The Occultism Theorem

The Occultism Theorem

Morpheus: September First 1888AD

         “Easy, Traveller, easy,” Mike said, patting his horse’s neck trying to calm down his horse. His horse could sense something wrong about this forest. As they went deeper into Congaree forest, the forest itself seemed to get darker, as if the vary trees seemed as though they wanted to reach out strangle them. When I heard the legends I had no idea this place was this creepy. Still no one comes here out of fear, and this is better then the hangman’s noose. I’ll wait here for a while then head out west once things have calmed down. 

         Mike an outlaw on the run, his gang went off with out him and robbed a bank killing the local sheriff as the rode out of town. As soon as he found out what they did he took of on his own. Hoping to avoid the gallows. It didn’t take long for them to catch Mike’s former gang members, or try and execute them. They were still looking for him, and he wanted to avoid their fate. So headed for someplace no one, in their right mind, would go, a place people feared.

         Looking around he couldn’t help but think of the legend of the forest past on by the natives.

         “A serene lake, deep in a secluded forest. As mist hangs in the air, and an awkward silence falls upon the soul, what secrets sleep beneath its surface?”

         The natives had always played it as a bizarre game some on would ask the
question and another would respond with the answer.

         “No secrets sleep beneath its surface, but in the dark temple built by the old ones who worshiped the great enemy of all. In dark rituals they called him, and in darkness It arrived quietly bidding its time. One by one they disappeared, then they arrived out of the mist in the form of our fears, killing with no care to who or what they slaughtered. The ancestors fled chased by them until from the sky the others came killing the horrors. They fled the forest never to return, out of fear of what now dwells there. The source of all the shadows lies in the heart of the dark temple.”

         The words of legend echoed in his ears, increasing his apprehension of the woods surrounding them. Deeper in they went, the quieter it got, the sound of the birds faded away. Even with evening approaching the usual sounds from the insects were absent. Mike began to understand why people feared this place, so was he.

         “Well Traveller, at least none will find us here,” he said, patting the horse’s side. “I wonder what it was the natives referred to as It? Doesn’t seem like anythings here, if it was we’d of heard it by now.” Traveller let out a small protest snort as they continued trotting down the old trail as the forest canopy seemed to get thicker and more ominous.

         The forest let up it oppressing dankness as neared the lake, which was given the ironic name of Eerie. The sun still hung in the sky as if it was waiting for them, bathing the surrounding area with a blinding yet dimming light. One thing that drew Mike’s attention was a temple pyramid with a flat top, barely taller then the surrounding trees. It was covered in overgrowth sitting on the far side of the lake.

         Mike tied Traveller to a tree and started unpacking his stuff. Starting with his basic gear he needed to setup his campsite as he planned to stay there awhile. As he started unpacking he heard a rustling sound come from the woods behind him. Grabbing a hold of his gun, he pretended to keep unpacking as the sound drew closer. Waiting until it was about to leave the woods, spinning around with his gun drawn coming face to the thing.

         “Whoa son, are you planning on shooting an old man?!” He sat down on the ground just out of the woods wearing large robes. Mike also noticed he was carrying a strange sword.

         It’s just some old man, mike thought, “What are you doing here old man?”

         He just smiled at Mike, “I could ask you the same, but to answer your question first: I have lived in this forest for quite a long time. Now why are you here?”

         “Just trying to avoid some trouble I’m in,” for some reason he couldn’t stop himself from answering the old man’s question, there seemed to be something unusual about him, why the hell did I say that!?

         The old man started laughing, “Don’t worry I am not going to turn you in to your authorities.” Despite his apparent age of at least seventy he looked like he was in fairly good shape.

         Hearing what he said something caught him as strange, your authorities? That’s a strange way to say that.

         “Tell me old man, how long have you lived in this creepy forest?”

         He looked at Mike studying him, as if deciding something important. Then he
answered, “Well I really have not kept up exactly with the time. . . but I would say close four hundred of your years.” 

         “Four Hundred! Don’t pee on my leg and tell it’s raining old man.”

         The old man just stood up, his face stoic as he yanked off his robes, and stretched his large white wings.

         Mike was stunned, barely able to utter a few words, the start of a question, “Are you a-”

         “No, I am not an angel. My kind is known as the Andreal. I am as mortal as you, though I live longer. The confusion is due mainly to other mortals envisioning what an angel would look like.”

