The Dragon Children

9 | Inside The Mind

CHAPTER 9 - INSIDE THE MIND

Naphtali wiped the tears out of his eyes following Rem's death. "Wh.. What do you mean?" A reflection appeared in front of him. He walked toward it. The reflection followed all of his movements, as a reflection should. Until the reflection spoke on its own. "Viola, Eros, Longinus, Eden, Rem. What do all those people.. or monsters, have in common?" The reflection disappeared. "They're.. they're all dead?" Naphtali said, unsure. The reflection appeared behind him this time. "Correct. And who killed them?" It faded away again. "They.. killed each other! Eros killed Viola, I killed.. Eros, and.. I killed Longinus, but Eden! Eden.. I killed Eden too. But Rem wasn't me!"

"WRONG!!!" A screeching noise came out of the reflection's mouth. "THEY WERE ALL YOUR FAULT! YOU KILLED YOUR FATHER, UNCLE, AND A CHILDHOOD FRIEND." Naphtali looked up and shouted. "VIOLA AND REM WEREN'T ME!" "YES THEY WERE! VIOLA WAS KILLED BY EROS AS YOU ALLOWED HER TO PASS ON HER POWERS. YOU SHOULD'VE DIED! NOT HER! IF IT WASN'T YOU, MAYBE.." The reflection turned into something that looked like Ruthven. "MAYBE SHE'D STILL BE HERE! YOU DONT DESERVE THE LIFE YOU HAVE! FREAK!"

Naphtali dropped down onto his knees. "NO, NO, NO! SHUT UP! SHUT UP!" The "Ruthven" transformed into Naphtali again. "No, no. You can't shut up your conscience." "Rem.. Rem wasn't me." The reflection changed itself into something that looked like Rem. "It was. It was you. I wouldn't have sacrificed myself if you came with us. You lied about your future too. You KNEW WHAT YOU SAW!" The screeching happened again. "I WANTED TO SAVE THEM! I THOUGHT TELLING THEM THAT THEY ALL DIE WOULD CHANGE THEIR MIND!" The reflection multiplied into every person he has ever known. Dead and alive. "DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE!" All the figures spoke over each other. "NOOOOO-" Naphtali sat up. "Huh?" He looked around him. He was in a cart with the remaining 3 Holy Stones. "Oh.. it was just another dream." He looked up at the Stones' faces. They were blank. Literally. Then they turned into something that looked like television static. They began crawling toward Naphtali. Naphtali fell back into a dark void. He started sobbing into his knees. "Why.. why is this happening to me.." 

"Because you deserve it." He looked up and saw Faolan. "Faolan?.." "You left me. You're trying to kill me. YOU'RE A MONSTER!" He shrieked. "NO! I'M-" He woke back up in the desert, by Rem's body. He looked at the Holy Stones to see them again. "I'm sorry.." He seemed to feel guilty. "Rem's death.. it's my fault." Lilith stood up. "Naphtali.. it isn't your fault." She looked around. "All that's left is us 4. Us 4 against those 4 from Kraghon. Euryale, Cecilia, Faolan, and.." She looked down. "Whatever that thing was." Their horses arrived. "That'll be the final battle. It will decide the fate of the world." They all sat on and rode off, past the desert. They all seemed scared for whatever was to come. Ruthven galloped next to Naphtali. Naphtali got curious. "Ruthven.. what's your past like?" Ruthven seemed shocked at the question. "Huh?" "Well.. I'd like to get to know, while I still can." Ruthven looked into his eyes. "Naph, if you can see your past, and Krilia's.. you can see mine too. You just have to try. It's a theory Euryale worked on while you were locked away." Naphtali focused on her eyes and tried to visit her past. His eyes began to shake. His surroundings began to transform into a town, or even a kingdom. He looked around as everyone from the current reality disappeared. 

This place.. it felt familiar. A boy ran through the transparent future Naphtali. He squinted his eyes.. to see his younger self. "The hell?.." He looked up to see a castle.. Kraghon castle. He fell onto his back. "Huh?!" Two people ran up beside the younger him. One of them had pink, short hair, out to the sides. The other had- "Wait a minute, isn't this.. Rem? And.. RUTH?!" His breathing started to get heavy. "Wh-Why, why can't I remember them?!" He gripped his hair. "This isn't real.. it isn't.. it's not.." He started to calm his breathing, as he woke up in the present time. "Hey.. buddy, I-" Naphtali pushed her away. "WHO ARE YOU?! WHY ARE YOU IN MY MEMORIES?!" Ruthven sighed. "It's me. Gandalhi." Naphtali's eyes widened. "No.. it can't be! I watched you die! I saw it! How did you live?!" ".. Same way as you. I became a Holy Stone. I guess the effects were a bit different for me, though." Naphtali had forgiven her, quicker than he would've, for anyone else.

"We're here." They stood on the edge of a cliff, which oversaw.. The Kraghon Kingdom. "This place has grown since I was last here.." Ruthven said. "Remember when-" Naphtali was in the past again. Ruthven's voice was echo-y. "When me, you, Cecilia, and Faolan all watched the theatre together?" He saw a small group of 4 kids. He started tearing up. He attempted to hug them all, but they just walked right through them. "While you're there, care to see the past and see who Faolan recruited?" Naphtali couldn't respond, but Lilith said, "Good." anyway. He transported into the future, but still a few days earlier than the time they were in. He was in a cavern. He saw Faolan, Cecilia, and Eden. "Your first order from your king.." Faolan stated. "King?" Naphtali was shocked. ".. is to gain the trust of those monsters. And attempt to ambush them." "Yes.. my lord." Eden walked off as soon as she was ordered. "Let us see.." Faolan stretched out his hand. "Kraghons.. MIGHT!" The massive stone door that was blocking the end of the cavern was destroyed, just like that. Naphtali felt a bit of fear.

"Cecilia.. put up a shield." She did as he said, with Euryale striking a few milliseconds later. "What is your business here?" She asked. "I'm here to recruit your lord." Faolan said, calmly. "So.. it was you that he foresaw?" She stood away. "Very well. My apologies for the strike. Or any damage I may have caused." She looked away, proudly. "Not at all. Holy Stones no longer affect me due to my new ability." Faolan walked toward the beaming, white light. Which looked like another door. "No.. effect?" Naphtali shook. He was scared. "My lord!" Euryale shouted. "They have arrived!" The white figure came out of the light. "What is it, that you want, human scum?" His eyes opened. "We're here to recruit you." The king and Cecilia bowed on one knee. "My lord.." Faolan looked up. "Very well. I assume it is to kill those pesky Holy Stones, correct? Naphtali, Rem, Ruthven, Akuji, and Lilith?" "Yes, my lord." The white figure became visible. Naphtali recognised it. "Of course. But, first.." Multiple white-goo-like monsters came up from out of the ground. "Say my name." Faolan and Cecilia spoke.

".. Lord Ahriman." They closed their eyes. "That is correct! I am Lord Ahriman. First Holy Stone. The God. I created everything and everyone." Naphtali fell onto his back, which would have made a loud bang if it was the present, but--

"IIII.. seee.. youuu.." Ahriman turned toward Naphtali.