[Everything feels as if it's happening in slow motion. No matter how hard he tries he can't break free and can only watch helplessly as Tifa looks at him, her gaze making his heart stop as he realizes what she's trying to do.
No... Don't... STOP!!
But it's of to no avail and he remains frozen as he watches her go up those steps and try to confront the silver haired man. The whole time he keeps trying to break free, to move, when he suddenly stumbles forward, tripping and landing on his hands. He's stunned for a moment before he quickly looks back in time to see the blade in the man's hands raised.]
No—!
[But in the same breath the blade falls, striking the young girl down and sending her falling down the stairs. For a moment he can't move, the shock too great. And when her body hits the floor with a sickening thud, lying prone and lifeless, memories of his past through Eustace's mind. Of the lifeless bodies in a burning village, the immense helplessness and pain soul crushing—and then the vision of Tifa, older, her body paling and turning blue.
With a voice filled with agony and desperation he screams her name and runs to her, the illusion "breaking" as he no longer appears as a young boy but an adult man, footsteps echoing loudly over the crackling flames and siren. He slides to a stop beside her, his usually calm, focused mind fraying in despair as his hands tremble over her, blood pooling beneath her.]
No, not again, this—
[His mind tries to process multiple things at once. He needs to stop the bleeding, needs to get her out of here, get her treated. As his hands quickly press down on the wound he can only think how this is a nightmare to—
Nightmare.
The word strikes him like a bolt of lightning and he stiffens, eyes widening as he first stares down at Tifa and then quickly looks up around him. The man is gone but everything is still burning around him, the smell so strong it's stifling. It feels so very real, but of course he wouldn't know any of this. Because all of this—]
...Your nightmare.
[It's a hoarse a whisper as he realizes that it's not just a nightmare, but a memory. A memory of her past. And somehow he was pulled into it, his own childhood memories merging with it. No wonder he felt things were off, the several incongruous moments more evident now.
With his mind starting to clear, the panic ebbs and he refocuses. He's never had to deal with something like this before but the first thing he needs to do is to stop the bleeding and get her out. Even if this is a dream, he doesn't know if the wound will harm her later or if its causing damage to her psyche, so he doesn't want to risk it.
Gritting his teeth, frost forms on his fingertips and over his palms before it spreads to her chest. He really will need to work on some kind of healing magic, but for now he can only hope this will help numb the pain and seal it. He then leans over her face, so young and delicate in his eyes. The sight of her in such pain tears at him, but he forces it back as he speaks more clearly.]
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No... Don't... STOP!!
But it's of to no avail and he remains frozen as he watches her go up those steps and try to confront the silver haired man. The whole time he keeps trying to break free, to move, when he suddenly stumbles forward, tripping and landing on his hands. He's stunned for a moment before he quickly looks back in time to see the blade in the man's hands raised.]
No—!
[But in the same breath the blade falls, striking the young girl down and sending her falling down the stairs. For a moment he can't move, the shock too great. And when her body hits the floor with a sickening thud, lying prone and lifeless, memories of his past through Eustace's mind. Of the lifeless bodies in a burning village, the immense helplessness and pain soul crushing—and then the vision of Tifa, older, her body paling and turning blue.
With a voice filled with agony and desperation he screams her name and runs to her, the illusion "breaking" as he no longer appears as a young boy but an adult man, footsteps echoing loudly over the crackling flames and siren. He slides to a stop beside her, his usually calm, focused mind fraying in despair as his hands tremble over her, blood pooling beneath her.]
No, not again, this—
[His mind tries to process multiple things at once. He needs to stop the bleeding, needs to get her out of here, get her treated. As his hands quickly press down on the wound he can only think how this is a nightmare to—
Nightmare.
The word strikes him like a bolt of lightning and he stiffens, eyes widening as he first stares down at Tifa and then quickly looks up around him. The man is gone but everything is still burning around him, the smell so strong it's stifling. It feels so very real, but of course he wouldn't know any of this. Because all of this—]
...Your nightmare.
[It's a hoarse a whisper as he realizes that it's not just a nightmare, but a memory. A memory of her past. And somehow he was pulled into it, his own childhood memories merging with it. No wonder he felt things were off, the several incongruous moments more evident now.
With his mind starting to clear, the panic ebbs and he refocuses. He's never had to deal with something like this before but the first thing he needs to do is to stop the bleeding and get her out. Even if this is a dream, he doesn't know if the wound will harm her later or if its causing damage to her psyche, so he doesn't want to risk it.
Gritting his teeth, frost forms on his fingertips and over his palms before it spreads to her chest. He really will need to work on some kind of healing magic, but for now he can only hope this will help numb the pain and seal it. He then leans over her face, so young and delicate in his eyes. The sight of her in such pain tears at him, but he forces it back as he speaks more clearly.]
Tifa— Tifa can you hear me?
[Can he wake her up? Is it too soon?]