Island Dream [a Damian Priest fantasy story]

15 The end

"No! No, no!" Sanja wailed as she jumped to her feet to follow Paya to the cottages as quickly as possible.

Of course, Damian followed the two of them immediately. His heart sank into the pit of his stomach, because he knew as well as Sanja that this was happening faster than they had anticipated. Apparently, they were not granted the next few days, as Erwindro had hoped.

"Grandfather..." Sanja breathed as she fell to her knees beside his bed and reached for his hand.

She held it tightly as she had always done since she was a little girl. She immediately felt how cold his hand was. And she also felt how weak he was. Erwindro's breath rattled in his lungs as he tried to take a deep breath. Tired, he opened his eyes and looked at Sanja. She was almost startled. There was nothing left of the brightness that usually filled his gaze. Now it was almost as if a veil had fallen over his eyes.

"It's time, my child... The afterlife is coming to get me... Don't worry... it won't cause me any pain..." he grunted and everyone knew he was in pain.

Garro exchanged a worried look with Damian. It was the first time he didn't pierce him with angry looks. Paya sniffled softly as she reached for her mate's hand.

"No... you can't leave me. I'm not ready to lose you." Sanja cried.

"You are, my child... And you must all be ready for the next step. Go and take what is most important to you..." whispered Erwindro as the last of his strength slowly left him. 

Before anyone could say anything in reply, the earth shook again. But this time it was so much stronger. So strong that the cups and plates fell off the shelves and broke on the floor. Everyone looked at each other in panic.

"It ends... I love you... my family." Grandfather breathed before closing his eyes one last time.

"Don't leave us... Please! Don't leave us!" Sanja sobbed desperately.

Damian knelt down next to her and pulled her into his arms. He knew he couldn't say anything to comfort her, but he could at least hold her. He would hold her forever. Sanja buried her face in his chest. She was crying so hard that they almost missed the noise from outside. It almost sounded like thunder, but it seemed to come from deep inside the ground.

Another violent earthquake shook the island. A glance upwards showed that the cottage was about to collapse.

"We have to get out of here," said Garro.

"I... I can't." replied Sanja.

"He's right, Sanja. There's nothing more you can do for him. And I will not allow myself to lose you." Damian said, even though it hurt his soul.

It felt like the end that Erwindro had foreseen. He had said that Damian should do what was necessary to convince Sanja to do the right thing.

"But-" she began, but the cracking of wood and stone that gave way cut her off.

Damian pulled her out of the cottage and followed Garro and Paya. Just in time, because not a second later the cottage was falling apart. Now the tremors didn't stop. One cottage after another collapsed. The screams of the animals in the forest grew louder. They also knew that something was wrong.

It was at this moment that the first cracks appeared in the ground. Everyone gasped as the island split apart. The rumbling grew louder as the light suddenly turned blood red. It was the moon above them. It glowed crimson. Everything was bathed in menacing light. Sanja's breathing quickened as everything suddenly seemed so familiar. It was like the nightmare that had accompanied her for so long. It was coming true.