Chapter 8: A Dream of Gaea

Sophia resurfaced from underneath the crystal-clear pond. She flipped her darkened brown locks over her head and hooked stray strands of hair behind her ears. A bath was just what she needed. Although Sophia grew accustomed to the humid atmosphere of the cave, all the extra training made her sticky and gross. However, she had long since outgrown her despair over not having things like clean clothes, comb, and personal necessities.

Still, she was more than ready to take a scalding hot shower and maybe comb her hair that grew wild and uncontrollable. Thank the heavens, she knew a magic art to prevent her monthly visits. Sophia didn't want to think about the bathroom situation in the vast cave either. She cringed when it crossed her mind.

Sophia swam in slow languid strokes to a flat rock surface where her clothes lay. It was located out of Eli's line of vision. Although he was a dragon, when the two of them were not in the Void, he was still a male and she was uncomfortable undressing in front of him. Sophia hauled herself up onto the warm surface and reached for a rock a little smaller than the middle of her palm. Its rough exterior rubbed against her fingertips as she drew another line on the wall to match the collection she accumulated over the last few weeks.

Three weeks in this hell hole passed. One more and she would be free. On this rock, she shed many tears and experienced a lot of unquenchable anger. No matter what, she hated Eli for forcing her to stay in this piece of a shit cave with nothing to do but endure torture from her thoughts. That was one reason Sophia threw herself so hard into their training. Sophia wanted to be one hundred percent sure she could perform this spell to remove Eli's curse.

One question that plagued her often was what would happen once Eli's curse lifted. Was he only immortal because of it? If not, how would he adapt to today's society? What were his plans to live out the rest of his life?

Sophia's brows knitted in frustration. Why did she follow Jennifer's stupid ass hunch? If she didn't, this whole situation would have never happened. Sophia even tried to escape once out of the tunnel she rushed through the day she encountered Eli, but it no longer existed. A stone wall mocked her a few feet into the tunnel to Eli’s amusement.

After sitting for a while and letting her skin dry, the young woman put her clothes back on and walked to Eli’s cave. She took one glance at her reflection in the water before walking inside. Her hair grew a few inches and maintained a wavy appearance without her flat iron’s assistance in keeping it in place. Disheveled bangs filtered over her eyes, so Sophia swept them to the left side of her face, a face that lost its roundness from working out and cutting all unhealthy habits out of her diet.

"Sophia."

"Yes?" she called, the warmth of the cave engulfing her.

There was the sound of chains shifting before he replied, "We will return to the Void and I will teach you the chant and signs of the spell. Combine this with your magic to release me."

Those words brought joy to her heart, but also dread. The realization that she was freeing a mass murderer hit her like a freight train. She knew it all along, but because it was far off, Sophia pushed it out of her mind. What if he killed innocent people again? Her thoughts stopped when Eli's eyes spun. The sucking sensation Sophia was familiar with pulled her and soon the crimson and black world of the Void was surrounding them. Eli moved in front of her in his human form. Sophia's face hid her emotions, but in her mind, her hatred and infatuation were at war with each other. Every time she saw this tall, handsome figure gazing down at her, confusion twisted her soul.

"Let's practice your hand-to-hand combat with your magic to warm up," Eli said, taking a step back.

Sophia responded by pushing her magic through its channel to her fist and moving at lightning speed towards her opponent.

How far this girl came within such a short amount of time impressed Eli. He blocked a kick aimed at his head and felt the power behind it. She excelled at close contact fighting. Eli watched her pull a full-grown tree out of the ground by its roots and smash a large crater into the ground during their training. She discovered how to make her magic work to her advantage when it comes to physical combat.

Eli and Sophia continued their spar for a few more minutes before he signaled for them to stop. "Now, there are seven hand signs with this spell along with the chant you will have to perform with it," Eli said. "Pay close attention."

He showed her the first three signs and then told her to repeat them. The first two Sophia mirrored with ease. The third one, she struggled with.

"Like this." The Void magic-user moved beside her and held her hand to place them in the right position... they were so soft. Despite all the training they did, they lacked the dryness that often accompanied combat.

Eli locked eyes with his prisoner and she gazed back at him with those dark brown eyes. They were so close together... and getting closer. His dark eyes left hers and traveled down her cute button nose until it stopped on her luscious pink lips parting as if waiting for his move.

That strange twinge in his chest reared its head and Eli let go a second later. He inwardly let go of the breath he didn't know he was holding. What was he doing? There were more important things to consider. His freedom danced within his grasp, only a week... and the most important battle of the world's life loomed overhead.

"Try again," he said with his voice as void as the world they were currently in.

