Chapter Twenty: Spin Me a Dream

Fog drifted in and out clouding Akatsuki's view as he walked through the eerie forest. He had been walking for hours and a pent up sigh of frustration escaped his lips. A small diamond he had etched into a tree more than two hours ago was once again in his view. Despite his training and his more than adequate ability to trek through a forest fog or not, he found himself repeating the same circuit no matter what he tried. The fact that he was once again in his slim, but fit body from earth only added fire to the already gasoline covered situation.

Akatsuki looked up at the tree line only barely visible through the haze. This was the fourth time he had been lost inside this particular maze. A reoccurring nightmare that seemed to be his new particular hell. He had felt with nightmares all his life, you don't get as good at fighting as Akatsuki without a few sleepless nights, but this was different. The fog itself felt enchanted, not unlike when the doctors had unleashed his mana on Kato, but it was somehow stronger, deeper than simple mana.

"I do hate to cut this short, after all who doesn't enjoy getting chased around in a forest, but if you could go ahead and wake me up now." Akatsuki spoke into the fog, but just like the other dozen or so times he was left with silence and forced to wander until he woke.

"Do you really want to leave?" A child like voice slither up Akatsuki's spine. Ice gripped his heart and his feet wouldn't move. The voice hadn't come from any one direction as if it had been spoken inside his mind. "Strange, to run…" Icicles in the form of fingers pressed against his back as the voice echoed again as if chanting a spell. "After all I am you, and you am I."

Akatsuki's eyes shot open his mouth gasping for air as his body lunged forward trying desperately to get away from whatever, who ever was coming for him. He promptly slammed into a wooden wall, inches away from his maid, who had deftly dodged his advance. Her eyes were wide as she looked at Akatsuki with concern.

"Again?!" She asked helping the stunned Akatsuki back into his seat. "Honestly we should say something to the doctor, we can turn around, we aren't that far from the manner." The maids eyes were quite adorable when she was worried, but Akatsuki in the end didn't yield.

"It is simply a night terror, it will fade eventually." He lied, after all how could he explain this.

"Do you want to talk about it?" The maid asked in a soft almost mouse like voice. She was shy and often looked at Akatsuki as if she was expecting more. It was the same look his mother and father had given him when he had first woken in this world. It was clear that their relationship before Ashley von Blanc had left this world was far more than maid and mistress.

The carriage bounced and kicked over the rough road as Akatsuki stayed silent the maid looking at him expectantly. The carriage driver spoke before Akatsuki decided to.

"Everything alright back there?" The whip and a lurch of the cart latter he spoke again. "We will be arriving sometime this afternoon, I will try to keep the cart as stable as possible, apologize if I woke you." The man grunted and turned his head away from the small window that let him speak to the ladies.

"It's fine, and thank you just a simple night terror." Akatsuki spoke politely.

"Night terrors huh, you've got nothing to fear my lady, leave the ol' night terrors to us vets." The man gave a half laugh before resuming his work.

"I appreciate it, I'll try and get some sleep." After all How could he explain it to the maid? How could he explain that a child version of Ashley Von Blanc, the person he was suppose to be, was chasing him down in his dreams.