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A Dream Among The Stars

Carrion dreamed of standing among the stars on a platform of pristine marble that rose from the galaxy. It was beautiful, he thought. And it was, the galaxy around him was not the black void of space that he would stare up at in a field at home. No, the void was colourful with shades of purple, blue, and orange, filled with dancing sparkling stars. He would’ve stared at it forever had another beautiful sight not appeared.

   A pale white woman, with golden hair and a white dress decorated ornately with golden patterns, sat delicately on a chair of a marble. She was the most beautiful woman Carrion had ever seen. It was as if she was also made of the marble around them.

   As Carrion’s thoughts wandered away with her beauty the woman waved a hand, summoning a chair that brought him to her. Another wave and there was a table between them with various tea snacks, a teapot and cups.

   The woman looked at Carrion for a while, her face betrayed no certain emotion but her eyes seemed to scan him. And then she spoke in a voice akin to velvet, “Hello, Carrion. How are you?” 

   Carrion tried to think of something to say but the thoughts just stumbled over one another leaving him in stunned silence.

   “Stunned?” She said, reading him like a book. “I cannot blame you, it is a beautiful sight, is it not?” She gestured to the galaxy around her.

   “It is. It’s like nothing I’ve ever seen,” he said, astonishment tinging his voice.

   “I’d hope so, it was made to be unique.”

   Made? He thought, confused.

   She slid a cup of tea towards him, “Here, some tea to calm the soul.”

   Carrion sipped his tea, it tasted like an amazing herbal tea but he couldn’t quite place the flavour.

   The woman stood and bowed slightly, “My name is Amoura, the sixth Goddess.”

   “Goddess?” Carrion questioned.

   Amoura sat back down and nodded, “Yes, I am one of seven deities. Here you sit in our realm which we created for ourselves.”

   Carrion couldn’t help but chuckle, definitely a dream he thought, but a nice dream.

   “I see you find it funny, don’t worry you’ll believe soon enough,” She took a sip of her own tea and smiled. “Such a nice flavour, I must thank my brother for the tea later. Now, before I tell you why you are here, Carrion, do you have any question you’d like to ask first?”

   Carrion took a second to think, if she was a God then there was certainly a lot to ask, but she’d just say something he would think of, something he knew if it was a dream. 

   “If you are a God then did you create my world? Why is it so chaotic then? Do you not feel bad seeing us kill each other? Kill our world?” He questioned.

   “All very fair questions to ask, Carrion. Yes, me and my siblings created the human world in your universe. One of many we created. And yes, I do feel bad for your people,” Her velvet voice was tinged with sadness. “But that is the curse of freewill. We made your world, but we do not control it, and do not wish to. Now, I feel that answers those questions. Anymore before we continue?” 

   Carrion shook his head.

   “Good,” She smiled. “Carrion, you have been summoned here for a specific purpose. You have been chosen to bear a specific Sin of creation and to become a guardian of the Balance in your universe.”

   “What? Sin?” He said defensively.

   “Yes, within you is a great amount of rage, something I’m sure you’ve noticed.”

   Carrion said nothing.

   Amoura continued, “For this you have been deemed as a suitable candidate for the Sin of Wrath.”

   “You said I was chosen as a guardian?” He said, quickly changing the subject. 

   “Yes, a guardian of a balance between worlds. Your world is connected to two others, you would know these worlds as Heaven and Hell but they are unlike the ones you think of. These worlds house creatures of magic that are currently sealed off from your world.”

   This was a lot to take in, Carrion thought. Gods, magic, Heaven and Hell. Bearing the Sin of Wrath.

   “I’m sorry if this is a lot, Carrion,” Amoura said, reading him once again. “But this is needed knowledge for you in the future, I must request you listen no matter how bizarre it may be.”

   Carrion nodded yes.

   “Thank you. Now, as I said, these worlds are currently sealed off from yours, your world’s magic was used to create and reinforce the seals. But these seals are breaking, and they won’t hold for much longer, and once they do break your world will regain magic, but the Angels of Heaven and Demons of Hell will wage war once more. So me and my siblings decided to choose seven humans to bear the Sins of creation and protect the balance between worlds. Do you understand?” She asked, her tone caring.

   “No,” Carrion stated. “What are seven people supposed to do against worlds of armies?” 

   Amoura nodded, “Yes, that is a fair reaction. You will be gifted powerful magic from Angels or Demons which will awaken your own magic and enhance your body for fighting. This should make you very powerful but you will need to unite humanity if you hope to fight off the armies. But I must warn, the magic will be too much for your body at the start so we shall place two seals on you to ensure you adapt. A physical seal and a soul seal.” She waved her hand and summoned a mask to it. 

   It was a hideous, completely black mask of a demon whose face was contorted in rage. “This is the physical seal, a mask to represent your Sin, the design I chose myself. When you summon your Demon or Angel magic, you shall summon this to your face too. Once you are capable, you shall be told to shatter it and gain more power.” She slid the mask across the table. “The soul seal, similarly we shall release when you are capable of your full power.”

   Carrion looked at the mask, “This is too much,” He murmured.

   “I know,” Amoura waved her hand, and a door appeared in the space to his right. “Should you wish to deny, you can simply walk through the door and resume your life, though the world seals will still break and magic will seep into you, changing your world.”

   “And if I wish to accept?” Carrion asked.

   Amoura smiled and held up both her hands,in one a small ball of light appeared and the other a shadowy mist, “Then choose either the Demonic shadow magic or the Angelic light magic. Once you make your choice, you shall wake up in a world unconnected from the others entirely, a world seeped in magic where you’ll learn to hone your magic and skills in a test of sorts. Once you pass you shall return to your own world once the seals have broken.”

   Carrion looked to the door, it was his bedroom’s, a plain brown oak door with a bronze coloured handle, “How long till the seals break?” He asked.

   “Seven more years,” She answered simply.

   Carrion looked to Amoura, her ocean like eyes staring into him, she was still holding the light and shadow. Carrion raised his hand, “I choose the shadows.”

   Amoura guided the shadows into Carrion, and smiled a gentle smile, “Thank you, Carrion, I hope to see you again for another cup of tea.”

   Carrion remembered smiling back before everything got darker and his consciousness slipped.

When Carrion opened his eyes, he awoke on a beach he did not recognise, hearing birds all around him. He sat up and the demon mask fell from his face and into his lap. Staring back at him.