Standing outside of Cecilia's house, I realized I'd have to do this how I usually did.
Whenever I came over to visit and I didn't want to disturb her family, Cecilia would have me climb to her window. I made sure to reach for the loose stones in the side of the house as I climbed.
I didn't need to look for any footholds or spots to climb since I had always done this.
Before I had even realized it, I had made it to Cecilia's window. I knocked softly three times hoping for an answer. There was no response. I did it three more times with a little more force. I heard rustling before the window opened. Cecilia stood there in her night clothes.
She squinted her eyes at me before sighing.
"You're never out this late." She mumbled while wiping her eyes.
I didn't reply. Instead, I chuckled as I felt my face heat up. She moved out of the way and I climbed into the room. I didn't even have time to ask before Cecilia left the room and came back with the sleeping bag I usually use.
"I can tell something's up but it's way too late for this." She said, "We can talk in the morning."
Following that she got back into her bed. I set up the sleeping bag near the window and away from her bed for privacy and respect reasons. Lying in the bag, I tried recounting what happened within the past twelve hours. I could easily remember some parts.
'But why does it feel like something happened before I woke up?' I questioned.
I could remember the injuries and the feeling of futility but it felt like I met someone or something after that. I really wanted to scream in frustration but it was way too late for something like that.
I shut my eyes with the intent of going to sleep. The problem, however, was my sleeping position. I tried turning to my left side. That was uncomfortable. I then tried the right side. That didn't work either.
"Why is everything so difficult lately?!" I shouted as I sat up with wide eyes.
I didn't get to continue my complaint once I noticed I was no longer in Cecilia's room.
I was now in a strange library. There were bookshelves all around me. There could be thousands and the height of these bookshelves was insane! The extended high up into an endless darkness where a ceiling should have been.
Within that darkness I could see a few shimmering lights that looked similar to stars. It was amazing.
A chuckle from behind me snapped me out of my awe. I turned to see a very unique looking woman sitting at a round table.
Her beauty was ethereal. It felt as if I could stare at her forever. With beautiful silver hair trailing down to her hips while the front went to the middle of her forehead. She was wearing elegant looking silver robes with golden stars embroidered into her sleeves and chest. They looked like real gold too.
Her eyes were a unique silver that could enrapture any being yet the chains that aimlessly moved around in those eyes gave me an uncomfortable feeling. Her face was the epitome of beauty and regal with such pale skin that had but a single blemish in the form of a black mole on the left side of her face under her bottom lip.
Her lips were upturned in a gentle smile as she focused on the book within her hands.
"Beautiful…" I couldn't help but whisper.
The woman's eyes moved from her book to me following my whisper. Her smile was still there but it seemed like she hadn't expected my presence. She shut the book with one hand using the spine before placing it on the table next to her.
"Well now," She said while placing a hand above her chest. "I didn't expect you to find my father's library in your slumber."
She spoke as if she knew me yet I had no recollection of meeting her. A woman of such looks and style could only be a noble. There was no way I had ever met this woman.
"Uh, do I know you, miss?" I asked.
Her smile had inverted. She seemed confused and disappointed. Almost as if this was beyond her expectations. She didn't answer my question.
"I'm sorry if I've offended you." I apologized while looking away.
She, again, did not reply. Insead, she approached me and placed both of her hands on the sides of my head. Her hands felt cold to the touch. It was like cold metal on the skin but somehow it wasn't uncomfortable. It felt just right.
"I see now." She muttered, "That witch's meddling has affected how any kind of Iks interacts with your soul…"
I didn't understand what was happening but now I was worried. Someone had done something to me and this lady could see it.
'Someone's been messing with my soul?' I couldn't help but think in worry.
Iks was the main type of energy utilized by all living beings. It was said the gods had a blessed version of it while humans received a mundane and useless kind. The gods were able to use Ikos, as it was called in the religious texts, while humans used an inferior version named Ikas.
Someone had messed with my soul so much that any form of energy utilized had adverse effects on it. That thought was horrifying.
I wanted to dismiss this as my mind going insane. So I did.
This was clearly a dream. I didn't know anyone powerful enough to mess with my memories.
"Stay still while I fix this, young one."
"Wait wha-" I tried to ask only to be interrupted.
At first there was just a strange blue light coming from the beautiful woman's hands. Then came the pain. Not physical pain. Okay, I lied, it was physical. My head was hit with a head splitting headache. It felt as if someone was digging deep into the confines of my very being. I felt exposed and uncomfortable.
I tried to free myself from the grip of this woman but it was futile. I could hear loud screaming that echoed throughout the library. It sounded as if someone was in immense pain, like they were meeting a fate worse than death. It took me a few seconds to fight through the pain to realize those screams were mine.
"I should be done in three."
The blue lights emitted from her hands began to turn red.
It felt like the heat of the sun was directly on my skin. It was unbearable. I wanted it to stop. I wanted to beg but I couldn't when my lungs felt like they were about to give out.
"Two." She said while smiling viciously. Perhaps that could have been my imagination at the pain though.
The lights had then shifted to a deep purple. The splitting in my head began to fade and now it felt like a soothing amount of cold water had placed over my head. My screams had stopped and in their place was heavy breathing. I couldn't find any energy in me to do much. I wouldn't let that get to me, though. I needed to stay standing.
"One." She finished counting.
Her hands had been removed from my head and now I could move freely. The issue, however, lied in the fact that I couldn't even stay on my feet. My sense of balance just wasn't there. I reached out my hand towards the woman but she took her seat and opened her book, continuing where she left off. She didn;t even acknowledge that she had essentially ripped my mind apart.
"You'll wake up and realize this wasn't a dream." She declared resolutely, "I'll offer you two things right now."
I tried to focus on anything to ground myself. I gazed into the checkered floor, but it helped none whatsoever. I stared into the spines of the books which were all organized neatly. It didn't work.
"My name is Deno and your village… well you best escape it." She said before returning to her book.
I tried to speak but instead I began to fall backward. It felt like gravity had increased a hundredfold.
"Because if you don't, well, you'll die in the next few days. He's approaching."
My back collided with the ground and my vision turned black for a brief moment. I was able to see again following the sound of chirping birds. The ceiling was no longer endless with bookshelves vanishing into darkness. It was Cecilia's strange pink ceiling with her dream catcher in the center of the room.
Sitting up, I examined the room with nothing catching my attention. Cecilia was still in her bed and the window was still open.
"What the. What the fuck?" I uttered as sweat poured down my face.