The Book of Gideon: Freeze – 1

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Freeze

Karmmrak, Sutta Galaxy

Gideon

Gideon dreamed.

The dream began with a boy being dragged along the crypt floor by two beings clothed in robes of black. He heard the chanting and jeering being directed at the boy, his eyes were wide with terror. Gideon was both observing what was happening through his own eyes and through the boy’s eyes, it was a simultaneous split vision. The boy’s head was shaved down to bare skin and the simple rags he wore told of a starved existence. He was well muscled despite being young, implying he kept his physique despite his supposed emaciated demeanor. Gideon noticed an unknown symbol on the boy’s dorsum of his left hand, it appeared to be a brand of sorts, possibly by the strange beings that dragged him. The boy pointlessly struggled against the vice-like grip of his captors, the fight still strong on him. He stumbled and cried out in pain as one of the lackeys yanked him off balance, dashing his knee against the surprisingly clean tomb ground. Gideon could see the scene as he surveyed above the procession; they were in an underground crypt or ruin. Dozens of stone support pillars were lined up symmetrically, the top capitals blossoming up and out against the ceiling. The ceremony was all very patchwork with it’s inconsistent lighting, from simple torchlight to LED lighting. It all lead to a central altar at the end of the crypt-tomb up a long flight of stairs. A large being shrouded in red burgundy awaited at the top.

“Please help me!” The boy begged, crying out to anyone.

Gideon could see the crowds of onlookers and was disquieted by it. A human would not have been good descriptions for them. He could feel their malevolence pressurizing the room, all of it directed at the boy. Gideon jumped as he heard another voice responding like it was inside his own head.

“I can help.”

The voice spoke softly. It was a soft bass that resounded with power and yet was quiet, like distant thunder.

“What? You again? What do I need to- AGH!” The boy’s response was cut short as a bystander kicked at him with a hoofed leg, the bizarre creature pointed and cackled at him.

“You only need to do one thing, realize you still have your power. I will help save you from this.”

“But I lost it all. My hair, my hope… B-betrayed me-”

“It wasn’t your hair, but your heart! You can pull that power out once more. Use your power and I can help you. You can do this.”

What the hell is going on? Gideon pondered internally.

The boy was dragged to the base of the stairs, he was trembling with intense fear of the ascent and the one who waited. The figure that was robed in burgundy stood as a monument, chanting in a booming voice that echoed in the crypt halls. He held a large wavy kris made of gleaming titanium in his right hand, the purpose of it was clear. The boy began to concentrate, his body going still as he was carried up the crypt stairs. Gideon could see every ounce of strength the boy had was being focused on this one desperate task.

“Good, there it is. Just keep focusing on that glimmer! Do not stop,” The voice continued to encourage.

Gideon was confused the moment the dream started as if he was watching entertainment by starting at the climax first. Whatever he had last night, it was definitely potent nightmare fuel.

The burgundy one at the altar led the group of rabid onlookers, increasing the volume of shouting and chanting. With struggling, the boy was tied down to an encrusted stone slab, signs of previous victims still present. Cackling, mewling, screeching was all being directed at the boy as if the terrorizing noises increased the sacrificial potency. The wicked bystanders were all looking for the shedding of blood.

The boy’s blood.

“How will you save me?” the boy asked with a subdued glimmer of hope.

“I simply redirect the possession sacrifice. You can then free yourself with the new host,” the strange voice responded, the tone had changed.

“What!? That’s not a rescue, t-that’s enslavement. Please get me out of here,” the boy begged, his eyes going wide at the realization.

“Either be enslaved to this cabal for an eternity, or accept my help and possibly get your freedom; if you’re strong enough. Your choice.” The voice had a sudden malevolent edge to it.

“The devil you know?

Or the devil you don’t…”

The voice changed completely, the deep bass rumbled inside his head, all duplicity removed.

Gideon had trouble understanding what was going on. There was little context and was too lucid for any simple dream. He suspected the whiskey he drank had gone sour.

What kind of dream is this?

Gideon thought to himself, nothing made any sense to him.

