Chapter 7, Visitor In The Night

Lowenna opened her eyes and looked around she was in a garden, it was large and adorned with many plants and flowers, “dream-scape,” she said with a smile, as she walked through the beauty of the area, enjoying the view. This was a much nicer dreamscape than the last. There were very few dreamscapes which Lowenna would want to relive.

As Lowenna turned a corner, she saw a Lawman dressed in red. She watched him put his hand against a wall. To her surprise part of the wall lifted up slowly, revealing a secret passage. Lowenna didn’t want to be seen, but curiosity got the better of her. As the stone lowered, Lowenna slipped under it. Lowenna looked up the tunnel. She now realised she was holding a burning torch so she could see. She couldn’t remember holding it outside, but then the dream-scape didn’t always show her everything, just what was important for her to know.

The passage went on for a while turning around a few bends, down steps and back up until Lowenna came to an open area with several choices of route. The room was round and had nine different openings. She paused for a moment, as she wondered which path to take. She decided as long as she was careful she could try each in turn, so picked the first path on the left. The tunnel got narrow very quickly and eventually lead to a dead end, so Lowenna made her way back to the room with all the choices of route.

Lowenna now took the second opening, but only a few steps in, she was suddenly confronted by a dead man skewered by half a dozen spears. “Not this way then,” she said as she headed back.

The third opening was slightly higher than the others. Lowenna stepped into the opening feeling a cold wind coming from within, “not this one either,” she said out loud. She had worked out what was happening the dream was showing her which ways not to go. This was a future dream else she would have seen the way she went.

The fourth path lead to the dead man again, but the fifth opened up into a long path and at the end was a chamber lit by torches. Lowenna smiled this was the way to go, the fifth path from the left. There was an old stone stairwell, which went so high Lowenna couldn't see the top, so she started to ascend.

At the top, there was a stone slab, which raised allowing Lowenna through. "How thoughtful," Lowenna said to herself.

On the other side of the opening, Lowenna found herself in a long carpeted hallway. There were two guards, both wearing shiny golden chestplaits, guarding a door at the end of the hall, but neither of them moved or even looked in her direction, Lowenna narrowed her eyes. Something wasn’t right here.

Suddenly a Lawman walked around the corner. He froze for a moment, staring at Lowenna before drawing his sword, “You are mine,” he shouted before charging at her. Lowenna suddenly knew she had to get away from this lawman, so she turned and ran, back down the secret path but when she reached the bottom of the steps the path which led back to the round room was gone.

There was now another tunnel, which Lowenna hadn't seen when heading up the stairs. She darted down it, fear growing as she ran. She could see a light but could hear something chasing her, something that wasn't human. It roared like a lion. She didn’t look back, launching herself through the entrance into the bright sun.

With a sigh, Lowenna opened her eyes and sat up, was the dream over? She wasn’t in bed nor was she in the garden or anywhere in Hymdale that she had seen, she was on the top of a cliff, the sun was rising, and the sky was clear. Lowenna could taste the electricity in the air, she turned looking for the lawman, but only saw one lone rider. He was dressed all in black, and a hood covered his whole head, similar to a lawman but different. His mount was pure black and covered in battle armour. Lowenna could tell there was something not right about this rider. He was looking right at her, and although she couldn’t see his face, she could feel his eyes. It felt like they were penetrating her soul. He galloped towards her. She had to defend herself. She knew he was going to kill her.

Lowenna touched her magic crystal, summoning fire to her hand. She pushed the flames towards the rider, and it flew at him enveloping the rider on contact.

It wasn’t stopping him! It wasn’t even slowing him down! The rider drew his black-bladed sword, the pink flames vanishing from his armour, Lowenna had no weapons on her she was alone and was trapped, the rider was charging right at her, there was no way he was going to stop as he swung his sword.

Lowenna sat up, gasping for breath, was the dream over? She looked around the dark little room as her eyes adjusted to the darkness. She could hear the sound of the rain hitting her window and the wind blowing through the streets. She breathed deeply, allowing her heart to slow. She was really starting to hate dreamscaping.

Lowenna placed her head in her hands. This had to be the worst sun of her short, memorable life. Fighting for survival and dreaming about death and destruction that seemed to be all there was to her life at the moment. She did have a few pleasant memories, her friends by the river, the night in Vlad’s inn where she had met Grilk and the dreamscape with the unknown man. Lowenna remembered his touch, his skin against hers as passion flared, but the good memories seemed to be too few, compared to the number of times she had been fighting for her life or dying in a dream.

Sighing Lowenna lay back down and closed her eyes. The new sun would hopefully bring new revelations about her past. Her plan was to ask around the harbour about any ships recently lost. Lowenna had awoken on a beach covered in debris, with no memory. With a bit of luck, someone might know if a ship or boat had been lost in the storm Rique had mentioned, and she might find a clue to who she was or where she had come from.

