A Monster Revealed

Adea had fallen asleep minutes after Lyda left. She was anxious to forget everything that just happened between her and her sister and could not wait to get lost in her dreams again. That was when everything went wrong. Horribly wrong.

The dream started so pleasantly. Adea placed herself by the edge of a tranquil lake with her friends but decided to keep Lyda out of this one. She figured that would only remind her of the stress of their conversation.

In the dream, Eran and Ellis were horseplaying around in the water while Jay was asleep on the bank. Adea waded out into the water and turned over on her back. Even in the dream, the water felt so real, but Adea did not need to tread to keep herself afloat. She just lay on the surface of the lake and stared up at the cloudless, blue sky. That was when it started.

The first peculiar thing she noticed was the sky began to color over. The light cerulean hue of the sky darkened until the stars appeared and the heavens were glossed over with streaks of red much like the dreams in which she stared up at the cosmos. It was beautiful at first, but Adea was taken aback by such a shift in her dream that was not her own doing. She tried to concentrate enough to will the sky to return to its previous state, but to her astonishment, it only darkened even further.

"What's going on?" Adea muttered to herself. She soon realized the water felt thicker than before. She turned her head over to look at the water. It was almost too dark to see clearly, but the substance in which she lied had become thick and dark in color like maroon. At first, Adea thought it was merely reflecting the obscure light of the heavens above her, but it did not take long to realize the horrifying truth: the water had turned to blood.

Adea let out a gasp of shock as some unseen force suddenly pulled her under the lake of blood. She tried to let out a scream, but nothing came out as she was dragged under. She began to choke as if she was drowning. That was impossible! This was just a dream, wasn't it? Adea panicked as she struggled against whatever force was binding her in place. Eventually, she was able to free herself and swam back to the surface.

Adea emerged above the blood, gasping for breath. She was in such a state of shock that she did not even question why the laws of nature were infesting her dream. The only thing on her mind was why was all this happening? Her hair and face were drenched as the blood ran down her cheeks. All of it felt so real. The sky had gone red, even the light of the stars. It was the most horrific atmosphere she had ever seen. Her eyes darted over to Jay lying by the lakeside. She was utterly disturbed to see the body of her friend decomposing down to the bone. She was beginning to hyperventilate as she looked around for Eran and Ellis. As she scanned for them, she watched a lone figure slowly emerge from the blood where the two had been before. Like Jay, the body of the figure appeared to be rotted to the point that much of its skull was exposed. She continued to watch in horror as the ghoulish figure pulled a severed head out of the bloody lake. It was impossible to make out whose it was, but Adea was certain that she was staring at the mangled forms of Eran and Ellis.

Adea was terrified beyond words. With the severed head in hand, the demonic form of Eran began to wade toward her. Adea screamed in horror as she scrambled to swim toward the bank, but the blood was so thick that she could barely move. In fact, she could not tread through it at all. She could not think rationally, her screams escalating as the rotting monster behind her neared.

Just then, something new began to rise from the blood before her. Adea froze as she watched the familiar, shadowing form of the same black spirit that tormented her in her dreams all those years ago. It was closer to her now that it had ever been, its piercing, yellow eyes prying into her very soul. Adea could not take her eyes off it. Suddenly, she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her neck and chest, sending her into a fit of sheer terror. She screamed until she was hoarse in the throat. The rotted ghoul behind her began to pull her back under. As the blood slowly swept over her face, the last thing she saw was the black demon's mouth opening wide to show her once again its horrid rows of teeth, letting out that same guttural screech that flooded her ears.

Adea continued to scream uncontrollably until she felt another pair of hands grab her from the front. It took her senses a while to recognize the sound of her father's voice trying to call her back. Eventually, she was able to open her eyes. She still felt soaked, but soon realized that it was only her sweat, but it had never been this bad. When he was sure that she had fully woken from her night terror, her father pulled her into a firm embrace.

