For a second I didn't know where I was. I felt disoriented, my eyes slowly focusing. Short breaths, I moved my head. I knew this place, the golden grass, the silver trees, and the purpley-blue forest. It was the place from my dream. Was I asleep?

I blinked my eyes, unable to tell for sure. The glowing lights danced around me. I followed them with my eyes turning to see the pool.

I stared at it, shaking with terror. I drowned last time I was here. That dark empty feeling of being pulled beneath the depths. The water shining in elegant swirls, I couldn’t help but step closer. The light drew me in.

My throat started to feel dry, a dull ache. I stepped back feeling panicked. I had to get away from the water. I wasn't going to take a drink. I knew what would happen if I did.

With every second my thirst grew worse. I tried to turn away from the water, but I was stuck in place. Caught in awe with its radiating light. I couldn't get it out of my head. My throat was on fire. Weakness gripped me as I stood in indecision. Maybe just one sip?

I reluctantly walked to the bank. The brilliant falls parading down, churning the water. I knelt down, the swirls of blue and gold more intricate up close. One sip and then I would go. I would die if I didn’t.

Staring down at its depths, I cupped my hands and pulled it to my lips. Drinking it down, It soothed the sting. The feeling of fire left my throat. I felt weightless. The last drops leaving my fingers.

As soon as it ran out the burn returned. It was worse, choking me with the taste of fire. My eyes stung. I couldn’t bear this. Against my better judgement I dove into the depths. The splash sending healing.

I didn't care if I would drown. The world of magnificent colour surrounding me, so vivid and real. Nothing in me aching. This is what it felt like to truly be alive. To be real in the truest sense.

Looking up to the shore I realized I swam deeper than I intended. The colours began to diminish. I panicked, desperately filling my lungs. I knew what came next.

I fought to swim up, getting dragged lower and lower. Kicking my legs I found the chain wrapped around my ankle. I bent over in the water, clawing at it. Mercilessly tearing at it. I wasn't going to let it pull me under!

My lungs aching, I couldn't loosen it. Spinning, I lost my sense of direction. The fading light, feeling more like a figment of my imagination. Maybe only the darkness was real.

Chains around both my ankles and both my wrists. They grew tighter as I pulled at them. The nightmare playing out just the same. The more I struggled, the farther I fell. My muscles, slowly losing their fight. I cried out, water rushing into my lungs. Burning violently as I reached up, finding only darkness. I didn't have any strength left in my limbs. I couldn't save myself. My body slowly drifting down, engulfed in the darkness.

"Give your chains to me."

A voice ripped through the darkness, shaking me awake. Like a raging fire, it shook my very being. I opened my eyes... back to reality. I took a wild gasp of air, my hands stiff from holding onto my seat. Sweat dripped down my forehead, I slowed my breathing. I didn't know the owner of the voice. I didn’t know what it meant. Yet it seemed more real than anything. Something woven into the fabric of everything. Like I should know this voice. How did I know that voice?

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I trembled, confused by my surroundings. I was in some sort of strange room. Everything ending in sharp corners, it was made of a strange material. Too soft for rock or steel but different from wood. I pulled at my seat, It was quite sturdy, seemingly light, and slightly flexible. I had never seen anything like it.

I stood up, looking back, I nearly jumped out of my skin. The walls were glowing. I stumbled back in surprise. A dull light filtering out of thin tubes along the ceiling. What a strange sort of sorcery.

My foot brushing against something on the floor, I lifted up a short collection of very thin parchment. The pages covered in black ink. I had no idea how they got the paper so thin? I didn't know half the words written across it. Such strange exact writing.

What was this place? A drop of red fell down colouring it. Still bleeding, the cuts on my shoulders stung. I blinked, dropping the papers, trying to get a good look at my injuries.

I stared at the blood on my fingers. My memory of my last moments flooding back. Where was Luca? I sucked in a breath, fighting my tears. I needed to find him. I ran over to the other side of this box, trying to open what looked like a door. It wouldn't budge. Prying it with my fingers, I chipped my finger nails.

I hissed stepping back, looking through the little window on the door. It just looked dark, like night time. Where had the time gone? How long was I out for? The darkness was moving, a wild racing movement. Strange.

Something jolted me, I steadied myself. Noticing a steady hum. Was I moving? I had to figure out what this was. I turned to the other side of the box, a larger window across the wall. I went closer to it, squinting out, trying to find a landscape in the darkness. Maybe I could catch something familiar.

If only it wasn't so dark. I huffed a sigh, the darkness suddenly shifting. Bright daylight surprised me, the darkness gone. I gawked at the change, staring horrified. The same mountain range spread across the horizon. The same mountain I saw beneath the stars with Luca. The same mountain I watched the sun rise over this morning. A stone's throw away from where I disappeared.

It was impossible, the world below the mountain range unbelievably different. The city of ruins was gone, not a stone left. The grand palace, not in its place. Instead huge towers stood, so big they made any grand place look like a little shack. Giant rectectangles pointing up into the sky. They were incredible and terribly ugly. Big grey streets and sharp lines, it stuck out strangely against the foliage of the mountains.

What sort of cruel trick was this? I fell back onto the seat, wringing my hands in my hair. Wherever I was, I didn't think I could get back with my gifting. I was still in the cursed city. The same place now, so unbelievably different.

I let out a whimper. I didn’t know where I was. I was lost. Luca was gone. I was alone.

I picked up the parchment from the floor and threw it, the pieces scattering into separate leafs. My hands were shaking worse than before. Luca's face playing over and over in my mind. The horror in his eyes. I swallowed that feeling, tears falling from my eyes. Where in the world was I! I fell to my knees wiping my cheeks. I didn't want to leave! I tightened my fists. I focused on my breathing.

I forced myself to stand staring back at the window. Staring down the ugly city. I didn't know what was happening but I wouldn't run from this. There would be time to cry later. If this place was my new reality, I would meet it, head on, with all the strength left in me.