The Miracle's Curse

Dreams

Golden liquid drops seeming made of starlight dripped rhythmically through the darkness. It poured into invisible cracks, turning in unexpected directions. Four drops were enough to spread outwards endlessly, creating a formation. In one area, a ring of yellow fish circled a hawk; they were either preparing to eat it or protect it. Further ahead, another picture was being depicted. Hands, with strings wrapped around each finger, connected to everything. But, tightly woven in the strings stood a blurry figure. Brown hair and green eyes could be vaguely seen, but he didn't seem to notice what was at play around him.

Everything shook. The golden streaks remained intact, but the sound of crumbling brick walls echoed from all around. Then, like one thick wave, the yellow melted into blood red. The drops of starlight were now blazing with fire, and all around the central figure was aflame. Still, he stared upwards, unknowing of the fire licking at his feet. Even when it crawled up his legs, and then his chest, he didn't budge.

All light vanished.

Terra shot up in bed, gasping. Tears formed in her eyes from hysteria and she trembled so hard, she couldn't move. A dream that strong had never happened before. Something was coming. Something terrible was going to happen in every corner of the Three Lands. And Adrian was right in the center of it.

Leon rested his chin on his crossed arms while he stared dully at the half empty vial. He had snatched it before Dollie could notice, although he wasn't sure what he would do with it. As soon as Lynn had gone to bed, he had positioned himself in the kitchen and hadn't touched the small glass vial since. It bothered him that such a tiny dosage could be used for so much damage. He had stayed up pacing, racking his brain for any reason this Adrian fellow could hand them out without caution. It was purposeful, he knew that much. But for what purpose?

Other, darker thoughts with smaller voices had cooed to him in the crevices of his mind, 'what if I had just one drop? I could understand it better. Maybe even figure out why he was handing these out like free samples.' A grunt of disgust left his throat in a growl. It wasn't the first time he had considered the idea. But each time was more convincing than the last.

With an effort, he pulled himself sorely off the counter and frowned at it. Absentmindedly, he traced the thin white line on his chin. A bottle of this had caused someone like Jason to go mad, but it hadn't lasted long. Of course, it could have different effects on everyone. Everyone with the Hints, that is.

He let out a frustrated breath through tightly clenched teeth and started his pacing again. If what Dollie said was true, which it undoubtedly was, this Adrian guy had a supplier. A bottle every week, Jason said. And there was no way he was the only one. So that drew him to another, scarier question: how many others and are they still being supplied, even with Adrian's death?

He had stopped and was staring at the vial again. Lynn didn't know he had it. She didn't need to. Just a drop wouldn't hurt him. Still, he glanced toward the ceiling where she slept. Blinking, he could see a green outline of Lynn, tossing and turning in her bed. He nodded and tore his eyes away, the color disappearing. She was asleep, if in a nightmare.

'Just a drop.' Came the seductive call. He realized the vial was in his palm. Which was odd, because he didn't remember picking it up. The potion sparkled in the orange lantern light like liquid sunlight. The cork was off. "Just a drop." As he raised it to his lips, a hasty pounding came from the front.

He capped the bottle and stuffed it in his pocket. His coat was lying on the couch, but he wore his white button down, even if the collar was loose. Behind the wall, in a blink, was the red outline of a short woman, about to raise her fist to knock again.