Dreamcatcher

by Christian Rosnell

  Lyght, hesitated, not wanting to say it out loud. When Milton kept watching him, however, he sighed and said “Because you wouldn’t understand what I’m talking about, and if you did, you wouldn’t believe me.” Lyght looked up, “No offense, but it’s a Dreamcaster thing. I’m not trying to be secretive, but there are certain things that most people just don’t know about. Let me just say that Mikael and I go out at nights for a reason; we’re working on something. You could say we have a mission to accomplish, and it’s of the highest importance. We have to at least try it, Mil.”

  Lyght stopped suddenly, thinking he’d said too much. Looking down and kicking the tramped-down sand with his shoe, he muttered “I’m sorry.”

  Unexpectedly, the old bartender broke into a wide smile. Pushing his young counterpart slightly in the chest, he gave a rare laugh, “No apologies needed, my friend. I completely understand. You are shouldering the man’s burden sooner than I would expect, but I seem to remember being a touch headstrong in my youth as well. You and your friend will make us all proud, I’m sure of it.”

  With that, he turned and said “I’ll see you at the initiation and feast tonight, kid. I’ve got to meet up with my wife now for a bit, if you understand. Life’s getting a bit too fast for my old self lately.”

  Lyght nodded, “Yeah, Mil, thanks a lot for understanding. I’ll see you around.” Nodding, Milton the bartender headed west towards his bar, with his living quarters built on the second floor. Shaking his head, Lyght turned and went the opposite direction. Milton was a great, if odd, friend to have, but sometimes he just bolted like that. One moment he would be putting up arguments against you, the next he would just totally capitulate to end the discussion and head out. It was just a fact of life with him. Plus, Lyght really did get the sense that Milton at least accepted, if not understood, his decision to leave.

  Reaching down to grab a small green baby coconut, Lyght wandered somewhat aimlessly back towards town, thinking. Bouncing the coconut in his palm, he looked up at the cloudless sky and took a deep breath.

  Two down, one to go.

  Everywhere around him, evidence of the celebrations abounded. The usual New Year’s daylong festivities were merged with the traditional coming-of-age ceremony to create one massive holiday atmosphere. This feeling was ratcheted up further by the general feelings of adoration, awe, and admiration for the first two Dreamcasters in Kona’s history. The first Dreamcasters in all of the Hope Domain’s history, as far as Lyght had heard. That made this day special – very special – in the hearts of the villagers who shared in their success.

  Indeed, Lyght was not going to be able to walk alone musing for long on this day. As uncomfortable as he typically was with the extra attention, today was certainly no exception. Sooner than a minute into his walk, a group of about a dozen or so kids ran up to him, seemingly ranging between the ages of eight and twelve. Not too much older than me when I first came here, Lyght thought.

  “Hey! Hey Lyghtning!”, one of the older ones yelled out, running over, “Want to come play kings and robbers with us?”

  Huh? What did he just call me?

  “Did you just call me –” Lyght started.

  “Lyghtning. Because you’re fast and strong, and no one knows where you’ll strike. You, and Mikael too. We’re still working on his name though. Got any ideas? I like your nickname. Did you come up with it all by yourself? That’s way cool. All the kids around town are saying it’s your new title.” The kid spoke in a rush, words tumbling out. The other kids around him nodded their heads fervently, agreeing with the comments.

  Lyght looked them over, still a bit startled, “Um… look guys. I never asked to be called that, and I don’t think it’s the best name so… maybe we could just call me by my first name? I think it’s a pretty good name, as it is.”

  “True”, mused the boy thoughtfully, hand on his chin. “But forget that! Are you gonna play or not?”

  Lyght probably would’ve done it, but he really needed to go meet someone, or rather – multiple someones. He didn’t really have time to play a game of… what was it? And anyway, he had never been entirely comfortable with the way these kids looked at him. Why should he be any different? He had once been like them. In fact, he still kind of thought he was. Or he wanted to be.

