Castlem: Chapter 12

Chapter 12

That night, Charlotte dreamed.
She was standing in a pitch black room, and she felt cold. It was not a winter-chill type of cold, no. This was a cold that penetrated to the deepest parts of Charlotte's soul. Even the parts she herself had not ventured to explore. She shivered and heard her teeth chatter.
Soon enough, Charlotte's eyes became accustomed to the dark. She could see the shape of a dark throne a few feet in front of her. She also saw a bundle-like figure huddled on the throne.
Charlotte immediately knew that this was an evil place, and that she needed to get out a soon as possible. She looked around, and saw a door behind her. She ran to it, but when she tried to open the door, she found it was locked from the outside.
She heard a cackle coming from the shape on the throne, and Charlotte turned to face it.
A voice that sounded like nails scraping a chalkboard croaked, " You shall fail little one. Evil WILL triumph and you and your little friends will fall. Go home and be safe away from all this. You will save yourself and those you love."
"No," replied Charlotte. "I will stay, and help my new friends. You are the one who will fall. I know it."
"Ah, you are strong. But not strong enough. I have broken stronger people than you. In your mind, you know that you will not succeed. I will win this war! You are nothing, nothing, nothing." The echo of the voice rang in Charlotte's head when she woke up.
"Charlotte! Charlotte! Are you all right?" Victoria was yelling.
"Wh-what? Victoria, why are you yelling?"
"Oh good, you're alive. You were perfectly still and I couldn't tell whether you were breathing or not. What happened?"
"I just had the most terrifying nightmare." And Charlotte began explaining her dream to Victoria.
During this, Victoria listened to everything Charlotte said very attentively; she didn't interrupt once.
"And then I woke up. What do you think it means?" Charlotte asked.
"I have an idea, but I'll have to verify with The Teacher. Here, eat." Victoria handed Charlotte a bucket-full of nuts and berries.
"When do you think we will reach The Teacher?"
"We don't have very far to go. If we leave soon, and keep a steady pace, we will be there by nightfall.
"How long will we be there?"
"Until you are ready. Or..."
"Or, what?"
"Or we have to leave."
"Why would we have to leave? I thought The Teacher would keep us safe."
"There are beings out there intent upon destroying us and stopping us from reaching our goal."
"Why?"
Victoria sighed, "I'll let The Teacher explain everything to you. She is better at that than I am."
"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go. I want answers to my question."
"Which are many," Victoria muttered under her breath.