Dreams are true while they last. And, do we not live in dreams?*

A lie.

I knew whatever was in front of me was not real. It was a hallucination, a make-believe yarn of my worst nightmare. I knew I was currently in one, and yet fear paralyzed me.

I was looking up towards a tall derelict building. I was barefoot, the wet moss was sticking to my naked soles. The building was covered in green ivy. Not a single window on its despondent stone wall which reeked of distress and hopelessness. I gazed upwards to where I could see the roof of the building. Horror clenched my heart as I realized what I was about to witness.

I tried to move my arms, to force myself to wake up. Yet I couldn't. I wanted to scream, to run away from there, but I was rooted helplessly to the spot.

A woman with a devastatingly beautiful face strolled towards the edge of the roof. I was too far away to see her features, and yet there was no mistaking her chalky skin, devoid of all its natural flush, her warm brown eyes and wavy auburn hair. She wore a pale white dress, her beautiful face expressionless. I felt a rising terror in my chest and I wanted to scream out, to warn her.

She walked on serenely, coming closer and closer towards the edge of the building. Desperation rose in my chest, coupled with inexplicable despair. My blood ran cold as she came and stood near the very edge. She gazed down, unseeing with glassy eyes, towards me. She didn't seem to recognize her son.

I watched helplessly as she took another step forward. Her body lurched over the edge of the building and hurtled down. Her eyes finally seemed to take in what was happening and opened wide in utter fear. I stood still, transfixed by terror.

Her flaming hair was flying uncontrollably around her face. Her mouth opened in a bone-chilling, silent scream as her body hurtled towards me unrestrained. She fell as if in slow motion. As if cruel, unyielding time had paused just so I could watch it all unfurl again with horrifying familiarity. 

My eyes flew open and stared into the inky blackness. My heart was running a hundred miles an hour. My body was shaking with sweat and terror. I could feel myself trembling as if I was feverish. 

The horrified face of my mother in her last moments was etched into my memory forever.

I silently lay there for a few minutes, my mind reeling, shaking uncontrollably. I lifted a hand to my face, noticing the wetness. I wasn't sure if it was tears or sweat. I wondered if I had screamed out and hoped and prayed that I hadn't. I waited as the vivid imagery gradually receded into the darkest corner of my mind, sealed; until another trigger unleashed them. 

Breaking glass.

I winced as the sound rang out in my ears with chilling clarity and I covered my face in my hands, feeling my eyelids burning. 

I was no stranger to nightmares, especially this particular recurring dream that haunted me every second of each day. I was engaged in a constant battle to block the thoughts away. My night terrors hadn't returned for many years, save for this one dream.

I gazed at the dark ceiling as my heavy breathing slowed down. My eyes were finally adjusting to the darkness enough to make out the regal off-white ceiling. My thoughts were running wild and confused as I slowly became aware of a dull ache pulsating all through my body. I still felt dizzy, unable to make sense of the surroundings.

I tried to get up and winced horribly as a sharp pain shot up my lower back. I collapsed onto the soft mattress. I closed my eyes, trying to compose myself enough so the world around me would start making sense.

I took a deep breath. A wave of panic tackled my confused brain, and everything came rushing back in a tidal wave of fear.

I opened my eyes again and glanced around the dark, empty room. It was now that I began to realize where I was. Evimeria. The Royal Palace.

My heart, which was already beating in disarray, started beating faster as I tried hard to remember what had happened. And even though my brain tried hard to focus, the only memory that came back to me was a loud explosion, and then excruciating pain that had made me beg death to embrace me.

Even thinking about that made my head ache painfully, and yet the memories kept coming back.

Screaming. Lights. Colours. Sounds.

And then the numbing agony.

I closed my eyes. I took deep calming breaths as the dizziness in my head reduced by a fraction. I had to exert a conscious effort for my lungs to function properly. Just as I had begun to gain my bearings, however, the door to my room burst open.

