LES PETITES HISTOIRES DU MONDE DES RÊVES

Inside a place illuminated faintly by a burning torch, an odour of blood and moisture was engulfing the room. The shoes of the four adventurers were now soaked by water, mud and unknown compounds in a strange mixture impossible to describe.

Their ascent was in some way eternal. However, they never gave up trying to find a way to get out of this place. A way out of the goblins' grasp. A way out of this hell. It was only a game of patience for these monsters, it was only a question of time before the little group would be weakened enough for the goblins to finish them off.

At last, the occasion was coming to a close. The little group entered a steep corridor. However, a peculiar scent was overflowing inside this place. A smell particularly off. It was like gasoline had been poured all over the place.

None of those green monsters could have pulled that off, no?

The leader of the group only asked the others to be on guard. It was the only road forward left. They had no choice but to take it. Even if it was a trap, he thought he would be ready for anything.

However, he was not.

By taking the lead, first in front of the danger, it came at him, with the blessing of death. A cold and metallic cylindrical object landed out of nowhere, gently deposited on the front of his forehead.

He only had the time to process what it was: A gun barrel.

The sound of the detonation rang all throughout the room, followed by the sound of a solid object dropping on a liquid.

The blood didn't have the time to entirely flow out of his brain, as it was overtaken by the growing fire that rapidly consumed what was left of him, leaving only a disgusting aroma of burned flesh behind.

The rest of the team was frozen in shock by such an abrupt event. Left speechless, they had the impression it was only a nightmare, like nothing was real in front of their eyes, like everything would go back to its original state in a matter of seconds. However, the smell was too strong. It can't be a dream. It's reality. By pure instinct, they began to retreat from the origin of the aggressive encounter.

The murderer didn't even try to hide his presence anymore. As the illusion slowly revealed his appearance, he switched immediately to another target. And, without hesitation, pressed the trigger, letting loose another bullet that pierced through the stomach of the group's only healer. 

Blood began to spread all around the wound. The pain rose quickly, engulfing the body of the magic user like serpent poison, paralysing him in the run mid-stride. His fall was stopped only by his head smashing against the ground. When he tried to stand up, he had only the power to kneel down. First in disbelief, by seeing his hands covered by his own blood, his own panic pushed him to launch a spell to stop the blood loss.

After seeing yet another one of her comrades fall, the elf couldn't help herself, she swivelled around, nocked the arrow on her bow and pointed it in the direction of the menace.

However, the murderer was gradually hidden by the growing flames, playing the role of a wall, to block their only way up.

A cold and uncomfortable smile answered her, as the fire came to hide him. His sharpened fangs reminiscent of a shark were a reminder of his predator nature. His narrow and grey eyes covered by rounded glasses were piercing into her soul.

The sadist with long and badly cut dark hair pointed his gun to another member of the group, mocking her by his attitude of complete dismissiveness towards her attempt.

This mockery was all she needed to let go the string of her bow, shouting at the same time a slur she wasn't accustomed to say.

"Bastard!"

However, the enemy's answer was unexpected. He only whistled.

The shrill sound did the impossible. Right at the moment the wave of the sound reached the point of the arrow … It wrapped the entire projectile in a blue aura to instantly rocket it in the opposite direction. The nock of the arrow pierced the archer's throat with all the force and rage she shot it.

She felt odd, the sensation of a solid lump of air stuck in her throat was the first thing she could think of. But, when her eyes fell to the stick of her arrow, she understood clearly what was happening. This heavy object obstructed her respiration, and was followed by the spillage of blood all along her throat. From the exterior and the interior. The never ending flow was gushing out down her chest even as it was also flooding her stomach and lung with fluid. When she tried to inhale, she only choked, the viscous fluid overwhelming her mouth and dripping from her mouth onto the ground. She could feel her life drawn away from her by death itself. It was slow and painful. Maybe, this hell was a retribution… Maybe she deserved all of this, but at least, one of her comrades could get away alive.

"Sýdrass!"

This was the voice of the dwarf. He rushed in her direction. When she turned her head, she could see his hands trying to reach her. However, when she tried to scream, to say "Just go!", only blood came out. Finally, the death sentence was acted, and, one single iron projectile came out in and out from the head of the last member standing.

He fell down like a rock in front of her eyes, unresponsive. His annoying jokes are now forever trapped in his grave.

At the same time tears fell down from eyes, she tried to do the same, she tried to reach his dead body. When she extended her hand, she let her dying corpse fall, and, at last, her cold hand met his. It was her little victory, meaningless as it was. She wanted to do more, but it was all her current body could do. Now, the pain began to disappear. Everything around her was gradually becoming blurry. And finally, became void.

