Chapter 3: A Dream

The rumbling thunder started to roar in the sky. Dark clouds were slowly crawling over the town of Vizca, making the place darker and colder. 

People on land were mesmerized by the sudden phenomena, watching the clouds as it covered their place. 

Birds were flying to different places, searching for a place to stay to avoid being in darkness. 

It was when a very strong lightning struck the open space on land, when the people outside their houses started to panic. It has never occurred to them that it might happen in their own place, but it was happening in front of their eyes. 

The lightning left a mark on the ground - two triangles intersecting with each other, one was inverted, forming a star, and in the middle, there was a circle with a little skull inside. Once they saw it, people already had an idea what was happening. 

Elderlies went outside their homes with the adults, while children were forced to get back inside and hide from there. 

Another lightning struck the land, as powerful as the first, but the time it made contact with the ground was way too longer than the first. It was moving in circles. 

It created a huge and wide circle with fire burning around it. The fire was getting stronger, and it was moving in circles, getting faster and faster as it got bigger than the houses around. 

Thunder hasn't stopped ever since and it was getting louder as the circulating fire kept growing. 

People of Vizca were preparing themselves for what lies beyond the circle of fire as they watched it slowly stop. 

The fire was setting down, and as people waited for something to appear in the middle, others were shouting everywhere in town, yelling for help. 

They were all busy preparing themselves around the circle of fire, and it never occurred to them that it was only misleading them and had become a bait while others were being attacked without mercy.

Bodies were lying on the ground with no signs of life. Blood was everywhere. Others were still trying to fight for their own lives and to save what could be saved, but it was already too late…

"You were having a bad dream." Madam Loury bent over and snapped once in front of his face to wake him up. 

Elio's eyes were red, and his brows had formed furrows between them as he looked so serious and irritated towards her. 

Madam Loury stood straight and crossed her hands over her chest as she stared back at him, while he pulled himself up and helped himself sit on his bed.

"Did you read my mind?" His voice was sounding annoyed and he was trying not to yell at her face. Just thinking about that thought of going through his mind without permission makes him feel so furious. 

"I did not. You were sweating and unstable on your bed so I assumed you were. I just woke you up." Madam Loury kept her voice flat, even the emotions on her face, keeping her composed self.

Elio Freyr did not seem to buy her reason. His eyes were still on her, trying to figure out whether she was lying or telling the truth, but he could just figure nothing.

He shut his eyes closed and bowed his head down with furrows still lining in between his brows. 

It has been a while since he last had a nightmare. But it was different from before. His dream was so detailed this time that he still remembered the mark on the ground and everything that had happened there. 

And the part that got his attention was the dream itself. It has never happened before, and he was sure of it. 

All the nightmares that he had, had happened before in front of his own eyes, and if not, he heard about it from someone, but the recent  dream he had had never happened before and he was sure about it. 

"If I remember it clearly, those houses were built after the attack two years ago." He said in his mind as he tried to analyze everything on his own. 

Elio Freyr opened his eyes and looked back towards Madam Loury who hadn't moved an inch and was still looking down at him. 

"Have you seen a Seer around?" 

Furrows appeared in between Madam Loury's brows as she heard the sudden question out of nowhere, but she recovered fast. 

"No. Why are you asking?"

"I had a friend back then. She's a Seer. But I haven't seen her around ever since. I was just wondering if you saw her or anyone like her somewhere." It was a clear lie, but Madam Loury just didn't want to argue more as she was already too tired. 

She had a bunch of patients earlier that she had to cure when Elio was still in his deep sleep, and the least she would want to do is to waste her energy arguing with someone which she knew would only be pointless. 

"Seers are gone." She sighed. She snapped once and a chair appeared beside her and took it to sit. 

"They were killed two years ago. Others might still be alive, but might be hiding somewhere to protect themselves. So if you're looking for your friend, it's either she's dead or just hiding. It's better if it's the latter." 

Madam Loury sighed again. She looked so worn out. Although Elio was wondering what had happened to her to be in that state, he remained silent and let himself understand what she had said. 

"Anyway. You can go now. The med has already healed you, and there are no signs of poison in your body now."  

Elio did not bother to ask anything nor say anything. Instead, he stood up and collected himself to get out and be with his own self. 

"Just one piece of advice, Mr. Freyr." 

He stopped halfway to the door, and looked back to Madam Loury. He met her back, still seated on the chair she had summoned a while ago, waiting for her to continue what she had to say. 

"Open your eyes. You wouldn't see anything if they're closed." 

Questions ran through his whole being, but instead of asking for an explanation, he just shrugged his shoulders and walked out of the room made from his subconscious mind.