The sudden loud sound made my head throb painfully, but somehow I managed to turn and look at the unfamiliar people who had just entered my room uninvited. I recognized a single face among the three, and it wasn't a welcoming one.

The lights in my room switched on as I flinched hard and covered my face. The blinding light seemed to increase the pain as I groaned softly, but to no avail.

"Get up."

A stern voice that I recognized as Andreas' spoke. My heart started beating rapidly. Why was he here? Where was my dad? I remembered seeing him just before I passed out. A terrifying thought took root in my heart, what if he was angry with me? I had endangered his entire family. Again.

"Up," the stern voice called again. A tiny surge of anger went through me, but I was too exhausted to do anything except obey.  Barely opening my eyes, I sat up straight, shielding them as my woozy brain tried to think rationally. My entire body ached as if I had been thrown repeatedly and ruthlessly against a rock. 

I gazed at the tall, strong frame of Andreas through a hazy vision. When he had sent an invitation to my boarding school, Stonewall, inviting me over for the weekend, I was shocked; wondering why he would do that. My existence was largely ignored by everyone at the palace. The only thing we had in common was some blood. Our relationship was as gory as it sounded.

After attending my youngest half sister's birthday, I understood why Andreas had invited me to the palace. Evelyn had come of age and performed the stupid traditions that the Ellermans did. He had wanted to rub it in my face that in spite of sharing blood, I wasn't one of them.

"Dim the lights," a mellow, unfamiliar voice said. I felt a rush of gratitude towards the faceless man as the lights were dimmed, and I could finally open my eyes enough to see the two figures that had accompanied my grandfather. I might have gasped at their appearance had I not been so fatigued.

One of them had electric blue hair and cold grey eyes. His robes were turquoise, in jarring contrast to the mahogany wainscotting on the wall behind him. His skin was pale, turquoise star shapes marked underneath his eyes, which were looking at me expressionlessly.

The other man was taller, in plain black robes and short black hair. Above his left eyebrow was the tattoo of what looked like a raven. His arms were crossed in front of him, his jaw clenched as he stared at me with what could only be perceived as anger.

I felt suddenly anxious, my stomach knotting painfully. I hated being around strangers, especially ones who seemed invested in me. I tried to portray a calm facade, my eyes shifting to the doorway again and again. Where was my dad?

I reached for the edge of my bedsheet and gripped it tightly in one hand, twisting it around as I shut my eyes and took deep breaths. What was happening? Who were these gaudily dressed people and what did they want with me?

"How do you feel, Ezekiel?" The man in blue asked, his eyes sparkling strangely.  I felt suddenly conscious of my entire being. I could sense what seemed like ancient powers radiating from him. Infinite energy.

I nodded my head ever so slightly, puzzled. I twisted the piece of bed sheet harder and was aware of his eyes shifting to my hand before back up to meet mine. Maybe my dad didn't know I was awake yet. Or maybe he did and was simply too angry with me.

The man nodded back at me. "We are here to discuss certain matters with you. Do you feel up to it right now?" 

Before I could answer, the door to my room opened a second time, and I felt a rush of comfort as my dad walked in. I drowned under a deluge of relief. His grey eyes glanced around the room, settling on me finally. "Zeke"

I had a sudden urge to get up and go to him. The shameful desire to hide behind my father. I grew extremely anxious whenever Andreas was in my vicinity. Especially, accompanied by more erratically dressed strangers. As he walked closer, however, my heart fell. As a Fire Nuvue, it had been difficult for my dad to shield the entire assembly against my explosive powers. I expected that he had used his secondary ability of defence, which enabled him to cast a protective energy shield around his vicinity. However, his face looked pale and weary, exhausted. As if casting the shield had taken a lot out of him. 

He walked up to me, his brows furrowed, his eyes slightly narrowed in concern. "Are you feeling alright?"

I nodded a second time as the man in black spoke in a gruff voice. "Did you know about this, Augustus?"

