52 Dream Eater!

When June opened his eyes, he was standing at the very same cliff in his dreams. But this time, the beautiful scenery that it once had is now painted with dark skies. As the thunder rumble in the dark clouds, strong winds kept blowing so hard that the trees around had no choice but to bow to its rage. The ominous view sent a chill down June's spine, making him visibly shiver.

"June?" A voice spoke from behind June making him turn.

When June saw who it was, he was shocked. "Jordan? What are you doing here? How are you here?"

"I dunno! I mean, I just went to bed, then when my eyes opened I was here and you were there." Jordan explained as he hugged himself, rubbing his arms from the night chill.

Jordan was shirtless and barefoot, only wearing a pair of sweatpants, like how June was last time. June silently thank God, that he's wearing a shirt this time.

"What is this place anyway? This place seems familiar. Have I been here?" Jordan said as his eyes looked around, trying to search his memories.

June was about to say something, when a deafening screech rang, making both June and Jordan cover their ears.

June turned to the source and saw a gigantic pitch black raven with two shining red beady eyes.

"What the heck is that?!" Jordan shouted as his eyes widened and took a step back when he saw the bird.

When June was about to say something, the raven once again let out a loud deafening screech making both of them cover their ears once again.

"This bird really doesn't like me to talk" June thought.

Then suddenly, the raven took a dive and flew straight at Jordan. The raven was so fast that Jordan didn't had anytime to process what was happening until it happened already. The next thing he knew, he was high in the air and was about to drop to his death if he isn't already.

It happened so fast but June had seen every part of it, like time suddenly slowed downed. The raven grabbed Jordan with it's sharp talons and flew up. The talons were so sharp that it sunk into Jordan's body, tearing a part of it. Jordan fell to the ground like a torn up rag doll, his lifeless face still etched with shock.

"JORDAN!!" June started to run towards Jordan when the raven targeted him next.

The raven's talons sunk into June's body as the raven grabbed him, making him scream from the excruciating pain. The raven pulled both of it's talons in opposite directions, tearing June's body into half like a piece of paper.

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June's eyes shot wide opened, as he bolted upright, screaming and shaking. Saying that it was "Just" a dream is an understatement, because everything that he just experienced felt so real. June really felt himself being torn apart. His whole shirt was drenched in sweat. He kept panting and visibly gasp for air because he couldn't breathe properly, like he's currently having a panic attack.

He kept breaking in cold sweat because he couldn't shake off the dread that he felt. He wiped the sweat on his forehead as he started calming down a bit, but his head shot up, remembering something.

"Jordan!" He said breathlessly, his voice laced with so much worry.

He grabbed his glasses on top of the bedside table and swiftly got out of bed and rushed out of his room.

The wooden floor thudded with every step June's bare feet took as he ran through the quite, dim lit hallways of the Guild house. His pants echoed through the dark hallway as he rushes to Jordan's room.

When he arrived at Jordan's room, the door automatically slid opened and June saw Jordan sitting on his bed. The blanket still covered some of Jordan's lower body, but he looked the same as he is in the dream, with him only wearing sweat pants.

Jordan's head is lowered as he grips his hair with both of his hands. He's shaking uncontrollably and his sobs echoed through his room. When the door slid opened, his head shot up and saw June standing at the entry way.

When June's eyes made contact with Jordan's beautiful purple eyes, he could see the terror in them, replacing the joy and mischief they usually had.

"June" Jordan let out a soft cry, when he saw him.

June rushed to Jordan's bed and wrapped him with both arms, hugging him tight. Jordan's uncontrollable sobs echoed through out the room as Jordan cries on June's chest. June's shirt was getting drenched with Jordan's tears, snot, saliva, mixed with his own sweat, but he didn't care and just let Jordan cry.

June was still shaken by the dream that they both had, but he willed himself to be strong and be there for Jordan. Ever since June met Jordan at Crystal Mist High and heard his story, June had this deep sense of protection towards Jordan, to the point of actually risking his own life to save Jordan. That was the second time (The first being with Andrew) that he felt that strong feeling ever since he got his Gift, standing as an older brother not only to Andrew but to Jordan as well.

