Chapter Five: Dreams

Shane tried to sleep that night but he tossed and turned and by the early dawn, was still fully awake. He knew outside his tent, his people are getting ready for the morning onslaught by the humans. He was too weary to join them this time. Yet he fear he might need to be present in order to protect Nicky. Good god, he felt so weak and confused. If only granny is here, he thought wilfully. Granny had proven to be a wise little woman. He would have wanted her advice more than anything.

A slight rustle outside his tent make him sit up immediately. Then, a soft voice spoke,

"My sir, are you awake?"

"Come in, Anna."

When Anna got in, she looks mildly embarrassed to be stepping into the tent of her great lord. It was rather amusing to Shane since Virginie had come and go as she pleases. Anna, on the other hand, looks slightly discomforted.

"I am sorry for waking you, my lord."

"What is the matter?" He spoke quickly. She was right about interrupting his sleep. Not that he could get any.

"I.I wonder if you found the book."

"What book?"

"The book of the aurora spell." She whispered.

It was then that Shane remembered. The book had been lost in that moment of frenzy when the earthquake struck them, right after performing the spell.

"No. I am sorry. I did not see it."

She looked upset. On the verge of spilling tears even. "That is most troubling, my lord. The aurora spell cannot be lost!"

"Seems like your precious aurora spell did not work." Shane said cynically. "I did not see signs of my brother, or Rindy for that matter."

Anna was quiet. Her eyes grave and serious. Shane could just make out the tint of bluish green in them. He imagined them all green. All splendidly green.

"I am not powerful enough to conjure the spell. Maybe that's why it didn't work."

Shane shrugged. He knew it didn't work. Lest his brother would be gloating right into his face.

"Whatever. I cannot be bothered now. I hereby summon you to bring forth the elders. I will have them perform the spell and bring back my brother. I simply cannot wait longer."

"But the elders are on the Forest Isle. I do not know when they will return."

Shane looked unconcerned. "Then you will take Erich, my riding stallion. He is fast and steady, you needn't worry. Ride to the Forest Isle and bring them back. One by one if you have to! I demand to see them assembled by sunset. Do you understand me?"

Anna was quiet. She looked vastly worried.

"Tell me you understand!"

She bowed. "I understand, my lord."

Shane nodded hastily. "Now go."

She was dismissed and she knew it. Quickly, she exited. Shane sighed. He need to be more assertive lest all his people will start stepping over his head.

Shane did not fight this time. Nor did the humans, surprisingly. Galadriel guessed that the humans must be very tired. She suggested that they go all out. To drive them away. Kill them all if need be.

But Shane said no. He reasoned that the night people, too, needed rest. So it was good fortune that the humans were tired out themselves. They need to recuperate, he said. But so do we.

So the command was given. The night people was to rest.

Frances was annoyed, but he dared not show. Furthermore, he trusted Shane implicitly. He would give his very life for his lord. But right now, his confusion was regarding his lordship and the human. He wished the lord would confide in them. For his werewolf eyes tell himself that his lord was weary with trouble. Trouble of the heart.

By late noon, the night people were rested enough and were arming themselves again, ready to wage another bloody war.

Shane did not stop them this time. For he sensed movement in the human camp as well. They must be ready to attack.

Iker came to him, looking slightly depressed. It never amazed Shane how the dragoons managed to keep themselves so well-kempt.

"What is the matter?" Shane asked.

"You do know that Fayth had deserted me."

Shane nodded. "Yes. Do not let that bring you down. She probably was hurt and flew back to Dragoon Island."

Iker shook his head slowly. "But she would never do such a thing. Not to me, her master. I am most disappointed."

Shane smiled a little. Then he was tempted to add a little tease. "How do you find Lilia?"

Iker's face flushed slightly. His pointy ears pulled back. "Oh, she is a lovely girl, my lord."

"Call me Shane. Just like you used to call my brother his intimate name."

But Iker shook his head. It was as if he could not bring himself to address the king his first name. It was strange to Shane since Iker had easily utter the name of Raul.

"I am sorry, my lord. But I fear I cannot do so."

