Chapter 20, Visions of tomorrows

When Lowenna opened her eyes she was no longer in the lovely comfortable bed, but lying on the hard ground “Dreamscape,” she whispered to herself, hoping she had at least rested for a little while. She slowly got up. It was dark. Lowenna could see one of the moons high above her, while the clouds hid the other.

Lowenna looked around to find she was at the bottom of the stairs, which lead to the palace. At the top were two large lamps, which lit the stairs and doorway. Lowenna could also see several guards and red clothed Lawmen at the top.

Lowenna walked on quickly, hoping she hadn’t been seen, it wouldn't be easy to get through that door into the palace. She touched her pink crystal, and the light flowed out illuminating the world to Lowenna's eyes. Along the wall, was another doorway, which seemed unguarded. She tentatively went through, noticing strange symbol, with stars and flames, etched into a large slab of stone.

Lowenna made her way through the garden, a couple of times she had to duck behind a bush or a tree as a guard walked passed, but soon she was at the palace wall. Her eyes opened wide. She had been here before. She searched the wall for where the lawman had opened the secret passage. She knew it was here. Her fingers followed a grove and she felt a loose stone. Lowenna heard voices, around the corner. Trying not to panic, she pushed the stone, and the wall opened up to her. She slipped through the gap quickly and watched the wall close behind her.

Lowenna was surprised to see a glowing stone in front of her, which let off enough light to see, in her other vision, she had held a torch to light the way. She grabbed hold of the glowing rock and then heard a voice “Let's go,” Lowenna turned quickly and was surprised to see Azmil. He smiled before, heading along the passage. Lowenna looked into the stone. It was so bright and warm, “magic,” she whispered. 

When Lowenna looked up to where Azmil should have been, he had vanished. It had taken a moment before she realised, she wasn't where she should have been. She expected to be in the tunnel that led into the palace, but now she was looking at a huge maze, She could see a giant blue crystal, which was hovering above the central area. It looked similar to the mural in the church. Even at this distance, Lowenna could see magical lightning erupting from it in periodic jolts. Had Lowenna been here before? She could smell smoke, and there was a sound of running water, it felt very familiar to her.

Suddenly there was a growl from behind her. Lowenna turned quickly to see a large piece of the wall slowly lifting, behind a large decorated stone archway. Lowenna stood there, wondering what was happening. From the new large opening Lowenna could here harsh breathing, something was heading towards her. She could see two eyes, heading towards her, there was a flash of blue flame, and suddenly Lowenna knew what was coming, the creature from her first vision. The lion monster that had haunted her dreams! Lowenna turned and ran as fast as she could, a sudden feeling of fear running through her. She heard the beast, smashing its way free of the stone archway, having caught her scent.

Lowenna turned left, then right, trying to lose the beast that was gaining on her, the feeling of deja vu reminding her of the first vision she had ever experienced. She looked up at the stone roof. She was underground. Lowenna couldn't remember if she looked up, in the earlier visions. She believed she had been in alleyways, but these were tunnels, made of black stone, and strange glowing rocks. 

A thought ran through her mind as she ran, “Was the stone the same as the stone fireplace, the same as the tunnels she had fought the spider monster?! This is Hymdale!” She was sure it was. This was a vision of the future, and not too far in the future.

There was a doorway, just ahead. The beast that was following, wouldn't fit through it, but what was on the other side. Lowenna slowed, did she go through it, did she run on looking for somewhere to hide or did she face her nightmare? She looked at her wrist. Her crystal was there, as she knew it would be. It was grey, just like in her first vision, but a little twinkle of pink let her know there was still a little magic. She swung the stone into her hand and activated her light shield, standing her ground. But when she saw the beast she changed her mind and dived through the doorway, a second blast of fear taking over.

Lowenna stood up and looked around. She was in a field, or a large garden with several children playing. Beside her were five women all wearing white hooded robes. Lowenna quickly looked down at herself and was relieved, that she was wearing the same and was no longer in the tunnels.

The children were all running around, laughing. Lowenna allowed her heart to slow. She liked it here. Something told her she had been here before. The sun was shining, birds were singing, the children were laughing. It was relaxing and tranquil. Lowenna smiled, taking it all in. She then noticed one of the children had red hair. It was the little girl from the church and boat, the one she had seen in the eye of Armus. The one she believed could be her from long ago. “Knew this was the past,” Lowenna thought to herself.

Another woman stepped forward joining the line, but this one wore a fancy red gown and a crown of white gold encrusted with gems. Lowenna had to look twice. She believed she knew this woman, from an earlier dreamscape. The woman had worn white and had died in front of Lowenna, fading in front of her eyes blood flowing from her heart. She also recognised the dress and crown. It was the same as an image Lowenna had seen in the Lowenna book. She looked a third time, trying not to catch the woman’s eyes. There around her neck a large pink crystal, very similar in colour to Lowenna's but Lowenna's was thin and ended in a point. The woman's crystal was round, except for a small point that stuck out of the bottom.

Lowenna lowered her head. She didn't want to be noticed. She knew for experiences that she could be seen in dream-scape, and she was very glad to be blending in.

The children all ran towards the woman in red, “Mummy,” the little red-haired girl shouted, and Lowenna’s heart rate increased again.

“Yes my darling,” the woman replied, robbing Lowenna of a name.

“Can you do some magic for us?” The little girl asked, a big smile on her face. The woman gave a little bow to the child, before placing her fingers on her crystal. She flicked the fingers, and five large glowing sparks appeared floating above the children's heads.

The children laughed, trying to catch the sparks, but the woman looked over at an approaching man, “What do you want Azerath,” she forcefully asked, keeping quiet, so the children weren’t disturbed.

