七** (Chapter 7)
eng: Nightmare

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Wither

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I awoke to the stinging smell of smoke. I cough and hop out of bed, choking and trying to get a breath of fresh air.

I exit my room and run downstairs. Something was different. Something was off.

Halting at the thought, I take a moment to catch my breath. Something was really off. Red carpet? I'm positive I didn't put that there. Now that I look deeper into this, the hallway looks different...

My heart skips a beat as the realization washes over me. This... This is my father's castle!

"W-What... H-How..." I attempt to teleport out of there, but my powers were nonexistent.

I start to hyperventilate. "No... No..."

"My son," my mother's voice rang through my ears, "You're finally home." The sickening sound of her heels clacking on the carpet makes my stomach turn.

How did I even get here? I didn't understand. Was I kidnapped in the middle of the night while I was deep in slumber? Unlikely. I would've detected anyone approaching from yards away.

Unless I didn't...? My powers don't work here, somehow.

"Do you realize how much your father and I have missed you?... Naughty boy, sneaking out like that. You should've known better than to run."

My gaze meets hers. She smiles a soft yet sinister smile, shaking me to the bone.

"Why couldn't you just leave me alone... I just wanted to live a normal life..." She chuckles, putting her hand on my shoulder delicately. "Oh, sweetie, you know very well that you'll never live a normal life or be considered normal." Her grip tightens as she sighs. "Running away from your father and I, especially considering the fact that we took you in, is beyond unacceptable. Your behavior will not go unpunished." She pushes me down harshly, and I end up helpless on the ground. I stare up at my mother, pleading her and begging her to stop.

"Don't you worry, honey. I'm not going to be punishing you," she says, "Your father is."

My body felt numb at the mention of my father.

No, Notch, please... Not my father... Anyone but him...

On cue, the sound of my father's footsteps rang through the hollow hallway. My breathing quickens.

"Very well, my love. You finally located our son." My mother smiles a sickening smile. "You bet I did."

My father's only response was a curt nod. He grabs my arm without warning, harshly pulling me to his chest.

"Pitiful... Pitiful, really. My son, next liege of this realm, chose to run away. Truly preposterous." I struggle against his strong grip.

"I can't believe I placed all of my hopes into a child that isn't even my own...," he says, "If those damn skeletons hadn't killed my own son, you wouldn't even be given such an honor."

My heart pangs slightly. Though I hated my parents with a passion, he did have a point. I was orphaned at the age of seven due to both of my parents going to war and not coming back alive. The lord and his queen took me in as their own. Six years later, their own son passed away after fighting a group of vicious skeletons. I was given the title Prince of the Nether.

"It's your fault," he says, glaring at my mother, "If you never had compassion for such a rebellious child, this never would have occurred." My mother sighs. "You aren't wrong, my love. I see that you were correct... Even so, this does not change anything. He will be crowned as the King of the Nether after you pass." My father scoffs. "Before then, you will be punished greatly for running away. From here on out, you will be chained to the boundaries of the Nether. You will not set foot on the Overworld ever again. Guards, take my son to the enchantment room."

I struggle and attempt to escape their strong hold on my arms, but it was no use. I was tossed effortlessly inside of the enchantment room, my entire body aching. I was met with another wither skeleton, along with a witch. The guards whispered their orders. The wither skeleton nods, preparing a potion.

"No... Stop... Please, let me go," I whisper, my voice shaking. They are indifferent to my pleas as they continue to prepare the elixir.

My eyes fill with tears. This is how my freedom ends, isn't it? I'll never be able to see Herobrine again. I'll never be able to see my classmates again. I'll never be able to see... Skeleton.

The thought of him catches me off guard.

My thoughts soon get interrupted as a guard props me onto a wooden chair, tying a rope around me to prevent escape. My breathing shallows as a blood-red elixir is brought up to my lips. It smelled bile.

"Make sure he drinks every drop," the skeleton says, "All wise it won't be effective."

