She always had such odd dreams. They were often snippets, too, of something that felt much bigger; a bit like a scrapbook. Sometimes, she’d see the same one several times. Others, it followed a particular order or a particular theme. Then of course, there were the times where it just seemed random.
But it almost always started with her surrounded by her siblings. She couldn’t remember their names—or really anything specific about them—but she could feel their connection.
Each one of them gave her a smile, though their expressions were mixed.
“What you’re doing is important,” her oldest brother said. “We’ll all be eagerly awaiting the good news.”
“Don’t do anything stupid,” her sister mumbled. She was the furthest of all of them.
“I’m sure she’ll be fine,” her other brother tried. “She has everything she needs to be successful, after all. Now all we have to do is send her off and wait for results.”
Her oldest brother nodded, and looked at her. “Are you ready to go, then, Sera?”
“Of course!” she said with a wide smile. “If it can help you, then I’ll do it! And I’ll make you all proud, too!”
…
Standing at the start of their little village were three individuals—a man, a woman, and a gryphon.
The man was in the lead and was the one to introduce them all. “I know you have no reason to trust me. Just know that I am Zanrel—and with me are Elysrainne and Caeso. We have extended an offer to each and every one of you…”
The gryphon—Caeso, a name that sent a chill through Sera’s spine even if she didn’t know why—spread out his large, feathered wings. His mouth didn’t move, not in the same way a human’s might, but still his voice was heard by all. “The Fallen One and his Angels are no more! With my protection, you humans can build a world without fear of their evils. Gather under your new King Zanrel! It is no longer a world where humans fear demons—rather, demons will have reason to fear humans. But it is not a feat that can be done alone. So, will you join the ranks of Aedrisea? Will you defend your home, your family, and your fellow humans from the demons, so that the Fallen One may never return?”
Everyone was silent.
“A little bit of caution is to be expected,” the woman, Elysrainne, said. “I understand. But rest assured that we mean everything we say—and we can prove it all to you. All you have to do is trust us.”
People looked between each other, as if trying to determine if they really wanted to give them a chance. And once they were given the proof, there was no convincing them out of it; they were ready to follow them, possibly even to the ends of the earth, if all of what they said were true.
…
Sera imagined that she’d just been casually walking back to work when she passed by it—a display set up, showing all of the new technology that had been created the past few years.
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“Are you always staying up late?” the spokesperson asked. “Don’t you ever wish that you had just two more minutes worth of candlelight? Well, wonder no more! Now you are not restricted to sunlight or candles!” He flipped a switch that made a little bubble inside of an otherwise dark box light up.
While he had their attention, he continued, “And that’s not all! Now clocks can appear in all shapes and sizes—watches that can fit in your pocket, on your desk, hang on your wall… you name it! We’re living in the age of a revolution—one that will improve and revitalize the lives of all humans!”
He had one more thing to show: a display of two odd contraptions. One resembled some kind of boat, but the other… she wasn’t sure. “These are the prototypes of the train and steamboat. With them, travel time can be halved, sometimes even halved again! Do you have family on the other side of Nivia Plains? What about all the way in Vresta? Now, you can visit them—or send letters—in a fraction of the time! Gather round, gather round! I have more informational packets for everyone interested in all of the tech that’s taking the nation by storm!”
…
Whenever she dreamt of those inventions, whether that exact scene or another, she always had something seemingly unrelated immediately after…
One of bloodshed, tears, and panic.
One that felt almost familiar, just like the images of her siblings—though different, near opposing, emotions were attached to them.
But it was all just another dream, in the end.
“It’s going to be alright,” she told the soldier. She’d been trained to help these people; to stand just behind the front lines, ready to provide aid when she needed to. “I think you did a great job—the demons are already starting to retreat. It won’t be too long now before they’re all gone.”
One of the other medics near her scanned the field, which was painted in red and golden blood. “Let’s hope you’re right,” they remarked. “Demons like those… it’s no wonder King Zanrel needed the help of a gryphon like Caeso to get rid of them. Maybe all those old stories were right—that it was only a matter of time before the Fallen One returned. I suppose things are already close enough to a living hell…”
The Fallen One returning… The idea brought a chill down Sera’s spine. But it was probably just because of what else it meant; the Fallen One represented chaos and destruction. His return could very well mean the end of humanity. She couldn’t shake the feeling, though, that there truly was something deeper to her fears…
…
Talk to anyone, and they’d say that the War of Demons renewed an interest in one’s heritage; after all, they needed to know whose legacies they would be compared against. So, of course, Sera dreamt of such occurrences, too.
Unfortunately, it seemed there wasn’t too much information to be found on the matter. Not that it didn’t stop several people in her dream, Sera included, from trying to find out anyway.
“You know, I learned through one of these that my great-great-grandmother was actually from the Tribe of Talci,” one of the ladies around her remarked.
A lot of people were packed into a room, waiting to hear their name in case one of the record keepers found something. There were a few taking matters into their own hands, too, who would occasionally call on strangers if they thought there was a connection. It was actually a pleasant kind of fervor, like neighbors helping each other solve a puzzle.
The lady’s friend looked surprised. “Really? Do you think you’re related to King Zanrel or Elysrainne, then?”
“I asked the private researcher I’d hired.” The woman sighed. “Unfortunately, he says I’m probably not. Talci might not have been the biggest but they were still quite varied, and most traveled away from Baerin after Aedrisea was founded.”
The lady’s friend caught Sera staring. “Oh, hello there, dear! Would you like to join in? Have you learned anything?”
Sera thoughtfully shook her head. “No, but I hope to! I’ve talked to a few others before and they weren’t able to help, but I have a good feeling about this time!”
“Good luck, then! I know some people have found it harder to get information than others.”
“Thanks! I hope you find something interesting, too!”
Sera never had a dream about finding out her heritage, but she didn’t think too much of it. They were all just dreams, after all.