chapter 15: the reminder

The dream unfolded like a familiar melody, one I hadn't heard in years but could still hum with eerie precision. I stood on a grassy plateau, the blades of grass swaying in a gentle breeze that carried the scent of earth and rain. The horizon stretched endlessly in every direction, painted in shades of twilight. Above me, the sky was a gradient of deep purples and faint oranges, speckled with stars that shimmered unnaturally, as though they were watching me. My chest tightened. I had been here before—years ago, when Veylara had first appeared to me in a dream. This place, this hauntingly serene expanse, was hers.

"Noctis…" Her voice drifted through the air, soft and melodic, yet it carried an edge that sent a shiver down my spine. The breeze stilled, and the world seemed to hold its breath as she appeared before me, stepping out of the shadows that hadn't been there a moment ago. Veylara's form was as I remembered it—veiled in black and silver, her ethereal hair cascading out from beneath the intricate fabric that obscured most of her face. Only her golden eyes were visible, glowing faintly as they locked onto mine with unnerving intensity. Her presence was suffocating, the kind of weight that pressed down on your soul rather than your body.

"It's been a while," she said, her voice smooth and dripping with mockery. "I was beginning to think you'd forgotten about me."

I swallowed hard, forcing myself to meet her gaze. "I haven't forgotten."

"Good," she said, tilting her head slightly. "Because I certainly haven't forgotten about you." Her words lingered in the air, sharp and cutting. She began to circle me slowly, her movements graceful yet deliberate, like a predator stalking its prey. "You've grown, Noctis. Stronger. Wiser, perhaps. But I wonder…" She stopped, her golden eyes narrowing. "Are you truly any braver than you were back then? Or are you still that scared little boy, running from the things that haunt you?" Her words hit like a blade, cutting into the deepest parts of my mind. I clenched my fists, trying to steady my breathing. "I'm not that person anymore."

"Oh, really?" she said, her tone mocking. "Tell me, then. Why do you hesitate? Why do you doubt yourself at every turn? You hold incredible power, Noctis, yet you let fear shackle you. Fear of failure. Fear of letting down those you care about. Fear of… me." Her last words were almost a whisper, but they carried the weight of a boulder. My jaw tightened. "I'm not afraid of you."

"No?" she said, her voice dripping with amusement. She stepped closer, her veils shifting like shadows around her. "Then why do you flinch every time I speak your name? Why do you shrink away from the truth of what we are, what we've done together?" She stopped just inches from me, her golden eyes boring into mine. "Do I need to remind you of our pact, Noctis? The bond we share? You pledged yourself to me, body and soul. You're mine as much as you are your own."

"I haven't forgotten," I said through gritted teeth. "And I'll uphold my end of the deal."

"Will you?" she said, her voice softening into something almost sweet, though it was no less menacing. "Then why haven't you found my tomb yet? Why do you waste time chasing petty quests and clinging to those weak, fleeting bonds with others?"

"Because I'm not your puppet," I snapped, my voice rising. "I'll find your tomb. I'll free you. But I'll do it on my terms." Her laughter rang out, cold and hollow. "Your terms? Oh, Noctis, how naive you still are. Do you really think you hold any power over this? Over me?" I didn't respond, my fists tightening at my sides. Her words clawed at my mind, each one dredging up doubts and fears I had tried to bury. She leaned closer, her golden eyes burning with a cruel light. "You can deny it all you want, but the truth is, you need me, Noctis. You wouldn't have come this far without my whispers guiding you, pushing you. I am the reason you've survived, the reason you've grown."

Her voice softened, taking on a more seductive tone. "And I can be the reason you achieve even greater things. Imagine it—power beyond your wildest dreams. The world at your feet. All you have to do is stop resisting. Embrace what we are. Embrace me." I closed my eyes, taking a shaky breath as her words wrapped around me like a vice. The promise of power, of greatness, was tempting—terrifyingly so. But deep down, I knew there was a cost, one far greater than I was willing to pay. "I'll find your tomb," I said finally, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me. "But I won't let you control me, Veylara. This is my path, not yours." Her eyes narrowed, the golden light flickering like a dying flame. "We'll see," she said, her voice low and dangerous. "But don't forget, Noctis—every moment you delay, you risk losing everything. The clock is ticking." Before I could respond, the world around me began to blur, the grassy plateau dissolving into shadows. Veylara's form faded, her golden eyes the last thing to disappear as her voice echoed in my mind one final time.

"Don't keep me waiting, dear Noctis…"

And then I woke.