The Amethyst Order - Ranger's Apprentice Fanfiction

Chapter 14

It hurts.

Everything hurts.

Gilan laid on his side, clutching himself, facing the wall. He stared at the outside world through a small hole, watching the steady putter of raindrops falling.

Pitter-patter, splish, splash. Pitter-patter, splish, splash.

It calmed his confused, hurt head with its therapeutic sound. But it still hurt.

On the brink of insanity, Gilan had two choices. One much, much easier than the other.

He could either fight back, the harder option, and free himself from this state of mind, costing him everlasting pain. Or he could give in. Relax and give in.

Gilan's breathing slowed as his eyes shut. Relaxation sounded like a sweet treat from all that he's been through.

He had made his choice.

>>>------------->

Gilan sat on the edge of a cliff. He could see everything down below him. Flowers blooming, trees sprouting, children playing, adults chatting. It was peaceful.

In one corner of his sight, stood a house. His mother stood on the porch with a joyous light in her eyes watching young Gilan chasing butterflies.

Battlemaster David appeared wearing a tunic and some pants. He had just returned from the castle. He still had a suite inside of it, but the family chose to have a house in the village, thinking that it would be better for Gilan.

Four-year old Gilan squealed and ran to his father, tackling him. His mother gigged and ran over to pull Gilan off of David, but ended up in the grass alongside of them.

The small family laughed together as they laid in the soft grass, ignoring all others around them.

The scene changed.

Twelve-year old Gilan was with Macneil training. The moves were shouted in random order, and Gilan performed them in ease.

Sweat formed on his head, wetting his hair, and tiring himself. He kept on going despite the fatigue, refusing to give in.

Four-year old Gilan to twelve-year old Gilan was a change. A once innocent soul had turned. And he knew it. Learning to fight at a young age was no easy process, but Gilan managed. It was what had driven him to wanting to become a ranger, the long days of perfecting battle moves bore Gilan.

The scene changed again.

Fifteen-year old Gilan, it was who he was now.

He was with Blaze. Oh, how he missed her. They were bonding with each other one evening; they were laughing and telling each other jokes.

Gilan never felt lost when Blaze was around. Her neigh and fur calmed him significantly. But it didn't last long before another scene appeared.

This time Gilan was with Halt. He was watching the whole lesson on unseen movement all over again.

Halt was instructing him on how the shadows and wind played a huge part in the whole concept. Before long, Gilan was watching himself following Halt, trying to surprise him in Castle Redmont.

The bittersweet memory made Gilan smile. It seemed so long ago, but it was so close. But the prank was what caused all of this.

It was what caused all the pain.

The picture changed one last time. And the foggy and misty air from previous dreams returned.

Gilan internally screamed. Every single nightmare replayed leaving scars in his head.

"Pain! Yearning! Emotion! Peace!"

"No one cares about you."
"Halt doesn't care."
"Pain."
"There is no hope."
"You're going to die."

Every memory was returning, but nightmares went with every one of them.

Everything surpassed Gilan's capability.

It was far too much.

Far, far too much.

>>>------------->

Gilan opened his eyes. His mind was racing. This wasn't suppose to happen. Why was there still pain? Why was there even more pain than before?

A cold feeling hit Gilan as he realized what had happened. He had made the wrong decision.

And now, he cannot turn back. He was trapped inside his head. He had lost the power to fight back the pain.

His conscience was now ill.

A/N:

I promise next chapter will be normal length!