Prismatic

Dream

I dreamed of the days when I was young, wearing the same dress that I wore today. I was happy and laughing at someone, or at something. I was in an open field, talking to the lady in a flowery dress about something. The crystal deer was lying down by my side telling me to watch out. I closed my eyes for a moment then everything became dark. The lady was wearing a porcelain mask looking ahead of me and the deer was a black diamond at my feet, staring at the opposite direction, eyes a million miles away. From the distance, I can hear an unfamiliar sound. It was a humming sound but a different one. I don’t know where it was coming from. I tried to follow the sound, it was getting louder now. I looked behind me and saw the lady pointing at me. I was suddenly attacked by a swarm of flies, whirling around me like a whirlwind. The humming sounded very close to my feet before losing consciousness.

I woke up to the humming sound coming from outside the tent. The sound was alluring, like a male forest nymph beckoning me to kiss him. I scanned around the tent and inside it was a blue coating lining up the walls. There was a container full of meat, some of which we ate for lunch and dinner the day before. There was a lot of ammunition and his shotgun was there leaning beside his bed.

I got up to meet the man creating the alluring sound. He saw me going out the tent and greeted me and I greeted back. He was wearing a beautiful smile like he was the morning sun that fell on earth. I flushed a fuchsia pink, while him a baby pink. “You slept well? I am sorry that this is what I can only offer”, he said apologetically. “No, it was fine, I slept great”, I said sitting beside him.

“Well, then, let us have our breakfast.” He gave me a baguette with freshly cooked slices of meat, veggies and dressing wedged inside of it. Half of it was mine, while the other half he had already finished. After I finished eating, he prepared his things, folded up his tent, loaded his truck and we left the site.

“Thank you, again for doing this, although I am not sure what I will do next. I am just glad that we will be out of this forest”, I said to him gratefully.

“Don’t thank me just yet for this is going to be a long drive out there. Watch out for your head, you might lose it”, he grimaced looking through the path.

“What do you-“, I paused when I suddenly saw what he was talking about. The sun abruptly became black and smoky. The trees were showing signs of immediate decay and became dark charcoals. There were spirits wailing in every turn of the path. I heard the cries of innocent children crying, the middle-aged people asking for help, and the helpless animals gasping the last ounces of life. I saw the ladies with transparent wings having slightly colored staring at me. I was in a trance and cannot break through it. I tried to snap out of it but I can’t. Bry sprinkled something powdery or grainy in my line of sight which broke my trance then the ladies hissed. Their face changed into a gruesome green. I saw death in their faces and they shrieked an ear-piercing shriek as they dissipated from sight. I was dried white when I saw my face in the mirror of his truck. I was so horror-stricken that my body refused to respond to any outside stimulus. My body shut down and I felt my eyes close.

I was dreaming again, this time it’s different. I was a child swimming by the lake in the afternoon. I was all alone but I didn’t care. I was swimming to and fro on both sides of the lake when I stopped and saw a man with distinct features wearing a crimson red cloak stooping down the lake inches before me. I was startled by the sudden appearance of the man. I started swimming away from him but it seemed like I wasn’t moving at all. The water continued to stretch itself from me until the man in a crimson cloak grabbed me from behind saying something in a language I don’t even understand. I fell unconscious and I was suddenly awake.

When I came to, we were already out of the forest. I was in a tiny house made out of straws and sand. The interior has one table with some chairs across of me. The walls were lined with wooden cupboards with beautifully woven design. On my right, was a small bed much smaller than the one I was in and Bry was seating next to me waiting for me to gain consciousness. He was still wearing the same clothes as yesterday. “Are you alright? Do you still have your head with you? Can you hear me?” he asked, deeply concerned. I stared at him in disbelief, “What was that? What was happening? I thought I was going crazy in there”.

“Well, at least you’re safe now. I know you have a lot of questions but save them for now”, he said grimacing.

“What was that? Why won’t you tell me?” I panicked, dismissing his request.

“I will tell you all about it later when the party is finished”

“Oh, I forgot all about that.” My panic vanished, and I felt horrible for forgetting such an important day. “I am so sorry that I ruined it, I forgot that we were going to get your sister a gift. I am really sorry”, I told him, my eyes downcast.

“There is still time, and Nissa is still gathering some guests to her party”, he said cheerfully.

