I felt a heavy sigh leave my chest. What was I doing here? Every single time that I seemed to discover something great, some sort of bright side to this place, a damnable creature would come by and ruin it for me. My discovery of mana and magic, for one, was nearly completely turned into a negative one as I found that one of the ways that Clarice had gained all of her knowledge and perspective was sacrificing herself to the creatures that inhabited this island. How ironic was that? In order to gain the power to destroy these creatures, we have to surrender our bodies to them. To further our minds, we must suffer corporal humiliation. Another deep sigh passed through my lips. Depression was definitely taking a hold of me.

The only place that seemed to have any semblance of serenity and privacy were my dreams. I hadn't been getting much sleep lately, though, due to the nearly nightly rapes. Karzak was definitely not light in his treatment of myself. And when he wasn't there, pouring addictive and delicious cum down my throat, I was staying up trying to prepare for class or worrying about how he was to come to me tonight. Through the window, through the door, perhaps burst through a wall. I didn't know. And that part scared me most of all.

But now... Now it seemed that good night's grace had finally found me. I let out a soft, high pitched yawn and snuggled into my silken covers. I took the nearby pillow, there were two on my average sized bed, and pulled it to my chest. I hugged it tightly, nuzzling my face into it as I slowly lulled off into a deep sleep. Little did I know what awaited me within this world. My dream started off in a fairly pleasant manner. I was in a field of flowers, the colorful plants swaying in a cool breeze that tickled at my skin. The sun above seemed to be in full sight yet still didn't burn my skin. I took in a deep breath, inhaling the scents of the flowers.

The fields extended as far as the eye could see, gently sloping and rolling hills painted to the horizon with light, pastel blues, startling pinks and warm yellows. The sun stood high, bathing the area in light without too much heat. A single tree seemed to break up the cohesive landscape, a warped and aged old willow on the adjacent hill, its leaves hanging down in seeming defeat, the sound of waves crashing on the beach quiet and almost indiscernible somewhere in the distance.

Waves were not so subtle for Icelus.

He stood against a slender silver railing, looking over the black waves as they threw themselves in protest against the icy fjords of his kingdom. He let out a sigh, taking in the view as he rested his chin upon his palm, simply listening to the inhaling sigh of the waves followed by their tormented crash.

“S-sir…?” a voice called over his shoulder. He turned, looking to a strange mannequin, blank featureless face like a dressmaker’s doll but with limbs that moved in jerky, awkward motions. It wore the remnants of a finely cut black suit, a gold tie and vest the only color amongst the ragged black coat and black undershirt.

“Sir…? The girl you were looking after has arrived,” he intoned from somewhere within his blank, faceless head.

Icelus grinned.

A slight breeze picked up in the field, the flowers buffeted ever-so-gently to and fro. The breeze turned a little chill, but nothing too startling. A large raven landed in the branches of the willow and let out a single, stark caw.

I looked up at the sky, its montage of clouds forming pictures and ethereal shapes. I sighed softly and looked into the distance, simply staring at the horizon. Above me a shadow passed over, blocking the sun and bringing with it a gust of wind. I looked up slowly, seeing the ominous raven land on the willow that seemed to be submitting to the weight of years and the gravity of old age. I stepped forwards, the flowers moist pedals stroking my smooth and bare legs. I looked down, finding myself nude. Yet, I didn't find it odd or felt the urge to hide myself. Maybe this is what it felt like to live in a safe place. Somewhere without danger, without prejudice. A perfect world.

The sincerity and modesty of this world was shattered by the bird's sharp caw. It spiked up against everything in my perfect little world. A cloud was suddenly in front of the sun, large and dark gray. The shadows created by the oak tree seemed to extend, making it seem larger then it really was. I felt a shiver run down my spine as a wave of cool air took the place of the hot air. I hugged myself, the cold seeping into my flesh.

Another uncharacteristically icy breeze swept the fields, the skies slowly graying, the clouds gradually moving from cottony white to a tumultuous gray, expanding to cover the sky from horizon to horizon. Thunder boomed somewhere in the distance, the undersides of the clouds rippling with purple-blue light. The air seemed thick with moisture and somehow electric.

A series of caws sounded behind her. Two other ravens streaked through the air behind her, wheeling overhead and settling on their own willow branches, fiery orange eyes hanging like orbs in the low light as they tilted their heads to the side, surveying her with an inhuman yet intelligent curiosity.

“He comes…”

The low whisper carried on the wind, barely audible. It seemed to be a cry from the very flowers themselves, calling up in high, breathy voices to her as the wind whipped across the plain.

“He comes… he comes…”

Thunder called as the first drop of rain hit the delicate curve of her collarbone.

