'You have slept for too long, my jailor.' a deep, dark voice sounds within the dark.
It sounds familiar, although I can't quite put my finger on it.
What do you want? I speak into the dark, walking aimlessly.
'It's a matter of what you want,' it retorts.
Show yourself.' I command.
'You need only ask.'
The darkness begins to receed bit by bit, with a blurry barrier in front of me. I take that step, going right through the barrier, as if it didn't exist in the first place. In a huge cell, four red eyes stare at me from within the dark. the rise up and up, and as the crreature steps towards the ceel opening, I see what it actually is.
A dragon!
The dragon snorts,' What else do you expect me to be, fool?'
Ahh, so he can read my thoughts. . .That must mean its a power of his, or. . I'm still sleep.
'. . . Maybe not such a fool then,' the dragon muses. ' We are in your subconscousness, your inner mind if you will.'
Then why are you here' confused.
'Use that brain of your's. There's only one dragon you've met.'
I thought it was a dream of sorts, maybe an illusion, since I never heard you, and didn't hear anything about a dragon roaming around.'
'Of course not. We share this body, with you being the host."
I'm not a host, more of a. . .co-owner if you will. I don't expect you to be cooped up in my brain for all of eternity.
The dragon narrows its eyes at me, leaning it head down to my level, breath blowing my hair back.
'You are the first,' he confessed. 'Everyone would want my power that I possess even while alive, isolating myself from everything. And even in death. . . '
"Hey! Don't be getting all sappy with me, dammit," I panic. 'Let's get you know each other. I'm Rowan, what about you.'
'!!!. . . Torrim, the Death King is what I'm called.'
Well starting today, you, Torrim, will be my friend,' I beam at him.
Snorting, Torrim lays down, placing his head on his arms.
'I do not need a friend.'
Rolling my eyes, I ignore his act. Instead, I focus on the cell he's in. Technically, seince this is my mind, I should be able to change it as I see fit. Taking that thought, I stress my brain, thinking of all the things a dragon could possibly want.
I break down the cell, shattering this dark place, and replace it with a forest of sorts, with mountains in the distants. The sky is brightly blue with clouds overhead for different amounts of shade as well. I creat a huge river, for Torrim to clean and such if he likes, along with lots of random animals for him to hunter or ever get to know, like elves and halflings. The only thing I couldn't get rid of is the bracelet that rests on his ankle, almost like a brand against his skin.
Torrim glances around, almost as if too shock to realize the new change, before prancing around like a pony. Joyful laughs are heard like thunder as Torrim explores a bit.
'. . . Why?'
I told you we were friends, it's only right and fair that I do this much. I'll get tired of looking at those cells to if I were you,' I scoff. 'If you need something, or want to add something, just let me know.'
Sitting down, I let the dragon roam around, exploring. I concentrate on the weather, to gove him a more believable world. I think it works, giving the sound of happiness, from where I placed the river at.
'Thank you, young one. . .Friends maybe. In the mean time, if you need me, just ask and I'll hear you.'
Nodding, I lay down on the soothing ground, letting the sounds of a dragon enjoying his time lull me to sleep.
***
"Ro--wan."
"Rowan, wake up."
Hands touch my side, sending a jolt right through me. Automatically, I remember where I am, popping up from the ground, searching for two people to be exact. And they aren't here. Although I feel drowsy, I summon my mana, pushing it out to fond them. I've never felt so relieved to feel them about 150 meters away from me. However, they suddenly turn around, their pace quite quick. Panic hits me, and I rush out the cave, going right through the waterfall, ignoring the yells for me to come bacl.
"Katherine watch everyone for me," I yell in return, disappearing into the tree line. Heading straight for Grant and Lilith, I push myself to pck up the pace.
"He's suppose to be resting," I hear Grant huffs a bit from me. That only makes me push a bit harder, quickly seeing them.
"What's going on," I fret,
"Nothing," Lilith glares. "we told you we had it. We felt your mana, and knew you were looking for us, so we started to head back so you wouldn't panic."
"Look where that got us,"Grant mutters. "We told KAtherine and them to tell you what we were doing, incase you woke up and we weren't there."
Scratching my head, I lower it," Well, I did panic, and immediately left the cave to come find you. I felt you suddenly start rushing back so I thought the worse."
A tint of red stains my ears.
"What to do with you,"Lilith muses, shaking her head softly.
Softly smile, I chuckle. Grant is still tense around me, giving me the side eye, however I ignore it. He makes his own choices.
You could if you wanted to. Just put a little bit of power-
Shuving the thoughts back, I shake my head, getting irriated a bit.
"Well then, let's head back," I suggest, feeling better if they head back with me.
Both of them huff," Fine."
LIke little kids they follow behind me, giving little bickers here and there.
Coming to the clearing, Katherine is there waiting for us, fuming. I don't have a chance to explain before she slaps me, hard across the face.
"Don't you dare do that again," she seeths. "you're pushing yourself way to hard, and when you finally wake up after 14 hours the first thing you want to do is dash off! Not even hear what I have to say?!"
Ice starts to spread from her feet, hair starting to rise.
"Yes,I am wrong for how I acted. I should've heard you out instead of rushing off like that," I apologize. "However, I can't promise that I won't do it againt, especially if i feel panic, or the endangerment of you all."
"Ahh. . . Just give me something. I heard you, even when you rushed out, so hear me, too."
I bring her in my arms, hugging her tight, while pattingher head soflty.She snuggles into my chest, breathing in my scent. WHen she pulls back, a small smile now rests on her face, her eyes no longer angry.
"Come on, Dear. I made breakfast," she pulls me along, following behind Lilith and grant, who both left me to defend for myself.
I can't complain though. . . because I wouldn't have it any other way.
Walking in the cave, everyone is doing their own thing, eating some food, mainly rabbits that someone hunted--probably Theo. Katherine hands me my food, and I gobble it all down, geting seconds and thirds.
"The food isn't going anywhere," Theo snickers.
"Like you have room to talk," I tease back.
Everyone laughs as Theo pauses, lowering the food from his mouth.
"Touche."
***
I don't know what place we fall in, however I don't think we really care, given that we still have plenty of time. Just going with the flow a bit, I relax like everyone else, resting my body. Although i did sleep, my mana is still not all the way back. Just another thing to k=note when I push myself too hard.
Theo comes sit beside me.
"Are you and Grant really not going to make up?"
"What is there to make up," I question. "He made his choice, and if that's what he wants I want force him to change that."
"Do you not care?" Theo gets this look in his eyes, like doubt.
"I care more that you know, more than I like to admit," I whisper, guilty that I feel this way.
"Then make up."
"I am not going to 'make up' with him if that's not what he wants. He esentially only needs me for my blood and visa versa so we don't go into a coma," I confirmed.
"If he wants to change that, then he needs to tell me himself." I declare.
Theo nods his head, accepting my decision.