The Dragon and His Prince{ManxMan}

*Chapter 53

Marius

Zavian held a book on his hand, one familiar to me in the sense that I'd never really read it but I understood what it meant to him.

The day was beautiful, clear skies and despite the chilling breeze the sun was bright and we sat outside. I closed the eyes, enjoying his scent, his presence and his calm aura in Shadow Grove. The grass was shorter now, lacking colour but still held a beauty I couldn't really place. It was magical after all.

I lost myself in my thoughts, ones I hated myself for having but they existed for they had become a part of my own journey.

The ground opened up below me, suckling me into a darkness so suddenly that my heart hammered against my chest and my eyes widened, blinking to adjust to the lack of light. My keen sight told me enough to know there was nobody close by, my hearing confirmed the lack of anyone near or far.

I reached out around me, there were only two walls on either side of me, telling me that I was in a passageway and I didn't know which way would lead me to the outside. I walked aimlessly for what felt like hours until I grew tired and hungry. Frustration ate at me as my brows furrowed and my lip twisted in an ugly fashion.

"Hello!" I finally yelled out into the abyss, I hoped for someone to hear me, anyone. "Anybody there!"

Hello? I paused, the small unsure voice rang in my mind and I frowned.

"Who said that?"

You can hear me? The voice sounded like that belonging to a child, I looked around myself.

"Yes...who are you? Where are you? Why are you in my head?" I spoke in a flurry, my feet sliding against the dirt ground as I looked about.

I am Tyrain. I'm in my home. You are also in my head. I blanched then.

"Where exactly is your home?"

I'm not meant to say. Mommy says I shouldn't talk to strangers. I chuckled to myself and shook my head. I was going crazy, I was in the middle of a dirt hallway underground and I had a female child talking into my head. My day was obviously getting better. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, I'm Marius, I'm lost and I'm pretty sure I'm hallucinating."

Marius...I've heard that name before.

"Does that mean I'm not a stranger?" I was met with silence and I began moving slowly.

You're still a stranger... But...your in the tunnels? I paused.

"How did you know that?"

I was guessing. I just lost my sight and there is dirt in my room. That's weird. I looked around and continued to move then.

"Very weird." I didn't understand it, but the more she spoke, the clearer my sight began to be. Slowly, as she rambled into my mind about what I was doing in a dirty tunnel, I began to make our a corner as bright light shone through it. She went silent then and I paused, the light fading. "Wait!" I yelled towards the light, running towards it until I was emersed in darkness again.