The Severaine

Chapter Thirteen Delusions and Illusions-4

“You must be careful,” Seiken whispered his voice betraying the toll of his actions. He checked the area for any indication the Epiales were still present. He wondered if Zo had realised that these monsters had just been a tool in Night's game, their real master was far more dangerous, and they were far more terrifying than the role they had conformed to for Night. Everything was calm, but that brought little comfort. He allowed himself time to silently compose himself before he continued. “He can't see you, not in this world.” There were so many reasons he had needed to remove her from sight. He didn't want her to ask him why, he wasn't sure he would give her the right one.

“But why? He's my friend.”

“He may have been, but you died. You're one of us now, you must follow our rules, and that includes our laws on contact.”

“But—”

“No buts, it's really important. You could put him, or even worse yourself, in serious danger. You have no idea what almost happened.” She looked to him questioningly. “Look, I know it is hard to forget those you care for, but there is a reason you cannot show them any preferential treatment. You know better than most how many creatures live within this world. You have seen those created from the imaginings of your world, and those which have always been. The latter contain many entities, ones you haven't crossed paths with yet, and ones I hope you never will again. We may be the guardians of this world, but we are not without predators.

“There is a reason our race have such diversity in our appearance, it helps us to blend into the environment. Our predators are known as the Epiales. If we were to be injured by such a creature our very essence becomes corrupted, forcing us to comply only to the wishes of Melas-Oneiros, transforming us into one of their kind. They hunt us by our essence. That is why we don't interfere with dreams, only wake the dreamer. We appear only as we are needed and leave as quickly as we arrive. Now do you understand?”

“That sword was—”

“Yes.”

“Does he often dream of such things?” she questioned after a few moments of silence. Seiken guided them through the lands, things seemed to have calmed for now, and it was essential they progressed with her training.

“No.” Seiken was, in a manner of speaking, telling the truth. Daniel normally dreamt of things far worse. But what he could not understand was how he had come to be within a sealed dreamscape. It should have been impossible for anyone, or anything, to enter. “His mind is full of turmoil. Tonight, it appears he was trying to find a way to the ocean's floor.”

“The key to the Severaine,” Zo whispered unsure how she knew this. She gave a sigh. It was no wonder he was angry with her. The last thing she did was ensure the world he lived in had been plagued by disaster. She had helped Night regain his powers, and by doing so helped him to realise his desire of releasing the Severaine, now she understood his hatred.

“Yes.” Seiken paused; he too was wondering where the knowledge she displayed had come from. It was something she should not have access to, very few did. “Anyway, it's time for your lesson. Given the space I set aside is now occupied, today I will be showing you how to wake a dreamer. You can practise on those not in danger, although with the influence you just showed on changing a dreamscape I doubt you will have any problem.” He smiled gently as he led her further from her friend. Seiken shook his head; she had no idea how lucky she had just been.

* * *

When Daniel's eyes opened he found himself staring at the familiar ceiling of his room. He didn't remember the last time he had woken naturally. As he gazed upon the knotted wood surface, he found himself wondering how he had returned home.

He closed his eyes, unconsciously checking for any injuries, any areas of pain. He had expected to find himself lying somewhere within the forest of Crowley, that was surely when the dream had taken him. But he lay within his bed, stranger still was the lateness of the hour.

As he sat, for just a moment, he questioned whether he had indeed walked the lands, but the mud upon the floor and within his bed from his soiled feet only proved to confirm he had. He washed himself in the bowl of water someone had placed on his bedside cabinet, leaving his feet for last before he dressed and cleaned the floor and bed as best he could. As he did so he found his mind straying back to his dream.

He had been so certain that the figure before him would have become Marise, so certain he had been granted the opportunity to end her life. But then she had touched him. He placed his hand to his cheek where he could almost still feel the tenderness of her caress.

He had dreamt of Zo often, but never had her image been quite so clear as it was then, but the figures never stayed as her for long, he would watch the life-force of his friend fade to leave only Marise in her stead. The people he saw were always meant to be her, but never quite resembled her. On some occasions the dream image looked nothing like her, but this time her image had been clear, a vision so true to form his heart still ached.

A quiet knock echoed through the room before his mother entered with breakfast, although the sun's position—barely visible through the barricaded windows—suggested it to be a little past noon. He took the tray from her gratefully and offered her a slight smile. His stomach growled fiercely as the smell of the rice and chicken filled his nostrils. Confident there was nothing to fear from this meal he slowly began to eat. The food sat surprisingly well in his stomach. His mother had always known what to feed her patients, and he was certain that was how she viewed him at this moment.

He lay back down on his bed, feeling the warmth from the food fill his body. He lay for untold time still reflecting on his dream, on all which had come to pass. The bed supported his heavy frame, his tired muscles relishing the release of tension so long overdue. Distorted fragments of past events began to clear until a new thought intruded on his peaceful mind. This morning were they really meant to have collected a dragon's egg from Elder Robert?