We continued our journey for a while longer, and eventually, the sun was going down. Around the crackle of the fire , we relaxed after the long day. The first day of the journey to Creo was done, and I was staying watch for the first half of the night In the darkness, a shadow approached me. It was shaky and apprehensive. I knew who it was but instead of calling her out, I waited.
"Hey."
I turned to see Lana in pajamas. She put her hand behind her back and walked over to me.
"Shouldn't you be asleep?"
I asked, but she continued to walk over to me.
After a bit, she took a deep breath. Her wings fluttered like mad as she observed me. Her cheeks went bright red as she nearly yelled at me.
"T-Thank you for helping me earlier!"
Without waiting for my reply, she ran back to her tent with her sister. I sat there in shock that those words came from that little girl.
"Jade might be right."
I was no good with kids. They reminded me of the orphanage and all the abuse I suffered during it. Lana only amplified that feeling when I first met her. But it seemed that Jade might have a knack for figuring people out.
I took a deep breath and released all the built-up tension in my stomach. What was left was a soft smile on my face.
I woke up from my sleep, groggy and confused. When I rubbed my eyes, blood was covering my fingers. Confused, I stood up and saw the camp on fire.
"What the hell?!"
They were my partners in this mission, going to the Cero village. Jade, Lana, Abigail, and all her followers were dead. As I stood up, their soulless lumps of flesh attempted to pull me in.
It was strange… I knew it was a night terror, and the sight was gruesome, but this dream was different. I felt at peace despite how horrifying all of this was. When I turned to my right in this dark world, I could see purple trees and darkness rising from the grass. In the distance, a symbol I knew well etched into my mind. An orange symbol was drawn on each dead bodies face. It was a circle with a dot in the middle.
"[V]amperism"
I recalled my Necronomicon.
"Vampirism channels spectrum for the user to use at a later time. It will pull the life out of a person for your desire. The circle represents entrapment. The dot represents the one entrapped by the user."
But why it was so vividly representing itself here was a mystery.
"Huh?"
Horridly, all their bodies turned a harsh green and bloated and eye sockets swelled like a balloon. A screech rang out as I tried to step away, the dead reached out and gripped me. Their horrid nails cut into my arm as what used to be a people became a horrid monster.
"Ah!"
My throat clogged as I tried to breathe. My mind was sucked in, and before I knew it, I was on the ground, tied down by bloated dead members of the in our search party.
"What's going on?! Let go of me."
A black creature appeared from the darkness. It held an axe in its hand. It slogged towards me as I tried to struggle. The world became purple as the trees around me distorted. Symbols flew around my mind. They were the ones I knew so well.
"Be wary, Master."
A disembodied voice called out to me as symbols from the Necronomicon flowed around me and my soon to be killer.
The creature cut into my skin, and the sharp pain of my body being ripped up caused me to scream. But the assault kept coming. I was being held down by these green people as the creature of darkness continued to slice me up.
It was then I knew.
That when I died here.
That I would wake up from this horrible nightmare.
But I will be wary as the voice warned me.
I opened my eyes and was met with a collection of trees. The foliage raised high as I lay there on the dirt. I had to be a few miles away from the campsite to ensure that I didn't wake anyone up.
The night terrors were abnormally fierce tonight. It was early in the morning, and I figured I must have slept around six or so hours.
"Time to get back."
I took to my feet and made my way back to the group. It didn't take too long with it being early in the morning. I was able to dance in the shows to make my trip faster.
When I reached the campsite, Lana was pacing around, waiting for breakfast. They seemed to be cooking some eggs and chicken, a hearty meal for the long day ahead of us.
The little barklight spotted me.
"Where the heck were you?"
I was relieved to see her and another Baron member alive and healthy.
"Ah, I went off to sleep."
She looked at me strangely and for a good reason. I sat down on the grass, and she sat on the side of me. The small barklight watched me curiously. In the faint light, her bright eyes contrasted the early morning.
"What do you mean you went off to sleep?"
Lana demanded an answer.
She looked at me a tad suspiciously. I turned to the cook nearby, and even she was curious about it.
"Everyone was curious about why you left last night Feodora."
The Baron member questioned as she turned her eggs.
"Well, I have night terrors. So, to not wake anyone up, I found a more isolated place to sleep."
"Night terrors? What are those?"
Lana innocently asked with a tilt of her head.
The barklight seemed genuinely interested in me. I rubbed the back of my head as I explained.
"Night terrors are basically intense dreams that cause a person to scream or thrash around at night due to how realistic they are. I have them every night. It's a curse because I'm a dark vessel."
"What kind of dreams?"
The child asked.
"Bad dreams, Lana. Very bad dreams."
My voice trailed off in the cold morning breeze.
"It's because of a curse?"
Lana asked.
"All dark vessels have a curse and mine happens to be night terrors, Lana."
