.Dragon's Legacy.

-59-

"You cannot escape me."

I looked around, hugging Owen too me in horror as Kia screamed while hiding behind me.

"You cannot hide from me." The darkness slid across the ceiling, a claw reaching down and being stabbed through my mother's mouth and out her stomach, I wanted to throw up.

It was a black shapeless mass shifting around, eyes swimming cross the surface, bloodshot and staring at me, mouth full of sharp teeth drifting across the body.

"L-Liny!" Kia sobbed.

I whipped out my free hand to create a magic shield as the thing threw the body of my own mother at me, I flinched at the cracks I heard before it fell on the floor, head caved in.

I tried to say something, scream or just make a sound but my throat was dry and only a small gasp left me before I grabbed Kia and just bolted out of the room.

"You cannot run!" the many voices said as they laughed.

"I'm scared Liny!" I wanted to reassure Kia but I couldn't get a sound out because of my own terror.

"No!" I forced out as I tried opening the door but it was locked before the same darkness slipped through the lock, between the door flaps and under it, many more eyes staring at us.

I backed up, grabbing her hand, looking for a way out.

"You are done for, she cannot save you, she's gone, you are mine." The scratchy voice said again. "All mine!"

"KIA!!!" I screamed, turning to her as I heard a scream before letting out my own high pitched scream in response to see all I was holding on was her severed arm.

I dropped it, tears finally escaping my eyes, first Fin and Fen, then Kela, after that my mothers and Siera and now Kia, it took everyone, we miss calculated the eclipse grossly and it was now too late, it was here... I failed.

"NOOOO!" I wrapped my armed around the crying Owen, his little face red from all the crying, the tentacle latching onto my arm instead of him.

I watched mortified and silences by the pain as it tore parts of my skin and flesh away.

When I started screaming it made Owen get louder too.

"You failed, nothing can stop me, I am infinite."

I tried to cover him, protect my baby brother from this eldritch evil but it would soon consume all, I know it deep inside but I couldn't let it take him.

I was grabbed and thrown over.

"NO NOT HIM!! NOT HIM!!!" I struggled against the darkness trying to swallow me up, tearing me to pieces.

"Everything has to come to an end." It continued as I saw its tendrils reach to the dropped child and pick it up before pulling his tiny body apart accompanied by a sickening cracking and tearing noise before his cries silenced as I was consumed.

---------------------------------------------------

I bolted up awake, gasping for breath, already full on hyperventilating as I sobbed making me choke up and struggle to breath between shrieks of distress.

I jumped out of the bed and ran, almost body slamming another mage out of the way, I don't know who, I was just running from my thoughts.

I ran out and across the gravel and grass, not caring for pain and cuts to my bare feet.

I snapped out my arm towards the sky to have air launch me up as I neared the wall and gripped the ledge of the window, yanking myself up easily with the adrenaline through my veins.

My feet softly thumped on the carpeted ground as I marched across the room.

I grabbed the crib tightly as I leaned over it.

I sighed deeply as I closed my eyes and leaned my forehead on the crib between my hands, shoulders falling loose.

I lifted my head, uncaring for the tears as I reached a shaky hand down to gently caress Owen's cheek with my pointer finger, my shoulders started to shake as he smiled in his sleep.

I straightened up and walked to the bed in the room, grabbing the headboard as I left a light kiss on my mothers' cheeks before I walked over to Siera's room, I just need to see them to calm my mind.

She had fallen asleep at her table with a book, I quickly marked the page and tucked her into bed.

Kia was hugging a teddy when I got to her, I fixed her blanket before exiting through her window.

I snuck in the mages' quarters through my window and snuck a look at each of them in their rooms, waving off uncle Em's question, being the one that woke up and almost got tackled by me before, a few wordless nods made him understand I didn't wish to talk, still fully in tears.

I made my way down and glanced at the couch.

I slowly walked over and kneeled on the side of it before straddling comfortably across Kela's lap and gently shaking her shoulder.

"What's going on?" She muttered sleepily, rubbing her eyes before looking up at me. "Are you alright Lin?" She asked, reaching up to wipe my face. I shook my head.

I was suddenly tired as slowly the fear and the adrenaline left my body but I couldn't feel safe enough to relax.

"Bad dream?" I nodded, trembling despite how much I tried to control it, it felt so real, it hurt so much, I am so scared...

She sighed as I laid on her, hugging her tight and shifting my legs so I was full on laying, my head against the side of her neck.

"They can't hurt you." She whispered with a yawn, passing her hand through my hair. "I won't let them."

I closed my eyes as I felt her leave a peck on my forehead, hooking my arms reaching around her together and snuggling closer.

It took a while of her playing with my hair and whispering sweet nothings for sleep to sneak up on me again.

I slowly drifted off but not before I heard it again.

"You can't do anything, I will come back."