Children of Morpheus

Chapter 17

    "You've met him, right?” 

    I just sneered at him with my despising eyes while he smiled and asked if I met my brother. The cavern wall whispered as his voice echoed through my mind. The cold harsh wind whistled deep within the cave. That made me realize what Vifen is trying to say to me from the start. From the moment Pan said that I have a brother, I exactly know who he is talking about. That's why he helped me when I almost died, he knows that I'm his blood. 

    Everything fell inside me, these shocking new information kept coming and coming. Everyone around me kept lying to me!

    “When I told him about you in his dream, he was so excited,” Pan said while he moved closer to me. “He's so happy that he has a baby brother. A brother that he can call, family.”

    “Dranvi—” I whispered and stopped while he paced around me. “His name is Dranvi, isn't it?”

    “That's what he said his name was?” He chuckled and stop at my back. “His real name is Vadrin, it's an anagram that we used to play when he was young.”

    “Let's go back. How would I know that you will stick in our agreement?” I grilled and turn to him. He removed his pipe from his neck and place it to mine. 

    “That's how.” He then kissed me in my forehead that slithered a jolt of disgust in my head. “That is one of my powerful weapons, but it only works for me and my blood. That is yours now, not as leverage, just for you to know that I can be trusted.” He added as he walked towards the mouth and left me while his footstep disappeared.

    Vadrin. So that is his real name. It means that he is the heir to the throne of the realm. That's why the sprites obeyed him and loved him. Why didn't he told me about his true identity?

    The water droplets bounced to the sides as if it were rubber balls. My footstep echoed deeper and deeper into the heart of the cave. Then a hard rumbling sound burst from the very far and deep with a thundering earthquake. Huge rocks start running away wildly like a stampede. I moved aside to the wall to let the boulders panic as a scream came out from the shade of the cave. 

    That annoying crow with a snake for a tongue flew, scaring them away. Then the sword that were embedded into a rock, glimmered from the orb as I felt its energy luring me. 

    A horse would be nice for this, I said to myself. But I remembered that creepy horse with human features. I waited for a huge rock while the ground shook, then I jumped on the nearest boulder and hold down with a tight grip

    The moving rock vibrated as I kept my balance, kneeling on top preparing myself to leap to another. The daylight and the moonlight scattered across the sky that shimmered like a firework show in the sky. And the wind rushing into my face, the same with the adrenaline pumping in my body. 

    They moved directly to the woods that made it harder for me to jump from one to another. It all happened so fast, as the trees made blur and fade in my sight like a speeding train that everything you see is like all out of the mist. With my heart drumming beastly and my courage starting to build up, preparing to bound myself.

    Without seeing things clearly, the trees quickly vanish away from my sight, I took a bounce with a large hesitation backing me as I landed to another boulder, wrapping my hands around it. I pulled myself up, to get ready for another jump. My heartbeat got worst as I stood with flashing possible outcome thoughts popping out in my mind.

    The rocks began to float over the land as the ground trembled extremely where it made me hold down again. The boulders hovered trees to trees that made it impossible for me to jump. I hold down with my eyes directed to the sword on a stone, reaching for it as I kept my balance inside.   

    Then I can feel the energy calling me as I tried to reach it with my ability, just to slow it down for me to grab and pull the sword. My hair glided in the air while my power tried to reach it. 

    Then it happened.

    I remembered the dreams as my heart began to ache again, feeling everything that she felt. My eyes began to water as I lowered down my head and force myself to accept everything.

    I need to be brave like my dad, and I need to be brave for him and her. Sometimes I know how hard breathing is and how painful it is sometimes, but I need to do it! For him! For her!

    I reached it out again, to slow it down as I accept everything that's happening around me. Then the sword flew in the air and threw itself to the tree. The stone that I'm on began to swerve as I jumped and landed on my back. 

    I moaned in pain as the tears flowed from my eyes. But that is not the reason why I'm crying, it's about everything that I accepted. Accepting this will meant accepting my fate. A fate that I can't abide. 

    The sword flew again, and this time its blade landed beside my cheeks that made me bleed again. My heart is running like those boulders, as the ground shook again and all landed that made a small quake. 

    I jolted my feet and stand to grab the handle of the sword, and that pulled me into the past. 

    I was back at the 6 cloaked men showing the lamp, the wand, and the sword. Another man appeared in my sight while he carried a silver chalice with weird markings carved around its neck with gemstones. I moved closer and touched the chalice as flashes of scenery captured my mind. And one of it was familiar—the waterfall on the Realm of the Faes.

    I opened my eyes and I was back in the Dream Realm, asleep as I lied down on the ground. My eyes got wider, then I quickly stood to wonder what just happened to me. Why didn't I wake up? 

