Raine on the Rocks

[Kaleb (Raine) he/him]

I can’t breathe! Pain exploding all over as earth and rocks start to bury me.
The light is fading above.
Can’t hear anything.
Can’t see anything.
Can’t move!!
All alone.
Aaaaahhhhh!

“Wake up!”
“Raine… WAKE UP!”

(Opening my eyes)
“Aikenn?”
“Yeah, bud. You were having a nightmare and yelling out. You’re safe now. Your friends got you out of that rockslide weeks ago. You’re here in the open and all is well. Well… not completely well since were at war now and all, but for the moment, you’re safe.”
“Thanks my love, ugh, I’m still having some terrors… I’m so grateful that you all have been helping me at night, taking turns and such. I didn’t hurt you did I?”
“Nope, you didn’t get that bad, and Bruzog will stop limping in another day or two from where you sliced him open last night,” Aikenn said.
“I still feel TERRIBLE about that and panic healing him with all I had stored up didn’t help either… he still hasn’t been able to sleep… I’m good now, go ahead and get some rest. I’m gonna go get some air,” I tell him.
“Ok, give me a kick if you need anything.” He yawns and immediately flops over asleep.
“How does he do that… Dark magic.”

I breathe in the before-dawn air. Looking around our home at Meadowmere, our official town name, fills me with both a deep sense of love and community as well as a righteous fury at any who would harm our home. I had to experience my first home in this world being attacked in Haven, when Molly Mavis tavern was set ablaze by Dejardan sycophants. Thankfully, we put out the flames there and all over town in time. That great moment of stress brought on my siren magic as I sang streams of water from the well to aid the bucket brigade as others were defending us from bandit attacks at the same time. It was such a lovely moment of our community working together that I’ll treasure.

Well, I’m awake now. Looks like a good time for a perimeter check around the town. The scythe is still connected to me. Its voice has been silent though ever since we sang together around the campfire. That made me feel more like myself than anything else has been, enough so that I sang a siren first song, a new song by a siren for the first time, which will bring a revelation to all who heard. I never know what a song will do until it’s time to be sung, this one was called The Meadowlark. Now when I feel like the scythe is about to take over, instead I hear the words of the song in my head. It feels good to be in control again… for now anyway.

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