After finishing up some tasks, I was pulled into a very dark area. I could barely see. I didn’t feel threatened, but I call the sword just in case and start poking around, because why the fuck not. I’m here. Let’s see who wants to play.
A small group of shadowmen pour out of the walls and the woodwork. Classic nightmare phantasms. Looks like they just got their first union job. Devouring light, oppressive air, general feelings of predatory delight towards the lone human in the room. Amateurs. They didn’t sniff the air first. Before pouncing they should have waited for fear to flavor the room. I had no fear. They pounced anyway.
They swarmed over to me with the well known silent shrieking that’s supposed to deafen me even though there is no sound. I have to admit, it was very well executed. You could tell they have been practicing very hard to be a cohesive team. They probably graduated top of the class.
But I think they ditched the lectures about what preys on predators.
I was going to wait until one of them actually touched me before fucking up their shit. It was such a beautiful execution, I didn’t want them to be destroyed before giving their all. The first one to reach me opened its mouth to engulf my head. Just before a tooth touched me, it froze and shrieked in alarm.
I didn’t move. I only spoke quietly. “I’ll just wait here. You figure out what you’re going to do. I have time.”
The other shadowmen surrounded us. The one half around my head whimpered slightly. I felt sorry for it. “Don’t they teach you kids anything anymore? It’s 6 to 1 in here, with only one of you engaged. You have a choice. Allow the one already in a vulnerable position to be sacrificed as a distraction while the other five flee, or go all in and try to overwhelm me by numbers. Or, since I’m in a generous mood, Mister Lack Of Dental Hygiene here can back off my face and regroup itself.”
The other five backed away a respectable distance, while the attacker retreated from me. They milled around me, unsure what to do.
“You.” I pointed at the attacker with the sword. Despite not having eyes, I could tell the black sword captured their attention at once. “Why did you sound the alarm? Why did you whimper afterward?”
“I… know… you… Unmaker.” Oh fucking hell. I haven’t heard that name in a good while.
“You mean, you recognized me too late.” “Yessss……”
Hmm. Classic kid’s nightmare scenario, they know me as the Unmaker, I must be near the realm of the Little Ones. I’m not in danger here, then. My reputation alone will keep them at bay, even though I think it’s an undeserved one. Better that than Lemon-Eater, I suppose.
“Well… what are you guys going to do?” They made the motion of looking back and forth among themselves even though their shadow faces were featureless. I heard something rattle beside me. A little shadow table with a little shadow teapot and a little shadow teacup was there. As I watched, they made a little shadow chair.
“Would… you… like… some… tea?” One shadowman poured a cup of liquid darkness into the teacup. Another offered a little shadow plate with little shadow cookies. The other four bowed.
“You guys are stuck for the duration of the dream?” They nodded. “In that case, tea would be wonderful. Thank you.” I sat down in the solid shadow chair and rested my sword on the table. I could feel their surprise as human hands picked up the shadow teacup.
I smiled at them. They were suddenly very nervous in anticipation. I was about to commit a grave error by partaking of fey food, or was I?
I called on my shadow minions to fully possess me. As their hive queen, I can become part of them, as they are part of me. I became complete shadow, no trace of humanity to be found. Only the solid sword resting in my semi-transparent lap gave away that I was there.
The glee of the shadowmen fled. There was a scent of fear in the room, but it wasn’t from me. The Unmaker sipped the offered shadow tea, and nibbled the offered shadow cookies. Six shadowmen sat at her feet in complete silence and servitude until the dawn burned the shadows away.