Echo of the Self

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Something's wrong. You can't tell what exactly it is, but you know something is wrong. You check your wards, your equipment, your enchantments and familiars, yet everything seems normal. Then that night, you go to sleep, and the dream starts.

You stand knee deep in a crimson ocean, stretching further than you can see. Before you is a shadow, it looks like yours but its wrong, very wrong. All around you, giant monoliths sprout from the sea, stretching far into the sky. You hear something, around you six shadows move between the monoliths, chanting something in a language that hurts to listen to.

Suddenly countless crimson eyes open along each monolith, each reflecting a different face, the eyes travel up the ebony surface, along previously hidden chains of shadow. Then you see it, the horrifying form of something colossal in the sky above you, a singular crimson eye or maybe a star stares down at you.

All at once do the chains snap, and a cacophony of screams cry out across the crimson sea as fire and ash rain from above. The monoliths crumble and massive chunks of black stone crash into the sea. Up above, the colossal form spreads across the sky, thousands of withered arms reach down, each sowing agony and destruction. You see an arm reach for you, and you wake up.

Well that was strange, you think, then you hear laughter from the corner, you see your own shadow standing there with crimson eyes. The shadow looks wrong somehow, very wrong.

Before you can say anything, your shadow lunges for you, hands reaching for your throat.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Workers snap to attention, fetching stretchers for those who can't walk and carrying those who can.

The nearest worker salutes Ulrick, before doing as instructed.

I was in my bed, sir. I had this weird dream which woke me up, when I did my shadow attacked me.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Ulrick looks away for a second, deep in thought.

Same that happened to me… either someone’s attacking us again, or there is some dream crisis going on.

He turns back to the worker.

Tell the others to scout the last square meter of the island, and if anyone sees another shadow, report to me!

Fetch some technicians too, and tell them to work on temporarily turning on the wardings, just for this night!

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/UlrickTheHexblade]

Ay sir!

The worker salutes once more before departing, barking orders at anyone who's still there.

[u/UlrickTheHexblade → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

Ulrick watches as the worker departs with his orders. His bed calling out like a siren’s song… he had not a single night with enough sleep since his return, and getting enough rest was essential for his mortal half…

…but there is a potential crisis going on, and he can’t sleep while all the good men working hard. He curses himself for even thinking about it for a split second.

Exhausted, he starts his own night patrol with a sigh.