Fire.
Fire.
Fire.
Fire everywhere.
...
.
.
.
It's empty, an empty dark room. The walls and floor are plain white, but the darkness turns it into grey.
However, through the darkness, flickers spikes of flames. Embers fly onto the walls, and smoke fills the room.
Suddenly, the walls start to expand as the fire does. When the walls get to a certain point, they fade into the background revealing a forest.
A forest charred and engulfed by the fire. However, there is something different from before. A figure stands in the middle of the roaring flames.
The figure is looking at the sky, its face obscured by the flickering of the flames.
Wings lay from their back to the ground. While their form seems to also be surrounded by the flames, they don't seem bothered by the fire. Not even a single burn mark afflicts them.
Under the inferno's glow, the figure remained motionless. The flames danced around them, casting erratic shadows that seemed to writhe and twist, alive with malevolence. As the blaze intensified, the figure slowly lowered its gaze, eyes glowing with an otherworldly light that pierced through the smoky veil.
Now, the only thing of the figure's face that can be seen amongst the smoke... Is their sharp and intense golden eyes.
A whisper, barely audible over the crackling fire, echoed through the burning forest.
"Vardin..."
The voice was familiar, haunting, seeping into the very marrow of his bones. It called again, more insistent this time.
"Vardin... Seek me..."
Suddenly, the figure's wings unfurled, vast and magnificent, spanning the breadth of the clearing. With a powerful beat, the flames surged higher, reaching towards the darkened sky. The heat became unbearable, suffocating, as the air thickened with smoke and ash.
Vardin tried to move, to reach out, but found himself rooted to the spot, helpless. His voice caught in his throat, a silent scream trapped within. The figure extended a hand towards him, fingers elongated and wreathed in flame.
"Find me... before it's too late..."
The world began to spin, the fiery landscape dissolving into a whirlpool of colors and shadows. The intense heat gave way to a chilling cold, and the deafening roar of the fire faded into a distant hum.
.
.
.
"Wait!" Vardin gasped for air as he jolted up.
His heart pounded violently against his ribcage. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his forehead, his breath coming in ragged gasps.
The dim light of dawn seeped through the fabric of the tent, casting soft hues over the familiar surroundings.
He slowly got to a comfortable sitting position, rubbing his temples as he tried to steady his racing thoughts. The dream had been so vivid, so real. The voice, the figure... it all felt like more than just a mere nightmare.
"It sounded... Like... a man's voice...", He thought.
"Papa?" a soft, concerned voice called out.
Vardin turned to see Kay peering at him from her bed. Her eyes were wide with worry as she sat up in her Hautu form. Kay tightly tugs on her blanket.
"Did you have another bad dream?" she asked, slipping out from under her blankets and walking over to his bedside.
Vardin forced a reassuring smile, placing a gentle hand on her head. "Just a dream, K'shaar'kilvva. Nothing to worry about."
Kay frowned, clearly unconvinced. "... You sure?" She climbed onto his bed, nestling beside him.
"I...", Vardin sighed, wrapping an arm around her. "Yeah... For now at least..."
Vardin held Kay close, feeling her small body tremble slightly against his. Despite the warmth of her presence, flashes from the nightmare echo in the forefront of his mind.
He took a deep breath, trying to shake off the remnants of the dream. "It's early," he murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from Kay's face. "Why don't you try to get some more sleep?"
Kay shook her head, her eyes still wide with concern. "But what about you, Papa? You always tell me that when you have bad dreams, it's better to talk about them."
Vardin managed a small smile at her words, knowing she was right. "You're wise beyond your years, K'shaar'kilvva," he said softly, his voice tinged with pride. "But some dreams… they're just hard to talk about."
Kay looked up at him, her violet eyes searching his face. "Really?.... Was it about a monster?" she asked hesitantly, her voice barely a whisper.
Vardin nodded slowly, slightly giggling under his breath, "I guess you could call it that... It looked humanoid with wings..."
Kay's brow furrowed as she processed this. "Wings? Like mine?"
"Not really," Vardin replied, shaking his head. "They were larger like the wings of a griffin..."
Kay snuggled closer to him, seeking comfort. "Do you think it's the Angel you talked about?" she asked, her voice muffled against his side.
Vardin's expression hardened, his mind racing. "I don't know," he admitted. "But whoever—or whatever—it was, It felt like it was giving me a warning… "
The tent was quiet for a moment; the only sound was the gentle rustle of leaves outside as the dawn breeze began to stir.
As Vardin stared blankly into Kay's eyes, the voice of the figure echoed in his mind. He had to go back? "no...", he pondered, "I can do this myself..."
"We'll figure it out together, Papa," Kay said with a determined nod, breaking Vardin's daze. "Just like we always do."
Tears suddenly welled up in his eyes. However, he wiped them away before putting on a brave face. Vardin gently kisses the top of her head, "Thank you, Kay. I don't know what I'd do without you."
Kay giggled softly, her worry easing a little. "You'd probably be late to everything and forget to eat," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.
Though, in her mind, she was giddy at the thought of Papa using her nickname!
Vardin chuckled, grateful for her attempt to cheer him up. "You're probably right... Heheh..."
They stayed like that for a while, the world outside their tent slowly coming to life as the sun continued its climb. Eventually, Vardin knew he had to face the day, no matter how much he wanted to stay in this moment with Kay.
Also, suddenly, a single sunbeam blinded him for a moment. "Eh-!"
Seeing this, Kay giggled, covering her smile with her hand.
"I think we should get moving soon," he said finally, his voice gentle but firm. "There's a lot we need to do, and we can't afford to waste any time."
Kay looked up at him, her eyes bright with determination. "I'm ready when you are, Papa!"
With one last deep breath, Vardin pushed aside the lingering fear from the nightmare and nodded. "Alright then," he said, giving her a reassuring smile. "Let's face whatever comes next...together."
Kay sighs, "Don't forget breakfast!", she giggles.