Dreamlands

This story is part of the community effort on the Emperor's Nightmare chapter.

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With a groan of effort, Somnus pulled himself out of the sand. Clear blue skies were above him, and he could feel the twin suns of the planet warming his skin. Cool water rushed over his bare feet, and he felt the tug of the water as it receeded. Turning away from the water, he began to walk into the jungle further inland. His limbs felt heavy and weak, as if he had just woken up from a deep sleep. As he walked, the sand seemed to grow warmer until they burned his feet.

Wait... he thought. Something's not right.

He looked down at his feet. Pale, far more so than he remembered. He wriggled his toes, which he noticed were also much larger than he remembered. They were too large, especially for a twelve year old boy from the lower hives. It was almost as if....

Ah, that was it. The memories came rushing back now. The trials, the Nightmares, the years of training, and now this new world opened up to him. He looked up from his feet and back into the dense foliage of the "forest". A blue armored figure stood there. Its hand reached out, as if beckoning him closer. Somnus realized his legs were moving and reasserted his control of his "body".

"Where am I?" He asked, looking up to the sky. Clouds had formed - dark, angry things - as if made from some kind of noxious gas. Shocked, he took a step back, stepping on a sharp rock behind him. He felt his foot bleed for a second, before his enhanced body sealed the wound. An icy wind blew from behind him, and he shivered. What had happened to the suns? The ground shook, and Somnus nearly fell. A crack appeared in the ground, from which hot air began to rise. Recognizing the crack for what it was, he rolled out of the way just as magma began to ooze forth. Thunder boomed overhead, causing him to jump in surprise. When he landed, he slipped and fell backwards into the mud. He sank deeper and began to flail as he was submerged into the water. He swam up and gasped for air as he clambered onto a rock. Breathing heavily he cried out again. "WHERE AM I?"

Lightning flashed overhead and rain began to fall. Soaked, confused, and quickly becoming irritated with his situation, Somnus rose. This bizarre world, with its ever-shifting landscape and climate, would not conquer him, for he was an Astarte. He knew no fear.

"Brother Somnus."

Somnus, now encased in his suit of power armor, turned to the source of the sound. A hooded figure, similarly armoured and wearing grey robes, held out his hand. Somnus reached out and took ahold of the figure's hand. The mysterious Astarte hauled him off the rock and onto a stone platform etched with arcane symbols. He felt an aura of calmness emanating from the figure, despite the chaos of this land.

"My brother," the figure said, removing his hood, "you are safe now." Somnus looked at the figure's pale, weathered face. His gaze met the bloodshot eyes of the figure, and at last Somnus realized the identity of his saviour.

"Brother-Librarian Khyenpa." Somnus said, nodding his head in greeting. "Well met."

"Aye," the psyker responded. "Welcome to the Dreamlands."