The Sage's Vow

5.1 || According to Plan

AS SOON AS most Paladins heard about the Plane of Trials, they dreamed of entering it someday. Mara had been among those hopeful children when Hisato told her about it. She had imagined herself overcoming many adversaries and what her Soulmerged state would look like.

Even if having to struggle to get Cale to accept help had left her exasperated, soon after, the elation had hit. She would be entering the Plane, and even if it wasn't for herself, she would get to discover what it was like and hopefully watch Cale achieve one of the ultimate goals of a Paladin on their road of growth.

Over the next twenty-four hours, though, those feelings had changed into knots and endless energy. The idea of entering the Plane inspired excitement; the wait sowed anxiety.

Which could have been the reason she was so acutely aware that both Xander and Joel were late.

She sat in the Sanctum within the shade of a tree, legs tucked underneath each other. Boomer's head rested less than a meter from her as he curled up under another tree, lips pulled back in a barely contained growl as Hisato tended to his injuries. Mateo's dragon, Taji, stood at a small distance, head tilted as she watched. Mara had seen the wind dragon around Boomer every time she peeked in to see how he was doing, giving her the impression that Taji worried for the younger dragon.

Or maybe Mateo had asked her to give him updates in case Boomer tried to bluff to Josh. The thought of Josh made her chest pang. If he was here, he'd keep her mind off the dreaded wait.

Instead, the ones with her only provided a reminder. Cale paced back and forth a few meters away while Elisa tossed out tips for handling the Plane. Paladins were never told much about what was inside—not that there was much to tell besides it was filled with monsters—but previous entrants could still give general combat help. Ezraim lay in the grass, his eyes following Cale. Jonathan switched between providing Cale with his own advice, watching the half-dozen Sages gathered around Jodas, and peering at the Sanctum entryway. He seemed as aware as Mara of the ones missing.

There was a chance she could have ignored all of this—the nerves, the Michaels' own dancing energy, worry about whatever was holding up the Paladin and Sage leaders—if not for her lack of sleep the night before. A lack that had nothing to do with their upcoming departure.

The nightmares had returned.

Mara summoned a snowflake with barely any thought. Its icy touch trailed across her skin, and breathing became easier. Despite growing up in a warmer area of the world, the cold had an odd way of calming her.

But even its soothing caress couldn't chase away the memory's hold. Her, curled up in a closet, trying to hide from the screams outside. Everything shaking as an explosion ripped through the dream's reality. Black fire, because in this version, Cale didn't contain the bomb. Burning, so much burning, as the flames licked at her, its crackles becoming whispers with her parents' voices. Then her, looming over lifeless lumps, an ice dagger in her hand, the shadowy blaze crawling along her body. But it couldn't hide the blood all over her. And she couldn't stop seeing dead eyes staring up at her.

A young Cale from when she first met him.

A more innocent Josh, not yet touched by the Paladin's world.

Ioana, Jonathan, Elisa, Xander, Hisato, Akachi, and so many others. Then finally, Mateo. Except he still lived despite the line across his throat.

Mateo, the gifted boy whose presence may very well have been the reason for the nightmare's return.

"Ghost follow you," he said, just like he had told her years ago when he first stepped into the Sanctuary.

Her parents' whispers echoed in her ears, instructing her to end that which hurt her. And she did. Blood was everywhere.