A Girl and Her Demons

Revelations

Chapter Three: Revelations

The face was a comforting one to see after seeing what she had just saw. It was the face of an old man with shaggy brown hair and a long brown beard. He wore a long brown leather robe and carried with him a long wooden staff. Scarlet recognized the man immediately after waking up.

“Elder Greenhorn, why are you here?” She asked as she sat up in bed to meet his gaze.

“For someone seeing what you are, you seem awfully calm. The scream just now, your mother said that happened last night as well. Is this true?” Scarlet was reluctant to answer. Elder Greenhorn was the town’s council advisor. He was essentially the mayor of the village. On top of all that though he was a very good friend to Tempest, Volde, and herself. They visited his cottage on the other side of the field many times a week and he would gladly have them over to drink and discuss the day’s events.

Yet, he was never inside her house. He would be around the town often and in his cottage all the other times. He had yet to visit her personally and now here he was in her bedroom asking about her nightmares.

“Yeah. I assume the stress of the trials is getting to me and I am just having some nightmares is all.”

“Could you tell me what it was that you were dreaming about? It may be important.” Elder Greenhorn had a very light voice and was never accusatory. He said this without any tension in his voice and was very friendly as he asked the question.

“I’m not actually too sure what it is I am dreaming about. I was in a castle last night and I saw these small black creatures and their leader. The dream I just had I was here. The main floor was on fire. I walked through the fire to the door and the large creature was at my door. Both times when I was able to scream I left the dream.”

“I must be quick with this. Did the large creature, as you put it, say anything at all?”

“Both times he said my name and said he was coming for me. It’s just a nightmare though. It’s just my imagination from these trials wanting to break me I’m sure.”

“I need you to stay in here until I return. Can you do that for me?” Scarlet nodded her head and obediently waited for Elder Greenhorn to return. She felt fine. She wondered if her parent’s overreacted and got the Elder because of her nightmares. She had heard of people having mental breakdowns and panic attacks during the final week of trials. Were nightmares any different than all of that?

After around fifteen minutes of waiting, pacing around the room, and staring at herself in the mirror, Elder Greenhorn politely knocked on her open door. Scarlet turned to look at her door.

“I have good news but I want your friends with you as well. Go gather Tempest and Volde and meet me in my cottage within the hour. I ask that you do this quickly as we have no time to waste.” Scarlet simply nodded. She skipped past Elder Greenhorn and skipped past both of her parents and out the door.

As she made her way to Volde’s house, she realized that her parents had not said anything to her as she left nor did they look too happy. Elder Greenhorn said that he had good news. Why was it then that her parents looked so sad?

She knocked on Volde’s door. His mother answered the door. “Volde, she’s here.” His mother said in a very solemn tone. Volde came out of the room just off the main hallway. He looked at her up and down.

“Let’s go then.” He walked past her and off the porch. She looked back at the door to say goodbye to his mother but the door was already shut. She had to jog a little bit to catch up to him.

“Well, that was odd. Why is everyone so glum?” Volde had no response and just continued to walk forward. “Do you know anything about what’s going on?” Again, no answer. “Okay then, the silent treatment.” Realizing that she was not getting any answers out of Volde, she held her questions for Tempest.