The Night Mare

Secret Shadows

As Isoru stalks closer, I can feel my muscles tensing, trying to think of any other possible reason he would want to question me. From what I heard in the meeting, he knows I was the last one at the Shadow-Light Tree, and he knows something is going on.

"Uri," he begins. "Your leave is advised." Uri sounds unsure, but a quick glance to me that I almost miss and she nods her head and leaves the room. The sound of the door shutting only adds on to the suspense of this moment.

I did nothing wrong. The tree is fine, I'm fine, Uri's fine, he has no reason to question me other than reports of some weird instances. Then again, that seems to be the reason for his questioning, and maybe he knows what's been happening to me.

"Mora, was it? Sorry, I usually don't feel the need to remember the names of family with the Council." Isoru backs up a bit and turns to start walking in a back and forth motion. "Before I get to my original business, how's about we get comfortable?" Isoru turns himself and sits on the floor in front of a polished stone table. "Sit, won't you?" he asks.

I take a quick look back to the door Uri walked out of and back at Isoru. I moved forward and sat across from him. "So, tell me, how has everything been for you?" Isoru asks, trying to strike up a small talk conversation, probably to make me feel less uncomfortable or nervous or whatever I'm feeling right now. Could be anything to say the least.

"Um, well, it's been fine, I guess." I say. "Sir." Isoru makes a small nod with his head. "That's all? 'Fine, I guess?' Surly there's more to it." When I don't respond he makes a light sigh and stands up. "Well, I suppose that's enough small talk. Let's move along to important matters, shall we?" I think it was a rhetorical question because I didn't even have a chance to respond before he started with his questions.

"When you went to the Shadow-Light Tree the previous day, did you notice anything out of the ordinary happen?" I freeze up, my nerves getting to me. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"Did anything look or be as though it shouldn't? Was anything out of place? Was there anything strange added? Did you experience any strange kind of event?" The last one he mentioned made me look a bit confused. "Events?" I ask again.

Isoru sighs, seeming annoyed by all my amount of questions instead of answering his own. "Did you notice anything strange? Anything at all?" He asks. I don't know. Did I notice anything strange? I don't remember anything strange other than that weird dream I had and that weird scorch mark--

The scorch mark. I'm not sure if that's anything strange, but maybe it's something they would want to know. "There was a black scorch mark at the base of the tree. Is that anything?" Isoru tilts his head. "Possibly. I am already aware of that mark. It has been planted there for years; almost as old as the tree itself. No one knows for certain how it got there, but there are tales of a black creature--unicorn like--creating it when it disappeared." Isoru chuckled. "Of course, I would never believe in such folklore."

His laugh is weirdly unnerving.But iss that what they were talking about in the meeting? I remember back to the dreams I had. That black unicorn with the tree-like horn and the ankle-length mane and eyes darker than the surrounding area. Maybe I should tell him about it. Maybe he would know what to do.

Before I can speak, there is a loud ringing in my ears and a flash of white crosses my eyes, and it all goes black. What's happening? Is this another dream? But I was just awake, I couldn't have just fallen asleep. My ears perk up when I hear some sort of sound. Laughter? I turn multiple ways but I can't see anything because of how dark it is. Though, I can make out which way it is coming from.

I cautiously take a step forward into the blackness, and my foot plants on the ground, meaning there is some sort of footing here. I take another step. Then another, and another, until I'm carefully walking through the dark, following the sound of whatever it is.