Bittersweet Dreams (Are Made of This)

Now that I (mostly) have a handle on controlling my magic while awake, Divana says that I need to start practicing dreamwalking. She spent a lot of time going over the various rules the academy has about dreamwalking and how even though they are very restrictive, it's important to follow them because they're the rules. I don't think she likes those rules very much. The bottom line is, I needed a volunteer.
____________
I laid down in bed and looked across the room at Ruby where she was also in bed.
"See you tonight" she smiled at me.
I smiled back, then took a long deep breath and closed my eyes.
 
A moment later I felt the morning sun shining brightly through the door of my hut. I got out of bed and stepped out onto the grounds of the clan hold. I looked around at the people of the clan, some vaguely familiar, some very familiar. A mist shrouded around the outskirts of the hold, obscuring the sun. Setting aside the comforting surroundings, I wandered northeast, into the forest. As I stepped out of the hold, the mist grew thicker, and the sounds and smells of the hold faded almost instantly.
I walked through the mist on instinct and soon found myself in another village. This wasn't right. It was that village again, decorated by fire. I hadn't seen it years, not since I started at the academy. It was different this time, I could tell there were people around, they looked like... alfar? There was some kind of celebration happening down the road, it kind of looked like a birthday party? Alfar don't celebrate birthdays. This wasn't where I'm supposed to be. I backed out of the village and the mist grew thicker again.
I looked around again to get my bearings. As I focused, the mist started to thin, revealing the forest and a bright noonday sun shining low through the trees. I walked towards the sun and it started to rise higher into sky. Ahead of me was a fallen tree and then a clearing, sounds of metal clashing and magical fire beyond. I stepped over the wooden obstacle and through the other debris of a shattered gate, and into the midst of a battle. Raveners streamed into the city around me and were being cut down by the blades and fire of the soldiers and priests defending the city. As I wandered into the melee I heard a familiar voice cry out.
"Behind you!"
I spun around and saw a ravener with a jagged sword raised ready to strike me. I held up my hand and they froze in place for a moment, then was cut down as a spectral halberd, burning with radiant fire. The ravener collapsed into a heap and Ruby walked up behind them.
"You made it! Come on, we've got to retake the gate"
Caught up in the moment, I rushed back the way I came in, dispatching raveners along the way. As the gate came in sight, I could see the raveners clambering over the debris, behind them an infernal general, and beyond, the mist shrouded forest.
I stopped and grabbed Ruby by the arm.
"Wait"
I held her hand and focused on her. For a moment the world fell out of focus. We looked around, the gate was intact, and closed. The raveners were gone, replaced by citizens. Soldiers patrolled or stood guard.
"Welcome to Brontha," Ruby beamed "let me show you around."
She took my hand and lead me through the city, pointing out landmarks and her favorite locations. Eventually, we made our way to particularly important looking hall, at the opposite end of which sat small figure upon a throne.
"It's her..." Ruby whispered, in awe.
We crossed the hall slowly, side by side. The figure sat there, unmoving. As we got closer I could make out more detail. The figure was a girl, though I couldn't figure out her age. At one moment she looked about our age, the next several years younger. She was adorned in a ceremonial outfit. Her hands were resting in her lap, a symbol of Zeilar visibly glowed on the back of one of her hands. I went up to her still unmoving form and studied her face. Beneath the headdress and makeup she looked... familiar? Have I seen this face before?
 
"It's too bad she's dead."
 
I looked over at Ruby. Through the dim light I could just make out that she was awake, a glint of a tear from beneath her eye. I got out of bed and went over to her side.
She looked up at me "Don't leave me, too."
"I won't."