Leonelle's POV:
As Elisa left to go back to the kid's room, I stayed behind and looked up at the sky. Her words lingered in my mind, and I couldn't help but think back to my own experience with fate.
I used to believe that my destiny was to be a prisoner of my own house, meeting the expectations of those around me. But after discovering the world of adventurers, I knew I wanted something different. I wanted to explore, to take risks, and to live my life on my own terms.
Of course, my father didn't approve of my dreams. He believed they were nothing more than a waste of time, a foolish fantasy. But I refused to let him hold me back.
Then, after enduring more scolding sessions with him, I finally snapped and left home, determined to pursue my dreams of adventure.
It was then that I knew my fate had changed.
I was no longer destined to be the head of our house.
Instead, my destiny was to be an adventurer, to explore dangerous dungeons and complete quests.
I believed that fate could be changed, that destiny was not set in stone. And if Leon's premonition was truly something terrible, then I would do everything in my power to alter it. I was determined to protect our family, no matter what.
I knew it wouldn't be easy. It was a daunting task, and success was far from guaranteed. But with enough determination and the will to defy destiny, anything was possible.
"I will do whatever it takes to protect our family, Elisa," I said, my voice filled with determination. "Even if it means defying the laws of nature itself."
***
Altesia's POV:
The growl of the lizard monster made me tremble uncontrollably as I tried to run away from it.
The darkness seemed to surround me, making it impossible to see more than an inch away.
I pushed myself to run faster, my heart beating wildly in my chest.
I had no idea what had caused me to be in this situation, but I knew that I had to get away from the monster as fast as I could.
Suddenly, I heard a familiar voice calling out to me through the darkness.
It was my brother's voice, and I felt relief wash over me. "Tessia! Where are you?!" he yelled.
"Brother! I'm here! Where are you?! I can't see anything, it's too dark!" I yelled back.
"Just calm down, Tessia. I can hear your voice from up ahead. Try to run in a straight direction," my brother replied.
I followed his instructions and tried to run in a straight line, but my feet felt like they were sinking into the ground with each step.
Despite the sinking feeling, I continued to push forward, struggling to keep up my pace.
My brother's voice called out again, "Here, Tessia! Follow my voice!"
I knew I had to keep moving even though half of my body was already buried in the ground.
The more I struggled to move, the deeper I sank into the earth until my whole body, save for my neck and head, was buried.
I gasped for air, my lungs burning as I struggled to breathe.
It was a suffocating feeling, and I cried out for my brother to help me.
Miraculously, someone grabbed onto my hand and pulled me out of the ground with ease.
"Thanks for saving me, brother..." I said.
But when I looked up, I saw my brother lying on the ground. "No worries, Tessia. I'm your brother, after all," he said weakly before taking his last breath.
As I grieved over his body, the monster that had been chasing me turned towards me as it chewed on my brother's severed arm.
I was horrified by the sight of it and suddenly became aware of something still holding my hand.
I looked down to see that it was my brother's hand, still clasping onto mine, but now separated from his body.
I let out a blood-curdling scream, but it didn't seem to make a sound.
The nightmare was too terrifying to comprehend, and I felt overwhelmed by fear and despair.
And then, just as suddenly as I had been pulled from the ground, I sank into it again, this time feeling like I was sinking into quicksand.
Panic rose within me, and I struggled to break free from the grasp of the earth.
But it was no use; the more I moved, the deeper I sank.
Then I heard someone calling my name, muffled and distant, like a voice coming from the bottom of the sea. "Tessia! Wake up, Tessia!"
Wait, no. It sounded like it was coming from the surface, and I was the one who was at the bottom of the sea.
"Tessia!" The voice was clearer now, and I recognized it as the voice of someone close to me.
It was a voice that I had heard many times before, a voice that made my heart skip a beat every time I heard it.
I tried to swim up, but every movement felt like I was swimming in mud. Or maybe I was swimming in the mud?
The more I struggled, the deeper I sank, until I was completely submerged.
I struggled to move, but my limbs felt heavy and uncooperative.
