by Dasrim Hasik
Enough. It is time.
He felt himself being lifted up and away, teleported completely out of Quiet River. He landed in Remembrance Hall, but it was a different room than where he met the Silent Sages. It was a room that looked like it, but it was slightly different.
The room was even larger, and the chairs were even plusher. There was a kitchen in the back, with a wide viewing screen that didn't seem like it was connected to the city-wide communications portal.
A very tall man in light blue robes hugged Jack tightly. "You have finally realized what lies within you. You want it, don't you?"
"What is it that you describe? All I know is that I need to fight, I need to defend the City."
The man nodded. "And you will do a fine job. I'm sad that it took losing Bridget in order for you to see that. You will eventually get where you need to be. Do you know what I am?"
Jack blushed. "All I know... is that you have to be the voice in my head. The one that's always been giving me advice. You were there when Alara betrayed me... and while I haven't always been in the right frame of mind to really appreciate or accept what you're saying, I understand that it's been to my benefit."
The man nodded his approval again. "Yes, I am the voice within your head. I actually have been here at the Hall this whole time, projecting into your mind. You have done the City proud, Jackson. But it is time to expand your training. Your work in the mental arts is powerful, but you are a Dreamer, like me and others like me. We are the ones that have actually formed what is now known as the Planet Rubicon into existence."
A globe appeared in front of the man, and he pointed to a flashing segment on the sphere. "This is Reversia, and all of the Cities around her. However, there are many more countries on the Planet Rubicon. Happy societies, rebellious ones. There is a Dreamer for every corner of this map, one that is assigned to maintain balance. When you began to ignore Bridget, things began to slide out of balance. When you began to doubt, the hospital you built began to suffer problems. The people wonder if you are truly committed. It is time for you to step into your role as a Dreamer and do the things that you are supposed to do."
Jack nodded and the man smiled. "I am Seleron, the Dreamer of Dreamers. I guide and teach the younger waves in order to keep the balance of the world together. We flow in harmony, but there are times where correction is needed."
Jack bowed. "Seleron, if you will have me....I'm so sorry for everything I've done...truly... I just want her back, and the City to be strong again."
Seleron nodded and touched Jack's cheek gently. "There is no need to plead with me. I know the intentions of your heart better than you do. After all, I have been in your head. The head and the heart are actually more connected than people realize. One cannot live without the other. You were so swept into the affairs of the nation you lead that you forgot all about the heart. You must learn to stand your ground."
The man pointed to a door and smiled broadly. "You know the drill. Once you begin this training program, you can't go back. You cannot undo it. It will reside in you forever. You will also be bound by the code of the Dreamers. To fail the Circle of Dreamers is to be destroyed completely. You would not be sent back to Earth to learn your lessons anew. Do you understand?"
Jack nodded and walked to the door. It was much taller than he, and wider than he ever could be. It crackled with power from every corner, and the doorknob seemed to urge him to touch it and open this door once and for all. He took a deep breath. This was his home. He had to get past doubt and begin using his mind for the greater good. It was time to leave behind old sentiments.
It was time to stop wishing and start living the life that he was truly meant to have. He didn't want to hurt anymore, and he certainly didn't want to feel like no one cared about him. No matter what happens, this will make me a stronger king, and a better man for Bridget. He opened the door, and didn't even bother to look back.
Bridget screamed. It was getting harder and harder to fight the inner power that was rapidly growing within her. Some days, it was like it was tearing her apart. Consuming parts of her and restoring the rest.
She knew her eyes had changed, knew that she was changing all over. She was heavier in some ways, as if there was weight on her body that wasn't there anymore.
She had to admit that she liked looking less thin and shapelier, but the searing pain through her body was terrible. She felt a strange hunger, but couldn't place her thoughts on it.
For a few hours, it puzzled her, making her wonder if she was going insane. However, she realized that she was hungry for the literal energy that shaped her powers. She needed to feed on anyone that had the power to replenish that energy store. Her eyes glowed as the thought crossed her mind.
"Hey, merchant girl. What are you doing now?" Alara shared a cell with her, and Bridget didn't care about it at all until the other woman started hurling insults. It made her angry most of the time but there was a point she had reached where it didn't bother her so much anymore. It was all a matter of timing, Bridget figured.
What's wrong with me? What's happening to me? She smells so ...delicious. Bridget held up a hand, her eyes fully opening. The pure white eyes captured every detail of Alara, including the ragged dress that used to be made from some of the finest fabrics in Reversia.
Her hand began to glow and eerie light blue and Alara gasped, feeling a rush of mental power flow into Bridget. Bridget moaned. That first pull of power was so intoxicating. It made her body come alive, every inch of her body crackling with new energy.
She felt something tell her to stop, so she put her hand down. She was a bit shocked at herself, but an even greater part told her not to worry. It was only natural, the silent voice urged. You must stay strong so that you can keep the balance of your world alive.
