forest. Omar had put together a special team
to explore the area, but they had found nothing more than an increase
in dangerous animals. Somehow, though, Omar knew there was more.
He knew that the Hybrid race had come from this forest; that much he
had gotten from the only Hybrid Magi, Rocca, but he was unable to get
much more. She claimed that as a Magi she had sworn to give all
knowledge to the Magi, but in her mind and heart, that did not include
endangering her people. She had turned down his offer to explore the
forest, instead warning him of the evil in its core.
Omar was a scientist, and as such he fought the irrational fear
within him . I am only afraid because this is a dream of a place that
others say I am supposed to be afraid of. It is dark and so thickly wooded
that the sun does not break through the branches. Man has always been
afraid of the dark.
This did not dispel his fear, though. Despite Omar’s
rationalization he knew that there were instincts deep inside of all
creatures that told them when things were not as they should be.
Omar looked down at his clothing. He was wearing the same lab
coat that he had worn when he entered Musterion and he was human
again. This, for Omar, confirmed that he was in a dream. In the dim light
Omar took in his surroundings. There was a ring of thick tree growth
around the clearing and there was only one path out that seemed to
lead into total darkness. Omar had been told that there had been a
battle in this clearing at one time, but as the history had never been
written, he knew nothing of it besides that it gave significance to the
location.
Suddenly hope sparked in Omar. If I’m dreaming then I’m still
alive.
Wanting to get the dream over with, Omar went into the
darkness. He touched the trees lining the side of the path so as not to
stumble. After walking for some time he could make out a red glow
coming up in the distance. He kept walking normally until he came close
enough to hear a drum beat. Then he crouched and approached slowly
until he could make out contorted animalistic figures dancing around a
cave where the red light was coming from.
Omar noticed he could see distinctly with more detail than he
should be able to at this distance and watched a beast rise from the
cave. The shadows bowed to the ground, prostrating themselves before
the beast. It had horns, the face of a goat, the body of a human, and
glowing red eyes. Then it looked straight at Omar and freezing him in
terror.
In the blink of an eye it was upon him. In a guttural almost
demonic voice it said, “You belong to me.” It dug its claws into Omar’s
arm pulling him closer and roaring like a lion. It had a gleam in its eyes
as if it wanted to devour him whole. Then it shoved its claws into
Omar's chest while he screamed in agony. He went blind with pain and
shrieked, pleading for his life like a mad man.
When Omar lost his voice he heard people running around him.
It was like the panic of an emergency room with doctors and nurses
talking in urgent tones. “How did he get these new wounds,” said a
male voice that Omar recognized as a Magi he trained in medicine.
“I… Doctor, I was watching him as you instructed, and they just
suddenly appeared on his body as he began screaming,” said another.
“Get some of the moss that his rescuer brought with him, said
the doctor. “These wounds are too deep; they might kill him all over
again.”
Omar drifted, exhausted as he felt a needle enter his vain.
Omar woke in the Tower of the Magi's secret medical facility.
The room was all white marble and the Magi, despite the fact that they
were from another world, had managed to unknowingly replicate the
sterile smell of a hospital. He was still paralyzed, but he could move his
neck so he looked to his chest and arm to see thick bandaging all over
his body. The only difference in the ones on his chest and arm was the
fresh blood.
The doctors and nurses didn’t seem
to explore the area, but they had found nothing more than an increase
in dangerous animals. Somehow, though, Omar knew there was more.
He knew that the Hybrid race had come from this forest; that much he
had gotten from the only Hybrid Magi, Rocca, but he was unable to get
much more. She claimed that as a Magi she had sworn to give all
knowledge to the Magi, but in her mind and heart, that did not include
endangering her people. She had turned down his offer to explore the
forest, instead warning him of the evil in its core.
Omar was a scientist, and as such he fought the irrational fear
within him . I am only afraid because this is a dream of a place that
others say I am supposed to be afraid of. It is dark and so thickly wooded
that the sun does not break through the branches. Man has always been
afraid of the dark.
This did not dispel his fear, though. Despite Omar’s
rationalization he knew that there were instincts deep inside of all
creatures that told them when things were not as they should be.
Omar looked down at his clothing. He was wearing the same lab
coat that he had worn when he entered Musterion and he was human
again. This, for Omar, confirmed that he was in a dream. In the dim light
Omar took in his surroundings. There was a ring of thick tree growth
around the clearing and there was only one path out that seemed to
lead into total darkness. Omar had been told that there had been a
battle in this clearing at one time, but as the history had never been
written, he knew nothing of it besides that it gave significance to the
location.
Suddenly hope sparked in Omar. If I’m dreaming then I’m still
alive.
Wanting to get the dream over with, Omar went into the
darkness. He touched the trees lining the side of the path so as not to
stumble. After walking for some time he could make out a red glow
coming up in the distance. He kept walking normally until he came close
enough to hear a drum beat. Then he crouched and approached slowly
until he could make out contorted animalistic figures dancing around a
cave where the red light was coming from.
Omar noticed he could see distinctly with more detail than he
should be able to at this distance and watched a beast rise from the
cave. The shadows bowed to the ground, prostrating themselves before
the beast. It had horns, the face of a goat, the body of a human, and
glowing red eyes. Then it looked straight at Omar and freezing him in
terror.
In the blink of an eye it was upon him. In a guttural almost
demonic voice it said, “You belong to me.” It dug its claws into Omar’s
arm pulling him closer and roaring like a lion. It had a gleam in its eyes
as if it wanted to devour him whole. Then it shoved its claws into
Omar's chest while he screamed in agony. He went blind with pain and
shrieked, pleading for his life like a mad man.
When Omar lost his voice he heard people running around him.
It was like the panic of an emergency room with doctors and nurses
talking in urgent tones. “How did he get these new wounds,” said a
male voice that Omar recognized as a Magi he trained in medicine.
“I… Doctor, I was watching him as you instructed, and they just
suddenly appeared on his body as he began screaming,” said another.
“Get some of the moss that his rescuer brought with him, said
the doctor. “These wounds are too deep; they might kill him all over
again.”
Omar drifted, exhausted as he felt a needle enter his vain.
Omar woke in the Tower of the Magi's secret medical facility.
The room was all white marble and the Magi, despite the fact that they
were from another world, had managed to unknowingly replicate the
sterile smell of a hospital. He was still paralyzed, but he could move his
neck so he looked to his chest and arm to see thick bandaging all over
his body. The only difference in the ones on his chest and arm was the
fresh blood.
The doctors and nurses didn’t seem
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