<div style="margin: auto; overflow: visible; max-width: 60%; font-family: Bookman; text-align: justify"><br/>
<br/>
<div style="text-align: center"><script class="js-extraPhrases" type="application/json">
			{
				"lightbox_close": "Close",
				"lightbox_next": "Next",
				"lightbox_previous": "Previous",
				"lightbox_error": "The requested content cannot be loaded. Please try again later.",
				"lightbox_start_slideshow": "Start slideshow",
				"lightbox_stop_slideshow": "Stop slideshow",
				"lightbox_full_screen": "Full screen",
				"lightbox_thumbnails": "Thumbnails",
				"lightbox_download": "Download",
				"lightbox_share": "Share",
				"lightbox_zoom": "Zoom",
				"lightbox_new_window": "New window",
				"lightbox_toggle_sidebar": "Toggle sidebar"
			}
			</script>
<div class="bbImageWrapper lazyload js-lbImage" data-lb-caption-extra-html="" data-lb-sidebar-href="" data-single-image="1" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQdDLaSU.png&amp;hash=1030622be4a63215a073ad2d37f9aa9f" title="QdDLaSU.png">
<img alt="QdDLaSU.png" class="bbImage lazyload" data-src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQdDLaSU.png&amp;hash=1030622be4a63215a073ad2d37f9aa9f" data-url="https://i.imgur.com/QdDLaSU.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7" style="" title="" width=""/>
<noscript><img alt="QdDLaSU.png" class="bbImage" data-url="https://i.imgur.com/QdDLaSU.png" data-zoom-target="1" height="" src="/proxy.php?image=https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2FQdDLaSU.png&amp;hash=1030622be4a63215a073ad2d37f9aa9f" style="" title="" width=""/></noscript>
</div></div><br/>
The Sandman. A tale passed down from generation to generation. Every storyteller had their own way of spinning it, but the one thing they all shared in common was the absence of the truth. His truth. The pain he was forced to endure after his sacrifice, and then the inevitable betrayal. Yes, the one thing that all the storytellers failed to mention in their stories was that the Sandman used to be just a man.  A mercenary to be exact. Orphaned early on in his childhood, with only his name and skills to call his own. It was fellow man that had seen him as an expendable source. And they say demons were cruel—unfortunately for him he'd discover it to late. <br/>
<br/>
The sound of soft sweet laughter ringing through the air. It was always the same scene. A curtain of dark chocolate hair hovered, tickling his face, and a gentle smile to accompany the peaceful tone of the strangers voice. Their lips would gently caress the lids of his eyes before they spoke.<br/>
<br/>
<i>Dream a little dream...</i><br/>
<br/>
That's what a sweet lulling voice had told him, but what dreams could the Sandman ever hope to have? <br/>
<br/>
Darkness like a never ending void; his sweet eternal prison—this was the Sandman's truth, and what cruel one it was. Bound in a dreamlike world, like he was floating through a haze. He did his best to mind his sanity, despite the challenges of sharing his space with a demon. Every moment his mind had a chance at peace, his mind wandered to that moment at the time of his betrayal; the woods. Tall and ancient trees moaning in the wind. A primeval atmosphere, rich with chaos. The air had been dense with it that night. It was so thick it had started spreading to the people in the nearby village. His home, where she was. <i>Celeste</i>. <br/>
<br/>
This demon would be the strongest one he'd faced yet, and what an understatement it had been. Lasting hours, his battle would continue into the morning light until reinforcements arrived to help seal the monster. It was in this moment at his weakest state that the sting of a magic imbued dagger would pierce into the muscle of his heart. It wasn't nearly enough magic to kill him, but certainly enough to drain the rest of his power and render him unconscious. It would be when he awakened again that he'd find himself once again facing the demon he'd just defeated, but all alone this time.<br/>
<br/>
He knew that his people, or rather his "<i>former</i>" people had viewed him in a bad light, but a monster now? They had dared capture and imprison him along side the demon, like he had been one in the same.  With a pair of hands slithering up his form, the touch broke him out of his deep thoughts. <br/>
<br/>
"Poor Sandman thinking about 'you know what' again.." A feminine voice cooed near his ear. "Still sore over your betrayal?"<br/>
<br/>
"Lilith." Dryly spoken, the Sandman jerked away while he shot the demon a look of pure disdain. "You have no idea what you're talking about. Betrayal? There was no such thing." His words came out adamant, despite knowing that she was right. His pride refused to yield.  <br/>
<br/>
 "Mm.." The demon purred, "well we have all the time in the world to debate that now, but you know the sooner you accept it, the sooner your mood will improve." Lilith brazenly teased her counterpart. <br/>
<br/>
An activity she would continue on, until her crooked words eventually began to sink in. As time passed, it was the Sandman who'd eventually prevail in their dark prison. But not without its costs.  Drowning in her chaos for forever how long, her presence alone had slowly tainted him until all that was left was darkness. As Lilith would say, his soul was now the most beautiful it would ever be. A soul fit to swallow the world.<br/>
<br/>
<hr class="bbc-hr"/><br/>
Though he had won the battle. The war for control was never over. A voice echoing in his mind. Her power. He wouldn't let Lilith win. Having used the last of his strength to consume the demon. For how ever long he would remained sealed. For the time being he chose to conserve his strength and entered into a deep slumber, only ever stirring when he felt the seals of the prison weaken. <br/>
<br/>
But this time it was different. <br/>
<br/>
Like something or someone was calling him. He could feel his soul react in a hum as his consciousness flickered in and out of the darkness. The next time the lids of his eyes blinked, his vision was engulfed by the strange scenery around him. He didn't often respond to dreamers dream when they used his power, but every now and then he'd get sucked into one if the essence was strong enough. <br/>
<br/>
A rare phenomenon, but it hardly effected him. Even if the person did manage to pull him in, seeing him was another matter. Unless he wanted it. He simply acted as a spectator until the dream was over. And who knew how long that would take. Breathing slowly out through his nose, he started to walk forward in the direction that he could feel the dreamer was in. With what little time he had in this dream, he might as well enjoy what freedom he had.<br/>
<br/>
In the meantime the big question he had was who was it now...and why did he feel a sense of nostalgia?<br/>
<br/>
</div><br/><a class="username" data-user-id="7614" data-username="Velaris" data-xf-init="member-tooltip" href="https://blackdahliaroleplaying.com/members/7614/">Velaris</a>