Feeling themselves die, really shook both of them to the core, especially Jordan. He's still young and somehow innocent, but being tainted with that memory could really mess a person up, not just in the present, but even more so in the future.

Jordan was still crying, when a huge explosion happened, shaking the whole Guild mansion, followed by a loud screech. June and Jordan looked at each other as dread filled their faces. They know that screech, because the source of that screech killed both of them (Although it was in a dream, they still felt it like it actually happened in reality).

June suddenly felt a warm heat course through his back and heard Ignis' urgent voice "Leader! You have to hurry!"

"Hurry, where?" June asked internally. He already knew that it was trouble.

"At the back garden!" Ignis answered

"Okay!" June said internally, when June was about to leave, Jordan grabbed his left arm, stopping him.

"Where are you going?" Jordan asked, worry and fear laced his voice.

"I have to somehow stop that thing" June said, but when he saw the terror in Jordan's face, he put both hands on Jordan's shoulder and made sure he's looking him in the eyes. "You have to be strong, okay?!"

When Jordan lowered his head, June said "Look at me!" Making Jordan look at June again. "I need you to stay strong! Okay?"

June knew that he was asking too much out of Jordan at that moment, but if they wanted to survive they had to ask for help. He knew how dangerous that thing can be, because they experienced it first hand. Speaking of which, why is it still so quiet? June thought, but then another loud screech rang out.

"You need to run and go ask for help, can you do that for me?" June focused right back at Jordan, because they don't have much time. That thing can start hurting people in the Guild soon.

"I.....I-..." Jordan was still wavering

June repeated the question again "Can you do that for me?" and made his voice firmer this time.

Jordan sniffed and wiped his tears with his arm, putting on a brave face as he nodded.

"Good!" June said, giving Jordan a proud smile.

Then June got out of Jordan's bed and ran towards the door, then he was gone leaving Jordan alone in his room.

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June ran through the dark hallways of the Guild. Bursting out from the back door leading to the back garden, the night chill mixed with an immense menacing presence sent a shiver down June's spine.

It wasn't long before the pitch black raven showed itself. The raven let out a loud screech when it's red beady eyes focused on June. The raven didn't wait, and immediately attacked, dive bombing straight for June.

June did a forward roll, dodging the raven, then pulled out his broadsword.

"Ignis Divina!" June shouted and his sword erupted in golden flames.

The raven didn't falter as it went for June again, but this time with it's sharp talons. June swung his sword making the raven fly back. The raven then flapped it's wings and sharp pitch black feathers rained down. June swung his sword, slashing some of the incoming feathers, but he still suffered some damage from the ones that escaped his sword. The feathers cut through his clothes and his flesh, inflicting June multiple wounds and injuries. Now his clothes are shredded and are drenched in his own blood.

The raven seemed to be having fun as it raised up the ante, dividing itself into multiple small black ravens. Only the original raven retained it's size. But the darkness it once had seemed to fade, showing an unconscious young man inside it. June couldn't make out every detail of the young man because he only got a glimpse of him, only that he was wrapped by some kind of black hazy energy.

The raven leader, let out another screech, making the flock ravens dive bomb for June. June dug his feet on the ground and braced himself.

June swung his sword, producing a golden flaming arc that flew towards the flock of ravens. The flames hit some of the ravens, burning them to a crisp, but the rest didn't stop and continued their assault. The attack that June made him wide open and was attacked in all directions.

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"I can do this!" Jordan told himself in motivation and took a deep breath. Then he rushed out of his bed, grabbed his Katana and rushed out of the door. But when he got out of his room, he was shocked as he ran thought the dim lit hallways. No one seemed to be awaken by the loud explosion that just happened, plus the loud screeching. The door slid open when Jordan arrived at Caleb's room, and saw Caleb still sleeping in his bed.

"Cay, Wake up!" Jordan tried waking Caleb up but it was like he was trying to wake up a statue instead. He tried shaking him, slapping him on the cheeks lightly but nothing seemed to work.

