I find myself in an alleyway, the rain pouring down on me. The moon glares down on me from the skies, I look down both sides of the alleyway in a panic.
"Luelle? Willem? Is anyone there?"
I start to walk down one side of the alleyway that seems to be the way into the streets. I can tell that I'm moving, but looking down the direction I'm going doesn't get any closer. I try running and I can't even get close to making it down. I continue running faster and faster until I hear the scream of a girl behind me. I stop in place and I look behind myself, Standing in front of me is two hooded men in ripped clothing looking downwards. They Just stand there with no response.
"Um hello? can I help you two?"
The hoods that were blocking their face is pushed off by the wind as they look down, allowing me to see their faces. They become more and more familiar as I look at them, though their skin is all ripped and dirty, I can see that they were the two that almost killed me and Lynn. Behind them the little girl walks out from behind them and stares at me with the two men. All three of them speak out in unison,
"You did this to us, this is your fault. You must pay for the atrocities you have committed. Murderer, Murderer, Murderer!"
I step back and fall onto the ground in shock as I curl into a ball.
"No! I didn't kill anyone, I didn't kill anyone. This isn't my fault, I just wanted to save you, I was just trying to get away."
The world around me gets distorted, the three ahead of me repeating the same thing. Over and over so much that it could make me insane. I close my eyes in fear to hope that this is just a dream, please be a dream. Please. Eventually the voices stop. I can hear nothing but silence, until I hear the sound of flames. I open my eyes and look around as my environment changes. I am in the middle of a street engulfed in purple flames. Buildings are destroyed and bodies are everywhere, almost like this was a war zone. In my head whispers clutter my head over and over,
"Killer."
"Monster."
"Demon!"
"You did this!"
The voices just fill my head and my breathing becomes panicked, my heart clenches and my surroundings feel as if they're closing in on me. The voices become louder and louder until I scream. I jump up in the bed I was laying in, set back into reality. I look around to confirm my surroundings, I hear the faint sound of yelling outside. I slowly get up and grab my crutch as I walk towards the window of the room that scans the front of the house. Pushing away the curtain covering the window, I am flashed with the sun in the sky; as I adjust my sight, the city begins to come back into view, and with that I notice an angry crowd of people gathered near the gates of the manor. I can hear their voices scream as I bring my focus towards them.
"You're keeping a demon murderer in your own home!"
"I can't believe you'd throw away our trust like this! How dare you!"
"Bring that disgusting creature out here! I need to show them their place!"
"We never should have let you keep your power!"
A person from the crowd of protestors notices me and points towards me. Instinctively I back off and trip on the floor away from the window. I then hear rushing footsteps towards me from the door, as the door opens I see Luelle and Willem rush inside.
"Namea! Are you okay?"
Hearing Luelle's voice calmed me down as I look at them, trying to hold back tears from the words of the protestors. I attempt to get up as they help me stand. Looking towards Willem I say
"Are we leaving soon? I don't think this noble will take too kindly to us staying here after this backlash."
Willem puts a hand on my shoulder.
"I told Sir Eldrin that we'd be leaving here shortly, make sure you have everything packed within the next half hour."
I nod to Willem and look at Luelle.
"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault, If I never showed my face this wouldn't be happening and Eldrin wouldn't be facing this backlash. Not only that but-"
Cut off in the middle of my sentence a loud CRASH can be heard behind me. As we look towards the origins of the sound in panic, we see a few rocks being thrown at the window. Willem in response grabs me and Luelle by the shoulder and leads us out of the room.
"You will not be in this room anymore, we'll have the servants grab your things immediately. This way now."
As we follow Willem we make our way to the main hall, still hearing the roaring crowds outside we wait as servants come back and forth from our temporary rooms bringing us our belongings in a case. Once the servants were done, they then give a bow to Willem.
"Your carriage has been readied sir, we shall now bring your belongings to the carriage before you make your departure. Please give us a moment."
The servants then grab our things and make their way outside, to where the carriage was. In this time I can hear footsteps from behind me.
"You're going to leave without saying goodbye?"
As I look to the sound of the not so deep but soft voice towards the stairs behind me. Coming down from them is a well dressed man with pitch black long curly hair going almost down to his shoulders. He has white skin and his face matches that of a snake, but more handsome with his round glasses. Willem would respond to this man
"I didn't know whether you'd take this backlash well or not. So I took the initiative to just prepare and leave you a note."
With this conversation I would then connect the dots. He is Sir Eldrin, the one who gave me housing. He would give Willem a laugh as he walks down.
"So, this would be the supposed "demon" who terrorizes our city is it?"
I would look in confusion to Eldrin as he stops in place to look at me. Willem speaks out
"That's what they have been calling her yes, but I assure you she is nothing of the sort, rather the opposite really. She's the one who helped stop the Shaq'ul attack last night."
Sir Eldrin would look in surprise at that comment.
"So these two are our masked vigilantes that roam the country hm?"
I hesitate to answer when Luelle speaks out.
"Yes, that's us. We want to prove ourselves to Aeros that we are capable and deserving of the status of mage."
Eldrin's expression would turn to surprise, which would soon turn to a smile.
"Then go achieve your dreams and I apologize for this, scene happening outside. I do not believe your people are demons, but Unfortunate as it is; society doesn't exactly think the same way."
I would nod to him and look at Willem as he gives me a nod. After this the servants finally finish loading our belongings in the carriage, we finally make our way to our black and red carriage as we are hauled out of the mansion grounds. Leaving the manor I could hear the people screaming, yelling, objects being thrown at the carriage as we begin to leave the city. The ride is awkwardly silent for a few hours, that is until Willem speaks out.
"If you two plan to go to Aeros, there is something I think you two need to learn."
Luelle would sigh
"Are you going to try to persuade us not to go again? I'm not hearing it, I want to live my own li-"
Willem cuts Luelle off
"Silence Luelle, this is not meant to deter you. It is merely my own experience inside the city, as I was once a mage of Aeros."
Luelle would stay quiet as we both listen.
"In all honesty, it was a beautiful city. So many people wanting to learn magic, to save others or bring about a golden age for everyone in Velandria. Most people did want to show the world how great magic would be when shared with the world. Except for one man, he was the top student at the time and was the best of us in magic by lifetimes. But he felt that magic was only deserving for those who proved themselves capable, that the world would only use our boundless knowledge for evil and worthless power struggle. Eventually he became the arch-mage of light. This man was none other than Quint-"
Willem is cut off by a loud booming sound outside, our carriage begins to shake and move out of control. As it sways and we try to keep our stability on the inside. Another loud bang could be heard as our carriage seems to spin and crash. We all bust out of the door as the horses pushing our carriage crash into a set of trees. My vision goes blurry as I see a figure walking towards me, I try to reach out to crawl towards Luelle until I eventually black out.