowing smile.

            Jason paused for a moment to think. He did not know what to believe. Everything had moved so fast he did not stop to think or question it. Bri, Tess, and David had saved his life but only after recruiting him for a war he never wanted to fight in the first place. He carefully eyed Ahri, watching for any sudden movements, but he stood completely still in the center of the circle waiting patiently for his response.

“But when I came to this world it was dark and—“

“—scary?” Ahri interrupted with a laugh, “It’s devastating what can happen to a world when it’s been torn apart by war for centuries.”

“What about the fire?” Jason asked, motioning around him, “why would you destroy your own world to kill three people?”

“Hell is not covered in lakes of fire,” Ahri smirked and snapped his fingers. Immediately a cold wind swirled around them and Jason was almost knocked off his feet. The next instant the fire was gone and they were surrounded by darkness and ash.

“Fire does destroy,” Ahri explained, “but it also gives light and warmth. Destruction can be its own form of creation.”

            Ahri waved his arms through the air in a dramatic gesture and then clapped them together. The ground began to shake violently and Jason looked around in awe as buildings sprung up from the ground like weeds and towered over them, shiny and new. The dark sky was replaced by a crisp night dotted with stars and a full, glowing moon overhead. Ahri smiled as he looked upon his creation.

“Make no mistake,” Ahri explained, “I am the ruler of the Nightmare Realm, a world with unfortunate connotations. But I will do whatever it takes to protect it and keep it safe from intruders, even level it so it may rise from the ashes, new and untainted.”

“But, if you’re the ruler of the Nightmare Realm, then you’re responsible for people’s fears and terrors.”

Ahri laughed at this and walked over to Jason and gently placed his hand on his shoulder. He looked down at him and the next thing he knew they were rushing upward. They suddenly stopped and Jason looked down to see the city stretched out beneath him as far as he could see. It looked peaceful in the darkness. Everything lay quietly beneath his feet.

“I always preferred the night to the day,” Ahri said slowly, “it’s so much more peaceful at night. People return from work, they spend time with their families, they sleep.”

            Jason eyed Ahri cautiously as he carried on with his monologue. Ahri began to walk across the night sky and Jason followed, listening intently to ensure he could trust him.

“Nightmares do induce fear, it is true,” Ahri explained, “but nightmares are only able to manifest themselves through an anxiety or image someone has already internalized. Nightmares are a form of dream, and like all dreams, they are able to make someone aware of what lies in their subconscious. Let me give you an example.”

            Ahri snapped his fingers again and the world spun around them. Everything disappeared into the swirling darkness and reformed around them. They were now standing outside the window of a house. A soft blue light emanated from a screen as a man sat in front of his computer, clicking furiously through an infinite amount of spreadsheets that continued to multiply as fast as the man could click on them. Jason watched as sweat poured down the man’s face and he grinded his teeth furiously. Jason could hear the sound of the man’s teeth echoing in his ears, setting his own teeth on edge. The man then coughed violently into his hand. When he pulled it away Jason could see broken teeth and a pool of blood in the man’s hand. The man began to tremble and dropped the teeth to the ground, ignoring them. He returned to his computer like nothing had happened. His hands shook violently as they rattled against the keyboard. He continued grinding his teeth as blood dripped through his lips. Suddenly the computer screen grew ten times in size and loomed dangerously over the man and the screen glowed blood red. A chill ran up Jason’s spine and he could not help but think of the shadows from before. The man screamed as the computer grew teeth and lunged at him. It grabbed him in its fangs and began to eat him. The man thrashed and tried to escape as the room glowed red and the computer ripped him apart. The computer let out a shriek like the shadow creatures and the room suddenly crashed into darkness. Jason stood in silent terror at the dark window. He could not see anything in the darkness.

“That was a nightmare,” Ahri calmly explained, turning to Jason, “this realm is full of them. It is my job to facilitate a space for these things to happen. When anyone in the physical world has a nightmare their spirit is transported here.”

            Ahri snapped again and the world spun around them and reformed so Jason found himself standing over the world once again. All around he could see small flickering lights, accompanied by people’s screams.

“Did he die?” Jason asked sheepishly.

“No one ever dies in their dreams,” Ahri laughed, “When the room went black the man woke up.”

“Then what was the point?”

“To reveal his fear to him,” Ahri said, “People live their lives in denial, but they cannot escape the truth which lies in their spirit. We utilize their subconscious to transfer messages to their physical mind via their nightmares.”

