Nightmares

 

 

            Helios, god of dreams and Amina, goddess of ice had been childhood sweethearts and were destined to be wed on Helios’ 20^th birthday. All the gods and goddesses were pleased and very happy for the young couple, except one goddess. Her name was Perlypsa. She had been exiled by the gods long ago for her murderous acts and selfish ways. She thought that she could have whatever she wanted whatever the price. If she couldn’t have it then she would punish those who did or destroy it altogether. She was the goddess of darkness and fears.

            Perlypsa had taken a small liking to Helios and was very jealous of his love for Amina.  Overtime it became almost an obsession, her hatred of Amina only grew stronger. A plan was forming in her head as she observed how Helios used his power. All she had to do was taint Helios just a little bit and he would be under her power, then she could have him destroy Amina. Then nothing would stand in her way of her new pet.

            Amina and Helios did not live very close to each other. Helios lived in a hidden dimension off of earth where only nonrealistic things could exist. The god of earth, Endymion also lived here. Amina lived in a deep, very cold place. Being the ice goddess her home was quite the opposite. She did like the cold, but when she had guests they either froze to death or complained that it was too cold. Her living quarters were elegantly furnished and she wore beautiful dresses. Helios would mostly visit her in her dreams or come for a short time in person every couple of weeks.

            It had been over a month since Helios had last seen Amina. He was very close to being desperate to see her but maintained his calm. One day walking through the garden he heard Amina’s voice calling out for help. Running he stopped to see a black hole hovering in the air. Cautiously he approached it, suddenly something pulled him in. The next thing Helios saw was a slightly deformed woman in black. She looked as though once upon a time she was very beautiful, but all that was left of it was twisted or scarred. The woman was abnormally tall, reaching a few inches above Helios’s head.

            “You’re nicer looking in person.” Her voice was slightly crackly and Helios didn’t like the way this was going and stood up.  

            “My name is Perlypsa, and I have watched you for a long time.” Helios felt a chill go down his spine.

            The one sided conversation continued for a few minutes longer until Perlypsa moved forward faster than Helios could move and pierced the skin over his heart. A small tattoo appeared and Helios fainted. He woke up back in the garden. Checking where the witch had pierced him he didn’t see anything. He looked around slowly, trying to decide what he had just seen was real or not.

            Amina was getting slightly worried that something had happened to Helios. Her dreams had not been the usual happy but slightly dark, as if it were trying to hide something. Helios was scared or worried over something if dreams were not happy. It gave her a chill every time she thought about it. Pacing around her living room she suddenly felt the familiar presence she had been longing for, but she could feel something different about it. Helios walked into the living room hunched over and breathing heavy. Amina ran over to him and held him up. He pushed her away harshly and gave her an emotionless look.

            “Get awa—“ He was cut off by a roar that erupted through his body and echoed throughout the entire cave. He suddenly lunged at Amina and knocking her down cast her into a dream like state but everything was surrounded by darkness. Amina could feel the fear and evil weighing down on her as she yelled out Helios’ name. Returning to normal Helios realized what he had done and went into the dark dream after her.

            It took him a while to find Amina and when he did Helios explained to her everything that had happened. Perlypsa had tainted his purity which caused a monster to emerge within and turn all dreams into dark, horrific visions he called nightmares. He turned his head and looked to the ground when he told her the next part.

            “Perlypsa sent me to cast you into an eternal nightmare. You’re….stuck in here forever. I can’t reverse the spell….” Amina looked at him with her mouth open. Lowering her head she sighed and made her mind up on what she would do.

            “You should leave and still continue to give everyone their dreams. Do not stay here, there are more important people that need you than just me.” Helios still didn’t look at her but as soon as she was done speaking he shook his head.

            “It’s my fault you’re stuck in here. I can transfer my power to a crystal, that way there will always be dreams, but there will also be nightmares, I can’t get rid of those. The only thing I can do is make nightmares less frequent upon dreamers. If they are lucky they will not have to experience them often. I’m not going to ever leave you.”

            To this day, both of them are still in the world of nightmares. If you ever have a nightmare and see a young man with silvery hair and a young woman with long brown hair then you have met Helios god of dreams and nightmares and Amina goddess of ice. Let them help you get out of your nightmare.