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Chapter 23

I woke up with a start and immediately sat up. My hand found its way to my chest to calm my beating heart. From the darkness of the room, I guessed it was night time. I swallowed thickly which elicited a cough from my sandpaper like throat. I blindly felt around for the glass placed on my nightstand.

The cool surface of the glass provided some relief that this was the current reality I was in and not the one I had experienced in my dreams. The cool sensation that travelled down my oesophagus solidified my stance in reality. I leaned against the headboard to think about the dream. 

* * *

Everything was on fire. The ground was too warm. Shattered glass, broken wires and metal littered the ground. It became unbearably hot that I stripped my jacket, letting it flutter to the ground. Slung on my back was a bow and the quiver hanging at my hip. The arrows were relatively short, used primarily for close-ranged combat. I had three more arrows left. I could barely see past the flame wall that encased me, the air distorted around an opposing figure just outside the flame wall. 

“Huh, it’s really you and me now.” I readied my bow.

“Indeed citizen 6758441117. Tell me where the other rebels are and you’ll be spared.” 

I chuckled lowly at those words that didn’t seem to change. 
“I prefer A*****is. I’d rather die for freedom than cage the flock.” 

“Very well then.” 

The flame wall in front extinguished. In a flash, a figure charged at me with a sword raised. I readied my stance, drew an arrow from my quiver and mounted the arrow onto the string. I snapped the string back and released, sending a sharp whistle forth. The arrow was deflected by the sword and I side-stepped the strike to mount another arrow and aimed. This time I managed to nick the figure’s arm, hearing a distorted hiss from behind the mask they wore. I was on to my final arrow and my opponent was getting impatient. We were at a standoff. 

“One last chance.”
My tongue ran over my teeth, pulling the corner of my lip up and I shot the last arrow. The figure dodged to the side and thrusted the sword at my chest, stopping a few millimetres from entering the skin. 

“You’re under arrest for treason.” 
The sword was lowered a little. I walked forward, sword impaling my chest slowly. 

‘What are you-”
My lips twitched from the pain and stiffened into a close-mouth smile. I lurched forward, urging the sword to plunge deeper to finish the ordeal. A scream tore through my throat. Warm liquid gushed from my lips and dripped down. 

“Be our light Halazia.” I mustered with the rest of my strength. 
My vision darkened before my body could hit the ground. 

* * *

“Hello? Mist? Wakey wakey.” 
I returned to my senses. The dream felt so real, so raw that I was sure that I had died. Yeosang peered down at me after waving his hand in front of my face. I looked up to find that he had brought food. 

“San said that I should check if your legs work.” 

I glanced down at my outstretched legs under the blanket and moved around. I stuck a foot out and was hit by the cool air. I retracted it quickly. A decision I was about to regret because Yeosang did his signature ripping-off-covers-so-I-get-up and I let out an audible groan. He laughed a bit at my momentary suffering. I swung my body around so my feet would lightly touch the slippers I was about to slip on. My eyes wandered around the room till it focused on the patches on his arm and leg. He noticed that I was staring at them.