The Heir Of Dreams And Curses

Where I mess up my first date

The moment the vision ended, I was back in pub again.

Edgar was next to me.

"Oh god," I said, taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry. Worst first date ever."

"We've got bigger problems," he commented. "What did the vision show you?"

I realized I didn't really want to go through it again. Not so soon.

"Later," I said. "What did it show you?"

"It's... complicated," he said. "I think it was different for everyone. It showed me you being trapped in darkness, in the dark part of the Aether Realm, for eternity. And Luther Graves was here, and he told me it's what you're setting up to do, to become. So I hurt him, with a spell, and the vision dispelled. I think it was my worst fears."

I turned towards Raegan. "What did you see?" I asked, trying to remain cheerful.

"I think it was to clear my mind from a doubt, while I do not know why it was important, at all," Raegan shrugged. "It showed me my father and Luna Torres. I imagine I've been thinking about her words, and worrying there was something between them, but I barely noticed it. In the vision I could see she was in love with him, but he told her that he wasn't. It's just... ugh. How could more than one woman like my father?"

She laughed nervously.

"I thought about Tracy's words, instead," Jurji admitted. "And while you were coming back from your visions, Edgar and Ryan, I told Raegan that in the future I'll be way happier being friends. We don't have to force this thing between us. You see... I was born in a body that did not match my soul. Lila and Zara were the only people to support me, back home, and I always knew the Traditionalists wouldn't judge me either, because they are very open to every kind of lifestyle. But Tracy's words made me realize that Raegan, the person I look up to and have always wanted to befriend, was someone I'd been dating and moping on just because she's the first girl I'm attracted to who treats me like a boy."

"And I had a similar feeling," Raegan confirmed. "I've been down since I was kicked out of my clan and I knew how much Jurji respected my work."

"The thing is," she added thoughtfully. "We spent so much time pretending we could work that we've never did together what we most wanted to do --- solve problems and talk of worldwide issues."

When we were leaving the place, Edgar put a hand upon my shoulder. "Just so you know, I wasn't counting this as a real first date."

I grinned, happy. "That's good to know," I said. "I can do much better than that! I'll start planning a new date soon."

"Don't," Edgar said. "It can wait. But whatever Aimee told you in the Void, it can't wait. Does it have something to do with our quest? Do they want to recruit you?"

"No," I replied, suddenly bitter. "But they wanted to, once upon a time."

"When?"

"Sixteen, seventeen years ago, give or take. When I was born. They wanted me to find the Enemy Mirror, and bring it to them."

"You did find it," Edgar confirmed.

"Yes, but I destroyed it. They said they wanted to study it," I snorted. "More like wanted its powers, if you ask me. Either way, it was them who controlled my life the whole time. They put this... this sort of enchantment on my mother, to make her see me as I really was. The heir of the first dark magic Enchanter."

I was waiting for Edgar's reaction. I thought he'd have something to say about that.

"I could begin to understand why she would hit me, if when she was hitting me she was not seeing a child, but.. that."