An Elementals choice

Chapter 3 The How

  Leizi's mind started drifting into a dream of a different time and place. There was a forest of tall, beautiful tree's all around her with trails covered with bits of warming sunlight that had cut its way through the tree's. When she looked down at herself, she was wearing brown leather pants and high boots with a split brown shirt and a halter neck brown leather corset with a short sword attached to her right hip. This is weird thought Leizi I don't normally have dreams like this. 

    I walked down a pathway in the woods towards a clearing that had wooden wagons scattered around. A man came running up to me. "Hay where have you been Leizi" called out a tall man with short reddish-brown hair. Who is this man? Why does he know me? "Hi" I replied looking around me for some clue as to what's going on. The man comes up to me and goes to give me a hug which I dodge, cause seriously. The man turns to me looking confused and a little hurt. " Come on love, what's up" he asks. I look at him confused and reply "sorry but who are you?". "It's me love, Seb, come on you know me. Don't be like that. Look I promise I will go hunting with you tomorrow. I promise. Please don't be mad at me. You know it's not safe." said the man looking hurtful. I really don't get what's going on. In dreams I know the names of the people that I am talking to, and the way they look, act and talk. I have only had dreams of running away of late, nothing like this. I am so confused, and I am starting to get scared. I want to wake-up. Why aren't I waking up. As I try to hide my fear I slowly back away from this man calling himself Seb. 

 Somebody help me! What is happening? Why can't I wake up?   I don't think this is a dream. I feel a pressure in my skull like an intrusion in my mind. I try to push back, and everything goes blurry for a second. This can't be happening. Someone is in my mind. I try to stay calm. This isn't meant to be possible. I know that sometimes I know what someone is going to say before they say it. I know when someone is lying to me.   But that is just having good survival skills, right? Right! What does he want? Why is he in my mind? Is he really in my mind? What do I do? I take a deep breath and try not to panic nor let on that I know, may know, what is going on. I try to smile shyly at this Seb. I need to buy some time to think, which isn't easy when someone else is in my mind. Why is this happening to me? I am nobody. Nobody important. I am a bit strange, everyone says so. I think that most people are selfish, closed minded, hypocrites, so nobody’s perfect.

    I start to walk amongst the wagons with no real destination in mind. This Seb guy keep's pace with me. Hmm interesting. "Could you remind me why you believe it's not safe again? I am carrying a sword you know, I can fight." I ask/ inform him. Seb looks a bit thrown off and scrabbles to answer me "Well daring you know". "Do I though?'" I ask. "Well, it’s not safe, you know. After we escaped the castle, we decided it would be best to mix in the refuges and travelling merchants. It’s easier to disappear in a crowd or in this case a small group than travelling in pairs or trios." he replied while looking at the ground. "But I'm confused as to why did we have to leave the castle" I replied. Let's see what he came up with, this should give me an idea about this guy. Seb looks confused "we were under attack sweetheart. The enemy breached the walls with overwhelming numbers we barely got out of there with our lives. Why are you acting like you don't remember?"

     [Tialoc is confused as he and his brother planted false memories in her mind before they started this little game/test. Why is it not working? Tialoc links his mind with Indra "brother why can't she remember the memories that we planted before we started." Indra replied with concern "it should have worked. She is only human after all. We may need to rethink our strategy. Maybe I should join you in there." "It’s alright I think I have this" replied Tialoc before he re-joined Leizi.]

   I look at Seb. "Who are the enemy? Why were they attacking us? And who are you to me? Because SWEETHEART is not a name that I ever let anyone call me." I ask of Seb in a rather sarcastic and demanding tone. "Come now my Leizi don't be like that" replied Seb sounding hurt. "Oh, give me a break. Just start talking" I snap back at him. My patience is starting to wear thin. "Our enemies attacked us for no reason. They live for destruction. They overwhelmed us with their numbers, they destroy everything in their path. All they know is war and destruction. We were barely able to escape with our lives." pleaded Seb. "Barely escaped with our lives. Really? But you look fine and uninjured, I too appear uninjured. Neither of us show any signs of hardship upon our person's. And you still haven't answered my question as to who are you to me." I threw my words at him. I can tell that he is lying to me, but there is some form of truth to his words, it’s all just so confusing and frustrating. "I do look fine don't I" Seb sounded quite pleased with himself, but then he quickly gathered himself and continued with his act "we were fortune enough to come across decent folks who took pity on us. Providing us with clothing, food and other aids. It was only due to our training that we managed to escape uninjured. How can you not remember any of this? When you were struck from behind near the end of the battle it must have rattled your brain dear love. I am now so worried for you. Perhaps we should find my brother so he can check your head injury."

    ["Brother, I need your help, I am losing her. She is fighting the illusion." Tialoc mind linked his brother. Indra answered him directly "I shall come around the corner of one of the wagons. You will need to call me over and do remember that I am using the name Perun for this. Don't you dare makeup some horrible name for me like the last time we worked together with humans." "Fine hurry up before I lose the link" snapped Tialoc.]

    Could I be suffering from a head injury? No.NO. I remember everything of my horrible life. I wish I had lived a life of privilege and castles. I shake my head and move away from Seb. Why is he lying to me? Why can't he just tell me what he wants, what it is he is doing in my mind. Is he just doing this to mess with me? Seb looks around us trying to look worried but failing at hiding his annoyance. Suddenly Seb calls out to a man that just appeared from behind one of the nearby wagons "Brother, over here, we need your help!  Please Perun I think something is wrong with Leizi. I think the blow to her head was more serious than we first thought."  

    I man approaches us. As I start to look up, I notice his black knee length boots, black pants, black leather long coat and long sword hanging from his hip and a short dagger attached to the other hip. As my eyes climb up, I can see a slightly open black silk shirt with a well-toned body peeking out of the shirt folds. I finally take in his face and my breath catches. No, no, no, no. It can't be. But he is not real. But at the same time, I would know that face anywhere. That firm chin, sensual nose, those deep sad violent violet eyes and the longish straight jet-black hair. My heart stops. I think that I have forgotten how to breath. This new man standing in front of looks at me with concern "are you alright? You look quite pale." he asks me. His voice is so deep it almost rumbles. I can hear his voice in my bones. I shake my head no. I am unable to speak. He is not real. But he is here. Did Seb go through my most private of thoughts and dreams and conjure this form before me in order to manipulate me.

 I look at Seb with hatred, this is a violation of my mind. I want Seb gone. I want him gone now! I will not tolerate my dreams being used against me. I focus on Seb and imagine erasing him like a picture being rubbed out. Seb flinches as in pain. But he is still there. I want him gone. I try even harder to push him out of my mind as I am done with his games. The pressure in my head builds up and is starting to hurt, but I don't care, I want him gone. I can feel him resisting me. Seb is talking to me, but I can't hear him, I don't want to hear anything he has to say. If I can't push him out, I will make him want to leave. I focus again but this time I lock in Seb's image then I start a fire on his clothing making it consume him. I image the flame distorting his flesh. Seb scream's and then vanishes. I feel some of the pressure on my mind relax.