A whirl of light engulfed me as I opened the door with softly blue glowing steel edges, and I dropped onto a battlefield where black smoke heaved from ditches, sounds of skittering came from autumn brush not far away and dark brown soil mixed with blood was what I beheld.

The war seemed to be ongoing further away and I was not in immediate danger, but it felt as though I were being watched from afar.

I wondered whether I remembered any of my old powers and clamoured among dead bodies of seemingly humanoid knights who had mostly suffered deaths of internal bleeding and fatal loss of blood through throat wounds.

I got weaponized with a sword and shield and soon enough, because now I was looking for trouble.

The expanse was big toward the east and I was headed toward the sounds I heard constantly.

Treading proudly I made no attempt to hide my advance, yet this might be foolish, but I feel strong. Whatever has fought here is now frightened enough to hide from me, even though I am unarmoured.

As I moved on in battlemode something sprang from bush to bush in front of me.

It was dark, small and smelled fetid. There was blood on the bush ir had pounced from – deep crimson.

Better put the pest out of its misery I grinned.

As I got closer to the bush a shriek emanated and the beast was fleeing, me in chase.

50 or so meters of running after it and yelling battle cries it reached brush that was just too thick and it turned to face me.

It sprewed two barbes from its throat, but I would have none of it and dashed toward it while blocking them off my shield and let a skull shattering initial blow with the hilt of my sword land on its chin. It flew onto its back. Definitely aware of the seriousness of the situation it prowled now, on its fours, bone sticking out from one of its legs, but still making a hell of a stance, with its red eyes shining in a watchful manner.

I was intimidated at the sudden change but motioned ruggedly and bellowed out a will to fight!

The beast leaped at me, launching out another spike and clawing for a headstrike. The barb missed and I parried the blow, but thereafter I felt my shirt getting wet from blood at my side, must have been that clawed tail I didn’t recognize and heard spewing and sizzling and had to witness my shield melting away at the steel bits. My sword had spray on it too, but it would have to do. No more choices – I think there wont be any more barbes or spew, this critter has had it!

After the dismay had passed the demon had hoped I would back down and was half limping away while still keeping me in view, so I took the chance, with bloodlust in my heart – summoned a warp and buried my blade through its back into its heart.

I felt cruel, but victorious.

The feeling of something happening to me was insatiable and the memories of battle returned. I could feel the old bonds of brothership in battle strengthen and piece by piece I was getting glimpses of Amun’yen back.

I headed back to the battle site, got armoured this time and weaponized. I felt like more! I had to have more!

I listened for more skittering, but nothing. So I walked and stalked as I nearly felt my teeth become sharper and my eyes darken.

I was getting irritated, when suddenly I heard a voice. It called out for help and it was feminine.

I hurried into directions and as the voice cried out I found out where it was. By this time I wanted to kill anything that came my way and soon I saw her.

The bloodlust faded in awe of her and my angry heart turned soft as I somehow returned to a normal state. It was an angel.

“Come here child, calm down, the battle is over and you have nothing to fear or seek.

Do you see that I am wounded; I need your help – so return to your naturally peaceful ways and let go of the war driven feelings fights with these creatures bestow.

Be mindful now, time is of the essence.”

Her voice was beautiful through its sadness. She seemed at the brink of death, yet mustering the strength of indomitable hope that was my return from madness.

“I am listening, what should I do?” I asked, feeling powerless to save her – she was bleeding out.

With a sudden jaunt she pushed against my heart while clutching her side with the other arm.

In a flood of blue light and symbols we entered a its flash and appeared within the web of my staircase.

“This is the closest I could get us – I do not know how your mind works, but I know that it does – get me effervescent jelly from a tree within a forest that has an overgrown door to it – it will look like an old vined tree stem with green light emanating from it – find this door and hurry!” She screamed into the blackness above her, before she passed out. She seemed blind somehow, but I had no time to think – I ran up the stairs, checking every door and out of breath I eventually found a door that resembled what she had described.

I took the door into a forest that was not too overgrown and somehow had trees spaced evenly apart as if someone or something was tending them, farming them.

I ran again, as soon as I got some breaths in and after what I hope was not too much time found a tree that was oozing what must be that jelly!

I scooped up the dirty jelly that was near the floor and gathered the rest I got my hands on up the stem.

With another flash I was sucked into her presence as if it were her dying wish and crashed the jelly onto her wound through her garments.

She heaved with a giant breath and as the jelly soaked in, I knew not what to do besides locate my room and take her there when the time was right. I let the goo do its work, since that seemed to be doing the trick.

Her aura was changing fast and it seemed like the life was getting back to her. Bit by bit.

Hours passed with me pacing past, sitting and thinking about that trance I had been in and the memories of Amun’yen.

Slaying that critter was exciting, even though I wasn’t really a proper match – in all my strength I would have slain many more than just one.

After some more time had passed and I had gotten frustrated I examined the wound and saw I had gotten far too much jelly. The wound was closed and I think she was overdosing and in a fateful slumber. I should have checked sooner, but who knows how this stuff works.

I admired her wings for a bit and after a few minutes of pondering I tried to wake her up. A few yells and shakings later she groggily came to.

“Where am I? I had too much of that jelly again…” she noted as if speaking to a friend.

“Yeah, seems so, sorry” I apologized.

As it was dawning on her what had happened she snapped back into angel mode and said: “Ah, haha, that jelly really works wonders, thank you, you succeeded in saving my life and for that I am eternally grateful.”

“It’s not like I had much choice, but gladly!” I admitted.

“The extra sleep you gave me was quite nice, it is a very interesting mindspace you have here.”

“So its true, I am somehow within my own mind world, tied into reality?”

She didn’t know I wasn’t certain about it and explained that it seemed to her as if this was a schism in time and space where my mind was so expanded that all it could do was spiral out until an eventual simplification that would collapse it all and end the dream. I would have to yet go through many a door…

“What gift would you like in return?” She cautioned after I had gotten my bearings again.

“I suppose in my mind there are no shortcuts, besides the ones I cannot explain – so I would like you to bless me with the presence of the three orbs of my past please?”

Right there on the floor she raised her hands, said a few magic words with her pristine lips and a runic symbol in blue floated radiatingly from her heart to mine.

I felt better, more safe.

“it only works when there is no other way, so cherish.” She said.

She then added: “I am being summoned back…fare well…”

She pulsated with light for a few seconds and slowly faded into the darkness with a few blue flakes behind, also disappearing as she went…