The night after the Advance and the Nightmare.

Gallen's Fall was again quiet – the Horde forces left, tired soldiers went back home to rest after a long three days of constant fighting. The only troops, remaining at the Fall, were the arrived guards from Tarren Mill and the local defenders.
Among the plate clad warriors, there were two, who stood out – short Forsaken female in red embersilk robes and tall male in matt black leather armour, with a gun across his shoulder. He stood there, by the woman's side, watching the area with cold, glowing silver eyeglobes, as his mistress was finishing the last business in the Highlands – arranging the patrols, writing down the reports.

It was, when Royal Professor Chloe Nightdragon finished her last letter – she passed it to the sniper and was about to turn around, to take the bat back to the Undercity. The person, who walked into the camp, however, caught her attention and Professor stopped, waiting with slight interest.
« I set some traps in the Hinterlands' tunnel.»
Olivia Ellyne Laux-Renn – scout, that Chloe assigned to keep low during the campaign and gather the intelligence. Woman stepped closer to the Professor and lifted up her black hat in a greeting gesture.
« Good. You can take few days of rest and return to the Gilneas, then.»
« As you wish, m'lady.»
Both women exchanged short glances and Nightdragon finally moved towards the flight master. She reached out to hand over a small pouch with coins, to pay for a ride, but suddenly stopped.

The sniper, clad in black, turned around and lifted his weapon – sound of the shot filled the air, resounding with echoes along the wall. Olivia hissed, holding onto her hat – she heard perfectly well, that there were two shots – she glanced towards the hills, where the sniper was aiming, and noticed falling down human.
« Nice shot, fella. You should let me train with them, Chl-»
Olivia returned attention to the Professor, only to find flight master holding the tiny woman in her arms with confused expression on her dead face.
« She... She just ... Fell...»
« ... Holy crap, he managed to shoot her!»
Olivia rushed towards the two, roughly taking over from the flight master, and searching for the wound. There was nothing. Not a single hint of where the bullet hit. Until she moved the cowl off the Professor's head – the right half of her skull was a complete mess. Olivia carefully lifted the edge of bandages and hissed at the sight of shattered pieces of skull and rotten flesh. Looking through the pouches on Chloe's belt, she lured out one – specific, one, that she was informed about. Quickly drawing out syringe and vial with golden, glowing liquid in it, Olivia filled it up, let the air out and carefully injected full dose – somewhere in the priestesses' neck, close to the spine.
« I am taking her back in Brill. Arrange the coffin to be trasferred.»
Clad in black sniper nodded shortly and went off, to complete the order.

« She is WHAT?!»
Olivia remained calm and unmoving, even though High Delegate was intimidating, with her posture infront of the scout. She didn't even take a look on the written by Nightdragon reports, that were finished in the late night after the final battle.
« Shot right in the head, High Delegate. Apparently noone tended to her wound within these few days and the shot got through it, completely shattering the right part of the skull.»
« Get her to the Val'kyrs then, why the fel are you still here?»
« Because I believe there's more into it, than Val'kyr reviving. She is not truly dead. She's out. I can bring her back and fix the wound. It will take few days, though.»
High Delegate moved in closer, watching the scout with fiercely glowing eyes. Olivia didn't move even then – standing still, straight like an arrow. Mayhaps, it was the fact, that Verranos was exhausted from the battle, or it was Olivia's confidence.
« Fine. I will be staying in Undercity for next few days. She better be back up on her two, when I am back to Brill.»
« Yes, ma'am.»
« Be gone.»
Olivia saluted shortly, turned around on her heels and quickly left Viatrix alone – not wishing to make her change the decision or call down for her wrath. And, afterall, she had a lot of work to do now – have to bring Chloe out of the magical slumber.

Mist. It surrounded her, thick and heavy – she couldn't move at first, couldn't gasp for air. Then the thought struck her – she didn't need to, usually, but now it was the only thing she could think of. Breathe.
First gasp, another one, and then it became easier – mist slowly disappeared, withdrawing into darkness. Chloe blinked few times, throwing a glance around – she was standing in the middle of the Festival Lane in Stratholme, just as she remembered it from the old days. Slowly lifting her hands to her face, she counted seconds with horror – and there it was, normal skin, normal fingers. She quickly reached her face with fingertips – soft, cold and smooth skin, full lips.


Chloe let out painful groan, running her fingers through her hair – she could smell the air, filled with scents of the merchants' tables – bakery, herbs, smoked meat, ale. Sounds, scents, colours overwhelmed her and she ran across the square – trying to avoid people, pushing herself between citizens, just as she did before, when she was still alive, still living on these streets.
« Hey, Nightdragon, going somewhere far?!»
She knew this voice perfectly well. And the grasp on her wrist, that followed the phrase, was also too familiar. She stopped, unwillingly, and turned her head to face the person, who took a firm hold on her hand – squeezing it painfully.


