Nightmare

A fiery sunrise peaked along the horizon. Small specks of molten-gold sunlight slowly dripped on the meadows. The clopping of hooves traversed the dusty grounds, the wagon gently swaying in rhythm. Jean, who steered the horse, gazed at the scenery. A vast sea of plains spread wide, very few trees stood sparse about.

The group had long since passed the remaining suburban villages as they were now approaching the border. Jean glanced back at the children who were fast asleep. His heart was heavy, as he stared at the sun-streaked face of the youths, revealing tear-soaked cheeks that were dried. They had been traveling for 3 days since the destruction of their home village. The little toddlers would awake randomly, screaming for their mother and father. Sorren would constantly beg to be sent back, but each time jean refused.

Jean sighed, worried of what the scarred children would do again once they woke up.

Soft winds blew through the lissome wheat. As they danced, shafts of light peeked through the parted crops.

'Huh...where am I' Sorren thought. He was on a familiar farm, with lots of uniform wooden houses with moss covered roofs, each having an unlit torch hanging near there doors. Neither houses had windows, instead doors wer wide open to let the wind blow through. The sounds of cows mooing in the distance, as they plowed the field, horses naighing as they munched on oats.

It reminded Sorren of his home village Wheatonville. He looked down at his hand, he was holding a wooden sword. His once torn outfit was no longer torn, instead, it looked clean as if his mother just washed it.

"AGAIN!" A loud voice shouted. Sorren flinched and looked up. He saw his father Gale, who was holding a wooden sword. 'huh…I thought father was…' Sorren was confused, he stared hard at his father who was alive and well.

"WHAT'S THE MATTER SORRE? IF YOU DON'T ATTACK I'M COMING TO YOU!"

His father flashed forward and swung his sword. Sorren, who was startled, hastily raised his wooden sword to block.

*CLACK* Sorren felt a shock in his arms and was pushed back. "I TOLD YOU ALWAYS PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR OPPONENT, LEST YOU WANT TO END UP CUT IN HALF! NOW AGAIN!"

Sorren readied his sword, his mind swirling with confusion. 'Was it all a dream, just a nightmare.' He thought. His heart pounded in fear and heasitation. A small part of his mind waiting to see if its a dream, and he'd wake up any moment now. However, the stinging hit to his arms by his fathers sword caused him to think otherwise. Tears begun to prick his eyes.

'I-it was just a nightmare...yea father probably knocked me too hard, and I was just dreaming' Sorren thought. Relief coursed his way through him. He laughed as he focused on his father, his sword readied. " oi, has he gone crazy?" Sorren could hear a neighbor whisper, promting him to hurridly erase the smile from his face. They both clashed once more.

A while passed.

"Haah...Hah" Sorrens breath was ragged, his face teeming with sweat. Despite that, he steadily gripped his sword, a fierce glint burning through his green eyes. His father Gale brandished his sword, before quickly lunging forward, swinging his sword towards the young boy. Sorren dodged, but only by a hair breadth. He could see the sword tip as it swiped near his nose, cleanly cutting the tips of his hair.

Sorren quickly regained his footing and dashed towards his father, lowering his sword. "HAAAAAAH" He shouted fiercely, his eyes never leaving his fathers.

*Fwoosh* He swept his sword forward in an upward motion towards his father's chest, yet that proved fatal. Gale stepped back and stuck out his foot, tripping Sorren. Without missing a beat he immediately slammed his wooden sword on the boy's neck, knocking him flat on his face.

"TOO SLOW, IS THAT ALL YOU GOT FOR A FUTURE SWORDMAN! HUH," Gale shouted fiercely at the fatigued boy. Villagers whistled and hollered, their eyes beaming with pity and entertainment.

"Oh looks like Gale's not relenting on his own son huh," Said villager 1

"I know, kinda cold-hearted, but I guess the path of the sword is just that harsh huh"

" Of course, they've been going at it for hours now, Gale wouldn't let the boy give up"

"Wah! really? gotta hand it to the lad for holding out against a crazy powerhouse like Gale"

As the villagers gossiped, Sorren staggered to his feet, his body littered with small bruises. He hated being looked down upon by the onlookers. He glared fiercely at his father Gale. 'This time...This time I'll win for sure!' he thought as he gripped his sword.

Gale grinned at his sons' spunk. He sliced through the air and readied himself, beckoning Sorren to attack. Sorren breathed in deeply and burst forward quickly. The onlookers gasped in surprise at Sorrens newfound speed.

A series of blows were traded, the clashing sound of wood made the atmosphere tense, no one could say a word. Sorren was growing anxious, with each motion, it was intercepted with ease. Each feint was practically chipping away at his stamina, at this rate he'd be pummeled if he didn't do something.

As if God heard, a small opening revealed itself grandly.

'THERE' Sorren shouted in his head, he dove towards to strike his fathers' abdomen. But, Gruesome images of the destroyed villages, the revolting sight of burning corpses, and the ferocious wolf pierced through his concentration. he hesitated.

"IDIOT, TOO SLOW" Gale shouted.

*WHAM*

Gales wooden sword slammed on the boy's neck, his body bouncing on the ground until he slid to an abrupt stop. He no longer could move.

" AWWW, I was rooting for the young lad," One villager said

"OI Gale, didnt want to crush your pride huh, GAHAHAH" Another villager laughed.

Sorren heard the villagers' laughter. His fingers slowly gripped at the dirt as he tried to move his body. Tears of frustration leaked from his eyes, he bit his lips. 'I'm still...weak' He thought.