Alara was furious with her, but Bridget didn't care. She ran a hand through her hair and then pulled it back, feeling that her hair was different.
She moved to the mirror and looked at her appearance. Her hair was a soft reddish color now, roughly a few shades lighter than Jack's hair. It didn't shock her, but she had to admit she was a bit surprised at it. It was hard to really see that her hair would be different. Her figure was curvier and fuller, and her hair was longer.
Alara was confused by Bridget's changes. She didn't like them at all, didn't like that the other woman had a better figure than she did. How would she get Jack back when Bridget looked like that?
But there was something else. There was a deep well of energy in Bridget, something that seemed to go beyond anything Alara had ever seen. Her mother, Doressa, had a good amount of power, and her father had even more than her mother.
They would both look like school children compared to this woman. She also felt a weird sense of authority from Bridget, like she was supposed to serve Bridget in some manner. The energy that Bridget had stolen from her angered her in one sense, yet there was a growing part of her that seemed satisfied by it.
Alara said softly, "What are you?"
Bridget moved over to her, stroking a cheek. "I am the one who sees that you did this trying to escape from one master, and ended up having to serve another. I am the one that sees the life you lead is one that is filled with desperation and fear. And I offer you something more than that, if you will have it."
"The only one that could change it is...no. You're not."
Bridget's clear eyes fixed on Alara’s and the Councilman's daughter fell into a heavy sleep. That was as good of an answer as any.
Jack crashed into a room that was even larger than where he started. It was filled with smoke, but he could see through the mist just fine. He couldn't always make out super fine details, but he wasn't going to be bump into anything to the best of his knowledge. It was difficult to honestly navigate, but he didn't have to.
Seleron appeared before him again, smiling even more than he had been before Jack got into the new room. "You are very brave, Jackson Stonewell. Now it is time for you to extend this to the ne
xt level. Dreamcraft is what all of us do and it is what we use to protect the lands that we love. I will be pulling the fear, doubt, and uncertainty out of your mind through a series of trials. If you pass them, you will unlock your potential. Along the way, those that feel led to do so will give you advice. However, you've had all of the training you need in order to survive these tests already. Ready to begin?"
Jack nodded, and braced himself for a fight. When none came, he looked puzzled. The older man waved a hand. "You are used to bracing for a physical fight. You want to fight constantly and continuously, only to find that there is really nothing that can be won through that level. Others will fight in this manner, but you have to hold the line and remember exactly who you are, and why you have come to this grand purpose."
Seleron tapped his own forehead. "The battlefield of the mind is what you must conquer. When one has done that, there is no physical fight that seems daunting at all."
Jack felt a little tired, and more than a little lonely. He felt like something was draining him, but he didn't know what that could be.
"You will need to eat soon, my young king. You'll be guided to where you may feast in good time."
Was it always this exhausting to meet the Dreamers? Jack wondered to himself. The voice that he had been used to hearing teasing and guiding him along the way was silent. There was no more advice that would be given, no more mental company for him. He was all alone in his mind.
He would have to get used to the mental silence, because he knew he needed to learn a lesson. He had been too pendent on the pleasures that came from having someone occupy his time.
He was far too comfortable with having other people take over that responsibility, and that was something that just wasn't appropriate at all. Instead of feeling this way, he needed to think about the pleasure that came from embracing solitude. He truly wasn’t alone.
He remembered Bridget calling to him on the unnamed island of possibilities and dreams. Her eyes had lost everything that remotely looked colorful, but it enhanced the haunting beauty of her face.
He loved her, and he knew that they would be together again. When Bridget really wanted something, she got it. She wanted him, and Jack was going to make sure that he returned in one piece.
He had secret intelligence that indicated the leader of the rebel faction was called Raest, but he had never gotten a ransom note from the man, or even a list of demands. It was like the man was trying to ignore him completely, as if he had no power.
Seleron touched his shoulder, cautioning him once more. "Be careful with your anger. In all of us, anger is a living, breathing thing. Would you let it run wild without supervision? Think carefully on all that you do and even all that you think. As you become more into your role, you must see the weight of your own decisions. Everything you do has consequences, even when it seems this is not the case."
They spent a few hours going through different moves, as different scenes flashed through his mind. The negative energies were literally draining from every pore of him, but they carried their own price.
They would flash scenes across his mind, and he would need to fight them by replacing them with truths that felt good. He thought mainly of Bridget. He remembered the cup of coffee they shared because he only wanted a sip while she could drink coffee forever.
He remembered the way she would hum softly in her sleep, her mind bubbling with thoughts all of the time. He could have filled an entire library shelf with everything that Bridget had to think or say about the world around her.
That was part of the woman that he adored. He wanted to be with her forever…well; as long as anyone could be with the person they loved most. After a while, Jack found himself in a clearing where a few people had gathered. Without warning, Jack held his hand up and began to pull energy out of them.
