Tykal's Awakening (Initial)

The bite of the chilled wind scraped across Tykals body as he laid resting on the hard marble slab beneath him.  The eerie glow of the pale blue moon was the only source of light. In its full and majestic form it was clearly enough to light up the garden and the Romanian style fountain at its center.  The garden was elegantly made of rose bushes, rhododendron, and monkshood. The strangeness was that each petal of the plant was darkened as if it were a picture taken in the negative.  The fountain’s marble was a very pure white with black crackling lines in the stone. In the middle a marble statue of a woman with angelic wings folded behind her back and her hands clasped as if she were praying.  Tykal’s body laid against the marble walk way that circled the fountain and led out into what was ever stretching darkness, unlit by the moons rays. He stirred as the wind bit at his fingers and cheeks. What truly woke him was the cawing of a large black song birds that circled overhead raining black feathers thick like falling snow.  Tykal grunted as his hands clutched at the cold stone beneath him. “W..wha?” he said wearily as he opened his eyes. He saw the garden and felt the black feathers as they fell against his skin. In an instant he scrambled to his fight looking around frantically before calming himself some. “Where am I? Is this… a dream?” he asked aloud. It had to be a dream, but everything felt so real. He could even smell the scents from the garden around him and clearly hear the water from the fountain behind him.  

“Strange… I haven’t seen a mortal enter here in centuries.”  

A low almost omniscient voice echoed through the area around him. The force of the sound waves gave Tykal goose bumps across his body. Tykal looked around him jumping in shock as he heard the voice. It sounded as if it came from beyond what was lit by the moonlight. What scared him even more was that beyond the perfect circle encompassing the garden, there was only pitch blackness all around. As if this space existed by itself in nothingness. “Who’s there!? Show yourself!” Tykal commanded, though it was apparent by his tone he was lost, frightened, and unsure if that was the appropriate comment to make.  

“Hmmmm, perhaps I’ll grace you with my visage, perhaps I will not. That depends on whether or not you interest me. What is your name human?”

Tykal tightened his fist as if to summon more strength. “T..Tykal… Tykal Mahavari. Now who’s out there!”

“Tykal Mahavari hmmmm…” the voice fell quite for a long time before speaking again. The suspense only served to psych Tykal out and make his senses go on survival mode and heighten themselves.  “Humans are creatures never satisfied with the hand fate deals them.  Though it would appear you’re one who challenges fate so far as to unknowingly enter MY garden.”

“I don’t know who you are but talking to me like some child is really starting to piss me off, show yourself!” Tykal hissed. His frustration being the only source of courage that allowed him to speak now.

“Humans are but children. You stand on hallowed ground and you dare to make demands to one you don’t even know. Of all you humans only three have ever entered this sanctum of mine, you included. You stand before me unsure of how you found yourself here. Allow me to enlighten you.”

Tykal glared into the darkness not even sure if he were looking at where the voice came from. This was a strange dream alright and it was quickly turning into a nightmare.

“You are here only in spirit, your physical body slumbers where ever you let it lay. This is the garden of desires. In this space were I rule, fate is twisted and manipulated to fit desires of all who remain in it. You’re being here like this, means you wish to change fate… but not something so simple as a single wish. Perhaps you seek to change the very world itself, re-write the past, and construct the future. Of that, I cannot say. Though I have the power to make your desires reality.”

Tykal looked around as all the crows in the air sudden flew around him perching on the statue. The sky thickened with black feathers that moved unnaturally forming a shadowy black figure. Tykal shielded his eyes with him arm as the feathers swirled and then erupted like a violent explosion flying past him.  Tykal cried out in fear and shock. When the howl of wind stopped and the force of the gust caused by the strange feathers stopped Tykal removed his arm only to fall backward in shock.  Before him stood a large humanoid bird with a strange white mask. Radiant colors swirled along the beak of the mask changing form and color as it moved across it as if it were alive. The bird floated in the air clothed in what could only be described as a nobleman or priest garments of early japan. In its talon it held a long halberd. The blade was long and glistening but tied by red string swung tiny skulls and black feathers decoratively.  One particular skull had dark green eyes that moved as if it too still lived. Tykals eyes widened in utter terror, “Wha… Wha… What the hell is that!?” Tykal scrambled backwards only to hear the caw of a crow that had perched on the bush behind him in his ear.

“I recall you asking me several times to show myself. Well here I am mortal.” The bird spoke. Though it’s voice came from the area around him not his beak, which was hidden under the mask. “I am known by many names to you humans. Though I suppose you may call me Karasu. I am the fate weaver. "

Tykal froze in horror staring at Karasu. The monstrous bird stood far taller than himself and that halberd was large enough to cleave him in two with ease.  “What… what do you want!?” Tykal cried.

“I could ask you the same question. You came to me. Clearly you wish to change fate. As I said I can make desires reality. What do you want? Fame, Fortune, Eternal Life?” Name it and it is yours… at a cost of course.”

Tykal shook as he stood up, “My desire?” Tykal paused thinking, perhaps he had found some kind of demonic genie or something but this was all a nightmare right, might as well humor at it and let his mind slip out of this craziness. Just then a wonderful thought occurred why not trick the genie into what it’d absolutely hate. “Fine, I know what I want”

“Hmph, well… I have all the time in the world but you humans waste so much of it. Hurry up before you expire in my beautiful garden.”

Tykal smirked, “I want the power to change fate like you do. I want to shape reality to my liking.” Tykal spoke with arrogance and confidence, he had tricked the demon into giving him it’s power. Tykal froze as his eyes shot open and he could feel warmth from his right hand. A tiny cut enough to draw a stable flow of blood. The bird spoke just as Tykal did, even behind the mask he felt as if the bird smirked as well.  It’s wings spread widely as it held its weapon high in the air.

“I am thou, thou art me. I am thou... Thou art I... From the sea of thy soul, I come. The black wings that twist the strings of fates and harbor thy deepest desires, Karasu!”

Tykal looked at his hand and then back at Karasu, “What, why am I bleeding, what the hell did you do!”

“Your wish has been granted and the contract sealed with you blood. Now you’ve awakened the Persona, Karasu.”

As if the curtain falling at the end of a play the crows cawed and feathers rained down so thick it blacked out Tykals vision.

Suddenly he awoke in his bed. He leaned up bringing his right hand to his forehead holding it as he sighed, “What a strange dream. Persona Karasu?” he said  to himself before feeling a warm liquid on his brow. His eyes widened as he looked back down at his right hand to see the small gash. His eyes widened as he cursed softly a single slur.