Chapter 5 Dragon seal

Darkness. Pitch black darkness. That's all I could see, if I could see anything at all.

"Hello" I called out but was answered by an echo of my own voice.

"Is anyone there?"

I was met again with the same echo. How the hell did I get here in the first place. I looked around and was only met with more darkness.

I was feeling so scared and confused. This had to be a dream. There was no way I slept in my room and ended up here. That is where ever here is.

I can help you

I looked around for where the voice might have originated from.

"Um..who are you?" I asked.

Somebody and nobody.

"Excuse me? Please do you know where I am."

Everywhere and anywhere

I was getting really angry at this mysterious voice. Its riddle like language was playing with my mind.

"Look who or what ever you may be. I don't have time for your nonsense and I really need to get out of here so if you can't help me in any way, I suggest you stop your childish antics and leave."

As soon as those words flew from my mouth, a huge gust of wind came out of nowhere and hit me. The force was so strong that I knocked me off my feet and I landed on the ground.

My heart began to beat violently against my chest. I felt the presence of a dark force. It's scent was so strong and overpowering. I don't know why but I remembered the scent but it was faint in my memory.

Your heart beats so fast with fear.

It's voice became deep and sinister. It sent goosebumps Al round my body. I could feel the dark presence's scent become stronger and I felt weak. Then it hit me. It was feeding from my fear.

"L..... leave me a.. alone."

I meant for it to come out strong but I failed to do so as it came out as a stuttering mess. I tried to stand up but as my feet tried to support my body weight, another gust of wind came with even more force than before and threw me back down. I landed on my arm. If there was light, a clear bruise would be forming.

Such brave words from a cowardly heart.

The darkness kept on teasing me.

Is this the one who is meant to wield the Jewel of Kedish ?

So weak and pathetic. Not an ounce of strength in you.

Those words struck me to the core as I recognized them as the words my mother and everyone tell me every single day.

"Please stop." I pleaded but it wouldn't cease it torture. It kept on hurling insult after insult.

The fear I had felt before was long gone. Replaced with a much worse emotion that had become a constant figure in my life. Helplessness.

"I beg please stop." I asked once again but I was ignored. I used my hands to clasp my ears, trying to block out the sounded but it proved futile.

Rahni

Please stop it

Rahni

I assure I'm not a failure

ZARAHANI

I opened my eyes once I felt a lot of cold liquid dumped on me. I sat up and coughed out some water that had entered my mouth.

I opened my eyes and scanned the unfamiliar environment. A bookshelf filled with books. A dressing table piled up with more of books than make-up.

"Rahni are you alright."

I faced the unfamiliar girl infront of me. She had green eyes and light brown hair. Her ears were normal but as I looked closely I could see the edge pointed.

"Rahni!" She called again and I faced her.

I was so confused. Where was I. Who was this girl and who was this Rahni girl she kept saying. And worst of all I had a splitting head ache.

I looked toward the bedside table and I placed my hand on the weird dragon seal. Immediately I felt a shock which made me draw my hand back.

"What in the name of Neptune was that?" I screamed.

"What happened." The girl asked.

I looked at her and then I remembered. Adriana.

This was my room and I was Rahni.

"Adriana?" I asked and she looked at me with both fear and worry in her eyes.

"Rahni are you okay?" She said worrying.

"Okay...I think."

I felt my bed and it was soaking wet. I looked at Adriana questioning her.

"You weren't waking up and I had to do something." She explained.

"I had a bad dream." I lied. It wasn't a dream. It couldn't be, it felt far too really. The fall. The fear. The sinister voice. It was real it had to be, or was I just bring paranoid.

But the look on Adriana's face showed that she didn't believe me. Infact I didn't believe myself.

"A bad dream? Rahni you were screaming. You looked so scared and I did everything to wake you up buh you.... you..."

Adriana was scared. Scratch that.... she was terrified. If I was in her situation I to would be scared. But I can't be sure of anything. My heart was still beating as a result of fear.

