by L. E. Fred
“You cannot wake up yet,” she said softly. I knew her grey eyes saw how tired I was, and eager to return home, to tell my mom I was okay, and to check on Tiff. “We have been waiting for you and your companions for quite some time. You also used your lifeline out of here on your friend.”
“What?” I instinctively looked to my shoulder. My ball of light hadn’t reappeared yet. “When will it return?”
“That depends on if you master it.” Viv shrugged, turning away from me. “Come, we must wake your friends. There is much to explain and little time to do so.”
****
As expected, the first thing Kyle tried when he woke up was to impress Viv. I had to admit, the Dreamer was very pretty, but she was way older than me, and definitely out of Kyle’s league. Viv assessed the damages we took at the coliseum and healed them with some form of paste she kept in her skirt pocket. It was funny seeing Kyle try to flirt with her as he cried out in pain.
Mitch was the only one who maybe had a shot with the Dreamer, but he was too busy hounding her with questions about her people and why she was so different than the Nightmares.
“I share a common ancestry with the Nightmares,” Viv admitted, leading us to the edge of a small stream. “But we parted ways long ago.” She frowned as she thought of an ugly past, no doubt.
“So there are more of you?” I asked, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.
“Yes, but the Nightmares forced us out of our city long ago,” Viv explained. “I was very young when they destroyed my home and killed most of my family.”
“Dude, that sucks.” Kyle reached out a hand to comfort Viv. She quickly shook it away.
I found myself wondering if Viv was older than she looked. Her physical features made her look no older than twenty, but her eyes showed great wisdom, age, and trials of the past.
“Come, I must bring you to see someone.” She led the way downstream.
“Knock it off, Kyle,” Mitch muttered, glancing nervously at Viv’s back.
“Yeah, you’re gonna scare our guide away,” I added. Kyle folded his arms and followed us in silence.
As we walked, the trees grew farther apart, allowing the weakening sun to cast shadows on us and the stream. By the time we reached our destination, a hut on the edge of a small lake, it was nighttime. I shivered slightly in the cooler air; my feet felt like icicles.
“It’s strange seeing stars while we’re dreaming,” Mitch commented, looking up at the open sky.
“Yes, I’m sure it’s strange.” Viv rolled her eyes with impatience. I was beginning to realize our Dreamer friend had a temper. “But you can look at stars later. Right now, you must meet Sophia.” She softly knocked twice on the door of the cabin before entering.
The old, stone exterior of the cabin looked nothing like the inside. I felt like I stepped into a futuristic library. Books of every color lined the metal shelves that covered the walls. A small basement led to a fully electric kitchen that gleamed white with fluorescent lighting. The other room of the cabin divided into a living area, complete with a futon and desk and a closed off area that was the bathroom. There was a narrow, spiral staircase that led up to the cabin’s smaller observatory.
“This is your home?” I asked, looking around.
“A home of sorts.” Viv shrugged. “I travel a lot. But Sophia raised me after losing my family, so I visit him often and protect his home. I owe him my life.”
“Him?” Kyle snorted. “Isn’t Sophia a girl’s name? Do you call him Sophie for short?”
“I’ll have you know, Sophia is the Greek word for wisdom,” said a voice behind Kyle, making him emit a high-pitched squeak.
An old man sat on the futon. He wore robes that matched the royal blue fabric, so we didn’t notice him before. He had a dark grey beard that extended to his chest and wore a long, golden chain that contained a very old and large key.
Think of any wizard you may have seen in movies, TV shows, or other books. This guy probably fit the bill for all of them.
“Sorry, Merlin dude!” Kyle said hastily, bowing a little which made him look stupider.
“Merlin?” The old man chuckled. “I’ve been called that many times by humans. That is one of the reasons why I stopped giving people advice in their dreams.”
“You come to people in their dreams?” Mitch asked, raising his eyebrows.
“Of course.” Sophia regarded Mitch. “That is one of our purposes, though it has become harder.” He stood up and ambled over to the large table. “And, we were better at it as a united nation.”
