𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫

The Wastes of Time

 The town we were traveling to was apparently very far away, and would still take a few weeks to get to. Every morning, we trained and Koral made me sprint— as it turns out, it is the one physical thing I am actually good at. I was able to run farther and farther each day. And I take much pride in that fact, thank you very much.

 After my morning jog, I would have brunch, before running off with Torin to the closest open space to practice my magic. Now, that, I loved and I excelled at. Even Torin had said so. The trouble was learning how to control it. No one had exactly spoken to me about it, but I had overheard he and Koral talking one night and they mentioned something about how apparently I had a much larger well of power than they'd expected me to have. And I liked the idea of being stronger than expected— I mean, for the first time in my life, I felt strong.

 I didn't worry about it too much though, if the strength of my magic was important I had a feeling they would tell me. It had been nearly a month since my first lesson in magic, and ever since we had had nothing but time to bond while we drove. And although I certainly felt closer to them both, they still had so many secrets that I knew they weren't yet ready to share— might never be.

 My hair had grown out past my shoulders, physically marking my time here, and I was finally able to start braiding it again. Unfortunately, braiding hair didn't come nearly as easy to me as magic did. For that, fortunately, I had Koral. What would I do without her? She was like the older sister I never knew I even needed until she popped up, and now, well... I can't imagine my life without her.

 Although I had a greater understanding of Somnium, I still hadn't learned almost anything about Dhalia, except that she was like the old version of me... If that even makes sense. Every time I did something important, or broke through a new barrier in my training I would always catch my name in the same sentence as hers that night. It was like I was somehow chasing her ghost.

 Torin and Koral had created a routine, working by day, and traveling by night, when we would sleep in the wagon. The only downside to that was (well there were a lot but the main one was) the lack of privacy and space. And the sleeping in the wagon bit— ever heard the phrase packed like sardines? Well, that pretty much described what it felt like.

 Other than that though, I was having the time of my life! We saw new places every day, and incredible, unimaginable things, that would have you put on medication if you ever tried to describe, having claimed you saw them. And, finally through it all, I somehow began to grasp the flow of time in Somnium, too.

 Though I was thoroughly enjoying this adventure, I missed my moms— sometimes very much, like, so much it hurt to breathe. And then the guilt for leaving home would rain down on me, but... I kept reminding myself that I never did really leave. At least, not physically. It was as if that world was on pause.

 The more time I spent here, the more my quaint little cottage faded away along with the gurgling creek, and the forest and the tree house. In many ways it simply... no longer felt like home. Slowly, I began to feel myself more alive here. More important somehow. Like I had a purpose, even if I didn't know what exactly it was— it was as though I was meant to be here. And I had made real friends— Torin finally accepted me as belonging when he saw me use my magic for the first time, those few weeks ago. And Koral and I were so close now, it was like she knew me better than anyone— Well, she could literally read my mind.

 Even though I didn't come close to knowing everything  about this strange new world, I felt like I belonged in Somnium. Every day at dinner, Koral would talk to me about the Seven Realms (which I had now memorized), their great leaders (not so memorized) and the council they formed. We spoke of politics, and legends, and past adventures she had been on. She would often tell me wonderful stories of all the things she had seen, while Torin would just listen alongside us.

 Then there was the Umbra. Which I came to know as the darkness. It was like a plague, spreading around Somnium and devouring everything. Perhaps the same darkness had even claimed Dahlia... Her death still remained a mystery to me. It was the one subject we never discussed.

 Apparently the Umbra had been around for one hundred years or so already (in Somnium time), and yet no one knew of it's origin or the cause of it's spreading— No one knew how to stop it.

 "Wren?"

 I rested my chin on my knees, staring into the fire we'd set up on the flat rocky ground that seemed to spread on for miles and miles. We were in a new realm. The Wastes of Time. A barren wasteland were time and space blurred...

 The fire sent bright red and gold sparks into the dark night sky; they seemed to dance, up there with the stars. The people here say that when they pass, they join the stars. I hoped it was true. What better place to rest than up there?

 "What's on your mind?"

 A shadow seemed to loom in the distance... I wondered, for the first time if- if I really could help Koral and Torin like she hoped. Like I knew he wanted to let himself hope.

 My voice was muted when I said, "Everything."