From the nook of my eyes, gazing upwards to the empty night time sky, a nod.

I knew it…

“Will I remember that I’m asleep?”

A nod once more, this time tougher to see, she crept again barely.

Placing me to sleep, however I will be conscious that I am asleep… I can solely consider one purpose why that was the case.

“Are you going to by some means hyperlink our consciousness or one thing? Put me in her head?”

Simply barely in my peripheral sight… I noticed, I believe I noticed… one other nod, possibly.

So this was her plan? This was why she wanted me right here? I’ll enter Ria’s thoughts and do what precisely? And why me? Should not Irene be higher fitted to this? She is aware of her higher than I do, does not she?!

God – all these questions that I am unable to ask ‘trigger you’ll be able to’t converse! Critically, what’s a man to do?

I –

I am listening to one thing, one thing out of the road with the ambiance. It gave the impression of a firecracker…

Or a bone snapping out of my place.

Uh oh.

I heard it once more, and that is when the alarm bells began to blare.

New query.

“Is… is that this going to harm?”

I did not see her nod her head, I did not see her shake it both.

A hand. Not her hand.

Too many fingers, jagged, damaged splintered edges…

The opposite hand. From her cloak.

“Sera…!”

It lunged at me, darted itself at my throat – she mentioned to not blink, she mentioned to not transfer…

Screw it!

I pulled up, I moved away – too late. I felt the strain, felt the sudden cease.

Squeezing. Tighter.

The jagged components burrowed, I can really feel it rending, grinding the floor of my throat.

I squirmed, however the extra I struggled, the extra it snared tight.

She was going to kill me. This was precisely what she tried to do earlier than.

However she will be able to’t kill me, she will be able to’t! I am unable to die, she -! The deal, this wasn’t the deal… this…

So why does this damage? This sensation, I felt this… I do know this…

Loss of life.

This was loss of life.

Dying.

My blood staining the inexperienced grass, my eyes blurring the view of the night time sky…

The night time… sky…?

Brilliant blue, white clouds. This wasn’t night time.

Inexperienced grass? No blood?

Wait.

I can breathe.

Wait.

What the fuck.

No freaky hand. Nothing crushing my throat. No ache, no dying sensation.

“Dream,” I heard myself converse loud and clear. “Dreaming now.”

Took in all of the dream-air that my dream-lung might take earlier than letting out an enormous dream-sigh.

You are gonna get it from me, Sera. Swear to God…

In any case, after I obtained myself coming to phrases with that near-death expertise, I obtained as much as my toes to survey the remainder of my environment.

My first takeaway from it? Public park this was not.

Received the inexperienced grass, and the tall timber identical to the park, however then abruptly I additionally obtained a colossal mountain vary to stare at on the far distant horizon.

Then simply barely two toes away, I am already locking my gaze on the strangest assortment of natural world I’ve ever seen.

A flock of birds within the sky… four-winged flock of birds within the sky.

I’ve crash-landed in an alien world, have not I?

A distinct world.

Oh, boy…

The query nonetheless stands although, what the hell do I do know?

Um, I suppose… I will stroll a bit.

One step.

Two steps.

“Ria?”

I finished at three, catching sight of a vivid orange glow within the timber, skirting by means of the barks and leaves.

Buzzing a tune so dainty and free. I do know that tune too, that hum.

Ria all the time hummed that tune ever so usually, that one time we went garments buying, or each time she’d be cooking within the kitchen.

These days appear so way back now.

I finished strolling, I began operating… nearer and nearer, to the buzzing woman’s prance.

“Ria!” I referred to as out once more, this time shut sufficient to be heard.

She stopped buzzing, then slowly, she rotated and introduced her eyes trying again at mine.

I finished too… and stared.

She’s smaller than I believed she’d be. Often, Ria would all the time be at eye-level with me… however this woman, I needed to slant my head right down to even make eye contact.

However every thing else, there was no mistaking it.

Her lengthy crimson smoldering hair, her vivid crimson eyes…. the modern curves of her face. It was all a one-to-one ratio.

This was Ria.

I didnt know the place to start out, I did not know what the hell to say. So quickly and so quick – who the hell would have anticipated any of this to occur waking up very first thing within the morning?

Effectively, I definitely did not, and judging by her unblinking inflexible gaze… clearly neither did she.

“Ria…” I believe I used to be smiling, I can really feel my cheek straining. “It is me… it is – !”

I by no means obtained to complete. It was like an explosion however with out the inital eruption – a bang with no growth. One second, my eyes noticed greenery as far the attention might see, the following they had been squinting practically, nearly blinded by the tough glow of swirling crimson flames.

Ria was nowhere to be seen, as a substitute ringing out from the between the violent crackling and the tulmultous roar of the blazing warmth – a shrill cry resonating, echoing simply as a pair of shimmering vivid golden wings sprang forth from the pillar of fireside. 