  Someone else had no such qualms about attention or adoration. He dropped from the palms above, long blond hair flying, with a light shirt on now. It was as if he was magnetically attracted to wherever his name was mentioned. If there was ever someone who lived in the limelight, it was Mikael.

  “Looking for another player?”, Mikael announced with arms spread wide, drawing stares of admiration from the young ones – and even a couple cheers. Lyght slowly backed up a few steps, then said “Well, there’s that covered then. I’ve gotta go – urgent business to catch up on. You know.” But no one was really listening anymore. His charisma never had the fire the Mikael’s had. It was funny how their strengths and weaknesses verged on total opposites. But he wasn’t complaining.

  That was what made them such a good team.

  Chapter Eight

  Fireworks burst overhead, lighting up the darkening sky with burning colors and dazzling designs. Fireflies buzzed lazily around the festive crowd providing light of their own. It was warm year-round in Kona, so that even in the dead of winter fireflies came out every night. Or, more accurately, twilight. Since last night had been a Dark night, tonight was simply a normal night. Not that anyone really knew that there was a difference between the two – all they knew was that they just had to be asleep by midnight. Sky knew they felt the strongest compulsion to be asleep by that time – no non-Dreamcasters could disobey the urge, herself seemingly excepted, of course. Darkness was beginning to fall now, but since it was winter, this gave the festivities still a solid six hours to go.

  In the growing darkness, crowds of people – families and friends, young and old – had begun pouring into the village square in waves. The night’s festivities were centered and based here in the square, where four massive, long tables were set up for the whole village to feast at. The feast was not yet here though, and groups of people stood around the square; talking, telling stories, playing games, and generally having a good time. Row upon row of villagers milled about on the exterior, generally making a favorable atmosphere for someone trying to go unseen.

  Sky walked through the crowds with her hood up, keeping an eye out for anyone she knew. Of course, she knew who just about everyone in the village was, but only those who knew her well would recognize her instantly under her cloak – or so she hoped. Nevertheless, it never hurt to be too careful. Especially when you were trying to be stealthy.

  It was funny, but Sky wasn’t really doing anything wrong now. Nothing against the rules, exactly. She was just so used to being on the wrong side of those rules that she just found herself acting naturally sketchy sometimes. That, and the fact that she really didn’t want to be bothered right now – especially considering the occasion. As Lyght’s sister, many people in the village often tried to reach him through her. No, she had important things she had to keep her mind on right now.

  Ah, there he is.

  Sky darted off to the side behind a game booth and around the side of a building, skirting under the awning and heading down to an alcove in the wall at the far side of it. Here she found the one she had been looking for standing nervously in a similar cloak, albeit with his hood down. He looked startled at Sky’s swift approach, like he considered bolting, but calmed down as she pulled her hood down and revealed her face. Putting a section of wall between herself and the city square, Sky exhaled and looked her friend in the eye.

  “Guess you didn’t have any trouble getting here, did you?”

  “Trouble?”, he smiled slightly, “You and I both know this village is far from a paragon of security, and with the celebrations going on tonight, I was able to stroll in from out of town without seeing a soul until I got within a couple blocks of the square
”.

  The teenage boy speaking was Max, one of her friends who also sailed aboard the Joy, amongst other things. His full name was actually Maximilian Andronicus, but he thought (and she had to agree), that the name was kind of stupid. He was the son of a rich merchant from Hope, but tended to spend his time running around causing trouble and generally shirking his duties as the heir to a rich and influential house. A fairly typical story for one of Sky’s friends.

  And there was nothing technically wrong, of course, with his coming to Kona. However, his reputation as a notorious troublemaker preceded him. If the other villagers saw him sneaking around or crashing the celebrations, they might be upset.

  Sky would have picked another of Joy’s members from Kona, but that was not what the job required. It wasn’t for nothing she had picked someone from farther up north in the domain. “Look, Max, I need you to help me out with something. It’s kind of a time consuming job, so rest assured, I’m going to pay you for it.”

