trans_9 | I can feel the madness slowly creeping in...

It is that time again, meatship.

Once again, the King of Nightmares has deigned to spread his touch to all of your dreams.

This time, however, he has decided to give them a much more personal touch, sending his very own children to visit each and every one of you, slowly sowing the seeds of madness within all of you.

Such a kind and loving king he is, isn't he?

[ooc: Alright folks, Nightmare King is ramping things up a bit. These nightmares are a good bit more dangerous now, and he's sending in his minions to make things a little more real. The nightmares will be of a much more serious nature this time, designed to start driving the crew slowly insane. Characters are more likely to run into nightmare minions in the guise of someone or something that will tug at the edges of their sanity. Also, this time, the characters can have joint dreams, as these nightmares are of a more mystical nature this time. Once again, tagging in isn't mandatory, but if you want to, go crazy (literally)!]

[Additional Note: Any injuries won't be carrying over to real life at this point in the plot but don't worry, we'll get there eventually!]

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The blasts from Samus' cannon slipped over their targets like water sliding over glass. The bursts of energy could not deter the monsters with claws outstretched menacingly charging towards the hunter. Her efforts were futile, yet she did not stop. She could not stop. Few things were constant in Samus' life, but the sense of duty she held herself to when dealing with pirates was something she could not stop. She was the barrier between them and certain death for the innocents of the galaxy.

"You cannot stop them."

Samus didn't listen. She didn't allow herself to listen. It was not an option.

The claws reached out; they slashed through her armor. She pushed and shot and struggled with her attackers. She fought, she must continue. The pincers pierced through the suit. She had allowed herself to be in this position. This was her fault. This was all her fault.

"Pathetic Hunter," the voice laughed again. A talon came crushing down over her. The malicious grin of Ridley above her tormented her. Mocked her.

"You're so useless, Hunter. Willing to give your life to protect another, to protect all these others," he held up his other talon, a nameless crew member in its grasp. He tightened his fist-squish-blood rained down on her. She writhed under his grasp; the dead body dropped to the ground beside her. "You can't even do that right. Pathetic. You cannot stop this. You've failed."

It was so hot. Fire, the sulfur stink of brimstone and singed feathers; Komali fled the howling cackle of Ridley, thinking it was the enraged roars of his own god, Valoo. The echoes of the caverns that were the backdrop to both the volcanic inferno and Samus' battle echoed the sounds of battle back and forth confusingly, and so it wasn't until he stumbled upon Ridley himself that Komali realized to his horror that he'd been fleeing the wrong direction all along.

Looking up at Ridley's lofted wings from behind, the child was neither experienced nor clever enough to realize why shrieking in terrified surprise was a poor choice. He wasn't quick enough to escape that spindled, looming claw and so was snatched up, and dangled over the hunter's head like a dog being taunted with a treat.

"You care so much for them. Your efforts, however endearing, are futile. As worthless as you. I'll kill him. You'll watch as I rip him apart, and then-hah!," he barked, "I suppose I'll kill you too."

Her protests were met with the crushing strength of the creature's talon. Her armor bowed; her helmet cracked. The pieces of stray metal cut her skin, but that did not bother her. Her own life was useless. She couldn't do anything. Her entire purpose was to be a protector and she had failed. The crew needed her. Komali needed her, and she couldn't do anything about it. She was worthless, just like Ridley said.

And Ridley's claw tightened. Slowly, so slowly, Komali's protests dropped off, dizzy and weakly struggling, not to get free, but just to breathe. He was looking at her, reaching out, straining for that strong woman who had walked beside him before. His lips moved.

Help....help me...

A rib broke, and the pain wrung a strangled scream out of the child. Another and it punctured a lung. Suddenly there was blood in his mouth and his eyes were closed, cringing away from the pain until the pressure became too much and he fell limp and dead, blood draining from beak and nostrils, and the wounds that had opened under Ridley's claws.

The hunter could only watch as Ridley dropped the child's body next to her. She scrambled towards it, the talon twisting harder around her torso. She was an inch from death. Her arm reached, the armor dissipating. Her had brushed against the bloodstained feathers. She whispered, "I'm so sorry. This is my fault, this is all my fault..."

Ridley's claws tore into her abdomen; she writhed in his grasp. She kept reaching for the boy just out of reach. The dragon above her spat out more insults, more threats, but she was no longer concerned with him. Her own death was imminent and well deserved. She believed him. This was all her fault. On her lips was one last 'I'm so sorry'; it came too late. She faded, slumped over dead in his talon.

--

Samus sat up with a start, panting. Nightmares were an evil she dealt with on a more than regular basis, but this had shaken her more than any other had. Before she really had time to think everything through, she was out of bed. She was going to look for Komali.

I can feel the madness slowly creeping in...

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