         Pale from the shock Mike just stood there he thought of questions to ask him but could not speak them.

         Sitting back down he decided to answer the questions he figured Mike was thinking, “To answer what you may be thinking of: I and my compatriots came here after the incident to end it. I am the only one left of the five of us. For the time I have been here I have done my best to keep them in check. And why I didn’t call more of my kind here, it was my personal choice, we came here to clean up the mess and failed, I was not about to put others in danger.”

         Looking towards the pyramid he sighed heavily, then looked back at Mike, “I want you to finish where we left off.”

         That statement brought Mike back to life, “You want me to finish where you left off!? When you couldn’t do it yourself? Do you think I have a desire to die? What in God’s creation makes you think I’d do that?”

         He just smiled, “First your weapons are far better at killing the creatures then mine.”

         “My guns aren’t magical.”

         “They do not need to be the creatures are just that, creatures. They are made of flesh and blood, they just come from the Shadow Realm and are shaped by hate and fear.”

         “Shadow Realm? That sounds like something out of one of those fantasy stories.”

         “That is the name we have always called it,” he paused for a moment realizing Mike was still hesitant. “But I can offer something else to you, a pardon from your authorities.”

         “How can you offer me a pardon? When you have lived here all this time?”

         The old andreal just chuckled a bit, “Well not me directly but I do have contact with the Order, and they have the power to get it for you.”

         Mike sat down thinking it over, as crazy as it sounded he felt as if he could trust what he was saying. “Okay, let’s say I might do this, and I’m not say that I will. How will I know that you will keep your word?”

         “If you agree, I will fly to the Order and get what you want. I will have them send someone to find you and escort you to one of their places for safety until the arrangements for your pardon are finalized.”

         “How do I know they will do it?”

         “They have had contact with me and my kind and they owe us favors. This would just be one of them. So will you do it?”

         Mike just grumbled for a few moments as thought about it all. “Fine, I’ll do the job, but I want more info on these creatures.”

         “That is fine.”

         But before they did that, with the light from the sun fading, Mike setup and lit the campfire for the night. Once that was done The andreal began to describe the creatures and what happened at the temple to allow them in to this world.

         “When certain actions take place, such as human sacrifice, it creates a wake in the multiverse and as more evil is practiced in that spot in a short period of time it forms a rift to your world and it attracts the creatures from the Shadow Realm. And forms a pocket where they can exist. The creatures themselves are easy to kill, even easier with your new age weapons. The ones you need to look for are the controllers.“

         ”Controllers?“ 

         ”Yes, in this situation it is a large shadow realm creature that has been possessed by a demon. It is what caught us off guard. He is probably the one that manipulated the people that used to live here to do what they did. Once you kill the creature he is possessing everything will end. The land will still be tainted, but the creatures will be forced back to their realm.“

         ”What if he possesses me?“ He asked worried.

         “As long as you don’t give him or any others permission he cannot enter into
your body and possess you.”

         Mike was relived to hear that bit of information.

         “You will just need to put, what is it you call it?” he paused thinking, “Ah, Lead! You will just need to put a lot of lead into the controller to kill it, more then the normal ones.”

         They spent a few more hours talking before mike went to sleep for the night, though uneasily with the new found knowledge of what lurked in the shadows in the forest.

         As Mike slept the old andreal kept watch, walking around the campsite keeping and creatures away.

         In the darkness slowly one shadow creature, in the twisted shape of a dog sized spider, crept towards the camp. As it creeps closer to camp its flesh twists in ways it shouldn’t. Reaching the each of the forest it instinctively scans for threats and pray. Once it spots Mike in starts creeping towards him but then from the trees the andreal pounces on it quietly driving his espada ropera through its head killing it with out a sound. Not going far from the camp, he drags its
carcass back into the woods tossing it out of the way.

         As the morning sun emerges over the tree tops, Mike wakes up to see the andreal staring the temple.

         “So, are you going to do what I asked?” the andreal asked, without taking his eyes off it.

         As he stood up and stretched out he looked at the temple, even covered with shrubs, small trees, and vines something about it hollered to him malice, calling, no daring him to enter. He didn’t exactly know why, but he couldn’t refuse it.

         “I don’t know what I’m thinking, but I’ll do it,” he said, walking to his pack to check his guns. “Just keep, your end of the deal.”