Jordan went from room to room but it was just like with Caleb, it's like everyone became comatose or something. He racked his brain as to what he can do next. He tried finding Maria's room, but after getting lost for about five times, he decided to give up. Maria's room seemed pretty well hidden.

He then went to Minjae and Miayaka's room next but their room was completely different form the rest, as their room needed some kind identification before entering. Jordan tried breaking into their room with his sheathed Katana, but got thrown back by a force field as soon as the scabbard hit the door.

Jordan screamed as he flew back. His back hit the wall so hard that it knocked the air out of his lungs. Jordan groaned as stood up, using his Katana as a support. Jordan let out a cough, then shook his head to remove his dizziness.

Jordan knew that Minjae and Miayaka are a no go, so he went to the next one. When he arrived at Cameron's room, he saw that it had the same security system that Minjae and Miayaka's room.

"Arrrggg!" Jordan let out a frustrated groan and slammed his fist on the door, which by the way was a mistake, because once his fist connected with the door, it activated the force field making him fly back once again.

Jordan slammed his fist on the floor becoming more and more frustrated. If everyone's basically useless at this time, what the heck was he suppose to do. He thought of asking help from the generals, but that would take some time, and by the time they arrive back June's probably dead already. He tried formulating some solutions to find help, but in the end it all ended up in a dead end. He gripped his hair with his right hand and kept trying to come up with something.

He was already loosing so much time, so he decided that he'll just have to go himself. He run as fast as his feet can take him and headed for the back garden of the Guild. But when he arrived, his steps faltered. When he saw the raven, terror washed over his whole body. The ominous presence that the raven had in the dream was no match for what the real thing has. It's not that Jordan didn't want to move, it's just that his body won't listen. His body felt so heavy that gravity seemed to be pulling him down. His body shook as he felt the menacing presence in every single cell of his body.

And if that wasn't bad enough, he saw June supporting himself with his sword, barely standing up. His shirt and sweat pants were ripped to shreds and is drenched in his blood. The raven circled above June like a hunter toying with its prey.

Jordan willed his body to move but try as he might, he couldn't.

"Moooooovvvveeee!" Told his body, gritting his teeth as he tear up in frustration. He felt so vexed that he felt so helpless.

When the raven seemed like it had enough fun, it went straight for June.

"Behind yooooouuuuuuu!!!" Jordan screamed on top of his lungs, trying to warn June of the incoming attack.

Jordan's voice reached June, making him turn to see the raven heading towards him with it's sharp talons. June gathered all his remaining strength and did a side roll, successfully dodging by just a hair.

The raven flew up and hovered over June once again. He coughed out blood as he tried standing up.

Jordan was so far beyond frustrated that seeing June suffer, felt like a stab in the heart. He dropped to his knees and kept slamming his fist on the ground as he sobbed, hoping that the pain would free him from his fear.

The raven caught sight of the party crasher that made it miss it's killing blow. The raven's beady red eyes locked onto Jordan, and decided to take care Jordan first. It opened it's beaks and a dark energy started gathering in the center of it's mouth, forming a huge black ball. The raven shot out the huge energy ball headed straight for Jordan.

When June saw the huge black energy ball headed for Jordan, his heart sunk as his eye widen.

"Jordan!" June yelled as he tries to run towards Jordan.

When Jordan heard June's voice, he lifted his head and saw June running towards him with panicked expression. He then lifted his head further to see what, June was running towards him for. His eyes widen, like a dear caught in headlight, as he watches a huge black energy ball closing in on him. The fear he was feeling multiplied a million times over, that the fight in him instantly vanished like a air.

"This is it! I'm really gonna die" Jordan thought as he closed his eyes in fearful anguish and tears streamed down his cheeks.

"Noooooooooo!!!!!!" June roared as the huge black energy ball was about to consume Jordan.

Jordan just closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable to happened, but after some time nothing happened. He slowly opened his eyes to see what happened but his eyes were welcomed by a blinding light.

"Am I dead? Is this heaven?" Jordan though, as he shielded his eyes from the brightness with his hand. He squinted his eyes and saw a person standing in front of him with his back facing him. The person had bright fiery golden wings and a golden flaming halo above his head. There was a mark in his back that glowed fiercely.

