The moon was high in the cloudless, midnight-blue sky. Touji sat hunched over Chylum's body, his hands gently cradling her.

-We're in a predicament.

Her skin had already begun to discolor and decay at an astounding rate, leaving patches of exposed flesh and bone. Touji was unsure of how long her body could remain intact. He rubbed the bridge of his nose and sighed. He also didn't have much time left himself.

He had already waited over two hours, but not a single person had passed by.

Touji held Chylum close. He lay slouched over, his head barely able to hold itself up.

The roots had buried themselves around his wind pipe and were steadily squeezing so that each breath became more shallow.

He was unconscious, life slowly fleeting him.

Two shadows appeared over the two lying figures.

One dressed in black armor, tall and lean, while the other was shorter and dressed in a lather coat and tan pants.

They both stared down at the two, as there eyes wondered towards the words scribbled into the dirt beside them.

'Help her' and 'Kobra'

They exchanged a look and then proceeded to separate the two.

The one in black lifted Touji off the ground.

"Take her. Once we arrive, call for Maphori."

"Ay ay." The other piped.

Touji's eyes opened for brief moment.

With his dried and crispy lips he muttered aloud with the last of his breath.

"Don't kill me, Maphori... Please."

His eyes closed once more as he felt himself being carried away.

***

Dreams. They remind us of what we refuse to look in the face. They take our biggest fears, regrets, hopes and failures and shove them right back in front of us along with all our twisted desires which we pretend we don't wish for. There's a reason we most often don't remember them. I guess this is what separates dreams and daydreams. The latter is what we tell ourselves we want. More accurately the place we want to run away too, a place filled with things that will help us forget.

Nightmares are different though. They are dreams that show us things that should not be seen. Things we shouldn't have to face.

Nightmares are when the demons wake up.

A state of being that can only be described as torment.

-Flames. So many flames. It hurts. It hurts more. Red sky. Blood moon. Spiders. Screams. Howls. Kill me. Darkness. Blinding lights. I don't want to die. Nails scratching a chalkboard. Growls. Fire. Kill. Don't, die. I'm hungry. Black flames. White smoke. Help. The smell of ash. Death. My eyes. It burns. A storm. Lightning. Wind. Rain. Lighting. Flames.

Touji opened his eyes. He was shaking so violently that the bed was creaking and groaning.

He jolted up, clenching his chest as his body searched for oxygen.

He blinked rapidly, sweat dripping down his face. He turned, and his eyes darted around the room, scanning the area for any signs of danger.

He was in a white room. His eyes darted down to the floor almost instinctively.

-Maphori slit my throat there.

He had been extremely hesitant to come back but due to his time limitations, the dangers of the city and the fact that there was only one healer he knew of, the chance had been taken.

He touched the side of his neck where he counted eleven stitches.

-Looks like the roots have been removed. Thank goodness.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Touji swung his legs off the bed and sat up.

"Yo! You're finally awake."

Touji spun around only to have his eyes met with that of a boy's, barley a few years younger than him at most. He was dressed in simple clothing, the ones you'd see in an adventure's guild in most games with the leather vest, grey shirt and brown pant legs rolled up.

His short blond hair was swept to the side, slightly covering one eye gave a rebellious vibe and on his hands were what appeared to be fingerless gloves only adding to the peculiarities. He was holding a small mug of milk in one hand and a cookie in the other. A grin spread across his face.

Touji stared at him cautiously.

"Who are you?"

"Name's Foss. Nice to meetcha."

"...Same here."

The large bandage over his nose gave him the appearance of a child just sent to detention.

Foss sat down on the bed opposite Touji and crossed his legs.

"You've been asleep for a good few days so we were getting worried.

"We?"

Foss ignored him and took a large bite out of the cookie, crumbs scattering everywhere.

"Where is Chylum? Is she alright?" Touji asked a little anxiously.

"Oh, the girl. Yea. She's fine. Maph managed ta get her body back in shape."

"Thank goodness."

"..."

Foss continued to throw the last couples morsels into his mouth all the while not blinking or taking his eyes off of Touji.

"...Is something wrong?"

"What makes you think that?" Foss leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees and licking his lips.

