For right now, I believe this is going to serve as the prologue to the second book in the Lifestream Trilogy. It takes the reader back to a time before Book 1 even starts, but provides a new perspective that will set the tone for Book 2.
It had been called many names during its existence. Some worlds called it Plague, others Death. This world had called it Darkness. That suited it just fine. Darkness’s hunger was palpable, having being denied the lifeblood for over three millennia. Currently having no means of ambulation, Darkness was marooned in this black, dank place. No light, no sound, nothing to hint at its location. No matter. There were ways to escape this tomb. It had been greedy last time, tried to consume too much, too fast. This current host, called Gaea by some, had noticed, and had acted swiftly and with great effectiveness against Darkness.
The beast that this world had unleashed on Darkness had been brutal. Little had been left of Darkness when the beast was through. That is why it had taken so long to recuperate. But not this time. Darkness learned. It always did. This time it would feed slowly, grow strong in the shadows. Take advantage of the creatures that called Gaea home. By the time the host learned that Darkness was back, it would be too late.
Baelcroveen, the creatures of this world had named the monster which had been the undoing of Darkness. Darkness could not sense the beast’s life signature, it was pure lifeblood and appeared as just another flow. But the beast would be known to the creatures of this era. It would not be able to conceal its nature. The horror the beast would inspire in the creatures of this time would create ripples through the lifeblood, and Darkness would know. It would find the beast before the beast was able to locate Darkness. It would destroy the beast from a distance. Darkness would grow strong, and it would feast upon the lifeblood until there was nothing left. Then Darkness would ride along as the host’s dead husk crumbled to pieces and tumbled through the void, eventually impacting another world to serve as host to Darkness.
It could sense the host’s lifeblood flowing. The lifeblood was everywhere, it flowed in unseen torrents across the surface of the host as well as deep within it. Baelcroveen had done well to place the Darkness far from a strong flow, but there was a flow near enough nonetheless. It could likewise sense the legion of creatures living on the host. They would come. Darkness put out tendrils of psychic energy to entice them. Darkness could take advantage of any vice, any base feeling. Fear, anger, hate, greed, and so many others. It eagerly anticipated the arrival of a vessel. What would be the creature’s motivation? Which emotion would Darkness use to bend the vessel to Its every design? Darkness put out Its call and patiently waited. It was hungry, but a being such as Darkness could easily wait an eternity.
So soon one answered. And what a delicious morsel this piteous creature was. Reeking of desperation, and envy. Yes, this one would do nicely. So much could be accomplished with desperation and envy, it made the creature so pliable. So accomodating. It took barely a whisper of promise before the creature opened itself to Darkness. The pathetic thing breathed deep, inhaling what little of It was left. And there Darkness began to fester.
It lodged itself into the being’s thoughts. It made promises of power, assuring the creature success in its palty desires. How truly miserable this one was, its greatest desires so miniscule. This vessel sought love, so the creature believed. Darkness had dealt with love before, and while this could be a dangerous emotion, usually love was not actually what the sniveling creatures sought. Love was so easy to replace with dominance. The two seemed so similar, especially to the desperate. Yes, this was going to be an easy vessel to control. By the time this vessel learned the truth of what it had opened itself to, Darkness would be in complete control, and would have spread Its will to others.
It rode its new vessel out of the dark and the dank. Along the way Darkness made use of some of the lesser creatures found in this subterranean world. There were those that would welcome the chaos and revel in the misery, and there were those who simply did not have the sentience required to care what came. Darkness would make use of both.
Into the light and sweet open air the vessel carried Darkness. It urged the vessel to the nearest flow of this world’s lifeblood and drank. Darkness swelled with strength, Its senses growing considerably. It could feel that there were creatures in this time that used the host’s lifeblood, just as there had been in the past. Darkness had underestimated the tenacity with which these creatures would defend the host, this Gaea. It would not so underestimate them again. This time Darkness would systematically seek such users out, to eradicate them or turn them to Its will.