  “Sure thing. What do you need?”, Max said, pretending to perk up at the possibility of money, but Sky knew better. Max would take the mission for the adrenaline rush itself, in addition to the fact that he and Sky had been good friends for years. He stood leaning now with his arms crossed against the back wall, brown bandana tied his messy blond hair, the sleeves of his white shirt rolled up to his elbows. Trying so hard to be a pirate. Sky had to suppress a smile.

  “If I told you, Max, I would have to kill you”, said Sky, glancing back around the corner at the festivities. Looking back, she smiled at the fake look of shock on her friend’s face. “Kidding. But really, you can’t tell anyone, OK? I think I’m the only one who knows about this, and this is pretty monumental information that I’d prefer not to spread around.”

  “Got it.”

  “Alright”, Sky took a deep breath. “My brother, celebrated hero and newly-turned man of the village that he is”, a slight note of bitterness in her voice, “is going to leave the village after the festivities tonight and go seeking out The Dark to try and destroy it. I know you don’t know what ‘The Dark’ is, don’t worry about it – no one does but Dreamcasters and me. Don’t ask why”

  “Anyway”, she continued on, “when he does leave, I’m pretty sure he’ll take the northwest road around and out of the domain, right past your village. I’d like you to keep an eye out, and when they do pass, follow them – without being seen – to the edge of the domain. Take note of where they exit the domain, and where they seem to be headed. They don’t know you, so I’d like you to disguise yourself as a traveler, and then go meet them and try to figure out where they’re going, and what their plan is. Once you’ve gotten all the information you can, come back and meet me at the ravine northwest of Kona, and fill me in on what you’ve learned.”

  Max straightened up and leaned forward, smiling. “What, that’s it? Not going to ask me to chase them across another domain and a half?”

  “No, that would cost too much”, Sky said, joked. “I know all too well the rates you run for simple tasks like this. All you have to do is track the two most powerful Dreamcasters in the domain across the entire coast without being detected. I mean, come on!” She sighed in mock exasperation.

  Max leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, “Oh yeah, piece of cake. Give me a more difficult one next time, why don’t you? Oh wait, that would cost too much, wouldn’t it?”

  Shoving him on the shoulder playfully, Sky threw her hood back up and turned to leave. “Honestly, I could afford it, but I would miss out on the fun part. Can’t give you everything here, sorry Max.”

  “The fun part?”, he asked.

  “Once you bring me back all the information, I will track them down and capture them, at any cost.” Seeing the incredulous smile on his face, Sky pressed on. “And I’m not backing down just because they’re Dreamcasters. To be honest, their power makes them overconfident. And overconfidence and complacency is something I know how to exploit. Give me a shot, and I swear I can reel these guys in. Damn it, they’re too important to this village to leave now, we need them!”

  Laughing and turning to wipe a tear out of her eye, Sky exhaled and drew herself up straight. “I’ll trust you to get the job done Max. Come back with good information, and maybe I’ll take you with me on part two of this mission. That would pay even better. But, for the excitement alone, I’m sure it would be worth it to you.

  With that, Sky ran out of the little alcove, emerging out from underneath the awning into the bustling and pulling her hood down. Little to her surprise, an elderly couple accosted Sky immediately, and began to reminisce at length about when she and her brother were young. She just smiled and nodded as she was expected to, all the while thinking to herself.

  You’re not gonna run out on us now, brother.

  Chapter Nine

  A heavenly aroma blasted Lyght as he stood talking with a small group of villagers, trading stories and enjoying drinks. Turning, he saw the source of the powerful scent. The feast had finally come – a dozen plus chefs and their servants were coming down the main street carrying giant platters of food, four to six people to a platter. People began to cheer and made way at the edges to let the cooks and volunteers into the square. Making their way to the four long center tables, they set down the platters and quickly arranged them in the proper way. Then the head cook, Morton, turned and motioned with both arms for the villagers to come seat themselves. They obliged willingly; men, women, and children pouring into the center for the annual New Year’s Feast. The highly-anticipate feast, coupled with the gifts ceremony for Lyght and Mikael, made it quite the event this year.

