City of Fire

Chapter Eighteen

"Ilona"

"You're wasting time." The voice was chilling, sending shivers coursing up her spine and Ilona whirled but found no one there. She was in another room made of stone. "You can't save him, he's going to die. You're all going to die. You're all going to burn." The voice echoed off of the walls, surrounding her, suffocating her.

"Who are you?!" She screamed and jolted when the stone she wore around her neck was lifted into the air. It hovered a few inches in front of her face and icy fingers ghosted along her cheek.

"I remember this, I remember her. What she did. What I did." The voice laughed the sound reverberating inside her ears. "It was beautiful," the voice whispered in her ear and she shivered, trying to draw back but unable to.

"Stop it," she growled and was surprised at the anger in her voice. The chilling voice only snickered, the sound making her stomach twist painfully and the cold fingers brushed up her cheek to her temple.

"Shall I give you a glimpse of the future?" Before Ilona could say more the suddenly black room became bright. She jumped, surprised but looked around in horror.

Fire...

It was everywhere...

People were screaming and running, grabbing children and ushering what Ilona assumed to be loved ones out of danger. Men, clad all in black, shining armor howled with pleasure as they cut the people down. Ilona gasped, repulsion and anger whelming up inside her.

"Stop!" She screamed but her voice wouldn't work. She screamed at them, tried to hit them but it was as if she were invisible.

She was in a city, the architecture large and imposing and made entirely of stone. It seemed to be set into a mountain side, no not a mountain, a volcano. It seemed to roar with anger, spewing ash and cinders into the black air. Despite the city being made of stone, fire raced along the walls, as if it were alive and trying to surround the people. Men, their armor a fiery red with golden sashes tired around their waists, tried to fend the men in black armor off but it was no use. Ilona stared, helpless, as they were cut down.

Then she saw him...

Tidus was on top of one of the stone walls, his eyes narrowed as he tried to fight off what looked like another Fire Dweller. This one had bleached blonde hair and unsettling amber eyes that glowed with malicious delight. He bared his teeth in a wide, almost hungry, grin before raising his palms and shooting flames at Tidus. He blocked them, returning the attack but the Fire Dweller leapt at him, passing through the flames and landing on top of him. Tidus screamed in rage but it was no use, he was pinned.

The Fire Dweller grinned, knowing that his prey had been caught and raised a deadly, barbed dagger.

Then brought it down...

Blackness engulfed her as Ilona screamed and she tottered, her nerves scattering as she tried to regain her senses in the pitch blackness that surrounded her.

"Everything will burn, Ilona." Mocking laughter sounded throughout the blackness. "Everything."

Ilona sat bolt upright in bed, a scream on her lips but she clamped her hand over her mouth just in time. Her heart was pounding so fast she couldn't think, couldn't do anything but sit there in the afternoon light and bury her head into the soft sheets. Her chest heaved with giant gulps of air and her legs were shaking.