Foss looked at him with a gaze of filled with far too much interest, adding a large helping of unease to the situation.

"Is there something you need?" He asked hoping to get some information as well as keeping the conversation from dying.

Foss cracked his neck, making a sound that caused Touji to cringe.

"Not particularly. Your just kind of nice to look at I guess. Didn't expect you to look like ya do."

"Expect?"

"What?"

The exchanged a stare at each other confirming that neither of them were on the same wavelength.

Finally Foss stood up, letting the cookies crumbs from his plate fall to the ground. He casually walked around the bed and stood directly in front Touji. His both eyes gleaming down at him like a cat's.

"Are you sure you don't need something?" Touji insisted.

"Your not very strong and you also seem a bit stupid. "How much do ya know about your situation?"

Foss leaned forward till their faces were only inches apart.

"Nothing."

"Well I guess he didn't say you knew."

A young woman's voice called out from the door.

"Can you give our guest some room please?" The black knight pleaded as her armor clicked with each step.

"Sorry, there'was this spider on his forehead and I's contemplating whether to swipe it off or just leav'n it be." He responded.

Fairial frowned and gave Foss a light slap on the head.

"Don't lie."

She turned towards Touji who was rubbing his forehead and inspecting it for any unwanted visitors.

"Hey, are you okay? How are you feeling?"

Touji gave a nonchalant shrug. "Not the best mentally but definitely could be worse."

"I see. Well I can guess you've been through a lot." She smiled.

Foss clicked his tongue and folded his arms, probably irritated because the empty cookie tray.

Fairial ignored him and proceeded to pull up a chair beside Touji.

"So, firstly let me introduce myself. My name is Fairial Demel and that there is Foss Kole."

"Hello." Touji waved.

Foss, though only feet away courtly waved back. This awkward moment lasted for a good thirty seconds until Fairial intervened.

"Let me personally apologize for the lack of sufficient medical care."

"No, it's fine. Are you short on healers or something?" Touji asked, pretending to not know anything. It seemed as though she didn't remember him which was definitely for the best.

-I hate this amnesia thing. I don't know really how and on who it's triggered on. What a pain.

Fairial's eye brows shifted.

"So I was speaking to Foss just a minute ago and it seems as if you were waiting for me. Is that right?"

"Yes. We're you unaware?"

"Who told you I was coming? Even I didn't know I would be here until tonight."

Fairial passed her hand over her forehead in thought.

"Didn't the messenger send you here?"

Touji shook his head.

"I think he's completely clueless. Probably should start from the beginning." Foss interjected.

***

A man dressed in black sat over a roof top, his eyes scanning the ground below for any enemy movement. It was dark. The streets illuminated solely with the light of the moon.

As he gazed into the darkness he was made aware of presence which seemed to have appeared out of nowhere behind him. A cloaked figure stood beside him, leaning up against the chimney.

"There is a boy. Dressed in grass green upper garment and a black lower garment, both queer in appearance. On the night he will appear the demon will launch an attack. Trust him. He will change the course of the war.

The knight in black nodded.

"What is his age?"

The hooded figure turned faced the opposite away.

"Younger than your daughter who you will make the new captain. She will lead them well."

"I had planned that for her, but why so suddenly?"

A gust of wind blew the rooftop.

"Because the night of which I speak of, will be your last."

Another gust of wind blew by causing the hooded figure's cloak to flutter.

"Is there any other way?"

The figure shook his head.

"You will all die, if the boy doe not take up arms. Change will come. Alas this will be my final visit. Naegi Touji will take care of the rest."

The figure walked to the edge of the roof, pausing briefly.

"You were a good man Demel. Your daughter will accomplish much."

"I do not doubt she will."

And just as mysteriously as it appeared, the figure was gone.

The Knight in black sat with his legs dangling off the rooftop. He breathed heavily.

"No matter how much you prepare yourself, dying will never be easy. My dear wife, looks like we are meeting again soon."

A tear dropped from his cheek.

-But I won't lie. I am going to miss my daughter.

The sun peeked out over the horizon a single ray falling over the house on which he sat.

-I'll have to get the smith to make this armor a woman's size.

He chuckled to himself.