Sparks of War Chapter 1
Unlikely Reunion
By Limited Moon
Stahn awoke from the nightmare with sweat beading down his face and his heart racing, this was the way he woke up every day for the last year. Relieved to know that it was over, he climbed down the two bunks of his bed and walked into the kitchen. He turned on the electric lantern and sat at the table, contemplating. What did the dream mean? Was it an omen? Philia might be able to help me, he thought. It was just then that he heard a yawn from behind him. It was his sister, Lilith. She used to have to wake him up with a lot of trouble before the dream...
She looked at him, "Stahn..did you have that nightmare again?" she said concerned.
"Yeah..."
"Stahn, this has been going on for a year now, you have to get help..."
"I am, i'm going to see Philia about it today."
"Philia? Oh, the priestess who had a temple built north of here."
"She may be able to help me, or at least make me feel better..."
Lilith yawned again, and put her arms around Stahn caringly. "You know i'm worried about you, brother."
Stahn smiled, "i'm lucky."
Lilith went to the kitchen stove and took some eggs out of the pantry, "you better eat before you go, brother. If you don't eat, i'll beat the tar out of you, got it?"
"Yeah, yeah" Stahn replied, smiling.
* * * * * * * *
Stahn traveled across the forest to Philia's Straylize Temple. He had encountered very few monsters on the way, but that was normal because not many monsters were left anymore. He approached the temple in a little less than a half hour. It was magnificent for a temple, with a huge courtyard and beautiful fountains and the such. Stahn walked toward the gates where two monks stood guard.
"I'm a friend a Philia's, I would like to pass," Stahn told them.
"High Priest Philia is seeing noone today, sir," replied the first monk.
"..but I MUST see Philia, can't you make an exception?" Stahn argued.
"Now, now, what is all this?" came a female voice from behind the wall. Behind the monks walked in a young woman with braided green hair, and wearing glasses. The monks immediately moved out of the way for her.
"Philia!" greeted Stahn as he went over to hug his long time friend.
"Oh, Stahn, it's been months since we last saw each other," replied Philia as she hugged him back, "come in, we should talk."
Philia led Stahn across the beautiful courtyard of the Straylize Temple to a small Pavillion with two chairs in it. They sat in the chairs and we're brought tea by the young maids.
"So, Stahn, what brings you to my temple?" began Philia sipping the tea.
Stahn gulped his glass down quickly, then replied, "I want to make sense of something, Philia..."
He proceeded to describe the nightmare that had haunted him for the last year, from the Blood-Red knight, to Dymlos.
"What do you make of it, Philia? This nightmare has haunted my sleep every night for the past year..."
Philia thought for a second, and said, "I have absolutely no idea Stahn, dreams can be reflections of your real life troubles, this might reflect a recent incident. Stahn, do you feel guilty about Dymlos' death?"
Stahn was surprised, noone had ever asked him that...he paused for a while, and answered, "no...it was his last request, how could it be MY fault..."
Philia put her hand on his shoulder to comfort him, and tried to change the subject, "Garr and Chelsea are visiting, you want to see them? They were going to go to Lienea after seeing me anyway, but it would be great if they saw you now."
Stahn looked up, "nothing would make me feel more better than seeing them right now Philia, thanks."
Philia smiled, and stood up, "come on, i'll take you to where they are now."
Philia lead Stahn into the temple itself, where Garr and Chelsea were sitting in the stands talking, Karyl was there too accompanying Chelsea.
"Garr!" Philia yelled to them, "Stahn's here to see you!"
"Stahn?!" Garr said surprised, he stood up and turned toward them, "hey, this is a big surprise!"
"Yeah, so how's good old Stahn?" Chelsea added as she ran over to them.
Karyl stood up too and began to sing a "reunion" song, but everyone quieted him before he could get to verse 2.
"Garr, Chelsea, Karyl, you don't know how much I missed you guys! if only Rutee and Bruiser were here, this would be a complete reunion!" Stahn said.
"Rutee and Bruiser were on their way, you know we wouldn't forget your birthday, buddy!" Karyl said with a nod and a smile.
"my...birthday? Oh yeah!" Stahn exclaimed.
"Don't tell me you forgot your birthday?!" Chelsea said with a hint of sass.
"umm...yeah..," was all Stahn could reply with.
"Why don't we accompany you back to Lienea and throw a big birthday bash!" Garr said, "Rutee and Bruiser'll be along before we get there."
"Yeah," Karyl said, "and i'll welcome you with a song!"
Stahn nodded and they began to leave the temple after waiting for Philia to report her whereabouts to the Bishop of the temple.
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