Chapter 1: The Dream

As long as I can remember, I've had this recurring nightmare, and I can give you a detailed description of it. Just for you. How kind of me.

So it starts off with a scream. And a lot of red. I'm running through what I think is a forest, the trees are the color of shadows and the branches go up higher than I can see. I'm being chased. I look over my shoulder behind me, and there's a claw with the sharpest nails and I just know they want to crush me.

I turn my head to face forward again, just in time to bump into a hooded figure. He says something I don't understand, and I tell him we have to run. I see two eyes, blue as the bottom of a flame. Right as the figure is about to remove his hood, the claw closes around me and pulls me into the darkness.

And that's when I wake up. And for the first few seconds I'm just panting and looking around, as if the claw is still coming from somewhere, every attack from my spellbook is dancing through my mind. Even though I've had this dream a million times, it still makes me wonder whether any of what I'd just seen was real. It felt real. More like a memory than something my subconscious is trying to tell me. It's not that unlikely. After all, I was found in a forest.

One night, me and Misty are camping in the mountains, on our way back from a quest. I shoot up straight awake from the dream, and the first thing that comes out of my mouth is: 'Shit!'

My clothes and sleeping bag are soaked in sweat. Adrenaline is rushing through my body, along with magic, ready to launch with whatever spell first presents itself. I try to calm my breathing and wiggle myself out of the sleeping bag.

Misty is sleeping sitting up straight, his back against a tree. It's kind of ironic seeing him like that, since all his spells consist of putting others to sleep. Our campfire has burned to a crisp, only smolders remain that glow in the dark. The moon and the stars are hiding behind the clouds, yet I can still see everything clearly. For a long time I thought everyone could, but it turns out I have unusually sharp eyes. I also have unnaturally good hearing, and a heightened sense of smell. Almost like I'm a dragon slayer in the body of the weakest wizard in Fiore. Just my luck. "Hang on guys, I can sniff us out of this dire situation with my exceptional nose!"

Anyway, that camping night. I grab my bag and take my waterskin out. I filled it by the river earlier, knowing I would be thirsty after the nightmare. Hyperventilating does that. I take big sips and slowly feel myself relaxing. I reckon there's a few hours left before sunrise. Then we'll get back on the road, and probably reach the guild by noon. I force myself to hold on to that thought. Since I don't have any influence on my time asleep, I want to make my time awake as pleasant as possible.

I look at the guildmark, on the inside of my right wrist, and trace the lines with my left hand. I can't help but smile. I've talked it over with Misty, and I'm planning on staying a little longer this time. Misty likes to claim his money, go to the guild for a new request and leave immediately. I've been tagging along every now and then. I could never make this much on my own, with just one spellbook and a load of desperation.

But I feel it's time I start thinking about my future. I'm 18 now (I think), I still live in the guild dorm and spend my time either hanging around the guild hall or running after Misty. Last time I was at the guild, I noticed we had a new member. Some blonde girl Natsu dragged with him, poor thing. I haven't spoken with her yet, but she seems nice. As long as she's not as obnoxious as that fire eater.

Sorry, getting off course here. My future is what I need to focus on. I don't know where to go from here, and I think to know what future I want I have to make amends with the past. There's still so much I don't know about myself, so much I have to find out. I think it's time I do that.

I haven't told Misty about this part, of course. He finds all my ideas stupid and thinks I should stick to the lower ranked quests so I won't hurt myself. He's like an annoying older brother I never asked for. He feels he has some kind of protective claim over me because he brought me to Fairy Tail. And everyone thinks he's so awesome because he's an S-class mage, but he's just annoying. I hang out with him for the money, nothing else.

Anyway, back to what I was actually saying: I have a plan. I've saved up some money so I can hire the one mage I think is the perfect fit to help me on this quest. After Misty has run off again, I will pop the question to that person. I really hope he says yes.

All of a sudden Misty makes a groaning sound. 'What are you smiling about?'

I sit up straight, way too quick to appear innocent. Before I can come up with an excuse, I wonder out loud: 'Wait, you can see me?'

'Just a guess.' Misty then whispers something and one of his staffs lights up, shining over our campsite and revealing that I was probably smiling just now.

'I'm just excited to see the guild, that's all,' I say then.

Misty stares at me for a few seconds, as if he already knows I'm lying, and then nods. 'Right. Me too.'

'Are you?' Besides the fact that he's annoying, I don't know much about Misty. Haven't ever seen his face either. It's almost a shame we work so well together on quests.

'Just because I don't like to stay long doesn't mean I don't care,' he says, 'maybe not as much as you do, but I do.'

I feel my cheeks burn up. I couldn't give a damn about the guild, everyone is too loud and sweaty. The one person I do care about is also loud sometimes, but only because other people drag him into it. So it's different.

'Get some more sleep,' Misty says then.

'I don't think I can,' I say. He knows about the nightmares. 'Unless you help me?'

Misty dims the light in the staff. 'You know it doesn't work like that. You need to rest, a spell of mine can't do that for you. I'm not a healer.'

'Whatever.' Another reason why I don't like him. He gives me excuse after excuse why he can't just put me to sleep.

I've tried every other possible thing; potions, magical beds, herbal tea, smoking, special pajamas, woolen socks, different diets, not reading before going to bed, drinking less. Nothing works.

I just have to experience the terror. Night after night.

Just as I feel myself dozing off, I hear Misty's voice saying: 'I'm sorry Rain, I really am.'

It makes me feel guilty, because it seems like he wants to help. Yet he leaves me alone in the forest to face the inescapable claw.

It's just a hunch, but I think that claw is either part of my past, or resembles something from it. I just have to find out what.