It was a beautiful sight, a too acquainted sight…

Then, in a flutter, a ruffle of glittering feathers, a gust of wind simply as robust, blew away the flames straight away. One other piercing cry, then the phoenix swiftly took flight.

Gliding gracefully by means of the leaves, weaving easy by means of the timber. She’s going away, she’s operating away…

Not once more.

“Hey!” I shouted after her, lifting my legs, I chased after her. “The place are you going?!”

In right here, my legs did not damage, my physique did not ache, I used to be navigating previous the trenches and ditches like I had the physique of an Olympian demi-god. Alas, although I jumped and sprinted quick…

When has legs ever crushed wings?

I used to be dropping her. Her luminous glow fading additional with each passing second. Do not know the place she was going, however I will be damned if I used to be gonna lose her once more. 

“Ria, cease flying!” I shouted, swatting away free branches. “I do know you’ll be able to hear me, you higher cease ignoring me!”

I used to be so busy protecting watch of her from the gaps on the treetops, that I uncared for to maintain my eyes entrance to see what was coming forward of me… and what ultimately got here.

No, I did not smack my face right into a tree, although I did have my shut brushes… no, exact opposite in actual fact… the forest abruptly opened up, abruptly the view from up was now not cluttered in rustling greens.

It was probably the most expansive lush plain I’ve ever seen, now not was I sprinting by means of bushes, my legs had been dashing by means of the tall grass… and the view for seemingly countless ignored an unlimited open valley from under. 

That is proper, under.

I used to be bolting in direction of the sting of a plateau. 

“SHIT!” 

Practically dove headfirst skidding to a halt – only a few extra inches, one other second extra and that’d be it for me. I am no massive fan of falling… even when it is a dream.

The phoenix within the saved flying unabated, in the meantime I stood there… unable to maneuver a single step ahead.

She was getting away, in spite of everything.

Cannot lose her, now. Assume! What did you come her for?!

“Hear, I simply need to discuss!” I cupped my palms to my lips. “Ria! I simply need to know! Please! Do not go but!”

Additional and additional…

“Argh! You are a cussed phoenix!” I wanted to know, earlier than she goes. “Why will not you get up?!”

She continued to flap her wings, away… distant, then she flapped once more, turning…

Turning extra.

One other flap, the little glowing speck within the sky progressively growing in measurement. She started to dive down, touching floor in a burst of golden gentle – then rising from that gentle, out walked a determine in scarlet. 

Sluggish, precarious steps my method…

I breathed a sigh of aid. “Thought you had been gonna go…”

Ria took a second to face and stare, earlier than each her palms went right down to her hips, and she or he took in a deep breath.

“You…” The primary phrase I’ve heard in a very long time, she sounded off a bit… her voice felt a bit increased pitch. “What did you name me simply then?”

There was a stiffness to her tone, her crimson eyes burning with curiosity aplenty.

“Cussed,” I replied, tilting my head. “What, you are gonna say I am improper?”

“Not improper,” She tilted her head too. “However improper phrase. The opposite phrase, the phrase after that phrase.” 

The phrase after… what?

“Phoenix?”

“Ah! That is the one! That one!” She stomped swift strides too shut, standing on tiptoe to satisfy nose to nose. “The place did you hear that phrase, huh? How have you learnt it? The place did you be taught it?”

Ah…

For as soon as, I truly needed to be away from her, so I took a number of paces again. 

“What are you speaking about? Ria, are you – ?”

“And why are you calling me by that title, unusual man that I’ve by no means met earlier than?” She demanded, a distinguished frown on show. “Effectively, care to elucidate your self?”

My blinks proper then had been sooner than my thoughts might course of what was simply mentioned.

“You do not… keep in mind me?”

“Bear in mind you?” That frown grew to become a bemused smile that funneled a chuckle. “I do not even know you, good sir!”

“Ria, it is me! It is – “

“I am not Ria!” She interjected, baring a smile of even larger bemusement. “I am Latrissa!”

Latri-wha? Is it doable to faint inside a dream? ‘Trigger I believe I’d truly.

“Latrissa…” I started to sputter, greedy for straws in my thoughts of issues that’ll make sense of the scenario. “Latrissa… Latrissa – okay! Latrissa what? What’s your final title?”

“Ignis,” She proclaimed with a flourish. “Latrissa Ignis, the quickest flier this facet of Frieden Rike.”

“Ignis! Okay, Ignis…” Regular breaths, calm your self. “So Latrissa… um, do you occur to – “

“Know who precisely this Ria Ignis individual is, perchance?” She gave a snide look. “Is that what you are about to ask?”

“Cheekiness, guess it comes with the surname,” I remarked, earlier than steadying my composure as soon as extra. “Effectively, do you?”

Latrissa seemed nearly able to burst into full-blown laughter at any second.

“Effectively, I would be a horrible daughter if I did not!” She mentioned, smiling that very same smile I have not seen in so lengthy. “I imply she is my very own mom, in spite of everything!”