Commander Braghaman Larethian

Nightmares

I can hear them coming. Their hooves striking the ground. It echoes, makes it seem like more than one of them are there. But its just the one. Dark skin and reeking of death. And eyes that just seem to burn into you. And as its walking by me, it stops and starts looking. Like it knows I’m there. But I know it can’t.

I’m covered in mud from that Light forsaken place. Camouflage. I hate it. It stinks of fel. It itches. All I want to do is scratch at it, to wipe it off. But I can’t because then the monster will know where I am. So I lay still, pressing against the hill. it can’t see me. Or can it?

The demon steps closer to me. Another step and it’d be right on top of me. I fight the urge to move my leg out of its way. The demon leans over, like its inspecting something. And that’s my chance. 

My sword comes up out of the dirt and I drive it straight into the demon’s eye. It howls and rears back, but I lean forward and keep pushing. But the demon grabs at my blade and pulls it out of its skull, so I yank it real hard and slice open its hand. It roars again. But I’ve got the advantage. I drive my sword into its gut and twist before pulling it out. Its dying at my feet, but then I hear others approaching. Their hooves on the stones.

——–

“And that’s when I wake up.”

“That’s a very vivid dream, Dael.” 

“I know,” the sin’dorei responded. He let out a slow breath and realized that his hands were clenched together with his fingers laced. He forced his his hands to relax, pulling them apart and laying them on the bed beside him.

“And you’ve had this dream before?”

Dael looked up from his hands at the elf sitting beside his bed. The doctor had a gentle look on her face, as if she understood what he was going through. Beyond, he could see other beds lined against the wall, all with patients filling them.

“Every night,” he answered quietly.

“Let’s change the subject. Have you remembered anything new since the last time we talked.”

“No,” Dael answered, his voice subdued. “I remember waking up on the ship. Someone told me they found me on that..  planet.”

“Yes,” the doctor said as she flipped some papers on her pad. “But nothing about the rest of your group?”

“No.”

“Well, I’m sure it’ll come back in time. The rest of your wounds seem to be healing nicely.”

“When can I get out of here?”

“Shouldn’t be too long at this point,” the doctor answered. “Do you know where you’ll go when you’re released?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere.”

“Get some rest,” the doctor said, patting the bed slightly before standing up and tucking her pad under her arm. “I’ll stop by again a little later to check up on you.”

“Okay,” Dael said, his voice getting quiet again. He looked back down at his hands. Somehow, they’d come back together again, his fingers laced and tensed. He frowned and stared at his hands, oblivious to the look of concern the doctor gave him before she stepped away from his bed.