Shane nodded, understanding. He was still unacquainted to Iker. In Iker's eyes, Shane was still a stranger.

"So how about telling me your feelings? Of Lilia." Shane smiled.

"She is a good girl. Very caring and bright. Very brave." Iker said softly. Shane had heard that during Iker's fall, Lilia had nursed him back to health. No wonder she had all but deserted the council. Shane do not blame her. In fact, he do wish her all the luck in the world. For he thinks Iker fitting to be with Lilia.

"You do know she's quite taken with you." Shane said.

Iker flushed more. As if the truth hurts. "Well, she is kind.and."

"Iker, do you like her?"

To this, Iker immediately become serious. "I love only one girl. And that is Alexia. I won't be disloyal."

Shane sighed. And he had promised the lord of the Dragoons that he may be able to change Iker's distraction with the human girl.

"This Alexia that you spoke so fondly of." Shane started. "Does she knows of your breed? Of your people?"

The dragoon nodded slowly. "Yes. I met her on one of my travels to the human world. The humans are most disliked for their harming of the forests and trees. I was send, alongside with a few others, to do our best to restore some grandeur back to the forests. You see," He paused slightly. "We depend on the forest and they on us. We need the forest weeds for food."

Shane nodded. Iker continued.

"And I met her. She was there. In the forest." There was a smile on the dragoon's face Shane could only recognized as love. "She was humming a song. She told me her name was Alexia. I told her mine. She was beautiful and she told me that she, too, didn't like the way the humans were harming the forest. Burning and chopping down the trees."

"Did you tell her of your breed? Wasn't she shocked?"

"I did." Iker said. "But she wasn't shocked. More than anything, she was intrigued. She promised me that she won't tell anyone about my secret."

"And when did you meet up with her again?"

Iker was quiet. "We didn't."

"What?"

"I never saw her again. I went back to the forest several times. I didn't see her."

"But you told me about the girl who works at the CD shop."

Iker nodded thoughtfully. "During our conversation, she did mentioned she worked there. But I've never been there. So I do not know."

"Didn't you want to go to the shop to find her?"

"I couldn't." Iker said simply. "My looks just will not allow me stray in the human world for long. I may have been found out. Besides, my father was to lock me up."

"He found out of your secret fancy." Shane said.

Iker nodded. "He was being unreasonable. How can he judge a person by their breed? Tell me my lord, do you yourself honestly believe all humans can be bad?"

Shane smiled slowly. Iker's innocence and his pure love was simply beautiful. It reminded of himself, when he was younger, when he just met Rindy.

"I do believe that humans can be kind and loving, just like any other breeds in this world."

Iker smiled happily. "That is good. That is all I needed to hear."

Shane spoke no more of Lilia to Iker. He knew Iker's heart was already taken. By this mysterious human girl, named Alexia.

Anna had done his bidding. He was proud of her. By sunset, he saw that the elders were quietly assembled outside his tent.

"Where have you all been?" He tried to force some irritation into his voice.

"My lord, surely Anna had told you we have gone to the Forest Isle. We intend to seek out remedies to push away the mist, so that our people can once again move into the capital."

"Nonsense!" Shane bellowed so loudly, even some of the night people sitting at the other side turn around to stare at them.

The elders immediately bowed their heads.

"Do not trifle with me. You lack the intelligence and the wits. What is your plan, witches? What have you done with my brother?"

"Oh my lord, but we have done nothing. We were really seeking out."

"Oh shut it, woman!" He snapped. "I have enough of your ramblings. I will not hear anything else except what evil spell you have conjured to have driven Fayth away and caused that damnable earthquake!"

"We swear we have nothing to do with that!"

Shane might have strike them there. He would have, if Virginie had not appear suddenly, her face pale.

"What are you doing, Shane?" She asked.

God, Shane wished she would not interfere. But knowing Virginie, she would pester him, toyed at him, until she got every piece of information out of him.

"I am teaching them a lesson for disobeying my orders!" Shane snarled. Already, the onlookers have increased. It had been a while since anyone had reprimanded the elders in this fashion. After all, the elders were considered to be wise above all else and they demanded respect. Even the King and Queen of a long time ago respected them and seek out their advice.

