Shadows of Wychering

Chapter Nine - Dreams

The bed welcomed her with soft covers and a goose down pillow. Thinking about Jame and the others, fatigue took its due, her eyes grew heavy and sleep blanketed her.

Darkness enclosed about her as she tried to make her way through a tunnel. A voice kept calling out and she followed it through the darkness. Creatures lurked in every crevice, red-eyed demons trying to snatch at her. As she got closer she recognized the voice, it was Jame. Ameline ran towards Jame's voice but the further she ran the more distant the calling sounded.

"Jame," she called out. "Where are you? I am here, where are you?"

"Over here," Jame called back. "Help me, Ames. He hurts us, he does. Hurts us bad."

"Where are you?" she called again.

"In a cavern, Ames. Ya cannot be far, I can hear ya."

"Keep calling out so I can follow your voice."

"I hear somethin', I think he is returnin'. Do not call out Ames, he will find ya too."

All went quiet, alone in the dark again. A thought bubbled up. You are a mage, cast a light.

"Lochran," she whispered. A soft glow revealed the dark cave. It led only one direction and she followed it.

More voices called out, but not to her. They cried out in pain.

"Let him be," she heard Jame yell.

"No," came a voice she thought might be Morgan Lasair.

Over and over a voice cried out in anguish, while others protested. She pressed onward, following the tunnel hoping to make it to Jame.

The voices went silent. Ameline stopped and listened, searching for any scrap of sound she could hear. And then a scream filled the cavern and reverberated in her skull.

It was Jame. She must find him. Sprinting as fast as the uneven floor would allow, she took a turn, following Jame's scream and the others howling for it to stop.

"Jame," she cried out but no one returned her call. "Morgan," she called again to no avail. Still moving, still searching she found herself in a large room lit with torches. The cries were coming from the room but no one was in the room. Louder and louder the cacophony became until none of the voices were recognizable. Buzzing together like an angry nest of bees in her head the voices erupted into laughter and before her were red eyes and the shadowed man.

Cold sweat ran down her sides and she trembled. The fear returned.

"Welcome..." he hissed.

Ameline's eyes shot open and she sat straight up in bed, panting. Her palm burned, hot. She touched the burning area, it was the scar that Jame had given her on the day they promised to be together forever.

'We will always be together, aye, Ames?' he said.

'Yes, Jame, always,' she replied.

Ten, she was ten when she had made that promise, but when you are child things are always simple.

'It means forever,' he said, handing her the pendant.

A small dragon with tiny wings, eating its tail.

'Forever,' she replied putting it around her neck and picking up the sharp black shard. He held his palm out to her and she cut a small line. Jame clenched his jaw but did not cry out.

'Now you,' he said taking the shard from her.

She held out her right hand and he cut it as she had cut his, she cried a little. Clasping their hands together he wrapped them in a small white cloth.