“Okay, but what will we get for her birthday?”, at least I still have a chance to repay him. But, what will we get her for her birthday? I recalled that he didn’t even answer my question last time. As I was pondering this, he threw something at me. “Here, get changed. I know it isn’t much but you need to change. Don’t forget to wear the cloak and the shoe.” After he left the room for me to change, I started to work on the clothes he gave me. It was a simple white blouse with matching pants. The cloak was a deep crimson red and I can smell a hint of saffron on it. Along the seams of the hood, embroidered were the words: Ventis Froura. There was a pair of shoes under the bed. They were light saffron with something written on one side, Laguz Froura. What could these words mean? Are these the names of their great ancestors? Where did he get these clothes? I felt that something was off, but I couldn’t put my fingers on it. Then, I thought about my dreams–the lady wearing a porcelain mask, the crystal deer transforming into a black diamond and the man muttering something I cannot understand. They seem to be connected, but I cannot seem to point how they relate to each other. I pushed the thoughts away for I didn’t want to keep Bry waiting.

I stepped outside to meet Bry. He was dressed in a fitted white shirt with khaki pants and he was wearing the same cloak as I am. “The clothes suit you well”, he mused.

“Is the cloak really necessary? I mean, it’s a very hot day today. I don’t to bask in my own sweat”, I complained, making a face.

“Actually, it is. Otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to enter the market without it”, he said, studying my face along the fine lines of irritation. I shrugged it off and followed after him.

As we walked, I glanced back at the house. The house was sturdily built and it didn’t look fragile as the inside. It was fortified by some materials I don’t recognize. The house from the outside perspective looked decent but it had a nice appeal to it. It was sunshine yellow with a hint of chamomile. It had wooden windows that were never opened and the door was a touch of red with something written on it, Ferro Incastelate.

I looked around the neighborhood. The town had an icy atmosphere. The houses were aligned in dark pastel colors. The people looked at us with a curious gaze that bore through my cloak. I felt a chill down my spine as we walk past them. I held Bry tightly by the arm. “Why are they staring at us? I don’t like this”, I said through the chilled whispers around us.

“Ignore them. As much as possible, don’t look through their eyes. They might lock you out of your body”, he said in a monotone whisper. I did as I was told, fearing that something as horrible as the ones I have experienced in the forest might happen again. I cannot afford to lose consciousness again, I thought to myself. I needed to focus. I looked at Bry and saw something written on his cloak, Seidir Histemi. It made me curious to see this language written everywhere. What do they mean? I probed him, “May I ask you something? It’s bothering me for a while now”.

“What is it?” he asked looking straight ahead.

“What do these words mean, on the cloak, the shoes and the door?”

“Ah. Those words are spells that I casted for protection. On your cloak, it conceals your scent. On your shoes, it keeps your feet from burning. On the door, it keeps the intruders away from the house”

I processed them in my head for a moment. “Wait, so you’re a magician?” I concluded in amazement, “How, what, why?”

He thought for a moment, then replied, “You can say that but I would rather be referred to as a wizard. Magicians perform the magic, wizards create them. Magicians start by practicing magic and when they reach certain criteria, they become wizards. Not all are blessed with magic and even a couple blessed with magic has a slight chance of having a child with magic.” My mouth opened on their own like magic.

I kept my composure and digested all the info he has given me. “Are you sure that you should be divulging such information to me? I mean, you barely know me and all”, I asked, doubtful. He replied with a smirk, “Aw, don’t worry. It’s common knowledge around these parts. If you leave this country, your memories will be automatically erased. So, all the knowledge and secrets are safely secured from outside interest.”

I was in deep thought after that conversation. If I were to leave here, I wouldn’t remember anything even him. I haven’t even met her sister yet. We walked in silence for a solid minute. “By the way, you haven’t told me what’s written on your cloak”, I asked, breaking the silence. He finally answered, “You will see how it works later.” I tried to prompt him, but I knew that he wouldn’t say more to me. What does that supposed to mean? Will there be a fight or something? It made me very anxious.

I asked him again, hoping to cope with my anxiety, “So, you’re a wizard. Don’t you need a magic wand and a long beard?”

“There are no strict rules about looks, Jo. That’s just offensive. I might just feed you to the Drauger Moindre”, he said menacingly.

“It’s just a joke, Bry. Stop scaring me”, I cried.

“I’m sorry. I guess you were just surprised to see a young wizard like me. I will tell you more about it later and by the way, we’re here”, he said apologetically, pointing one finger ahead. I was still composing myself when I saw what he was pointing at. I felt my stomach clench as I felt something ominous ahead. I strengthened my grip as did my teeth.