Mirrored Shadows 2

Cradle of Dreams

The sensation of stepping through a veil, Monika would describe as walking through a damaged glass window. It gave some resistance, but eventually snapped into a thousand cold pieces. Indeed, those without the permission to cross would either be cut into pieces as well, or transformed into something twisted beyond comprehension, much like Defiler himself multiple times while on the rampage across the Planes.

 And then it all went black for seemingly a minute; quicker than falling asleep, yet it was exactly that. The only way to be conscious in Dreaming is to wake up in it. When she opened her eyes, the Plane of dreams stood before her, just as she left it. Herself and the others woke up on the silver fields of sand, under the infinite sky that swayed above them like a radiant moonlight. 

- I hate when you do things like that. - she looked towards Dion, who stood not far away, waiting for them to wake up.

- I am fine, Monika.

- What if something happened!?

 Amadeus was lying sideways next to her, leaned on his arm and watched her with a grin, as she ranted.

- What? - she asked him when she noticed his stare.

- You are so cute when you're angry.

 That drew a reluctant smile on her face.

 Bruno got up and started running forward.

- This Plane. - Dion kept turning around in astonishment. - You can't ''read'' this in books. Did you know that the silver sand is actually the long gone dreams of the dead? Each grain of sand! A bit of star-glass and you can watch them like a play!

- Did you hear that love? - Amadeus looked at Monika. - We are walking on top of dead people's dreams.

- No wonder I felt the sand being wet in some places.

 They all laughed.

- Come see our home, uncle Dion! It's north from the Scorpion. - he pointed towards the constellations above them. - And then west from the Dragon.

 After a short walk from the place where they spawned, a small cottage emerged above the silver dunes. The window shutters had shapes of stars carved in them. White lilies embraced the roof and hung above the entrance like a curtain.

- Your home is wonderful! - Dion said.

- Wait until you look inside.

 One of the wooden columns on the porch had a heart carved in it, with three names inside: Amadeus, Monika and Bruno.

 The interior was a vision of coziness and warmth. A wicker swing chair hanged from the ceiling, right next to a clock whose hour hands were spinning with immense speed, unable to tell time in that cradle of dreams. Bruno's drawings occupied one entire wall, while the rest were filed with tapestries of deer and forests. There was a fireplace, with fire still burning inside and a log that never seemed to die in ashes. Two armchairs rested in front of it, shaped like wild growth, with a small coffee table between them. The ringing of a silver bell above the entrance announced that the owners had returned home. Bruno kicked his shoes off and jumped on a giant teddy bear in a corner.

- We won't be staying long. - Monika warned him.

- Uncle Dion, come to see my baby lizard! - he pulled out a cage from underneath his bed. - Maybe it's not a lizard at all, maybe it's a baby dragon!

- In that case, you'll need a much bigger cage.

 Monika took a bag and started packing some stuff for the road.

- Do we need money? I'm imagining everything to be pricey in Heaven... Love, can you pass me that vest? It's over there on the chair. Amadeus?

 The demon stood silently by the window, looking outside. She moved next to him and briefly peeked at the silver hills to see what he was staring at.

- Hey, are you okay?

 Purple eyes moved to meet hers, and he took her hand to kiss it.

- I am more than okay, light of my life. I just never realized I'd miss this place so much, because we had never left it before. And now I just can't absorb enough of it: all its moods, scents, faces...

 The aurora changed its color from green to purple, and the house got slightly darker.

- Oh if we could just stay here forever, forget all the world problems, just cease to exist for others and... - he paused to look at her troubled expression. - Is something wrong?

- No, it's just that I came back to people I love, only to see three of them die horrible deaths... I am actually afraid to return here again, not knowing what's happening to others.

- What are you trying to say...?

- I don't think I'll be able to return here...

 They both looked around their small, warm nest. The crackling of the fire filled the void of the short silence.

- But dearest... this is our home... We earned this peace...

 His arm wrapped around her.

- I know... But it's like the universe doesn't want us to have it.