The last time the elders had been condemned, scolded and publicly humiliated, was by Lord Raven himself. And now, the night people are seeing his brother doing the exact same thing. The resemblance was frightening and the night people began to sling quietly away.

"My lord, we swear.we swear."

But Shane had had enough. Oh, by golly, he had had enough being coerced, being manipulated and being dictated by the likes of those old balding witches. He dragged them aside, one by one, leading them away from the public eye. And into the Inner Circle.

"'Tis a place not to be stay any longer than necessary." They said. "The evil mist still resides."

Virginie and Anna had tagged along. One interested beyond belief that their liege would do such an outrageous thing, the other simply fearful.

"I say now, quietly, calmly and I hope, understandable to you." Shane said quietly, almost controlling his anger. "I do not care for your indiscretion. You have left the camp without informing me or my council. That is intolerable. Second, you have, time and again, locked yourself away in some damnable and unreachable places, performing god knows what horrible spells and curses. I will have you burn at the stakes."

To his last words, the elders realized what incredible, hopeless situation they had unwittingly thrown themselves into. They quickly fall into their knees and begged and cried for forgiveness. Anna fall down alongside with them, pleading for the wrath of her lord to be calmed and pacified.

Virginie had move beside Shane, staring down at the kneeling elders. She eyed him curiously.
"What are you doing?"

"I am simply raging." Shane said, trying to calm his voice. He knows his eyes had become quite dilated, quite ferocious.

"Will you tell them to free Raul?"

They will have to. Else I'll kill them."

The elders looked up in fear. "My lord, why do you want to do that? Why do you intend to bring back the fallen lord when you yourself had defeated him two years ago? Bring eternal calm to the Night World."

"There is no such thing as the eternal calm." Shane said coldly. "I was young then and cajoled by the likes of you. Look now what has happen to the Night World during my brother's absence. The humans have invaded. My people have become deplorable cowards. Only the Dragoons are fighting but who knows when they will tire and quit? And my lovely band of witches apparently have disobeyed me time and again, doing some little spells and tricks of their own somewhere!"

"If your brother is to return," The elders said hardly. "He will seek to destroy the world. He will do that and he can do that. You have bear witness to his power. It was all but luck when we were able to contain him two years ago."

"That is all your foul words. Your poison tongue spread fear far and wide in my people. What is so frightening about my brother? He has immeasurable strength, yes. But he is not without a heart. He can and will use his strength to protect the people of this land!"

"But that will mean destroying all human life!" The elders protested. "Do you not know of your brother's plan? His mind was of uniting all the night people, lost and found, from all parts of the world and then throw an onslaught towards the humans. The humans would be lost. Do you derive pleasure knowing this?"

Shane gritted his teeth. Somehow, the damned witches must have found out his relationships with the humans.

"He will not do that."

"He will, my lord! Please do not make the mistake of releasing that wrath into the world. It will consumes everyone, night people and humans!"

"There you go again. You simply love exaggerating your words and my brother's intentions."

The elders cried and begged and pleaded some more but Shane will not budged. His mind was make up. He wanted to see his brother again. He was, after all, his own brother. His own blood. And above all else, he wanted to see Rindy and not have her disappeared ever.

Virginie nudged Shane. "They looked pitiful."

"Are you getting soft?"

She rolled her eyes fiercely. "No. I intend for you to do whatever you deemed they deserved. I simply think we're wasting time with this wastrels. Let them conjure the spell now. Talk is cheap."

Shane nodded. He was about to demand them, order them or even beat them if they refused, to undo his brother and Rindy's spell when a soft and rusty voice suddenly interrupted him.

"No, Shane. You will not!"

Shane spunned around angrily at this intrusion.

But his eyes fall upon a woman too old and too wise. Her hair was bundled up and it had turned white over the years. She carry more cares on her face now for she now looked troubled, mildly angry, yet concerned at the same time.

"Granny?" Shane could not believe his eyes. "Is this but a dream?"

His granny shook her head slowly. "No it is not. I've heard about the humans attack and I was concerned about this place and most importantly, you."

