↢ Waking Nightmare ↣

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The breeze flows across the fields in soft waves of green. It felt warmer than it did before, not that I mind. I liked the warmth it brought.

“Better than the cold, I’d say,” my father sat beside me.

His golden eyes were a bit dimmer than my own, yet that wasn’t what threw me off.

“Dad?” I question, “why are mine and your eyes weird to the other kids?”

“Ah, that… it’s cause you and I are special, our blood is powerful. You’ll know more one day…”

A gasp stuck in my throat as I want to scream, however, the younger me took no part in what I wanted. Only looking on over the waving grass and fluffy clouds.

My youth could only give a smile before getting to my feet.

Tears begin to pour out from my eyes as I stare at my father.

“I miss you…” I state, though my mouth doesn’t move.

“I know it’s hard,” he responds, “but…”

My eyes jolt open and my body follows suit, jumping off the cold stone floor I find myself upon. A ringing lingers in my head as I try to focus on what little bit of light crept through the small slits in the walls.

“Wh-ere…” I try to speak, however, my throat feels dry and hoarse.

That’s when something shifts next to me. It was a small person, maybe a child?

I squint, however, it only makes my head burn more.

“E-El?” the figure questions while rising from the floor.

“Y-es?” I answer before it leaps at me.

“El!”

I almost fall over as the sudden collision leaves me stunned. “R-rose… m–”

“I’m so glad your okay,” she responds while holding me, “I-I was so scared when you wouldn’t wake up, b-b-but I stayed by your side the whole time!”

“Th-thank y-ou…” A smile grows across my face as I rub the small girl’s head.

“Miss, El… do you know… where we are?” Rosemary’s question leaves me bewildered.

Yet, I choose to give her a big smile before dodging her question. “I’ll… g-get us– out… d-don’t w-w-orry…”

Hope overtakes the fear in her eyes while she nods several times in return. This brings another grin to my face before I turn to the dark room.

It would be silent if it weren’t for the rain crackling against the stone. It casually blew through the slit windows and crept across the uneven floor, creating puddles along my feet.

That’s when my eyes finally click with the darkness. Adjusting just enough to realise the clothes I’d been in prior were replaced with what I could only describe as stitched together rags.

How long…?

Before I could even begin to think upon the thought, a large boom rumbles over our room. The rattling of the cell walls echoes in my head causing the dull annoyance to return to my temples.

I grab my pulsating head as I get to my feet. And with a deep breath, I recall every cast from my book.

I don’t know what’s on the other side… But I can’t let a chi–Rosemary suffer.

Without hesitation, my arms brighten the room with their blue light. However, to my surprise, I’m met with anything but an empty room.

Several eyes peer at me through the darkness, most without a shred of light in them. They stare on with awe and fear.

I bite down on the feeling in my gut and grab the lock to my cell; it instantly begins to freeze upon my touch. And in my other hand, I form a small rock of ice before bashing the lock.

Its pieces clink on the floor as I push the gate open.

Silence follows my actions for a moment as I turn to Rosemary, “We… c-can–”

A wave of pleas vibrates the room before my words can even leave me. However, even as I’m frozen solid, I feel a grasp around my hand.

“We… will re-turn… I p-prom-mise…” I utter loud enough to be heard by the small girl before me.

Fear eats at her, though she looks away from me.

And yet, as I rise to leave the cell, a loud bang silences the room. It was the sound of metal bashing metal. A torch burns at a staircase I hadn’t seen across the room. And without, hesitation I turn back to Rosemary.

“H-ide…” is the only word I can muster before letting go of her hand.

“What is all ‘is commotion, huh?” A pair of guards shout over the room.

And before the captives can respond, their eyes instantly turn to the glowing of my arms. Although my cast had already begun before they could react.

I vanish from their sight as I slink up to the adjacent cell from ours.

The guards storm up to the cell I’d disappeared from, finding only a balled-up blanket. I watch as it twitches.

And knowing her fear wouldn’t allow her to truly be hidden, I begin my advance.

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Within a moment, I take hold and bring one of the guard’s arms up their back. And as they squeal in pain, I summon a dozen ice needles around the other.

They turn to, and freeze upon my golden gaze.

