The Son of Fabius: Vesper Crowe and the Gods of Space Series

Ch. 2: Dreams, Scares and Night Terrors

VESPER

I hate having dreams... Especially the ones that never seem to end. I've always had weirdly vivid dreams. This one was no different. 

I was standing behind a pillar. Voices could be heard from a short distance away. "You have failed me, you wretch." a male voice boomed. 

"I'm sorry, O Greatest One." a familiar voice replied back. Mx. Sandjra? I thought. There is no way? Right? They couldn't've escaped. 

"You allowed that demigod get away.. and get across the border no less." the booming voice solemnly said. 

"I almost had him, sir. If I could-" 

"SILENCE!" a wave crashed into me. "You shall be tossed back into the Abyss. You are of no need to me. I have other ways to get what I want." I peered out from behind the pillar. Mx. Sandjra was kneeling before a throne. The throne was shrouded in darkness. Mx. Sandjra scrambled away from the throne. With a snap of his fingers, the being shrouded in darkness opened a portal and Mx. Sandjra was swallowed with a shriek. 

"Sir? Was that truly necessary? She could have been useful." Another, more calm voice requested. 

"You are all I need now. Bring the Son of Fabius to me. He will be mine to consume." I wanted to pipe in and say, No thanks! No, don't eat me! But my voice didn't seem to work. 

Then the dream shifted. This time I was sitting in one of the trees in the Capital. The leaves were in full bloom. Purple, pink and red leaves covering the tops of the trees. I touched the rough blue bark and smiled. This was one of my favorite places. "Beautiful, isn't it?" a small voice asked from beside me. I almost fell out of the tree. 

"Who? What??"  I asked, surprised that my voice actually worked. Next to me, sat a young girl. A crown of lilies and skulls adorned her head. 

"I am Asphodel, goddess of death." she answered. Her silver hair fell into her palms as she stared off into the city. 

"Um? What are you doing here?" I asked. 

"I love this scene. It is one of my favorite's in Stargate 12. I visit here often." She turned to look at me. Her eyes were hollow and black. "Oh, you meant in your dream." She giggled. It was more of a crow caw than a giggle. "Don't worry, hero, I do not mean to cause you harm. I am here to warn you." She clasped her hands in her lap again. I waited patiently, watching the scene below and around us. "They are arising again." she said quietly. 

"Who is arising?" She looked at me. Despair and sorrow on her face.  Silence fell over us. I stared at her, waiting for her to say anything. "Who is arising, Asphodel?" I asked again. I didn't really want an answer. She pressed a lily into my hand. 

"I must go, hero. I hope that I won't be meeting you again. Be careful and heed these words: Do not trust the Red." Before I could ask her what she meant, she disappeared in a cloud of smoke. This lily was warm against my skin. I stared out into the city. The sound of sirens and alarms blared. 

I jumped awake, banging my head on someone else's. "Ow! Frick, what the?" a sultry voice asked. I rubbed my head and eyes. It was too bright. A shadow casts over my face. 

"Is he awake?" Another, more familiar, voice asked. When I opened my eyes again, I could see clearly. To my right sat Zadia. To my left sat a guy I didn't know. 

"Yeah, Zayd. He's awake." the guy on my left replied as he got up and walked out of the room. Zayd? Who? It clicked then, must be Zadia's nickname. 

"Hi." he said. 

"Hey." I answered, parched. As if on cue, Zayd handed me some water. He was wearing a yellow veil today with sparkly eye shadow to match. I smirked. He looked great.