Original, fragment, Nightmares

[tsaiko]

Part of the inspiration for this story is from maderr's story of the draugr. I'd never heard of them before. Of course, this means I have to do some additional reading. While doing some research on them, I came across two sentences in the wikipedia article on them:

"Draugr are noted, as well, for having the ability to enter into the dreams of the living"

"Among the creatures that a draugr may turn into are... a grey horse with no ears or tail and a broken back"

And as such, a nightmare was born. :D



The nightmare resembled a horse fully grayed out: white everywhere but the muzzle and dark, dark eyes. That's where the similarities to a horse ended though. The stallion had no ears and a roach back so severe that it almost looked broken. His hooves were blue, like the lips on a corpse. A cascade of seaweed served as a tail. Someone had plaited the nightmare's mane in a decorative pattern and added seaweed to it as well. It must have taken hours.

Who would take that much time to do that for a nightmare? And what kind of creature or person had the power to make a nightmare stallion stand still for such a thing? The plaiting gave Jaeger pause. Who would care about a nightmare?

:Looked your fill?: The nightmare stallion bared his teeth. Jaeger shook himself, realizing he'd stepped forward at some point to get a closer look. He was lucky he hadn't been kicked or bit. Getting careless around a nightmare could get you killed.

Or worse. Jaeger's left hand ached and he absently rubbed it through the thick gloves he wore with his right hand. His good hand. He of all people should know what a nightmare could do to the unwary.

Still, there was something strange in the nightmare's tone, an undercurrent of defiance that sounded too much like hurt. Jaeger found himself apologizing before he could stop himself.

"I'm sorry." The nightmare turned his head away and snorted.

:Don't be. I know what I look like. Just get on with it.:

Since when did nightmares care about anything other than bringing misery and terror to mortals? More surprises. As a rule, Jaeger didn't like them. He took a deep breath, resolutely pushed down his rising unease, and began the ceremony.

"I am Jaeger, the dream hunter, given authority by the gods of sleep to roam the dreams of mortals at will. I will cause no harm, touch no mind, and protect all who slumber. By the rules laid out in the protocol between the Queen of Nightmares and the Lord of Dreams, mediated by Somnus and his brother Death, I demand you leave this dream at once."

Even though the words were familiar enough that Jaeger could say them in his sleep – terrible turn of phrase that – he was always very deliberate when he said them. Strangely, this was Jaeger's least favorite part. The casting out.

I am called Draug, the nightmare, given authority by Her Majesty Runoc, Queen of Nightmares, to roam the dreams of mortals as I will unless best by a dream hunter. By the rules laid on in the protocol between the Queen of Nightmares and the Lord of Dreams, I acknowledge my defeat at your hands Jaeger, the dream hunter. I hear your demands… the nightmare defiantly tossed his head, before dropping it in surrender. …and obey.:

Jaeger felt his stomach clench. The nightmare had a name? Only Lady Runoc and her get had names, though he'd heard that sometimes a nightmare would be given a name for great service to the Queen of Nightmares. The longer this encounter lasted, the less Jaeger liked it.

:Well? You don't have to worry. The rules prevent me from biting you.: Perversely, Draug bared his teeth, showing sharp canines where none should be.

Instead of being cowed, the move made Jaeger more determined to see this through. He stepped forward and laid a hand on the side of Draug's neck. The skin underneath his palm flinched at the touch, but the stallion held steady. Jaeger managed to keep himself from apologizing, gritted his teeth, and gathered power to him.

Then he pushed.

This. This was why he hated the casting out. The nightmare stallion tried to rear, tried to get away, but couldn't. The power of the casting ritual held him in place. Power blazed along the nightmare's skin, bathing him in a tangle of magic. It shimmered with all the colors of a soap bubble, pulsed once, and then twisted the dream in way that made Jaeger's stomach drop.

Jaeger didn't know if it hurt the nightmares. He'd never had a chance to ask, wouldn't trust the answer he received even if he had. But all that power couldn't be comfortable, and sometimes, the nightmares acted like it pained them. For all that he was a hunter, for all that what he did was necessary and right, Jaeger wouldn’t wish pain on any creature. The idea that he might be doing so haunted his thoughts when he had too much time on his hands.

When the blaze of power had disappeared and the spots had faded from his eyes, Jaeger sighed. It was done. He felt the dream ripple around him. With the nightmare gone, the horror and terror should fade.

And yet, it was not heading back towards pleasantness. If anything, everything seemed darker, more sinister. Jaeger braced himself, his hands straying to his knife. There was something else in the dream.

Sometimes nightmares formed small herds. Not the females. They were vicious by nature and the only time they would be vulnerable was when pregnant. However, only Lady Runoc could give birth. So Mares had no reason to form herds for protection. Stallions would form small bachelor herds of two, maybe three, nightmares if one of the nightmares needed protection for some reason.

If there was another nightmare stallion in the dream, Jaeger was in trouble. He had used most of his power capturing the first nightmare. Jaeger didn't have enough strength to fight another. And while he might have compunctions about harming them, nightmares had no such hang-ups about harming him. Even better, he'd just cast out one stallion, thereby breaking up the herd and possibly angering the nightmare's herdmates.

Jaeger was in trouble.