219 Distant Vision (1/2)

I was floating above a place I'd never been to before. It had an environment of frigid weather where snow carpeted the both the rocks and ground. The surrounding sky was covered in dark clouds, and the wind, which despite my astral form, was bitingly cold.

It caused me to shiver slightly.

No, the wind probably wasn't the reason. Perhaps the thing I could see protruding out of the rock was what made me nervous instead.

They were giant double doors so large they covered the entire side of the cliff face to the left of the mountainous peak I'd found myself in.

On the doors, a series of carvings depicted scenes of death and destruction on a scale even I'd never seen before. It was a world on fire where blue and red giants stomped on the tiny humanoid figures underneath them.

In front of these doors, two figures were huddled close together.

One of them was a stranger to me. He had a tall frame that was wrapped from head to foot in a thick black hood and coat that hid its features from my eyes.

The other one was a female with skin so dark it was blue. Her short white hair was shaved at the sides. She had a beautiful face with a chiselled jawline, and her pale eyes underneath dark brows were silver in hue.

I knew that face. It was the face of Great General Morrigan, one of the military leaders of the Scarlet Moon.

Despite the cold surrounding her, she was wearing her snug black vest layered with black scales on the chest and shoulders. It seemed the red cloak was all she had to protect her from the elements, but she didn't seem bothered by the chill.

Morrigan was conversing with the cloaked stranger in hushed tones, but my astral form could hear them loud and clear.

”I don't quite understand your excursion in the central region,” the stranger said. He had a male voice. ”Was the point to acquire Great General Garm? I didn't think he was such an important piece…”

”Garm has a legitimate claim to the seat of the Trickster Pavilion's patriarch,” Morrigan explained. ”That will be useful in sowing discord within their clan.”

”Your obsession with that clan continues to elude me,” the stranger admitted. ”I pray it doesn't side track you from the plan… the great game is already afoot.”

Morrigan shook her head. ”I haven't forgotten my responsibilities… One could say differently about you and your own obsession with the brothers.”

I couldn't see his face, but something told me that stranger was showing off a frown right about now.

”I have done very little, but yes, I have assisted them somewhat, although indirectly,” the man answered. ”The boy is important. His brother too is a candidate. They can be groomed.”

Morrigan smirked. ”Yes, he has shown an aptitude at foiling our plans… things would be easier if we had the chosen one in our hands by now. I believe you're at fault for losing him as well…”

Morrigan placed a hand over the door but her fingers didn't touch it.

”They're restless on that side now,” she noted. ”I can feel their eagerness…”

The stranger turned his head to the door as well.

”They aren't the only ones…” he replied after a moment of pause. ”One of the keys is already in our possession… the others will be ours in time.”

”While the boy may be manageable, the other three will not be easy opponents,” Morrigan replied. ”They will not relinquish their charge to us without many sacrifices.”

”Many sacrifices are being prepared,” the stranger chuckled. ”For now, we'll focus our attentions on acquiring the fifth…”

”Ah,” Morrigan raised a finger. ”Several candidates have already been found… one of them will surely awaken to the gift.”

It was at this point when I drifted closer to them as their conversation, although gibberish to me, seemed extremely important, and I wanted to get closer so as not to miss anything. That was a wrong choice.

”It seems a fly has intruded in our meeting, the strange said.

They both turned to look my way. I don't know how, but they noticed my presence.

”Clever little fly,” Morrigan chuckled.

Then she raised a hand, and from her palm, something sharp and dark sprung forth. It came toward me with blinding speed. And as soon as this arcane projectile pierced into my chest, I woke up with a scream.

”Dean, it's alright,” someone said while arms held me down. ”You're back. You're safe…”

I blinked, and my vision cleared as the spell came undone.

My eyes searched my surroundings, revealing the wooden beams of the ceiling above. Aura and Arah had been sitting opposite sides of the cot I'd been laying in. A brass bowl lay next to my right hand. Next to it was a cup filled with sticks of incense that were still alight and spilling a calming floral scent into the room.

I sat up groggily and wrapped a hand over my brow. ”Remind me not to try that again…”

”You're the one who wanted to see if you could glean new secrets from your gift of sight,” Aura reminded me.

”I know… maybe stop me next time,” I sighed.

”Well, did you actually see anything like that time when you saw Ty get kidnapped?” Arah asked.