As Magus left, a sudden cold filled the air, and almost as if she was pulled from under the water, Titania felt the sounds and lights of the ship return to her. She was dizzy, and her head pounded, causing her to pull up her hand to her temple. Something wasn’t right, and the shaking of the ship didn’t help. Every voice and every laugh that shot through the air caused her more and more pain, and as she began to stumble aimlessly, a darkness fell over her vision. Black blotches covered everything and the noise ran together until finally she hit the ground, her weight pressed against the floor and wall.
Ruthlessly, images swarmed her like flies on a corpse and with each one a silent scream broke through the air and shot through her ears. Amidst the noise and pain there was a face, looking down at her from within a shadow. It seemed to be speaking, but all she heard was noise and shrieks. Its eyes black and its hands covered in blood, it opened its mouth once more, letting out a hiss even though its lips were wide apart.
“You asked for this.” It said, its black teeth chattering in its decaying and unstable face “You asked for this!”
Through the chaos, it raised its hand high above its head, letting its knife catch the light for a brief moment before slicing through the darkness and diving toward her.
In a flash it was over, and Titania awoke with her hands over her heart. For a while, she looked around, her breath heavy and her stature rigid. Finally, as it became clear that whatever spirit had come, was gone, she sat up.
“Hector…” she whispered, exasperated “It was Hector…”
But what was that? What just happened? she brought her hand to her throbbing temple and let her head rest against the wall. Not soon after she had wondered, the answer came to her as if through some kind of common reasoning.
Of course- it was a warning.
Like a dream, the conversation with Magus came back to her- but he was speaking differently, and he was calling her by a strange name.
“After our seven hundred year intermission, we’ll act out this exquisite play once more” His voice ran in her head.
It would happen again. But if that were true, then
everything would happen again.
Everything.
Her chilled fingers found their way back to her chest and she clutched at it, instinctively trying to grab at her necklace. Where
was her necklace? She thought back and remembered, then let her hand fall to the side.
Silent and cold, she sat for a long while, breathing in the musty air of the ship, knowing that she had seen the death this path would lead her to. Or would it? Magus had said that the ending would play out differently- would that mean that she would be spared? The answer, it seemed, would matter to more than just her-Llideah was not the only one to die that day, and somehow Titania already knew who else would fall.
You are the first, my dear, but don't fret because you will soon have company. What is happening now will happen to them and when it does, my world will return. This is no longer your time, but ours, and when we awaken we will bring to all of you the suffering we had to endure. What you have seen is what I have seen and what I wish to let you know. The others- they will learn soon too...of what pain this caused us and what this will lead to. Be thankful you have had your vision for theirs is coming and will be much worse.
You will be my Cassandra, but your friends will be the ones who suffer. Just as I suffered and just as those that I loved suffered.
Remember- their visions are coming and when they do the darkness will be much stronger than it is now. Be thankful this was yours for theirs will be strong enough to kill.
The voice came and left with the swiftness of a shadow. Leaning back against the wall, Titania closed her eyes to rest them for a while, and as she did so she felt the heat of the torches warm her cheeks as if to comfort her. For a brief moment she became a child again, sitting obediently as the heat wrapped around her like a blanket. Slowly, her eyelids grew heavy, and there, exhausted and tucked away in a corner of the ship, she felt the influence of sleep fall undeniably strong upon her. Afraid of whatever might come to her in her dreams, she forced herself up and made her way back to the others, hoping that they were still awake.
*
As Magus returned to the room, the euphoric smell of smoke and liquor filled his head and brought him back to reality. At a table in the center, Osirus and Belial still enjoyed their game, while at the back, the others continued their conversation, stopping only briefly as Magus entered.
“Art thou sound?” Glenn asked, noting that his comrade had left so suddenly.
“I’m fine.” Magus replied, taking a seat next to his friend.
“Why did you leave?” Malice inquired, as he took a sip from an unlabelled bottle.
“Why not?” Came the answer.
Something was different about Magus now, and even as they sat in the safety of the airship it seemed that he was aware in the way a watchman is. Even as Malice and Glenn resumed their conversation, he seemed almost rigid and protective, always making sure that both the knight and the demons were in his line of sight. The former was in some kind of danger, while the latter were not to be trusted.
“We should be arriving shortly.” Said Malice, “We’re making another stop.”
“Where?” inquired Glenn.
“Syne said that Nichi mentioned a place called Dimarus. From there we are to go to Old Grove.”
“Do we have a map of the area?” asked Magus, his gaze still dealt between Glenn and the demons.
“No.” Malice answered “The captain may know something, and if he doesn’t then we’ll have to figure it out for ourselves.”
Titania came into the room without a word and took a seat between Glenn and Malice, while Magus watched as if expecting her to suddenly attack the unaware knight. She caught his glance and for a moment challenged it with her own, before breaking into an awkward smile and looking away.
"So what have you all been talking about?" she asked, shuffling a little further from Glenn so as to appease Magus "Has anything happened? Where's Syne?"
"Nothing's happened, and Syne's probably asleep." Malice answered, " I suggest you all get some rest- we might arrive as early as morning."
Stretching his arms and leaning back a little, Glenn yawned as if agreeing with the proposal "Tis a sound idea." he remarked "Methinks I will retire..."
"I will too." Magus said, rising and waiting for his friend "What about you all?"
Titania shook her head, while the demons simply ignored him.
"I think I'm going to think for a while and sort out our plans." Malice said "We need to know what we're doing. I'll try to talk to the captain- he may know of our destination."
"You won't be able to think if you're tired." Titania protested "Go with Magus and Glenn. I will speak to the captain."
Her suggestion was not entirely for the benefit of her friend. In fact, she had a strong desire to interview the captain about the whereabouts of the demons- specifically Hector.
"I think I should feel better informed if I did it myself." Malice said, shaking his head "None of you worry about it. Just get some sleep and be ready to leave by tomorrow."