Vanessa thought she had grown used to her nightmares.
Boy was she wrong.
She found herself on a battlefield that she, unfortunately, knew well. The sky was red and flashed with lightning, explosions, and bursts of energy. The earth was shattered and riddled with craters, rocks were turned to dust, and massive spears of stone, ice, and crystallized blood jutted from the ground.
The whole land shook with the violence of the battle and there were visible cracks in the sky where the magia energy was so powerful that it cracked space.
Vanessa was ten years older, her actual age before she got cursed. She was a beautiful young woman but now numerous cuts and bruises marred her skin and her armor was cracked, her leather gauntlets were torn and her hands were covered with blood. Her blood.
A terrible pain rippled from her left shoulder which was bloody with wisps of black magia rising from the wound. She winced, that corrosive spear was unexpected.
Thousands of bodies were scattered all over the landscape. Humans, elves, dwarves, orcs, demons, and even her own people lay lifeless along with the massive bodies of slain Vahari and dragons.
Also among them were young men and women of unparalleled beauty with pointed ears and beautiful wings that resembled the wings of dragonflies and butterflies. But these wings have lost their ethereal glow now that their owners are dead.
They were the Fairies, an ancient race that went extinct along with the orcs, and Vanessa was there to witness their destruction.
Vanessa could never forget this scene of devastation even after 3000 years.
"Please stop this.", she begged whoever was showing her this nightmare but unfortunately, bad memories are good nightmare fuel.
The sky lit up again but this time the light got brighter and brighter. She looked up and saw what looked like a star falling on earth.
"No no no!", Vanessa screamed as she flew towards the falling star with her Blood Wings providing a speed boost. She ignored the pain on her shoulder as she reached out to the falling star. But she was slow.
It fell on the earth with an explosive burst of energy, forming a huge crater. But what fell from the sky was no star. It was her best friend, the last of the Fairies. Their queen, Anya Faye.
"ANYA!", Vanessa cried out as she landed beside her fallen friend. Anya's beautiful butterfly wings were torn and glowed faintly. Her beautiful face was bloodied and cut, an ugly gash marred her forehead and her long golden hair was singed at the ends.
But these injuries paled in comparison to the huge gaping hole on her torso. Vanessa desperately tried to heal the wound but the hole didn't close.
Anya coughed up blood, "It's too late Vanessa.", she smiled weakly, "Looks like this is the end for me.", and she coughed up more blood.
"No! You cannot die. I can't lose you too!", Vanessa cried, tears running down her face and falling on Anya's shattered armor.
Anya gripped her hand, "It's fine. We were all prepared for this. And crying doesn't suit you at all.", she wiped the tears off Vanessa's face.
"I was able to inflict a fatal blow to my opponent before I was struck, so it was worth it.", she tried to laugh but coughed again.
"Listen Vanessa. You must promise me to not die in this battle. Your life must not end on this battlefield. Promise me.", she said with sheer determination even as her life is slipping away.
"I...I promise.", Vanessa replied and her grip tightened. Anya smiled, "That's good. They say a Fairy can never truly die, a part of our spirit will remain in this world. Well looks like this is a good time to find out if that is true."
She sighed and breathed her last, the glow on her wings dimmed and faded. Her hand went limp. Vanessa cried out Anya's name when suddenly an explosion happened behind her.
Vanessa sat up straight on her bed, panting and covered with sweat. She touched her scar tenderly, remembering the pain.
She looked around and saw the walls were cracked and her window was shattered. The curtains fluttered in the wind and moonlight washed over her room.
Vanessa sighed. Lately, she started to unconsciously release her presence whenever she had nightmares.
"Looks like I am losing my grip.", she muttered. With a wave of her hand, the windows and walls were repaired. The things which were blown away by her presence were whisked back to their original places.
Vanessa looked at herself in the mirror facing her bed. She saw a fourteen-year-old girl looking back at her.
She closed her eyes and turned into purple rose petals that scattered around the room. They swirled in front of the mirror and Vanessa reformed. But this time she looked four years older.
