It is dark all around, the night sky above as I stand in a field, something glows bright orange in the distance. A shrill scream fills the air and I start running towards it, gripping the skirt of my dress as I run as fast as I can.

Ash fills the air as the orange glow becomes clear and flames lick at the sky in front of me. Everything is on fire, houses are burning as far as I can see.

Another scream fills the night air and I turn towards it. I cough and choke as I get closer to the house, its shape familiar as I cover my mouth with my arm trying not to breathe in the smoke.

I can hear children crying as I walk through the open door and I recognize the room immediately. It's my home, the table stands in the middle, benches and cupboards all exactly as I last saw them.

Another scream and I come out of my stupor, moving towards the sound I open the door to my old bedroom and see my sisters and youngest brother on one of the beds huddled together.

"Come on, we have to get out of here!" I call out to them, picking Raine up in my arms and guiding the girls out to the main room.

I walk back to the front door with the girls in front of me as a beam crashes down behind us and flames flicker and flare to life. Ruthlyn screams, gripping her sisters arms as we make it outside.

"Where is mum?" I ask Winnow, tears leaving trails down her ash covered face. She points back at the house, flames covering the roof.

"Stay here!" I tell them, handing Raine over to her. "Look after your brother and sister."

I walk back into the house, stepping around the fallen beam and calling out.

"Mum! Where are you?" I cough and gasp as I move further into the house, sure the roof is about to fall on top of me.

Her scream has me turning towards her bedroom and I push open the door. There I see her, only she isn't alone. Aeris is holding her, one arm wrapped around her shoulders while the other is held away, flame covering his hand.

"Aeris, what are you doing?" I ask, confused and terrified.

"Taking care of your family." He answers with a sinister grin.

"You did this?" I ask in shock and anger.

"Of course, we couldn't have you wanting to run back home, you belong to us now." He answers looking to the floor where I see my father's legs on the floor behind the bed. Oh gods, is he dead?

"Just let my mother go, please!" I call out. "I'll do whatever you want, just don't hurt her." I beg, taking a step towards them, the house whines and creaks around us as the air grows warmer and I can feel the sweat soaking into my dress.

"Ah ah ah, she isn't your family anymore, we are, and we will make sure that you will never have a reason to leave us." He says looking down at my mother, her wide blue eyes stare at me in terror.

"Go Dae, it's for the best." She cries out and I shake my head, remembering her words, urging me to go with them the day they came for me.

"No, not like this." I cry as another crash behind me has me shrinking down in fear.

"It's too late Pet, everyone you know will burn here today, and then you will be all mine." He smiles, bringing his flame covered hand closer to my mother.

I scream, running towards them, needing to do something to stop him, as the roof comes crashing down on top of us and flames surround me.

I sit up, gasping for air, hand on my chest as I feel my heart racing.

My skin is burning up and the room feels too stuffy as it becomes clearer, candles lighting the dark space.

I crawl out of bed, my nightgown sticking to my sweat soaked skin as I push open the windows and take in deep lungful's of air. It is sweet and cold but I can still feel my insides burning like the fire from my nightmare is inside of me.

I walk to the bathroom and start filling the bath with cold water.

I strip out of my nightgown and step into the ice cold water. I swear it sizzles as I sit down and the water surrounds me. I lay back, trying to submerge myself in the cold water needing it to put out this burning fire inside of me.

It was just a nightmare, I tell myself over and over. It wasn't real, Aeris would never do something like that. He wouldn't burn innocent people, he wouldn't burn my family and my home.

I see his smile in my mind's eye and feel a flicker of heat inside of me flare at the memory of him, his likeness so exact, so realistic, like he truly had been standing there in my parent's bedroom.

I sink further into the tub, letting the water cover my head as I hold my breath, shutting my eyes, willing the nightmare from my mind.

I lie under the water until I run out of air then come up, taking in a deep breath and leaning against the bath.

I still feel too warm, like the water isn't cold enough. I step out, grabbing a thin robe and pulling it over my shoulders I walk back to the window and sit on the ledge letting the cool night air surround me.

My hair drips down my back, leaving a puddle on the floor. Finally I can feel my skin cooling down, and I no longer feel like I am going to burst into flames.

I don't think about the nightmare. Can't let it back into my thoughts. I don't want to see all the horrible images.

I look up at the stars, trying to slow down my breathing and calm my heart. I wish I was back in the observatory with Alvaryn instead of here, awake and alone in the middle of the night, too scared to try and sleep.

I never spoke about my nightmares with them, never wanted to relive them, or have them know what I saw. It was always them, both of them, or one of them, and then they would do horrible, unimaginable things. When I was in them it was impossible to tell they weren't real, even when I woke up, just the memory alone would make it difficult to separate them.

And when I saw either Alvaryn or Aeris the morning after, it was hard to not look at them differently, seeing what they did in my nightmares, knowing it was not real but haunted by the memory anyways.

And there wasn't a single thing I could do to make them stop. Either the magic would work or it wouldn't. A warm tear trails down my cheek and I hug my arms around my centre.

I have never prayed, my family had never believed in gods, at least not to the point where they would pray to them. We would celebrate the new harvest, dancing under the full moon and hoping for a good season. We would welcome each transition of season with different traditions. But there was never a god or gods.

I didn't know if there was a god, or gods, I didn't know if there was something out there watching over us, controlling the world around us. I didn't know how we came to be, or why the world is the way it is.

But right now I didn't care. All I wanted was some kind of miracle, some kind of powerful being to grant me a wish, to take this curse away from me for once and for all.

And so, though I have never done so before, I bring my hands together in front of me, gripping my fingers and I look up at the stare filled sky.

"Dear God, or gods, I don't know if you exist, or if you did whether you would listen to me anyways. I have never prayed to you before, so why would you start listening now?" I start speaking to the stars or whoever might be listening. "I know I don't deserve your help, I have never thanked you for anything, never given you any gifts or sang your praises. I don't think I have been an overly kind person in my life, my temper is short and my anger grows quickly." I say taking in a steadying breath. "But, if you are real and you are listening to me, then will you please help me, please take away these nightmares. Please give me whatever I need to make them go away for good. I can't keep living like this, haunted every night by the men I love. Seeing their faces and watching them hurt me and those I love is going to drive me insane." More tears fall down my face as I grip my hands even harder. "Please help me get rid of them and I promise I will be better, I will be kinder and less volatile. I will make more of an effort with the other chosen. I will do whatever you want me to do, if only you give me what is needed to keep these nightmares out of my mind."

I wipe the tears from my face as I hug my waist, staring at the stars and hoping someone listened. Was it insane of me to pray to someone I didn't even know was real? Maybe it is just how desperate I have become. Turning to the unknown to get rid of this dark magic.

I had meant what I said though, I would do whatever was needed to get rid of the nightmares because in truth I didn't know what would happen to me if they continue. I didn't know how I could live happily if I knew they would be waiting for me every time I closed my eyes. I didn't know if I would want to live at all if I knew every night, every time I fell asleep nightmares would fill my mind.

There were still hours before the sun would rise and Saena and Lyari would come in, there was nothing I could do, so I will sit here on the window ledge and wait. Wait for the sun to rise, wait for the day to begin, and wait for my prayers to be answered.