Lowenna looked over at them. She couldn't hear what was being said. Did she move closer, risk being discovered to hear?

Suddenly the queen said “Enough!” loud enough so everyone could hear, even the children stopped chasing the sparks and watched.

“I warn you, my queen, if I do not obtain these artefacts, they may fall into the hands of our enemies.”

“And I remind you, to show me more respect. My husband had already stated you may NOT search for the Shadow God’s gifts. The power of the Warriors of Light and our magic is enough to keep our enemies away.”

“But you must know, that they are dangerous, and in the wrong hands...”

“Enough,” the queen repeated “I am the Lord and Keeper of the Magic, my husband is the Lord of the Land, both of us have told you no. If you ever speak of this again, you will be sent to the tower, or worse.”

“I’m sorry Majestor,” The man replied with a bow, “I will not speak of it again.”

The man turned to leave, but the queen stopped him, her voice had returned to a whisper, but Lowenna could still hear what was said. “I know of your fears, and the Shadow Gods gifts would be very dangerous in the wrong hands. Continue your research, bring me proof that they exist, and do not tell the king. I will speak to him once we know something.”

“Yes Majestor.” the man replied with a smile.

“You may take a few of the guards and some of the other scientists to help, but only a few, else the king my grow wise to what has been discussed here.”

“Yes my queen.” the man repeated, before turning and leaving. Lowenna wasn't sure what was going on, but somehow she knew the Shadow-Gods where what the church called the Demon-Gods and searching for their gifts would not be very dangerous.

Lowenna was staring at the Queen when she suddenly turned to look at Lowenna. Lowenna lowered her head and turned it slightly so the queen couldn't see her face. But the queen had seen Lowenna's eyes.

“You girl, come here,” The Queen said with a royal, tone. Lowenna could see she was pointing at her but did not move until she realised all the other women had taken a few steps back. 

Lowenna slowly walked forward, not raising her head, “Yes Majestor?” she nervously asked.

“Look at me!” the queen commanded.

Lowenna gritted her teeth and closed her eyes for a moment before raising her head and smiling at the Queen. The queen stood there silent. Her face was frozen like she had seen a ghost. 

After a moment, the queen cleared her through and talked very quietly so only Lowenna could here. “You should not be here. You are from another time.”

“Yes Majestor,” Lowenna replied, not knowing what to say.

“You have ignored your training, coming here to pass me a message?” The queen inquired quietly.

Lowenna hesitated, unsure to warn the queen about what was to come. The attack by the dark legion, herself dead the kingdom in ruins, her daughter forced to flee for her life. “My Queen,” Lowenna started, but an image of a beautiful dark haired woman suddenly hit her hard forcing her to close her eyes. Lowenna shook her head making the image disappear, but the image of a skull impaled on a sword which changed into a snake now entered her mind, “Herathh,” Lowenna said out loud as she opened her eyes.

It was dark where she now was. She had been here before, “Why do you come before me?” Lowenna shouted, her voice echoing around the area.

“You can not warn the past,” A voice said in her mind.

“Many will die!” Lowenna argued.

“But you will not,” The voice argued back. “If you warn them, you too will die.” Lowenna went silent. Herathh was a Demon-God, Lowenna had escaped twice from. The first time, from his cult, where his disciple had demonic powers. The second when Lowenna was close to death Herathh had played on her fears trying to get her to submit to him.

Lowenna's eyes narrowed, “Why am I here?” Lowenna asked, “How did you bring me here?”

Lowenna could tell the snake was smiling, “I will always be here, and you will be mine Lowenna.”

Lowenna suddenly recognised the voice, “That was you! In the mansion you made me kill that man.”

“I protected you from his dagger, and then gave you a gentle push. When angry you are easier to control. Against the Orc I forced you to fight alone.”

“I had to kill him, but I didn't feel the confidence.”

“I proved child, that you could kill without the power of your race. I proved your will to survive, proved that you should belong to Herathh.”

“Never!” Lowenna stated, and the darkness shattered around her. Lowenna opened her eyes. She was back in the room in the Dark District inn.

“We shall see,” a voice echoed in her head before silence returned.

Lowenna got up and stumbled over to the washbasin. She noticed her crystal was now pink, not fully charged but close. She touched her face, her nose still hurt, but the magic had fixed it, her beauty restored. She washed her face and dried it with a clean towel. “Are those the best clothing you could find,” a voice from behind her said, waking Lowenna up more than the water had. She looked down at herself, remembering the skimpy lacy undergarments, before turning quickly.

Azmil sat on the windowsill looking at Lowenna in admiration. Lowenna blushed and placed her hands around her to try and cover herself before Azmil threw a bag at her, which she caught. He then entered the room and turned away, so he wasn't watching. “Get on with it. We leave soon,” he said.

Lowenna glared angrily at him for a moment before opening the bag. Inside it was a Lawman uniform. Leather black trousers, a plain dark grey armoured top, a black short hooded cape, black leather boots, and a belt. Lowenna looked at him again, making sure he wasn't looking, before putting them on. “I had to guess the size, but should be close,” he said. The top fitted well. The trousers were a little loose, but the belt took care of that. And to Lowenna's pleasure, the boots fitted a lot better than her old ones had. 

Lowenna pulled the hood up, and looked at herself, apart from the facemask and weapons she did look like a lawman or law woman. “Thank you,” she said to Azmil who turned around.

“You look good in that,” Azmil said, as he looked Lowenna up and down, “Just remember you aren't a Lawman.”

“No,” Lowenna replied, with a grin, “I’m a Lowenna.”