Dream of Apollo Continued
Now you can see that the people below have a great terror upon them, some run in blind panic, others sit and weep in despair, an abandoned child balls in uncontrolled anguish amongst a forest of running legs.
As you look down from your vantage point, Apollo points silently to the west. Beyond the walls of the city, something dark is moving through the Greenwood while angry, black storm clouds scurry above it. As you watch a seething black horde breaks from under the boughs and falls upon the city gates, smashing them to pieces.
The scene below you is one of chaos, harsh laughter mingled with screams of terror as Orcs and Demons and Sorcerers run amok through the city streets, scything through the mass of defenceless citizens and ransacking their houses and temples, burning as they go.
Apollo must have noticed your look of bewilderment and horror because he turns to you and says, "It is not for me to help the stricken now, for they must defeat the black sun before light can return. After many years vigilance has at last failed in the face of a determined effort by those known as The Cult of the Longnight. Now direct action must be taken". Only then do you see the dark web stretching through the heavens and the bulbous, bloated body of unlight that eclipses the sun.
You cannot take your gaze from the scenes of carnage being played out in the city below, until you notice a figure amongst it all that is moving with a purpose the others seem to lack. Clutching a golden sceptre in one hand and wielding an enormous axe in the other, you watch their unfaltering progress through the city streets until they exit the city, onlivious to the horrors around them. Apollo smiles fondly toward the figure.
The image of the tortured city fades to be replaced by a vision of a lush and verdant valley lit by bright sunlight. You stand atop a great pyramid, the valley stretching away before you, snowy mountains all around. An imposing man in the garb of priest or shaman bows to Apollo as he enters, then turns to gaze away down the valley; waiting.
Amongst the valley people below, you pick out a hurrying form. It is that same purposeful figure you spied earlier in the burning city. The axe is now gone, but the golden sceptre still being carried is unmistakable. Upon reaching the base of the pyramid the figure begins to climb towards you without hesitation.
Apollo takes your hand and you are carried up and into the heavens. Although the sun was shining on top of the temple and within the valley, you can see that the evil black web is still strung across the skies, its bulbous centre blotting out the sun, but now, toward that centre, a ship is sailing upon the clouds.
You look on as from the ship steps a figure, tall and brave, aglow with an almost magical inner light. "See the light that guides them?", hisses Apollo at your side, "The light from within?". The tall figure is clearly unaware of your presence or that of the mighty deity by your side.
You catch your breath as the great web quivers and the hideous demonic sun, sensing the presence of danger, begins to uncoil, belching unlight. With utter purpose, the sceptre is swung back, around and overhead. With a flashing arc of gold and a spark of diamond it crashes down with complete accuracy. Immediately the web begins to disintegrate and with an earth-rending bellow the black sun falls from its woven perch.
You turn to look across the continent of Avalon in time to see a bright arc of sunlight sweep across the shadowed lands. You hear a roar of exaltation rise forth from the peoples of Avalon, newly freed from the oppression of the terrible darkness.
Apollo draws your attention back to the heavens where the great hero of the moment stands proud, sceptre held aloft, eyes burning with passion, the noble countenance a picture of accomplishment and great joy. As you look upon those features a great dawning of recognition overwhelms you ..... For the face is your own.
Apollo, the god of light smiles at you, eyes twinkling, "Legends of the past or portent of the future?". You open your mouth to reply but as the first word forms upon your lips you feel a great wrench as reality floods back into your consciousness and the images melt from your mind.