Lowenna mind wandered to other dreams and visions she had experienced. In the first, she had seen a little girl, which felt to Lowenna like, it was herself as a child, but the visions had been in the time where the Lowenna race had fallen to the Dark Legion, long long ago. Nothing made sense. It was imposable she was that girl, as she would be thousands and thousands of seasons old, yet what she had seen had felt familiar. Like a long ago memory, just out of reach.

Lowenna rolled onto her side trying to get comfortable, all the thoughts of what might be running through her head. In the quiet she heard the lock of her room click, someone had unlocked the door.

Lowenna grabbed the knife, which was under her pillow, and held her breath keeping as still and quiet as possible. The door swung open with a slight creek. Someone entered her room, she assumed it was a man due to the clumping shoes on the floor, whoever it was, took a step closer, and Lowenna had had enough. She threw the blanket off and launched herself at the shadowy figure.

The man was quick. He grabbed Lowenna's wrist slamming it against the wall forcing her to drop the knife, “I wouldn’t do that if I were…” Lowenna stopped the assailant's speech by slamming her knee into his jaw and her other foot into his chest. He released Lowenna, and she fell to the floor. The man moved forward to grab her again, but she launched herself at him, this time, both feet hitting him in the chest forcing him out of the room.

Lowenna jumped back to her feet finally getting a chance to get a look at her attacker. He was large, clean-shaven, and wore a smart shirt. She had never seen him before but knew he had been sent here to get her. The man stood there rubbing his jaw staring at Lowenna. She placed her hand on her crystal and then held it out, pink flames dancing on the palm of her hand. The man looked at it for a moment, then took a step backward. “Run,” Lowenna shouted, and the man did.

“Lowenna watched him disappear from the doorway, but she was so angry she grabbed her cape and attached it. Then she looked at her boots. They would take time to put on, “forget the boots!” Lowenna quickly thought as she took off after the man, leaving the boots behind in the room.

The man ran down the stairs pushing his way past Darleen, “Oy, watch it!” She had shouted after the man before Lowenna landed right beside her, having jumped over the balcony from above. Darleen’s eyes grew huge as she watched Lowenna chase after the man launching herself down the next flight of stairs.

The man burst into the main room of the bar, not slowing down desperately trying to get away from this crazy red haired woman who was gaining on him. She had him. He was just a few steps away, but suddenly she slowed looking to the side of the room.

Two men were sitting at a table. One was large wearing dark armour and had a serrated sword strapped to his back. Lowenna didn’t know this man, but she knew the other. He was a small bold man with snakeskin boots and gold chains around his neck and wrists was sitting at a table staring at her with wide eyes.

Dumar flashed a nervous smile at Lowenna then the two men vanished, leaving a small trail of smoke as the man Lowenna had been chasing crashed through the swinging front doors. Lowenna cursed out loud. She hadn’t given Dumar a second thought since she had last seen him. He had taken a pair of Lowenna wristbands that had been the cause of a lot of trouble in Penbirth and for Lowenna. She looked at the open swinging door as Grongger started shouting. Lowenna wasn’t listening as she took off after the man who had entered her room.

Going from the bar, which was adequately lit to the dark, windy, rainy street, caused Lowenna a new problem. She couldn’t see where the man had gone, but she heard the splashing of footsteps up ahead. Lowenna placed her hand on her crystal, and the pink light flowed out over the world illumining everything to her eyes. Lowenna saw the man dash down an alleyway. Her eyes narrowed, and a smiled formed on her lips, “I got you!” she thought as she took off after him.

Lowenna was furious as she stormed around the corners of the dark alleyways just catching glimpses of the man she chased. Suddenly there was a scream up ahead followed by a sickening thud. Lowenna stopped. She drew the two swords, from her cape, before cautiously turning the corner. At first, there was no sign of the man until she looked up. Lowenna saw the man she had been chasing. He had been crushed into a wall, covered in some sort of material, even though Lowenna could only seeing his outline she could tell he was dead. She wondered how he was up so high, and what had had the strength to crush him into a wall.

Lowenna looked around but already her magic was starting to fade, so she touched her crystal to cancel the spell before headed back to the Dark District Inn.

As soon as Lowenna entered the inn, Grongger stomped over to her shouting. She had seen her friend Grilk using the same tactic but not to her, and she didn’t like it. “Why did you chase customer away. Why did you make a seen and what you do to the man who was there on the couch,” he shouted irately at Lowenna while pointing to where Dumar had been.”