When his eyes adjusted enough to the brightness, he could now clearly see everything around him. And what he saw stunned him. The person standing in front of him was actually June. Other than the wings and the halo, his hair also became blond and his wounds are all healed with no trace whatsoever. His clothes were still shredded, but the way he stood made him look like an avenging angel with his huge flaming sword in hand. And he's gonna be avenging indeed.

When Jordan was about to be consumed by the black energy ball, June's whole body suddenly bursts out in golden flames. Then in a blink an eye, he was already standing in front of Jordan. He swung his flaming sword and sliced the huge black energy ball in half.

Jordan couldn't believe what he was seeing, but what's more, couldn't believe he's alive. He was somehow spared and was pulled back from the gates of death.

Jordan also could suddenly move his body as he felt a warm heat covering his entire body like a warm cozy blanket, washing away every ounce of fear in him. Not only did it removed his fear, but it also multiplied his courage.

"You okay?" June asked turning his head to the side to see Jordan standing up.

"It's weird to say this after almost dying for real, but... yea!" Jordan answered, feeling very revitalized.

"Good, because here it comes!" June said, bracing himself from the incoming attack from the raven.

This time Jordan actually took a sword drawing stance and was ready to go head to head with the raven. The raven swiftly flew down, brandishing it's sharp talons. This time, instead of taking the defense, June actually flew straight for the raven, to go head to head with it. The sound of June's sword and the raven's talons clashing together echoed through the quite and chilly night. Realizing that it's opponent was not the same as before, the raven wasn't going to play anymore. The raven flew high in the sky and shot out multiple energy balls. June still had a limit with his flying ability, so he returned back to the ground.

An eerie aura started dancing around Jordan, making his eyes also glow with the same eerie aura, as a Japaneses fox mask appeared on the upper right side of his head. He dug his foot on the ground then in a blink of an eye, he vanished, then another blink after he appeared next to June.

"Sheathed style: Soul Dance"

Then the energy bombs simultaneously exploded like fireworks.

"Whoa!" June marveled as he watch the fireworks in amazement, then turned to Jordan who looked kinda disturbing with all the eerie aura dancing around him, which looked like lost souls or something.

The raven really have had it and let out a loud ear piercing screech. In the normal eye it seemed like the raven was just screeching, but to Jordan's eyes he saw something else. He saw a huge amount of peculiar energy being absorbed by the raven, and it came from both the main Guild house and the dorm rooms.

"It's eating away everybody's dreams to make itself stronger." Jordan said, as both him and June's gaze stayed on the raven. "It's also the reason why everybody is not waking up. Everyone is trapped in their dreams."

After absorbing some much needed energy, the raven multiplied into thousands of small black ravens once again. When the color of the main body faded, Jordan saw the young man in the middle of the raven.

"He's the weakness" Jordan pointed at the unconscious young man.

"Okay.... But how do we kill this thing without killing him?" June ask, as his eyes never left the main body.

"I'll handle that" Jordan said with his new found confidence.

"You sure?" June asked. It's not that he was skeptical of Jordan's abilities, it's just that they only have one chance to do it. The raven is smart; if it felt like they're going for it's weakness, then it will surely do everything to hide it from them.

Jordan just nodded, as his eyes focused on the main raven.

"Okay, I'll clear a path then." June said as they both got ready for another onslaught of attacks.

The raven sent out it's army of birds with a loud thunderous screech. The thousand ravens also screeched, sounding like a horrific symphony as they all charged at both June and Jordan.

June crouched, then shot up with so much force. He swung his sword, releasing powerful waves of golden flames. Then when he cleared the path, Jordan also shot up. He leaped from raven to raven stepping on their back. Then when he reached June, June held out a hand. Jordan grabbed June's hand, then June swung him around once and threw him towards the main raven, like a slingshot.

