She was running again.
Dark hair flying behind her in a swath of shadow, panting, sweat beading on her forehead. It's hotter than it has ever been in the summer, the desert unforgiving and vast. Her feet sunk into sand with every step, yet she kept going, pushing past her exhaustion. I need to get there, I have to. She crumpled to her knees, sand seeping past her body faster as she tried to keep going. A structure grazes the top of her vision before her hands are sucked into the earth.
"No!" she yelled weakly before the rest of her body was consumed by the sand. She felt her legs being swallowed and dangling into nothingness, making her heart pound. Bit by bit, her body was taken, until it creeped up the rest of her face, forcing her to shut her eyes—
Opening them to her bedroom.
Watery sunlight entered from the right, helping her eyes adjust to the darkness. A chill shook through her, the nightmares always take away her warmth. A candle from last night trailed smoke as if it was just put out, and she lit it again, snapping her fingers across the wick.
"They're starting to get exhausting at this point." She rubbed her eyes and sighed. Lai had been plagued by nightmares for the last six months, ever since the night she turned twenty. It's impacted her training in ways that have only concerned her mother and father. How would she qualify for naval training if she didn't have the energy to finish a couple rounds?
She stands, her arms reaching toward the ceiling, feeling fire roll through her body from head to toes. Firebending came to her so naturally, her father has always held her in such high praise. When she was a child, he started her training as soon as her first flame licked off her fingers, and now she was close to starting the next step: bending lightning. She slips on a dark robe and twirls her hair into a knot low on her neck, sticking two gold kanzashi through to keep it in place.
Her mother and father were already awake, sitting at the table muttering quietly to each other. The room smells like green tea and incense, a familiar scent that's always lingered in her home. It wasn't modest in the slightest— her father is a well-known war general that acquired a generous wealth in his time alive, and her mother was the most talented seamstress in Hari Bulkan. Lai's maid scurries behind her and into her room to make her bed as she wanders over and sits in the empty spot between her parents. Her father gives her an empty smile.
"Good morning, Lai, how did you sleep?" he asked, almost expectantly. Her mother looks up from her cup, equally expectant of an answer.
"Poorly. I had another nightmare." she ran a hand through her hair and sighed. Her father's eyes hardened slightly.
"For almost half a year now?"
"It's been even longer now, it seems." her mother chirped, setting the cup down loudly. Lai flinched and she felt her body warm. Of course, first thing in the morning, we're starting this again.
"You think I'm lying?" Lai bit out, swallowing the rest of her emotions. Of course, all that matters is if she'll be ready for this afternoon. Today is the day she's supposed to create lightning, to prove to them she's able to be the best.
"Yes, frankly. You're supposed to be the greatest, you're our daughter, and I expect you to show us that we didn't make a mistake when deciding that." He stood, walking to the front door, grabbing his hat off the wall before staring daggers at her. Without another word, he leaves, leaving her sitting beside her mother. The air was sticky with humidity, heat radiating off of Lai as she sat, holding her tongue. Her mother tilted her head and patted her shoulder, seemingly absent of love.
"You know he didn't mean it. He just wants you to succeed, my darling." She stood, letting maids gather and take the cups back into the kitchen, leaving Lai steaming by herself.
She smiled, gritting her teeth. "Of course, mother. I'll make sure to make you proud."