“D-down…” I growl and he drops his weapons in kind, “w-where… are w-we?”

“Haha! Who do–ahhh… okay I yield!” I twist up my hostage’s arm as they try to laugh.

“We–we’re in the dungeon where ‘is lordship keeps ‘is women before sellin’ ‘m off!” the other guard hastily explains.

“Y’ coward…” my hostage mutters, forcing a grin across my face.

“G-ive me… th-eir k-keys or…” I hold my last word and begin to raise my empty hand.

The needles start to shake, resinating to my command.

“Yes! Uh… R-right away!” Without a second thought, they pull free and toss the key ring. “Now!”

The guard under me pushes against my grasp, and seemingly overpowers me with little effort.

I tumble backwards forcing my needles to fall limply to the ground. This causes the two to chuckle at their, perceived, easy victory.

“Didn’t see ‘at comin’ now did y’?” one snickers.

“One hell of a grip though…” the other adds as he rolls his shoulder, “I’ll give y’ ‘at. I wanna see just how long y’ can last?”

A long breath leaves me as their words pass me. The vile taste growing within my stomach shows easily on my face, making them smile.

“Shame y’ ‘ave ‘at scare, woulda been a wonderful catch if–”

Before he can finish his sentence, a thin spike of ice shoots up from the puddle behind him! It pierces his armour with little resistance!

He coughs once, before looking down to see the red dripping off the tip of the spear within him.

The scene forces me to turn away, and the other takes his advantage. Yet, his feet refuse his actions.

They’d already solidified with the ground.

“Wh-what the hell!?” he shouts as he tries to move.

“I–I’m sor-ry…” I clench my fists as the ice begins to consume them.

“What? Wait… Don’t... No, no, no, no… I don’t want–” the ice ate him before he could even finish.

A regret crawls under my skin as I grit my teeth and walk past the two now sculptures. They’ll crumble before anyone can release them…

The thought gnaws at the edge of my mind as I crouch over the shivering blanket.

“It’s ok-ay… now… b-but pl-lease… d-don’t op-en y-your eyes.” I peel back the sheet revealing a nodding girl with her eyes covered.

I hoist her up and she buries her head into my shoulder. Then without further stalling, I step over to the keys.

A confused face greets me as I kick them over to one of the many captives.

“Don’t m-make… m-me ret-urn…”

Then as soon as they nod, I turn to leave the darkness.

↢ ⬦ ↣

“M-miss El… I–I’m scared,” Rosemary’s voice shakes as she tries desperately to keep her eyes shut.

A breath leaves me before I respond, “it is… ok-ay to be... scared.”

The light of the hall I now trek through burns my eyes as they take their sweet time to adjust. Though the carpet was a welcome change.

“You there!?” A voice calls through the stillness.

Before I could even turn, another voice shouts, “Rose!”

A breath holds in my throat as I come face to face with Arnold.

“Papa!” Rosemary yells before leaping out of my grasp.

“I’m glad to see the two of you are alright… I–”

Before he could finish, a man in padded armour grabs his shoulder. “Not the time. We need get out of here while we can.”

“Right, get Freya. She should be just down the other corridor,” Arnold states while lifting Rosemary into his arms, “El… are you okay? Those cuts on your arms… are they…?”

I shake my head before the words come to me, “th-they’re… fr-om al-ong time… ago.”

“Ah… that’s…uh good, in a way… I suppose.” He turns away for a moment, not wanting to look at the scars covering my limbs.

“Arnold, what’s the holdup! I thought y’...” Freya stops her sentence as her eyes land on me.

“Sorry, Freya… got sidetracked,” Arnold states as Rosemary turns with another giant smile.

“Mama!” the small girl’s voice vibrates the hall as she jumps into her mother’s arms.

“It’s so good to see y’... I–I thought…” I can see her bite down on her words as she turns to me. “I’m thankful to see y’ upright… and I’m sorry…”

I shake my head.

“Right… However, celebrations can wait. We are leaving,” her words had a slight happy ring to them, even if they came across as a soldier’s orders.

However, that’s when my smile falls.

Before either of them can turn around to meet what I see, a pair of bright blue eyes calmly stroll towards us. A humming escapes the helmet covering all but a joyous grin.

