26 Dream box

Despite all the twists and turns, Finn had finally figured it all out. Somehow, all that had been happening to him was in a dream.

"I see, young mortal. You have managed to bypass the nightmare realm straight into your own dream realm. A remarkable feat I must commend. But what now that you have forced your way here, what do you seek?" the voice that would talk to him in the white zone he was in said. The voice sounded calm and feminine. Although it boomed from a bright light in the zone he was in. The zone itself was completely white with no taint of black in it. The only other colour other than white in the space was Finn himself whose clothing was a different colour altogether.

"First, tell me. What is this place truly? Each realm as you called it has distinct characteristics. The first one was very dark. Even the ground itself was dark and it packed some of the most horrifying things I have ever seen. The second realm was much more colourful but there I learnt quickly how dangerous it was too. And now here, a place I'm most familiar with because this is like your abode I assume, "Finn said.

"You are right. Each stage is a realm of its own. The first stage was the"Broken Nightmare" zone. There you were only half submerged in your sleep so your dreams were yet to take full effect. More so, your consciousness still lingered to the outside world which is what caused the instability in that realm, like the cracks on the ground you witnessed, "The voice from the lights said.

"And what about the second realm?"Finn asked.

"The "Dead Dream Zone". This is much like the broken nightmare zone but much more stable. You are more submerged in your sleep at this point. The images and visions in that realm are more disturbing as they are pulled from past experiences. If allowed to go deeper, you will experience more torturous realms. But somehow, you broke the cycle and not only that, you forced yourself from a nightmare into a dream. So let me ask, how did you do it?"The voice asked.

-I see. So it seems perhaps what I have done is unheard of. The reason this being is seemingly more cooperative than usual is that whatever it is, it's determined to find out how I did it. Well, this card has been played into my hands. Let's see how this goes...kikikihahahaha-Finn thought inwardly.

"How did I do it? You haven't answered all my questions. Once you do, I'll answer yours. Do we have a deal?"Finn proposed.

"You want to make a deal with me? Do you know what I am or can do to you?"The voice asked.

"For the most part, I know you are some random feminine voice that appears in my dreams and hides behind the light to tell me a story she never completes. I also know your powers are limited. If not, you wouldn't need to ask me how I did it but simply make me say or find out yourself. Furthermore, I don't know what you are. But that isn't particularly unfeasible. It's something I can fix with my mind, kikikihahahhahaha" Finn said and went on laughing like a maniac. But in that instant, something strange began to occur.

"No...how dare you?! Do you know what you are doing?!!! You dare disrespect me... I am a god!!!" the voice kept yelling out. But all the same, it didn't matter because whatever Finn was doing, he didn't stop.

"Much better..."Finn said with his version of a smile. A widened lips spread across his cheeks exposing his dentition.

Now he wasn't the only colourful person in the white space. Also standing in front of him, in the white space he was in, was a lady who appeared to be in her twenties appeared to him. The lady's skin was vibrant yellow and her eyes were glistening like crystals, like a shining blue diamond. Her black hair flowed in the space like it was in an ocean steadily. She wore a white near-transparent dress. All the same, her shapes and curves were in view. She looked holy and beautiful. But on her face was a frown.

"How dare you make me into this?!" the lady in front of Finn said. This was the same voice that came from the light. Now the light was gone, she was the one who stood instead.

"What, you don't like it? I can change it if you want, you know?"Finn said still maintaining the same smile on his face. Apparently, he was pleased with what he had made her look like.

"Such vile thoughts you have. You are as foolish as you are ignorant. Have you no clue where you are? Doing this much doesn't happen for free!!!"The lady said.

"Okay, let's start with a name. I'm going to call you...Tiwa. So back to my third question, Tiwa, what is this place?"Finn asked.

Now the lady walked around the white space looking at Finn from all angles. It was like she wanted to say something but couldn't.

"This is a dream box. Every mortal capable of dreaming has this...to make you understand, a special room they go to when they are to dream. It is from here they take a path to a dream. Though the dream box selects a dream for the dreamer, "The lady answered.

"So Tiwa..."Finn said yet again with a smile as his eyes ran all over the lady. The lady in question gave a frown indicating she wasn't pleased with being called the name, Tiwa. Nonetheless, she did nothing to protest against it.

"If this is the dream box, and it's meant for a dreamer, what then are you doing in mine? What are you? And no, don't tell me you are a god because I know you are not, "Finn said with seriousness now.

"I am a dream bug. Each mortal has one of my kind attached to their dreams. My job goes from helping to guide a dreamer through the right path to acting as a protector in their dreams. My kind is able to take any form and act as a guardian for such dreamer if the dreamer wills it, "Tiwa replied.

"Kikikihahaha...so you...you were meant to serve me? And all this while you treated me like some gravel beneath your feet? Oh Tiwa, what have you done?"Finn said with a slight grin.

"I took this form to make sure you don't wander out without fully understanding the stakes. A dream bug is only as strong as the dreamer wills one to be. I can't protect you if your will is not strong enough. And dream bugs don't exactly come with an extra life, "Tiwa said.

-How fascinating! Even in a dream, the concept of death still can't be overlooked. But this just changes everything. And I mean, EVERYTHING- Finn thought.

"So you are afraid of death and that's the reason you posed as a god into deceiving me to stay put and not explore my dream world? How long did you intend to keep me in this...this dream box?"Finn asked.

"I don't know. I did it not just for my sake. The dream world is far deadlier than you can imagine. It stretches the very walls of imagination. Whatever you assume can't be...is real here. There is no preparation for it once you step outside this box. I'm sure you understand what I mean, "Tiwa said.

"I do. I understand now that there's more to what I can do here that you are keeping from me. But since I'm your master, I command you to tell me all you know, "Finn said but this time, there was no emotion on his face to tell how he felt.

"This is what I was scared would happen. It doesn't work the way you think it does. You are not my master. My role being your guardian is obligatory but certainly not slavery. I do not answer to you!"Tiwa protested.

"So tell me, who then do you answer to? Does that person own the key to how strong you can get? Or how weak and vulnerable you can be? What if I decide to step outside of this box? You will follow me, won't you? And someone told me it can be more torturous in other realms."Finn said with a smile on his face.

"What do you seek to know?"Tiwa bent her head and asked. It was an odd scenario considering she looked a lot older than Finn who in regards was only an eight-year-old looking child.

"Finish that story, "Finn said.