Valkun: He shuffled through the library's books inside of The Orb of Origins, using their evercasting knowledge to ensure all of the timelines are properly being treated. He closed the book and placed it on the shelf. "You do not have to sneak up on me, Gena, to get my attention; you can simply announce yourself."
Gena: She became visible behind Valkun, "I'm sorry, Lord Valkun, I did not wish to disturb you."
Valkun: "Nonsense, you can not disturb me. We are all equal in arms; there is no need to feel that way. What is it you needed?" He picked up another book, shifting through the pages.
Gena: "Right, you are aware of how I can sense when people's spirits are shifting auras?"
Valkun: "Yes, I am. Why do you tell me this?"
Gena: "I did not want to say this in front of everyone else openly, but I wanted to bring it to your attention. I saw something shift in your spirit."
Valkun: He froze for a moment before closing the book, "What are you talking about..." He turned to face her as he asked this question, a look of concern covering his fiery face.
Gena: She clasped her hands together, fidgeting with her fingers, "You would occasionally have a black flash in your aura, and it felt dark..."
Valkun: He dropped the book, his vision growing blurry, and the sounds around him were slowly drowned out by his own thoughts.
Gena: She noticed his change, reaching her hand out. "Lord, if you just let me spirit connect with you, I can try and find the source of the darkness."
Valkun: He grabbed her arm, pushing it down slowly and gently, but with enough force for her to get the idea. "I-I am fine. I do not need you to do anything for me."
Gena: She shoved his hand away, "Lord, please! You are the strongest of us. If you will not let me help, then you can not continue to help us!"
Valkun: His flames erupted as his rage burned, "I SAID I AM FINE, GENA!!!" The Orb shook as he roared, Gena stepping back a bit. He placed his hand on his head, steadying himself enough to calm down. "I'm...I'm sorry I didn't mean to lash out at you, Gena. I am aware of the darkness you speak of. It has been haunting me for some time now...I did not realize that it was this bad."
Gena: Her expression softened from fear to concern again, "What do you mean it has been haunting you?"
Valkun: "It's- Complicated to explain. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
Gena: "With all due respect, Lord, I am the queen of spirits. I have seen a lot of bizarre things. Try me."
Valkun: He crossed his arms, tapping his fingers against his biscep. "Sometimes, when I try to rest, my mind wakes up in a strange place..."
Gena: "A strange place?"
Valkun: He nodded, "Yes. Its appearance is like a dark realm, spirits who reside within it are afraid of what lives within, and they remain silent within a pool of green energy. The entire place is enclosed in a large cavern, no light, no hope, just darkness and despair."
Gena: Her eyes widened a bit; his description sounded all too familiar to her, "was there a large broken bridge in the center above the pool? Leading to a ruined castle? Were there green pits of flame around it?"
Valkun: His eyes shot toward her, "Yes...How do you know that?"
Gena: She walked past him, grabbing a larger book off the top shelf. She flipped through the pages quickly, "There were tales of figures existing long before us, one of great hope and the other of great evil, life and death, light and darkness. I believe what you saw is...Ahah!" She stopped on a page, flipping the book around to show a title, "The Underworld."
Valkun: He took the book, reading its description,
"The Underworld… a realm of unbroken dark, where even light flees and dares not tread.There lies the Pool of Eternal Silence, which seizes the spirits of the Divine and binds them in silence unending.Above its stillness rises the Castle of Death, shrouded in shadow's grasp.And upon its throne sits He whom they name The Thorned King.
He is not life, but the absence of it.Not light, but the weight of its loss.His visage none may tell, for none who fall within his reach return.Thus is his reign eternal, and thus is his grasp without escape."
Gena: "Lord Valkun, if this is the place you are seeing in your dreams, then you might be experiencing what is called Dark Dreams."
Valkun: He looked up from the book, staring at her. "Dark...Dreams? What is that?"
Gena: "Dark Dreams are a way of deities of great power communicating with others. If this being is attempting to speak with you, something greater might be coming your way."
Valkun: He closed the large book, placing it back on the shelf. "Do not tell anyone of my current condition...I do not want to alarm anyone else."
Gena: "I-I understand, Lord, but what are you going to do to take care of it?"
Valkun: "I will...attempt to consult with some of the other beings, try to figure out how exactly I can prevent these dreams from taking over my mind."
Gena: "Okay, Lord...I understand. I swear to you I will not communicate this to anyone."
Valkun: He walked back to the rune gate, "For your sake and everyone else's...I hope you do not." Fire erupted around him as he was transported back to his homeworld. A sense of dread and unknown left behind where he once stood.
Gena: She rubbed her arm, looking back at the book on the shelf, "Why is the being of death trying to speak to him?..."