Dream-Inspired Piece

Author's Note:

Art is by Robson Michel, titled The Efreet. This piece of art was an inspiration for the mask of The General in my Dream thread piece. Deciding on what I wanted to write in this assignment was difficult for me. On one hand, I could continue the Story of Ness McClellan for you, the audience, or on the other I could pick something else. Something new kept tugging at me, though, to continue the story from my dream thread. This pull intrigued me, as the dream thread piece was something I'd never thought of before. When I was writing the dream thread assignment I had wanted to challenge my creativity, use the assignment to create something new for myself. I never expected to wish to return to the story as I do. This is from Lana Ivankova's perspective now, third person (I write easier in third than first depending on the story) earlier in the story. Enjoy, dear reader.

Lana Ivankova wanted nothing more than a proper soft scarf at this moment. A proper scarf and her Philosian blades. 

Over the city of Prar, the night was setting in, the sun leaving with a whimsical array of colors across the sky. The breeze whispered to her through the chipped and cracked window sill. Whispering, reaching for her. She could taste it, her dream over the horizon. Earlier today, when she was told of this insane situation, she hadn't been able to help herself. She had smiled. An old feeling came rushing into her heart like the flow of a waterfall. It had been hard to stop. She recognized it, a dangerous, dangerous thing. Hope. Was it dangerous to hope in this scenario? Or would this hope push her into her dreams?

"You're doing it again."

"What?"

"Staring off into space."

Lana chuckled. "What's wrong with a little daydreaming?"

Faiz glanced up from his dinner on the kitchen counter. His eyes flashed towards Lana, perched on the windowsill. "You're aware you leave in about three hours, right?"

"How could I not be?"

"You're the one who came up with this pea-brained plan!"

Dark eyes lifted from the rushing passersby on the sidewalks of the Prar. Turning to Faiz, Lana's eyebrows furrowed mockingly. "You really think I'm pea-brained?"

The old man scoffed, "No. But I think you're being really reckless, and for what? All for a stupid metal."

"A stupid metal that is capable of freezing time and life everywhere."

"Since when did you care about such things?"

It was Lana's turn to scoff, shifting her gaze back over to the street as leaves trickled down over the pavement like rain. "al-Kandari?"

"mm?"She had caught him mid-chew. She could hear it. 

"Is this wrong?"

"Is what wrong?"

"Hope."

Faiz al-Kandari stared at her, his brows furrowing at her question. "I'm not quite sure what you mean..."

Lana's eyes flashed up to the setting sky, a palette of spilled pastels wrapping the heavens in a ethereal glow. "Hope. I feel it now. It's a wondrous sensation... but I don't want it to lead me to make the wrong choices."

"I guess it depends on what you're hoping for, ille."

Lana looked down. Faiz didn't have the time to see her leave, but he could feel her warmth disappear in the instant it did. He couldn't understand her questions sometimes. Strange child, he mused to himself. But in his heart there was something else that concerned him, the same concern he felt for her the day he realized who she was and where she had come from. His brows knotted together, taking a deep breath. Gods knew where she'd gone off to now. 

__________________

Lana was quick. She had ducked out of the sill and had practically flown to her favorite spot in this place she knew as home. The rooftop. Here, quiet lingered around her. The luminescent petals cluttered the heavens. Standing next to the edge, her elbows resting on the chilled concrete, she set her eyes to the familiar pointed dome. It was part of the reason she came here in her free time.

In the distance a large, formidable fortress rose above all others. Of course there were the buildings around it that stood taller, but none could compare to the beauty and the architecture of the dome palace. It's recognizable roof curved and whirled, towers reaching above towards the sky with a treacherous point. The marble dome traded fading orange light for cold dark shadows of night. 

Perhaps this hope was a good thing... to a certain point. As long as she could control it, and stayed realistic, even if it meant crushing this beautiful treasure, she could fulfill her dreamy thoughts. She could finally find them. Even if this plan was only a singular part of a means to an end, the excitement that coursed through her was tempting. Her dream was getting closer and closer, even if her own plan would take some time. She was patient. She was ready.

Touching her fingers to her Philosian blades, Lana's hard and stormy gaze remained fixated on the smooth round marble of the Stone Palace. She was more than ready. She wasn't born in the dirty slums of the Prar, or the rotten corrupted mansions of a Tax collector. No. She was born in broken blood and fiery fury. Not her fury, but the rage and fear of others. She had only dreamed of a day like this, and the feeling of it took her by surprise. She didn't like being surprised by herself. But this was something she couldn't resist.

She was coming for that metal, and she was coming for her vengeance.