Gwenn sat in the waiting room, torturing her lip like crazy. She wasn't normally one to have more than one nervous habit but anxiety had subtly graced her with a quick jog of her leg.

Finally, she couldn't take it. After waiting for what felt like an eternity - even though the clock had only passed five minutes - she stood up and hurried to the receptionist's desk. The woman behind the tall counter looked as tired and bored as possible. Her salt and pepper hair was pulled back into a bun so tight it only matched that of Jojo Siwa. Her eyes slowly rolled up to Gwenn, who couldn't keep her teeth away from her bottom lip.

"Excuse me, ma'am? Are they ready yet?"

The woman sighed, moving to get comfortable as she reordered her papers.

"I've told you before, they'll be ready when they're ready. If you prefer to leave and have us call you, I can . . ."

Gwenn ignored her, walking down the hallway - not even thinking about how she'd find the mystery knight's room. The receptionist didn't bother to stop her too much, calling after her in a flat voice and warning her away. An idea came to mind. Against everything she wanted to do at the moment, Gwenn sat back down on a chair.

After a few moments, she got up again, pretending to get a drink of water. As she pretended to pour some metallic-tasting water into a styrofoam cup, she turning over her shoulder squinting to better see the receptionist's papers. Without warning, her vision surprised her, zooming in on what she was focusing on.

The names were in order, their room numbers listed across from them. Her eyes fell to the second from the top. John Doe - room 23b. She blinked, resetting her vision. As strange as it was, she didn't give the weird 'zoom thing' much thought, biting her lip as she started her way down the brightly lit hallways.

The receptionist called after her again and again, but the old woman's voice faded the farther Gwenn went. This wasn't like her. She wasn't the kind of person to take dares or disobey the people higher in power but something had changed. A mysterious fire had sparked to life inside her - urging her to do what she'd only ever dreamt of. Is this confidence? Is this what it feels like? After taking a few wrong turns and a trip or two up an elevator, she found her self striding down the hall that held the door to room 23b. The only thing that stood between her and the room was a pair of regular old hospital wood doors that each had a tiny blue tinted window. She pushed against them but found they were locked. She pushed harder, wanting to get through without asking to.

The little flame inside raged for a quick moment, but it was enough. Focusing on the door handles in front of her, she glared at them so intensely that finally, with a loud crack-pop-hiss thing, and a small puff of smoke, the doors slowly leaned open.

As she was walking with big strides now, excited at her peculiar and uncharacteristic actions, she froze in her spot.

"What am I doing!? I don't even know this guy!"

She didn't mean to say it aloud, returning to her lip again. Before she could turn back around, voices echoed off the walls near her. What do I do!? She almost bolted for it, but quickly decided to act like she'd just come from seeing someone, and walked with her head down back in the direction of the elevators.

Stolen story; please report.

A couple of nurses walked by, too deep in conversation to notice her. She waited for the elevator doors to open. With a brilliant ding, they started sliding open. She stepped forward to get in but immediately was pushed back by the small crowd of doctors and nurses huddled around a moble bed. She couldn't look away as they frantically wheeled him down the halls. As she stood, something strange pulled her gut, begging her to follow them.

The knight. She ran after them, willing them not to notice the pair of doors she'd just broken. In the heat of the moment though, no one gave it a second thought - fortunately for her. They wheeled him away from room 23b though, Gwenn realizing that he needed help that couldn't be found in that hospital room. When they pushed him into a different room, that's when one of the nurses stopped her.

"Sorry ma'am, you can't go in there."

"But . . ."

"Why don't you go wait for him."

She nodded her thanks to the guy, relieved that he hadn't put much thought into the lonely girl that followed them from the elevator without a word. She ended up in room 23b, standing there as she glanced around the room. There was nothing really special about it. Ordinary machines, regular setup. Staring out the window, she realized how hungry she had gotten. And tired. Shuffling over to the couch leaning against the wall, she sat down, stretching her arms. Before she knew it, she was dreaming.

She was looking from someone else's perspective. A group of knights rode on horseback through a forest. A city far ahead of them burning brightly, warning them of the danger inside. The knight that lead the group was an older man - giving the orders and encouraging the group.

He opened his mouth to shout to them when a dark shadow passed over them - even though it was night. The moon was so bright, it showered everything under it in a pale, sickly light. The horses grew scared under their riders, slowing their gallant pace and stomping around in circles. The knights each tried to steady their horses, stroking them on their necks and reassuring them in low voices.

"We need to move faster!"

They entered the clearing, growing closer to the helpless city with every step. But just as they exited the trees, the shadow roared, breathing fire down upon them. The scene shifted.

Gwenn - or whoever she was in the dream - was crawling along the blood-stained grass, wincing in pain. The lifeless bodies of once very mighty knights were sprawled out in the grass. Gwenn couldn't speak or move on her own accord, watching as whoever she was army-crawled over to the leader of the group. The old man was laying on the grass on his back, his eyes closed as his last breath neared. Gwenn's knight grabbed the man's arm, shaking him awake.

"Sir! You need to get up! Erisia needs us!"

The man turned only his head to Gwenn's person, warily putting his hand on the knight's forearm. Something small and shimmering glittered through his fingers as he put it into the knight's hand.

"Take it, Thomas. I am old, and there is no hope left for me but you - you can take care of the city. I believe in you, Thomas."

"But Sir, I can't! I'm all alone!"

Gwenn choked back tears.

The man ever-so-slightly shook his head.

"You must do this Thomas. I'm afraid you're on your own now. Please - one last favor - take this ring to my wife. Tell her . . . I'm sorry."

Gwenn[Thomas] gazed down at the silver ring before looking back to his teacher and friend. He wanted to protest but the old knight's last breath left him, traveling up into the chilly night air. Thomas tried to get to his feet, his legs weak and bruised, but he fell back to the ground, tears now eagerly dripping down his cheeks.

"I can't do this! I am not strong enough! I'm sorry, Sir Ophian! I'm sorry!"

He was just about to let out a grieving sob when a familiar shadow passed over him, sending shivers down his spine. He grew quiet. The dragon grumbled to itself before landing just a few feet away from him. He squeezed his eyes shut. Go away! He begged. But the dragon's sharp senses caught him and it snarled at him. He froze, gripping the ring in his hand as if it could somehow save him.

Out of thin air, a colorful light swirled underneath him, and he pulled sucked into the ground.