As Adea struggled to calm down, she buried her face into her father's chest and broke down in tears. Here she was back in the same situation as she was four years ago, all in the matter of a single night, but it had never been as bad as this. She could tell her parents knew it too. Her mother came to kneel by her side and ran a hand through her hair. As she sobbed, Adea heard her father say, "She's supposed to be over this." And as she looked up, she could see Lyda standing just outside her bedroom door, a somber expression upon her face as if to tell her she tried to warn her.

Eventually, her parents were able to calm her down enough to put her back to bed, but not without issuing their deep concern for her wellbeing after an episode like that. It did not make her feel any better to hear her father say that they should take her to the Mistresses if it ever happened again like that. After tucking her back in, her father walked back out of the bedroom, telling Lyda to go back to bed. Alyra leaned over and kissed her on the forehead before following him out.

Lyda waited until they had returned to their bedroom. She did not say a word to her sister, but simply gave her a look of pity and began to close the door.

"Lyda, wait!" Adea called after her. Hearing her voice, Lyda peered back into the room. Before Adea could say another word, the tears fell loose again. "I'm sorry," she stammered. "I should have listened to you. That was worse than anything I could imagine. I don't want that to ever happen again. I so sorry, I was ungrateful for what you did for me. Please, help me."

Lyda approached her bedside. Adea pulled herself out of her blankets to sit up and face her. Neither one said a word for a long minute, but at last Lyda stepped in to hug her sister.

"Of course I will," Lyda said in a caring tone. "I never turned a blind eye. I'd do anything for you. I'll help you again, but we have to do it tonight."

"I'm fine with that," Adea responded. "Please, let's just get it over with."

"Alright," Lyda said as they released each other. "You know what to do. Dress warm and meet me out by the stables in a few minutes."

"I will. And thank you so much!"

Lyda gave her a single head nod and walked out of the room, and as she rounded the corner into the hallway, she smiled to herself in triumph. It worked! she cheered in her head. With the ritual she performed in the cellar, she was able to invade her sister's mind and inflict the most horrific nightmare she could muster. It pained her inside to have to do it, but she convinced herself she had no choice. Adea needed to see what she would be doomed to suffer for the rest of her life if she did not cooperate with her, and it was a lesson learned the hard way. All that remained tonight was the real ritual, and she had plans for it of her own.

Lyda rushed to get ready herself, grabbing everything she might need to take to the Crossing and hurried outside to her family's stables. She went straight for Hazel, who was already awake as if she was waiting for her, and fitted her with a saddle big enough for the two of them. The only thing she needed now was a living heart for the sacrifice. Another of their chickens? No, she thought, that would not do. She had more intentions for this ritual than she dared tell her sister. The text on the pages from the old tome suggested that a bigger heart would be needed for greater rewards. Not bigger in size, Lyda came to understand, but rather one that would test the initiator's fortitude to sacrifice. Even the largest rooster in their pen would not suffice. She cursed herself for failing to take this into account before. That was when fate seemed to present itself in her favor. Lyda was almost startled by the soft sound of rustling in the treeline as something emerged from the shadows. "Ah," Lyda cooed with a smile. "I was wondering when I'd see you again."

Minutes later, Adea had finally shown up, dressed in her favorite leather jacket and ready to go. Before they mounted Hazel and left, Lyda reminded her of the promise she made the last time, that she would speak nothing of this night to anybody. Adea hastily agreed, anxious to leave and get this mess over with. With that, the two sisters mounted the horse and rode west into the mountains. Just like old times, Lyda mused to herself.

A little over two hours later, they came upon an eerily familiar sight. As anticipated, Hazel halted on her own in the exact same spot as last time, and the two were on foot from there. Lyda was relieved when she saw that the rhododendron clusters were towering over them, indicating that the Crossing, in all its mysterious properties, had not disappeared. The atmosphere was just as heavy as before, but to Lyda, it felt more welcoming to her than she remembered. To Adea, it had become increasingly uninviting, and for a brief moment, while following her sister through the narrow pathway, she felt an overwhelming urge to turn around and run away.