It was a tall, but skinny, with strong arms, farmhand. He was young, maybe not even twenty yet – brown eyes, healthy tan, first attempt to grow a beard of the same colour as his hair – white from all the sun. He twisted her arm, dragging Chloe closer, and she couldn't do anything – she suddenly lost all her strenght, being in the mortal body. The body, that never had any power in life.
« You don't exist... It's just a dream...»
« What are you muttering there, witch? Speak louder, maybe I'll spare your life then.»
She hissed, clawing down on his arm with her free hand, and broke her nails. Chloe knew, that it's just a nightmare – the last thing she remembered was a sound of shot and then the darkness came. Then, probably, Olivia injected her with the kodo dose of Nightmare and it's effect finally kicked in. But everything, every single detail of this illusion, was so real – she could feel the pain, the feelings and emotions were coarsing through her body and mind.
« Let me go, I said, you worthless scumbag.»
« Oh, so you can speak loud and clear. Hey guys, want some entertainment?»
Farmhand turned around and nearly tossed her over to the company of other farmhands, his usual crew. She met one's chest with her shoulder, only then regaining balance on her feet – the moment she did, Chloe made an attempt to escape – though, she didn't get far.


The circle closed up – eight physically stronger young men had her surrounded. She could feel her heart beating fast and furiously, nearly jumping out of her chest, yet she couldn't see any way for escape. She was cornered and weak, without her concoctions, without her needle-gun, without her pistol...
Wait a minute, she thought suddenly – if this nightmare recreated the situation from life, then she should have at least something of her old projects with her. Chloe ran her fingers into one of the pouches on her belt, fishing out one of the vials from it. Fadeleaf powder.
« Step back, halfwits, or I swear this thing will melt your eyes out and slowly destroy all your insides.»
She lifted her hand with the vial, trying to look as much intimidating, as she could. Which was difficult – she was tiny, compared to them. But, she had upper hand in intelligence – group suddenly stepped aside, watching the vial with scared eyes.
« That's damn right, move away...»
She backed off into the gap they made in their ranks, still eyeing the company with hateful glare. And the moment she was far enough, she ran.


Her escape didn't seem to end – she crossed Crusader's square, made a circle around, rushed through the small alley and hopped into another one, just to stop and eye the scene with stopped heart.
She saw herself – clad in crimson velvet riding suit, kneeling down and holding close to herself a man. Man, that she knew well too – tall and proud man of wealth and power, clad in black, with many concoctions hidden on his belt. Chloe, the dreaming one, let out short sigh – she knew what's going to happen. And she was about to move away, further from the place, when she noticed something changing – the two shades entering the alley, herself throwing in a flask of red mist... And nothing happened – red mist just dispersed, instead of filling the alley and affecting the shades with horror. Man in her arms let out evil chuckle, calling her uneducated child, the two shades pointed pistols at them.
« No!»
She yelled, but her voice became weak and not a single sound escaped her throat. Chloe felt her cheeks burning in narrow lines – tears, running slowly – and it spurred her – she rushed forward, hoping she would make it before the shades would pull the triggers. And she did – stopped infront of the pistols right when two shots echoed through the dark alley.


« Wake up, I can't drag you all this time, stupid girl.»
The darkness, that overtook her after the shots, slowly stepped away – Chloe blinked few times and found herself on the grass, with 'man in black' kneeling next to her and carefully slapping her cheeks. She grunted, sitting up and waving his hand away – and pain pierced through her body with agony.
« The hell you think you're doing? You just took two bullets, don't make such sudden moves.»
« Leave me be, Lord.»
She whispered quietly, lifting herself on her feet, and glanced at the man, just to meet stare of his cold eyes. It was early night in the woods of Stratholme – silvery moonlight framed the trees with gentle eerie glow, cricketing filled the air and overall feeling from it was peaceful.
« I never told you who I am.»
He stood up, watching her with narrowed eyes – the moment man straightened himself, she again felt too tiny, since he was at least head taller, if not more.
« You didn't have to. I just know. You should go back to Silverpine, they will be looking for you. The whole guard force of the city is onto your tail.»
« Is that what you were trying to mumble before?»
« Yes. Now, go.»
She turned around, walking away, deep into forest – not even taking a glance over her shoulder, to ensure that he would go too.


