Familiar Face

I had yet another dream tonight. I found myself running along a gravel path at the top of a steep hill. I was running, out of breath as I sprinted as fast as I could. I was not sure why I was running, but I knew I had to get away from here. I glanced to my side, looking down the hill at a rocky ground and gentle running water. The light reflected on the water's waves and back at me from in between the rocks. It was a beautiful view from atop this hill, overlooking a wide river and countryside fields. Small houses and roads dotted the landscape just across the river. I wanted to stop and take in its beauty, but I had to keep running. Keep running to the only place I knew felt safe. I was running home to my mother.

Suddenly, I woke finding the air still dark. I looked to my side to find Fesha still fast asleep in the thick grass. I had almost forgotten that Fesha and I had opted to sleep outside with Lanus's abode being quite cramped. I tried laying down and falling back asleep, but something kept me up in this early morning. Instead of trying to sleep, I decided to walk around the glade. I took my spear with me and made my way behind the tower. There was a small garden of various vegetables and fruit at the back of the tower. The white Vinnuluses tickled my legs as I stepped through the open grass. Clusters of glowing bugs lit my way in the dark of night. I stopped right in the middle of the tower and the thick woods just ahead. I unsheathed the sword from my spear and started swinging. 

I had been able to get a few practice sessions in without Fesha finding out since we left the industrial district . Though she already knew something was up with how I handle our battles, it still felt embarrassing knowing that I had nothing to offer, so I keep up my practice up when I can. By this time, I had gotten use to the feeling of the spear, so I decided on practicing with the sword. Though my skills may not help in an all out, fast paced battle, I was more confident now that I could help with anything that is a bit slower, though we have not come across anything like that yet.

Soon, the sky began to brighten slowly, revealing the bright green of the grass at my feet. I decided to stop my practice and head back before anyone would wake up. The bugs that had lit the air for me began to fade away in the morning light. I walked around the tower to find that Fesha had just woken up. I sat down beside her as we silently watched the morning come, admiring the beauty before us. Soon, the wooden door opened and Lanus came out from his home slowly.

"Ah, art thou awake? I have breakfast for thee." He said as the door fully opened to reveal a tray of fruits and vegetables in his hands.

We ate in the morning dew, chatting while leaning against the wall, the faint scent of the Vinnuluses filled the air.

"Does thee plan to leaveth soon?" Lanus asked.

Fesha looked over at him. "Yes, apologies for barging in, but I thank thee for thine hospitality." She said. "Does thou not wisheth to ascend with us?" Fesha asked genuinely.

"Hahaha! Look at me, I'm fair too frail and blind. I'd only be a burden. I'm grateful for where I am now, despite my ignorance to what has happened." He paused. "If thou truly seeketh answers, then I shall not stop thee. I simply ask that peace be upon thee."

"Thank you." Was all I could think of saying.

"One more thing." Lanus halted us. "As I have told, I was once a scribe of the royal archives. I assure thee, thou will findeth the answers thee seeketh. Much of Caelum's history and achievements were kept on record there, so there may be something there for thee." He chuckled. "Though, I hope for thine sake, it is not completely destroyed. I have no way of knowing, I never made it back there after all!" He laughed before coughing.

After we finished eating, we gave Lanus back his wooden plates and stood from the grass. We brushed ourselves off and got our things ready to continue forward. We looked at Lanus and thanked him for everything. Before we headed off he called to us.

"By the way, please greet the two fellows thee mentioned yesterday, the one's thou'rt acquainted with." Lanus said.

We smiled and I responded. "She thing," before heading off into the forest behind the tower. I stared at the Vinnuluses beneath me, thinking of the horrors that await us above. Fesha noticed my nervousness and tried to calm me down.

"Relax, perhaps Lanus exaggerated a bit. He knows no combat after all." She said. 

She might be right. Both of us had a means of fighting back so maybe there really was nothing to fear. Still, I worried about what was ahead of us. If it is worse than anything we have encountered thus far, we might be in over our heads in the upcoming days. Suddenly, Fesha spoke. 

"Ah, I haven't told thee yet but I had another dream, and thou wast in it." She said. I looked at her and she continued. "Though it was not just a dream, but rather a memory I had forgotten. Somehow I had already known thee, meaning whoever thou'rt, thou belongeth to a line of royalty."

I was in shock. This body I had been borrowing had been an established person in Fesha's life for her to see him. It all made sense now, why Fesha had said I looked familiar way back when. I had to know more.

"What were we doing?" I asked.

"It is still all a blur. I do remember thou stated that thee hast returned from somewhere, but that was all I could makest." She responded, then gave me a look of puzzlement. "Something was strange though. Thine words were that of a royal in mine dream, yet thee now talketh with a strange accent. Now what do I make of this?" She asked looking at me.

I shuddered and looked away, not saying anything. How was I suppose to answer that, and how was she suppose to believe me if I told her how I was from another world? How would she take it? I still don't have knowledge on many of the taboos of this world and I would not want to find out at the hands of Fesha, so I kept quiet. I looked back at Fesha to see her already looking back ahead. She knew I could not answer and we left it at that, walking along in an awkward silence.