Bound to the North {Complete!}

36| Face the Fear

Serena POV    

One. Flames engulfed the world, making it dissolve into ashes. A pair of bright yellow eyes appeared in the midst of the fire.

Two. A terrible sickness plagued the country, destroying the bodies of every man, woman, and child on earth. The last person alive was faceless, but its yellow eyes pierced through the night.

Three. A monster wave surged over the horizon, tearing down homes and nature alike until the terrain was just a blank canvas. The only thing remaining was a tall figure with a set of looming yellow eyes.

Four. The ground vibrated, sending everything it touched crashing to the ground. The one thing still intact was a figure looming over me, glaring at me with its beady yellow eyes.

"Serena!" a distant, eerily familiar voice called as the fourth dream faded. My vision was dark, but I was still conscious. It felt like I was floating in midair. "Serena!!"

I flailed desperately, looking for the source of the voice. My field of vision returned abruptly, changing from eternal darkness into a blinding light that made me wince and clap my shaking hands over my eyes.

The white light hurt. I saw nothing solid; only a blank, lethal white canvas of light. Where was I? My name was said again, and a figure leaned into my field of vision.

I blinked desperately, trying to make out its face. My blurry sight cleared, and she was revealed to me.

"I—Irene?" I gasped in shock. There was wild panic in her icy blue eyes.

"Serena, listen!" she cried desperately. "You need to leave Ozymandia."

"Wh—what?" I spluttered.

"I don't have much time." She grabbed my shoulder. "She's after you...the woman with the yellow eyes. She's haunting your dreams. And she can leak into your reality."

I couldn't believe she was really here. I extended my hand, trying to touch her face. She suddenly jerked away in fear, as if something was pulling her away."I have to go!" she shrieked.

"Don't!" I yelled.

"Leave Ozymandia!" was the last thing I heard before the vision faded.

I awoke in a cold sweat. Sunlight streamed in through the window, and I shakily rose to a sitting position. I was just dreaming, I reassured myself.

With a sigh, I stood up, got dressed, and made my way downstairs, prepared to leave. My father and the Duchess were making me spend the day in town with Juergen. We had to 'get to know' each other. It was going to be awful.

"Hey Serena," Juergen said casually.

"Hey," I said, smiling awkwardly.

He opened the door for me, and walked beside me at a comfortable distance into town. "So what do you want to do?" he asked.

"I don't get out much," I admitted. "What's around?"

He placed his hand to his forehead to shield his eyes from the sun, and scanned the buildings. "Bakeries, gift stores...what's ice cream?"

"What?" I demanded. "You've never—okay, we're going right now."

I took his wrist and dragged him into the cafe. I ordered us both large chocolate sundaes, and we sat at a sunny table. I watched with a smile as Juergen took his first bite of heaven.

I'd thought today was going to be horrible, but I actually was enjoying it. It was a nice relief from everything going on. I took a bite of ice cream, savoring the delicious chocolatey flavor.