Thick trees block the sun, casting large shadows across the forest floor. My chain mail glints dangerously as we near the run down castle. Aithusa flies ahead, hitting the town with balls of flame. Everything is ablaze and it is a most disturbing sight.

My head swirls with colour and suddenly I am standing in the courtyard of my home. My family's crest has been replaced with an ugly green snake, fangs on show as if it could strike you through the tattered material. I am surrounded by knights, all bearing my traitorous Aunt's crest.

"Give yourself up nephew. We can rule side by side, with our powers we can be unstoppable."

"I will never rule with you. You are an evil, twisted person who deserves everything that is coming to you." I have no control over the words I am saying, as if I am watching the scene from a cage in my own mind.

Agatha sneers and takes a menacing step towards me. I stand my ground.

"You would rule with that ignorant king of Camelot. The one who despises everything that you are."

"He is a good, selfless man." I spit back, hating that she is talking about Arthur in this way.

"Did that hurt your feelings? I'm sorry, how rude of me to insult the beloved of my nephew." She cackles harshly as if she had said the funniest thing in the world. Her laugh made my blood boil. I raised my sword, but the image changed yet again and I was in the dungeons with Hope tied up and my feet.

I tried to lower my sword but I was too late. The metal pierced her skin, drawing a blood curdling scream from her throat. My sword fell to the floor with a clatter and I dropped to my knees.

"Why?" Hope sobbed, clutching her chest trying desperately to stop the bleeding with her magic. All the colour was drained from her once rosy face. Her sparkling green eyes dulled, lacking her fiery glimmer. She looked like a shell of her former self. All because of me.

"You did this." She hissed through her final breath. 

Then she fell limp to the floor.

You did this. You did this. You did this.

"HOPE!"

Then I woke up.