Mitch, Kyle, and I watched as Sophia searched our faces for any emotional response. When he saw none, he sighed.
“Yes, our fate was overlooked by humans,” he muttered on. I didn’t know if he was still speaking to us or if he was reciting something from the past. “I suppose that is the reason we exist as we are today, but we shouldn’t blame others for our foolish choices…”
“I think two of these humans are The Ones, Sophia,” Viv said in a loud voice, jolting the old man back to reality. “They have destroyed one of Leona’s henchmen and enraged the Nightmares.” She said it as if we did something wrong.
“They did what?” Sophia turned around sharply.
“Yeah, you’re welcome.” Kyle puffed out his chest a little, as if he were proud of his accomplishments. Sophia started towards him; the old man made Kyle step back a few paces.
“You don’t realize what you’ve done, of course!” He sounded hysterical as he turned to Viv. “Will you watch for Nightmares while I enlighten our – erm - heroes?”
Viv nodded curtly before ascending the staircase, taking three steps at a time.
I suddenly felt a little anxious, watching the old man glower at us. I looked at Kyle and saw he was still confused; Mitch, on the other hand, also realized the importance of our actions. It seemed we stepped into a problem much bigger than Leona’s resort.
A short, tense silence followed as we waited for Sophia’s lecture. I felt like I was waiting in the principal’s office at my school, wondering what sort of punishment I’d receive.
“You must be tired from your endeavors,” he finally said. “I can give you food and water after I explain what has happened. Please sit down.” He gestured to the futon. Mitch, Kyle, and I climbed onto the well-worn, blue cushion. To my discomfort, I sat in the middle. Kyle kept nudging me with his elbow in a nervous manner.
“You know my honorable name,” Sophia commented, shooting Kyle a furtive glance. “But I’m afraid I did not give you time to introduce yourselves.”
We each muttered our own name. I felt my face heat up a little. Sophia, old as he may be, was clearly a very powerful being. His brown eyes possessed the same pinpricks of light as Viv’s, and he seemed to emanate knowledge and power. I had a feeling he knew how to intimidate others, even the Nightmares I saw at Leona’s resort.
Sophia studied us for a few moments before speaking. I suspected that he knew more about us than he let on. With some relief, I saw the corners of his eyes crinkle in a smile.
“Yes, two of you are the ones we anticipated for quite some time,” he said, now pacing the floor in front of us. “One of you has the ability to summon Reverie, and the other has the power to use it.”
“You mean this?” Mitch unsheathed the sword. It glowed mysteriously in the lamplight on the desk. Sophia raised his eyebrows in mild surprise, but he looked upon the sword as if it were an old friend. Leona had mentioned something about the Nightmares despising the blade. I found all of this a little surprising; up until that moment I thought my baseball bat, and my creativity, were the only reasons we had the sword.
“Reverie helped our people defeat the Nightmares many years ago,” Sophia explained, still eyeing the sword. “It has unmatched skill and the ability to reverse the powerful spells the Nightmares cast. It can also undo any illusions created in our world.”
“That’s why Leona and the others feared it,” Mitch commented, eyeing the s
word in his hand with newfound respect. “But it didn’t defeat Serpentine and Gruff on its own. I needed Devon’s help. Why?”
“Because magic and strength complement each other.” Sophia said it with an air of one explaining that one and one equals two. “It is one of the most fundamental rules in our land. When our city was destroyed and I became Viv’s guardian, I knew I had to train her in the physical arts to aid my magic if we were to survive on our own.”
“You keep bringing up ‘when our city was destroyed’ and ‘tribes.’” Mitch was now at the edge of his seat. “What happened?”
Sophia sighed. It was clear he had been waiting for someone to ask this question.
“You are hungry for knowledge, Mitch Stansky, and I will satisfy your cravings.” He cleared his throat. “I just hope that I have enough time to explain everything.
“Long ago, the Nightmares and Dreamers were of one race. We existed in the world beyond your kinsmen, though your spirits could connect with our world in your dreams. As a result, the human mind intertwined with our world. Our actions influenced humans, and human thought influenced us. This was long ago, before my time, and I only know what I’ve read in the city libraries before they were destroyed. I do know that when darkness entered the minds of Man, the Nightmares became separate entities.
