Chapter 1.06 - The interruption

A sudden loud knocking sound brings Alya back to her senses. No longer lost in her thoughts and dreams; she instantly becomes aware of her surroundings and turns around to see a folded note pushed under the door.

Alya's heart skips a beat as she moves quietly over to the bed. Who knew she was here? She had not told anyone that this was to be her destination. Nor had she arrived on time, Alya had actually arrived 3 days earlier than she had originally planned.

Looking closely at the parchment of paper half pushed under her door, several thoughts flash across Alya's mind; "Who knocked at the door?", "Are they still there?", "What does the note say?", "Where is it from?", "Is it a trap?”

With all these thoughts spinning and revolving around her mind; Alya slips a hand under one of her pillows and pulls out a long black dagger.

Chapter 1.05 - The question

Alya had very much become a loner in the last few years, most of it by choice. She had a lot of business acquaintances, some of them may even have considered themselves her friend, but in reality she had no friends.

There was nobody she had ever really let get close, no one she could call a true friend; a friend that she could discuss all her problems and dreams with. This suited her fine, although there were moments that caused her to rethink her situation and this was definitely one of them.

Focusing on a single star, Alya plays back events of the past few nights within her mind. Maybe she could make sense of what was happening to her, find out what it all meant. Why was she having nightmares after so many years without one?

Chapter 1.04 - The view

Getting out of bed, Alya swings her legs round and rests her feet firmly on the floor. Looking straight ahead, she has a glazed look on her face; the type of look you get when you stare at a hidden world, a world that only you can see until someone snaps you back into reality.

Concentrating on the still rapid beating of her heart, it finally begins to slow and fades into a normal rhythm. Taking a long deep breath, she gets up and moves across to the window on the other side of the room.

Looking out of the window, Alya sees the sky sparkle with multiple patterns of light painted onto a black canvas. The patterns are all very similar, yet no two were alike. It was as if someone spent a life time trying to perfect a pattern that only they knew the true meaning of.

Chapter 1.03 - The portrait

There was nothing really special about her; Alya was average in almost every way. She was average height for a woman of her creed; which combined with her physique and demeanour you just thought "bounty hunter" whenever you passed her by.

However, there was perhaps one thing that you might say was uncommon, maybe even unique about Alya. Her hair was as black as the night sky and she had deep sapphire blue eyes.

Eyes that could either make you melt and warm to her in a single moment, or have you freeze in terror with the fear of what she may do to you when combined with her smile. Both of which, she had learned to use over the many years to her advantage.

Chapter 1.02 - The dreams

Waking up in a cold sweat, the nightmare had returned again. It was just as vivid as it had been for the last four nights in a row. Each time it was different, yet it always had the same feeling and presence to it...it felt so very real!

However, she knew it was just a dream. It was always about the same man, a man she had never met before in far off lands. Lands that she had never ventured to, nor had she ever seen in her lifetime.

Laying in her bed, her only movement is letting out a long deep sigh while trying to slow down her heart rate; hopefully before the vital organ thumps its way out of her chest. Attempting to compose herself, she feels a bead of sweat travel down her face and wipes her forehead with the back of her hand.

Sitting up, she stares at the shadows on the other side of the room; the ones that always seem to be alive and move to a will of their own just after a nightmare. The shadows, where suddenly something moves outside your of field of vision, leaving one less shadow on the wall and a feeling of dread.

Chapter 1.01 - The awakening

As he laid on his back looking up into a deep red sky, he knew dawn was upon him and that he had been there all night. He was cold and his head was sore, yet he managed to roll onto his side without giving into the urge to vomit.

After a few deep breaths, he tries to regain his senses and block out the pain before rolling over onto his stomach. Gritting his teeth, he manages to prop himself up onto his elbows and look out across the damp desert floor.

Still in a daze, he takes in the morning scene with a sea of red before him. His eyes widen in true horror as he remembers vividly what had happened that evening. Opening his mouth, he lets out a long silent scream before passing out and his head drops to the floor in a puddle of blood...