by Mario Routi
Not knowing where she was and feeling like a frightened mouse, she limped to a wall that she discovered with her hands but could not see. The wall felt shattered and grainy against her numb fingertips as she moved them cautiously along its surface.
Seeing a light peeking through the fog, Leylah made her way towards it, frantic to see more, wanting to understand where she was and what was happening. Stepping out of the fog into clearer air she felt another wave of panic rise up inside her, threatening to overwhelm her as she looked down at the chaos below.
The streets were piled high with wrecked and burning cars as people ran screaming in all directions, smashing in windows and attacking one another. Her nostrils filled with the acrid smells of ash and fire and death. In the distance a black mass was moving in her direction.
Knowing that this might be another prophetic dream, she refused to give in to the panic - refused to run away - which was what all her instincts were commanding her to do. Instead she walked bravely towards the black mass, determined to find out everything she could. Was this a vision of something that was going to happen in the near future?
The swirling black mass started to take on shapes, though they continuously shifted as it drew closer. The Sceptomorphs scavenged the streets in search of their favorite food - fear - leaving a path of destruction in their wake.
She watched as a group of people ran out in front of them. They froze in their tracks and, within seconds, the Sceptomorphs were sucking the energy out of their bodies like juice. The victims screeched in pain, their bodies writhing in the air as more energy was pulled out of them before their lifeless bodies fell in piles to wither and decay. Soon, there were no more screams and the Sceptomorphs swirled on from the silent pile of bones they left behind.
As they passed by Leylah, a creature travelling among them seemed to spot her and broke out of the ranks of black. Leylah stood still, telling herself over and over that this was just a dream and that this strange entity couldn’t see her. She let out a shriek of surprise as it grabbed her arm and its face transformed into Alexander.
“Hello, Oracle,” it whispered in a voice that seethed with malice.
Leylah yanked her arm, struggling in vain to break free of its grip. The creature shook its finger at her and made a ticking sound with its tongue.
“Oh, Oracle, if only you understood what danger you’re in when you pursue these dreams. As long as I have a hold of you you’re trapped here in your worst nightmare and anyone outside of time can do as they please to you.”
It brought up its other hand, which had nails as long and sharp as daggers on the ends of its fingers. It plunged the gnarled blades into her side, making her scream from the sudden, excruciating pain.
“Listen well, Oracle. I am General Varta. Know that I do not fear you or your predictions because I can be anyone I want to be. I can wear any face. I can be anywhere and you’ll never know that it is me.”
“Let me go!” she screamed.
As he came in close to her face, Alexander was gone and in his place appeared eyes like the sockets in a soulless corpse, boring into her skull to see her thoughts. “One quick question, Oracle. This is a dream, little girl. This is something that might happen, but the real question is: Do you know where I really am at this very moment?” It bared its fangs at her with a murderous grin. “Do you trust anyone near you, Oracle? Are you sure that the people around you are who they claim to be? Or are they me?”
Leylah’s eyes betrayed her as she realised that all trust for everyone she knew had just vanished into a cloud of smoke. General Varta let out a satisfied cackle, pleased that his words had achieved their purpose.
“I won’t kill you now because it will be so much more fun watching you being destroyed slowly by your own paranoid fears of everyone you love.”
He released his grip and everything around her slipped into darkness.
As Leylah slowly opened her eyes in the bright morning light she felt something warm and wet beneath her sheets. When she lifted them up she saw the stain of her own blood seeping from her.
“Mu..um?” she called out weakly.
Silence reigned in the room for a few moments before she heard approaching footsteps. She gingerly felt her side, where General Varta had gripped her, but there was no wound - just blood and a rip in her nightshirt. As the door opened, Leylah quickly pulled the sheets back up.
“Baby, is something wrong?”
Leylah smiled at her mother’s concerned face. “I’m sorry, Mum. Nothing for you to worry about, just dreams.”
One of Bebi’s eyes watched her from his usual spot on the bed with a disapproving look, knowing that she was hiding the truth.
Rebecca sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you sure, honey?”
Leylah looked down at the sheets. “Yeah... it was another dream but I’m not ready to talk about it just yet. I hope you don’t mind.”
Rebecca smiled affectionately. “I completely understand, sweetheart. Breakfast is ready. Why don’t you come down and join us now that you’re awake?”
“I’ll be down in a minute. Thanks, Mum.”
“Of course, sweetie. I’m here if you need me,” Rebecca said before getting up and walking out of the room.
Leylah lifted up the sheets once more to check that she hadn’t imagined the blood. It was still there, vivid and shocking on the white sheet. She felt like she had woken from one nightmare into another. Now she understood completely what this General Varta had told her. He was already in Utopia but she would not know who he was until it was too late. Was it her mother’s face he had taken on? Or maybe her father’s? Was it Alexander’s or Lord Leiko’s? But how could Evil exist here while the Flame shone over everyone? She knew it wasn’t the first time, though, since it had happened before with Claudia, the Amazon General. Her thoughts returned to Larisa and the bad feeling that she had had about her. Leylah needed to talk to the Wise Tree. At least General Varta wouldn’t be able to impersonate it, would he?
