Shadow (Paused and Undergoing MAJOR Editing)

Chapter Three

Vapor

My dreams are the usual; fire, blood, war. This time, I'm in the middle of watching a concert in Vlamkorlar, when the stage suddenly bursts into flames. Everything is chaos, until my parents grab me and push me out of the stadium. Then, right as we're about to escape safely together, a huge, muscular arm comes out of nowhere and snatches them. I look up through the ceiling, and see an ugly, hulking giant, lifting my parents towards its mouth. I scream as my parents beg for mercy, and then I wake up, panting. 

The dream is a memory back to haunt me. I remember everything... After watching my parents' death, I stumbled far away, trying to find something, anything, to get me out of that nightmare. At the time, I was convinced it was one. Not real. Not harmful. But I was wrong. So wrong. Eventually, I found a portal to here- it was highly protected by part of the army, so it was difficult- but I just kept pushing, determined to wake up and for everything to be alright. But it wasn't. After I realized that, I found the others, who are my family now... I guess. Still, whenever I have the nightmare, some part of me is always going to hurt. When I wake, I suddenly wonder how Pustyn and Durpner did.

"Durpner?" I ask from my corner. I try to sit up, and then fall over. Everything aches.

"Yes?" He asks, looking up at me.

"Um... I was wondering... How did you get here? The human world, I mean?" I clarify. Durpner's face falls.

"Durpner," Pustyn says softly. "You should tell them." Everyone is now awake, waiting to see if Durpner will answer.

"But-"

"It's for our own good. You can't hide it forever," Pustyn places a hand on her hips, in that adorable tough way she always does when she wants to make a point.

"We...we lived with our mother," Durpner begins, his eyes distant. "Our father fought in the war... and- and was killed. By a demon. So I ran away. I was a coward." Durpner scowls and turns away.

Pustyn grabs Durpner's hand and squeezes it gently. "If you don't want to continue, I will," She whispers softly. Pustyn closes her eyes. "My mother never told me my father was fighting in the war. She probably thought I was too delicate. I ran away both to prove I was tough, to find Durpner, and because I believe our father is still alive," Her face lit up. "If we find him, we can reunite the family!"

Nobody seems to want to argue with her, but Durpner grabs Pustyn's shoulders and spins her around to face him. "Pustyn," He starts, frowning. "The letter did s-say he was gone,"

Pustyn just smiles at him, determination etched into her eyes, and breaks free from his grasp.

Everyone sits there for a moment in silence, processing each twin's side of the story. "What about you, Vapor?" Shadow asks. "Why are you here?" I sigh, not wanting to repeat the entire story, because I might just break, so I snuggle into my corner, trying to get as comfortable as possible, then simply say,

"Giants." The word seems to explain most of my story, and Pustyn simply huddles a little closer to me, giving me a reassuring smile. I ask Dracoponian why he's here, but none of us can understand his wild gestures. Something about hats and other dragons. We leave it be.

The next day, I feel better. I walk, jump, and awkwardly try to fly. A pixie shakes its head. "You'll never fly again," it squeaks.

"Oh, yes, I will!" I declare. I summon wind to lift me, and fly up. The pixie snorts. "It's never gonna work, elf." It's voice is so high pitched, I can barely hear it. Frankly, I don't want to hear it.