Malicious shadows danced across the moon, casting themselves on the land below, casting what looks like blight in the canopy below. In their shadow, the once magnificent trees of the Maguuma Jungle looks like aspects of torment and agony, reaching out to all that would dare to venture within their grasp and toil with their physical beings until they were broken and left to rot. Suddenly, the lush grass that hasn't been tainted moves swiftly as if a breeze has been set upon them.

What moved them was no breeze it was an ancient creature of madness, moving swiftly on it's many tentacles stalking it's prey. The fiendish eyes of this moving nightmare did not need light to see as it moved through a patch of shadow cast by the lush canopy, it could sense the movement of what it was hunting, every shift in the air that comes from short breaths, the sent of fear, and most of all the need for survival. Even in it's mind of limitless chaos and lust for destruction it knew, that need and want for life that was in these stubborn and pathetic little creatures; whose actions sealed away it's lord into a realm of nothing. These thoughts burned in it's mind, fueling the creature to dive faster into it's chase; and at the end, it would end.

Images of the violence and hopelessness played themselves over and over again in the assassin's mind. He was still in shock from watching the unimaginably horrible creatures come and his guild mates go. For he had only gotten the news of a new find in the jungle that promised fame and rare gemstones, when his fellow guild members had already found that old forgotten tomb. When he got there it was too late, the warrior of the party leading the expedition had broken the seal and then came nightmare. As he raced through the jungle his mind could not make sense of all the images it saw. Most of all, he was so confused and in fear of what will happen if the creature behind him was to catch up. He could not think, just as he could do nothing as his dear friend was killed. Now only the most basic instinct was left now: run and survive.

He ran and ran, time seemed to be going longer then what if was supposed to be. The assassin did not know where he was or how close he was to help, he didn't even know what time it was anymore. One thing was for certain he was getting tired and soon he would not be able to run anymore.
The living creature of madness behind him was still fast in pursuit, it seemed to not need rest for the more it chased the faster it became. Then the assassin spotted a structure near him, it was a rock formation that looked as if it soared into the sky like a hawk talking wing. As he approached this monument the thick canopy around him thinned. Then he knew where he was, near the edge of the jungle and getting close to where he would find the entrance to the area that held Ventari's Refuge.

He tripped.

Horrid thoughts raced though his head as the pain in his legs shot up to his brain. The injury was not deadly or harmful, but it would certainly forbid him to run at the speed at which he was before. He had no choice now. There was only two options left to him: fight or die. Doubts swarmed through his mind. What if I lose? What if I die? What is to happen with me? He knew that if he was to survive that these thoughts had to perish and he quickly cleansed him self of this swarm; he would need a plan.

The creature was getting close. Oh, how it delighted to see it's prey trip and fall to the ground. Such an easy catch and soon it was be upon it. These thoughts delighted themselves in it's mind as it approached with even more vigor as before. It soon stood almost above the assassin. Then blinding pain came up it's tentacles. Giving a yell of pain it then looked at the assassin, he was no longer near under it, but about 100ft away. Furious at the deception the creature gave what seemed to be an angered look at the direction of the assassin. Who now seemed to be doing something to the ground, the creature didn't care, how dare this impudent weakling do something like this.

Using a shadow step was brilliant on the part of the assassin. Firstly he gave a little distance between him and the creature and secondly he now had a little thinking time as the creature was still in some sort of perverse shock from what happened. Even more then that, the skill that he used would cripple the creature for at least a few seconds. Quickly using the skills that his ranger master had taught him he took out a few vials of poison and poured them into the ground, then using beastly magics he animated them into snakes that dug deeply into the ground; these snakes would then attack anything that came into their vicinity and poison them. The creature seemed to be shaken out of it's shock now, it slowly approached the assassin now, more vicious then ever before. He knew that if his plan was the succeed he would need the creature to be even more angry.

In a stride, or what you would call a stride, the creature began on it's tentacles. It had been in shock before, but now it wanted it's prey: bad. Though crippled the creature moved towards to where the assassin was. Three fourth of the way there the cripple had been healed and it gave into a run towards the assassin. Not noticing the ground below it had shifted as if some makeshift burrower was under it, the creature moved closer still. Just as it came within some where nearby the assassin the ground burst with vipers that jumped up and bit the creature. This time it howled in pain. Some sort of strange poison flowed through it's veins now, draining the creature of vigor. It could feel itself begin to weaken and succumb to the hidden assault. With a mind of anger and rage it charged at the assassin once more.

The assassin felt a weight has been lifted from his as the creature once again fell into one of his traps, it was now time to put his plan into it's final phase. His injured leg felt a little better but it would not last, though this renewed vigor would suffice for the task at hand. The assassin dashed towards the Hawk rock formation with all his might and the creature followed.

Now mindless the creature followed the assassin as fast and furious as it can. It chased him all the way to a strange looking rock formation. It had the assassin cornered now, oh how deeply it pleasured to finally see it's prey where no where else to run and no more space for puny parlor tricks that bite. It would assault him until the assassin was on near fringes of death and then it would have it's way with him.

The assassin stopped so that the rock wall was tight behind him and waited for the creature to come towards him. Quickly he drew the shadows cast by the rock near him, renewing him with vigor in it's shadowy refuge. The creature came close and then it started to attack.

