Castaways: Origins

Chapter 10: Returning allies

Entry number 1789

Dear reader,

I felt the need to update on my travels before I go to sleep. Today we rescued our black-winged friend, and while Flora and Cinder were handling the situation, Thunder and I saw an opportunity to sneak around the camp for information. With the supporting proof, Thunder has fully convinced me that Sol is, in fact, not our ally. I should have believed him sooner, but alas.

Phobus joined our mission too, despite me explicitly ordering him not to. I cannot grasp why he chose to do so. I truly hope Neron and Sadira are safe.

Perhaps I should try to sleep. Tomorrow will be a rough day of walking.

Signed, Prism

As the moon had reached its highest point, the group was camping near the river. That river would eventually lead them back towards the castle Prism had grown quite attached to.

Everyone was sleeping soundly. Everyone but one, Prism himself. No matter how many times he tried, the Wizard couldn't seem to catch the sleep he so desperately needed. Even if he wasn't seeing them, visions were haunting him nonetheless. The things he'd seen right before them actually happening were... frightening. It kept him up at night.

This night, however, things felt different. If the images in his mind were pestering him this much, something bad is bound to happen. It happened a few times before: every time Prism couldn't sleep despite him wanting to, something bad happened. It made him afraid of the nightly ritual.

Prism started to slow down his breathing to empty his mind, but this had the opposite effect. The Wizard got a vision instead, coming not from the past, nor the future, but the present. He didn't get those often.

It depicted a vague Merperson... no, Neron, swimming through the river. The path alongside the river seemed familiar, but Prism couldn't quite place it. Why were they swimming in the middle of the night? Why were they swimming as if their life depended on it?

The area Neron was swimming in got... really familiar, until Prism saw his own silhouette draw closer and closer.

"Everyone, wake UP!"

Prism shot out of his trance roughly, and instantly. His head was spinning, and everything around him didn't feel real. Everything was a big daze.

Prism barely made out the worried voices of his friends over the ringing in his ear, pulling Neron out of the water. The sounds were muffled, until Phobus approached him, with an ashamed yet worried look on his face.

"H... Hey, bud. Are you doing alright over there?"

Phobus was seemingly well aware he had messed up. Despite that, he still asked whether Prism was doing okay. Perhaps the Elf wasn't as heartless as he presents himself to be, but rather misguided. He was royalty after all, isolated all his life.

Prism slowly came back to his senses.

"Yes, I... I think so. I must thank you for inquiring about my feelings."

Phobus opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but closed it again. Perhaps some things were better left unsaid, at least for now.

At last, Prism saw the severity of the situation. Cinder and Thunder were consoling a sobbing Neron, whose clothes were stained red at the lower part of their torso, and whose eyes were set full with fear. Normally, the Merperson was calm and collected, but now... Prism had never seen them come even close to being this intense in the short period of time they'd known each other.

"What's wrong, me hearty?" Cinder asked them. She put an arm around their body and ordered Thunder to get the bandages she packed for their trip.

"Sadira was just showing me how to play chess when Werewolves and Wizards attacked," Neron explained through their sobs. "With both of us unable to fight, Sadira forced me to leave her behind and swim all the way over here to get your help."