The Fall

Chapter 14

"Angel! Angel!" I hear a voice cry out. "Please help me!"

My body moves before I can think, revealing a small child chased by a large man. The man is holding a whip, clearly agitated. The child bears open wounds, tears streak their cheeks.

The child grabs onto my robes, sobbing as they plead for salvation. The man screams injustice, angered at something the child did.

I lift my hand, palm out to the man, sending a gust of wind to knock him down. The child flinches, their grip tightening on my robes. I settle a hand on their head, gently.

"Fear not, child. God will punish those who do not fear harming an innocent child," I say, lifting their chin to look at me. "If you should even fear for your life again, run away and do not look back. I shall find you and save you."

The child sniffles and nods. "Thank you, kind angel."

I pause. Am I truly a kind angel? Or have I become something else due to not being in Heaven much?

I look upon the child with sorrowful eyes. "I believe in you, child. Grow up well and strong so that you may enter the heavenly grace."

My vision starts to become blurry. Why does this feel wrong? What is happening? I look at my hand before everything fades to black.

I jerk upright, blurry eyed and panting heavily. I grab my chest, nearly gasping for air. I feel a hand grasp my arm and I jerk away, startled and unsure where I am.

"Miss Lana, you are safe!" I hear Nimue's voice calmly say. "It is I, Nimue. It will be ok, I promise."

I can feel Bartok clinging to my chest, squeaking at me loudly.

Blinking away my blurred vision, I gaze around at my surroundings. Nimue is to my left, holding my wrist gently. Bartok has attached himself to my shoulder. A demon I barely recognize is sitting on the bed farthest from me.

"How.. how long have I been asleep?" I ask, turning my attention slowly to Nimue.

"Only a few hours, according to Daggar over there," she replies, gesturing vaguely towards the demon across the room.

Daggar waves hesitantly at me. "You.. you, uh, talked in your sleep, m-ma'am.."

I frown and rub my head. "What did I say?"

They shake their head. "I could not understand what you said. It seemed like an entirely different language to me."

"I...I cannot remember what I had dreamed about," I mumble. My eyebrows knit together as a dull throb passes through my head.

Nimue pats my shoulder. "That is common. Most beings do not remember what they dream about."

I shake my head. "I remember the feelings I had during the dream, but the dream itself evades me." I rub my hand across my forehead, trying to alleviate the growing ache.

"Will you tell me how you felt?" Nimue asks.

I look at her before turning my gaze to my hand in my lap. "I cannot." I shake my head slowly.

Silence falls over the room. It feels almost suffocating the longer it drags on.

I let out a sigh. "Let us move passed this. I wish not to drag this on any longer." I throw my legs over the edge of the bed, rising up on slightly shaky legs. "I shall head back to the castle now. There is something I must take care of." Nimue begins to protest, but I raise a hand to stop her. "It is fine. I am fine."

Frowning at me with an almost disappointed look, she nods her head once. "Alright. I will relent from speaking any further for now."

I bow to her before adjusting my robes and settling Bartok on my shoulder. "Then I shall leave now. Thank you for helping me."