Dawn broke over the Wisteria estate.
Birds sang beautifully, and a soft breeze slipped through the open windows.
Peace sat over everything, even though at night— it felt… like hell.
"Why the hell could I not sleep…" I yawned, rubbing my eyes.
My body stayed tense through the night. The air felt… thick. Every shift pulled me closer to waking.
I turned my head. Eimira was still asleep. She gripped her sword in a way that allowed for instant draw and strike.
I smiled. "Scary…"
I leaned closer and brushed a loose strand of hair from her forehead.
Beside her was Aurivelle, who was already stirring.
I moved her over and sat her upright. "Good morning Auri, did you sleep well?"
She rubbed her eyes. "No, not really."
She yawned. "I kept having a bad dream about a man devouring a lot of people. It was scary."
"Hmm, something definitely happened." I thought
I laid Auri back down. "You should rest more since we will be continuing our journey soon."
She giggled. "I'll try, hehe."
"I'm going to check on the others," I said.
She nodded slightly. "Hmm hmm."
I left the room and walked down the passage. I ran my hand along the wall. The estate leaned heavily on wood. Bare concrete barely showed anywhere.
Before I reached the room where the others stayed, the masked guard who had summoned Erin's father signaled me over.
"I heard you are leaving for Tarrion today," he said.
I blinked. "Tarrion?"
"The academy."
"Yeah, why?"
"I need you to take the little miss with you."
"Little miss?"
"Miss Erin. I need her to go with you."
"But I'm just a personal attendant…" I lied. "I don't make the final decisions."
He removed his mask. Dark skinned. Entire frame wrapped in cloth. He lowered his weapons and placed them behind me. He knelt.
"Eimira. The Lost Aegis that prevented the total take over of Nymirel. Blessed with Aqualis and Aeris. People see a battle hardened dog, but yesterday… I saw warmth."
He continued. "No one but you could have caused that."
He lowered his head fully. "I beg you. Erin needs safety. From me, her personal guard. From her family. Please."
Silence.
I exhaled.
"I don't kno—"
"She can come." Eimira cut in.
I turned to her, shocked.
The guard raised his head.
"You mean it?" He asked.
"Yes."
"I, Tobi, House of Wisteria's sovereign, give thanks." he bowed again.
After a brief exchange, he left.
I stared at Eimira. "Thought you didn't like her…"
I'm not as heartless as people say I am, Zandren." She folded her arms. "We have the same destination."
I pat her head. "Awwn. I'm proud of you."
She shrunk, then shifted closer.
"Hmph."
"Hey, Mira..." I called her.
"Hmm?"
"Did you feel anything strange during the night?"
She looked at me. "No I don't thi—"
A pause.
"Come to think of it…," she stepped back. " I woke up with my sword in my hand."
I stared at her.
She stared back.
"That… only happens when I'm in the Dark Forest."
I sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing… just poor sleep, I guess." I replied, forcing a smile.
"Okay…," she said. "Where were you headed?"
We started walking, slowly.
"I was on my way to check on the others. See if they're awake." I answered.
"You don't need to worry about that," she said, "go wake up Auri, we'll leave soon."
I chuckled, nervously. "It feels weird…"
She tilted her head. "What does?"
"You know… the Academy…" I replied. "It's my first time."
She laughed. "You're gonna be fine, princess."
I chuckled. "Stop with the princess allegations."
"Though we can't go in together."
"Why?"
"To avoid rumours." She answered. "Since you know… I basically just gave you the admission."
"Oh…"
She continued. "So we'd be separated for a while. But I'll visit you."
"Visit?"
"Yeah. I secured a dorm space for you."She smiled. "Completely private."
I exhaled.
"I look forward to it."
****
A few hours later, everyone gathered. The Wisteria house servants and guards formed a line for farewell.
Erin turned to a maid beside her.
"Where is my Father?" She asked.
"He left for a walk at night, and since he got back, he hasn't shown his face to anyone." She answered.
"Oh..." Her shoulders drop.
Tobi stepped forward and lifted her chin.
Tears formed in Erin's eyes.
Tobi sighed. "Don't embarrass yourself in front of your friends by crying."
He continued, voice firm. "You stand as captain of the poison vines, representing Wisteria county.
Erin wiped her face and hugged him.
Then the gates opened silently.
Erin's mother returned.
Expression blank. Eyes hollow. The guards and maid who had followed her, were no more.
Erin stepped forward.
"Mother, I'm leaving for the Academy no—"
Her mother walked past, without pause.
"Fuckers…" Erin muttered and entered her carriage.