  And it seemed that Morton and his crew had pulled out all the stops accordingly. Kona was known particularly for its seafood, and that was certainly in abundance here. Brown-sugar grilled salmon, marinated tilapia, even some odd-looking octopus/squid type thing, along with copious amounts of steaming shellfish – fried clams, scallops, buttered crab legs and lobster. A wide variety of other foods – ordinary to delicacy – ranged the rest of the tables as well. Fresh cut steaks, vats of steamed vegetables pitched in from local gardens, and of course the signature tropical fruits to go with the absolute mounds of chocolate, raspberry, and cinnamon desserts, among much more.

  Seating himself next to Mikael at the head of the table, Lyght turned to Sky on his right, “How’s this for you? Make you want to think about actually attending these New Year’s Feasts sometimes?” However, he punctuated this with a laugh, shaking his little sister’s shoulder. “Really, good to have you here this year.”

  Sky just punched him lightly on the arm. “I’m not gonna skip your eighteenth birthday party, come on. I’m not that low.” Mikael shook his head, as if to indicate what he thought of that. “Really, Mike? I’m more dependable that you are. Tch. Seriously.” Mikael just laughed to himself, “Kidding, kidding”.

  By this time, everyone had seated themselves. Morton raised his arms, silencing the chattering crowd. Micah, as the village leader, was expected by custom to try the food first to deem it fit for the occasion. This was his first year as the leader actually. His good friend Derran, the last village leader, had died almost a year ago now. Micah cleared his voice and announced, “Another year, another great feast to gather ourselves around. This seems like the point where I make a very inspirational, sentimental speech about the past year, and all we’ve accomplished and still hope to accomplish. But, well, this isn’t a normal year, so I won’t do the normal bit. However, I will bring up the obvious, yet monumental fact we that we have not one, but two young members of our village come of age today!”

  Applause sounded out from the villagers at this. Lyght’s dad (really, Sky’s dad – the one who raised him) – a short and balding, but good-natured man stood up at this and proclaimed, “A toast then! To their future great success – may they make the village proud with their unrivaled determination and talents!” The villagers enthusiastically took up the toast, and drank down their wine in good
spirits. It still threw Lyght off-guard, if pleasantly so, to hear his name yelled out all at once. Regardless, he couldn’t help smiling to himself.

  “Now, let’s get the excellent feast started, why don’t we?” Micah reached down and cut off a small piece of the brown-sugar salmon, bringing it up to his mouth. Trying the morsel, he chewed appreciatively, then gave the double thumbs up to Morton, ritual complete.

  A great scraping of forks, knives, and plates rang out as the entire village passed food around and dug in. Despite the mounds of delicious food and pitchers of every drink imaginable, ample conversation still abounded among the tables. Lyght himself got drawn into a discussion with Mikael’s dad Geoffrey (the one who adopted him, that is), about the particulars of Dreamcasting and how it worked. Lyght would have thought Geoffrey’d had these discussions with Mikael before, but Lyght always did do a better job of explaining the powers than Mikael did. Though he had a great feel for the ability and innate talent, Mikael often ignored its laws or limitations more than Lyght thought was wise.

  “What amazes me so much”, Geoffrey, was saying, “is that you guys can pretty much do anything. It’s really quite unfair. I mean, when I’m dreaming, I can control whatever happens to me if I try hard enough. The laws of the real world don’t apply, so I can be and do whatever I want. The fact that you and Mikael can do the same thing while awake is what astounds me. I still don’t understand how that’s possible.”

  “To be honest, I’m not sure how it’s possible either”, Lyght admitted, cutting up a piece of rare steak and trying it, savoring the flavor. Swallowing, he said “However, it’s not really the same. We can’t do whatever we want. We can only do things within strict time and power limits. For example, we have two hours of ability when fully stocked at the strength of one version of ourselves. As we increase our strength and speed, the spirit time we lose is proportional to the increase in power. For example, if I have two hours stocked, I can have the strength of twenty versions of myself, but only for six minutes. Alternatively, I could have five times the strength for twenty four minutes. It can be hard to gauge sometimes. Pretty significant drawback, if you ask me.”