Gasping, Nico sat up.
He was in the middle of a frozen lake just laying there. The cold wind gushed over his face, freezing his wet tear-stained lashes.
He was back in that pleasant dream.
His heart pounded for a few seconds. 'I'm back here.. then.. mum... she must be here. I can ask her for advice.'
He very well knew that this was a dream, but he hoped that this dream could give him an idea how to help his brothers out.
Nicolai stood up unsteadily and glanced around, hoping to see that nimble figure skating again.
But there was no on there.
Snow fluttered down all over his face, making his skin cold as ice.
'at least... at least I can see my house...'
The last time he had this dream, he was not able to get close to the castle.
This time, he was determined to reach that place. He wanted to see the familiar walls and wanted to see anything familiar to cheer him up.
Nico stood up unsteadily, slipping and sliding on the ice. As he got to the edge of the river, He grabbed onto the dried cedar tree and climbed up.
"Mom.... mom..." he balked around blindly looking for her.
His hope of meeting her in this dream realm suddenly went away when he looked up at the castle. His father standing there with his back facing his way. Only his side profile was visible from that angle. He looked much younger, and he was wearing a dark turtleneck that made him like a goth kid.
'Dad... it's dad... he... he looks so real...' his unsteady legs waded through the layers of ice.
His father's piercing eyes suddenly focused on him.
"who dares infiltrate my castle!" he shouted. "I swear these werewolf kids are getting so annoying!"
He watched as his father's eyes turn a shade of yellow. "Get off of my property!" he said, gritting his teeth.
It was vampire blood lust. They can control anyone when their eyes meet.
Nico stood there, frozen. This man was his father, but he doesn't seem to recognize him. "dad.... it's me Nico.... it doesn't work on me.... "
He noticed his dad's expression change into a dire one.
Just as his father was about to get off the balcony he noticed a small brown-haired woman beside him. His mum poked her head out and looked at him in shock. "stay right there! Don't go anywhere!" she shouted.
"Who is he?!" his father said with a small pout.
He watched arm his mother appease his father, and she rushed down to meet him.
"Nicolai...."
"Mom... why is dad.. not coming to meet me..."
His mother smiled at him sadly. "Come with me Nico," she hurriedly wore her gloves and held his hand. She led him out of the castle grounds.
All the while, Nico's eyes were focused on his dad. Those cold eyes of his really hurt him badly.
in his dreams, he hoped his dad will look at him just like he did before. Filled with love and happiness.
'I guess it's just a dream. I have no control over it... dad.. I miss you... I miss yo so much...'
His mom led him over to the small house he was very familiar with. The witch's house. There were a lot of flowers stacked outside the house.
He peered at it questionably.
"My mum.. She passed.. Recently, so the pack has been sending flowers every day."
'It's.. Grandma. I've never heard of her before.. Why am I dreaming of her....' he thought slightly.
"I'm sorry...." he whispered regretfully.
"It's okay.. My mum must have been reborn into a new world as a happy baby. I'm glad she led a happy life here," she opened the door wide for him. "Come in and warm yourself,"
Blankly Nico walked in. "I keep forgetting that this is all just a dream. What was I expecting... my dad doesn't even recognize me and my mom ..... you're not real. Nothing in here is real," he picked up a red apple from the bowl nearby.
As soon as he touched it started to rot and turned into a mush.
He dropped it instantly.
"Nico.. Don't touch anything, okay? Wait," she ran into the closet near and took out some gloves. "Wear them,"
Nico wore the gloves over his mush-covered hands. "these dreams are getting weirder by the day...."
"Listen, Nico you are not dreaming right now," she gestured for him to sit.
Nico sat down on the broken-down cot.
"You're what we call a 'voyager'. They are special witches who have the talent to travel through time. This is all real Nico. You are really in the past. I'm real and so is your dad. He might not know that you're his son though...." she whispered with a small grimace.
Nico gaped at her. "w-what do you mean it's real?"
"This is real. This is happening in real-time. the apple that died just now was real. Anything you touch will age very quickly, that's the side effect of a 'voyagers' powers." His mum peered at him.
Nicolai blankly glanced at his glove-covered hand. "I'm.. not a witch,"
"You are a witch Nico. A very powerful one. there have been only two known voyagers recorded in history."
"my dad said I'm human... he said I'm a half-human.. How..."
"Well, he lied. You're a half-witch. You are my son.. I'm a witch and so are you." she held his hand. "It's been years.. I've been waiting for you to return. I have a lot to tell you Nico."
She suddenly frowned looking at their connected hands. "' you're cold. I'll bring you hot coco," she hurried into the small kitchen and came back with two steaming hot cups in hand. she also brought out a huge plate full of hot muffins. "Careful it's hot,"
Nico took one muffin and the cup from her. It took a while for him to calm down his racing heart. Now that he was calm he could finally get a grip of the situation.
Every time he whispered that spell he did not just dream he jumped into the past.
This was his real mother. She was real... like a real person.... not a ghost...
He felt his eyes tear up. Glancing at his ice-covered Ratten shoes he sniffled. "c-can I hug you.. Please..."
"Oh my baby boy, come here," she hugged him tighyly.
Feeling her warmth he felt an immense amount of joy and happiness. "mum..."
"baby... my little baby has grown up so much...."
Nico chuckled through his tears. "Was I born yet?"
"no.. but you will soon. You said I will get pregnant at 22 right.. I'm just twenty right now and I'm in the process of wooing your dad. He's as stubborn as a mule. That asshole," she mumbled munching loudly on a marshmallow.
"He loves you so much,"
"I know! But that ass won't admit it. What's wrong with loving a witch. I don't see anything wrong with it. But that ass keeps saying that we are not meant to be together. Ass," she cussed as she scornfully tore a muffin in half. "Forget about my boy troubles, tell me about your life. How is everything? Your eighteen or nineteen right is you going to college... how is it? Which profession did you choose?"
Nicolai silently sobbed. "'mum... everything is gone.. war happened..."
She sat up in shock. "war?! What the heck? Why..."
"The werewolves and the vampires... they fought... and the vampires were defeated... we... were are being hunted mum... the only remaining seven vampires live with me.. but now... even they were kidnapped by that asshole.." he sobbed loudly whisk chugging the hot drink.
"Who is that asshole, huh? Tell me who he is. I know of a few hexes. I can take him out without even facing him." she gently caressed his face.
The feeling of the warm wool on his face made Nico slightly flinch.
"The alpha king... he's the alpha king, the ruler of us all. I hate him. I want to kill him..."