It came back to her – howls rolled through the forest, many of them. She knew this pack of wolves – they would appear once in a while, slaugther anything on their way and leave again. She spent a night on a tree with them around. Chloe shuddered – this night. She started climbing the tree, as soon, as she understood, where the nightmare shifted, but the feeling, that her mind kept tricking her, was still there.
And proof came later, when wind brought sound of metal piercing through the fur.
« He didn't go...»
She jumped down and ran across the small meadow, into the part of the forest, where she left the Lord alone. The horror was overwhelming her once again – she ran as fast, as she could, even though her heart felt like exploding.


There were five of them. Big, fierce beasts with glowing yellow eyes. He managed to kill one, but the other four already had him down on his knee. It was a last jump for them, before they would leave nothing, but mutilated corpse of the man.
She took a deep breath and exhaled the low hazy growl – no matter how long it have been, she still remembered how to imitate the sounds of animals. Wolves turned their attention away from the man, searching for the bear, that made the noise. They didn't notice her – ran away, leaving humans alone. And she, on weak legs, rushed to the man, falling on her knees next to him.
« I am sorry... I should've shown you the way back to the road...»
The wounds were deep – she didn't need to look close, to understand it. Sorrow filled her heart – everything was different here, everything kept slipping away from her. He took a hold on the back of her head and... Smiled.
« Go back, Chloe. This is not real.»
She remained still, watching him in a shock, gently wrapping her long narrow fingers around his wrist. Man only smiled once more, which appeared more of a grin, than actual smile, and she tried to hold onto the moment longer – she understood, that she's losing him now and here.
« Go back to where you started...»
« No... Don't leave me now...»
The images started to fade, night suddenly changed with early morning – there was nothing of the scene left, just her standing infront of the gates of Stratholme, with two guards by her side.


« Move it, witch.»
One of the guards harshly pushed her in the back, making her walk. Chloe couldn't grasp the dream anymore, it all was real for her, every single moment of it, passing by in a matter of seconds.
They walked across the streets, people snarling at her sight, some throwing rotten fruit, some spitting into her feet. All, as one, chanting «witch». Everything stopped, when she glanced up at the postament with a stake on it.
Guard pushed her towards it, while other one was wrapping the rope around her and the stake, tying up tightly. She watched the bishop walk up to her and shake his head, before turning to the crowd and starting his speech. She didn't listen, her attention was focused on the pile of her books infront of the postament. Books, vials with potions, tools, everything she used for alchemy.
« ... Watch as your foul work will burn, witch...»
Bishop's voice for just a second became clear to her, as one of the guards thrusted a torch into the pile. It took the fire quickly, most of the potions based on flammable ingredients. And then she started to laugh.
Crowd became silent – even bishop stopped his speech. Witch was laughing, her voice becoming stronger and stronger. Children in the crowd burst into crying, woman's laughter creeping through their minds first.
« Burn her, now, before she finished her spell!»
Bishop yelled, sweating in panic, and took the torch out of the guard's hand himself, quickly setting the prepared wood on fire.


She kept laughing, hysterically. People started to leave the square, scared and confused. But before even few of them managed to leave the place, it became apparent of why the witch was laughing. Steam, coming from the burning pile of her work, was black with purple. It filled the air swiftly, the shadowy claws were reaching out to living, piercing through their hearts and minds, overtaking the control. By the moment, when witch was consumed with fire – the square was consumed with Shadow, leaving only pools of blood and lifeless corpses.

« Come on, wake up...»
Olivia made another injection, watching the Professor with expectation. She managed to restore the right half of woman's skull – truegold mask, inscribed with different glyphs into one major ornament, with a cardinal ruby as an eyesocket.
« Go back, Chloe. This is not real...»
Llorian, standing in the doorway, twitched, when Olivia cursed loudly and started to fill another syringe.
« L-lady...»
Cromwell exhaled suddenly and Olivia was about to say something to shut woman up, but the grasp on her wrist made her stop. Chloe slowly lifted herself into sitting position, low laughter coming from her.
« Now, that was one good sleep. What are you staring at? Get back to work, you lazy rats, before I shadowmelted your rotting flesh away!»
Olivia didn't hesitate, freeing her hand, and saluting shortly, before turning around on her heels and leaving the small chamber in the labs.
« That was aimed at you too, Cromwell. Get your sorry ass to the Sludge Fields and start cleaning up there!»
« It's... Good to have you back, ma'am...»
Llorian replied quietly, but obediently left the room.


Royal Professor Chloe Nightdragon lifted herself off the wooden sofa and walked towards the table with her notes and researches. She threw a short glance into mirror, inspecting the metal replacement of her shattered skull for few seconds. Letting out another cackle, she pulled out the book from the pile of scrolls. The book had dark brown leather cover and seemed quite old, worn with time, dust and fire. That book she brought not so long time ago from her nearly ruined house in Stratholme.
« Looks like I have much more work to leech out of my living times.»