It was as if they were weighed down by an invisible force, holding me in place.
Panic surged through me as I realized I couldn't breathe, my lungs burning for air.
"Tessia! Come on, wake up!" The voice sounded desperate now, and I could sense the fear in it.
I focused all my strength on swimming up towards the surface, but it was like trying to move through quicksand.
My heart raced, beating like a drum in my chest, as I struggled to stay conscious.
Then, suddenly, I broke through the surface, gasping for air.
I was drenched and disoriented, but I could see a figure leaning over me.
It was my brother's face that I saw, and I felt relief wash over me.
"You're awake," he said, relief evident in his voice.
I struggled to sit up, my head spinning as I tried to make sense of what had just happened.
"What... what happened?" I managed to ask.
"You had a nightmare, Tessia," my brother said, concern etched on his face. "You were thrashing around in your sleep, and I couldn't wake you up. I was starting to get really worried."
I rubbed my eyes, trying to clear my head. The memory of the nightmare was still fresh in my mind, and I shuddered at the thought of it.
"It was... it was horrible," I whispered.
My brother put a comforting arm around my shoulders. "It's okay now," he said softly. "You're safe. I'm here."
I leaned into his embrace, grateful for his presence.
The nightmare had been terrifying, but knowing that my brother was there to comfort me made it bearable.
"What did you dream about?" he asked gently, rubbing my shoulder in a comforting manner.
"I...I was being chased by that monster again...in the dark...then...hic...hic..." I trailed off, my voice breaking as I relived the fear and anxiety that had plagued me during the nightmare. I tried to take a breath, but my body betrayed me, and I started to hiccup and sob uncontrollably.
"Don't push yourself, Tessia. You don't have to tell me about it if you're too scared," my brother said, his voice soothing.
I nodded, unable to find the words to express the fear that still gripped me. My sobs continued to wrack my body, and I felt my brother's arms tighten around me in a reassuring hug.
"It's okay, Tessia," he whispered. "It was just a dream. It won't come true."
"I know," I managed to say, still sniffling. "But when I saw you die in that dream, I couldn't help but feel like it was a sign, a premonition of something bad happening to you."
My brother fell silent at my words, his arms still wrapped tightly around me as I cried softly into his chest.
As I cried in his chest, I had no idea what kind of expression he was making...
***
Leon's POV:
My eyes widened in shock after hearing what Tessia had said.
The nightmare she described sounded terrifying, and the fact that I was in it made it even worse.
Immediately, the vision of me being struck with something by that huge shadow formed in my mind.
The sickening thud that followed still lingered in my ears, and the sight of the girl's body was nauseating.
I tried to remain composed, so as not to make Tessia worry, but I knew that my expression betrayed that composure.
My mind was racing with thoughts of how to reassure her, how to make her feel safe.
As I looked down at my little sister, I took a deep breath to stop the inner turmoil that was wracking inside my body.
"I'm here, Tessia," I said, pulling her in for a tighter hug. "I'm not going anywhere. You don't have to worry about that."
She looked up at me with tears in her eyes, and I could see the fear still lingering there.
I brushed her hair back from her forehead and pressed a kiss to her temple. "It was just a dream," I said softly. "I'm okay, and so are you. We're safe here."
I then turned my head and looked at the window, feeling a chill run down my spine.
The night was still here, and the eerie silence that was permeating this room was making me more and more anxious.
The only sound that could be heard was the distant hoot of an owl.
That vision... What could it possibly mean? Was it just a random nightmare, or was it something more?
I knew that dwelling on it wouldn't do any good, so I tried to push those thoughts away and focus on comforting Tessia.
"Let's go back to sleep, Tessia," I said, trying to comfort her. "We need to rest. Don't worry, I will be right beside you."
Tessia slowly nodded her head, still looking up at me with those large, round eyes.
I tucked her into bed and sat beside her, holding her hand until she fell asleep again.
I sat there for a while longer, watching her breathe, before finally allowing myself to drift off to sleep.
...But the next morning, our peaceful slumber was abruptly interrupted by a permeating scream that filled the room.