Dream
[A roaring inferno can be heard screeching all around you]
[Frantic screams envelope your senses]
[The snapping of wood planks echoes throughout your crumbling home.]
***
... : "sarah… sarah … Sarah… Sarah, wake up! Sarah!" The frantic woman screams, as she ran towards a little girl trapped under the rubble of a crumbling house.
"Get up! They're here; we have to run. Now!"
[A loud explosion can be heard outside the house]
"Get up, sweetie, please!"
"Momma…?" A young Sarah says as she wakes up from her slumber.
As the young woman pulls the little girl from under the rubble, she runs out of the crumbling house. Cuts and bruises line the arms of the terrified young mother. As she runs from under the house, horses begin fleeing, and children are screaming for their mothers. The people of Breskin Village line the streets, their bodies motionless. Armed soldiers begin fighting off the invaders. With each clash of their swords, more screams echo from a seperate part of the village.
A little boy can be seen screaming for his mother, her severed hand in his.
What a terrible tragedy.
***
The town is covered with blood.
Dark figures in hoods lunge out from the shadows, striking down anyone they see. Holding the heads of the villagers high, displaying them for all to see.
Sarah's mother, clutching her daughter in her hands, is running towards the outskirts of the village. A desperate attempt to save her daughter.
[BOOM]
[The sounds of screams echo within your ears]
"Mommy… I'm scared…What going on..." The young Sarah cries, looking out at the unfolding massacre.
No man, woman, or child was spared from the onslaught.
"It's okay, sweetie… Mommy's got you; Mamma's always got you." She continues to escape as tears run down her scarred and bloodied cheeks. She is staying strong for her daughter. Dodging all manner of blades, arrows, spells, and monsters. The village is under complete siege. The hooded figures have markings lining their coats. The young mother is too panicked to get percise details, but she is sure the etchings are markings of cult. She knows this cult all too well.
"Mommy… Make it go away… Mommy"
"It's okay, sweetie, ... Mommy's here."
"Mommy… Make it go away… Mommy"
"It's okay, sweetie, Mommy's here."
The scared and scarred little girl begs on her mother's shoulder, watching as every one of her family members and friends dies; the sight is gruesome. The methods these cultists used to dissect the villagers were cruel. No manner of crime could excuse their method of slaughter.
They continue to run, hoping over burning houses, runing through crowds of scared townspeople. This is a life and death situation. The disregard of her fellow civilians is crushing her, but the lives of her daughter means more to her than her own life.
Further, not yet.
***
Almost there.
[Thwack] - [STAB]
"Ah!" Cried the mother, but nevertheless, she sticks to her goal, never wavering
They arrive at the river surrounding the village. There, a canoe rests upon the water's surface. The arrow lodged in the mother's back is now making it hard to move. She knows she's at her limit.
Reaching down towards the canoe, she places the small, helpless girl inside.
"You will be safe, here *cough*, my baby… grow up strong and proud"
"Momma?"
"I know *cough*… I know, you will grow up *cough*…
"Momma!?"
"To be an amazing person…"
***
Sarah: "Mom!" she screams, lunging up from the sleep position she was in.
Tears flow from the young mage's eyes.
"That same dream… That cannot be a good sign."
***
-Morning of [Solans] Descent -
***
[Clatter from horses echoes out from beyond the inn]
[Men screaming orders are heard resonating from downstairs]
As Sarah gets up, still disoriented from the dream, she opens a window to get a breath of fresh air.
[The voices of happy families and passersby dance throughout the town]
Sarah: "Ah! That's right, I forgot, the festival starts today! Crap, I'm going to be late for my carriage!"
In a timely fashion, Sarah gets dressed and rushes out the door in breakneck speed. As she runs throughout the town, the festival sights are visible everywhere she turns. Magic lights strewn up from balcony to balcony. Elegant performers march along the sides of buildings. Booths bustling with business as they chat about how good the food is. Early morning drunks flopping around in the middle of the road. The townspeople resonating with one another so beautifully, as if creating a living painting.
Sarah continues her journey towards the stable, making sure to grab a loaf of bread at the bakery Liz mentioned.
Man, it was good.
***
Vanitinova, being one of the oldest living cities in all of Terranova, has a vast history of both the arts and food. It's most common item, is its well renowned bread. People come far and wide to experience the fluffiness. Just so happened, the all powerful Liz had a few connections with the best bakeries in town.
***
Sarah: "Thank god for her sweet tooth" She said, mouth full of the bread she had just purchased, "But holy crap was it expensive?!"
In the distance, right before Sarah, lies a single small wagon led by two horses. Upon arriving near the wagon, Sarah couldn't see anyone around. Confused, she headed towards the stable to see if the coachman was running late
Sarah: "Excuse me, sir." She said, looking at the attendant, still panting from the run earlier.
Attendant: "You must be Sarah Chatsworth, am I correct in assuming so?"
Sarah: "I am… How did you know?" She said, confused on if she had entered her popular phase or not.
Attendant: "Because I will be acting as your coachman today, at your service." He said, a smug smirk plastered across his face, "The names, Lightning Landon, but you can call me Landon." He scoffed, while winking towards Sarah.
The so called Lightning-Landon was a tall, skinny figure with long limbs. As irritating as it was to Sarah, undeniably handsome too. His gold blonde hair a piercing blue eyes, only further exaggerated his "pretty boy" vibe. He most definitely would be the abnoxious deuteragonist in cliche' rom-com.
Sarah's face twisted into a forced smile.
"Ha, ha… That's just great. When do you think we can start heading out?" Sarah said impatiently.
Landon: "Just wait one second, my lady," He said, reaching down from under the attendant's desk. "A fine woman like yourself should be patient, you might get a wrinkle."
Sarah: "Duly noted, hah ha…" She said aloud, forcing herself to stay professional, if she wasn't this guy's nose would surely be broken by now.
"But... I am running a bit late, so if you don't mind-"
"Look, lady, I'm taking my precious time to take you and your luggage all the way to Hayward village. I shouldn't need to take orders from some punk-nose little brat-"
Within a fraction of a second, Sarah materialized her staff, and with quick motion.
[WHOOSH]
She lunged it towards his face, aiming it directly at the bridge of his nose.
Sarah: "Look, I'm paying you to take me to my destination, and like I've said, I'm running a little late, so if you don't mind, I would like to go." She said, the long, winding staff still aimed at Landon's nose
His arms raised, the once arrogant look on his face has now changed to one of terror and regret.
"H-hey, It's just jokes-"
Sarah: "Also, one more word out of that smug mouth, and you can say goodbye to that face you find so enticing." Pointing the wand a little close, practically touching his face. The icy chill of the frost wand begins to form frost along the bridge of his nose.
After some time, she lowers the wand, dematerializing it. Satisfied, she walks back towards the wagon to begin loading her stuff.
The still frozen, Lightning-Landon, now falls to his knees.
Sarah: "Also, by the way" She remarked, poking her head around the stable's open barn door. "You might want to clean that up."
She points towards the floor where the mighty, Lightning-Landon, has relieved himself upon. A sly grimace creeping across her face.
"Chop-Chop!"
With embarresed and frightened eyes, all the mighty Lightning-Landon could do, was stand up, pants fully soaked, and accept defeat.
"Y-Yes, Ma'am."