Dream Visit

He awoke at dawn. Birds chirped in the distance, greeting the new day with much more vigor than he felt.

He opened his eyes and stretched.

He was back in his room, laying on his comfortable mattress. Everything had just been a dream. A nightmare. A very realistic nightmare, but just a nightmare.

Pulling the blanket aside, he swung around and put his feet on the wooden floor. The cold made his hairs stand on edge, so he quickly got up and into the bath room next door.

Short, ruffled hair and stubble greeted him in the mirror. Everything was where it was supposed to be.

Until he noticed something that wasn’t supposed to be there. A woman with dark hair and golden glowing eyes stood in the reflection of the mirror. She wore a night-blue dress and walked closer.

She didn’t say a word when she hugged him from behind. Her fingers caressed his chest, and he felt her hot breath tingle on the back of his neck.

“You know … the spell didn’t select for body characteristics alone, but also looked at your soul,” the woman whispered into his ear. “What it found was a small, frightened girl.”

He slowly turned around and looked the strange woman in the eyes. “What …?”

“What I’m doing here?” She chuckled. “I just wanted to know, who carries part of my mother’s power.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Saesquar, my little priestess.” The woman’s face was still directly in front of his. “I am the dark lady you’ve heard so much about.”

“You’re the evil goddess?”

Saesquar giggled and turned his head, so he had to look into the mirror again. “Evil and good are both defined by our morals and expectations. Many people think of me as being evil.” Her eyes seemed to glow for a moment.

“Are you?”

“You tell me, little Nia.” The name sent shivers down his spine. Was this reality? Was this a dream?

“I don’t know …”

“You’ll probably find out soon,” she cooed. “I am looking forward to seeing you how you really are. Trust me, you’re beautiful. Especially here,” Saesquar said, and stroked over his face. “And here …” Her fingers wandered over his chest and further down to his hips. “And here …”

He gulped. Had his eyes always been purple?

“I am very much looking forward to our first true meeting. I hope you’ll develop well until then.” She kissed his neck, her eyes still fixed on the mirror. From there he seemed to change again. The goddess held him tightly. “And then, when you’re ready, you’ll be mine. Body and Soul!” A hand tightened around her chest.

«‹ | ›»

Nia woke, bathed in sweat. She hadn’t been back home, she was still in the small room in the temple. The remains of Saesquar’s touch, of her kiss, lingered on her skin. What she had felt in that dream, especially at the end, had felt far too real. What she had looked like in the end, how everything had felt … It was as if something had been corrected, something that had been wrong all this time. Something she hadn’t been able to pin down.

It shouldn't feel right, though. She was still a guy.

Then why are you referring to yourself as a ‘she’?

Was that her own mind asking that question? Or was the dark lady still in her head?

Cold showers chased each other over her back. She was still caught in that crazy reality, and her new body sent confusing signals into the network that should have settled itself over the years of her existence.

She had to distract herself, had to find a different topic. There was no way she was ready to tackle this. Maybe she could talk to the others, ask them, whether they had dreamed of Saesquar as well, or whether that had also been exclusively for her. She had to know.

So she got quickly out of bed and was startled at the cold that had seeped into her small room. Of course there was no central heating to keep them warm.

Shouldn’t the sun have heated the place though? It's still as bright as day …

Shaking and with goosebumps, she changed into the new underwear, robe and the leather boots that fit eerily well.

After that, she quickly peeked onto the corridor. There was not a single monk in sight, but she could feel the cold wind race past her.

Aren’t monks usually up super early?

She shrugged at her own question and slipped out of the room. Maybe she could explore the temple a little. Everything to forget the memory of that dream.

Choosing the corridor to her right path, she made her way down the cold, empty stone halls. She only stopped when she noticed Qiin and Renard in the distance. They whispered with one another, as if they didn’t want anyone to overhear their conversation.

Nia tried to concentrate on what was being said, and her mind picked words out of the tones they were speaking.

“… is rather troubling. If things continue like this …” Qiin stopped mid-sentence as he saw her. She thought she saw a frown on his face that quickly made way for a smile.

“Good morning. Nia, was it?” He raised his voice and she could hear him clearly. “I hope you had pleasant dreams.”

Renard nodded, turned around, and quickly walked away. Almost a bit too quickly.

“My dreams … were a bit … disturbing.”

I wanted to get away from my dreams! Don't bring them up now!

“I am sure the dream was only expressing your worries about the future.” He came closer to her. “If you think that telling me about it helps you in any way …”

“I’d rather not talk about it,” she quickly answered. “It was pretty … personal.”

“I see.”

No you don’t. And I don’t want you to. Maybe I should change the topic.

“Say. Are we pretty high up north? I haven’t noticed it getting dark at all.”

Qiin looked at her with raised eyebrows. “It is still mostly dark,” he answered with measured words. “It could be that our lady has granted you daskvision.”

Darkvision? Great. That will certainly help against an army. And it’ll make it even harder to fall asleep.

“You will get used to it in a few days,” Qiin said, as if reading her mind.

“How will I know when it is night and when not?”

The monk shrugged. “My guess is that you won’t perceive color during the night.”

So that’s why he looks so pale …

“Do you have any more questions? If not, I suggest we begin your training right after breakfast.”