The nightmare had been a mess, more than they usually were. It wasn’t the recurring memory of pain he’d gotten used to. It was disjointed. No handlers pulling him from a cell. No chamber he couldn’t quite pin down the appearance of. No smoke in his lungs or burning in his blood.
Nothing was happening to him.
He was the monster.
It had taken over. It was on a rampage. Burning and clawing its way through everyone he’d ever loved. Wings and skin were like tissue paper to it as it cackled and relished in the blood on its claws and tongue.
He couldn’t move. He couldn’t scream. He could only watch as It turned those he cared about into piles of flesh, fur, and feathers on the floor.
Was it a wonder he couldn’t say more than, “it went badly?” fumble through repeated apologies.
Most of them weren’t for attempting to smack the King of the Fey with a sword.