    My mind panic while I paced back and forth in front of a tree as I heard a weighing sound of a horse coming towards me. I quickly remembered the horse with human legs and arms, that brought about the creeps and chills running within my bones. Then I did what everybody does to wake up—hurt myself.

    I stabbed the blade into my palm that jolted my hand letting my blood pooled out. The pain spread as I closed my eyes trying to endure it, with some oozing red water drips down to the ground. Plants start to grow underneath me as I stabbed myself deeper and deeper. . .

    My eyes opened as I felt the extreme pain overlapping each other. I quickly jolted my feet from the bed and run towards the door, with the sword on my hand with my blood slithering like snakes in my arms. The lamp glowed eerily with the wand and the sword as I opened it. 

    Gali appeared with a sugar cube in his hand as he gleamed in the darkness of my room. He flew around me with sparkling glitters trailed behind him. I run downstairs and saw uncle Dean in the dining table, drinking coffee with a sugar cube pyramid in a saucer. The piped was hidden under my shirt so he will not wonder where I got it.

    Gali excitedly flew directly at him and pulled him to tell him that I'm back. He turned his head and saw me, with the sword and my bleeding hand. He grabbed a handkerchief in his pocket and wrapped it in my red oozing hand and hugged me tightly. 

    “You slept for a day,” he said with worry in his tone. 

    “What!” I replied in shock as my tears began to flow from my eyes. 

    “Why are you crying?” He asked as his eyes stared at mine. “Hey, why are you crying?” He wiped my tears with his thumbs as he calmed me down. 

    “Mom is in danger.” I moaned as I whimpered beneath my breath. “Pan has her soul trapped in his annoying bell. 

    “What do you mean?” Dean's eyes grew as I sobbed. Water starts to drip in his shirt as he hugged me again. “She's in the Dream Realm?”

    “Her soul is,” I moaned, while Gali flew to the sugar cube pyramid. “Before she died, she again managed to visit the Dream Realm and Pan sucked her soul into his bell,” I explained. "That's why I kept having dreams about her."

    “We'll get her back,” he said as he rubbed my back, with his tears start to pool. “Don't worry, Rafael. We'll save her.”

    “I need to go to the Realm of the Faes.” I said, he looked at me with worry in his eyes. “I'll get ready, and I will go later tonight with Gali,” I added as his worry fades.

    “I'll come with you two,” he insisted as I shook my head. “I'll come with or you will not go.” He said in a firm voice.

    “Okay, Dean.” I nodded with worry in my tone. 

    My feet ran towards my room with Gali behind me and shut the door lock. I brought out the cloak and the leafy armor that I wore the last time, I moved to the right with the satchel and the sword. 

    “Do you know the nearest gate here in this town?” I asked Gali as he helped me dress up.  

    He nodded.  

    I paced myself into the kitchen and grabbed fruits to eat on the way. Is this a good idea? I asked myself as I peeled oranges. Is it wise to bring Dean with me in the realm?

    Dean walked down the steps with his shear in his right pocket. He opened the door as Gali flew first outside in the night, and Dean jumped outside while I was behind him. Then we followed Gali into the forest.

    The moon gleamed above us as the leafy arms of the trees covered the emitting light, shading us from the beam. Silhouette of the trees dances in the shadows with the howling wind blows with might. The gloom of the groves grew eerie around us with the limited light that was slowly eaten by the leaves.

    I fisted my non-bleeding hand and an orb of light came flying in behind Gali, following him as it shed light around us. We arrived at the huge tree, near the old cemetery where I and Alexander got attacked by those skeletons and ghouls. 

    The moonlight rays above the tree that made its leaves glimmered like it were all covered with glitter. The vines swung in the air as white small flowers start to bloom around it. The scent of the Valerian flower sprouting in the foot of the tree. Then I remembered the crow that was actually a fairy, with that memory, all came back and haunt me.

    “What are you doing here, Rafael?” A familiar voice snapped the cricket orchestra of the night. “Who’s that handsome fellow behind you?” Vifen asked as he appeared in the tree.

    “Dean, this is my nymph friend, Vifen.” Vifen walked closer to Dean and gazed at him. “Vifen, this is my uncle, Dean Hollow.”

    “A dreamer with shear in his pocket.” She said and stared, then back at me. “What are you doing here?”

    “I wish to speak with my older brother.” I whispered in her ears. Her eyes grew in shock and looked at me in the eyes. “I need to speak to him, it's urgent.” 

    She quickly nodded.

    We moved close to the fat twisted tree, then she pulled a vine. The ground shook as the tree rose and grew, bursting its high roots like tentacles in its side. Then a glow appeared between the cores that looked magnificent.

    One by one, Vifen jumped in, then Gali, me, and lastly, Dean. As we whirled deep into the void of light and landed on our feet on the other side.