The dream and the child

A traveller once told me that we can never dream of death as we have yet to experience it. But since I was a child I was plagued with a nightmare, where the feeling of death was carved into me. It was a vivid dream where I was drowning and I could feel every passing moment till the release of death.

...

I'm Charles Feng. I was born to a barons family as the 3rd son. I was 9 months short of being 9 years old.

"Cha, baby your dinners getting cold." My mother, practically, kicked the door open. She was a former Hunter and most of the times her movements were over the top. She held me up with one arm and ran to the dining table where all my other family members were present. I didn't mind as I was too lazy to walk across the castle with my two small feet.

"Weren't you suppose to meet your tutor today. Charlie!" My father looked at me with a stern face.

"I couldn't sleep. I had a nightmare again." I said with my face down.

"Argh, some times I worry about you buddy. I wish I could make a chocolate factory for you to live your life away from your imaginary monsters. But you have to face real life someday." My father said in a disappointed tone.

"I called the witch doctor from fog town. Let's see if he can find a cure for cha's nightmares. We can always get the tutor to come in tomorrow." It was my father's second wife who spoke. She was my godmother and my mother's best friend. My father, mother and godmother had a very strong bond. While other nobles would keep as much wives as they can afford. My father only married two women, who were his childhood friends. My mother and godmother also had a very strong bond, which was the reason for many rumours among the maids.

I usually ignored the talks of the maids as they were mostly useless.

I remember the maids praising father while insulting the baroness of the next territory. Who apparently asked all women of the territory to cover their legs with long clothes after she got a small scar on her leg. The rule breakers were punished by execution.

After lunch I had to wait for the witch doctor. I was filled with anticipation as I looked forward to never seeing that nightmare again.

I was accompanied by my personal guard, who was a level 4 body refiner. He had the most unsightly appearance of all the guards. Castle guards took their appearance into consideration at all times. But boar my personal guard was always half naked, showing off his huge muscles and belly. I waited for the witch doctor while counting the scars on his body. which I'm pretty sure he got through his stupidity than anything.

When the witch doctor arrived the sun was already setting. I was sure the idiot was waiting for the ambience, if he wasn't going to treat me, I would have released boar on him.

The witch doctor was an eccentric man, he had too much skulls decorating his body. Most of then were small enough to be children. I was praying those skulls weren't from his failures. The doctor took his time examining me and my room.

"Ah I can see what's wrong with you, in every person there is a little man. Who control their body. Your little man is trapped in a river, drowning. You should go and rescue him to be free from your nightmares." He said acting haughty.

"Is this guy, crazy?" Was my first thought. I looked at boar while frowning.

"Oh no! young masters little man has escaped. We have to find it before he dies." Boar exclaimed while clutching his head.

"I'm surrounded by idiots" I whispered under my breath.

"Young master, do you remember anything from your dream that might lead you to the place." Witch doctor asked squatting in front of me to talk at my level.

"I was too busy, not trying to drown in my dream." I said in an annoyed voice. The witch doctor was not being helpful. My father tought me not to trust superstitions, but even I can understand why this little man theory was absurd.

" well I remember seeing a mountain with one side covered in Green and the other side blood red. The red side is facing another completely red mountain." I said to the witch doctor.

" Well that's good enough for a drowning man." Witch doctor retorted.

"Did this guy talk back to the barons' son" I was furious. So I turned towards Boar and whispered to Boar. "Hey Boar, How strong do you think the Witch doctor is?"

Boar who was clutching his head while squatting stood up suddenly. His eyes stares at the witch doctor and he attacked the witch doctor with all his strength.

One of the skulls on the witch doctors body flew off and collided with Boars fist. The witch doctor jumped back and screamed.

"You swine, you dare to attack me."

Boar was silent. When fighting Boars' non existent IQ drops further.

Boars' already huge body expanded a bit more while the skulls the witch doctor was wearing opened their mouths. The strings connecting the lower jaws to the skulls tore off and the skulls started floating as if they had a mind of their own.

I turned and ran back inside the castle as this was not a fight I could be involved in. One of those punches could explode an ordinary person and I was an almost 9 year old.

I ran through the main hall and was caught by my father. He caught me and swung me through the air to put me on top of his shoulders.

"Where are you running to little man."

"Father, I'm sorry to inform, but Boar died bravely in battle against the stupid witch doctor. Can I have a new guard?"

All my siblings had really good personal guards, while I was stuck with Boar.

( Later in my life I learned the reason Boar was my personal guard. However it was too late. Rest In Peace Boar.)

"Stop using Boar for your mischief." My father reprimanded.