Swimming, swimming, tentacles flexing to steer his course, water jets pulsing from his siphon, pushing him onward, red eyes gleaming in the dark water. The urge to be more, to become, to evolve pushing him onward...
...He rises to the surface, a wave breaking over his small, soft form and pushing him under. The next time he surfaces, his typical head breaks free of the caul formed by the squid skin. Tentacles still encase his limbs. He coughs and spits sea water, then laughs dryly. A memory of a possible end of his life emerges in his mind: floating in a sea of molten rock and fire, his arms mutated into powerful black tentacles. And now he has reawakened in this place, in a sea of salt water, his limbs emerging from the tentacles of a black squid. Vampiretheutis infernale, if he recalls rightly.
He lets the waves push him to the shingled shore, let it nudges him into the shallows. He lays there, letting more of the squid skin slide from his form.
A Waker approaches, kneeling beside him before putting their hands on his shoulders. "Breathe, Sleeper, breathe the air. Remember your self, remember your place in this world," the Waker says, stroking his shoulders. His mind reaches deep into itself, letting his memories reawaken, reminding him of the place in his world of origin he has vacated, giving him a place to stand and reach for the place in this world he has embraced....
* * * *
Once in a while, he came to the shore, watching the waves for the squids, watching them emerge, watching to see if one whom he recognizes emerges, though there are only a few from his world of origin whom he cares to see. One whom he had met in this world's predecessor he would welcome on sight, though he doubts he shall see that face in this world or another. He may not put much stock in hope, but seeing the new Sleepers emerge proves this world will go on.
Day 1: Squid [CW: Mild body horror, mild 4th walling, canonic character death referenced]
...He rises to the surface, a wave breaking over his small, soft form and pushing him under. The next time he surfaces, his typical head breaks free of the caul formed by the squid skin. Tentacles still encase his limbs. He coughs and spits sea water, then laughs dryly. A memory of a possible end of his life emerges in his mind: floating in a sea of molten rock and fire, his arms mutated into powerful black tentacles. And now he has reawakened in this place, in a sea of salt water, his limbs emerging from the tentacles of a black squid. Vampiretheutis infernale, if he recalls rightly.
He lets the waves push him to the shingled shore, let it nudges him into the shallows. He lays there, letting more of the squid skin slide from his form.
A Waker approaches, kneeling beside him before putting their hands on his shoulders. "Breathe, Sleeper, breathe the air. Remember your self, remember your place in this world," the Waker says, stroking his shoulders. His mind reaches deep into itself, letting his memories reawaken, reminding him of the place in his world of origin he has vacated, giving him a place to stand and reach for the place in this world he has embraced....
* * * *
Once in a while, he came to the shore, watching the waves for the squids, watching them emerge, watching to see if one whom he recognizes emerges, though there are only a few from his world of origin whom he cares to see. One whom he had met in this world's predecessor he would welcome on sight, though he doubts he shall see that face in this world or another. He may not put much stock in hope, but seeing the new Sleepers emerge proves this world will go on.