6. Nightmares

It began with a distant echo, a thunderous voice reverberating through the void, commanding him not to proceed. The words were indistinct yet carried an undeniable weight, as though the universe itself warned against what he was about to do.

Amid this ominous cacophony, a faint, ethereal voice cut through the darkness. It was a lady's voice, delicate yet filled with an urgent plea. "Save yourself," she whispered, her words swirling around the young boy like a haunting melody. Each syllable resonated with desperation, tugging at his heartstrings with an otherworldly allure.

The voices intensified, each with desperation. The thunderous voice grew louder, a booming crescendo that shook his very core.

It spoke of consequences, of irreversible choices that would alter the course of existence itself. Yet, the lady's voice persisted a fragile thread of hope amidst the encroaching despair.

The vision enveloped him in a shroud of darkness that seemed to seep into his very soul and began to materialize before Lucian's eyes, fragmented and surreal. He saw himself standing, crumbling with each hesitant step forward. Shadows danced around him, whispering secrets of forgotten truths and unspoken fears.

Faces flashed before his eyes, familiar yet distorted, pleading silently for him to turn back, warning him of the consequences of what he was about to do.

But the lady's voice, soft yet insistent, continued to draw him forward. It echoed through the labyrinth of his mind, guiding him towards an unknown destination. Her words painted vivid images of a distant land bathed in twilight, awaiting him to defy the darkness.

Still, the thunderous voice morphed into a chorus of accusing cries, each syllable a dagger aimed at his resolve. Doubt gnawed at his mind like a relentless predator, threatening to consume him whole.

Throughout, the lady's voice remained his beacon of hope, a fragile lifeline in the tumultuous sea of his subconscious.

The young boy stumbled forward, driven by a mixture of fear and determination. The echoes of the voices reverberated through his being, a haunting symphony that both tormented and guided him.

The boy was enveloped in a shroud of darkness that seemed to seep into his very soul.

Standing at the crossroads of destiny, the weight of his choices pressing down upon him like an unforgiving burden. The thunderous voice roared one final admonition, a proclamation of judgment that echoed across the void.

"Don't take a step, this is your last chance to change your destiny, to restore your immortality."

But amidst the chaos and despair, the lady's fading voice spoke once more, clear and unwavering. "Save yourself, don't worry about me, I will be fine, I love you so much," she implored, her words a lifeline amidst the darkness.

The words rang in the boy's mind, giving him the energy to press on. With newly profound energy the young boy walked on, each step sipping energy from his already bleeding wounds until he reached out towards the flickering light that beckoned him forward, towards the promise of redemption and salvation.

As he stepped into the unknown, the voices faded into silence. The nightmare dissolved around him, leaving behind only the echo of his heartbeat and the memory of a lady's voice, which had already faded into the void of land.

"You didn't listen to your father again! I warned you, didn't I? Now see what has happened to you, I warned you not to love anyone, love will only make you weaker, but you never listened to me," the thunderous voice resoluted in the void, but this time it carried little emotions, or so the boy thought.

"I am sorry son, but now you have to face the consequence of your actions," the thunderous voice boomed...

Just then Lucian jerked awake, his heart pounding wildly in his chest. Sweat soaked his brow, and he gasped for air, disoriented by the lingering traces of the nightmare that had gripped him moments ago. He sat up in bed, clutching the sheets tightly, trying to shake off the unsettling feeling that lingered.

These nightmares had been haunting him all his life ever since he could remember, but there was never a time that it had scared him the most like had today, it seems like with each passing day there was a new concept introduced in the nightmares.

It had started a few two weeks ago, these vivid nightmares that seemed to transport him back in time. Or at least, that's what they felt like, fragments of memories, emotions so raw and real that they left him shaken for hours afterward. Tonight's dream was no different, only that it was scarier.

What troubled him most was the timing. The nightmares had intensified ever since Stella had moved in with him. Lucian found himself grappling with these haunting visions more frequently. He had never told anyone about them, because whoever friends he had once told while they were in school had called him possessed, and ever since then he had never shared it with anyone.

Lucian swung his legs over the edge of the bed, running a hand through his tousled hair. The room was quiet now, the only sound the soft hum of the city outside. He needed to clear his head, to make sense of what was happening to him.

He padded barefoot across the room to the window, pushing the curtains aside to peer out into the night. The cool breeze brushed against his skin, offering momentary relief from the suffocating grip of the nightmare. He closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing, trying to untangle the web of confusion and fear that had woven itself around him.

Lucian leaned into the wall, maybe he didn't have to understand everything right now. Maybe he just needed to accept that the nightmares were already a part of his life.

Once assured, Lucian walked back to the bed. He felt a glimmer of hope stir within him. Perhaps the nightmares were a sign, a call to confront what lay buried deep within him, whatever demons that haunted his past.

The city outside gradually began to stir with the first hints of dawn, casting a soft glow into the room. Lucian closed his eyes as he slowly eased back into bed. The nightmares would come again, he knew.