In a luxurious room tucked away within the high quarter of a bustling modern metropolis a woman tosses and turns in her bed. Her deep blue rubber like skin and gray hair flashes in contrast to the white sheets she constantly throws them about. A thick tail ending in a large fin remains entangled in the sheets. Her black eyes constantly open and close, as if she is trying in vain to wake herself from her nightmare. Alas, a nightmare would be preferable to the vision she is trapped within.
Alice (Nemoyu, Level 101 Visionary Sage)
It was just a normal night when she went to bed that day. Normally the visions are precluded with headaches, flashes from the visions themselves, and in extreme cases even nausea. But none of that had happened this time, never have the visions not had forewarning, except for this time. As she had lulled herself into sleep, the vision descended upon her like an assassin from the shadows.
Alice stands in an open field, in the distance the Council of United Nations’ city burns, black smoke and flames somehow towering over its five hundred foot walls. Stone walls thought impenetrable by most of the world are now toppled in some places with significant portions missing in others.
“How? How could this happen?” She asked herself in disbelief.
Then she saw the answer, the army that was walking over the corpses of their fallen foes. Thousands of green women with leaves in their hair marched in organized formations towards the city. Their weapons and armor seemed to be made of wood, but Alice knew from a glance that it was much stronger than that. Dryads, thousands of them. She had to know every monster by sight and sound, so that she could identify them in her visions. She couldn’t use the regular identification, only visually recognize what she was looking at. Among the thousands of monsters and animals she was forced to learn, one of the few she remembered with ease were dryads. Their nature and features were… distinct from other monsters. But how could there be thousands of them, and why were they marching on the city. Her visions showed possible future events, but often lacked in explanation for how those events came to pass. Just one dryad was cause for concern, but this. The end times were clearly upon them, perhaps the gods had truly abandoned them after all.
She could hear her own heart beating, ringing in her ears and thundering sound of thousands of feet hitting the ground at once. Alice tried to calm down by reminding herself that it was just a vision. They can’t see or interact with her, nor her with them. She could move around to a certain extent, but usually can’t go very far from her origin point within the vision.
Then suddenly, everything felt just wrong. She felt like an unbearable pressure was coming down upon her, like something had decided she was prey.
“Beautiful aren't they?” A strange voice called out from behind her.
Alice spun around only to come face to face with one of the green monstrosities. Where did it come from? Alice was no rogue but she wouldn't miss something with this presence coming up behind her. And it can’t be talking to her, surely there is another of its kind around here it is addressing. But something was off about this dryad, it felt different from the others. It’s larger than the others, its armor was more regal looking, and the look in its eyes reflected a fierce intelligence.
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“It’s rude to ignore people you know. Then again, you hypocritical barbarians never did want to admit we were people.” The dryad says.
Alice looked around but found nothing else nearby, it was just her and the dryad within the field.
“Going to ignore me? That’s a foolish move, but still smarter than what you are doing right now. It’s dangerous to meddle with time you know, not that I ever have. Then again you're not actually messing with time are you? You are merely viewing a vision of a possible future predicted by the gods.” The dryad says with a wicked smile.
No, this is wrong. Why can it see her, why is it talking to her? Alice takes a hesitant step back, and in response the dryad takes a step forward. Alice is debating whether to answer the creature or not when the fields around her suddenly start to flicker and the carnage in the chaos begins to disappear. The vision is fading, soon she will be free and can report this vision to the council.
“Hmmm, how unfortunate. It seems our time is coming to an end here.” The Dryad says.
How does it know? It’s like it’s alive within the vision but that is impossible. The visions are supposed to be a view of future possible events, so no creature should be cognizant within one. And how does it know the effects that signal the vision’s end.
“You never did tell me your name, but that doesn’t matter. I’ll let you see mine and tell you the answer to the question burning a hole in your head. The gods will it, it is as simple as that. Perhaps they are trying to tell you something. ” The dryad says.
No, that can’t be possible. This hasn't even happened yet, how could something that hasn’t even happened yet, an entity that does not yet exist influence her vision like this? Alice didn’t get to think on the implications long, within the span of less than a second the dryad was upon her.
Grabbing her by the neck it squeezed while baring its fangs with a wicked smile. As Alice thrashed and kicked in panic the monster simply lifted her into the air and proceeded to squeeze harder. No, this can’t be happening. What happens if she somehow dies in a vision? Alice didn’t want to find out so she fought with all her might, which seemed to only amuse the dryad.
“Oh, and when you go back and report this to your so-called great council of nations, be sure to tell them this. If you wish for war, then I shall give it to you.” The dryad says.
With a final squeeze Alice felt her throat collapse and her neck snap with a sickening crunch, and her whole body went limp. Then the creature simply held her aloft, looking into her eyes as the light faded from them and the darkness started to creep in. It was then that she saw the creature's name and level.
Petal (Queen Willow Dryad ‘Progenitor’ (Legendary), Level 537 Life Bearer Paladin, Level 150 Spatial Jumper)
As the world slowly blackened Alice wondered why. Why did dying hurt so much? And why would the gods allow this to happen?
The next moment she was practically flying out of her bed from fright as she awoke. Taking a moment she collects herself. She puts her hands to her own neck and finds it intact. After a sigh of relief she recomposes herself and urgently calls out to her servants. Quickly a young woman in a maid outfit bursts into the room looking slightly panicked.
“What is wrong my lady? Please calm down, stress is bad for your health.” The maid says.
“Forget my health, contact Chancellor Beldren immediately! We need to meet as soon as physically possible. Tell him it’s about the visions. Go, now!” Alice barks at the maid.
The maid quickly scurries out of the room to go start the process of relaying the request for a meeting. Alice could only hope they would take her seriously and arrange a meeting immediately. Looking over at her alarm clock she sees the time is twelve past ten, and today is the seventh day of the week, fourteenth of Nadar. Of course the first of two days she’s had off in a long time has to be taken up by this nonsense.