“They were once Dreamers who succumbed to the darkness that resides in the human mind. Think of the dark thoughts that pop into your head occasionally. Do you entertain them? Most people do not, but these thoughts resurface in your dreams. They find a way into our world, and the Nightmares feed upon them. They thank their human hosts by plaguing them with horrific scenes born from the human’s own ill wishes.
“As the Nightmares wreaked havoc on our human brethren, Dreamers sought to undo the damage and to inspire and advise. Tension eventually built up enough to start The Great War between us. The Nightmares wanted to be the sole influence on Mankind, but we fought against them and their fearsome leader, Phobio. The war lasted for years and claimed many lives, but eventually, with the help of Reverie—” he nodded reverently at the blade, “—we forced the Nightmares to surrender, and we fell into an uneasy peace.
“Our conflicting natures were not unnatural, for light cannot exist without dark. For a while, our powers remained separate but equal. The Dreamers built our utopia of a city where we lived together in prosperity, and the Nightmares lived on the outskirts of the forest, waiting to prey upon human spirits. Such was our world, living in a stable balance of power. Until the Lucid dreamers came to be.
“The Lucids sought to create their own worlds in our domain, usually to fulfill selfish desires. Most were harmless enough, simple fantasies that humans could not carry out in their own world. Others, however, were of malicious intent. Some Lucid dreamers sought to enslave other humans to create utopias of their own. The Nightmares convinced the early Lucids to enslave Dreamers, as well, for we created large and beautiful things. Most of my ancestors successfully dissuaded the Lucid dreamers from enslaving anyone, but even my ancestors grew tired of the Nightmares and the corrupt Lucid humans.
“Some of my ancestors wanted to continue to dissuade the Lucid dreamers from enslaving others. Humans inspired and encouraged us just as much as we inspired and encouraged them. We could not live without our human connection. Others, however, wanted to prevent humans from entering our world; they wanted to prevent humans from dreaming. The fight grew until the Dreamers split into two tribes. We built separate cities away from our utopia. Divided, we became weak, and the Nightmares bided their time.
“I remember living in the big, utopian paradise we called Miragean. I was the chief librarian’s apprentice when the tribes split. Some of us wished to stay in our beloved city, but the majority chose tribes. Unwilling to separate families, most of the Dreamers chose to live elsewhere and to build new cities. The few that remained were the social outcasts, those who were unwilling to leave Miragean, and those who had no families. No one knows what became of these Dreamers, but there are many different legends.
“I relocated with my father and brothers to build Fantasm. No one in Fantasm knows what became of the other tribe, the Vagary, for they moved far away. Some say they moved into the realm beyond the mountains and have become hostile. Fantasms who are brave enough to venture to the other side are never heard from again.” Sophia stopped, frowning slightly. I wondered if one of his loved ones had disappeared beyond the mountains. Before I could ask, he continued.
“And so life began as a smaller tribe. We rebuilt our society, though it was a fragment of our lives from Miragean. Most who live now have grown up in Fantasm and do not know of a time in Miragean. Vivax grew up in Fantasm, and I fear no other Dreamer will learn of Miragean’s wonder, for both tribes must reenter the city in order for us to begin life there again.
“But in our solitude, we grew weaker, and the Nightmares destroyed Fantasm. We now exist in smaller villages throughout the forests under the Nightmare ruler, Phobio. The Nightmares keep us under curfew and harvest our forest’s trees and water for their own uses. We know better than to defy them, however. Though they cannot touch our villages and our magic and power protect us somewhat, we constantly fear a Nightmare attack that we will not be able to fend off.”
“And that is where you come in.” Viv swung herself down from the stairs. She had apparently been listening the entire time.
“Any Nightmares?” Sophia asked warily.
“None,” Viv answered. “These are for you, Devon.” She tossed me a pair of laceless shoes that looked as if they were made of woven grass. I slipped them on; they seemed to form to my feet.
