the scent of lavender swirls in the air, your vision goes to black as your eyes fall shut.
the last words of your prayer hang in the air, dancing on a tightrope as they sway in the breeze.
and then, you're falling.
your vision plummets behind closed eyes and it's a rush of colors that sprint passed you. a blur of motion as you fall, and fall, and fall, like your father once did from olympus. it's a tightness in your chest, a feeling like you can't wake up from this—as if it's a waking dream—and you go to scream.
the blackness turns to color, though faint, dim light that flickers as if cast by torch light. there's a rumbling sound in the air now, your ears can barely pick it up over the erratic beating of your heart. it's gruff, the sound of gravel beneath a shoe. you shake your head and search for the source and you see it.
a monsterous figure, disfigured, broken, chained down as if to restrain itself from unleashing chaos.
"also, thank you for loving me."
the words echo in the air and the beast makes an agonizing howl, discordant and off pitch. it struggles against the chains, as if trying to break free, trying to get to the source of those words. as you focus, you can see purple wisps of smoke cascading down its body, the chains reflect the color, every now and then they flicker with a reverberating pulse of purple energy and tighten. the figure's arms get pulled back, down, and it throws its head back and lets out a mighty roar—almost a threat, a promise of destruction.
it locks eyes with you now, the sound of anger and betrayal and hurt getting louder and louder. it thrashes against the chains once more and almost breaks free—
your eyes flash open as a splitting headache rattles your mind. the candles have gone out, the scent of lavender is acrid and burns your nose as you fall back, collapsing against the ground you sat on. your heartbeat is still erratic, every nerve ending alive and numb. you remain conscious, though barely, and the image of that large monstrosity trying to break free to get to you, to attack or otherwise, comes alive each time you close your eyes.