Shane would have hugged the old lady lovingly, for he see her as her one and very kin. The granny that brought him up when she took him apart from his brother and to the human world.

But Shane would not show such vulnerability infront of the elders. He remained aloof.

"Granny. I am glad all is well for you. But I am in the middle of something. I intend to release Raul and Rindy. I think they deserve freedom. Also, I think the elders have schemed and plotted enough. They had driven me crazy with their manipulations. I will see that they are deservedly punished by the council."

"Shane." Granny spoke softly. Her eyes were wrinkly but sad. "My boy, you do not understand."

Shane knew granny was once along with the elders. That she would side them, does not surprise him. But he was shocked to see granny so frail, yet so determined to stop him from releasing his brother and Rindy. Two of whom, his granny had admitted, she had felt very close to and had treated them like her very own.

"What is this.?" He muttered.

"You mustn't released Raul or Rindy. You mustn't." She paused, tears coming to her eyes. "For I would lose you to them. And I cannot bare it."

Shane simply stared at his granny, not really hearing her words, yet they echoed in his heart. Somehow, he didn't feel shocked or even mildly surprise. He felt very calm indeed and it was odd. But it was as if he had known this was so a long time ago. Hadn't that be the sole reason for his granny to exile young Shane and herself to the human world too many years ago? When Raul was born and was immediately regarded as the dominant progeny, the council of the past had come to a swift and cruel decision, and that is to bring the young Lord Slyther then to the human world so that he would not come any closer to Lord Raven at that time. For it was said the prophecy predicted that when the two lords come together, one a slytherine snake, the other a ravenous raven, the raven and the snake will engage in a war, bitter and eternal and will ultimately led to the destruction of the Night World. That was why Shane had been chosen to be exiled. That was why his granny didn't want Shane to meet his brother. So that the prophecy will not come true.

"She came to me. I do not know if it was in dreams or in delusion, but she came to me all the same." Shane said.

Granny appeared distraught. Yet the mere mention of the girl brought lights into her eyes. "Ah.was she well? Did she say anything?"

Shane nodded. "She said my brother wishes to speak to me."

Now the light in granny's eyes dimmed. "I see. The time has come for Lord Raven to awake. It has been a while. I knew the aurora spell cannot hold him. Not eternally."

"It can and will hold him!" The elders interrupted. They glared at Anna. "If this silly girl of ours had not undo the spell by itself!"

Now granny stared at Anna with interest. "And why did you do it, Anna?"

She appears fearful. She lowered her eyes. "I.I was fulfilling my duty."

"Fulfilling your duty? By betraying your elders?!" The elders were fully annoyed and ready to turn Anna into chicken soup.

"No." she muttered. "I was fulfilling my duty as the humble servant of Lord Slyther. I did just as he commanded. I did my duty."

The elders looked about to raise another fit but a malicious look by Shane silenced them.

"Granny, where is my brother? Please tell me. I cannot bare it any longer!"

"You cannot bare to release your brother?" There was a soft smile on her face. "I thought you hated him."

Shane thought for a while. "I did. I hated him once. That was two years ago. He took away everything from me. From the moment I was born, I was stripped of a home, a title.even a girl.it was unfair. If I had been here all this while, Rindy may not have chosen him."

All this time, granny was studying him intently. "You misses the girl?"

Shane nodded. He would not lie about his feelings. More than anything else, he wishes to be foreright about it. "Yes. More than anything."

Granny shook her head. "So the worst has come to pass."

"What do you mean?"

The old lady looked at Shane with love. "My dear boy. It seems as though you have fallen for the spell as well. The curse that Raul is eternally binded with. He will forever be in love with Rindy. That was, as you know, our way of curbing Raul's powers two years ago. It never succeeded. It actually fails miserably, our little plan. Raul was not only uncurbed, Rindy had come to love him just as much, and she would do anything for him. So Raul got himself a little accomplice, so to say."

Shane's heart ached. Rindy loves his brother? Truly?