As Jordan flew towards the main raven with so much speed, he slightly unsheathed his Katana with his thumb, and so much eerie energy oozed out of the blade, looking like escaped souls. The raven was not dumb to just stay in one place as Jordan flew towards it. When it saw Jordan coming after it, it flew higher, not letting Jordan reach it. Jordan was worried that he wasn't going to make it, but then suddenly something exploded on the back of the raven, preventing it from flying even further. The explosion shocked Jordan, but this was a chance he couldn't miss.

Upon nearing the raven, Jordan slowly draw his Katana, then swung it with a blinding speed as he passed the raven. The Katana passed through the raven body, then the young man's body, slicing the black egged shaped core inside the young man's body, without harming his physical body. Jordan already noticed that the egg core was using the young man's body as a vessel. When the much needed energy was accumulated, the egg hatched, giving birth to the pitch black raven, who in returned consumed the young man's physical body. Time seemed to slow as Jordan slowly sheathed back his Katana in mid air. "Unsheathed style: Soul Cutter" As the guard of the sword met the scabbard with a *click*, All the ravens including the main body let out a deafening cry as one by one they burst into nothingness.

Jordan could handle landing on his own, but then he got worried when he saw the unconscious young man's limp body fell so fast.

"June! Catch him!" Jordan yelled, alerting June of the incoming body.

June saw the body and dashed to where it was going to land, ready to make the catch. The young man's body was like a meteor coming down so fast, but with June's enhanced strength that he currently has as the moment, he caught the young man with no problem. Jordan landed on the ground soundlessly like a ghost. Jordan rushed to where June is and helped carry the young man. The young man was in the middle and both June and Jordan supported him from both sides.

"We did!" Jordan exclaimed "We destroyed that thing!" Jordan shouted, looking very excited about their victory.

June just couldn't help but smile as he watches Jordan celebrate. As both June and Jordan walked back to the main Guild house, June's wings and halo faded and the energy around Jordan also faded. Suddenly the exhaustion came in on them and hit both of them like a tidal wave, to the point that they couldn't move their bodies.

"So tired" Jordan said as his heavy eyelids started closing.

June wasn't much better as he fell to the ground and was instantly knocked out, when his wings and halo faded. Then Jordan followed a second after him.

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June woke up in a quiet room, where only a steady beeping could be heard. He slowly opened his eyes and blink them multiple times until they adjusted to brightness of the room. He breathed in the familiar clean sterile air of the room and let out a groan as he felt his muscles ache when he sat up.

Rubbing the back of his neck, he looked around his bed trying to locate for his glasses. Then he heard the door slid open.

"June, you're awake" June heard a familiar voice say. He turned to the source but his eyes were so bad that he really needed his glasses to see clearly.

"Dr. Minjae?" June said, which came out more like a question than a statement.

Minjae understood clearly and walked to a drawer, "Here, this'll help" He said as he handed June a new pair of glasses with golden frames.

"Thanks" June gratefully took the glasses and put them on.

June could finally see better and the glasses that was given to him were much better than his old one. He felt like he could see much clearer and the frames were very comfortable.

"Thanks for taking care of me" June said gratefully.

"You're welcome, but who you should really be thankful for is not me." Minjae said as he check June's chart and vitals.

"Then who?" June asked in confusion

"One of our new members, I think her name was Pan." Minjae said

"You mean the girl with the pink hair?" June asked, even more confused

Minjae chuckled as he nodded "Yup, that's her. That one's really a firecracker."

"What she'd got to do with me being here?" June asked as his brows furrow

"She was the one who bought you here" Minjae answered, "She saw you, Jordan and Charlie unconscious at the back garden and brought the three of you here. Then she started waking everybody up, as she ran through the hallways with a megaphone, trying to locate my room. Then she went on telling everybody a crazy story about what happened last night and the reason why the back garden is trashed."

"Right, last night" June said, letting out a humorless laugh as he remembered the events of last night.

"Lady Maria is currently confirming if Pan's story is true or not" Minjae said as he stabbed a syringe through June's left arm.

June winced from the short pain, but it easily faded.

"Is Jordan okay?" June asked, concern lacing his voice

"Yup, he's in the other room still sleeping" Minjae said as he placed a cotton ball on June's wound.

"And the other guy?"

