I was in an idyllic place, a small garden, bright sunshine, a cool wind blowing across my face, my wife was there sitting on a nice metalwork chair, and we were chatting. I was extremely happy, feeling entirely complete and satisfied. This part is, I think, what made this dream stick to my mind all day. I can't imagine that I could feel any happier than I did in the dream. I wasn't doing anything "of importance," and yet I was entirely satisfied. Entirely. Blissful. It's hard to describe.

But then, something happened. My point of view changed and I was in a dark and stormy place. I was looking at a monstrous worm centipede scuttling over some rocks in the deep and smoky gloom. Affixed under each scale was a human in a pod of liquid, almost like an egg, and I knew that I was in one of those pods right now.

Then my point of view switched once more and I was again in the idyllic garden, no time had passed but I retained the memory of the monster and the feeling of dread that accompanied it. Though the pure enjoyment of the garden was not sullied by these, and I knew myself to be immortal.

Then blink and again I was surveying the dreadful visage. I knew its name to be Valgavoth¹, eater of souls and worlds. I knew that its whole being was bent on eating up every human, and in so doing affixing them to a pod. Why it did this I do not know. I knew that every human in its myriad of pods—for its terrible body extended as far as the eye could see and beyond—was like myself "imprisoned" in an idyllic place. I also knew that we were all barred from death as long as we were attached to this fiend.

At once I recollected of being someone else before being one more in the ghastly collection. Glimpses of family and laughter filled my head, and then the coming of the wurm, the terror, fleeing, the panic, the loss, the terrible loss, blackness.

I knew then that I had a choice. I knew that I could fight and maybe free myself and others. A flash of the idyllic place went through my mind once more. For a second I was again in the garden, its sweet perfection infusing every part of my soul, warmth everlasting.

...

Why fight? Why go on to the gloom and cold and fear? I closed my eyes and sank back into total, perfect, enlightened contentment.

---

When I woke up, the first thing that popped into my mind was: is Valgavoth is both a monster and a savior, or both, or neither? Perhaps it was trying to save us?

Why fight? Just for a chance to be miserable under my own terms?

---

Footnotes

1. Yes, that Valgavoth, from Magic the Gathering. Though in the dream it wasn't associated with MTG at all, nor with it's lore. It just inherited the name for some reason. ↩