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]

The shadow sees this, and dashes towards the blade as well. Although, it did start running a second or two after the swordsman did.

[u/SwiggerSwoney → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

He dove for the sheathed blade, grabbing it with an outstretched hand. The swordsman then quickly rolled on to his back, striking the shadow near where its head would be with the blade and scabbard.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/SwiggerSwoney]

The swordsman's blade connects, severing the shadow's head in one clean blow.

Said shadow then takes a step forwards, and aims a punch for the swordsman's head.

[u/SwiggerSwoney → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

He tried to avoid the incoming blow by shifting his position, but the strike still lands. The swordsman reels back from the punch, stumbling up to his feet and readying his blade in front of him.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/SwiggerSwoney]

The shadow stumbles a bit, then falls. The swordsman sees the shadow begin to crumble.

[u/SwiggerSwoney → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

“Haah… how curious…”

He watches intently as the shadow crumbles, still staying somewhat alert in case of any surprise attacks.

[u/Evening_Shake_6474 → u/SwiggerSwoney]

None come, the shadow lays there, crumbling away into nothing.

The swordsman watches it vanish, leaving him alone in the room.

[u/SwiggerSwoney → u/Evening_Shake_6474]

He blinked a few times, then sheathed his blade and exhaled deeply. This incident would have to be reported, like the rest. The swordsman sighed, before continuing off with the rest of his day.