Crossed Spells

Chapter 21: Refuge with the Luminosa (Part 1)

Night enveloped Ravenswood in a dark veil, punctuated here and there by the flickering light of streetlamps. In the Luminosa house, silence reigned, disturbed only by the steady breathing of Aria, deep in sleep. But behind her closed eyelids, a strange and fascinating world came to life.

Aria found herself in a vast space bathed in golden light that seemed to emanate from everywhere and nowhere at once. The air vibrated with palpable energy, as if reality itself was more fluid, more malleable here. She looked around, marveling at the surreal beauty of this dreamlike place.

That's when she saw him. A figure stood out from the ambient luminosity, approaching her with a confident stride. As it drew closer, Aria realized it was a man, but not an ordinary man. His entire form was made of pure light, so dazzling that she had difficulty discerning his features.

"I've finally found you," said the man in a voice that resonated directly in Aria's mind. His voice was both soft and powerful, charged with an emotion Aria couldn't identify. "You've come to me of your own accord."

Aria wanted to speak, to ask who he was, what he wanted, but no sound came from her mouth. The man of light came closer, and although Aria couldn't see his face, she felt his gaze piercing through her.

"You truly are magnificent," he whispered, extending a luminous hand towards her.

Before his fingers could touch her, the dream changed abruptly. The world around Aria began to spin, transforming into a dizzying kaleidoscope of images and sensations. Scenes flashed before her eyes at a frantic pace, mixing past and present in a frenetic dance.

She saw Ravenswood in different eras: a small village surrounded by dense forests, a city in the midst of industrial expansion, the city she knew today. Unknown but strangely familiar faces appeared and disappeared: men and women with eyes shining with a supernatural glow, some manipulating light, others shadows.

Amidst this whirlwind of images, Aria glimpsed Lucas. His face oscillated between that of the young man she knew and that of an older man who strangely resembled him - his father? His grandfather? The two images overlapped, blending into each other, creating a disturbing continuity through generations.

Then she saw her mother, Elena, younger than Aria had ever known her. She was holding a baby in her arms - Aria herself? - and looking over her shoulder with an expression of fear and determination. She seemed to be fleeing something, running through dark and deserted streets.

The images accelerated further, becoming a whirlwind of indistinct colors and shapes. Aria felt panic rising within her, overwhelmed by this flood of information she couldn't understand.

Suddenly, she woke up with a start, her heart pounding and her forehead covered in sweat. She sat up abruptly in her bed, panting, her eyes frantically scanning the darkness of her room as if to make sure she was back in the real world.

The light of dawn was beginning to filter through her curtains, bathing her room in a soft glow that contrasted sharply with the intensity of her dream. Aria sat in her bed for a long moment, trying to calm her breathing and gather her thoughts.

What did this dream mean? Who was this man of light? And all these images she had seen, were they mere fantasies or fragments of buried memories?

"Is everything alright, my dear?" Glimmer's soft, crystalline voice broke the silence.

Aria turned her head to see her familiar emerging from the shadow of a dresser, its glow pulsing gently as if to reassure her. Glimmer's presence soothed Aria a little, reminding her that she wasn't alone in facing the strangeness of her situation.

"I... I don't know, Glimmer," Aria replied, her voice still shaking. "I had such a strange dream."

Glimmer approached, floating gently until it settled on Aria's knee. "Do you want to talk about it?" she asked kindly.