- f**k the universe.

 She separated her face from his chest to look at him in surprise.

- Did you just cuss?

- Huh, what do you know, I did. See, your world is a bad influence.

 They both laughed and continued to stare outside.

- When I was the Contract demon, many desperate people called my name. With so much decisiveness in their voices... When you hear them, you know they are already on the edge, and pushing them over won't take much, not even the charms of a demon. But one person is forever stuck in my mind, other than yourself, of course.

- Who were they, love?

- It was a woman. When she summoned me, I found her standing on an open window, at least 20 floors above the ground, wearing nothing but a night dress, whipped by cold, merciless wind. Her face... She was so broken, empty. Of course, at that time, I cared nothing about humans and emotions. I was a tool for business. I bowed and smiled in order to charm her, but she didn't even look at me. ''How can I be of service, my lady?'' I asked. ''How indeed...'' she replied, ''I called you to tell me, what can you offer to a person who doesn't need anything except for a reason to live?'' I was confused. I didn't know what to reply, so I foolishly started listing things people usually ask for. Money, power, glory, someone to be with if she's lonely, but nothing I offered seemed to be her heart's desire. She nodded and said ''Good. That answers my question. Thank you.'', and jumped down...

- Oh my god...

- I stood there, completely confused, as if some normal order of things had been disrupted. I was kicked off my tracks and froze. It was the first time my designed conscience was shaken. I did something on my own: I researched this woman's life. What I learned was that she had 12 kids, all killed in sleep by her husband. What could I possibly offer her? - he picked both Monika's hands and sighed. - If something happened to you and Bruno, I'll be pushed over that edge too and fall 20 floors into the void.

- Oh sweetheart... Nothing will happen to us.

- Can you say that with certainty?

- Nothing in life offers certainty.

- And I don't accept that. Neither does this place. - he pointed towards the silver hills. - This is the place where I know you and Bruno will forever be well, forever with me.

 - Forever is an awfully long time...

- You talk like that's a bad thing...

- All things end, Amadeus...

 The demon stepped back, dropping her hands.

- No. This one never will. Once this is over, we'll return here. Willingly this time, not because we had to. Right?

- Maybe that won't be our choice to make... We need to be prepared for anything and that's okay, because we are together-

- No. - the gentle huskiness of his voice turned rough. He made a step back from her. - No. Mortal life is flawed by ending.

 She moved closer to him again and pushed the disobedient lock of hair behind his ear.

- It is perfected by it. We make the best out of every day, knowing the end may come sooner or later. Those who run from death, stood still in life.

- I cannot die, Monika.

- ...What?

 They stared at each other in a moment of intense silence.

- I cannot die. It's what one of seven muses bestowed upon me, in order to ''perfect me''. Believe me, I have tried many times to release myself from this world. I cannot die. You and Bruno are finally here, my reasons to live, my only joy that makes life bearable. And I'm supposed to watch you die? To bury your corpses... - his voice broke, and eyes watered when he swallowed saliva. - I'll be stuck in limbo, because you, my only compass in this strange thing called free will, have ceased to exist. I'd wander the frigid wasteland of nothingness for eternity... I am not going to walk through that eternity alone.

- Why didn't you tell me this before?

- It didn't matter. We were here. And now, after seeing all that death to which I thought we were resistant... I am, for the first time, truly terrified...

 Monika hugged him tight.

- Right now, we have to see this thing through. So, let's... not think about that now. We have to keep our sanity.

- Mom, dad, can I take my teddy with me? - Bruno asked.

- You can but, aren't you worried you'd lose him on the way?

- I could never lose Mr. Bear.

 Monika and Amadeus exchanged looks.

- You named your teddy Bear? Teddy Bear... You are one adorably weird little fellow.

- Yeah... - the boy sighed troublesomely. - It's unBEARable...

- You make puns now? I'm glad that the time spent in the human world affects you differently from your father and his cussing.