The sisters emerged into the Crossing, which was just as beautiful yet peculiar as ever. Nothing about it had changed, even down to the smallest detail. Not wanting to waste any time, Lyda directed Adea to drink the spring water with her. As they did so, they felt the same cold sensation rush through their blood. It made Adea shudder, but Lyda urged her to drink even more. Adea did as she was told, but any more and she thought she might throw up.

"Come on," Lyda beckoned her to follow as they made their way back through the crevice which only became visible to them after drinking the water. It was slightly more difficult to fit through the crack in the stone since they were both bigger than they were four years ago, but they managed to pass through and found themselves gazing upon the ancient ritual site of their ancestors.

Just like the rest of the Crossing, it had not changed a bit. The stones surrounding the rocky circle gave off the same spine-tingling vibe. Adea was already feeling the weight of this place in her head. She was almost struggling to stay awake. It was as if it was testing her strength.

"Adea," Lyda called out to her sister. "Are you ready to do this?"

"Let's just finish it already," Adea swallowed roughly. "I wanna go back home and forget about it."

"Be patient, dear sister," Lyda replied with a grin. "Do you remember what we have to do next?"

"Yes!" she cried in a disturbed tone.

"The sacrifice," Lyda responded, ignoring her answer.

"You didn't take another hen did you?"

"What else would you have us use?" Lyda replied bluntly, setting her burlap sack down in front of her. "But no, I didn't. For this ritual, we needed something else. Something bigger." With that, she reached into the sack and pulled out the barely conscious husk of the scruffy stray cat.

Adea's eyes flew open and her jaw dropped at the very sight of it. "Is that Gray?" she squeaked in astonishment. "Lyda, no!"

"Didn't you hear what I said?" Lyda fired back. "I didn't want to do this, but the heart of a hen isn't gonna cut it this time."

"Why not?"

Lyda let out a sigh as if in shame. "I couldn't tell you before, Adi."

"Tell me what??"

"This was never going to be just about you. I promise I told you the truth when I said that if we didn't perform the ritual again tonight, then your nightmares would return to haunt you, but did it never occur to you that it shouldn't have happened until after tonight?"

"Lyda, what are you saying?"

"I'm sorry, Adea. I really am, but I needed to get us both here tonight by whatever means necessary. It hurt me very much inside to have to inflict that nightmare upon you."

"You what?" Adea gasped in shock. "How is that possible?"

"There is so much about what we've done here that you still don't know. I hoped you would have learned that by now."

"How could you do something like that?" Adea began to sob. "That was horrible! I thought you cared about me!"

"I do, Adea!" Lyda cried, trying to sound sympathetic. "Don't you understand? I did what I had to do! I risked making you suffer one last time so that I could end it for you once and for all!"

"That's what you said last time! Everything was fine until you did that to me! How could I ever trust you again?"

"You must," Lyda pleaded. "As hard as it may seem, I'm doing this for us."

"You still haven't told me," Adea pressed, "what is it that you're doing for us?"

"The ability to control our own dreams is the greatest thing that's ever happened to us," Lyda explained, "but I've learned that there is so much more to be gained from all this. Our ancestors knew what kind of power could be granted by the one they called the Dark Twin, and they were shunned for it. They were shunned because they were feared. But Iris taught me right. She taught me that someone with my wisdom has the responsibility to use it to make the world a better place, whatever it takes."

"What do you plan to do?" Adea's voice was shaking.

"What do we plan to do," Lyda corrected her. "I'll show you, dear sister."

Sitting in the middle of the circle of stones, Lyda pinned Gray to the ground and produced the same knife she used to sacrifice the hen the last time. Rolling the cat onto its back, she lowered the blade until its tip touched the fur of its chest.

"Wait!" Adea cried out. "I can't watch you do this. Please don't! I'll do anything you want! Do kill an innocent cat!"

"You are doing what I want, Adea," Lyda growled. "It's time to be quiet now. All you have to do now is stay here and bear witness. Don't you dare do anything to ruin this!"