The nozzle gets forcefully shoved inside my mouth. I end up choking on the bile liquid, tears filling my eyes.

...This truly is the end, isn't it?...

"Wake up!"

My vision starts to fade and my whole body becomes numb.

"WAKE UP!"

Huh?

My eyes snap open, my bones drenched with sweat. Skeleton was standing beside me, a worried expression on his face. "Are... Are you okay? You were screaming in your sleep."

I don't answer his question, my mind still adjusting to reality. That... That was just a dream? Oh, what a relief...

"Y-Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine." I stand up and brush off the whole thing, heading to the dining room. Skeleton trails behind me, silent.

That felt so real... I let out a soft sigh, spawning pumpkin pie into my right hand and munching on it subconsciously. That's when I notice Skeleton staring at me, rather intensely.

"What?" I ask, seemingly snapping him out of his daze. "You haven't answered my question yet."

"I did. I said I was fine."

"Clearly, you aren't. Your pie is on fire."

"What are you talking about-!" I jump as the stinging scent of smoke tinges my nose. I toss the burnt pastry onto the ground in surprise. Skeleton chuckles softly.

I glare at him and spawn another pie, shoving the entire pastry inside of my mouth. He seems amused by all of this, holding in a laugh as he sits down to eat his breakfast.

"Seriously, though, Wither, are you okay?"

"..." Why did it matter to him? Knowing him, telling him about my past will definitely be a bad decision on my part.

"I said I'm fine."

He shrugs. "Alright then. I'm going to go out and walk. I haven't done that for a while."

"I'm coming," I say.

"I didn't invite you-!"

"Too bad. Guess you're stuck with me. Besides, I have nothing better to do today anyway."

He groans but doesn't protest. The two of us quietly exit the house, enjoying the cool breeze.

'If those damn skeletons hadn't killed my own son, you wouldn't even be given such an honor.' I freeze at the thought of my father's words.

Maybe it would've been better if they hadn't taken me in... I felt nothing but overwhelming guilt.

"Hey, Wither," Skeleton says, "You're making that face again."

"What face? I'm fine."

"I didn't say you weren't fine."

Shit. I expected a smug expression from him, but I was caught in surprise when his expression was a worried one.

"I, uh... I had a nightmare. That's all."

"No shit. What happened?"

This question catches me off guard. Doubt he'll want to hear about my family issues...

"Nothing worth talking about."

"Stop that," he says, "Clearly, it's bothering you. Can't you just open up for once?"

"..."

"Fine then," he says, about to walk off.

"I-It... It was about my father." I flinch slightly. I haven't seen him for years. This is the first time I've ever talked about him. Skeleton slows down to match my pace, eyeing me attentively.

"He..." I sigh. "He wasn't especially happy to see me. Because, well, I ran away."

"You ran away?" I nod and stare down at the dimly-lit sidewalk. "Yeah..."

He places a hand on my shoulder. "Look, Wither... I'm sure whatever reason you ran away from him was for your own good. Don't think too much about it, okay?"

"...Yeah." The two of us walk quietly after that, awkward silence filling the space between us.

I notice Skeleton holding his arms close to his chest, shivering slightly as another cold wave of wind brushes past us.

"You're cold?" He shakes his head. "No, I'm fine."

"You're doing exactly what you told me not to do like ten minutes ago."

"..."

"Well? Are you cold?"

"Fine. Yeah, I am. Just a little bit. It's not a big deal."

I shake my head and sigh. "Stubborn as usual, I see." I use my abilities to spawn a cloak into my hands. "Come here."

He pauses for a moment, his expression unreadable. I stride to him and place the cloak over his shoulders. "There. That'll warm you up." (A/n: Yeah, in other ways probably- Oops sorry no more commentary I swear.)

"U-Uh, thanks..." He avoids my gaze, staring at the sidewalk. I watch him closely, noticing his slightly pink cheekbones.

Cute.

...

Cute?!

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