A Dream Within a Dream

Mariah listened to Caedes' words, feeling their raw sincerity seep into her. A shudder wracked her frame as he finished speaking, his promise resonating within her. She knew she could trust him, had trusted him with so much of herself already, but this...this was a piece of her so fragile, so tainted, that she feared it would stain everything it touched. It was a realm of nightmares where her weakness was laid bare, where the specter of whatever cruelty took the form of Moros, tormenting her with inescapable terror.

Her silver eyes met Caedes' steadfast gaze, the emerald depths reflecting her fear, vulnerability, and the undeniable trust she held for him. In a barely audible whisper, her voice trembled as she spoke, "It... it's always the same, Caedes. Always him... Moros." She paused, a shudder rippling through her slight frame, as if merely speaking the demon's name had given life to the specter of her nightmares. The feeling of absolute dread, the cold touch of terror on her soul, seemed to tighten its grip on her, and she involuntarily clung to Caedes tighter. Despite this, she continued, forcing the words to tumble out in a hushed whisper as she clung tightly to his fur, "The... the cold... it's so cold in the void. He's there, his black eyes... they're like holes in the darkness. He... he looks like him... my... my father...." She took a deep, shuddering breath, her voice catching on the last word as if it was a stone lodged in her throat. Her eyes clenched shut, tears leaking from the corners and soaking into Caedes' fur.

Her voice was a shaky echo when she continued. "Every time, he... Moros... he overpowers me. Holds me down, laughs at my struggles as he tears me apart piece by piece- as he tortures me. I... I can't move... can't speak... can't scream." Mariah swallows heavily, her body trembling from the weight of her words. “He violates me over and over- ‘teaching my my place’, he calls it …” Her words trailed off into an agonized whisper, the horrifying reality of her nightmares laid bare under the scrutiny of her disclosure. For a while, silence stretched between them, filled with the harrowed remnants of her confession. Her heart hammered in her chest, echoing the drumbeat of fear that pulsed through her veins. “And then, he kills me.” She finished, afraid to see Caedes’ expression- avoiding meeting his gaze altogether. “I know they’re just dreams, but they always feel so real.” The sensation of Moros's touch, the chill of the void, and the sting of her wounds lingered even now, stirred by her confession and imprinted deep within her memory.

"Mariah Mendacium"