The Raven's Nightmare

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

⚠️ MENTIONS OF SUICIDE ⚠️ In this chapter, there will be dark thoughts of self worth and other forms of depressive topics. If you are dealing with any form of this, I advise you to talk to someone you trust and to be wary when reading this. This is an important turn of the story where I put my twist in the AU known as DreamTale because I have put many warnings in the beginning and in the tags. Another heads up is that we have only a few more chapters left until this book is completed. Without further interruptions, you may begin.

BeanZ96 out...

☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎☹︎

    ☽NIGHTMARE'S POV☽

      After putting Raven to sleep and placing her on her bed, I stormed my way back to the Tree of Feelings with overwhelming emotions. After finding out that she's been allowing Terrence to beat her in my stead made me realize how oblivious I am; I could have prevented this from happening! The signs were there when she came to visit me; the limping, the bruising, the large cuts...

   But I thought it was from her father's training!

     What kind of boyfriend am I to not notice anything?!

     I am supposed to protect her; yet I failed to do so more than once!

    "𝗕𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿!"

    My attention snapped to Dream, who was gazing at me with worried sockets. Still angry at the stunt that cost Raven her parents, I attempted to walk past him. I felt his gloved hand grab my shoulder and pulled so we were facing each other, "𝗜𝘀 𝗥𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗸?! 𝗜 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝘁 𝗮 𝗹𝗼𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁! 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗱?!"

     "Nothing that concerns you... Please, can you just-"

    "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗱𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝘁 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝗺𝗲?! 𝗜𝗳 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆, 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗺𝗮𝘆𝗯𝗲 𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽-"

     I finally snapped.

     "What makes you think that Raven would want help from the one who caused her to feel such things?! I think you've caused enough damage!"

     My brother flinched from my outburst as his face turned to one of hurt as yellow tears pricked the corners of his eyes, "𝗜-𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗼! 𝗜-𝗜 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗿𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂!"

    I let out a bitter laughed at the irony, "Well, you've been doing a fantastic job at it! Even though I don't need you to protect me from my girlfriend! She would never hurt me!  In fact, she's been doing a better job at looking out for me than you!"

    Narrowing his eyes and clenching his fist, he shouted back "𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻?!"

    I went to reply but quickly held my tongue; knowing that explaining to him will cause more unnecessary problems. Shaking my head in frustration, I replied "It doesn't matter. Why don't you go back to your friends? I want to be left alone right now..."

     "𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗲-"

      I gave him a harsh glare while snarling, "I said leave!"

    With tears streaming down his cheekbones and a broken sob, my brother ran off; leaving me alone with a heavy SOUL.

    What have I done...?

    It seems all I ever do is hurt people...

     Why was I created to be the Guardian of Negativity?

    Why can't I just be normal?!

     If it wasn't for negativity then maybe people would be more nicer to each other?

    Then Raven and her parents wouldn't have been labeled outcasts...

    Then she wouldn't have to worry about being consumed by RAGE...

    Then Salem and Batair would still be alive...

    It's all my fault...

    None of this wouldn't have happened if I didn't exist...

    The world is better off without me...

    ❣︎AUTHOR'S POV❣︎

    Dark thoughts consumed the skeleton as his sight settled on a golden apple that was teasingly swaying before him in the unforgiving winter air. His thoughts turned darker as an idea wormed its way into his skull; since Nightmare was made out of negative energy then there's a high chance that eating his brother's apples could kill him...

    That would solve everything!

     Without him, no one would feel suffering, sadness, hate...!

     Just all the positive emotions that they want to feel!

    With his eye lights disappearing, the Guardian of Negativity trudged towards the tree with his hand outstretched for the forbidden fruit; not realizing the raven pendant faintly glowing.

              ❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎❤︎

    GASP

    The young mage woke with an extreme sense of foreboding as she frantically looked around for the familiar smiling face of her boyfriend. Upon not seeing him, she called out "Nightmare?"

    Pure silence.

    Raven's breathing quickened as panic ran through her veins as she stumbled out of bed and searched throughout her home for any sign of the purple Guardian. Running outside for one last attempt, she was about to call his name again when something caught her attention that made her face pale in horror.

    The sky was no longer it's cloudy grey but a unnatural deep crimson.

    A breathless "No..." escaped her parted lips as her body went on autopilot; causing her to run in the direction of the Tree of Feelings. She prayed to any existing God for Nightmare's protection and that she makes it to him in time. A tug from her SOUL made the frantic woman dig her heels deeper into the ground for more momentum as she raced through the forest and to the edge of the tree line leading to the town.

     As soon as she spotted the buildings that would lead her to her designation, Raven could hear the various cries of despair, fear, and other negative emotions within the homes of the townsfolk. Determined to get to Nightmare before a mob could form, the young woman pick up her speed towards her desired location. As soon as she reached the hill that lead to the sacred tree, Raven stumbled to a stop at the sight before her; the tree was no longer it glorious healthy self. It's branches were devoid from any leaves while cores of black apples sprinkled the ground around an unconscious skeleton with an odd dark substance pouring from cracks that decorated his frame.

    Raven let out an anguished cry, "Nightmare!"

   Weakly lifting his skull at the familiar voice, the Guardian whispered "Ra..ven...? What... are you... doing here?"

    The worried lover skidded towards Nightmare as she laid his skull on her lap as she brought her hands in an attempt to heal him. Green magic flickered in and out before spluttering from existence; causing Raven to let out a frustrated yell "Damn it!"

     "Raven... you... know you can't do healing magic anymore. Besides... nothing can heal this kind of damage that I have caused myself..."

    Furrowing her brows in confusion, she asked "What do you mean?"

    "I-I ate, both, the golden and black apples in an attempt to kill myself."