Adea was left speechless. Just like that, Lyda seemed less like the sister she knew and much more like a monster from out of one of her own nightmares. She claimed over and over that she was during all this for a reason, for both of them, but no one with a soul could even consider doing something so heinous and cruel. She was shaken to her core, but effectively silenced by her sister as she watched her begin to butcher the stray cat. Even hanging onto a thread of consciousness, Gray mewed and cried as the knife carved into his chest.

When Lyda ripped the heart from the hen years ago, she appeared expressionless, almost as if she was trying not to think about what she was doing. This time was much different. Adea was shocked and sickened to see an abhorrent smile grow across her face, her teeth clenched as she seemed to be enjoying this.

It was over in a matter of seconds that felt like an eternity. Adea's face was streaked with tears as she watched Lyda removed the bloody heart from the hole in the poor animal's chest. She shoved the mangled carcass away from the center of the circle and placed the heart in front of her. No words were spoken as she lit the heart aflame, and the two were enveloped by a strong gust of wind, much greater than the last time. Nothing about it felt natural to Adea, but for her sister, it was a moment of great triumph.

Adea could taste the vomit in her mouth, but she did not have the strength to purge it, not after what she witnessed. "I-" she stuttered sickly. "I feel horrible."

Lyda looked up and shook her head. "Don't. You did the right thing by being here."

Adea could only glare at her sister. "You're a monster."

"Be quiet!" Lyda snapped in a tone that still managed to startle Adea. "I'm so sick of you always questioning me! We're supposed to be in there together, the two of us, as sisters, but you're too weak! That's why he tortures you in your sleep, don't you get it? I'm the only one strong enough to seek the treasures he offers through these rituals."

"How can you say things like that?" Adea was left in tears. "What treasures could possibly be worth all this?"

Lyda thought for a moment as she stared down at the embers still scorching the heart in front of her. Feeling a new sensation coursing through her spirit she had never felt before, Lyda stretched her hand toward the heart and directed all her focus on what she wanted.

Adea let out a squeal of surprise and jumped back. Before her very eyes, the flames upon the heart flickered and leaped into the air, circling around Lyda's hand without making any contact with it. Lyda raised her hand, moving her fingers around, and as she did so, the fire followed her direction. Lyda could not hold back her own gleeful laughter. Adea's blood ran cold at the very sight of this. It can't be possible, her mind's voice quivered. She had to be hallucinating.

Losing control of herself, Adea jumped to her feet and backed away. Lyda looked up, narrowing her eyes in confusion. "What are you doing?" Unable to find the words with which to respond, Adea spun around on her heels and ran back toward the crevice in the rock. "Adea!" Lyda called after her. "Where are you going?!"

Adea did not look back. After squeezing back through the large crack, she ran as fast as she could through the rhododendron clusters until she was outside of the Crossing. Her mind was drained of all rational thought. The only thing that remained was fear, a kind unlike any she had ever known before. As she bolted for Hazel and pulled herself onto the saddle, she had not even considered the fact that she was leaving her own sister behind. All that mattered was that she got away from this place. Whatever happened after this, she vowed that she would never come back again. With that final thought, she turned away and rode off into the darkness.

Lyda had just made it out of the brush when she heard the sound of their horse trotting away. Her jaw fell open and her arms had gone limp at the realization of such betrayal. "I don't believe it," she muttered. "She just left me!"

A single tear of disbelief slipped down her face. She paid it no mind until it dripped off her cheek, and as it did so, she felt an unnatural pressure weigh down upon her shoulder. Lyda shifted her head just enough for her eyes to make out a black, spidery-fingered hand resting on her shoulder. Its touch was cold and filled her with a sense of resentment for what her own sister had just done to her. After everything she risked to make her happy, to make her feel at peace, this was how she repaid her; with betrayal and abandonment.

"Don't worry," Lyda uttered to herself. "We will never need her again." Despite everything that just happened, she managed a smile as she took a warm breath of satisfaction and walked off into the woods toward home.