The First Age

Nox hadn't really wanted an answer. But she'd given him one anyway. A shrink? Yeah not! Nox didn't think he needed to speak to someone about this. It was a nightmare... his nightmare...Nox blinked and the thoughts faded away.

She kept talking offering up another solution. He didn't need a solution. This wasn't a problem. He was surviving just fine, but what she offered him was not something he hadn't already lived through.

Nox stood up and kicked the ground. The power flooded him and he wove a great fireball and threw it at the bodies in front of him. It's his dream... again the thought made him blink... and then it was normal. The bodies burned. "A blank slate. I've done that."


Amnesia had nearly killed him. What if he'd done something stupid and gotten himself on the Atharim radar he'd have put Aurora in more danger. Now she was dead anyway. He gave the strange woman a grim smile. "Starting over is just the cowards way out. And I don't want to forget who I am. I like who I am."

A ball of fire burned in his hands, then struck against the bodies. They burned, and Nimeda watched. She brushed the mud and dirt from her hands. "That's a good start, I suppose."
Liking who he was? Or burning the bodies? Maybe both. She didn't dwell on the details. Now that the fear and adrenaline of the creatures had dissipated, her curiosity retreated. If he wasn't going to let her play with the powers she'd once had - maybe still had? Or maybe not - and since the ghoulish nature of the dream had faded, she was antsy to move on to something new.

"Focus on the good, yes?."
She popped up to her feet, grinning, and held out her hand to shake goodbye.

Nox nodded. "Focus on the good."
He said it like it was some new words to live by. Nox took the woman's out stretched hand and shook firmly. He turned back to look at the bodies burning. It felt triumphant. It felt good to watch his guilt burn away. He could move on, he had to move on or let this eat away at him. He refused to wallow in self pity. He had a job to do. He still had one person in his life to keep safe - one who needed him. Nox smiled.

The world flickered, remaining images popped in and out. It reminded him of some twilight zone episode his father had made him watch. Maybe that wasn't it, but a sharp sound yanked Nox from the dream.