Sherlock Holmes: The Shadow From Beyond by Erik Branz

release them into our realm. Through arcane incantations, by using specific objects of dark antiquity and while performing certain ceremonies on unhallowed ground when precise constellations in the sky are aligned correctly, one may facilitate to arrange their release via temporal portals or gates.
    The release of these beings would most probably result in the deaths of those who conjured them as partnership is not what these beings seek, they wish for their extrication by any means and will use mankind as tools to be discarded after use. In their multiple eyes, humanity is irrelevant. These malign creatures are bent only on destruction and would set out with one goal in mind, that of the complete annihilation of all life on our planet and any within our universe. Afterwards the Great Old Ones would rebuild our blasted world based on their interests, that of pure evil and decadence. One may imagine its parallel as being similar to the Christian religion’s version of the End of Days. Watson shuddered at the thought of the apocalypse and what it would mean for all mankind.
    Members of the Great Old Ones that are of most import within the mythos canon are listed as: Cthulhu himself, leader of the revolt. Nyarlotothep; the messenger. Cthuga; the cleanser and Azathoth; the soldier. Other minions are mentioned with less urgency but great malignancy: the Mi-go; a crustacean like fungous, Shoggoths; a monstrous slave race created to originally serve the Elder Gods, Dagon; the dweller in the sea, and Ithaqua; he of the wind and ice.
    It was with this information that Watson slowly began to formulate the gravity of the situation at hand, the difficulty of the task set before them, and the powers of the forces opposing them. He sat in silence contemplating all these details for many minutes, unfortunately each bit of data lead to more questions and more confusion.
    Eventually, overwhelmed by the prior night’s events and the information now pressed upon his strained mind, Watson closed Harper’s journal and stared out the window at the passing shadows in the night. In time fatigue overwhelmed him and he was lulled to sleep by the hypnotic thumping of the train as it passed over the miles of cold track.
     
     

Chapter 19

    Nightmare
     
     
    Watson stood on the grass within a large field. Children laughed aloud as they played in the grass nearby, chasing butterflies or kicking brightly colored balls. In the distance he could see a town of some kind and recognizes that it was not a typical British town but more one of continental European design. Overall the scene was pleasant and he felt comfortable and relaxed, serene.
    The sun was high and there was a cool breeze wafting about, the scent of flowers tickled his nose. He took in a long breath as his eyes gazed over the view spread out before him. He smiled.
     
    Soon there came to him a low shuddering of the earth beneath his feet, a disturbance began to stir in the atmosphere around him. The wind increased in speed, it became agitated, numbing. He looked over his shoulder and saw large mass of black clouds forming on the distant horizon. They twisted and turned, curled upon themselves and quickly moved towards him. It was almost as if they are alive these clouds, a churning mass of roiling organic shapes and forms.
    Within moments the sun was blotted out by this misty mass and all became dark, cold. He noticed a cliff face behind him, upon this face a massive cave entrance gaped like a dark maw ready to swallow him whole. He was overcome by fear and began to run across the field, towards the town, but no matter how much he ran, the town did not draw closer.
    He heard a great explosion from behind, and was thrown to the ground by a powerful force that encompassed him, through him and then continued onward past him. The sensation he experienced was like that of a warm mass of air travelling at great velocity. He looked up to see the field afire. Great flames of orange and red