 From the fiery main chamber of the Shadow Realm, you take the darkest portal. You enter in a clearing. The sky is black with ever-swelling rain clouds and quiet flashes of light preceed purrs of distant thunder. You look around in bewilderment trying to assess your situation. The wavering grass beneath your feet dances loosely in the calm breeze before the storm. The trees encompassing the entire area appear dead. Their branches are decripit and twist menacingly towards the sky but, despite their charcoal trunks, leaves do cling desperately to their branches. The whole area has an unnatural feel; no reason to panic but your skin still crawls. You begin to walk in no particular direction. You wander, forever it would seem, in a straight line. The trees remain just as far as they were when you arrived and are not getting any closer despite the distance you know you have travelled. You snort in deepening frustration and march on. Despite the growing wind, the air feels still and the smell of storm leaves you no better off. You stop dead for a moment staring at the trees ahead of you. You swear something moved a second ago. You squint your eyes, straining them to see at such a far point and in such blackness. There it is again! Yet your mind is unbelieving; it laughs at you and yet believes you. You cringe at such conflict in your own head. More determined than ever, you pick up your pace and charge forward. Finally, the trees are coming closer. A wave of relief washes over you. The trees are monstrously gigantic and ancient beyond years. Some crows scatter overhead but you pay no mind until something rustles the dead leaves spralled all around the roots of the great, dead-like trees. A shadow darts out of the entanglement of trees before you, stampeding toward you but swiftly turns and in all the confusion and mindless terror you stumble back; only to realize... !! It was a deer.  Sitting back on your rear, you begin to laugh, nervously amused with yourself. Your being played a fool in your own self-induced paranoia. Ha ha! A crow's note pushes you back into seriousness. He's perched on a branch, the lowest on the tree to your right but he sits higher than you. He stares at you and you return the glare. With wide-eyes, you find yourself unable to turn away; unable to even move. Your hair even seems to immobilize despite the breeze. He won't stop staring. His cold, black, doll-like eye fixated upon you for eternity. A roar of thunder bellows and he rapidly persues his fellows. You watch him go and stand, your back to the trees. This place promotes horrific unease and you wish to depart as soon as you find the exit. Now where's the big, red flashing sign when you need it? A raspy, sinister laugh echoes from the shadows of the trees. You whip your head around to stare into the abyssmal ombre. You think you see movement but clench your eyelids closed and squeeze them down tightly. Shaking your head, you repeat in your mind; Not there. Not there. Not there. You're going silly and seeing things again!. But the laughter doesn't stop and you open your eyes to see a ghostly figure extend a long, skeletal finger right in your face. You nearly shriek but your voice is caught in your throat and all you do is fall back.  You wisssh to find the one who runsss in the darknessss-ssss? it hisses in an inhuman tone sending a cold through your soul that contorts the very fabric of your being. He ridesss on in the night like liquid moonlight and iz-sss hidden far and well; but I will sss-show you to him. I will. The Wraith moves away from you in unfinished movements; some unearthly force pushing you to go with him. His voice is still sending prickly, needle-like dots up your spine; making you flinch this way and that. Unwillingly, you are brought to your feet and take steps towards the woods. Follow the Wraith...? Shadow Realm Entrance Lady Reaper |
