Nightmare Fantasy

Chapter 2: Friendship

Chapter 2: Friendship

Sunlight hit her face, alarming the startled girl. She knew in her room at home that she never had the sun come up from her bed in the morning, but the sunset only. Looking around, she gasped, still surprised to see her dream had not faded for an instant. Wherever she was, this reality could not be altered as her desires wished. She sat at the head of her bed, looking onto the sand dunes from her window.

"Am I possibly not dreaming? Is that even possible? I suppose I should proceed on, I guess. What other choice do I really have? If I sit here, nothing will change," she murmed gently while stretching carefully.

Her bare feet glided onto the cool marble floor. She prepared for the day, glad at least she would not be alone but have a few helpful people around to assist her. She tended to be rather upbeat about a difficult situation if she could. Complaining only seemed to make things worse, she felt.

The man yawned loudly as he sat up groggy. He hadn't slept so good in a long time. With the constant worry over being chased, not only by Marix but others, he never could sleep soundly. A cold chill pricked his bare skin as he shivered. He clutched onto the blanket, wrapping it around his body. Soon, he adjusted and began to investigate his current surroundings. It was then that he finally realized his adversary had left, leaving only an empty pillow behind.

"Marix! He should have woken me up!"

Sky jumped out of his bed as he rushed around frantically. He hated knowing he was left behind on things. Though most wouldn't believe it, he always tended to be rather early than on time to things. It felt wrong for him today to have things work out as they had. He saw some clothing placed outside the doorway of his room. He grabbed it and headed back in. Though the only people he saw in the temple appeared to be with him the previous night, he'd rather not have the girl see him dress in the hallway.

He pouted as he rushed, trying to figure out how the clothing was to be worn. It appeared to be some sort of wrap, though he was unfamiliar with the fashion. He soon frowned, "Nariasen clothing is tricky to wear!"

He thought again for a moment. It irritated him knowing Marix probably had no trouble with the attire whatsoever. "How do these clothes go on? Uh, whatever," he shook his head in full frustration.

Deciding to wear the wrap loosely as a coat, he wore his pants again, leaving his chest bare angrily. Maybe he could get assistance from Guard as soon as he could find him. Again, he had no idea where to look, so he ran around the complex, opening doors and shouting. His energy put even a child to shame.

The girl, however, very unlike the silly boy wandering around, cautiously hesitated with every glance into a room. She marveled that a place so big and grand seemed to have no one there at all except the white-haired man. Perhap, the familiarity of her situation was a normal thing. Though her books and stories taught otherwise of big civilizations, maybe most lived in quiet places?

When finally she least expected it in her grand search, a door led to a grand hallway littered with walls of books. It seemed so large and impressive. She wondered how one could acquire such a collection in a desert. Up above her, shelves seemed to loom in random paths overhead. How one would get a book from there, she knew not. She wandered among the throngs of shelves until she came to a windowed area and stopped.

"You're up, I see," Marix spoke while he sat on a window sill, admiring the view of the desert.

Guard then bowed, speaking again in a tongue she could not comprehend. By the look of Marix's expression, he, too, was just as baffled.

"What does that mean?" she inquired innocently.

"Huh? Oh, just good morning. Sorry about that," murmured Guard with a grand blush. "It is a common Nariasen saying one greets in the morning with."