The Lore of David of Xanadu

David woke with the familiar ringing in his ear and thumping in his skull. Another night with the Damned had come and gone. The headache was a rhythmic reminder that he could not remember what he learned, or who taught it to him. Had he gained any knowledge at all?

Trumpet padded over to him as he rolled out of his bed. The wolf looked up at him expectantly and David responded with scratches behind the ears. “You’re my familiar, but it seems to be you that leashes me to this plane of existence, not the other way around.” Trumpet cocked her head to the side and David laughed, “I’m starting to not understand the things I say either.”

Every waking moment for David was spent magically growing a new mushroom, or devising a new weaving of his magics to improve upon his previous work. Each time he began working he was certain that it would be the time that allowed him to remember the secrets he learned from those long since dead. Each time he was disappointed.

David was pulled back to reality by a deep growl from Trumpet, her hackles raised. A flow of magic, unknown to David, was in the air. Suddenly, a flash filled the room. A floating pyramid, a foot off the ground, had appeared in the corner of the room. He had been seeing things that were not there of late, a consequence of the power he drew from, but David knew this was real. He could feel the power emanating from the deep bronze pyramid, it called to him.

David approached slowly, knelt down, and reached a trembling hand. As he touched it, a flame burst into being, floating just above the pyramid. Every muscle in his body tensed and his eyes shot open as an uncontrollable power filled him. When it did, David saw flashes of the underworld: An unknown witch with seaweed green hair poured him tea and laughed, a chilling sound that sent goosebumps down his spine. She walked back to the kitchen and the bells that hung from her midnight blue robes jingled gently. David took a deep breath in and inhaled her strong floral perfume. She looked back at him, winked, and he was gone. A new vision of a floating skull shook the answer no to a question that David couldn’t remember asking appeared in front of him. He opened his mouth to ask another, and again the vision changed. This time he saw a ferryman who poled his boat back to the other side of a river unknown to David.

Ripping his hand from the pyramid, David fell backwards. He felt a horrible glee at the things he just saw. Trumpet moved to stand between him and the flame, teeth bared. David rose to his feet and placed a hand on Trumpets head to soothe her but all he could think about was what he had just seen. Were they further visions, or were they memories? And the power was like nothing he had ever felt before. Could he control it’s channeling?

Again he approached the pyramid, feeling the heat from the mysterious flame. He knelt and placed his hand on the side of the pyramid once again. This time as the power came rushing through him he held out his hand. Immediately a massive mushroom, red capped with white spots, appeared in his hand. Everywhere he looked, more mushrooms began sprouting. He withdrew his hand and the link to the power was severed. He stared at the mushroom in his hand in awe. Was this fire a gift from the other side? He had never felt power like that before. Maybe a friend, pitying that he couldn’t remember, had sent it to aid him. Maybe he had brokered a deal with an unknown power. Whatever it was, he was going to use it.

David turned towards Trumpet and sat down in front of her. “I think this is the answer, Trumpet. It has to be.” Her eyes were uncertain and her fur still stood on end. This is the answer, he thought,_ reassuring himself. _Trumpet nuzzled her head into his chest. “I have to do this.”

For hours he sat there on the floor with Trumpet. The sun was sinking in the sky. “I have to do this,” he repeated. Trumpet’s head lay resting in his lap and her eyes moved to look at him as he spoke. “All this time I have been pouring myself into this work, and here I may have been granted the solution.” She sniffed at him, apparently still unsure. He hummed a tune that always helped to soothe her, and scratched underneath her chin. The song comforted David, too. It was an old song, one his mother hummed while she worked in the garden.

David knew Trumpet’s doubt was not misplaced. She had always been there to look after him when his visions lead him into danger. She had always led him home. In truth, Trumpet was home.

The mushroom was sitting next to David on the floor. He looked down and stared at the gift that the flame had granted him. He picked it up. Taking a deep breath he bit into the mushroom. The mushroom made him queasy. There was a taint to it, it was foul. He could feel his reality slipping away as the visions dragged him under. He heard Trumpet howl as the world faded away.

David woke with the familiar ringing in his ear and thumping in his skull. But this time was different. He heard a man laughing and then the man said, “You’ll be back!” Frantically David sat up and looked around the room to be sure there was nobody else in the room. He knew it was from his visions, but he had to know for sure. Scanning the room his vision fell on the flame. David scrambled across the room and gripped the pyramid in both hands. Power surged through him. He thought hard on the mushroom. He focused on the laugh, the voice telling him that he would be back. Trumpet growled behind him but he ignored her. His vision of the mushroom came into focus, the laugh echoed inside his skull. The air above his head shimmered and there the mushroom formed. Releasing his hands from the pyramid he reached up and plucked it from the sky. He pulled the mushroom down to his mouth and bit into its red flesh. The same queasy feeling filled his stomach and this time a rotten taste filled his mouth. Knees buckling, he collapsed.

The laughter bounced around in his skull and the man's voice boomed, “You’ll be back! This moment will play out again and again. Each time you will remember these words, but no more. You must submit. You will submit.”

David could still feel the foul taint of the mushroom twisting his stomach when he woke up. Trumpet was there with him. She had fallen asleep laying across his legs, something they each had grown familiar with. If his visions caused him to roam about, she’d know as soon as he tried to get up. He couldn’t bring himself to end this moment of peace. The rise and fall of Trumpet's breathing, her soft snoring, it all put him at ease. He knew what was on the other side of this moment.

David could still hear the call of that sinister flame. He craned his neck to stare into the fire. The way it danced above the pyramid pulled at David’s very soul. Trumpet was awake now. She rose to her feet, stretched deeply, and walked to where David’s head lay. She gave him a wet kiss on the forehead, breaking his concentration on the hypnotic blaze.

As David rose to his feet he felt the unknown flow of magic again and the flame grew wilder. The cackle of the witch, her bells, and the laughter of the man in his skull filled the room in a hideous cacophony. “SUBMIT!”

David was battered by the howling laughter. He could hardly think and it was all he could do to stay on his feet. Finally he managed to yell back, “You cannot have me!”

“The soul you promised will be mine, David,” the man said, softly now. “Fight if you wish, but you are already mine.”

The noise picked up now, and Trumpet howled in pain. David turned to see her pawing at her ears, trembling as she did. The chill of understanding washed over David and he fell to his knees.

“Okay. Stop. Please, stop.”

The noise ceased. Trumpet whimpered as he knelt beside her. “I am sorry, sweet girl.” He gave her a kiss on the head, and scratches behind the ears. He rested his cheek on the top of her head and hummed his mothers gardening song.

“Goodbye, little one.”

David rose to his feet and approached the flame. He reached out his hand but was jerked backward by his belt. Trumpet was growling, pulling him away from the fire. “Trumpet I have to go!” As if to answer him the flame grew in size, and the laughing began again. Trumpet, hearing the howls of the dead, tried once more to cover her ears.

Her jaws released and David dove for the fire, embracing the flame.

Entered by: 0xFDA5…4c5A and preserved on chain (see transaction)