I explained.
The child looked a tad unsettled by what I told her. She looked away slightly.
"I heard holy vessels receive things known as "blessings," and they gain superior abilities and things. Ah, you know that girl in town, Vivian Heart? She's a holy vessel and she has a blessing too."
Lana kicked her feet from side to side.
"She's nice and plays with me sometimes. But comparing her blessing to your curse-"
Lana stopped speaking for a second.
She looked up at me, eyes full of pity.
"Your life must be hard, Feodora."
Children often say what's on the top of their minds, and Lana was no different. I couldn't say I had the most leisurely life growing up. Having to survive and learn that I wasn't accepted by the world was a bit hard for me to swallow as a kid.
I always wanted to play with others. But my curse showed me that I was supposed to separate myself from the people around me.
It was easier to be alone, to stay in the shadows.
"I understand now."
The Baron member nodded and returned to cooking the meal. An awkward silence fell upon us as we sat there, waiting for the food to be ready.
"F-Feodora."
Lana spoke up.
The young barklight put her hands on her thighs and looked at me. She reminded me of a timid bunny as she warily observed me.
"L-Listen Feodora."
She said, trying her best to stay composed.
Lana pushed out her feet and sat up properly.
"Sorry for being a jerk that day when we first met in Radiant City."
"Hm?"
I was surprised as I sat up too.
"My big sister was in a bad mood that day and I really wanted to make her happy. Your weapon exuded the dark element, and I really wanted to give it to her as a gift."
I thought about that day when we met at the shopping district. Lana seemed to be doing something "good" for her older sister in her eyes. The little sister of a "goddess" was used to getting her way. How she threw money at me and figured it was the "right" thing to do. That showed me how she was raised. That status and money can solve everything.
"Don't worry, your big sister explained every to me, Lana. I forgive you."
Lana sighed.
"I just want to be a good sister, but I screwed up a lot. I'm not sure why she keeps me around."
"Young master, don't say things like that."
The cook said as she gave Lana a warm smile.
"You're right. I shouldn't think like that."
The barklight stood up and walked over to me. I had to look up to her, and it was strange because it's usually the other way around.
"One of my best friends is missing and I want to get her back. A-Ah, F-Feodora, would you please help me?"
Lana was honest as she poured her heart out and pleaded. Maybe it was getting to her, the feeling of not being as strong as her sister. I was starting to see her in a new light.
So, I gave her a sharp nod.
"Yeah, that's why I'm here in the first place, Lana. We'll find them, I promise."
I said with determination.
The barklight's eyes lit up.
"I-I've been worried about her, and I-I really want to play baseball with her again. She's one of the only friends I have.
Lana sniffed.
"Precis and Marable are the only two who treat me like a normal kid, you know?"
I nodded.
Being the little sister of a "goddess," I'm sure there are trickle-down responsibilities and expectations. It would seem that the other kids don't treat her as an equal but someone who has to be treated with respect.
I can only imagine that they'd let her win to please the Pasco family. But when I met Precis, the girl who teased her, they seemed to be genuinely good friends.
"Don't worry, we'll find her. Marable is her name?"
Lana nodded so hard that the drills on her head shook like mad.
"T-Thank you! I just really want my friend to be safe. My big sister is also worried about Caesar. He's been with our family since the day she was born. She might not show it, but she's worried to death about our family friend."
Lana turned to the large tent that housed the goddess inside.
"He's a really good person and I don't know what we'd do if something bad happened to him. Everyone who left on the pilgrimage are great friends to us."
All of Lana's worries seem to be coming to a head.
Just yesterday, she wouldn't say a word to me but now it appears that she's beginning to see me as an ally rather than a foe.
So, I gave her a calm smile. I'm not good with kids, but I do know that reassurance is the best I can do at this moment.
"You have your big sister, Jade, and me on this case. I doubt anyone will be able to stop us from rescuing your friends."
I promised.
I could see her legs shaking. So, I prompted her to sit down next to me.
"Take a seat, Lana."
She did just that. Her small body pushed against me, her wings brushed my side.
"You're right. I need to have more confidence that everything will be okay."
In the cool breeze, her warm touch embraced me. The barklight wrapped her arms around my stomach.
"Thank you for coming to help, Feodora!"
Lana held me for a while. She pushed her head into my chest as if hiding from the cruel world in my warm coat. Once Lana calmed down, she stood up and looked at me.
Those cherry-colored cheeks made me giggle under my breath. Without waiting for my reply, she ran off, back into the large tent.
"Ah, young master, the food is almost ready."
The Baron member teased.
But Lana was too embarrassed I assumed to turn back around. The cook giggled and looked back at me.
"Seems young master has taken a liking to you, Ms. Cicer."
I shrugged, brushing off my embarrassment.
"Maybe kids aren't too bad after all."
I admitted.