She touched her face tenderly and sighed. "Three thousand years and I only managed till eighteen years."
Vanessa suddenly heard the soft music of a lyre from nearby. She went to her window and looked outside. There, underneath a tree in her garden and facing the full moon, sat Eravon with a beautiful lyre in his hand.
He strummed the strings and the soft melody reached her like a cool refreshing breeze. Vanessa left her room and went to the garden. The grass underneath her bare feet felt cool and soft as she approached the Immortal Warlock.
"Trouble sleeping?", Eravon turned around and smiled at her, "You look good."
Vanessa sat next to him and leaned against the tree. Eravon glanced at her.
"So you were able to wear down the curse.', he remarked. "Only a small bit. At least I can stop looking like a minor all the time.", Vanessa replied.
"So why can't you be in this form most of the time?"
"Maintaining this form requires a bit more energy than normal. And besides, I have become comfortable in that form.", Vanessa answered.
She sighed, "I can't wait to be rid of this curse."
"You're gonna have to wait another 4000 years for the curse to fully wear off.", Eravon said.
"I know I know.", Vanessa grumbled. "By the way. Why are you staying awake and playing music in the middle of the night?", she asked.
Eravon smiled, "Well, being immortal has its perks. You can go sleepless for a lot of nights. Plus I like to practice my instruments while enjoying the cool night air."
"I believe there is another reason.", Vanessa noted, "You don't want to see the nightmares of your past."
Eravon stopped playing his lyre and looked at the distance, "You are right. Memories can be a painful burden.", he admitted.
"I have been blocking nightmares for a long time with my abilities of the mind. But I slipped up today.", Vanessa sighed, "I fear I am losing my edge."
"Well. 3000 years is a long time. Looks like you need to sharpen up again. Why don't you go outside? In fact, I have a good place in mind.", Eravon offered.
"Oh? And what can you offer for me to go outside?", Vanessa asked him. He whispered something in her ear. She shook her head, "Even the dragon lords were not able to convince me to go outside. What makes you think I will take up your offer?"
Eravon smiled, "Perhaps the android might change your mind."
She narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "What are you hinting at?"
"You will see in the morning."
"Well, you're the kind of person who will travel through time to prove a point, so I will hold you to your words.", Vanessa said with a sigh.
Eravon gave an innocent look, "Oh come on. Do you think I will do that? There are some restrictions when you travel through time."
Vanessa shrugged, "I just said that you are the kind of person who would do something like that."
She got up and walked to the edge of the island and looked in the direction of Crystalia. Her eyes glowed and her sight zoomed in on the roof of a dormitory at Cardinal Academy.
Standing there alone was the android. He suddenly looked in Vanessa's direction, as if he knew he was being watched.
The vampire queen smiled, "Now what have you kept in store for me? Instructor Seventeen."
*******
Seventeen stared at the sky for a minute. He felt as if he was being watched.
"What the heck?", he muttered as he scanned the sky.
He dismissed it, "Probably a dragon lord in Ascalon."
He heard footsteps behind him. "Figured you would be here.", Ruth said as she approached him.
"Hey, ice queen. I thought you were asleep. Today was a busy day for you.", Seventeen greeted her.
She shrugged, "I can manage without sleep for some nights."
She looked at him, "About your request. I will do it, but you must tell me where you are going tomorrow."
Seventeen grinned, "Oh. You are worried about me?"
He couldn't see it, but he was sure she was flustered. "Of course not. I need to know why you aren't coming to class tomorrow. You better not be slacking off as an instructor."
Seventeen was in thought for a minute. "Well. The headmaster didn't say I couldn't tell you. But it would be inappropriate if you didn't know. And you are not a person who would go around telling secrets."
Ruth frowned, "Of course I am not a person like that. But if this is something that you can't tell me, then it's fine. You don't have to.", she turned around, "I can find out on my own."
"But still.", she looked back, "Be careful out there, wherever you are going. Don't get yourself killed.", she said, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Awww. You do worry about me.", Seventeen said happily.
"Oh shut it."