IMMORTAL: Death as a Blessing

2. The meeting

Arin sprinted through the field of emerald grass, the breeze carrying the scent of wildflowers. Laughter filled the air as a girl in a pink frock danced ahead of him. “Wait! I’ve already caught up to you!” he shouted, breathless yet determined. The girl’s face remained hidden in shadows, but her presence tugged at something deep within him—familiar yet distant.

As Arin pushed forward, the scene shifted. The vibrant meadow faded, and shadows stretched across the land. His steps slowed. “Why can’t I see your face? What happened to your face?” he called out, confusion gripping him. But there was no answer, only the unsettling change of the world around him

The girl glanced back, her face still hidden, obscured by shadows and a question mark. Though her features were unclear, there was something familiar about her—a presence that stirred a warmth deep within him. She continued running, teasing him with her playful movements, but the further he chased, the more uneasy he felt.

Suddenly, he was seated in a cold, unfamiliar room. The walls closed in, and his heart throbbed with a dull ache. A young voice, filled with desperation, broke the silence. “Please, let me see Arin! Just once more!” He watched, helpless, as the girl was dragged away by two women. “He’s my friend! I don’t care about anything else!” Her cries grew frantic, reaching out to him. “Arin!”

Before he could react, her voice twisted, morphing into Kael’s. “Arin! Wake up!”

Arin jolted awake, sweat-soaked and breathless. Kael stood over him, rubbing his eyes. “You were shouting in your sleep. What was that about?”

“Just a weird dream,” Arin mumbled, his heart still racing. He lay back down, but the echoes of the girl’s cries lingered, making it hard to shake the feeling of loss.

Arin lay awake long after the dream faded, the girl’s voice still echoing in his mind. When he finally closed his eyes, it felt like only moments before sunlight poured through the window. Kael was already up, moving noisily as he hurried to get dressed.

“Get up, Arin! We can’t be late today!” Kael urged, shaking him.

Arin groaned, feeling the weight of a sleepless night. As he sat up, his head still swirled with the dream’s haunting fragments. He dressed slowly while Kael, already ready, chattered on, unable to hide his excitement.

“We’re meeting King Thalor today!” Kael grinned, practically bouncing. “Can you believe it?”

“Yeah… it’s big,” Arin replied flatly, his mind elsewhere. He couldn’t shake the strange dream.

The two walked through the fort’s corridors, Kael’s energy as constant as ever. Arin, however, stayed quiet, lost in thought. Kael nudged him.

“Still stuck on that dream, huh?”

Arin nodded, his voice quieter. “She said something like, ‘I won’t die. I’m with you.’ It felt real.”

Kael laughed. “You’re letting it get to you. It’s nothing—just a dream. Focus on today. We’ve got big stuff ahead.”

Arin forced a smile but couldn’t fully shrug off the unease.

When they arrived at the fort’s large hall, their squad was already there. Talia spotted them first, her smirk sharp. “You two finally showed up. I was starting to think you’d run off.”

Kael, never one to back down, shot back, “We’re not cowards like you, Talia.”

Talia rolled her eyes. “Right, tough guy.”

Before Kael could respond, Arin snapped, stepping between them. “Enough, Kael! Leave her alone,” his voice sharp, anger flashing in his eyes. His tone cut through the teasing, silencing the exchange.