The Darkness had claimed this land, yet by the steel of my blade and the flame of my heart, I would cleanse it. I surged on, laying about with fearless, perhaps reckless abandon and cleaving apart those who dared approach. Then, I learned the strength of Darkness: alone they stutter, they fumble, they perish; yet their power lies in the swarm. Like insects guarding their hive, they overtook me, their battered pitchforks, their notched blades, and their bare fingers tearing me asunder.

Again I woke, and slashing, I lengthened my axe into a halberd, and taking no time to admire the skill of its craftsmanship, I charged once more. Stairs beneath my feet, fire flowing through my veins; breath eager and scorching. Stair turned to flagstone, and again, I found myself before them. Light played along the ragged edge of my blade as I paused a moment, collecting my sanity. For so long I had battled the Dark indirectly; now and at last they were within reach, yet I risked falling into a maddened frenzy, risked losing all in my fervor to slay my long aloof foes. Breath calmed, and chilled as I looked upon their twisted forms milling about a massive bonfire, whose flames devoured the corpses of their own. Where my world the flames offered warmth and comfort, this was a vile heat that I dared not let touch me for long. Even the fire of this world was tainted; perhaps I was as well.

Seldom had I felt so alive, so filled with vitality and purpose as when I descended those steps, and brandishing my rugged blade, cried our in thunderous challenge. Instantly, a bullet tunneled through the air and punched into my shoulder; I knew its name and function inexplicably and as surely as I knew that my own sidearm could do the same. Yet I could not wield the halberd and fire with any hope of accuracy, and trusting my reflexes to spare me from further volleys, I charged in.