Shivers ran up my spine as the wind picked up and more odd cawing echoed across the field. I turned my nude body towards the willow tree, the three birds all staring at me with odd and baleful eyes. Another soft shudder ran through my body. What happened to my safe world? To my calm haven? The words then came, caressing my ears like a carnal whisper. Who... Who's coming?

The clouds above darkened and roiled, until booming thunder echoed from the distance. I looked up and saw a heavy drop of rain coming down. My eyes followed it but I made no move to get out of the way. It came down and fell on my collarbone, splattering so that its tiny droplets sprayed across my chest and lower face. Then its brethren came. The downpour began and quickly drenched my nude body. The birds, though, seemed unaffected by the rain. Lightning crackled in the distance. It seemed that my despair was taking shape. To the far east the clouds began to swirl, my own mind's attempt at embodying emotion in my dream. In moments they would form a tornado. Its strength supported by my anguish and despair.

Lightning cracked the sky and the rain continued to pour down in droves, the tornado tearing across the hillside. A bolt struck the willow, splitting it into splinters, sending them cascading across the landscape. Icelus stood upon the smoking remnants of the trunk, hopping down into the guttering embers and holding his arms out to the sides, giving a joyous spin as the crows landed on his outstretched arms.

“I’m singing in the rain,” he called out with a laugh, “Just singing in the rain…”

The thunder boomed overhead again, the tornado pulling up the flowers and spinning in a wild dervish upon the horizon behind him.

“What a glorious feeling,
I’m happy again…
I’m laughing at clouds,
So dark above…”

He trailed of, waving his arms dismissively as the ravens took to the sky with sharp caws, fleeing the incoming cyclone. Approaching Diana, he locked his violet eyes on her, the long tail-like tendrils that extended from his head falling flat against his back.

I cocked my head to the side when the oddly dressed being stepped into my conception of reality. He stepped towards me. Or rather, danced towards me, would be more accurate. He stopped his odd singing just as he began to walk towards me, dismissing the ominous birds that he had riding atop his long arms. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he came towards me, burning embers cooling around him. The hurricane spun in the distance, slowing down as my curiosity took over my anger.

"Who are you?" My voice was strong in this dream state, confident. Not shy and weak like it was in reality. I was not shy or ashamed that I was naked. I was confident in myself and my body. I stood with my back straight and made no attempt to cover myself.

He had to admit that he was rather impressed by the sheer force of the cyclone spinning behind him. It implied a certain power over her own dreamscape, something akin to lucid dreaming, perhaps awoken by his own entrance into her dreams. Certainly interesting, but he wasn't sure how to take it just yet. Better to just wait and see how it played out than to try and hazard a guess just yet.

“You really haven’t a clue how often I’m asked that question. It’s tiring. And it’s also rather rude that you interrupted me before I finished my song. Ah well…” he sighed softly and continued his approach as the weather continued to rage around them. No matter how horrendous the environmental factors, his voice could still be heard quite easily, seeming to somehow cut through the ambient noise.

“I’m here to collect you…” he raised his right hand, the clawed tips extending into full, raking blades, four fingers now extended into foot-long knives that hung from the fingertips, “By force if necessary. Well, really, preferably by force…” he laughed.

I clenched my hand into a fist, a scowl forming on my feminine face. This creature had the nerve to disturb my dream, my haven, and still complain. I reached to my side, my hand curling around a three and a half foot long rapier that had materialized there moments ago. I drew the shining blade, its hilt gilded with shining gold and the butt of its hilt embedded with a shimmering sapphire. I didn't realize at the time that I had no clue how to sword fight, but I held the blade aloft nonetheless. Perhaps he'd be frightened and back out of my dreams peacefully. Then he spoke and I cocked my head, curious at his odd statements. Collect me?

I raised the sword and pointed it at him. "I'm not yours to collect, Monster. You'll get your wish." I raised the sword across my chest, holding it a good foot in front of me in what I thought was a defensive pose. In reality I had just copied what I'd seen in a movie once. But who knows? If the sword materialized out of nowhere in my dream, maybe the skills to use it would too.

“Ooooh, quite a lovely blade, dear, but don’t you think the blue and gold clash a little?” he cocked his head to the side, his hand held out, fingers spread wide with blades dangling from the tips.

With a step back, he dropped into a low stance, his unbladed hand held out forward in a fist, acting as a guard, the bladed brought up before his chest, curling and uncurling the fingers in a delicate and deadly come-hither gesture.

“You don’t even know how to use that thing, do you? Ah, well, have at me then, I’ll give you a free swing, sweetie, not that it will make a difference…” he laughed after he trailed off, the winds sweeping up a cascade of purple petals that danced before him then dropped in delicate spirals to the ground.