“Thanks,” I said gratefully.
“It is nothing.” Viv shrugged as she cleared a space on the old man’s table. “Though all of you will need different clothes to blend in.” She perched herself on the edge and eyed Mitch and me intently. “You will help us, won’t you?”
“Help you do what?” Mitch raised an eyebrow. “We can’t be your personal bodyguards against the Nightmares. We barely fought off Leona, and she’s just like us.”
“Not quite.” Sophia corrected me. “Leona does not possess Reverie.”
“And I have been watching her little resort from afar,” Viv commented. “The Nightmares grow tired of her tyranny. I know of the Nightmares’ ways; they will kill Leona and take her slaves for their own.”
“No!” I shouted, surprising myself and the others. “We can’t let that happen!”
“And we cannot risk another Nightmare attack,” Sophia nodded. “It seems we need each other.”
“But…” I looked to Mitch and Kyle for support. We couldn’t hang around the dream world to go on a large quest. As it was, I could only imagine the stress my mom was going through.
It must’ve been morning in the real world by now. My mom would’ve woken up, shouted for me to get up for summer camp, and found me and Kyle unconscious in bed. I’d put any money down that the two of us were going to show up on the evening news as “Coma Epidemic Claims Two Brothers.”
“I don’t know.” Mitch looked up at Sophia and Viv. I breathed a sigh of relief. I could rely on Mitch to be the voice of reason. “We fell into this world by accident. I don’t doubt that Devon and I are special, but we only came here to stop Leona. We wouldn’t do much good in a war between the Dreamers and Nightmares.”
“You just need training!” Viv exclaimed. “Naturally, you are like newborn infants, exploring our world for the first time. Sophia can train Devon in magic and I can train you, Mitch, in strength!”
“What about me?” Kyle complained loudly.
“You are a Lucid human!” Viv said forcefully. “It is because of people like you that we are in this predicament!”
“Hey, I helped just as much as anyone here!” Kyle stood up angrily. “And I thought you were part of the tribe that liked us!” His eyes guiltily flickered to Sophia for a moment. I found it strange to see Kyle so defensive. For once in his life, Kyle felt like he w
as doing some good, and he wanted the credit he deserved. It was nice seeing my brother passionate about something other than pizza and horror films.
“We did,” Sophia said, examining the cord around his beard. “But that was before Leona. It is because of her that the Nightmares found new strength to force us into hidden villages. The other Dreamers scattered throughout these lands, I fear, will not take kindly to any Lucids that cross their paths.”
“That was before they met me,” Kyle said confidently as he stood up. “I was the one who got Mitch, Devon, and me here safely.”
“No, I think that would be me.” Viv raised an eyebrow. Kyle blushed as he looked at her apologetically.
“Still, I made a rocket to get us outta the coliseum,” he replied. “And I can make more useful things for your cause. Like more swords!” He concentrated like he did back at the coliseum. I thought the air around his arms wavered for a bit, but no blade formed in his outstretched hands.
“Huh?” Kyle stared blankly as Viv concealed her laughter. I even saw Mitch smirk a little.
“Your Lucid powers will not work in our forest,” Sophia explained. “Shortly after the attack, the Dreamers agreed to cast protective charms around our territories so that Leona, or any other Lucids, could not work their magic to harm us.”
“But it doesn’t work on Nightmares, right?” Mitch asked.
BOOM BOOM!
As if on cue, something very large and powerful began banging on the cabin’s door. Without hesitation, Viv sprinted up the staircase to the observatory. She returned seconds later.
“Nightmares!” she hissed. “Five of them; all Warrior class!”
“Go!” Sophia pulled Mitch and me up from his futon with surprising strength. He pushed us toward the kitchen. “Vivax, go with them! I will shake the Nightmares off. Meet me in Woodinville before dawn.”
“What if they are hostile?” Viv clearly didn’t want to leave Sophia to handle five Nightmares.
“They do not care for me; they want the humans.” Sophia shook his head. “I will be fine.”