Lowenna looked right into Grongger’s yellow eyes, no matter how big and threatening this orc was; she was not going to back down. “First, that man came into my room, and NO ONE was supposed to come in my room. I was chasing him to find out who sent him, and the man who was over there,” Lowenna said while also pointing at the couch, “has magic and can disappear.” Grongger did not look impressed, and the fact Lowenna was standing up to him made him even angrier.

“And where is the man you were chasing now?” he growled at Lowenna.

“I lost him in the alleyways,” Lowenna lied, knowing that saying he was dead would not do her any good, but Grongger’s eyes narrowed.

Grongger sniffed Lowenna. She could tell he didn’t believe her, “Magic,” he said out loud. “Now I know I don’t like you. Your deceitful and have magic.”

“It’s all right Grongger,” Lowenna stated not taking her eyes of hiss, “I don’t think I like you either.”

Grongger’s face looked, full of disgust, “If you were not a girl, I would kill you where you stand.” He said quietly, but loud enough to Lowenna to hear.

Lowenna's eyes flashed pink, and her smile widened, “Don’t let the fact I'm a girl stop you Mr orc,” she couldn’t believe that she had said that, but was determined not to back down.

Grongger drew his hand back but stopped short of slapping Lowenna, “You should leave, before you get hurt. Lawmen are on the way.” The smile faded from Lowenna’s face, Grongger watched her expression change and slowly started to smile himself. “You are in trouble, running from lawmen. Maybe I will make you stay until they get here.”

Lowenna was silent for a moment, before uttering. “Let me past. I’ll get my things, and I’ll leave.”

“No you leave now, I will tell lawmen you were here, they will find you.” Grongger laughed after he said this, and Lowenna turned and left without another word, the sound of Grongger laughing ringing in her ears.

The rain had eased to a light drizzle, and the moon time was cool. Lowenna walked around the inn, looking for another way in, she wasn’t going to leave her new clothes and boots in there, but she didn’t want to be seen by Grongger and wanted to be gone before the lawmen showed up.

At the back of the building, Lowenna glanced up. There was one room right at the top with a single window, which wasn’t lit, “There's my room.” There were a couple of large crates against the wall which Lowenna climbed on top of, then she grabbed the windowsill above and pulled herself up, trying not to slip on the slate.

Lowenna froze for a few moments. She saw two naked orcs lying on top of each other. They were grunting and slapping each other. The one on top was grinding on top of the other one who Lowenna assumed was the female, due to the huge boobs. They were obviously too interested in each other to look over to the window. Lowenna climbed to the next level quickly, trying not to think about any orcs. She couldn’t help thinking about Grilk and the fact she never wanted to see him in a position like that.

She pulled herself up to the next window, making an effort not to look in. Fortunately, the room was empty. She jumped over to the next window and saw a man who was getting dressed with a naked woman sitting on the bed. The man looked surprised to see Lowenna through the window, but she just threw him an embarrassed smile before climbing out of sight.

Lowenna slowly made her way over to the unlit room. She had studiously ignored what was in any of the others. She swung herself over to the single window, but as soon as her foot touched the windowsill it slipped. Lowenna swung her arm, just in time catching a handhold. She hung there for a moment breathing heavily, before using all of her remaining strength to pull herself back to the window of her room.

Luckily the window didn’t lock and with a bit of force, Lowenna managed to open it and slipped inside. Lowenna sat on the bed and breathed for a moment before she squeezed her feet into her boots. Glancing around she found her purse on the floor, which she didn’t even know was missing and placed it back in the pocket of her cape and then she gathered her spear clothing, rolled them into a ball and placed them under her arm.

Lowenna then opened the window wide. The rain had almost stopped, but she was a little annoyed that she had to leave. She stood looking out of the window, staring up at the clouds.

She found herself missing Penbirth and her friends now more than ever, but knew that whatever the future held inshore for her she had to look forward not back. She was about to head back outside when she heard voices.

“Strange girl wanted to stay here, let her have this room.”

“She used magic, and made a man disappear.” Lowenna recognised those voices it was the man from behind the bar and Grongger’s.

“And she just turned up, and no one knew her?”

“No, but when I spoke of the lawmen she took off,” Grongger replied. Not quite how it happened Lowenna thought.

Lowenna suddenly realised she had to get out of this room when the door swung open. “Her belongings should be…” The three figures suddenly froze as they saw Lowenna, who threw them a cheeky grin before launching herself through the open window.

She touched both of her longest fingers against her crystal and swung her arms out. Wings appeared, and she glided down to the floor. The wings vanished as soon as she touched the ground.

Lowenna looked up at the room to see a rather confused Orc and two men looking down at her. There hadn't been a lawman. Grongger had lied. Lowenna remembered that he had called her deceitful. She would remember that. She stared up at the three figures, for a moment, before she turned away and ran off into the dark, damp night.