The energy was gently coaxed out of them, the threads looking like the bowls of spaghetti that he enjoyed while on earth. The long and thin strands felt soft around him, and the energy definitely had a taste to it. It was sweet and warm, and he felt a little guilty about taking it.
Seleron still nodded his approval. "It is not wrong for you to take it, and replenish yourself. Dreamers do enjoy regular food, but they are energy based and need to replenish what has been taken. There are numerous ways to do it, ranging in various levels of intimacy. Paired Dreamers often use the bed they share as a foundation for a much more close and special energy transfer."
Jack blushed, still feeling like the teenage boy that had never even had a girl look in his direction romantically, instead of the young man that had only just recently lost his girlfriend. He felt like he ached for Bridget more here in this world than before.
"You will get used to the ache. It is stronger because you are here and also because you and Bridget are paired properly. She is actually of the same power type and station as you are."
"How is that possible?"
"She was kept unaware of her gifts because of her class in the City of Reversia. Had she been of the leadership class, her powers would have been celebrated."
"But because she's a merchant's daughter, they would have punished her?"
"Oh, most definitely. Her parents hid the truth for as long as they were able to. It has been a most challenging time for Bridget because of these issues."
Jack felt new anger rising out of him, but he remembered what his new teacher said about anger. He cooled himself off and paced. "I have to go back to find her."
"You must go into the City of Schaler, but you must do so cautiously. There are many dangers that lurk within the City. It will not be an easy voyage. And all things do require a price. When the time comes, you'll know what that really means."
Chapter 8: Know Your Role
Delise felt achy all over, but her memories of the morning and early evening were still fresh in her mind. Once the sacrifice of Grieg has been offered and accepted, there was just the matter of her request. She had asked for the chance to bond with a Weaver and enhance the mentalcrafts that she already had.
The leader of the Weavers had been amused by it, and initially laughed. But when he looked down and saw her resolve, he figured that he should give her a proper audience. "You have paid a high price for such a request, but are you sure that you wish to take the risk?"
Her answer had sent her into a world of pain like she had never experienced. The mental meld was so strong that she blacked out numerous times, only to wake up and vomit until she had nothing left to give up to the land under her feet. It was a tiring thing, a consuming power that had left her completely spent.
The Weaver that had bonded with her was a young woman, only a few years younger than she was. She seemed overjoyed to finally have someone to bond with, and they had fused their bodies as well.
Delise wasn't visibly larger, but she did move a lot faster. Her strength had multiplied, and she felt more at ease with the mental arts. She wasn't sure if it would be enough to overthrow Raest, but she could definitely disrupt any plans that he had for her.
There was something about coming here that had stirred up old memories for her. The Weaver within her respectfully did not pick at the open wounds, even though the memories were at her fingertips for perusal.
You couldn't shut your mind to a Weaver in any way, especially when they already invaded your body. The sheer power that they wielded wouldn't let you protect yourself from them.
Raest had slaughtered numerous Weavers before sending the others into hiding. He thought that they would just forgive the atrocity, but that would not happen.
They would never forget it either -- they had simply lost too many of their numbers to even come close to any type of closure about it. It was time to go back to Schaler and launch an offensive that would probably cost them their lives.
But it had to be done -- if she dreamed of a world where the City of Reversia would stand proud again and support her fellow Cities, then Raest had to be stopped before he took the balance out of control again. You
really can't go back. You just can never go back.
Raest felt a chill in the air, the sound of something that truly felt ominous. Yet he couldn’t place his finger on it. Normally his senses would alert him to any type of threat, but he wasn't feeling anything. The numbness crept over all of his features, shocking him from head to toe.
He could scream and call for help, but he wouldn't disgrace himself. If this was a new trickery the Reversian dogs had come up with, he wasn't going to play into it.
He wasn't going to feed the trap with fear. He held his ground and surveyed his surroundings. Delise hadn't come back from Rollander yet and he wondered if the Weavers had simply destroyed her instead of working out a deal.
You just never knew what you were dealing with when it came to Weavers. They could entice anyone into doing anything, making it feel like they were just following their own instincts. It was the main reason why he knew they had to be killed before they became worse than what they were.
Some people felt that it was an awful policy, but Raest had already done a lot of awful things. It was time to make sure that the atrocities led somewhere.
Part of him didn't want to continue the war, because he was truly exhausted. Yet he knew that the Reversians would never work with them. They hadn't listened to the lower classes when it mattered.
Did they really think that the arrival of Jack Stonewell was going to change everything? The leadership classes still had their secrets, and they still made sure that they didn't play fair at all.
It was only a matter of figuring out how far down you wanted to dig, and how much mud you wanted to get all over your hands. No one would be surprised how much of that mud would be stained with blood.
He knew the leadership class would do anything and everything to stay in power. That was part of why they had ruled over everything and everyone for so long. During the Great Desertion, when the boy king was nowhere to be found, the leadership class had their own ways of making everyone follow their laws.