Kai Porter and the Castle on the Hill

Chapter 5- Irate

Kai (it/they)

"Hey man, wake up! C'mon! You're only dreaming, wake up!"

Kai found itself halfway on the bed and halfway on the floor, its limbs splayed out as though it had been thrashing about in its sleep again, its sheets wrapped tightly around it like a straitjacket. Its bangs were plastered to its face in a cold sweat and its breathing was shaky.

"Are you alright? You were crying in your sleep." Said its roommate, a human with dark sepia skin, short black wavy hair in a side part, and vibrant purple eyes that almost shone like purple diamonds in the dark of their room. It blinked at him as it shakily removed itself from its sheets and got up, then gave him a curt nod. "What were you dreaming about? Wait, no. Fuck. Sorry, forget I asked, that was..." His voice trailed off and he sighed softly. "I shouldn't have." Kai shrugged.

"I don't remember." But it could certainly guess what it'd dreamed of- A brain so full of the memories of those that came before it that its skull would burst open, viridescent flames that swallowed a once-verdant forest whole, a hand clawing desperately at the relic embedded in its chest, and hundreds- No, thousands of prying eyes that glared and watched Kai and its family in the aftermath of it all. Thinking of it sparked an electric mess in Kai's heart and made its breaths shuddery.

C'mon... Breathe. Clear your mind. Just like how Bonnie taught you. You're okay. The next Sojourn isn't for another two months- Okay! Oh, Gods! Stop thinking about it! Stop thinking about that. Nobody can visit you. You're safe you're safe you're safe you're safe you're safe you're safe.

It tried to swallow down the lump in its throat. It'd cried in its sleep? How often did that happen? And oh, gods- not in front of its roommate! Saint Eligius' was awful, but at least it didn't have somebody stuck with it during its night terrors!

"What time is it?" It asked, its voice quavery.

"Ah... Fuck. I dunno. Too dark to see my watch. Sorry."

"Thanks anyway." It breathed.

It wasn't sure if it fell asleep, and wasn't sure how much time passed until it was time to wake up. It just knew that it restlessly laid there in the dark and waited for 6 o'clock.

It jolted to attention when the intercom beeped gratingly as it turned on, bumping its head against the bottom of the bunk above it.

"Agh!"

"Good morning, children! Rise and shine! Are you ready to start your first day at Scholomance?" Said its father, his voice crackling over the intercom's speakers. "Rise for morning prayers and the national anthem. Then you will have two hours to shower and get ready for the day. You zmei will report to the entrance hall before hunting hour. After that, we will have a half hour to eat breakfast together."

Kai slid out of bed and stood as the national anthem, a booming, almost melodramatic orchestral piece played over the intercom. It and its roommate remained standing as Father read a prayer for forgiveness:

"O Great Father, o Saving Light, o Almighty Right Hand

Forgive us, save us, aid us in forsaking our sins and turning our misled neighbors to The Light

Pray for us so that we may not tread into the dark again

So that we may not do wrong by You and your holy Daughter and forgotten Son

So that we may not harm our fellows with our sins and selfish desires."

"Hey." It turned to look at its roommate- The two resolved to stand in the corner and look away as the other changed clothes- and he pressed some sort of food bar wrapped in plastic into its palm. "...You look like you need it?" He said, his voice a bit high.