Weekly prompts

Nightmare

Taess walked into the small diner, looking for a bathroom to change in, he'd only just arrived back in his homeland an hour ago and his clothes had already given him some trouble. This was not a place you wanted to stand out in.

He asked a pretty half demon waitress for the bathroom and she pointed him towards the back of the establishment, warning him he'd have to buy something to use it.

He thanked her and quickly went to change. Jeans were a bad idea, you only got away with them around here if you were rich though thanks to his mother's insistence on expensive clothes when he was growing up, he owned just about every style. He changed into a pair of black baggy pants and a normal silver t-shirt, sure he could get away with his more elven clothing but that wasn't what he wanted to try and advertise.

He'd realized during his travels how different his world really was, a scary blend of magic and what was known as the modern world. A world of pure darkness and giving light.

It was beautiful, the countryside so lush and wild, the cities at least most so large and enthralling, the powerful horses that people rode or the rare car that a rich demon would be driving or a dragon, the sound of laughing children in schools all of it beautiful, yet terrible.

Because it was its mask, its blanket that hid the truth of it all, this place was hell, the living nightmare that he'd grown up in, though he'd been lucky and grown up in the mountains in the safety of the dragon lairs the effects of how things were even reached there.

He stepped out in his clothes and took a seat in one of the booths and waited to be served.

The waitress who'd directed him to the bathroom was his server, she took his order, looking him over now that he seemed less elven but his ears were still a dead give away.

He ate silently and then paid his bill, leaving a few extra coins for her. Then he took his pack and left, walking down the street.

He knew better than to try and teleport back to the dragon lairs, too many magical barriers and walking wouldn't kill him. He needed to remember this place, remember what they were all fighting for, remember because he felt like he'd forgotten. He understood the worlds of others, now he had to understand his own world.

For over four hundred years this place had been ruled by demons, demons who did not care for anyone but themselves, demons who would gladly kill their own to retain power, fuck they had killed their own to retain it. No one was safe from oppression here, not human, not elf, not dragon and not even other demons. If you were given the bad lot of being born here you were also given the lot of being treated like crap.

He pulled his cloak out from his pack and put it on, pulling the hood over his head, he knew already he'd need it, being a shape-shifter was not something that was common and that would instantly catch the guards attention.

He looked at the walls of the city, all of them covered in wanted pictures, he felt a pang in his heart when he saw the pictures of members of his family, wanted dead or alive. A wave of guilt as he realized he'd been gone for too long.

He heard the scream of a child, a little human girl as she ran, bleeding. He wanted to help her, wanted to go and see if she was alright but before he even had a chance to blink a group of guards had come at her, one holding a dagger and slitting her throat, Taess clenched his teeth, feeling the rage flowing through him and he got ready to attack but a strong hand pulled him back.

“That would be foolish Taess” A voice said, he turned angrily to see Roxen, the moon goddesses high priest looking at him seriously.

“You would let her die?” He snarled quietly.

“She is already dead, no point in you dying also my brother.” He whispered, pulling him away from the scene.

“I see what the goddess meant now, about our world. It's not the war that defines us, it's cowardice, it's the amazing ability to see such horrors and just walk by as if it was nothing. Our legacy is blindness.” Taess spat when they were safetly away.

“You could not have taken on those guards Taess, besides her fate was to die tonight.” Roxen said sadly. Taess hit the wall, leaving a large crack in it, the seer sighed at the young half elf, completely understanding his anger.

“Why am I here? Why did she ask me to come back?” Taess asked.

Roxen pulled him along the narrow ally, knowing secrets ways to get out of the city and to the safety of the wild trees. The only place were the beauty was real and not a mask.

“You are here because you wanted to come.” Roxen said softly. “Because you wanted to see Keth again.”

Taess didn't bother asking how Roxen knew about his love, Roxen knew just about everything, about everyone. He also had a nasty habit of never, ever wanting to tell you about it.

They walked out and the trees seemed to welcome them, the wind felt cooler and less suffocating, the flowers so sweet here.

Taess closed his eyes and let the welcoming forest remind him of the good here, the things that weren't so horrible.

Welcome home Taess. A sweet voice said in his heart..

“I am home my lady, and happy to be back.” He found himself saying.

He felt the touch of the moon and felt safe, awakening from the nightmare.