Prologue II

Dark dreams.

Frank felt his mind expanding the longer his tether to Constance’s mind remained. Through their connection he saw and felt almost everything she experienced, particularly when she dreamed.

During the day, when the sun glared down violently, those infused with the Dark Energy of the Queen often had to take shelter and eventually sleep. Though sleep wasn’t the correct word, as they were always awake, always aware of their surroundings. But they were in a semi-dormant state, one where their body and vitals were almost non-existent. The only true proof that any were alive during the daylight was that their body continued to cycle dark energy throughout their bodies, constantly working and refining the energy they held within their bodies.

When she slept, it was as if their minds were finally allowed to be separated, and he could be there with her. As she slept, he would feel the mental consciousness of his mind laying gently next to her, their bodies so close that he could feel her energy pulse as an impromptu heart. In a way, it was a beautiful thing, as he for the first time understood what it was to be accepted.

From their shared mental space and experience, Frank could tell that Constance for her part also found herself yearning for the embrace of rest when their two consciousnesses could be allowed to freely exist with one another. There they would share thoughts, not through words but through expressions and images.

At first, the exchange of emotions through images was tough to understand, and almost too much for his mind to fully comprehend, but over time the process became easier.

Through their time, he first saw her entire existence and experience she had when she was first infected. How her aunt turned her, then carried her away to be fully turned into her current form. How this was a much better state than dying, at least from the memories that Constance had.

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During this time, Frank also saw her. The queen, all throughout the dark energy that extended and corrupted outwards, Frank saw her. Small traces, minor things that all ultimately fared to show the final existence that were the corrupted. Those who had lived, died, and were ultimately reborn with the alien power. She existed in all, as it was her power that ultimately sustained everyone. By her will alone, power was provided and shared with everyone.

Even now, Frank felt that he had to hide his presence around the Dark Queen, a person who even now Frank had a hard time fathoming as being the initial source of corruption. Well not the initial source, but the most prevalent source of corruption that humanity knew.

The sad part was, only now did he realize just how vast the true threat facing humanity was, as the Dark Queen, and even the Dark Warlock both were but two factions. Two minor factions in the grand scheme of what was yet to come.

Each faction vied for power, all in preparation for what was truly to come.

“Come to me my Constance, and tell me of the man you love. The man who will be the beacon of hope for all of us.” The Dark Queen said, her voice commanding.

Even now, echoes of that first contact still rang within Frank’s psyche, as there was something in there, something that he had been told. Something that the Dark Queen had spoken directly to Constance, knowing that Frank would hear it.

“Child of Catastrophe, when you are ready to understand this, these memories will come to you.” The Dark Queen spoke, and once again, Frank felt the weight of her words crashing down on him, like a tidal wave.

Crash.

Then finally, with this cycle of hearing the same message, over and over throughout his dreamlike state, he felt his mind shattering. Or rather the illusion of how perfect the world was. With this, Frank finally felt the fog that had settled over his mind beginning to break apart, as he suddenly saw the flaws in the world around him.

Movement.

Frank felt his body, his real body beginning to move and convulse on its own.

“No, you can’t go, not yet.” Constance cried out, her loving arms grabbing onto the last physical form of Frank. For a moment, he felt her warmth, he saw the look of longing in her eyes and felt his body solidify for only a second as he too wished to stay.

Then he heard it.

“He’s back. He’s back!” A familiar voice cried out from beyond the veil of consciousness, and suddenly Frank felt the mental tether back to his body.

Looking back he saw Constance, who too also seemed to understand that that time together was coming to an end. Then with a gentle pull, Frank felt his body and consciousness being pulled back into his body.

GASP!

Frank jolted upright as his body, mind, and soul all seemed to converge at the same place and time for the first time in what felt like an eternity.

“You’re back,” Dr. Evans cried out.

Looking around, Frank saw that he was once again in a hospital room. A room filled with a doctor who looked far more haggard than she had any right to be. Then he found himself asking the most pertinent question, one that even now his mind was having a hard time fully comprehending.

“What happened?”