Aiming Straight, Aiming True.

Chapter 18 - An eye opener

A knock on Arena's door startled her from her fitful sleep. She sighed sadly and stared at the plain wooden door. She wanted to go back asleep but the nightmares would begin again. Ever since it happened, she was reliving the experience but ten times worse.  It started off with her and the boys laughing and having fun away from her home and the village. Then everything goes wrong. She shivers slightly and buries her face in her hands as she remembers the nightmare.

She looks up and stares at the trees and hills before her, her eyes wander lazily at the peaceful landscape until they stop on a patch of smoke in the distance. It's dark and thick as she stares at it. Hunter stands up, shielding his eyes to get a better look. "Its coming from...", he mutters.

" The farm", Arena whispers and she's off. The dream changes and she's standing before her burning home. Her mother is screaming being held back by the two guards. Arena looks around frantically,  searching for Damon and her father. "Where are they", she screeches stamping her foot.

" The boy is gone, we saw him run off with a hooded figure", muttered Rowan sadly.

" Kidnapped", screeched Arena, her green eyes brimming with tears.

" We don't know", Rowan muttered.

Arena then steps closer to the guard captain. " My father? ", she asks quietly.  His finger slowly points to the building which is on fire.

" He went back for something", he whispered as Arena turns her attention to her home.

"No", she screams flinging her bow and sheath of arrows on the ground. They are no use to her with fire. She runs to the building while Stephen yells fill the air.

" No Arena, somebody stop her", he yells. Arena races towards the building and dives in.

" Father, Father where are you ", she screeches coughing on the  smoke. She hears a faint moan and follows the voice. On the ground is her father, lying very still. "No Father, you're going to be ok, I'm going to save you", coughs Arena.

" Arena, just go but take this, your chest, don't lose it", croaked Nicholas. His blonde hair covered in ash and dirt.

" No I'm not leaving you, I'm going to pull you out and we can get a healer" , coughs Arena. She makes her father grip the chest and pulls him underneath his arms. The longer she pulls, the further the exit is. Then she sees a hooded figure and he laughs at her attempts to save her father.

" Just give up child, you can't win", the figure hisses.

" No", Arena screams and she continues to pull her father. She makes it out and the guards swarm taking over while Stephen pulls her away and forces her to sit. Her mother throws herself at her father and whispers to him. Arena hears her father call her and she rushes to his side.

"Arena go with Stephen, take up his offer, you must understand everything", Nicholas whispered.

" I don't understand father, why", Arena sobbs. He starts to reply but gasps and goes limp. " No", she screams shaking her father's limp body. Dark laughter reaches her ears and darkness overcomes her before she is able to pull herself out of sleep.

Arena pulls herself out of her thoughts on the nightmare, tears threatening to spill. I will not be weak, I owe my father that much, she thought holding back a sob.  Another knock at her door, brings her to her feet.

I must be strong, I will not be weak, for father, she thought as she crossed towards the door. " Who is it?", Arena yelled trying to sound confident.

" It's me", Zach's familiar voice sounded through the wooden door. "Are you ready to go, Stephen wants to get to the castle before nightfall", said Zach as Arena leant against the hard wooden door.