The healer's hands couldn't stop shaking. His wound was now closed, but his friends' corpses, his hands covered with blood. It couldn't maintain his fear. He only wanted to scream. To call for help. But he could not. Like he was frozen in place by a cold feeling overwhelming his body.

The man behind the firewall then burst into laughter.

"Is that all? You didn't put up any resistance. So, this is what we call deception. I see."

The last member standing turned his head to the man, with tears flowing without interruption. Why us? Why me? Was the question unanswered that overflowed his head. It wasn't like he wanted an answer. He needed one.

His voice, cracked with emotion, giving difficulties to be understood, tried to formulate a cohesive sentence.

"Why? Why did you do this? What did we do to deserve this? Don't we need to work together to survive the goblins? Everything you've done is pointless! There is no meaning, no logic, no emotion in it!"

"What are you saying? It's Tuesday^[1]."

His sentence was a pure slap to the face. It was done without a meaning, it was really pointless. This man can either be a monster or a crazy person, the two possibilities were his answer.

Meanwhile, one green monster appeared at the beginning of the corridor. All these sounds will of course alert one of them, and, when he will see the human carcasses, the alert will be sent. They will swarm this place. They will devour him alive.

The fear grew. He didn't want to finish like this. He didn't want to die. The panic grew and crushed his own morals.

"Wait, they are approaching! Let me go through! I will not attack you or anything similar! I promise! I don't want to die!"

Behind the flames, the insane man was smiling in front of his pleading prey. He turned around. Answering him as he was coming back to his own ascension.

"If you are quiet enough, you can survive on your own. See you soon, ba-bye."

At the same time he was waving to the person he left to die, he continued his life, like nothing happened.

–Q&A–

Luke: Hello everyone, my name is Luke, I am a reporter with the Nilandu journal. Today, we will talk with the antagonist presented by this text: Léhan! Monster deep to the core or misunderstood person? You will have your answer here! In the Q&A! Hello Mr.Léhan, I am happy that you accepted my invitation.

Léhan: I would say that the pleasure is mine.

Luke: So, to help the reader that wishes to use all the information you will say here, I want to point to the temporal marker of the Léhan I am talking to. The empta have the approximate value of 5.4749 and we are the 1^st Delantea 4,014. Before asking the questions of the public, I have some questions myself. Who are you?

Léhan: My name is Léhan Stoberski. I am a human from Asval born in the city of Kvulvup.

Luke: I see, so, you have no links with Solapur^[2]?

Léhan: Well, at first I didn't. However, due to everyday circumstances, I was thrown inside twice.

Luke: Twice?

Léhan: The first time was to save my ass, and the second time to live a little longer.

Luke: Is it possible to know a little more about these two times you needed to climb the tower?

Léhan: It's not really worth talking about it. But if you’d love to know it, the first time I was thrown inside was because the government of Asval wanted to get rid of me, thinking I would certainly die. And I came back. They weren't happy about it, so they asked me to tag along a group that will go to explore the place again.

Luke: The group you are talking about is the one of the text?

Léhan: No. I met them the first time I entered Solapur. The one I am in right now has a noisy elf, a jaded slime, a traumatized Valarõ^[3], a soldier too stiff and a guy totally at the opposite.

Luke: Did you have a good childhood?

Léhan: Yes.

*A long and awkward silence followed.*

Luke: You aren't really talkative you know… It makes my job so much harder…

Léhan: Then do your job better.

Luke: Thank you, that doesn't help at all. Well, I think I finished my own questions. Maybe it's time to answer questions from the public. So, I have a question from Lucioleuh. "What does pleasure taste like?".

Léhan: Pleasure is like honey^[4] or blood, it's something impossible to take you apart from it when you taste it. It feels soft, calms your nerves, and clears your throat. You can again feel that you are yourself. I always taste it when my action leads to something that stops breathing, in fact this is the only situation where I can feel it… Except if I eat honey, this is as important.

Luke: I am somewhat hurt by your long answer and elaborate answer on this kind of question… So, now I have a question from Alex. "How did you master Blue Force?"

Léhan: Well, it was easy. Everyday I wake up, eat a croissant with honey inside, and try to go inside someone head. For example, with the mister in front of me, I am trying to understand what he is thinking about, why he's doing things he's doing. Sometimes my hypotheses are right, sometimes they are wrong. If I put him into a situation of near death…

Luke: I don't like where this is going…

Léhan: I can go in his head, take everything he knows, everything he learned and take it for myself. This is like that every time I want to eat a croissant with honey.

Luke: You… Okay. Fine. But that’s all? You learned by going inside people’s heads when they are near death?

Léhan: This how I master Blue Force. Not how I learned it.

Luke: The guy wanted to know both… I am taking a break after this interview.