            Jason stared blankly at Ahri, not sure what any of this meant. Ahri sighed and continued speaking.

“Fear is not inherently bad. It can be used as a tool. It reveals our innermost thoughts to ourselves so they can be dealt with. Nightmares force us to confront the fears we choose to ignore. Take the man in the nightmare for example. What do you think his nightmare meant?”

“Well, I know losing your teeth is a common image representing anxiety,” Jason offered.

“Very good,” Ahri said, “and him pouring through endless spreadsheets is representative of his anxieties toward his job. It weighs on him and he continues to bury his feelings.”

“What about the computer? Why did it transform like one of the shadow creatures?”

“My shadows help to illustrate the urgency of the message. People never act unless given a reason. Fear is a powerful tool. As long as you maintain balance and do not allow it to consume you, then it can be used to discover the source of your anxieties and face them head on.”

“What happens if people don’t want to face their fears?” Jason asked.

“You know the answer to that,” Ahri answered, indicating Jason’s scars.

“Bri told me that you--,”

“—Bri lied to you. She manipulated your doubt to get you to join her cause.”

“What do you want me to do?”

“I don’t want you to do anything,” Ahri smiled, “I want you to face your fears in your own way and not be consumed by them. I am just giving you a choice.”

            Jason returned Ahri’s cold but calm gaze. The green of his eyes shone intently and pierced into Jason’s spirit. He felt captivated by it. He knew he could trust it. Ahri stretched his hand toward Jason. Jason hesitated for only a moment and then reached toward his hand. Before he could grab it, however, everything seemed to shake around him. The haze began to appear once again, dripping like oozing smog over everything. He was returning to the twilight.

“What’s happening?” Jason cried out.

“You are trying to wake up,” Ahri replied, “You need to fight it.”

Jason did not know how to fight it. He willed himself to stay asleep but the sounds of the physical world screamed in his ears. Police sirens echoed around him and he could hear the police officer from before yelling through his bullhorn.

Everything felt hazy as Jason started to open his eyes. He weakly looked around him at Bri, Tess, and David. They lay on the ground asleep around him. The orb floated above them, giving off an eerie rainbow glow, like a prism. The edges of the room were still covered in shadows but Jason could hear the policemen trying to knock down a door somewhere in the building in which they were hiding. Jason tried to get up but felt too weak. He lay back down and closed his eyes. Immediately, he was standing next to Ahri once again, but the haze still covered everything. He could no longer see the city below them.

“What’s happening?” Jason asked.

“The police officers found Bri’s hiding place and they will eventually make it to her and arrest her and her friends.”

“But, why?” Jason asked, “they haven’t done anything wrong in that world.”

“They’re criminals, Jason,” Ahri explained, “How do you think they acquired those ancient spell books? They stole them.”

            Jason could not believe what he was hearing. He trusted Bri. She had protected him but everything she told him was a lie. He looked down at the scars on his arm. The idea that he was somehow special and not suicidal was new to him but to have it shattered so abruptly was disappointing. He looked up at Ahri who looked down at Jason.

“If you want to live I need you to let me through,” Ahri said firmly.

“What do you mean?”

“I put a hex on the orb you brought to Bri. I obviously did not know she would lure you into her trap but that is how the police officers were able to find you. The orb is extremely powerful and the protection spell it casts only scratches the surface of its potential. I need you to use it to let me through so I can help you escape before it is too late.”

            Jason looked intently at Ahri, searching him for his intentions. He still did not know if he could trust him completely but he seemed to be running out of options. Ahri stared back at Jason. His gaze appeared genuine.

“I know you do not completely trust me yet,” Ahri said, “but if you want to live you are going to have to trust me.”

“What do I need to do?” Jason asked.

            Ahri smiled and his eyes flickered with a light of confidence. He leaned forward and whispered a four-line poem into Jason’s ear. He told him it was the key to using the orb to let him cross over into his world. Jason closed his eyes. The sounds from the physical world began to echo around him and grow louder with each passing second. He opened his eyes once again. He was lying on the floor in the room with the orb floating above him. He stood up and grabbed it. When he touched it, it immediately stopped glowing and dropped into his hands. Jason heard the policemen break open a door somewhere in the building as he closed his eyes and uttered the poem Ahri told him. The orb began to glow a dark purple and a strong wind swirled around him. The candles flickered and went out. Jason found himself standing in complete darkness holding the glowing orb. He heard Ahri’s voice echo out of the darkness.

“Thank you, Jason. Now I can save your spirit.”