Shadows

As broken as I was, not even sleep gave me peace. The dark nightmares that had tormented me for months attacked in force, refusing to allow my soul the rest it needed to recover. Never before had the familiar figures in the dream felt so lifelike, so real, that I often found myself unable to distinguish Soltair in my nightmares from the real one. A glowing slave crest pulsed deep within my darkened mind, ever-present no matter the nightmarish scene.

Gradually, the terrors faded and darkness encroached from all directions. Finding myself alone, I allowed myself to relax and slip into a deeper sleep. As my dream's consciousness faded, a distant voice broke my solitude. It was dry and harsh, crackling like embers, the words searing into my soul.

"I'm coming for you."