Everyone just watched in silence.
"I-I'll stay with her." Tabbi said, then left.
Tobi walked towards us.
"Thank you." He bowed. "Your timing was perfect…"
Eimira nodded.
Tobi stood, then walked closer to me. He leaned closer to my ear.
"Do not let her come back here. Do not let anyone take her out of the Academy, even if the person is me."
He walked away.
I stared.
Eimira nudged me.
"Zandren, we need to go now."
I turned around, and Tobi gave me a slight nod before entering the estate.
After.
We left.
****
Three days had passed, and we were nearing the Academy.
The journey had been enjoyable. The stops along the way. The sheer vastness of the Terrakan mountains. The blue glow of its lakes. The culture of the people. The many counties and villages we passed.
It was quiet, and peaceful.
Except for the time a group of bandits ambushed us. But the moment Eimira stepped down, they fled. Really fast.
Dark forest monsters followed later, around the low inhabitants area of Terraka. They were weak, and the escorts ended them quickly.
I'd been told earlier that the Academy was built not too far from the Dark Forest. Two days away from it. Built there for field training, experience, and also for the protection of Terraka. Still, I couldn't help but wonder if a city stood nearby to support it and make the surrounding area more lively.
The motion of the carriage softened. Conversations between Eimira and Feona faded. Sleep pulled me under.
Eimira saw this, then guided my head onto her shoulder.
Silence.
My eyes closed. Slowly.
…
They opened again.
No wheels. No wind. No chatters. Only darkness.
My head rested on a stone. Not Eimira's shoulder.
I stood up.
"Where am I—"
I almost tripped, but caught my balance.
The ground felt… soft. It rippled under movement.
I continued walking.
A faint glow stood ahead. A figure knelt at the centre. The rattle of the chains got louder as I walked closer to this figure.
Me.
Again.
Two shattered chains lay on the ground.
"What does this version of me represent…" I whispered.
He lifted his head.
"Tuts Vaer'nak…"
The word echoed.
Somehow. I know what he meant.
Come.
My body moved on its own.
"Vaer'nak" He said, again. Voice trembling.
My body responded faster. His eyes began to glow as I got closer.
I stood before him, and knelt.
For the first time. I managed to get a glimpse of how he looked.
But he moved closer.
"Vaer'nak."
Our foreheads met. My vision went blank.
Then.
They returned and I found myself soaring high above the clouds. Weightless. Free. The wind roared past me. The higher I flew, the colder it became. Then I began to descend, slowly breaking through the clouds.
What waited before me wasn't the world I knew.
The land was torn apart, the seas blackened, the mountains burned with flames. The skies were filled with dragons, falling to their death, onto a city which was now in ruin. Devoured by chaos itself and filled with the bodies of dragons, humans and other entities I couldn't recognise.
At the centre of it all, was a being. As bright as the sun, one would think it was a saviour, but this being was far from that.
This being had three eye holes that glowed gold on its face. Four orbs which hovered like a halo behind it. The four orbs took the shape of an eye. Each eye had a symbol on it, something far beyond my understanding.
It stood before a leviathan it had just killed, by driving a colossal sword through its head. Pinning the titan to the ground.
Suddenly.
All seven eyes locked on me.
My heart stopped.
I blinked and everything went dark.
Eimira's laugh cut through the darkness.
The carriage motion returned. So did the chatters.
I still rested on Eimira.
"I'm so hungry when are we going to get down?" Aurivelle complained.
"Yeah, yeah. We need food. We need food" Feona protested playfully.
They both laughed.
Eimira chuckled softly. "You both just ate a few minutes ago though."
Feona rolled her eyes. "You call that food?"
"Yeah, it tasted like burnt mud." Aurivelle stuck out her tongue.
"I swear the next stop, I'm getting real food." Feona said
Eimira laughed. "You said that the last three stops, one of which was where you got the "burnt mud", saying it was good".
"Well... Uh." She pointed at Aurivelle. "Her fault."
"Hey, you told me to tell Eimira." Aurivelle snapped.
"Shhhh." Feona shushed her.
I sat up slowly.
Feona spoke. " Our beautiful maiden is fina—"
She paused. Her eyes fixed on me
My eyes narrowed. "Why are you staring at me like that?"
She shook her head. "Nothing… your eyes looked a bit different for a second."
"Oh…"
"Must be the light…" she added.
"Did you sleep well?"Eimira asked.
"Yes I did." I answered. "But aren't we there yet."
"Look out the window, sleepy head ." Aurivelle pointed out.
I looked out the window.
My eyes widened.
"Wow…"