This world had defeated Darkness in the past. This time Darkness would not be caught unaware. This time Darkness would exercise Its infinite patience. It would dominate this world and every living thing on it. Baelcroveen would not get a grasp on It this time. This world would be sucked dry just like so many others in the past. Darkness read the thoughts of the vessel, something which took It just a moment. It became intimately familiar with every aspect of the vessel’s knowledge, including the sociological underpinnings of the current era. And then it set course for the nearby city of Chessalham.
The beast that this world had unleashed on Darkness had been brutal. Little had been left of Darkness when the beast was through. That is why it had taken so long to recuperate. But not this time. Darkness learned. It always did. This time it would feed slowly, grow strong in the shadows. Take advantage of the creatures that called Gaea home. By the time the host learned that Darkness was back, it would be too late.
Baelcroveen, the creatures of this world had named the monster which had been the undoing of Darkness. Darkness could not sense the beast’s life signature, it was pure lifeblood and appeared as just another flow. But the beast would be known to the creatures of this era. It would not be able to conceal its nature. The horror the beast would inspire in the creatures of this time would create ripples through the lifeblood, and Darkness would know. It would find the beast before the beast was able to locate Darkness. It would destroy the beast from a distance. Darkness would grow strong, and it would feast upon the lifeblood until there was nothing left. Then Darkness would ride along as the host’s dead husk crumbled to pieces and tumbled through the void, eventually impacting another world to serve as host to Darkness.
It could sense the host’s lifeblood flowing. The lifeblood was everywhere, it flowed in unseen torrents across the surface of the host as well as deep within it. Baelcroveen had done well to place the Darkness far from a strong flow, but there was a flow near enough nonetheless. It could likewise sense the legion of creatures living on the host. They would come. Darkness put out tendrils of psychic energy to entice them. Darkness could take advantage of any vice, any base feeling. Fear, anger, hate, greed, and so many others. It eagerly anticipated the arrival of a vessel. What would be the creature’s motivation? Which emotion would Darkness use to bend the vessel to Its every design? Darkness put out Its call and patiently waited. It was hungry, but a being such as Darkness could easily wait an eternity.
So soon one answered. And what a delicious morsel this piteous creature was. Reeking of desperation, and envy. Yes, this one would do nicely. So much could be accomplished with desperation and envy, it made the creature so pliable. So accomodating. It took barely a whisper of promise before the creature opened itself to Darkness. The pathetic thing breathed deep, inhaling what little of It was left. And there Darkness began to fester.
It lodged itself into the being’s thoughts. It made promises of power, assuring the creature success in its palty desires. How truly miserable this one was, its greatest desires so miniscule. This vessel sought love, so the creature believed. Darkness had dealt with love before, and while this could be a dangerous emotion, usually love was not actually what the sniveling creatures sought. Love was so easy to replace with dominance. The two seemed so similar, especially to the desperate. Yes, this was going to be an easy vessel to control. By the time this vessel learned the truth of what it had opened itself to, Darkness would be in complete control, and would have spread Its will to others.
It rode its new vessel out of the dark and the dank. Along the way Darkness made use of some of the lesser creatures found in this subterranean world. There were those that would welcome the chaos and revel in the misery, and there were those who simply did not have the sentience required to care what came. Darkness would make use of both.
Into the light and sweet open air the vessel carried Darkness. It urged the vessel to the nearest flow of this world’s lifeblood and drank. Darkness swelled with strength, Its senses growing considerably. It could feel that there were creatures in this time that used the host’s lifeblood, just as there had been in the past. Darkness had underestimated the tenacity with which these creatures would defend the host, this Gaea. It would not so underestimate them again. This time Darkness would systematically seek such users out, to eradicate them or turn them to Its will.
This world had defeated Darkness in the past. This time Darkness would not be caught unaware. This time Darkness would exercise Its infinite patience. It would dominate this world and every living thing on it. Baelcroveen would not get a grasp on It this time. This world would be sucked dry just like so many others in the past. Darkness read the thoughts of the vessel, something which took It just a moment. It became intimately familiar with every aspect of the vessel’s knowledge, including the sociological underpinnings of the current era. And then it set course for the nearby city of Chessalham.
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