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The room was brightly colored and warm. A large yule tree dominated the corner, and it was flanked by a fireplace where a flame was burning cheerfully. A colorful rug softened the stone floors, and a few comfortable chairs and couches littered the room.
Bracken saw his parents and sisters sitting on the couch. He recognized this place. It was the residence of the Fairy Queen, his mother. They always came here to open gifts and eat dinner on Yuletide. Bracken’s father would tell stories while his sisters listened. His mother would chime in with details every now and again. They would laugh and sing and smile. Everything was warm and bright.
Bracken moved to sit on the large couch beside his family, but he stopped when they glanced up. His sisters stared blankly at him, and his mother had tears in her eyes. Just as Bracken was about to ask what was wrong, she spoke.
“Why did you have to leave, Bracken?” the queen asked with a small, sad smile. Bracken’s sisters glanced away, towards the tree, as if they couldn’t bear to look at him.
“What do you mean, mother? I’m right here,” Bracken said as he took a step forward.
“We were so happy before you left, before you abandoned us.” The queen continued, speaking as if he had never interrupted. “You didn’t listen to me, and now I am so alone. With your father gone, all I had left was you and your sisters. And then you left me too.”
“Mother, please. Tell me what I did wrong,” Bracken begged. “I would never leave you.”
“Lies!” the eldest sister hissed, spinning to look at him. “You left and broke Mother’s heart. You destroyed what little happiness we had once you disappeared.”
One by one, his sisters turned to look at him, their faces twisting in anger. They chorused, “You who should have been here, you who should have lead us, you who vanished into the night!”
“Oh, my dear Bracken, I feel so alone,” his mother cried.
Bracken stumbled back, confused by the aggression and sadness permeating the room. He felt a hand on his shoulder, and he spun to face his father.
“My son, you have failed me. I charged you with supporting and protecting the queen, your mother, my wife. You are the eldest, and yet you have disappointed me, disappointed everyone.”
“You were supposed to be my protector, my trustworthy servant,” the queen called out, sadness choking her voice.
You are no hero!” Bracken’s sisters shrieked. “You are a failure!”
“You failed, you lost,” his father told him.
The happy scene was twisting, warping into something different. Bracken fell back, his spine tingling as he hit the floor. The happy Yuletide room had suddenly become a hellscape. Fire raged and Bracken felt incredibly hot. Demons danced around him, chanting and laughing. “You failed, you lost, you failed, you lost,” they sang maniacally.
A huge demon, with darkness gathering around him, appeared before Bracken, his evil laugh rumbling the ground.
“You shall join your father, boy,” Gorgrog’s deep voice sent tremors down Bracken’s spine. One huge, demonic claw reached out to grasp him. Just as those mighty fingers closed around him, Bracken felt himself jerk awake.
He sat up in bed, panting. Cold sweat coated his body, and his throat felt raw. Something wet splashed down on his legs, and Bracken realized that he had been crying. He shook his head, trying to clear the nightmare from his thoughts, but the horrific images refused to dissipate.
It was no use trying to fall back asleep, experience had taught Bracken that he couldn’t easily rest again after nightmares, particularly if they were about his family. With nothing better to do, Bracken grabbed his glowstone and headed out of the cell to wander around for a bit.