"I do not hate my brother now." Shane said finally. And he felt good saying it. "He is, after all, my brother. My kin. My blood. I want to save him. He is my only family left." Shane paused. "I lose my father and mother the moment I was born. I do not even remember their faces. Raul had the honor of calling them his parents. I do not." He softened then. "But I had you, granny. And that was enough. It was enough for the whole world, truly. And I am forever grateful to you. But now, the time has come for me to acknowledge my rightful place. My title, and my brother."

Granny merely nodded. But she looked more depressed than ever. "Shane my boy, the dark lord's evil know no bounds. But maybe, you can touched even that sordid and dark heart of his, just as our little Rindy, oh bless that white angel, touches our hearts as well."

Shane wept then. He didn't know why. The tears just came. Maybe it was the mere mention of Rindy's name. Maybe it was because he, too, desperately wanted his brother to be good. To not be evil so that people will not hate him, so that Shane himself, could love him.

He was weak, he knew his brother would say. Weak little faggot probably would be his line.

But he was not weak, he knew. He was strong. He was strong enough to admit his weakness. And that was his yearn, his desire to have a family, to have a kin. To have a home where he can truly belongs.

It was also his desire to have someone equal to him in power to share the burdens he now carries with him. The burden of having to fight with the humans and the burdens of protecting his people.

It was as if granny read his mind. For in a minute or two, she suddenly shrugged and straightened up. "Comon my boy, chin up! We're going to see your brother."

The elders did not complain this time. Instead, they followed gingerly behind granny and Shane and Virginie and Anna as granny take the lead. It was after some time when Shane realized that granny had led them to the bayside.

"We're to cross the lake?" Shane asked.

Granny nodded. "Crossing the lake is the most convenient as there are many of us. Another faster alternative will be to ride the horses of course."

Shane nodded. He was in no hurry to die just yet. And he knew he will if he wanted to release Raul and Rindy as granny had warned. Maybe not die, but definitely jeopardizes his safety.

So they got onto two small boats. Granny, Shane and Virginie sat on one. The elders and Anna squeezed onto another. The wind was very strong and it make them sail very fast.

Virginie was a bundle of nerves. "I wonder if he is well."

"Virginie, you have been sorely mistaken if you think he isn't. He will be well. And maybe too well. We can only hope that he is rational when he awakens."

"What do you mean?" Shane asked, slightly nervous.

"The dark lord had slept, unmoved, for two years now. He may be slightly delusional when he wakes up. If the worst is to befall upon us, he will kill us the moment he wakes up." Granny said gravely.

Virginie snorted. "That's just pessimistic. What if he wakes up and in a good mood after a long and satisfying sleep?"

Granny had to smile. "Then he would probably compliment on your beauty and bends down to kiss your nose."

Again, Virginie snorted at that seemingly fatherly gesture and both Shane and granny chuckled despite themselves.

Now was the moment to ask this crucial question, Shane thought. Before they reached the shore and he had the whole band of witches eavesdropping him.

"About Rindy.she kept appearing to me, then disappearing again. Its like she's teasing me. She never appeared to anyone else.except me."

"You think she is a dream?" Granny asked softly.

Shane shrugged. "I do not know. But I find her coming.comforting. It makes me feel right about my decision in this terrible war. It makes me feel good."

"Maybe she was trying to encourage you to be strong." Granny smiled.

"But is she real?" Shane probed. "Or am I just too tired nowadays?"

Granny smiled slowly. "The mind is a most mysterious and powerful tool. It works in wonderful ways. I cannot tell you whether she is a dream, or not. Only you know that answer, my boy. Search your heart."

"She felt real.I touched her hands."Shane muttered thoughtfully. "And she healed Iker. She gave Iker back his legs.She had to be real. No dream could do that, could it?"

Granny shrugged. "Do you think so?"

"I do not know what to think."

Granny chuckled again. The shore had come into sight. They were reaching.

"Let me tell you a little secret my boy." Granny smiled. "She come to me too. At night especially."

Shane was amazed. "Really? What did she say?"

"She told me not to lose heart. To believe in you." Granny paused, looking mildly sad. "And she told me to find you." She then gave a smile. "And here I am, my boy."

Shane was about to ask more when something in the sky suddenly gave a loud shriek. They all looked up from their boats. And saw a big, gigantic red dragon flying across their heads.