The scowl on my face deepened and I swung the blade, taking his carefully laid out bait. It was through this rush of adrenaline that I finally took the time to look through my hazy anger and see this thing for what it was. It looked like a parody of a stereotypical court jester, but his vicious looking weapon and malicious expression clearly noted that he had other purposes in mind then to entertain her. The blade swung true, heading straight for the intruders torso in an uppercut swing from Diana's right side. She used a double-handed grip on the sword, putting as much force behind it. Her form was sloppy and clumsy, but it was still better then nothing.

Icelus looked down as the blade found its mark, opening up a seam along his torso that tore like a great yawning mouth, spilling gleaming pink-violet blood down his chest, soaking into the cloth that draped across his hips. He brought his hands up to his face, looking down at his palms, streaked with that liquid which seemed to glimmer with its own innate light, bioluminescent ichor that caused the grass and flowers to wither and die when it hit the vibrant plantlife.

A look of shock overtook his mostly blank features as his eyes met hers.

Then he began to laugh.

“You’re… you’ve got to be kidding me right?” he almost doubled over as the wound knit itself shut, the blood slowly drying on his strange black flesh.

“I mean, first off, your grip is all wrong for using a slashing weapon, your hand on the hilt should be supplemented by another on the blade, I’ve seen enough flynning in my day to figure that you probably picked that move up from a cartoon. That’s not even addressing the fact that you tried to slash me with a rapier, which is ludicrous. I know you’re probably not that strong and it seems rather heavy, but sweetie, a rapier is a piercing weapon, you should have tried to run me through,” he explained, feigning wiping tears from the corners of his eyes.

With a swift movement, he slid quickly up alongside of her, gripping her hair tightly in his non-clawed hand and bringing the slender blades up to her throat, “Of course, the rapier was designed as a weapon for both slashing and thrusting, but slashing quite quickly fell out of favor in more refined circles. Which leaves us with one purpose, if you pardon the rather bawdy pun,” he finished with another cruel laugh.

I looked smugly at the creature as my sword cleaved through his chest, leaving a gaping and nasty looking gash. My earlier expression turned into a triumphant grin at the shocked look on his face. I showed him. Then my face dropped when he began to laugh loudly, the shimmering goop dripping from his wound plopped onto the ground and destroyed the scenery of my imagination. The laughing continued, mocking comments thrust in between fits of chuckles. Each one hurt like a spear thrust, this realm being far closer to my mind then any in reality. Just before I could get a word in his new found chasm began to close itself, the flesh meshing back together so perfectly that it seemed I had not even touched him.

I looked up at his face again, the closing hurricane slowing down and collapsing on itself as my anger was abated by shock and despair. I tried to speak again but he suddenly wasn't in my line of sight any more. Before I could move I felt him tug painfully at my long, blond locks. I felt the despair in me condense into a heavy ball in my stomach when his pun clicked in. "No, no, no, damn you! This is my dream, you're not supposed to be in here..." Tears began to form in my eyes as his cruel laughter rang through my mind, resulting in it echoing across the darkening landscape. If I wasn't even safe in my own mind, what other place would be safe? The sword that had been in my grasp was dropped, but no noise was made as it fell for it quickly disappeared from existence.

Icelus laughed as he leaned in, listening to the fear slowly grow in her breath, her heart thudding in her chest. He leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to the girl’s pale cheek with the strange, mouthless stretch of skin on his face, his eyes glaring with that bemused malevolence as he did so.

He reached his fingers out before her, snapping them quickly as a slender gold chain formed between his hands. Bringing it back against her throat, he tightened it, choking her.

“My, my, my… this will be fun…” he laughed, throwing a knee roughly to the small of her back, dropping her to her knees.

The hurricane may have died away but the storm continued, the rain falling in the windswept hills and the sky stained a bruised black, thunder roaring above as violet-blue lightening streaked the sky.

“Fun, indeed, won’t it, my pet?”

My breathing continued to quicken, panic wracking my body. Ngh, why, why must this keep happening? I felt another shout tear from my throat as he leaned in, pulling my hair back further as he did so. I felt an odd feeling on my cheek, an attempt at a kiss that merely felt like someone rubbing the flat of their hand against my cheek. I shuddered in fear as I then saw his clawed hand rise before me. My eyes widened when the golden chains formed. "No... No, please, don't! N--" I was interrupted in mid-word by the strangling chain, grasping for breath when I suddenly felt pain spike through my back. My knees buckled and I fell forwards onto them. I was at his mercy now and I knew it. I reached my hands up to make a futile attempt at loosening the chain.