- Pf, just you wait until I buy a land, start investing and reading the newspaper with coffee. - Amadeus picked her up. - You'll be my farm girl. I'll buy you a straw hat.

- I do want to see you working in the field.

- You'll bring me cold lemonade. - he grinned mischievously at her face.

- Oh no, you two will smooch again. - Bruno took Bear and left the cottage.

- Well anyway, if you are done in here, should we get going? Do you know where the Veil is here? - Dion asked.

- Yes, south of here. In the Cradle of Dreams.

 Dion's face suddenly froze and his eyes widened.

- I knew you'd react like that.

- Cradle of Dreams!??? THE Cradle of Dreams! The cosmic library of all dreams ever dreamed!?

- I think you broke him, my love. - said Amadeus.

 After packing all the necessities and minding that their bags are still light, they set off through the arid desert of the Dreaming. The ever ideal climate made the journey feel like a light walk. Only the occasional winds from the north would slow them down and force them to cover their faces. These winds have shaped the dunes since the dawn of time, uncovering the bones of ancient ruins and burring them again to see the stars in some other era. One such ruin still stood tall in its glory, resisting the splashes of sand. It was an enormous statue of an old man, reading a book. The shape of his eyebrows, curving upwards and above his head, made him look like an owl, while the beard that closed his entire body only added to that impression. There was a stone tablet in front of him, with an inscription that said: ,,Keep it down. This is a library.''

- They say he represents Father Time, the creator of everything. - Amadeus said.

 Dion looked around in confusion.

- But where is the library?

 The stone platform of the statue roared and slightly shook, then began to dive beneath the surface, with them on it.

- Oh I get it! ''Keep it DOWN. This is a library.'' Brilliant!

- Look at him. - Monika said. - Like a kid in a candy store.

 Disturbed piles of sand spilled around them from the surface, as they dived underground. The statue sunk deep through the layers of lost dreams, until a massive chamber yawned underneath them. It looked like it was entirely made out of shelves filled with books, save for the windows between them. The windows were several meters tall and, instead of sand, they could see the stars through them. It was those stars that illuminated the chamber with an emerald glow. There was a sound of scribing coming from an unspecific direction, even though the chamber was entirely empty.

- By Alzhara... - Dion repeated several times.

  The statue landed on top of a staircase that led them 8 floors down. The books in the highest places were accessible from the stairs, so Dion picked some on his way below.

- Look at this one, Monika! ''The reign and fall of queen Callisto.'' It mentions you! This place is literally writing down history on its own! Father Time is brilliant! Do you think he ever comes here?

- Perhaps. - said Amadeus. - But definitely not while we are here. He doesn't meddle with mortals.

 The ground floor had many tables for reading. Dion dropped a whole pile of books on one of them, which produced a loud echo. A hooded appearance came out of the shadow, startling him.

- Shhhh... - it warned, and withdrew back into the dark.

- What the...

- It's not real. - Monika said. - I think it exists to warn visitors to ''keep it down''.

- How interesting.

- Boo! - Bruno shouted.

 The figure stepped out again and shushed him.

- Booga baga booya!

- Shhhh...

- Sweetie, don't be rude to the fake librarian.

 At the very center of the ground floor stood an odd-looking hourglass. Its glass was more white instead of transparent.

- Star-glass! - Dion gasped. - Look, Bruno!

 He grabbed some sand from a box next to it, labeled as ''Library appropriate dreams'' and poured it into the hourglass. Suddenly, an anglerfish came out of it, swimming through the air and illuminating the room.

- They must've chosen the dreams that help reading.

- Hey, Monika. - Amadeus called. - Your beauty bewitched me back then, and it takes but a blink to fall in love with it again.

- You just read that in one of these, didn't you?

- Guilty.

 Dion rummaged through the shelves and made piles of books fall over and over again. The hooded librarian came out to silence him multiple times.

- Are you looking for something specific? - Monika asked. - We could help.

- I'm looking for anything that would give us any useful input about Heaven, its ways and history unknown to us, before we get there. I would also like to discover more about the Unknown, and I think I got one right here.