Léhan: Okay, okay. So, I learned Blue Force by meditation, in fact I don't really understand why no one is able to learn it easily. That just "be happy", "do things you like" and "don't close yourself to others". It's not impossible to access.

Luke: There is also a little more to this^[5]... But let's follow another question… This one is from Natan, why the f*ck man? What's your problem? Go find something good to do, go help someone: cut some grass in the front of their house, go help society.

Léhan: Oh.

Luke: I almost forgot the last part, surely the most important one, f*ck you.

Léhan: It seems someone doesn't like me.

Luke: As a reporter who does his job really well, I am so surprised.

Léhan: So, if it's really a question, I don't think I have a problem. That the others who see me as a rat. So, to not be a rat, to not be trapped and have my neck snapped, I am doing what they asked me to do. I am killing what they fear, so, I will have my lifespan expanded. And I am letting myself live with the last gasp of air of the goblins. Like I say to the slime, our leader, this isn't a trip for the greater good, this is my last chance, the one I will live at its fullest until the goblins are no more. I am not afraid of dying in this ascension, because in the eyes of others I am already a dead rat. So, I will be the most impactful goblin slayer anyone will ever see. I will die with traces of blood all around the room, with a body hurt beyond repair. Because this is my life, and how I want it to end and lucky me, I am not the only one that thinks this way. So, let the blood flow, like honey on the ground. I am ready for anything, because everything is my will.

Luke looked at Léhan who was absurdly triumphant in his action and words before turning to the camera.

Luke : I … Think that's all for today… I seriously need my coffee break…

Previous version

Inside a place illuminated by only a burning torch. Only the odor of blood and moisture was spreading in the room. Their shoes where now weighed by the water, the mud and other compounds giving a strange mixture that was impossible to describe.

This ascension was in some way, practically eternal, but, they never give up, trying to find a way to get out of this place, out of the grasp of goblins that only wait for them to be weak enough to finish them off.

But at last, at the moment they were following a tunnel, a smell was particularly off, like some gasoline were poured off all over the place.

It couldn't be the work of one of thoses green monsters, yes?

The leader of the group only asked to the rest to be on gard. They had no choice but to take this route, even so, they needed to be ready.

However, he was not.

By taking the lead, in front of the danger, it came at him, with the blessing of the death. A cold and metallic cylindrical object that was put in front of his forehead.
He only had the time to process what it was. A gun barrel.
The sound of the detonation vibrated all along the room, at the same time the body fell on the flammable liquid.
The blood didn't have the time to entirely flow out of his brain, that the fire started to take grow.

The rest of the team was shocked by such an abrupt event, that they back off from the origin of the aggressive encounter.

The murderer didn't even try to hide his presence anymore, shooting just after on the stomach of the healer of the group. From this last shot, the illusion spell vanished.
Between the flamme that was only growing to totally hide him, and block their only way up.
A cold and uncomfortable smile answer them. His fangs were form like ones if sharks. His narrow and grey eyes covered by rounded glasses, were piercing into their souls.
The sadist with long and badly cut hairs in the colour of the shadow pointed his gun to another member of the group, trying to reduce their number to three. However, the elf will not let this men hurt another of her friends. She draw her bow, and send an arrow, using her almighty precision to finish the illusionist as quickly as possible.

The answer of the unexpected enemy, was to whistle.
The acute sound did the impossible, right at this moment, the arrow was wrapped in between a blue aura, and instantly gone in the opposite direction. The nock of the projectile penetrate at high speed the throat of the elf that couldn't scream in pain due to the blood that flooded her lungs at the moment she tried.

The last man standing precipitate himself over the elf, worried about her state, even if, he should have thought about his own safety.

"Sýdrass!" Was his last words, before a metal piece pierced through his skull putting him into an eternal sleep on an instant.

The only person left was the priest that only had the power to heal his own wounds ...

In front of the only person left, behind the last corridor, the insane man began to laugh.

"Is that all? I thought you will be more resistant!"
"W-why? Why ... Did you do this? We should work as together if we want to survive goblins. What you did was pointless!"
"No, it's not. Right now I am enjoying the pay-off of my action."

With all theses sounds, the appearance of a green humanoid monster at the entrance of the room was to be predicted.
After seeing the creature in his way to finish the job, the last member of the group began to fall into panic.

"Wait! They are approaching, let me through I will not try anything! I promise! I don't want to die!!"

In front of his pleading prey, the shark like teeth man smiled, and turn his back to the survivor. The flamme hiding him and the exit without any other hope than facing the flow of green atrocities.

"If you are quiet enough, maybe you can survive when the goblins will eat what is left of your friends. On that note, ba-bye."

Finished the real monster waving to the person he left to die behind him, before disappearing in the shadows of Solapur.