Sophia laid down after her bland meal. Over time, she discovered a grass at the bottom of the pond that when cooked with the fish gave it a seasoned flavor. Sometimes it was a good change of pace from the smoky flavor from Eli's flames. She also used the branches from the small forest in the corner of her large prison from time to time. Sophia preferred not to; it made the surrounding area hotter and that was not wanted. Sophia decided after this was over, she would never eat fish again.

The spell training wore her out. Once she got to the third sign, which was when the chant started, she felt as if all her magic was being drained from her. Eli said it was because the magic was drawn and pulled towards her palms, but she had to learn how to continue the flow of it until the last word and hand sign. That proved harder than Sophia imagined. It was like playing tug of war with an elephant.

Still, the vision of his hands on top of hers and how his eyes gazed down her lips stuck in her mind. A warm sensation started in the pit of her stomach and when they locked eyes, everything else seemed to melt away. However, Sophia's exhaustion took over and tired eyes closed. Within moments she was asleep in a patch of grass, an arm was thrown over her face.

Once again Sophia was running through the inky darkness. That eerie voice that had been haunting her resonated deep within her mind, causing terror to choke her. There was no escape, no way out. The eclipsed area loomed around her, threatening to throw her into madness.

Suddenly, there was a tiny spot of light that seemed like it was millions of miles away, but the faster she ran, the bigger the area of light grew. Hope flooded Sophia's body as she tried to use her magic to make her legs run faster. Something was trying to slow her down, but she pressed on until finally, she threw herself into the embrace of the light. Sophia put an arm over her eyes to shield them from her bright surroundings. After a few moments, it darkened, and brown eyes opened to study the new area. A warm drop hit her nose and the young woman looked up to see a darkened grey sky.

"Sophia..."

It was that voice, but no fear gripped her. It wanted her to follow it, acknowledge it speaking to her. Sophia moved through what manifested as the Forbidden Forest towards the voice. Was this a dream? Did she manage to escape Eli's cave?

"Sophia..."

Sophia whirled around to see a figure standing behind her. She wore a pale white dress that reached her ankles. She was barefooted and her dress seemed to be a little older in fashion sense. Her skin was pale as moonlight and her dark brown hair starkly contrasted her bright green eyes. The blue ring circling her pupil was as unique as Eli’s red eyes when he drag her to his Void. What caught her attention the most was the piercings that lined her arms. Were those even piercings? They looked like knobs being buried down her skin.

"Sophia, the war of the Knights and Dragons continues."

Sophia moved her soaked locks out of her face. "What do you mean?"

"Once you return that dragon to his human form, the battle started decades ago will return."

That's what she was worried about, but her involvement ran far too deep. If she freed Eli, would dozens of innocent people die? If Eli killed his entire clan, Sophia knew the lives of strangers meant nothing. She still didn't know the motive behind Eli's actions. There must be a reason why he believed he had to destroy them.

"I don't know what to do," Sophia whispered. "Wait, who are you?"

"I am Gaea," she answered with a smile.

Gaea... that was a name he mentioned before.

"Wait... you are the previous queen. The first queen of the kingdom of Laera. Queen Gaea," she stuttered out.

Gaea merely smiled at her. Sophia went to bow deep before the queen. She was supposed to be dead. So, this was a dream?

"Rise, my Knight," Gaea said in a soft motherly tone. When Sophia rose to her feet and looked at the queen, the latter continued, "I placed the curse on Elijah to keep him away from the Knights. He believes his form is the only punishment for delivering pain to his family without my order. They've found Elijah. The bane of the dragons is what they seek to destroy."

Elijah? That must be Eli's true name...

"What is a bane of the dragons?" Sophia questioned. "Who is after him? What am I supposed to do?"

Gaea moved swiftly towards her and pressed two fingers into the center of her chest. Searing pain radiated from the area, causing the female to fall to her knees, gasping for air.

"Defeat the dragons, Sophia. You must become the bane of the dragons. Not Elijah."

She placed her hands on the ground in front of her, breathing hard as the pain burned through her entire body. From the beginning, Sophia knew Eli - no, Elijah’s story had more pages than what he led on. This Gaea, whoever she is, protected him from the dragons, meaning he didn’t really kill his family, did he? What truth remained hidden concerning the massacre of his family? Sophia believed she was wrapped too far into their lives not to have knowledge of the full story. It was time Elijah came clean about everything. As the pain slowly dissipated, Sophia’s brown eyes met those of the queen before her, defiance written in them.

“I will hear Elijah’s side before I do anything. I am not stronger than him, so I don’t understand why you think I play such a huge role. Once I figure it out, then I decide what I will do, not you, not Elijah.”

Gaea's expression didn’t change nor did she utter a response. But in her mind, the queen thought that this woman indeed may save the world from the dangers looming close by...

...or perhaps kill all of them in Laera.