         The old andreal just smiled listening to Mike open, load, and check his revolvers, rifle and shotgun. He stood up and yelled to mike, “Hey!” When mike turned around he tossed him his sword.

         “What’s this for?”

         “Consider it a good luck charm.” he said smiling, “also you might need it,” he said looking at Mike’s Bowie knife, “the extra reach might just save your life.”

         “Also,” he said reaching into a pouch, and tossed a small stone to Mike “you will need that, just say ‘light’ when you go into the temple and it will create a magical light for you in the dark tunnels.”

         Mike wasn’t about to refuse any of his gifts.

         “Anyway I will not need them where I am heading. After you have done your job wait one week, I will arrange your deal and an escort,” he looked up studying the sky,  “When you leave head directly west from the temple and you should find a priest waiting for you,” and before Mike could ask him any questions he took off, flying up into the sky heading north.

         As Mike climbed onto Traveller he scratched his head, What have I gone and got myself into? Well lets see these “creatures.” Time seemed to advance slowly as they traveled around the lake. As they approached the temple Traveller grew more apprehensive, so Mike tied him to a small tree and approached the rest of the way on foot taking what he needed.

         Reaching the entry he used the magic stone as instructed, it created a small glowing light the floated just above his head. That’s useful. Traveling into the halls it didn’t take long for him to see the first creature. It started shambling towards him attracted to his light. He took quick aim shooting it in the head. He didn’t linger long, he made hast to the center of the temple. Killing any creatures that were in his way. He wanted to finish the deed quickly.   

         Reaching the temple’s center and large altar room, he could hear movement, but what ever was making it was smart enough to stay in the shadows away from him. Near the entrance was piles of human bones and the remains of several of the creatures. He must be feeding off of the others, but that’s not useful to me, as he continued watching the shadows for It he noticed something unusual.

         The room had a small half foot shelf filled with something. Keeping one eye on the shadows he checked it, they put ground up coal in here, I wonder if? Reaching into his pack he pulled out a small box of matches, opening it he dumped them all into the base of the shelf at the entrance. Taking one he lit it tossing it with the others the flames soon illuminated up the room.

         With a howl the demon charged at him from the other side of the room.

         Grabbing his shotgun he quickly unloaded both barrels into its guts. Stammering for a moment suppressed by his weapon it moved out of his range with it. Acting quickly he reloaded it and just as he was about to approach the creature, it spit a small fire ball at him. Dodging it quickly he dropped his shotgun, opting for his carbine and revolvers at this point.

         Jumping up from the floor he drew both revolvers unloading all twelve rounds into its head and body. Shuddering from the damage he just inflected to it left it helpless to his next assault. Aiming his carbine carefully he put shot after shot into its head, all ten rounds.

         As it fell to the floor he sighed in relief. As he turned though he heard a sound. Drawing the andreal’s sword he turned just in time for it to gouge the demon’s neck finishing it. As it fell to the floor he could swear he heard a voice say something, “Damn you human!” 

         After a few moments the creature’s body dissolved into smoke, evaporating away. Making his way out of the temple there were no more creatures, they had all returned to their place.

         Mike spent a restless week in the forest. Even though the creatures were gone and the animals had returned to the center of forest, he couldn’t help but feel nervous knowing what had been and could return there.

         As he left that place he thought one thing, good riddance to this place. Heading west he soon came upon a man wearing the robes of a reverend yet wearing a revolver.

         Looking up at Mike the man spoke, “See anything unusual lately, good sir?”

         “That would rely on what you would deem unusual?”

         “Perhaps something unnatural to our world?”

         Mike was tiring of this game, “Are you my escort I was promised?”

         “Yes, the Reverend Norris at your service,” he said, looking at Mike expecting him to give his name.

         “The name’s Michael Baker.”

         He smiled at him, “The heads are interested in offering you a position in the Order. That is if you are interested.”

         “Tell you what when I’m safe where ever it is you’re going to take me I’ll hear what they have to say.“

         ”Good enough. That us get moving then,“ Norris said, mounting his horse, “Follow me, we have taken care of the warrant out on you, so you do not have to worry about that for the moment.”

         Mike was intrigued by that, how powerful are they to have that fixed? He contemplated as he followed the reverend.


Morpheus: September sixth 1988AD

         Today in the news there has been a tragic mauling in Congaree National Park near the Congaree temple complex last night. The wildlife service in charge is closing the park until the animal responsible for the mauling is hunted down.