The Call

Turmoil of Darkness

Scorching air flew across her face, biting her skin, and she opened her eyes to find herself gazing up into red-gray mist that seemed to go on forever. She lay on her back, and, when she tried to move her legs, pain shot through her entire body. It wasn't sharp, but a dull, throbbing pain that wouldn't stop. She felt like every bone in her body was broken and shattered into pieces. She couldn't bear it.

Serene closed her eyes and opened them a moment later to find herself gazing into two yellow-green eyes that were each as big as her head. Serene tried to scramble away, but her body was frozen in terror. Fear threatened to swallow her as the huge dragon lifted his head and opened his mouth, full of razor-sharp teeth and dripping with saliva. It exhaled, and Serene gagged at the stench of the creature's breath. She tried to shield her face with her arms, but still they refused to respond.

Then, without warning, the dragon raised its head and roared, right into Serene's face. The sound sent shockwaves of pain through her head. She closed her eyes. The smell of death surrounded her, and painful ripples of sound pulsed through her body before darkness enveloped her entirely.

∞∞∞

Serene's eyes opened slowly. Am I dead? Hesitantly, she sat up and looked around. What is going on? I never dreamed like this before.

Her stomach growled, and her head still pounded. She took a minute to recover, remembering that she hadn't eaten since the morning before. Looking around, she caught sight of her maid, Denalyn, preparing the table in the center of the room, dishes steaming with delicious aromas. The maid looked in her direction and bowed.

"Does it please you to eat here, Highness?" she asked quietly, keeping her eyes down.

Serene nodded slowly, still trying to keep her head from pounding. She carefully moved to stand up but the moment she stood, she felt her legs wobble and her balance failing. Denalyn came to support her and ushered her to a seat at the table.

Serene ate in silence, pondering her mysterious dream. The image of the dragon's huge head hovering over her was seared into her mind, and she found it difficult to chase it from her thoughts.

The only thing that could drown out the fear the images had caused was a thought much more frightening: the thought of life without her mother. She gazed off into the distance for a long while, tears again trickling down her cheeks as she struggled against the pain of her mother's absence. The food seemed tasteless and even the beauty of the scenery outside her room seemed as sorrowful and hopeless as she felt.

When Serene finished eating, she cleared the table before her, crossed her arms on the table and laid her head on her arms as waves of grief crashed over her. She lay there in silence for a long time before she felt two hands on her shoulders. The hands were warm and gentle, just like her mother's.

Her eyes widened as her thoughts raced. Mother? It had to be her imagination. But the hands stayed and gently caressed her shoulders. Mother? Is that really you? Images of her mother's pale face mouthing her final words, and the weak hand that had touched her cheek reminded her of the fateful moment. The hands on her shoulders were familiar; they could only be her mother's. She hesitated, fearing that the gentle pressure was only another dream. But finally, she could take it no more; she had to see. In an instant, she lifted her head and twisted in her chair to see who was behind her.

Mother?

The hands fell as Denalyn stepped back from behind Serene. Her eyes lowered and head bowed, seemingly startled by Serene's sudden action.

Serene stared at her, slowly piecing her thoughts back together. Dazed, she turned back to stare at the table before her, feeling every hope being crushed by reality. Mother really is gone.

"My lady, shall I help you to your bed to rest? You seem very pale." Denalyn's quiet voice found its way into Serene's thoughts.

Serene nodded, her mind blank. Very gently, the maid took Serene's arm to usher her to her bed. Sinking under the soft covers, Serene looked up at Denalyn, noticing the wrinkles across the woman's face. She watched the peaceful smile that pulled at the woman's lips and felt a tiny ray of warmth pierce her heart.

Through her bedroom's window, she saw the sun setting behind the hills. The brilliant colors streaked the sky, beckoning Serene to gaze at them. Usually, she would sit and watch the dazzling colors until the sun had completely disappeared, and all its escorting beauty had faded.

But not tonight. The beauty of love and wholeness she once knew had faded like the colors of the sunset, and now her world was engulfed in darkness. It was too hard to see the world painted with the beauty that her own heart was now without.

She lay there for more than an hour, clasping tightly in her palm the sacred, rose-shaped pendant her mother had given her. She didn't know exactly what the symbols on its underside meant, but somehow, her heart knew their meaning and embraced it.

Finally, after a long hour, Serene's weary eyelids closed, and she fell into a troubled, fitful sleep.

"Please," she pleaded with herself just before falling asleep, "no more dreams, just this once."

∞∞∞

"I am your master, and I always will be!" a deep voice screamed in Serene's ear, jolting her from her sleep. Her eyes opened to see a towering figure of a man standing over her, glaring down at her with blackened eyes, a massive black boot on either side of her. A black cape swirled behind his tall, thick build, and the huge muscles of his arms bulged from his tunic.

Reaching down a filthy hand, the man seized the collar of Serene's doublet and yanked her to her feet. She struggled to gain her balance but fell to her knees before the man. His hand released her collar to grasp her hair, jerking her head up, forcing her to look into his face. The man's face was deeply scarred, and his eyes were pitch black, completely void of life. He grinned wickedly, revealing black, decaying teeth.

"What makes you think you can escape me, wench? You will be my slave! Forever!" Forever, forever, forever. His last word echoed around Serene, and she lowered her head, wincing at the intensity of the soundwaves. The echoes continued for what seemed like an eternity before they finally quieted to a whisper.

The man let out a deep chortle that surrounded Serene almost as if the bellows of evil laughter were individual creatures, dancing around her, taunting. She cringed and turned her head away, closing her eyes tightly. But, in the darkness she had expected, the individual notes of laughter danced about her as sinister little creatures, jeering at her with their twisted faces and high-pitched shrieks.

The sound of steel sliding on steel resounded in the air around Serene, and her eyes darted toward the sound. Her eyes widened as she watched the hand of the warrior before her draw from his scabbard a dark, grisly sword that was nearly twice as long as Serene's. He stepped toward her, his dark eyes gleaming with hatred. She scrambled to her feet, but a massive black boot threw her to the hard, rocky ground. She reached for the hilt of her sword, but it wasn't at her belt.

Suddenly, the thud of a heavy boot hit the ground near her, and her head shot up to see the figure standing almost on top of her. Looking up at her tormentor, Serene pleaded with her eyes, finding no words to say. The man raised the blackened blade above his head and thrust downward with all his might. She scrambled away, but his boot slammed down on her outstretched arm, and she screamed in pain. He roared his evil laugh as his blade continued to plunge toward Serene's head. She screamed as her world was finally engulfed in darkness.

"I will rule you, forever!"