The Nightmare
By: Qai
As the sound of lightning crackles in the near distance, Qai feels the tickle of electricity in the air. She sighs heavily as she watches the shadows dance across the cave's wall, hoping sleep would find her sooner than the storm arrives lest she finds no rest for the night. The stone hanging from her necklace begins to glow a dark red as her eyes grow heavy. Qai's last thought is of the bauble she is designing as she drifts into a deep slumber.
"Qai.. wake up." A rasping voice whispers in her ear. "Open your eyes!" Qai's eyes flutter open at the command. Darkness, a flash of a bloodied wall, darkness, a high pitch scream sounds from behind her, more darkness. Qai turns, rubbing at her eyes, calls out, "Who's there?" She stands, noticing a distant light, and moves toward it. Not walking, not running, simply moving. Another flash, this time of a face she can barely make out. The eyes seem to be sad, crying, the full lips placid, skin a waxy tan. The Dwarf reaches out to touch the face, somehow familiar, as a sadness washes over her. She carefully wipes at the tears, another flash of light splashes across the face. It is then that she notices the unblinking Dwarven eyes, and the liquids streaming from them are tears of blood.
Qai screams loudly, but no sound escapes her mouth. The sight of the face tears at her heart, she somehow knows this woman, feeling a strong connection. The Dwarf turns around quickly as more flashes of the bloody wall appear briefly before the darkness returns. "Who are you?! Where am I?!" Qai yells loudly, "Show yourself!"
The rasping voice expels a gruesome laugh, then sweetly says, "Ahh, but Qai you do know me. You know me well in fact, silly girl. Close friends you and I, have you forgotten?" The flash of the bloody face appears again before her, the body twisted repulsively, then the darkness. "I'm every nightmare you've ever had. I'm your worst dream come true. I'm everything you ever were afraid of." the raspy voice whispers as if in a thousand voices sound all around Qai in the darkness. "How could you have you forgotten me so easily? I shall remind you," it laughs, "Yes, I shall show you as well. We were good together once. You will see! You will come back to me! We've much to do, so very much to do!" The Speaker's laughter echoes through the darkness, Qai shakes her head holding her hands to her ears as if to block it out. Horrific scenes of blood soaked walls and bodies flash before her eyes.
Qaii sits up with a start, a scream escaping her lips and echoes through the inn as the lightning cracks loudly outside. She takes a deep breath, her sweat drenched body shivering as she grips tightly at the sheets. "Just a dream, nothing to fear, just a dream." Qai looks around the room, confused and still frightened from the nightmare. "Where.. am I?"