The DragonOrb

Milo

I trudged into my little room outside the castle, feeling overwhelmed with guilt. I'd done it again. I'd let my temper get the best of me, and now Mary was in tears. And I was feeling guilty about two people, and twice as distracted. I even almost forgot to hide my keys and barricade my door. And the little tiny window. I had to constantly barricade all openings to my room because of Drake.

I hid my keys under my pillow, hopeful that the more obvious hiding place would stump the kid . . . that he would over-think things. Then, I got in bed, thinking that maybe some sleep would help clear my head. How incredibly wrong I was.

-----

At first, it was just all black. There were distant, murmuring voices as my mind subconsciously merged with Brooke's.

"She may not make it," said one voice. "And if she does then she will have to be executed eventually anyway. Why do you insist on-- "

"Milo . . . " It was a feminine voice. Soft and luring. I ignored it, trying to make out what the people were saying.

"She might as well be my daughter," said another of the voices. "She will survive. She has--"

"Milo . . . " That voice again, but it was louder this time, completely drowning out all other sound. Even if I had wanted to, I couldn't have resisted this time, but that voice . . . it was entrancing. I followed it.

There, in the blackness, stood a little girl. She was pale, like she'd never seen the sun before in her life, but her hair was dark as night. She smiled at me, and I saw that her teeth were all pointed, and most of them were rather short. She had fangs. Her dress was made out of white snakeskin.

"Thhhere you are." Suddenly I recognized the voice. Brooke had spoken with that same voice three years ago, in the dungeon.

Chills ran up and down my spine. I knew what came next. Next . . . was the vision.

Mist swirled out from the little girl, engulfing me, and suddenly I couldn't move.

"You and Brooke hafve chhhanged enoughhh sssso thhat not bothhhh offff you will die. Howefver, one offfff you sssstill will. Nothhhing will changge thhisss."

The mist thickened in front of me, just like last time, and suddenly filled with color.

There we were. Brooke and I stood back to back, surrounded by enemies on all sides. Suddenly, a giant appeared, crushing the men of the kingdom left and right with his club. Brooke ran to fight him, leaving me to duel the monsters alone. I was doing well. Every foe to face me fell by my sword. Then, a rattling explosion shook the hilltop. Blue-green light shot outward in all directions, burning the monsters it came in contact with to cinders. It didn't quite reach the place where I was fighting, sparing the monsters I was dealing with. I saw a pitch-black horse ride up behind dream-Milo. It carried my mother, a knife in hand. She whispered a spell to it. I hadn't seen her yet! I was so busy fighting the monsters that I couldn't see her! Then . . . she threw the knife. All of the monsters moved out of the way, forming a clear path to where I stood. Just as the knife got halfway to its target, the vision ended, going completely black.

Again, I was standing in front of the girl. She began to grow, and she kept growing until I was dwarfed by her enormous size.

"MILO!" she boomed, and her once sickly sweet voice was now loud and menacing. "WHEN THE TIME COMES, AND IT COMES SOON, YOU MUST TAKE THE KNIFE! YOU . . . MUST . . . DIE!"

-----

I shot up, gripping the sheets on my bed. My palms were drenched with sweat, and I gasped for breath.

I finally realized where I was, and flopped back down on the pillow, trying to steady my breathing. There was no longer a lump where the keys used to be, so I turned my head to find Drake standing by the door, looking afraid, the keys in hand. He'd already moved the dresser I'd barricaded it with, and had the door cracked open.

I smiled a little bit.

"Drake," I said, and held out my hand. He timidly edged forward and placed the keys on my palm.

"A-are you alright, Master?"

I smiled wanly to myself. "I'm fine, and Drake?"

He'd been heading for the door, but now he turned back.

"Tell no one of this, and I'll let you off free."

He grinned. "Really?"

I nodded, all traces of a smile gone.

He ran out of the room, that silly grin still on his face. He would at least hold out until morning, but by then . . . by then it wouldn't matter. I would be gone. I thought I might miss this life.

-----

The sun was going down. It was time for departure. I hurried to splash water on my face and mop the sweat off my brow.

Rushing out to Mary's room, I somehow managed to get lucky enough to intercept her before I actually reached the castle.

"Hi!" I called.

Mary walked over with Rogdan.

"You need to go get food for two and tell the cooks or your mom that we're going on a romantic picnic."

"But," Mary replied, confused, "there will be three of us. Rogdan will be coming."

"Exactly," I said. "And I will not be eating very much. Just save me a loaf of bread or something."

She looked at Rogdan, worry clearly written on her face.

I pretended that I didn't see it. "Meet us in the woods just outside the front gate."

And I marched off.

How was that for a creepy little girl? Pretty good, huh? Anyway, next chapter, we'll find out how Brooke's doing, and after that . . . well, after that will be entertaining to write, to say the least. ;)

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