The dank Abbey corridor seems to stretch on forever. I have never and will never feel welcomed by these so-called hallowed halls but something makes me feel that a bad event will take place around now…
My snow boots create sounds that echo down the chilly passage and cut through the eerie silence like a hot poker through snow…
My mind is telling me to be afraid but my heart is telling me to be brave…
What can I do?
"Bryan…"
A call echoes down the hallway, carrying my resounding footsteps with it. I stop, looking around.
"Bry-an…!" The call came again, but this time tauntingly.
Three objects suddenly fall from the ceiling and clatter to the floor. My eyes widen as I gaze upon them; Wolborg, Dranzer and Dragoon… Tala, Kai and Tyson's blades… covered in blood… their blood!
"This is what you will cause, Bryan…" The voice said again. "Your friends are at your mercy… but you show them no mercy… they will join not the undead… but the true dead; you will never see them again! So come to me! Come!"
I stop, eyes wide with distressful disbelief. Upon the floor… upon the cold, grey floor, lies Tala- a dead Tala… but his chest houses a hole the size of a fist…
And beside his still form, lies his heart…
"Tala…"
The shadows creep back, unleashing the form of another being in the same condition as my beloved Tala, a hole through his chest and a heart lying beside him…
"Kai…"
"You did this, Bryan… you rip their hearts from their chests and watch them die…" The voice whispers in my ear, but when I turn, there is nothing there… "You will do this soon!"
"Bryan!"
I shoot up, clutching my chest to calm my heart. Sweat drips from my brow and the recent nightmare clouds my mind. I flinch as hands pull me into someone's body.
"Bryan… sh, it's okay… only a nightmare…"
If only… I wish it were a nightmare…
The two hands keep their grip upon me, but the grip is not harsh- nor restricting. Although, I feel fingers comb through my sweat-soaked hair and wipe my drenched forehead; both elements are soothing…
"K-Kai…"
"I'm here, Falcon." His voice answers me.
Strange; he was hateful and odious to me only… however long ago our argument was…
A kiss is placed on my temple. "You okay, Bryan?" Tala asks.
"I…" What can I say? They will know I am deceiving them if I say 'yes' but then again, I cannot say 'no' for I will cause the mother-hen-Tala to arise… "I do not know… I think I am…"
"Do you-"
"No." I cut Tala off. The 'nightmare' did not drain me of blood…
There is a pause. "You're still shaking; are you sure you're okay?"
Indeed… I admit that I am still shaking…
"Just give me time…" I say with a small smirk, internally laughing at my own stubbornness. "Phoenix…" Well, here goes nothing… "I'm sorry…"
Another pause. "You know, you've just ruined your reputation with that apology." Kai states humouredly.
"I don't give a damn, Kai. I'm ruining my reputation by being pampered by Tala, so I might as well get over it; I'm a softy, big deal…"
He chuckles. "I forgive you… but you should thank Tyson; he's the one that made me see the devotion and loyalty you have for Tala."
Oooh, I sense Tala blushing…
I heave myself up and rub my eyes. "What time is it?"
"Nine o'clock at night." Kai answers.
Wait, that makes no sense… Tala and I went to sleep at about eleven…
"I slept for the whole day?" I ask, looking at Kai with clear eyes. He shakes his head and I frown; he holds up two fingers. "Two days? Oh my fucking Lord…"
I fall back on the black pillows, hands over my eyes.
"Well there's something you don't hear everyday…" Tala muttered. "Bryan swearing… what is the world coming to?"
"And Bryan sleeping in for two days…" The Phoenix tuts.
"I am here, you know." I mutter.
"Oh, we know." Tala replies, laying down next to me and snuggling into my frame. "We just like bullying you."
"What was the nightmare about?"
"Before I tell you, what exactly happened in the outside world? I can't have been having that nightmare for two days straight…"
"You just wouldn't wake up." Tala answers. "I took the time to talk to Tyson and then we took the opportunity to talk to Kai."
"I was ganged up on." Kai mutters.
"Now you know how it feels." I retort humouredly.
"And then, about an hour ago, Kai and I were in the living room when you cried out. We come in here to find you thrashing about…"
"So where's Granger in all this, apart from ganging up on his own boyfriend?" I ask.
"He's gone to pick up the shaman. Left just before we came in here." Kai responds. "Now; explain."
"The Abbey." I start. "I was just walking down one of the corridors and… I don't know, I felt as if something was happening or going to happen. Voices started sounding-"
"Great, he's schizophrenic." Tala mutters.
"-And then…" I trail off. Both Tala and Kai look down at me. "Your blades- Wolborg, Dranzer and Dragoon- fall down from somewhere and they're covered in your blood… the voice said that- that I caused this…" I shut my eyes and rub them again with shaking fingers; I cannot tell them what else I saw or what else was said… "It's Ehoin for sure…"
Please… may this daemon be contained before what is prophesied comes true…
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