The Shadow and The Light

Chapter 2

Alina

As Mal and I board the boat with the crows behind us it suddenly hits me. He's actually dead. He. Is. Dead. Those 3 words hit me hard. I didn't think it would hurt at all but it did a little. I grew such a close relationship with him for him to then betray me and now he's dead. Should I be happy, the person who pretty much killed my parents, and so many others, is finally dead. I have no idea how I feel right now. But I know that I must hide and get ready to tear down the fold when I'm ready.

But I can't stop thinking about him. And I don't even know what to call him. Aleksander? General Kirigan? The Darking? The Dark Heretic? There was a time I just knew him as, well mine I guess. What would've happened if I just let him do what he wanted to do? He'd still be alive wouldn't he? But I didn't. I did what I wanted to do and what was right. But he died in the process. How....... how is that right.

"Are you okay?" Mal said with a concerned look on his face. Like he was reading my mind or something.

"Yeah. Fine," I say to make it seem like I was. "Where are we going anyway?"

"Far from here."

"I'm kinda gonna miss it. That place. It's been a part of me for the longest time. It feels like I'm abandoning home you know."

"Yeah. We grew up in the same place remember."

"Oh that was you. I thought it was just some weird guy who one day was going to save me." The sarcasm in my voice slightly faded at the end when I said save me.

He did save me. But what did I lose in the process.

It's getting late so I decide to head off to bed. Surprisingly they have beds here that are comfortable. As I drift off to sleep my body goes numb and my mind clears. For once in a long time, I'm relaxed.

Inside Alina's dream

We are back in Ravka. Only to see it's destruction. What happened here was very obvious. The Darkling happened. The most ruthless, heartless man did this. All the homes, destroyed by what looks like the volcras. You can hear people screaming, though there is no one to be seen.

That's when someone grabs me from behind. I feel relieved to know that Mal and I were the only ones here but when I turn around Mal is gone. That's when I see him. Him.....

"Well hello there, Alina."

The Darkling was here. I go to run. But he grabs me by my arm and knocks me unconscious.

Alina

"Well good morning sleepy head."

I scream. But then open my eyes to see Mal. I'm awake. No longer in my dream.

"Are you okay Alina?"

"Yeah sorry. It's just uh...... bad dream," I try not to sound traumatized when I said that. But I am. That dream, it felt so real. Like he was really there. Maybe it was real. A glimpse into my future. Is the Darkling going to find me and kill me? No I can't think that. He's dead. Right?

"You went out pretty quickly."

"What do you mean?"

"Last night. I went to say good night nearly 10 minutes after you went to bed but you were already dead asleep."

"Wow. I'm normally a light sleeper." Now I'm scared. I think something happened last night I just don't know what. There's more to that dream then I remember. Or there is just more to it. When I woke up he had just grabbed me. I don't know what would've happened after that.