Shocked, I glanced at the man who was now glaring at my dad. The only people I had ever seen glare at my father were his wife and his father. The fact that this stranger dared to look at the king of Evimeria with such a severe stare meant he was someone important.

My dad sighed, "I did."

His eyes clouded with darkness as he glanced at me once before fixing his gaze on the strangers. I was itching to know who they were, feeling immensely concerned by the way they were addressing him. 

The man in the blue robes tore his eyes away from me and rounded on him. "You did?"

His mellow voice seemed mildly shocked. My dad nodded. "Yes. But I had no choice except to conceal the truth."

Andreas scoffed. "Not then perhaps. But now, we do have a choice." He nodded towards the blue attired man. "Azure, you know what the solution for this is."

I couldn't make sense of anything that was being talked about there. But I didn't want to interrupt, fearing I wouldn't like whatever it was that they were talking about. I felt like the name 'Azure' seemed vaguely familiar. 

"Znicit." The other man stated as my heart lurched painfully at the word.

The ceremony I had already gone through once when I was still a child. The ceremony that had left my body aching. It had been pure torment when the Vartiyahs, the most powerful of the Nuvues, had tried to rip my mysterious powers off me.

"It's too late," Azure responded. "His powers are way too valuable to be discarded." His eyes widened slightly as something seemed to click in his brain. "Oh!" he exclaimed, his eyes darting from my dad to me and back to my dad. "I see."

He didn't explain anything further about his sudden apparent realization. "I understand what your reason might have been Augustus, but to hide your Nuvue son, from even the Deus, is illegal."

My dad sighed, "I know that, Azure. I know this will not suffice, but I shall still, sincerely offer my apologies."

He placed a protective hand on my shoulder, squeezing it gently. My natural instinct of momentarily freezing was followed by an intense yearning to feel more of the unfamiliar comfort. His assurance to me seemed like a silent promise. 

Azure didn't respond immediately. "He has attained the legal age in Obscura," he spoke slowly and looked at me. "I feel like, before we decide anything, it would be prudent to get his views."

He addressed me directly as he spoke the next words. "Ezekiel, would you be willing to undergo training at the Asteria Academy? Or would you be willing to go back to the mortal school you were studying at? Sans your powers, of course."

His cold eyes met mine, glittering with what looked almost like hope. I remembered seeing irises like his before, amber-hued under the glowing energy. The similar striking eyes harbouring ancient powers behind them. I remembered the pain that had come with it.

The anguish of the Znicit ceremony came back to me, and I felt an almost tangible agony in my body. When Andreas had tried to perform a Znicit on me, he had failed spectacularly and left my powers even more unpredictable and unstable. Although, he had been under the impression that the ceremony had been successful.

I still remembered the way the fire Vartiyah, a now-forgotten stranger had spelt incantations, moving around me in a threatening circle some years ago. I recalled lying crumpled in pain, writhing on the ground as a part of me was ripped off. 

I took a deep breath, trying to clear my head. Among the two options he had given, it was clear which one I wanted. It was clear it wasn't one that Andreas would approve. But each time I had dared to imagine being in Asteria and training with the powers, I was forced to choke it within myself.

Ever since I was brought to Evimeria, I had spent each second of each day since the last eight years fantasizing about Asteria. I couldn't help but feel this lightened sense of hope that I wanted to hold on to. I gazed at my father, hoping he would provide some guidance. His eyes, however, remained unreadable. 

"He could have killed someone today," Andreas said, his voice shaking with anger. "At the party. My granddaughter. Many other nobles. And you give him this opportunity, Azure?"

I winced at the truth of his words.

"He could have, which is why we need to train him properly."

"Train him to be what?" my granddad asked again, his voice rising. It was strange to see him lose his calm demeanour, and I tried hard not to flinch at the loud voice. "His powers are uncontrolled. His little accident today could have been fatal."

My dad's brows furrowed, his lips a thin line. I turned away from him, trying not to think about the incidence that had shaped my future years ago. When my cursed powers had exploded in a way similar to today. I felt a warm pool of shame, not looking at anyone and instead straining my ears as their conversation continued, making my stomach knot even more uncomfortably. They were discussing my future, and yet I seemed to have no say. 

