Revolutions

125 - Teqosa

"I thought you had forgotten about me."

"It's only because I haven't been able to have a reasonable night's sleep," I say to Entilqan.

Wait, I think to myself. This exchange feels familiar.

Once again, I find us both atop the hill from our childhood that overlooks the Qantua valley. We are beneath the jacaranda tree, but the setting is off. The sun is shrouded by dark, menacing clouds, and the tree is no longer resplendent, but rather, it is leafless, save for a few that are brown or blackened. The vibrant flowers that once surrounded us are now wilted, their colors faded to ashen grays and browns. Shadows loom longer and deeper, and an eerie silence pervades, broken only by the distant croak of a raven. The once lush valley below is now a bleak expanse.

Just as before, my sister sits beside me, arms folded on her knees as she warmly takes in the scene. She gazes at the grotesque landscape with a serene smile, as if nothing has changed, as if the world around us is still vibrant and full of life. Her demeanor is unsettlingly calm amidst the decay, her eyes reflecting a contentment that is jarringly at odds with the desolation surrounding us.

"You've been awfully busy since we last spoke," she comments. The familiarity of her words nags at me.

"What is happening here?" I ask, confused. "I've dreamt this before, but this is... different."

My sister looks around, inspecting the scene. As if noticing it for the first time, she gently touches the blackened leaves and runs her fingers over the cracked, lifeless bark of the jacaranda tree. Her eyes observe the wilted flowers and the murky trickle of the river below. Yet she smiles, seemingly unfazed by the decay.

"It's simply a part of the cycle," she says softly. "Everything changes, everything decays. But sometimes, something more sinister hastens the process."

"What do you mean?" I press, feeling a sense of urgency and concern.

She looks at me, her eyes suddenly more intense. "There are forces at work, far beyond what we understand. Darkness spreads, consuming life and light. You must be vigilant."

Suddenly, the scene shifts abruptly, and I find myself overlooking an unfamiliar land. Below, a once thriving town rests next to a long river that connects a lake to the sea. Snowcapped mountains loom majestically in the distance, but their beauty is marred by an unnatural darkness that creeps across the landscape like a slithering creature. The sun struggles to penetrate the thick, sinister clouds that shroud the sky.

The roads are unlike any I've seen before, lined with structures that would be as tall as the trees, made from timber and stone. Yet with their ornate plasterwork and decorations, these buildings now lie in ruins. Intricate patterns once adorned their facades, but now they are marred by decay. Wooden overhangs dangle precariously, and the thatched roofs that resemble the peaks of the nearby mountains are sagging and charred. The people wander in ragged clothing, their faces gaunt and hollow.

"What is this place?" I ask, turning to Entilqan, but she's no longer beside me. Her voice, however, lingers in the air.

"Beware the darkness, brother. It seeks to consume all."

A hand shakes my shoulder, jostling me awake.

"Teqosa!" I hear Upachu's worried voice mutter to me. "Are you okay? You've been talking in your sleep, sounding all panicked."

"I... I don't know," I muster breathlessly. The sweat beads at my forehead, and I search the jungle to ensure I'm no longer dreaming. Síqalat and the Auilqa warriors look on as they roll up their bedrolls and clean up the camp.