Chapter Nine -- The feeling of exploration; Answers; Walls

– Lewis –

Night had fallen and the mist was impossible to miss.

After these last few hours of trekking north, I had finally started to experience feelings of physical exhaustion and my mind had begun to feel the tendrils of that seductive mind-sleep once again.

Although, unlike before, today had been extremely informative.

I recalled the feeling that I had felt earlier, the instructions of the voice ringing clearly within my mind; 'Extend your mind out, see from the bird's eye and envision the land around. Then, you shall see your path.'

My vision blurred and a vignette overlay was placed over my surroundings. A map had appeared right before my eyes, floating like a hologram. I could zoom in and out to a degree, by raising or lowering my eyelids. It appeared the only place that wasn't covered by a thick fog was here; The Forest of Waking Dreams hovered just above in gold letters. I was almost at the edge of the forest, but I had to stop and rest. Aeryn can finish the journey, if that even was her name. The message I left on the leaf attached to my arm answered some questions, but I'm not sure if I preferred them unanswered or not.

The second one, Aeryn. Whenever one of us was dragged back into mind-sleep, the other would surface from it, and take control over this 'vessel'. It was… disturbing. Was she experienced with surviving like this? Could she take care of this body?

No, stop doubting her. What if I were the one invading her body? How do you think she feels?

I glanced into the pond nearby, my brown hair and green eyes stared back, so I couldn't have taken over someone else's body… right?

I wonder if she saw herself, or if she saw the same body I did...

– Aeryn –

Sparks. Miniscule things that resided within the empty space of atoms, and within the core of a person, flowing with their blood. I closed my eyes and pushed the sparks through my body. I felt them course through my arm and collect in my hand, exploding into a ball of green light that encased it. It was… beautiful… it didn't feel like mana at all. It didn't feel confined to spells, or chants. It felt as if the only limiting factor was my strength and my mind.

The final words the voice left with me echoed through my head. 'Your soul is where the sparks gather. Refine them. Teach the first one.'

Lewis. The one the voice referred to as the 'first'. Although I only knew who he truly was from the message.

I poured some water into my hand and looked at my reflection. I was filthy and scratched, but I was myself. The same flowing white hair, the same violet-red eyes. 'Does Lewis see himself in his reflection… or is he in my body..?' Eek- I could only hope it was the former.

Oh well, we're together in this situation. I wonder if he faced the trial of death to get here…

Grim thoughts, but I entertained them as a distraction to the loneliness of this forest trek.

--~~~~~--

The breeze grew stronger and warmer, and the light of the fading moon grew clearer as the trees thinned to sparsity, opening up to a green and gold plain. I stared over the rolling hills, wondering if I should continue forward or wait for Lewis to take over. Within the forest, we had cover and places to hide when we swapped. Out in the fields, the only cover we could've found would be tall grass before a rolling hill. Who knew what kind of predatory species would roam here?

'Keep moving, I'm watching over you.'

The knee-high grass had a weird sort of smoothness to it, and it rustled softly with the cool wind.

These plains had a… soothing feel to them... as if I was walking through the fields of Elysium.

I stopped on top of a small rolling hill, looking out over the land, gazing across the fields of waving grass.

'Tick'

I layed down and stared towards the dying night sky and took a deep breath. I was still somewhat distressed at everything that had happened, I hadn't had the thought to rest; to meditate until now.

I snapped out of my deep gaze as a strange, slightly uncomfortable feeling crept through my body. My blood stream accelerated, but my heart rate did not rise, strangely enough.

Was it the sparks? Why were they acting up now, when I was relaxing?!

The thought struck me like a hammer to an anvil. Was this the process of refining?

I continued to lay there, the weird sensation flowing through my body; alone with my thoughts.

Minutes passed, yet no more thoughts came to mind, as if I was awake in a dreamless sleep, just watching the stars. I forced myself upright to take another look around before I slept. The world seemed… more vibrant, but the feeling faded as the refinement slowed to a stop. Something caught my eye, a flash of light, off in the distance. I spotted the origin of the light, a weird shape. It was of a dark color and angular; unnatural. I must've missed it in the darkness. I jogged over to the next rolling hill. My body felt that same light feeling it had when I first woke up, energetic and powerful. It was a building… no, multiple… a village? Endorphins flowed throughout my body. Finally! I could have things like food – good food! I had finally returned to society!

Eugh. Why was I that way? I had never liked being around people, but since I'd been away from them, I wanted people around.

One more day… just one more.

I sat down in the grass once more, hopeful that the voice could be trusted.