Sunlight (On Hold)

Chapter 7: That's What This Is

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Draal
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I opened my eyes, seeing the basement surrounding me.
My breathing was heavy, though I could not remember all the details of the dream that plagued me.
I did know Skylar was there, smiling at me.
She was covered in blood, her smile becoming blood-thirsty as her kind gaze turned into a glare.
Her eyes were no longer her own.
I stood from my position, heading to Trollmarket.
Perhaps Vendel could make sense of these images haunting my sleep.
As I neared, something heavy began to weigh on my shoulders, my steps slowing.
Every time I was heading to Vendel for help, I got this feeling.
Usually, Skylar would appear and that feeling would disappear briefly.
I did not fear Vendel.
So what was this?
Not knowing what was wrong irritated me.
I couldn't see this wound that bothered me, yet it was the most painful thing I've experienced.
The tightness in my chest became unbearable as I stood in the entryway.
Vendel turned, apparently having heard me.
"Draal, is there something you need?" He greeted, studying my form as he leaned against his staff.
"There's... a pain. In my chest." I stated hesitantly.
I did not like admitting that I was in pain.
But... This has been going on for some time, getting worse the longer I wait for it to go away.
Vendel sighed, turning away.
"Sit down, Draal." He spoke, gesturing to the stone slab.
I hesitated before walking in further, sitting on the stone slab as I watched him tinker with the vials lying around.
"What symptoms have you been experiencing?" Vendel asked, raising on vial with a clear, yellow-tinted liquid before setting it down.
"I've been finding it difficult to sleep... I don't have much of an appetite and this tightness in my chest makes it difficult to breathe at times." I began to list.
Vendel cast me a look over his shoulder, raising a brow.
As I listed more of what I felt, he turned slowly to face me, his gaze narrowing more and more.
"After Skylar left, there's been this twist in my gut, as if a mountain is weighing down on me... I don't understand it." I finished explaining, looking away from his glare.
He suddenly hit me over the head with his stuff, doing so a few times.
"Do you truly have rocks for brains? Perhaps if you spent less time picking fights and more time reading, you'd understand this for yourself." He spoke as I met his gaze again before he hit me once more.
"Truly, Draal." He then sighed, leaning on his staff once again.
"Your obliviousness just very well may be the death of me." He added on.
"I do not understand. What is wrong with me?" I questioned.
"Nothing is wrong with you, Draal. Other than the fact that you're more oblivious than any other troll I've known in my lifetime, you are completely fine." Vendel spoke, causing me to narrow my gaze.
"Then what is this-"
"I was just getting to that." Vendel interrupted.
I shut my mouth, waiting for his response.
"Tell me, when does the tightness in your chest ease?" He questioned.
I frowned, thinking of the interactions I'd have with Skylar.
"Or why the tightness begins?" He went on.
Slowly the realization of what he was getting at dawned on me.
I didn't like it.
When I said that I had to tell Skylar something, I didn't realize exactly what, but it was something I needed to tell her.
Now I knew.
"I do not..." I tried to deny before looking back at him.
"That twist in your gut is simply your body reacting to the thought of Skylar not making it out of the darklands, possibly even guilt even though there was nothing you could've done to stop the trollhunter." He explained.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized he was right.
I knew there was nothing I could've done to stop her, but...
I felt that I should've been able to.
Something.
Anything.
Instead, I came up empty.
"If you excuse me Draal, I have enough to worry about. Like what those fools are thinking up to get Skylar back. I do not believe for one second that they would simply give up on the trollhunter without much fight. Do you know anything?" He questioned.
"I haven't left my post until now." I replied.
To be fair, they haven't fully filled me on the plan anyway.
He narrowed his gaze before huffing.
"Very well, off with you." He ordered.
I simply nodded before making my way out.
I didn't...
No matter how many times I tried to deny it, the fact was I couldn't.
I didn't understand how this happened.
My thoughts went back to when we first met, how she stood her ground against me, her glare holding a fire that couldn't be tamed.
Something in me stirred when I first saw her, but... I brushed it off as irritation.
Her comebacks wounded me deeply, despite the fact she used most of them multiple times.
She knew which ones hurt most, so she used them.
It angered and intrigued me at the same time.
Now... She was gone.
I wasn't sure if she would come back anymore.
It has been weeks since she went through, yet the hope within me wouldn't die for as long as the amulet didn't choose a new hunter.
My gut twisted again at the thought.
I made my way through the sewers, thinking deeply on this new realization.
I only realized I had made it when I was bombarded by the group.
I frowned at them as they stared at me.
"Draal, we have a way to get Skylar out." Jim stated after a moment.
That weight suddenly disappeared.
"Tell me what I must do." I stated, causing Jim to nod.