"Oi Oi, the shows over, scatter along now," Gale said to the crowd in annoyance. The crowd merrily left having been satisfied with the spar.

"You'll get'em, next time lad"

"Yea don't give up!"

Gale walked towards his son and knelt. Sorren refused to look at his father.

"Sorren, That last attack would have been flawless, but...you hesitated didnt you" Sorren flinched a little, shame flashed in his eyes at his father's perceptiveness. "in a battle, things like hesitation and distractions are fatal" Sorren said nothing, he simply bit his lip.

'Should I tell him...' Sorren thought. conflicting emotions welled up inside him. He gritted his teeth.

Gale smiled, noticing his son's mood. " I don't know what may be bothering you…." Sorren peaked at his father's smiling face.

Gale picked Sorren up gently and dusted him off. He patted his son's head gently. "Wanting to be stronger is a good driving force son, but it takes time. Think of this as another step forward towards your own path of the sword," Gale said. He then grinned "and one day, you'll stand at new heights!" Gale said. Sorren looked at his father, his brown eyes were shining in the golden sun. they bore into him like he understood everything Sorren was going through.

Sorren clenched his fist and nodded.

Gale and Sorren traveled back to their home. Sorren was on his father's shoulders. He gazed at the scenery. Villagers were lighting up their torches as the sun was slowly setting. Peels of laughter as men patted each other's shoulders in delight. Women gossiped regarding vulgar rumors heard within the kingdom's capital. It truly was as if everything was normal.

' It really was a dream' Sorren thought. He clenched his small hands into fists, tightly gripping his fathers hair.

' I want to be stronger, and protect this village so that something like that won't happen.' He glanced down at his father.

'I'll be a strong hero just like father!' He imagined what he'd look like in the future.

"oi oi, ya trying to pull my hair out eh? Ya starting to have a grip like a powerful swordsman" Sorren grinned at delight. He looked at his hands, callouses nd splintes etched into his skin, as a sign of his hard work.

"Hey dad, will I one day be stronger than even you!" Sorren asked in his determination. Gale laughed "who knows, only time will tell"

Sorren felt his heart pound in excitement. "I want to one day be the greatest swordsman in the land, and many people will acknowledge me as someone from a small village just like you!" Gale was silent for a bit. A looming shadow, from a passing cloud, drifted slowly on his father's face, masking his expression.

"Sorren...don't get too caught up in fame and glory...lest you end up at a dead-end" He whispered that last bit. Sorren felt weird, his father seemed a little different from usual.

"Huh...wh-" however before he could ask what his father meant, another voice interjected.

"GALE PEIRCE!"

Gale and Sorren flinched. Cold sweat was dripping from both their backs. They knew the sound of that angry voice.

Sorren's mother Annie stalked towards them. A dark cloud surrounded her as her fierce eyes locked on their target. Gale flinched grandly, his face pale. "H-hey Annie wait, I brought em home just on time before curfew" He quickly put Sorren down. He glanced at Sorren but gulped.

It was because Sorren was covered in dirt, and his body was etched in small cuts and bruises. Annie waved her hand.

"H-h-hey Annie...I can expla-"

"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU NOT TO GO OVERBOARD HUUUUUH" A large vortex sucked Gale up.

"GYAAAAAAAAH" His body was mercilessly thrown in the air. Sorren gazed at the sky, his father was nothing more but a tiny dot. Gradually he fell down, until he landed in a far off wagon.

*boom!*

Villagers peaked out from their houses, alarmed by the noise.

Annie snorted in indignation, her chilly demeanor vanished like the spring breeze as she turned to Sorren gently. "Come now, let me tend to your wounds" Sorren followed without any protest.

'Moms office...still looks the same' He thought as he gazed around the wooden interior. Her office was layered with herbs in small pots, some hanging on the ceiling, others along the window sill. Their home was the only house with windows, Sorren never knew why though. He looked at her desk, which was filled with scattered papers and documents of monsters labeling specific parts.

Sorren sat on a wooden stool and watched her as she pounded and mixed, the air smelled of bitter grass and medicine.

"Hey, mom…" He called.

"hmmm?" she hummed.

" um….what if you had a dream something bad was going to happen but was too weak to do anything….you couldn't save anyone…. How...would you feel?"

"Hmmm not sure. I've never had a dream like that...why," she asked her back still faced to him. Sorren lowered his head "I-I can't help but feel guilty…."

"Hahaha….of course you should...it was all your fault anyway!" Annie said. Sorren paused not processing what he just heard. He slowly raised his head. "W-what" He stuttered.

"Of course it'd be your fault...you let me down, and even your father down" Sorren slowly stood from the chair, his surroundings started to fade to red as blood soaked the wooden walls. he looked around frantically. "M-mom?"

" After all" She slowly turned around, her smile still bright. "You sat there and watched us both die" Her eyes began to bleed. Sorren's eyes widened "I-I'm...S-sor-" Suddenly the office caught fire. He could hear the screams and yelling of all the neighboring villagers.

He fell to the ground, his mother's body was now towering over him. "N-NO NO!" He watched as his mother's body slowly transformed into the large body of a wolf, its blazing red eyes boring into him.

Tears fell from Sorren's eyes.

*GRRRRRR-RAAAAAH* Red liquid dripped. Then, the wolf lunged, its jaws wide open.

Sorren Screamed.