“Now, now. I don’t ‘ink any of y’re leavin’,” as the thick words land, he throws Arnold’s third party member.

He had been beaten unconscious, no, far worse than that.

Both Freya and Arnold stiffen as they turn towards the body of their comrade. And it isn’t until Freya sets a frozen Rosemary down, that they both draw their blades.

“El, take Rose and run! Arnold take Tryss with them… I’ll hold him off until he–”

“Now, I can’t have ‘at.” The pair of blue eyes flash towards Freya as the soldier instantly slashes at her waist.

Yet, she catches the sword with a hand axe just above her side. And with a grunt, she pushes him back.

“Now, run!”

Even before her words could leave her, Arnold had already begun to carry the fallen man down one of the several hallways. And for only a moment, I watch the fight, but as soon as Rosemary’s hand grabs mine…

I hoist her up and dart to catch up with the fleeting artificer.

My feet stumble as I run out of breath. Arnold stops a few paces ahead of me, then sets Tryss beside him.

Thankfully, only our huffs of breath disturb the eerie silence. That and the occasional screech of metal on metal. This causes a slight sense of relief, as long as they keep fighting… it’ll stall for time… but will she be alright?

I faintly shake my head, ridding the thoughts, it would be meaningless to go back… we need to get Rosemary and Arnold out before they…

A gasp leaves the body of Tryss as he lurches upwards. Then within a moment, he grabs his head, which had reformed back to seemingly normal. And it only takes another second for him to peer over the three of us.

Then his eyes land on me. “You… she’s who were lookin’ for… right?” his voice comes out tired and aged as he then turns to Rosemary, “and you… ya’re all… safe?”

“Not entirely…” Arnold states before taking in another deeper breath, “the man who did you in is still fighting–”

“Now, I wouldn’t jump to conclusions just yet,” a voice freezes our conversations as we turn to the pair of eyes at the end of the hall.

Before Tryss can even get to his feet, Arnold turns to him. “Tryss… take Rose and El and–”

However, his sentence is interrupted by a steel blade jutting out from his abdomen.

“No more of ‘is runnin’.” As he recoils the blade, Arnold’s body slumps. Silence takes the space for a moment before…

A scream erupts from Rosemary as she tries to run over to her father. However, Tryss grabs her as turns her away from the scene.

My heart booms in my ears as my body twitches. That’s when I realise the pair of burning eyes turning towards me.

“Y’ escaped pretty easily… twice, no less,” his statement forces a furrow to my brow. “Ah, of course y’ wouldn’t remember. No, the tea makes sure of that.”

“Th-e t-tea…?” I instinctively question.

“Now, run along rouge… me and–”

“No more of ya’re filthy games, Erik! I’ll slay ya where ya stand!” Tryss cuts him off before drawing a short sword.

“Y’ really wanna ‘ave two deaths on y’r hands?”

Tryss follows the blue gaze down to the child still reaching towards her father.

“Forgive me…” is all he mutters before he lifts Rosemary up and begins down one of the many halls. And before I know it…

I’m alone.

I’m going to die here… aren’t I?

My eyes flick to the still wheezing man slowly bleeding out. His eyes vibrating down the hall where his daughter had been taken. Fear eats at the edges of his hope-filled eyes. His death would be honoured… by only a few.

However, my own…

I peer back up at the now chuckling man.

Who would mourn for me?

Before my head can grasp the concept, the prince grabs me by the throat. And within seconds I’m lifted off the ground.

“Do y’ want me to remind y’ of what I’ve already done to y’?”

I grit my teeth as my lungs begin to fail me. And yet, the scars along my arms begin to burn blue as the vision of my own father appears before me.

I can’t die here.

Blades form within my hands as my thoughts begin to race.

For his legacy… For my future… For our dream…

I cannot die here.

With one, I slam into his wrist, and the other, into his collar.

It was the best I could go for. And in my favour, I drop to the ground.

A wheeze escapes me as he grumbles in pain, stumbling away from me. I rub my throat as I push myself up off the floor.

Then without a second thought, I break into a dead sprint down into the maze that was the keep.

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↢ To be continued ↣