Gideon could see the boy’s mood change in an instant. In a split second, the boy flowed from terrified pup to determined man. Wipsy arcane energy swirled around the burgundy one, flowing to the raised point of the knife. The chanting from the crowd ceased as the burgundy one raised the dagger to plunge it into the boy. The moment hung silent as no one dared interrupt their leader’s chant.

The muscles on the boy rippled as he began to flex out of the steel restraints.

Gideon started to have a semblance of an idea of the boy’s power as the child’s muscles’ strained against the groaning metal. The burgundy gestured with his empty hand, close to reaching the end of his chant, with the knife awaiting it’s destination. The room went silent in a sudden end, Gideon thought he went deaf as the silence of deep space.

“Got it!” The boy flexed and struggled, the shackles groaned with the stress of being warped.

The burgundy one appeared shocked for but a brief second, his hesitation giving the exact time the boy needed.

The shackles broke with a tearing pop.

The boy screamed in triumph.

The dagger fell with panic.

A violet explosion rocked the room.

The joyous raucous of the wicked became shrieks of terror and despair. Many were sent flying, some in pieces.

A violet pale of light streamed through one side of the crypt, reducing an entire column of beings to ash statues. The roar of it was the beating of a sun’s heart. Gideon could feel the heat and pressure from the blast.

The smoke cleared from the ruined altar and what stood upon the rubble was a twisted being of phenomenal power and horrific visage. It opened up a fingered limb, releasing another violet pale that eradicated the right portion of the room with a screeching din. The inhuman creatures fled for their lives. He felt a crushing dread upon seeing this monster.  None of the anatomies made sense. The thing twisted it’s body, turning to stare at Gideon. It was looking at him, and yet had no visible eyes, or anything above what should have been the collarbone, where it’s chest, heart, and head should have been was vacant space apart from a glowing blood red gem with a spiked spoked wheel behind it’s back as a mocking token of the halos of old.

Alright, dream, you made your point, no whiskey before bed.

Gideon thought with a panic, he was frozen in place. The monster pointed at him and Gideon was yanked to a new scene as if he was suddenly tumbling.

Gideon could see himself floating amongst the stars in space, the view was awe-inspiring and terrifying, the two feelings nestled together. Nebulas and neon gas painted the stars into a kaleidoscopic canvas. He had never felt so small, even with his knowledge of the universe. One by one, the galaxies, lights, and stars began to wink out, leaving Nothing in it’s wake. Gideon was left alone in the blackness of space, yet could still see. The sudden darkness startled him. Two pinpricks appeared ahead of him, his motionlessness in zero gravity made him a captive audience. They were small, almost far away. A half crescent appeared beneath the twin black pinpricks with a flicker. Gideon could see the two pinpricks blink at him; eyes. The size of the eyes changed, becoming massive in scope, lazily towards Gideon. They looked like planets to him, yet they were still light years away. Nothing could prepare Gideon to the terrifying appearance, his mind buckling under the fear. Dead black eyes opened fully wide, seeing Gideon, body, and soul. He felt as though he would fall into their gravity, crushed forever. The half crescent opened up to a serrated smile the size of a nebula. He could see his reflection in the pools of morbid black.

“Hello again, Gideon.”  

It was the voice that spoke to the boy. Gideon felt a terror that threatened to overwhelm him to broken madness upon seeing and hearing the dreadful creature.

The massive horrifying creature.

Gideon didn’t know Adonai as well as he wanted, but even he knew it wasn’t Him. Not even close. The terror Gideon felt overwhelmed him, his pulse was racing faster than lightspeed. His mind was breaking under the pressure of what he was seeing. It wasn’t Adonai, but some sort of phantasmagoria.

Gideon was whisked away from the dark creature faster than thought. He heard a mildly disappointed sigh from the being as he left. Gideon was suddenly in a room of white, the walls and ceiling were incalculable in scale. Someone spoke, the voice was power and absolute.  

A command.

It had the tone of a loving father and a strength that Gideon did not know yet.

“Rescue the boy.”

The dream ended.

>>> Preparations – 2

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