Embers of Magic

We Uhmmm, 'borrow' A BMW

Dreams are special. They were abstract trips through the subconscious that were hard to understand, no matter who you are. Left is right and right takes you back to where you began as you run in endless circles through your own thoughts. Even the nightmares you have is but your own thoughts given form. That was apparently no different for demigods. If anything, it was only even more so. We ran even further into dreams, and not just ours.

Next to where I would have been stood a guard in light Kevlar armor. His red hair fell across his face, covering up a scar on his face that tied together his entire look, along with the curved sword and sour look on his face as cliché. The room was too dark to see anything else. Even the torches lining the edge of the walls, burning with so much ferocity that I feared might even harm me, I couldn’t see. Their ominous red glow just succeeded in filling the room with a bloodstained glow, making the darkness even creepier. At the end of the room stood a figure leaning over a desk – silver ring glimmering on his finger.

The door on the opposite end of the room opened as a third figure walked in – immediately kneeling. The figure at the desk turned around and faced towards him. “Is it done?” He spoke. His voice strong and commanding. “Yes, my Liege.” The figure at the door spoke as his voice, so familiar, sent shivers through me. Just by the sound if his voice, I could see his eyes of blue ice, partially covered by his dirty blood hair.

“I see. Ryker, what of the traitor?” The guard spoke as he turned to Felix. Felix shook his head, “I’m sorry. The rumors about your sister is true.” The guard straighted himself out back to his original pose, “In that case, she’s no longer my sister. Simply an error that needs to be erased.”

“My Liege, what do you wish of me? Should I join their ranks and – “

“No.” The man with the silver ring cut him off. “It appears we already have an unwelcomed guest.” He spoke again as he looked into my direction. My lungs felt of lead as I struggled for air - drowning. For those who haven’t experienced it before, you are lucky. It’s not simply being underwater and not being able to move upwards. You’re down there without a single thought to which way was up. The back of my throat shut closed as I shot up right in the backseat of a black BMW, gasping for air.

“Bad dream?” Josh questioned without taking his eyes off the road. Zarah turned around and looked at me concerned. No, that was more then concern. She knew that something must have happened. She nodded as I whispered that I’d tell her about it later. I couldn’t talk about it now, not with Josh in the car. It was impossible to be sure that what I saw was real or not and there was no point in upsetting him without being entirely sure.

“I’m a terrible sleeper. Anyway, where are we going?” I changed the subject as Zarah slipped back into the front seat as I shifted to sit in between the two seats. The sky bled into the car, casting a red glow on our faces that reminded me too much of those torches on the wall. Fantastic, a dream that lingers. Exactly what I needed.

“Some place Spider-Man says we’ll be safe.”

“I swear, if you call me that one more time I will personally take your head off and tie it to the back of this car.” Her voice dropped to an icey chill as her accent flared. I nodded. “Decapitation is technically the first thing I’ve seen her do. Push her and I’m pretty sure she’ll take your head off.”

“Man, talk about first impression… “

“Anyway, where is this place?” I asked.

“My home.” Zarah said as she stared over the horizon. I had an unsettling feeling that she meant the place I saw in my vision but, it couldn’t be. She had a glimmer of reminiscences that couldn’t be faked. “Some place magical.” She continued as Josh nodded. “That’s all she’s been saying for the last few hours.”

“Hours? Long have I been asleep?”

“Well, ever since Posiedon left and went want to… Uhmm, ‘borrow’ this sweet ride. So, basically whole day.” He answered while driving. The sun was setting now so we would have to be completely on guard and well rested. Yet, I feel as if I was the only one who slept and I was no fighter.

“Zarah, are you okay?” Josh asked her, breaking my attention. I looked over to her as she stared out the window next to her, drawing patterns in the mist clouds she blew against the glass. He eyes seemed dull, not even cold any longer. Just empty.

When she didn’t answer, I leaned forward and placed my hand onto her shoulder. “You okay?” She turned to face us as she nodded. “Just tired.”

Josh exhaled outwardly. “You should have rested while Em was asleep.”

“I know. But, it doesn’t matter. The village is close.” She looked forward again as the sun touched down on the ground behind the mountains. As we road down the endless path, we eventually reached a fork in the path and Josh rolled to a stop. The signs pointing in either direction made no sense. One lead to my home town, the other back to the museum. “How can this be?” I asked. “Both places are on the direction we came from.”

“Yeah… “ Josh continued as he pointed towards the sign on the right. “How does that road  lead to Tahiti?” I raised my eyebrow to him then examined the sign more closely as I saw the words shift around the more I focused, making it harder to read.

Zarah smiled. “Both of you are seeing different things right now. That’s how it is for everyone. Either road takes you to where you want to be.”

“What you mean?”

“Wipe that confused look off your face. It’s only get worst from here on. So, my Liege, which way do we go?” Zarah asked and I looked at the roads ahead of us. Both roads took us to where we wanted to be. For me, it was either home with my grandparents or back at the museum so I could be sure my dad was okay. So, which way?

I closed my eyes and thought of what Zarah said. They took us to where we wanted to be, not where we needed to be. “Josh. Go straight.”

“But there’s no road!” Josh yelled as Zarah smiled. “Trust me, there’s a road.” I continued. “It’s a crossroad.”

“Okay, fine.” Josh spoke annoyed as he road straight forward. As soon we went off road, a thick blanket of mist fell over around us, clouding up the windshield. “Don’t stop.” Zarah spoke as the mist thickened. I could hear a scrapping noise as countless tree branches brushed against the glass windows. As the mist cleared, the car rolled up in front of a huge entrance with a large wooden sign at the top.

“Metamorph. We’re here.”