Waking Dreams: Chapter 2 - Nightmares and Dreamscapes

Tired blue-gray eyes blink in the stillness.  Darkness is illuminated by explosions of color as a myriad of roses in sapphire, amethyst, and shades of sunset explode along the walls and floor.  Water falls like a river from the pond to northwest flowing in a stream to the southeast, before snaking its way across the ground to run along the steps that lead down into the labyrinth of greens, blues, and violets. 

The roses hedge in twisting pathways that lead down and away as a girl follows the moss-slick cobblestones.  Massive trees reach toward the open skies above him, streaking past intricate bridges of masonry that feel as though they've been folded back inside themselves.  The stones themselves creak under the weight of something half seen as it lashes against firmly bedded chains. Something small scampers across the ceiling before vanishing  behind a hedge as it runs toward the wall.  Shaking her head, Elise stumbles forward a few steps before a crisp crunch whispers up to her.

Encroaching on the moss-strewn bricks, the flowery heads of clovers peer up at her from further down the path, away from the nearby bridge and the stream.  She pauses at the crossroads, considering, when a gentle breeze carries the scent of honey to him and his feet begin moving of their own accord.  The ebbing water fades into the distance and as he moves deeper into the green arms of the labyrinth, her perfume chokes his breath away.

Crunching and snapping, needles spring toward her and bite deeply onto her arm.  She stares at the strange creature as it coalesces into a clawing, tugging drake.  Her arm shines silver as the drake's claws scramble uselessly seeking purchase on her flesh.  Her free hand moves toward the creature's eyes as she mutters something quickly under his breath.  Leaves and nettles blacken, smoldering under her touch, but refuse to catch fire.  The drake whips around, throwing Elsie to the ground before its bunches into itself, ready to spring.

She stares at her arm in half recognition.  "Moonsblood?" she whispers as the drake launches toward her.  She falls away from its grasping claws before finding her knees and standing.  A wave of vertigo washes over her as she looks down the side of the walls she's standing on toward the drake.  She backs away as the drake hisses and her foot comes out from under her on the leaf-covered path.  Bending down on her knee and staring the beast in the face she knows that she needs a weapon to defend herself with.  Her fingers grasp around something cold and the drake springs, bounding up the wall toward her.

The drake's head parts from it's body and it explodes, a pile of leaves nettles left unattended on a late fall afternoon.  As the wilting cloud settles against the wall, a silver bladed katana glitters in her hands. Entranced, Elise doesn't see the wilt spreading through the clover and moss or the bushes beginning to blacken.  Chains rattle and a snap echoes through the air.  Looking toward the source of the noise Elise's eyes grow wide.  The chimera's chains hang limp and empty.


Elise bolts upright in her sleeping roll.  The light from the early morning filters into her tent and her face outlined in a halo of deep red fire that quickly darkens to chestnut.  She's panting, staring at her arm.  The dream had felt so real, but it was just another dream.  There had been such power.  Such freedom.  She sighs softly as the dream begins to slip through the fingers of her waking mind.  Tonight, I'll taste a different freedom.  Smiling, she rose to start her day. 

She knew the coming night was for her and the stars above alone.