Wanting to act as normally as possible, she went down to breakfast, sneaking looks at her parents as she ate and feeling a pang in her heart at the thought that one of them could be someone other than who they appeared to be.
“Leylah had another nightmare,” Rebecca said bluntly.
Turgoth glanced at his daughter enquiringly. “Do you want to talk about it dear?”
Leylah looked at them as if they were complete strangers. “I’m going to discuss it with the Wise Tree first, if you don’t mind. I want to make sure it’s safe to talk to anyone.”
“Why wouldn’t it be safe to talk to us?” Turgoth asked puzzled, looking at her in a way she didn’t think she had ever seen before. Or was this the paranoia that General Varta had predicted for her? Was he watching her now and enjoying her misery?
“I’d just rather not say anything until I speak to the Wise Tree,” she said, poking at her food. “I do love you both.”
Rebecca’s hand stopped half way to her mouth with a piece of fruit. “We love you too, honey.”
Leylah continued to stare blankly at her food, not really feeling as though she had an appetite. Eventually, she put the plate on the floor in front of Bebi. At least she could be sure that he was who she thought he was.
“I think I’ll go speak to the Wise Tree now, before everything gets busy,” Leylah said, wanting to leave the house before they could protest.
Her father caught her arm as she passed him and pulled her into a hug. Rebecca came over and joined in. As their arms clung around her, tears fell from her eyes. She could feel their hands gently stroking her hair as they held her tightly in their warm embrace.
Leylah broke away from them and walked on wobbly legs out through the front door, looking behind her at her parents and the peaceful life she once knew. General Varta was right; her paranoia was making her suffer in a w
ay she could never have imagined. She simply didn’t understand how her world could have turned upside down so quickly.
***
As Leylah rode towards the Wise Tree, the air around her felt musty and grainy. There was no grass here to cool off the bright sun and Leylah felt like she was wrapped in a sweaty blanket.
The Wise Tree exuded a sense of peace and stability, which was exactly what she needed so desperately. With a wide yawn as Leylah stepped forward, the Wise Tree smiled at her.
“Hello, young Princess. I would ask how you’re doing, but your body seems to answer that question for you. What has happened?”
Leylah looked at the Tree in silence for a while before finally forcing the words out of her mouth. “I had another dream, but this one was different.”
“Go on,” the Tree encouraged her.
“I was surrounded by metal and concrete buildings when, suddenly, Sceptomorphs appeared in the middle of a chaotic scene of death and destruction. Then something - a creature - came to me. I know it was the same being from my previous dreams - the one who stood beside Cronus.”
“Did he grab you?”
Leylah was slow to react. “You knew?”
“That’s why Morpheus suggested that you needed someone with you at all times. Oracles have had this happen to them before when a creature of the Titans found them. Some of them even got hurt during the dream, which makes you either very lucky or it means that the enemy has some grander and even more sinister purpose.”
Leylah felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her heart. “I woke up with blood on my sheets from where he had stabbed me with his sharp nails.”
“He stabbed you and you were bleeding? That’s serious, dear Princess. And the appearance of Sceptomorphs is new information in this dream, from which we can extract useful knowledge. We need to notify your parents of this, so that they can tell the Gods.”
Leylah looked down at the ground. “There’s something else. The creature told me that he could be anyone I know and he morphed his face into Alexander’s right there in front of me. He also called himself General Varta.”
“General Varta? Oh my Gods! Zeus was worried that that old enemy would be infiltrating whatever this great plan might be. Leylah, your dream now gives us a strong clue about what we’re facing.”
“But, Wise Tree, if I may ask, could he actually be here in Utopia? Doesn’t the Flame block out Evil?”
“The Flame blocks out pure Evil - yes - but in order for life to be created it must contain a bit of both Good and Evil inside it. It’s really just a matter of how well you can suppress one of the two components. While the Flame suppresses Evil in those who receive it to a point of near non-existence, it simply can’t remove everything. That being said, the Titans in Tartarus could very well create something that would have the opposite effect, although they don’t have the ability to create anything like the Flame. This topic should be left up to the Gods to discuss with you but, to answer your question: yes, he could very well be here. Although the chances are slim, there is a possibility. However, in the dream you were on Earth, weren’t you?”
“It looked like the pictures I’ve seen in books and movies, so I’d say yes.”
“Then it stands to reason that he’s not here yet. Did he refer to you by name?”
“No, he called me ‘Oracle’ but didn’t say my name.”
“That means that he doesn’t actually know who you are for now. He is just using your memories; thus I can assure you that no one you know personally is this new enemy - at least not yet.”
Leylah felt her spirits lift, leaving a trace of guilt in their wake. “I can’t believe I treated my parents like they were strangers.”