  He came down from the second floor, all covered in dust and cobweb.

- It says here that the Unknown is a realm created from Defiler's essence, thus divorced from the rules of nature and the universe. What is night in that place is also day, and the other way around. Not many went there, and even fewer came back to tell and write these.

- How ominous... I expected nothing less from Defiler.

- It also says that the Unknown is the last known location of the Needle of Creation, the object Father Time used to create the Great Windmill, the gods themselves and the whole universe. Though his own creation, the Needle is more powerful than him and stands as the ultimate force that drives life, death and everything in between.

- Could all this be connected?

- I wouldn't be surprised. Also, I have found something else.

 They waited as he fought with the books he already held, trying to pull out the one he needed.

- Here it is. ''The dark eras of the White Planes.'' It mentions the tragedies of Heaven. From Defiler's first step into the mortal realm, to the monstrous Juggernaut and the blue plague. You know what? I'm just going to... - he began to force the books into his, hardly big enough, backpack. - It's okay if we borrow these, right?

- Of course, we do it all the time. But do you really need this many?

- Monika, I'm thinking about dropping my food and water to make space for more, and you ask me that?

- Alright then. The Veil that leads to Heaven is in the next room. Join us when you're done.

 Compromising between thick and thin books, he emptied the bag over and over. The librarian shushed him again.

***

 Three figures sit at a round table. The room was impenetrably dark; unaffected by the single beam of light, falling over the heads of a demon, a human and an angel.

- Was it truly wise to send that human, Monika, on this quest? - the demon spoke. The spitefulness in his tone made the question sound rhetorical.

- I stand by my choice, Zeal. - the old human said without hesitation.

- Then you, and you alone, will bear the consequences of your choice in case she fails. You will no longer have a place in the order of the Sacred Three.

- I am well aware of the consequences, but I appreciate the reminder, which you haven't failed to toss at me every five minutes ever since she started the journey.

- I don't doubt your choice, Bernard. - the angel woman spoke softly. - She is, indeed, remarkable. I have felt a certain aura upon her. There is something about her yet to surface. But there is one problem, and I can see in your eyes that you too are aware of it.

- Yes. I am.

- The demon. Amadeus. - said Zeal. - When the time comes, he will, without a doubt, stray Monika from the right choice. Be it directly, or cloud her reasoning with emotions. It has happened before. Can we even dare to think what would happen if she got her hands on the Needle of Creation once she reaches the Unknown?

- She will not stray. Her heart is pure.

 Zeal scoffed.

- Pure? Bernard, she destroyed the Seven Muses to set that demon free. She committed a cosmic crime ''for love''. A crime she never answered for. All for that demon. What do you think she'll do when the stakes are higher? When she take hold of the object that created us all?

 Bernard got up and looked calmly at both of them.

- I have said it many times before, and I will say it one last time: I stand by my choice, because I believe in her. And by believing in her, I also believe in the choice of her heart and the love she feels for the Contract demon. Now, the Seven Muses were, indeed, terrible creatures. And while I don't approve of her action in destroying them, I understand the nobleness behind it. Ultimately, she did not destroy some benevolent beings out of ill will. She destroyed tyrants out of love. 

- Your love for human kind has blinded you before. - Hope said worryingly. - Not everyone will share my sympathies for your kind heart. They will see this as allowing a selfish lover to you with the fate of the entire Great Windmill.

- Since when have mortals seen things the right way, dear Hope? This is why we are here.

 He left the illuminated table and disappeared in the dark.

- He is an idealistic fool.

- Perhaps he is, Zeal. But he believes in something and talks to us about it openly. Unlike you. I know you spoke to someone without our presence. Meddled with mortal affairs. You could be relieved from your position had you been caught. Whom did you speak to?

- I am the balance to your kindness and Bernard's softness, Hope. I am merely playing my role in this order.

 The angel got up too.

- Rest assured, I will keep my eye on you.