Undying #Wattys2015

Chapter 4: Searching through Darkness

Through the Eyes of Claira Blackenwing: 

Flashback Dream: 

I was standing in shadows. All of my sorrows were concentrated around me. Not again... Don't force me to see it again. I know I failed him. Please don't show it again. 

My nightmares never listened. They never cared. 

I was standing in blackness. Was I trapped in a sphere of shadows? Holding out my hands in front of me, I moved through it, reaching for an opening. I was grabbing at soft, dark clouds that surrounded me. I tried to pull them apart, but my arms were too weak. The shadows were sapping my energy. 

Then, behind me, light entered through an opening. Standing in the light, I saw a young man turned away from me. I could not recognize his face. In fact, his facial features were blurred; it's been a long time since I've seen him. But I knew who he was. It was Aiden. I tried to run over, but time slowed down around me. I could not run. I could not even walk. It was as if my body was moving in heavy water, which hindered all my efforts to break free.  

In a muffled tone, I heard him speaking, yet I could not understand his words. With my arm extended, I reached for him. Please, don't go with him. Don't throw your life away. 

Suddenly, his voice penetrated the darkness, and I tried to cover my ears; I did not want to hear his final words. Echoing through the dark sphere, his voice ripped me apart, "I'm going to join the Waywards with Bane. I don't want to become an Aetherial Warrior with you. He's...He's more important to me." 

I screamed, but no sound came out. My thoughts devoured me, and I was crying, trying to break free from my miseries. I failed you! No, come back! 

With his head down, he declared, "Goodbye..."  

Without a second thought, he started walking away from me. The opening was closing, and I was rushing to catch up with him. As I crawled through the thick, black slime, my muscles were burning from all the pain. But I needed to stop him. I needed to save him! When I had reached the end of the obstructing shadows, I screamed at the top of my lungs, while ripping at the darkness to keep the opening from disappearing, "AIDEN! Come back! Don't go!" 

He did not even turn back. The opening closed. 

My thoughts devoured my soul. For the longest time, I thought you were dead. I'm sorry I let you leave. I should have gone after you. I failed you. But if the man was right, I still have a chance to redeem myself.