"You mean Charlie? Yeah..... he already woke up long before you did. Lady Maria's also talking to him at the moment"

June let out a relieved sigh, knowing that nobody was hurt and everyone was okay.

"You're good to go, just don't over exert yourself, Okay?" Minjae informed June

June nodded then thank Minjae once again before stepping out of the hospital bed.

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"Charlie, I know it is hard for you, but you have to try and tell me what happened when Sir Harper disappeared, it might help us locate where he is for us to save him." Alisa heard Maria say.

Ever since Charlie woke up, Maria and Charlie stayed at her personal study room. Alisa and Caleb followed every conversation they had using Alisa's heighten senses; from explaining to Charlie where he's at and the history of the Gifteds. After that Maria went straight to getting information on what happened the day that Harper disappeared. Hearing her father's name made Alisa tensed up. Alisa and Caleb are currently on Caleb's room as they follow the conversation.

"Sir-sir Harper wa-wa-was driving throu-through the-the-the forest, whe-when he su-su-suddenly s-s-s-stopped" Charlie was stuttering so bad that he was literally having a hard time forming a sentence. His stuttering was caused by the traumatizing events of how Harper disappeared.

"What did he say?" Caleb asked impatiently

Alisa was getting annoyed at his brother, but she understood why he's being like that, because she was feeling the same.

"He said that a guy calling himself the raven blocked them and said that the Queen wanted to see dad" Alisa said, relying the conversation to his brother.

"Then?" Caleb asked again

"Can you not rush me, Charlie's still traumatized by what happened okay!" Alisa scolded her brother. making Caleb sit back on the couch and wait, as his leg bounced up and down.

"What happened next?" Maria asked Charlie

"Th-th-then, th-th-the strange ma-ma-man lo-lo-looked at me-me-me, th-th-then I co-co-couldn't remember a-a-anything. I s-s-swear th-th-that's a-a-all I kn-kn-know." Charlie said. He was shaking so bad that his body almost started convulsing.

"That's okay. I believe you" Maria said softly, standing up. "Come, I still have to introduce you to the others" she said with a soft comforting smile. Charlie didn't want to go as anxiety still fills him, but eventually he still nodded and stood up.

When Alisa told Caleb the conversation was done, Caleb almost lost it. He slammed both fists on the glass coffee table shattering it.

"Caleb, stop acting like a child!" Alisa scolded Caleb like a toddler having a tantrum.

"I'm acting like a child?!" Caleb turned to Alisa in bewilderment. He let out a humorless laugh at what his sister just called him. "I'm acting like a child?! I'm angry A! I'm angry that we almost had a lead on where dad is and now it's gone! It's gone!" Caleb then started punching the wall again and again making his fist bloody, as he roars.

"Stop it! Stop it!" Alisa cried as she tried stopping his brother from hurting himself even further.

Caleb sometimes suffers from Intermittent explosive disorder or IED. It happens when he's severely stressed out or mad. It doesn't happened always, but when it did, it gets really severe, like what happened when he watch the surveillance video of his father being attacked by Leo and Seth. This disorder also is somehow related to his Gift, which he is still having a hard time finding balance.

Caleb right now is still in the early stages of his IED, which he can still be pulled back with reason. Alisa tried her best in reasoning with his brother and for her voice to reach him. Alisa released some of her unique energy to suppress Caleb's uncontrollable out bursts of energy.

"Caleb please!" Alisa begged, finally reaching her brother.

Caleb started calming down as he sunk to the floor, breathing hard. Alisa hugged her brother tightly as she cried on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry A" Caleb said softly, but the regret in his voice was very evident.

"You're not the only one who's worried about dad! I do too!" Alisa scolded her brother as she kept crying.

"I know, and I'm sorry" Caleb said, lowering his head in shame.

Alisa hit Caleb in his shoulder, and hard, then she wrapped him with both arms, hugging him tightly "I'm not mad, dummy!"

Caleb hugged her sister back tightly, leaning his forehead on his sister's shoulder. Alisa lightly massaged Caleb's hair, which clams Caleb every time, and they both just stayed like that.