A Starlit Promise

The Dream

Rylla tossed and turned in her bed, her sleep troubled by the strange dreams that had plagued her for months. The only thing she looked forward to about these nights was that, in these dreams, she was no longer alone. A man stood before her; his features were always shrouded in shadow, but his presence was unmistakably familiar. He would visit her some nights, always standing at a distance as though waiting for her to approach. His dark eyes would meet hers, filled with a deep emotion that left her breathless, though she could never understand why. She knew nothing of him, yet his gaze stirred something deep inside her - a connection she could not deny. In her dreams, the world around them differed from her waking life. The air shimmered with light, and the stars above them seemed brighter, closer, as if the very fabric of the sky was bending above them. They would stand beneath the twin moons, a celestial glow illuminating the space between them. Rylla always felt drawn to him, like a moth to flame, but every time she reached out to touch him, he would fade away, leaving her with an aching sense of loss.

Tonight was no different. She stood in a clearing within Lunavell Forest, where the man was waiting for her in the distance. His silhouette was more apparent than usual, his broad shoulders and tall frame more defined. He looked at her as though he had been searching for her for a lifetime.

"You keep visiting me," Rylla whispered into the space between them, taking a step closer. "Who are you?"

The man said nothing, though his shadows fell just enough for her to see his lips curing into a faint, almost sorrowful smile. The shadows parted again, allowing the man to lift his hand, reaching out to her. But just as the tips of her fingers met his -

The dream shattered. Rylla's eyes flew open as the echo of war drums reverberated through the night air. She bolted upright in her bed, her heart racing as the fog of her dream faded from recent memory. The distant sounds of clashing metal and the unmistakable roar of flames filled her ears. Her senses sharpened, and panic set in as she realized the terrible truth: war had come to Elora, and it had found her doorstep. In a swift movement, she threw herself off her bed and scrambled to her feet. Her heart pounded as screams from the village cut through the air. Grabbing her cloak and as many healing supplies as possible, she rushed toward the door but stopped just before her hand hit the handle. She realized she had no idea what she was doing, and found herself lingering on the man from her dreams. His presence had always felt like a warning, though she never knew what for - until now. The war had begun, and though Rylla was unsure of many things, she was positive that everything she knew was about to change.