Chapter 16: Flight

A Chapter by Eryn ♪

That night, as I lay on the cold floor of the tower, I had a dream. We were at my house. There was a big party happening, there were streamers and balloons, and the usual party games. Everyone was having a wonderful time. Sitting beside me at a table where we played poker, were Joshua and Neil, alive and laughing. They talked between themselves, laughing about the afterlife, this caught me by surprise. Why would you laugh about death? Why were they even talking about death?
Every so often, one of them would stop what they were saying to look at me, and then resume. After a couple bad hands and more than a few glances I get up to see what it is that has their attention. I make my way towards the washroom which is the only room in the house with a mirror.
As I walk down the hallway towards it, more people start looking my way. I start to walk faster and eventually run, as their stares become unbearable.
I slam the washroom door behind me, leaving me in a cold darkness. I go to flick on the light, but find the switch is missing. I decide that I must know what is wrong, so I walk up so close to the mirror that I am touching my face to it. As I stare, it is not my face I see, but a glowing beaked face with empty eye sockets. I recoil, and end up hitting something soft, but boney that lets out an earth shattering scream.
"What the hell Seth?" The girl yells at me, her light but angry voice filling my mind with echos of aqua blue.
"I-I'm sorry." I stammer. I am clearly no longer dreaming. Neither is anyone else for that matter as the girl's scream must surely have woken everyone.
"What is wrong Seth?" Jay's voice cut's through my mind.
"Nothing, just a nightmare, about that ghost that was in the den." I say.
"I see... Everyone settle down. There is still some time before daylight. Go back to sleep."
I return to my spot on the floor amidst grumbles and grunts as well as curses thrown my way. As I close my eyes, without reason but for habit, I notice something below me. As I focus my mind to take it in, I see the same beaked face from my dream. It stares at me, unblinking as if taking my person in as well. I freeze not wanting to believe it. But then I look past it, I see below a multitude of winged ghosts flying about. The solemn one then c***s it's head to the side and releases a silent screech.
Silent, until I hear the glass of the dome shatter. Surrounding us were winged ghosts that were much larger up close. Bursts of light flashed around me as dazed Dragons fell.
"Everyone get out, take the stairs. Hurry, we haven't much time." Jay's voice cut through the chaos, but only for a moment. I make a break for it, following the screams away from the glowing amber demons. I am pushed through a doorway in a wave of bodies, and stumble down the steps as fast as my feet can take me.
"Leave them, you must get to safety, there is nothing left you can do." Jay's voice cuts in from above. I try to push back up the stairs, but the crowd is too strong. Suddenly I feel a hand grab my arm and pull me through the throng of people.
"We'll get him." Clair says, letting me know whom has captured me. As the group dissipates and heads ever farther away we make our way to the top.
"Go, hurry." I hear his green voice say, as he pushes another silhouette through the door. The shadow that Jay has become brandishes a long rod, swinging it at the looming shapes of his enemies. He turns his head for only a moment at our approach and returns his attention to the ghosts.
"Clair get out of here. Take Seth and lead the Dragons somewhere safe. He will help you survive."
"No Jay, we stick together." Clair says "Don't you remember?"
I watch Clair's red form run over to Jay's shadow, and I watch him shove her away.
"Now Clair! They need a leader, and you are no good to them dead. Seth, make sure she gets out."
"You are no good dead either." She shouts, but I am dragging her away. Somehow Jay was managing to hold of the deadly spirits, he was giving us a way out. So I said nothing against Clair's protest as I dragged her down the steps, taking her kicks and punches, because that was all I could do. When eventually I did say something, it stopped her in her tracks.
"Let him do this, he needs to prove to himself something. Let him be a hero. He was yours once, I can tell, now he is mine. Lets let his final act be worth something."
I was ashamed of what I said, but I knew she needed to hear it. After a short moment we continued down the stairs. There were no more arguments, and as we reached the bustling remainder of the group all I could do was shake my head. We had obviously lost many. The intensity of the sound was less than half what it was.
As we walked down the final steps towards them they quieted.
"Jay has given us a way out. From here on I am in charge." Clair says from beside me, her voice firm, but close to tears. "Let us go before they get here. Let us take his gift in good favor."
And with that we flew from that place into the streets.

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