Aricen was trapped in the darkness, unable to move or speak. He felt a cold, clammy hand grip his arm, and he tried to scream, but no sound came out. He was being pulled and dragged to a place he did not want to go. Panic and terror flooded his mind, and he tried to resist, but it was of no use.
A door he could see was covered in what looked like blood. The rusty metal hinges creaked loudly as the sorcerers pushed it open, revealing a dimly lit room beyond. As they dragged him inside, Aricen's eyes widened in terror as he saw the gruesome scene before him.
The walls were stained with blood and gore, and he could hear the faint sounds of screams and moans echoing throughout the chamber. In the centre of the room, there was a large stone altar, adorned with strange symbols and markings.
The sorcerers roughly threw Aricen onto the altar, binding him with thick chains. Aricen struggled against his restraints, his heart pounding with fear and desperation. He was standing right in the middle of the room, his captors looming over him with sadistic grins on their faces.
They held him down as the dark sorcerers approached, their eyes glinting with a perverse hunger. Aricen's eyes bulged as he let out a gut-wrenching scream, his body writhing in agony. The knife plunged into his flesh with sickening ease, sending waves of pain coursing through his veins.
His body writhed and convulsed as the dark sorcerers chanted their incantations, their voices blending in a sickening chorus. The chanting grew louder and more intense, causing the pain to escalate to an unbearable level.
His mind was a blur of pain and fear, every inch of his body screaming for release. He could feel the darkness closing in around him, suffocating him, drowning him in a sea of agony.
The sorcerers showed no mercy, their twisted grins only fueling Aricen's terror.
The room around him began to warp and twist, the walls and ceiling dissolving into a sickening swirl of black and red. His own blood pooled around him, his screams faded into darkness.
Aricen jolted awake, gasping for air as he sat up in a cold sweat. His mind was still trapped in the nightmare, the pain so real that it lingered long after he opened his eyes. He clutched his arm, feeling the phantom sting of the knife as it plunged into his flesh, and let out a blood-curdling scream.
It took him several moments to realize that he was in his bed, in a small room in the refugee village. The pain, the fear, and the overwhelming sense of helplessness all came rushing back, threatening to engulf him once again. He felt the wetness on his cheeks and realized that he was crying.
Rowan was startled by Aricen's scream and immediately rushed out of the bathroom. As he made his way to Aricen's room, he could hear his friend's ragged breathing and muffled sobs. When he finally arrived in the room, he found Aricen curled up in a ball on his bed, his hands clutching his head.
"Hey, hey, it's okay," Rowan said, rushing to his friend's side. "What happened? Are you okay?"
Aricen didn't answer at first, still caught up in the horrors of his nightmare. Slowly, he uncurled himself and sat up, his breathing still heavy and erratic.
"I saw that day," Aricen said finally, his voice shaking. "It felt so real. The pain, the screams...it was like I was back there again."
Rowan put a comforting arm around Aricen's shoulder, feeling a wave of sympathy wash over him. He had heard bits and pieces of Aricen's dark past before, but he had never seen his friend so shaken before.
"It's okay," Rowan said soothingly. "It was just a dream. You're safe now."
Aricen nodded slowly, but Rowan could see that his friend was still in a lot of pain. It had been years since he had seen these nightmares. What happened that he was suddenly reminded of that?
Casey and Serenya rushed into the room, out of breath and dishevelled. Casey had her hair sticking up in all directions, while Serenya's dress was slightly askew.
"What the heck is going on? We heard screaming!" Serenya said between gasps for air.
Rowan looked at them with a raised eyebrow. "You guys sound like you just ran a marathon."
"Well, we practically did," Casey said, leaning against the wall to catch her breath.
"I had to pee so badly and then Aricen screamed," Rowan said, shaking his head in disbelief.
Aricen sat up slowly, his face contorted in pain. "I had a nightmare," he said, wincing as he moved his arm.
Casey walked over to him, concern etched on her face. "Are you okay? What was the nightmare about?"
Aricen took a deep breath before answering. "It was about the dark sorcerers who tortured me when I was a child. They were performing some sort of alchemy on me, using my blood. It was... Gruesome."
Casey's eyes widened in horror as Aricen described his nightmare. She sat down beside him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, Aricen. No one should have to go through something like that," she said softly, her voice filled with sympathy.
Rowan clapped him on the back. "Well, I'm glad it was just a nightmare. I was starting to think we were being attacked or something!"
They all laughed, the tension in the room easing slightly. "I'm sorry for waking you all up," Aricen said, still feeling guilty.
"LOL, don't sweat it, we were all awake anyways!" Casey said, waving her hand.
All of their ears twitched together, as their eyes shined with curiosity.
"What's LOL?" Serenya asked.
Aricen nodded, "That's the first time I am hearing a word like that."
Casey grinned. "It means 'laugh out loud' in my world. It's a way to show that something is funny or amusing."
"Laugh out loud?" Serenya repeated, her eyes widening in wonder. "That's a great way to express happiness!"
Rowan patted Aricen's knee. "You know," he said turning towards him, "right now, you look funny, LOL."
Aricen's brows shot up, "Hey, watch it!" trying to act offended, "I will show you how much of a serious person I am." Aricen couldn't help but laugh at Rowan's terrible jokes he tried to pull.
"I was giving an example to Serenya," he winked at Casey. "It was a good example right, Casey?"
"Pfft, of course," she said patting her hair down.
Serenya's eyes widened as she noticed the pendant glowing brightly in its box beside Aricen. "Do you think it has something to do with the nightmare?" she asked, her voice serious.
Aricen looked at the pendant and frowned. "I don't think so. From the knowledge I have gathered about it, I think it's just famous for its superpowers. Never heard anything like giving back trauma"
Rowan leaned forward, his curiosity piqued. "Maybe we should try to figure it out. Who knows, it might be the key to unlocking your nightmare?"
Casey nodded in agreement. "Yeah, and if that dream's going to come back again, that's a red flag right there."
Aricen sighed. "I don't know. We can't throw it away after going through all that. I think I will just hang it around my neck and we will see what happens later."
Serenya put a comforting hand on Aricen's shoulder. "Just tell me if anything happens, as a family. And who knows, maybe unlocking the secrets of the pendant will help you overcome your nightmare."
As the sound grew louder, it was no longer possible to ignore the commotion outside. The villagers' voices were rising, and it was clear that something unusual was happening. The air was thick with tension and a sense of foreboding.
Rowan was the first to stand up. "We need to check this out," he said, looking at the others.
Aricen and Casey nodded, while Serenya fixed her dress. They stepped outside, into the bright light of day.
The village was abuzz with activity. People were gathered in small groups, their voices hushed as they whispered among themselves. The four of them made their way through the crowd, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.
As they walked, Aricen couldn't help but notice the uneasy looks on people's faces. It was clear that something was wrong.
"What's going on?" he asked one of the villagers as they passed by.
The villagers stopped on their feet. Her eyes were filled with worry. "There have been strange occurrences in the village," she said, her voice trembling. "People have been disappearing without a trace, and there have been sightings of dark figures lurking in the shadows."
"Do you think it's somewhat related to the Snow Witch?" Rowan asked. His voice tensed.
The villager shook her head, "I don't know about it."
Casey shot a look at Rowan, "Care to explain?"
He sighed, "I heard some rumours a few months back that the snow witch is planning to do some experiment. So maybe...."