The Vision – an omen of darkness to come

By Patrick Finnegan

I had a very disturbing vision last night. Powerful and terrifying, clear as day, but dark as night.

I see a shadowed chamber. In the depths of the chamber, I see a pair of eyes, malevolent and hateful. In
the center of the chamber, a bright light illuminates a round stone dais, bisected by lines, each slice
etched with strange symbols. At the edge of the light I see man-shapes made of water, fire, earth, and
air. There are also two dead men, five living dragons, a dead dragon and an elf with the heart and
mantle of darkness.

A man steps into the light. No, not a man, a darkness, a blackness in
the shape of a man, no, man who is darkness. He is unnaturally pale,
tall and very thin, bare-chested, ragged clothes, and wrapped
bandages around his arms, legs and abdomen. His head is tilted
toward his right shoulder and his neck is ringed with a black
discoloration. His face is death. He is a dead man, a hanged man.

He speaks. “Welcome to the full council of the Coalition of Shadows.”

He speaks of death, war, and pestilence. He speaks of a world divided
as spoils. He speaks of armies and infiltrators, traitors and saboteurs.
He speaks of tyrants and treasures, sins and signs, magic and
massacre.

And the eyes in the dark dream of a world of without light.