Matthius was dreaming again. He knew that all perception of the world outside was fading away, replaced by the horrifying alternate reality he had lived in his mind over and over. He was watching the young woman with great intensity again. She was were she had always been at the beginning of this scenario, watching something on her small little flatscreen television.

He noticed, as he always did, that she was quite captivatingly beautiful with her long sun-kissed blonde hair and her aqua blue eyes. Her body was very trim, and Matthius always remembered thinking that she definitely must work out regularly. The wry smile on her face and quiet chuckle emanating from her lips made him feel a twinge of sadness. 

He knew what was about to occur. Please don’t make me watch this again. I can’t do it. I can’t be helpless, powerless again. Without any regard to his pleas though, time moved forward; he was now following the woman as she checked on her son. Unlike previous times; however, he heard her say something that sent ice rushing through his veins. 

“Goodnight, Matthius. Mommy loves you so much.” Her words gushed with the deepest love that only a mother would have. 

Matthius felt tears welling in his eyes. No… He thought despairingly as the reality of what his night terrors had been sunk deep within. Mom? That can’t be right. She died in the robbery. The police had fucking confirmed it. Seeing through the lies now, Matthius knew that what he had been dreaming for months, what had utterly tortured him to the depths which he sunk so deeply into, was his own mother’s actual death. 

His mind was racing now. He followed his mom as she entered the master bedroom. Please God. Not this again. Fucking anything but this. His pleas fell on deaf ears as a menacing voice spoke to his mother in the doorway of the room. The demonic figure spoke, "My Dear, this will all go so much more smoothly if you just look upon me." 

Matthius had heard this line so many times, but this time it was even more terrifying than before. Mom… Run. Knowing this was a useless venture made his heart sink into his stomach. The demon spoke more; however, Matthius’s focus was on his mother. Her beautiful face was now distorted by the horror he knew she must be feeling. Her lips trembled as she pleaded with the entity. 

His eyes drifted to the demon’s body. Stunned by the flowing tattoos that covered the creature's entire body, he trembled. The depictions of murder and rape were so visceral that he had to avert his gaze. Fuck. What the hell is this thing? It was a rhetorical question; he knew that whatever this thing was its (His) name was Nerraz. 

Eyes averted knowing what came next, Matthius cringed as he heard the crunch of his mother’s body striking the bedroom wall. He sobbed, and losing his resolve, he lifted his head and stared upon his mother’s mangled body. More than seeing a demonic being; what happened next was what fucked him up the most. 

Stomach churning, he watched Nerraz blithely mutilating his mother. This went on for some time, and Matthius squirmed with each nauseating slice he witnessed. The sheer bliss on Nerraz’s twisted face was disturbing. Matthius shivered. 

Like a vile surgeon, Nerraz went about his task. Matthius watched his mother squeal in anguish as the demon’s barbed claws sawed through her skin with ease. Methodically, he removed various layers of her skin leaving patches where muscle and bone could be seen. Not long into this torment, his mother passed out. For awhile longer, Nerraz continued his sick operation By the time he got bored with his torture, Matthius’s mother looked as if she had been mauled by a crazed animal. 

Squeezing her neck, Nerraz lifted his mother’s limp body into the air. Blood was seeping from seemingly every pore of her body. Jesus. I can’t stop this. It already happened. Mom, I’m so sorry. Why did this happen to you? He heard her neck break and watched as her lifeless body slumped forward and tumbled to the floor in front of Nerraz. The once vivid white carpet was now stained with the viscous blood of his now deceased mother. He stared at her body for what seemed like an eternity.

When he broke from his trance, he turned around and found himself staring directly into the demonic face of Nerraz. Jumping back startled, Matthius spoke to the demon lord.

“Why? Why her you demented motherfucker?!”

“Dear Boy, it was the only way for me to return home.” He said matter-of -factly. “Your father cost me everything. A price had to be paid.”

“Fuck you. Tell me why you are here now. Tell me why this conversation is happening. Tell me why you are fucking in my head.” 

“It’s simple. You are special; just like your weakling of a father. You have a gift. I will offer you this only once as I did with your father something which he disregarded thus leading to today's events. Don’t pursue me. I promise you, you will regret it. There will be a penalty, that I can guarantee. Do you understand that if nothing else?” 

Matthius remained silent piecing the Demon with his golden eyes. Nerraz chuckled, shaking his head slowly. 

“Like father, like son, huh? No matter.” He said coldly. “I will not hesitate to punish you like I did your father.” 

With those menacing words hanging in the air, Nerraz vanished from sight. Matthius fell to his knees. Confused and utterly defeated, he thought of the threat that the demon lord had uttered. He didn’t care anymore. Whatever had just happened, he was going to make Nerraz pay for his mother’s murder, that is if he didn’t die from his head wound before he had the chance. Wake up! Wake the hell up, dammit! 

Willing his eyes open, he awoke from his dream. A blurry and perplexing scene was unfolding in front of him. Two older men in business attire were tending to his wound. 

“Lie still.” One of the burly men said to him. “We got you.” 

Matthius weakly raised his right hand to push the mysterious figure away, but the second man pushed his hand back down. There was a black cloth in his hand. Matthius' brain was still foggy; however, he knew that whatever was on the cloth was not pleasant. Struggling to break free, he watched helplessly as the man placed the cloth over his nose. A sickeningly sweet smell assaulted his nostrils; then once more everything faded away leaving only darkness.