The Wise Tree smiled at her and its eyes seemed to understand her pain. “If anyone woke up from a dream like that they would most likely have the same reaction. As I said, you should talk with your parents about it soon, but what you did was strategically smart. Since your mind wasn’t thinking clearly, you came to the one being that this enemy couldn’t imitate, which is me. Don’t feel guilty for making decisions that are intended for the right reasons. Some of the toughest choices have the most disheartening effects. Don’t lose faith in yourself, Leylah. You are a very capable daughter, warrior and future princess. You did the right thing.”
Leylah stood there looking at the ground for a short while before she turned around, hugged the Tree and kissed it. “Thank you, Wise Tree!” she said.
“It’s always a pleasure, Leylah. I am glad that I could lighten your troubles. Remember though, he may be among the people you don’t know, so he may still be here, although as I said, it’s unlikely.”
***
Leylah was surprised to see Alexander coming towards her from the amphitheatre entrance.
“Hey Alex!” She waved.
Alexander pushed back his hair as he came over. “Hey Leylah, seems we both came to see the Wise Tree.”
“I had another dream that I needed to talk to the Wise Tree about.”
“I’m glad you’re here. I haven’t seen you since the training yesterday and I was a bit worried since Larisa really hurt you but my mum told me you were fine and needed to rest, so I didn’t come to see you. Anna found out too and she and Gregory were asking about whether you’ll be fit enough to take this Earth trip your parents have prepared for you.”
“Alex,” she interrupted, “do you think Mum will allow me to take Bebi with me?”
“I know you’re very attached to him, Leylah, but you’re not going to be able to take him down to the Earth with you.”
“Why not?” She didn’t like the idea of travelling all that way with none of her childhood comforts.
“Bebi lives with the Flame over here, so he can live forever. If he goes down to Earth he would age dangerously. Dogs don’t live too long there. And anyway, central London isn’t the best place to be moving around with a dog unless you wish to spend your entire time there in either Hyde Park or Regent Park.”
Leylah dropped the subject, not wanting Alexander to think she was being a baby. “Have you been to London?” she asked. “Anything exciting there?”
“London has absolutely everything. And it is great to visit the city that your mother came from. That way you’ll see what she grew up with.”
Leylah shyly smiled at him. “Are you coming?”
Alexander stared off into the distance. “I’m not sure yet. I go to Earth every now and then but I don’t think I can go right now. I’ll let you know if I can make it.”
“It’d be really nice if you could come along,” she said, almost under her breath.
“What was that?”
“Oh... um... I said it’d be nice if you could come. I’m sure you would understand my perspective on Earth better than Anna and Gregory. I mean, they’re great but... yeah...” Leylah’s words stumbled to a halt.
Alexander placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled, causing the girl’s heart to climb into her throat. “I’ll do my best, okay?”
“Uh... okay.”
As they talked, neither saw Rebecca until she was right behind them. She walked past them and went towards the Wise Tree. Leylah overheard them saying something about important announcements. Then Rebecca turned around to her daughter.
“Honey, I just put out a broadcast and people will start to gather in the amphitheatre soon. You’d better go and get ready.”
“What’s it all about, Mum, and why the rush?”
“You’re leaving for Earth tomorrow so I decided to speed up some announcements.”
“Tomorrow?” Leylah cried, taken by surprise.
“The sooner the better dear,” Rebecca replied.
Before Leylah could say anything, Alexander grabbed her hand. “You don’t need to get ready. You look beautiful as you are. C
ome on, we’re here early enough to get the best seats in the house.”
Leylah allowed him to tow her along, happy just at the thought of sitting next to him again and forgetting any anxiety she had had regarding her dreams and Earth.
32
Leylah and Alexander sat in awkward silence as the people of the Land of the White Sun made their way into the stadium, both of them suddenly at a loss as to what to talk about and confused about why they felt like that. The crowd grew louder and they exchanged shy smiles, relieved of the need to talk since the noise would have drowned out their words anyway.
As Rebecca appeared in the middle of the stage the crowd fell quiet, eager to hear what she had to say.
“Welcome everyone! Today we have a few special announcements to make but first - for reasons you are all aware of - we must stop the War Games for now. However, for the first time ever, we will soon hold an inaugural air handball tournament!”
The crowd burst into cheers and applause.
“To our new family members - I am glad that you have all made it here safely. I’m sure the wonder of the Land of the White Sun has already amazed you with sights that you had never seen before. I promise you there will be many more. We are all here to help you through your lessons and soon you’ll be able to fly like the Orizons. I hope you’ll be happy here with us and enjoy every minute.”
The audience cheered once again.
“Now, to continue with our announcements: We have chosen to reveal a special identity so that we can all help to ensure her safety. Those of you who know her have always been supportive of her and we know we can rely on all of you. We just want to make sure that she gets through this rough time she is bound to have, adapting to her new gift as smoothly as possible. Long ago, down on Earth, the ancient Greeks had an Oracle. The gift of the Oracle is also a heavy burden and provides a constant reminder of how vigilant we must always be on all fronts.”