My father had decided to keep the reason for Ezra's death a secret. Only the Ellermans and the Deus knew of it. It had been sold off as an accident. It became easier to keep it hidden as I was shipped away from Obscura. I still didn't know why my dad had been so kind to me. Every inch of myself knew I didn't deserve it. 

"And you know I sympathize with the loss," Azure said, his voice measured. "However, this is the Deus' decision, and now, when he is of legal age it is out of your hands. If he doesn't want his powers to be ripped off him, they can't be."

"This is ridiculous, Azure," The other man, who had been silent until now spoke up. "Perhaps we need to-''

"The decision is made, Obsidian," Azure responded, his jaw set. He stood straighter, radiating an air of expansive energy.  His eyes flashed as he declared in a firm voice, "Next week, Ezekiel Joziah Hunt will accompany the rest of your children to Asteria." 

He nodded once at my dad and walked out of the room, leaving in his wake a solid silence. Obsidian seemed to chew and swallow his own tongue before he quickly followed Azure. 

"I hope you don't regret this later, son," Andreas sighed and said to my dad. For once, he wasn't gloating with arrogance or snarling with malice. "I really do."

He left and I let out a soft breath. I massaged my temple gently. My ache was surmounting now, and I was still unable to grasp the reality of the situation, of what had happened.

"Who...who were they dad?" I asked my father the moment they had left the room. My voice was croaky, strained. I cleared my throat, gazing at him for answers.

He sighed deeply, his eyes hiding some sorrow in the slate grey, dark irises that always reminded me of a stormy day. "Azure...is a Deus. Obsidian was one of the Vartiyahs."

I gaped at him. Deus were the strongest of the Nuvues. They were the Gods of Obscura. Six of them were the sentinels with infallible power over each of the six elements. Fire. Water. Earth. Air. Metal and Thunder. There were two more, one of them was rumoured to simply have defensive abilities as my dad had expressed, the other was an enigma.

I didn't know much about religion in Obscura or even religion in general. What I did know, however, was that each of the Deus had their own temples. They were the guardians of the fissure that separated Obscura from the fiends that lived across the Chasm. The fiends that were physical manifestations of the eight sins, Achtsenza. Every time Obscura was full to the brim with the sins, the manifestations appeared and were sealed across the chasm protected by the Vartiyahs. 

I was shell-shocked to learn that a literal God had just talked to me. My dad looked at me, his expression was unreadable. "Rest," he said. I averted his eyes, feeling a gnawing fear and paranoia in the pit of my stomach. Angst that bewildered me in its intensity. "Ezekiel, stop."

It took me a while to realize what he meant as I felt his gaze shift to my arms. I realized I was scratching my right forearm with my left hand. Picking at the skin too violently. My heart jumped to my throat. It wasn't supposed to happen anymore. My skin already had its share of scars. But anytime that my anxiety got hold of me, it felt like an instinct. 

He sighed softly and I felt a sense of prickling shame. I stopped immediately, proceeding to pull at the bedsheet restlessly again. Thankfully, he remained silent. He gently kissed my forehead before leaving me alone and shutting the door behind him. I sought comfort in the tender action for a while, feeling a slight twinge of warmth in my frozen heart. I still hadn't got used to his awkward little expressions of affection. But he was the only person I had ever allowed to be affectionate to me, and his sister. My aunt. But the thought of her made my heart wrench painfully. 

My body was still sore, my mind still wondering if I had merely a lucid dream or would I actually be going to Asteria. I had learnt in the last seventeen years of my life that if it felt too good to be true, it probably was.

I didn't need to be told twice, as I gave in to the crumbling pain in my head and fell into a dreamless, thoughtless sleep.

*PS: Quote at the beginning of the chapter by Alfred Lord Tennyson.  (The Higher Pantheism)