It was a furious battle. The assassin's blades first dug jaggedly into the creature's flesh causing it to bleed and then swung wildly to any part of the creature's body the blades could find. All the while the creature was casing some sort of enchantment upon itself making it strong enough to penetrate armor. The assassin then went into a formation that flowered slices of death upon the creature, but something went wrong the mere instant before the creature cast another enchantment and instead of being hurt significantly by the assassin's assault it took minor damage; pain shook though the assassin as if he was hurt by his own attack. The creature seemed to delight in this and gathered up it's tentacles for a final blow. Near the edge of the vigor the assassin knew it was time and quickly, like before, shadow stepped away from the creature while crippling it. The creature's strong blow stuck the rock behind the assassin like a giant siege creature. The strike dug into rock and the whole formation shook. Looking for the assassin once again, the creature found him smiling, it then looked around quickly to see if there was more these impudent humans around it.

It saw none.

Then it looked up and knew. The rocks above crumbled. The creature thought of it's lord, knelt and prayed, it's mind dove deep into the madness as the giant rocks above it crushed what was below.

The assassin felt relived that the battle was over, the creature had been a fierce force. He didn't even know that he could survive that encounter, even with weakening the creature with the trap that he laid. The part of the battle where he was damaged by his own attack left him drained. He knew that he needed to warn people of his findings and that more of creatures like the one he fought still roamed out there, but for now, for this time he could rest, he could live.

The rocks shifted.

The assassin's eyes looked at the direction of the giant rock slide and his face resulted in horror.

A giant shadow rose from the rocks and charged at the assassin. It's tentacles grabbing each limb making sure that it's prey could no longer move or do anything else. It could still feel the spirit of it's fellow kind calling it in the darkness, dragging it into the physical plane and feeding it malice and contempt for a certain prey which it now had in it's tentacles.

Struggling in the tight hold the assassin tried his best to escape, but he could not he was out of energy. He felt the thing slowing move him up towards it's deformed mouth, until he could feel it's tainted breath brushing over his head. Still closer it moved the assassin to it's mouth. The assassin prepared for the inevitable, he closed his eyes and waited to be consumed and ripped apart.

There was a whisper in his ear.

The assassin's eyes flung wide open, he was dropped to the ground. Perhaps by some holy intervention he was saved and someone, and the creature would be stuck down. Wild hope ran through him; maybe he could survive. He would then be able to warn his guild and the people. Then perhaps this threat would be vanquished and he would finally be able to accomplish his childhood dream of being a ship captain. After all, coming to find the tomb was all for that, if he could even touch a little bit of those riches, he would at least be able to buy a tiny ship to start of from. As a boy he was a dreamer just as he was as a man, together they dreamed of the sea and it's many wonders. The root of why he even started to be an adventurer was to accomplish his dreams. His sweet dear dreams that he held so near, that he was so close to accomplishing. He even had a plan, he had saved and saved and just needed a little more to top it off. Even if he didn't get treasure from the tomb in a few weeks he would have enough. He had it all planned out quit the guild and start off being a ferry man and slowly build up to bigger and better things.

But the creature was there, looking, staring at him. His hopes, his dreams where crushed.

He then felt it, that whisper of forbidden words. It coursed through him his entire being. The assassin felt unbelievable pain as his body shifted. He squirmed and wiggled. The images before entered his mind again and he knew. In those moments he knew what had happened to his fellow guild members, they had not only been killed and tormented they had transformed into fellow kinsmen of these darkened creatures. Then he remembered once more that somehow the eyes of the warrior that released the seal had looked the same color as the creatures. The assassin cursed himself in his anguish, how could he not have noticed before, it was that warrior that told of the tomb.

The warrior was a new member of the guild, they found him with fresh scars and broken armor on one of their expeditions into the jungle, and in their kindness took him in. None would ever suggest that he was evil for the few days that he was in the guild, he was the most helpful, cleaver, and hardworking person ever. Most beneficial of all was his knowledge of history, especially ancient texts. None questioned the warrior, and that was their greatest fault.

Pain now surged even more the assassin could feel his form wither and change. Claws surged out of his body piercing his human flesh. Giant ones spouted out of his back and his legs morphed into monstrosities. It was a very painful affair as his body morphed more and more. Skin became hard and his face more deformed. Until he looked of torment.

The assassin's mind in this newly formed body was filled with anguish, it charged at the creature that whispered the forbidden whisper. The assassin stumbled for the mind no longer knew how to work the limbs but it focused on one thing: destruction. This new creature, no longer an assassin, but a n embodiment of lost dreams. Dashed and finally reaching it's target it struck like the golden fox from assassin lore, then hitting the skull with enough force to daze the mightiest of heroes, finally this creature finished up the job with dual strikes that both invigorated it and were of critical power.

The mind of this new creature knew not what it was doing any longer, the soul had been filled to the brim with madness, pain, and torment. If it felt conscious during the assault it showed no emotion. No longer will it ever feel fear, happiness, pride, hope, desire, pity, or regret for it's acts. Most important of all it would no longer dream of the dreams it once did. Now this creature only dreamed of one thing, to destroy dreams.

Thus the Ravager of Dreams came to be.

Fin

Posted on 09/July/2007