"Look Adri I'm fine okay...."

"Don't tell me you are fine okay you are not. What's going on with yo....." Her voice was caught off as a result of a knock at the door.

She shot me a look which told this conversation was far from done.

She opened the door and Sir Kolic came into view.

"Yes?" Adriana asked with her hand on her hip and a questioning look on her face.

Once Sir Kolic sighted her, he groaned and rolled his eyes. I had to stifle my laughter. This two have a history of always bickering at each other once they have the opportunity.

Sir Kolic was a young knight in training. Well he isn't anymore since he was knighted in by father a few weeks ago. He was just three years older than Adriana and I. He was handsome as all young knights are. Blonde with eyes as green as Adriana's. The difference is that Adriana's are way too dark. That is darker than a normal person's own is. With a firm jaw and a baby like face. He was a nice sight for the ladies in the court but he was only interested in his work and I think in Adri. He wasn't a big fan of mine but he also wasn't friendly as well. He treated me like his princess nothing more and nothing else.

"I have a message for the princess." He said in a formal manner but Adri gave him a once over and rolled her eyes.

"You can tell me." She said flatly.

He cocked an eyebrow at her." Since when are you the princess."

"Well I am her best friend so talking to her is just like talking to me."

"No it isn't."

"Yes it is."

"No it isn't."He said slowly like he was talking to a child.

"Look you can deliver your message." I told him . He looked relived and glared at Adriana who stuck her tongue at him.

"Your mother has demanded that you get ready and come down immediately." He said back in his formal tone.

"Now? Is everything alright." I said my voice laced with worry.

"There's absolutely nothing to worry about. You have a shopping spree with your sister and her friends that's all."

"Shopping?" Adriana and I exclaimed at the same time.

"Yes."

Well that's weird. Why would mother tell me to go with shopping especially with Edith the same person she tells me to avoid.

"Okay I'll be down shortly thank you." I gave him a smile and he simply nodded.

"I'll show you the door." Adriana offered with a smirk on her face.

"I can see myself out." He said and tried to leave. Emphasis on tried.

Adriana kept on blocking his way and looked so annoyed. He finally left and once the door got closed , Adriana burst out into a fit of laughter.

"Why do you keep on troubling him?" I asked her.

"He thinks that he's so high and mighty and that every girl will fall at his feet once they set their eyes on him." She puffed up her chest trying to imitate Kolic's military stance.

"Well they're a lot of girls that are falling at his feel you know." I pointed out.

"Yes well I'm not like them. I'll never be like that. Instead...I'll make him fall for me." She said with a mischievous smirk on her face.

"No no no. Don't do anything stupid Adri." I warned her but I should have known better by now. Once Adriana got her mind set on something, she'll never stop until she has it, and now she wants Sir Kolic.

"Don't you worry so much I'll be fine. Take your bath and I'll be back to help you get ready." She said and left the room. No doubt she went to look for ways to disturb Kolic. Poor guy.

I got up from the bed and went into the bathroom. I took my toothbrush and raised my hand to brush my teeth. Upon raising my hand, a sharp pain shot through my arm causing me to let go of my toothbrush. I touched the area why I felt the sting from and redraw my hand when I felt it again.

I took off my sleeping shirt and turned to the mirror with my hand up and I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

The area just a little bit high from my elbow was reddish purple. A big bruise had formed and it had started to swell.

There was only one explanation for this at that was that dream I had. Well this proves that it wasn't a dream. I had actually been attacked by an evil force.

But how was it able to enter the palace grounds. The whole place had been enchanted, preventing any form of evil from entering. So how did this happen.

Something clicked and I rushed back to the bedroom. I went to my bedside table and found it. The dragons seal. Once I had touched it, I was shocked but it also made me remember everything. There's something about this seal. I recognized the seal but I can't place it .

There's something dangerous in the palace. Something dark and evil. The same evil I was taught to run away from. The same evil I was told was my enemy. That evil is now after me.

Oh trolls nuggets.