The night greeted him tangled in sheets and the warm body of his lover. Sweat still clung to the saltiness of their skin as dreams tried to close in on his not-quite-closed eyes that peered up at the ceiling, but they weren’t looking at the ceiling, or the dreams that were trying to continue the passionate love-making he had finished just moments before. Their breathing slowed in unison as her head is rested on his chest, eyes closed, smiling softly, unaware that they- and the world- had only two weeks left of the lives they knew. He knew, of course, and he was worried. Her lips moved slowly, almost imperceptibly, as she softly whispered “Keep us safe, Love.” And he knew, either by some fantastic dream or the urgency that had permeated his passion that night that she knew something was up, and she trusted him. She trusted him because she loved him. She trusted him because who else was there?
In the distance a wolf howled at the moon. A gentle breeze played through the trees for just a moment. Somewhere in the universe a star was dying, but it wasn’t a natural death. Stars come and go all the time, over the course of the lifespan of the Universe. This star was not supposed to be dead for a million more years. What exactly was causing it? Could he alter the course of events so drastically as to prevent the death of the Sun? The sandman was playing re-runs. There was that same cliff in all of his dreams for a week, and the evil that threatened everything he held dear.
“Can’t sleep?”
It was a voice, but not a human voice, and not a voice that could be heard by ears at all, really. He had grown accustomed to the words that resonated in his head as if waterfalls could speak human words. He knew he wasn’t crazy because he’d long since known the truth of things, and while the woman in his arms would never hear it, he knew it was very much real.
“Can’t sleep?” It repeated, a little more defined this time. Even angels don’t like to be ignored.
“Can’t you talk to the sandman for me? I’m getting tired of his lack of innovation. If he won’t give me more to go by there really isn’t much point throwing the same thing at me every night for the past week. I know what I need to do, it’s just a matter of understanding how.”
“You know as well as I that your Mr. Sandman has no hand in the matter, and as for understanding how you must proceed, it is up to you and how far you are willing to go.”
He turned his head to gaze at the love of his life. He reflected on how he met her in the least predictable of ways, and all the memories they had shared since; he was undeniably proud at how through their journey together their love had done nothing but exponentially explode. He kissed her forehead and half asleep she responded with a gentle half-smile, at peace and without a care in the world.
Turning his mind again to his old companion and comrade at arms, who had been with him in his search for truth from the beginning, who had taught him of the order that exists beyond the three dimensions, and who had told him of the coming dangers and how the future of humanity rested on his shoulders and his alone.
“I will do whatever it takes to defend this world, for my future wife’s sake, for my future children’s sake. Nothing that stands in my way will prevail, even if I must give my life.”
“Remember those words carefully. Promises have a way of catching up to you, Hero. In any case, there is much we both must do in the morning. Get some rest.”
“Yeah, and don’t let the sun come up without me.”
“I never do.”
Moments later, he was back on the cliff, while the rain tore away his dark cloak, revealing his lean figure beneath a white T-shirt and boot-cut jeans, except this time a face hovered before him. It was the face of the deceiver, ready to destroy the last thing that stood between it and its prey.
“What do you wish to accomplish here?” It cackled into the wind. “You are just one man, one human man, with all of your primitive weaknesses. Surely you of all humans won’t deny how weak and pitiful you are. You are powerless to stop us. Just one of my soldiers could destroy you, body and soul, and you- you sit here on this cliff holding onto some kind of fool’s hope that you can save a people who have given themselves completely to my devices. I hear them already welcoming my arrival, don’t you? They see their existence for what it truly is- short, parasitic, and unnecessary. Their fate is sealed, Wanderer, and there is nothing left for you to do but die.”
“You have no authority over me,” He replied calmly, “I am a human, yes, but that means I am also condemned to freedom. I am free to pursue whatever I desire, and my only desire is to protect the ones I love, and protect their own freedom. Right now that means destroying you, and that is exactly what I will do, at all costs.”
“You say you’ve the power to exercise freedom of choice, eh?” His laughter chilled the wind and the rain turned into tiny shreds of ice that dug into his skin and chilled his bones. “Is that the only hope you can muster? Is that the only spark in that false fire in your eyes? Then I will present to you your options; you can either die now where you sit or you can die in the onslaught to come, but mark my words, Wanderer, you will death will come speedily and after accomplishing nothing!”
The fiend’s laugh echoed into the never-ending night as the wind thundered against the cliff and ice hardened until there was nothing before him but a dark fury of sleet and an even darker threat of failure. His mind pushed deep inside the warmth of his chest and tried to take comfort in the fire of his soul, but all he could see was darkness. The ethereal edges of his mind, windblown and weary, began to crack as he spiraled deeper …deeper…
Suddenly a strong, giant hand reached into the darkness and closed about his person. It pulled him back onto the ledge where he sat. Yes, he was not entirely alone. He had promised to do anything, even if it meant death. His gaze was directed at a darkness his vision could no longer pierce. Anything. A second hadn’t passed before he was on his feet. He had jumped. Now he was flying towards his enemy in righteous anger when something in him shuddered, freezing time and space and inhibiting his movements. He looked up to see the giant he had called his friend for so long, his sword unsheathed.
“You SWUNG at me!” He shouted incredulously.
“You don’t know what you’re doing, do you, Hero?” Its eyes were piercing, blue as sapphire. Its beard seemed to have grown since the conception of time itself. Its large golden and white attire covered its massive frame that hovered in the air; a floating, flaming skyscraper. Once again he heard the familiar Niagara Falls voice in his head, but his stubbornness overcame his awe.
“What? I’m doing everything in my power.”
“No you’re not; you’re running blind to your death. Do you learn anything?”
“What would you have me do? I’m nearly out of time!”
“See that city over there?” It pointed at a city of lights he hadn’t noticed before. “You need to go there. The sun is rising without you.”
“Oh yeah…”
Lair of the Wolf 