Tristis Nox

After some searching I found a shift and decided it was the best I was going to find. As I turned to leave I looked back in at the beauty before me. *I hope there is a way to save this world, there is such beauty and talent here. It would be so wrong to erase it.* I shut the door, pulled off my shirt and pants, slipped on the shift, and crawled into the heavenly bed. Smiling I fell into a deep sleep.
However, the sleep was far from restful. It started with my tattoos burning and agonizingly slowly it shifted into a more horrific scene. Instead of the plain burning and smoking, King Lucas stood before me with an outstretched hand. Try as he might, the words he spoke fell to unhearing ears and when I could finally make out what he was trying to tell me blood gushed and waterfalled through his parted lips. Nothing but gurgles and sputters could be made from his vocal cords. I cried and tried to run to him, but the more I ran the farther and more gruesome he became. Then arms grabbed me from behind, preventing me from pursuing him. I looked behind to see faceless bodies shackling me where I was and then dragging me away from the man I so desperately wanted to help. I screamed to King Lucas, but he stood where he was with red liquid flowing from his mouth.
“Tristis!” echoed through the darkness, but did not stop me from flailing about. A new set of arms embraced me, causing me to fight more for the man that had long ago left. “Tristis!” was called next to me.
“LUCAS!” I cried one last time before a face appeared in front of me.
“Tris, relax it’s me.” Vay’s concerned face and eyes searched for any signs that I was recognizing him. His hands were on both sides of my face, his thumb stroking away the tears.
“Vātēs?” I sobbed and crumbled to my knees.
“It’s okay, Tristis, I’m here.” He pulled me into a hug and let my head rest on his shoulder. I pulled him in as close as I could and held on tight. “Are you okay?”
After a moment I whispered, “A nightmare.”
“I gathered. I felt your emotional distress all the way back on Lexicon, it startled me out of my sleep.” He rubbed soothing circles on my back as I tried to calm down.
After what felt like an eternity I finally gently pulled away from his shoulder. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you or make you worried.”
“It is fine, as long as you are okay.”Worry was still etched on his face.
“When did we get here?” I asked as I looked around the grey and white plane.
“Around the time you recognized me.”
“Who would’ve thought angels could enter dreams.” I hollowly laughed. “Thanks.” I whispered and left his embrace to sit next to him.
“I did not know that either.” His face scrunched up and then he shook his head. “What were you dreaming about?”
I hesitated, not wanting to remember. “It started with my tattoos burning. It was worse than that time I didn’t release my powers, it was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. Think the solar heat except combined with the light of God times four hundred thousand million. Yeah, it was that painful, but then it subsided and I was staring at King Lucas.” I pursed my lips and took a deep breath trying to get a hold of my emotions.
“I remember you shouting his name.”
“He was standing there trying to tell me something, but I couldn’t hear. When I was finally able to understand anything, blood flooded out of his mouth and all you could hear was the gurgling and sloshing of it coming from inside his mouth to the outside. It was so disturbing and even through all that he tried to tell me something. I tried to get closer, but couldn’t.” I brought my legs up and wrapped my arms around them. “It got weirder as faceless bodies grabbed me and tried to drag me away from King Lucas. As much as I struggled and clawed, I couldn’t get away from their embrace. That’s when you came and you know the rest.”
“That is a pretty detailed dream. Do you think he was really trying to tell you something or was it your subconscious displaying your guilt over not saving him?”
“I don’t know, this hasn’t happened before. I’ve seen dozens die, even a few I’ve killed before the erasing. Why start now?” I looked at him with a helpless expression.
He looked back sad, “I don’t know. Perhaps you have come to your breaking point. You have been doing this for centuries without any sort of breaks in between.”
“I feel like that isn’t it though, but what do I know? I should go, I feel like I’ve been asleep for too long.” I stretched out my legs and then got up. Vay quickly followed suit. “Thank you for coming and rescuing me.” I hugged him tightly.
“No problem, if you ever need anything I am here.” He hugged me back.
“Right back at you.” I smiled, then the grey and white plane faded to a one of color. I sat up and looked to the window to see a sliver of light shining in. I pulled the blanket down and walked across the soft floor and opened the drapes. I had to shut my eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the bright light. My window faced the lively village that existed outside of the palace. I dropped the drape and headed to the clothes room to change and look presentable. I passed a vanity and decided to do my hair since it would take the longest. I pulled the comb through my knotted hair and then separated it down the middle. I French braided both sides until the nape of my neck and then combined them into one fishtail. Once satisfied with the outcome I walked into the room and looked through my options that would probably fit me. Deciding against a dress and skirt I found black pants that laced up the sides and put them on. After lacing up to my hips I looked through the shirts and tunics, finally deciding on medium blue long shirt with criss-cross lacing on the yoke and dark purple knot designs on the front yoke and cuffs. I fixed the high collar so it was not folded in on itself and looked in the mirror I had missed the first time I looked around the room. I adorned a black leather belt and left satisfied.