#Anagyros [belongs to @curiousityismagic]

[cloudhoppinggriffon]

Reoccurring Nightmares

It wasn’t fun having one’s mind cracked; let alone tampered with. For the past few weeks, sleep had been nothing more than a commodity; the nights that were lucky to have had nothing bad happen in the realm of dreams. At best, dreaming for the Ra-Priest would just be nothing more than blank emptiness. At worst, nightmares would strike. All with a familiar, consistent face: Anagyros.

The dream used a familiar backdrop; Ponyville.

The once peaceful civilization of the Equestrian life had turned to war, it’s blue skies full of darkened grey clouds, chugged full of smoke from fresh fires, blotting out the sun entirely.

Broken buildings surrounded the Ra-Priest, whose paws trembled, backing away slowly from his mirror counterpart; adorned tightly within garbing of the god he feared the most, Apophis.

“No matter how hard you try, griffin, I’m still here.”

Gordon gulped, holding onto the one divine spear he held out at reach to the greyer false image. “How’s that possible?! Your body was destroyed! Your phylactery as well..!” The lich griffon stepped forward once, but did no more, using his words.

"Only the old one.” A devious smile spread across Anagyros, growing wide. The nightmare knew his number.

Isolation. Being alone and without anyone to call onto for help, separated from what little divine faith was left. Not even Ammon was there to intervene and spare him from this terror currently going on.

“Gordon, you seem to think you can kill me alone just from smashing the little place I call home.” As if to call onto an example, Anagyros held up his in plain sight. That eerily familiar red gem, attached to a chain necklace.. “Are you telling me you can’t?!”

“I am formless. I am the very terror that haunted the little rag of a shadhavar; and now, you. How can you ever hope to defeat me? As long as the seeds of fear exist in you, I will keep on coming back time and time again to make sure you don’t forget..”

Gordon bared his feet into the dirt, snapping his beak and attempting to put on a brave face, raising the spear up before..

..Was that singing? Oh no, it was that familiar horrid singing; the orange siren’s song followed the Priest well into the dreamscape.

“I would lick your exit wounds,

I would hurt you just to nurse you.

And if you leave me, an envy will come to swallow;

‘Til, murderous, I would rape you of your lover.”

Anagyros began to step closer, slowly, having began to back Gordon into a corner; until the holy one was but a flicker of holy flame attempting to stay lit.

And then he came in for the killing blow, leaving nothing but a screaming mess of bird in the awake world; heavily breathing and panting as his shaky paws scrambled to turn on the light of the room.

..Was this his home? It was, the familiar surroundings, the bed sheets beneath his furred and feathered body. It was warm..

Once more, he was safe for the time being.

But for now, he had to stay awake. He didn’t want to risk going back in and suffering again.

“..Gods damn you, Adagio..”