16. Dreams

Dreams. Every, single, sentient being in the universe dreams, it is the entire reason I exist after all. Dreams are the reason anyone does anything. And yet, they call The Waking, the REAL world, as if dreams have no effect on your lives, as if dreams are not real, you go about your work, about your loves and your wars as if your Real lives are all that matter, as if dreams have no effect on the choices you make. Yet, dreams are your guide to inspiration, your shelter from the tiresome Wake, your... paradise, if you will.

Dreams are not real. They are not grand or dull. They are not logical or reasonable. But neither is life, I suppose. Life is both real and unreal, both special and lame, neither logical or reasonable, yet it remains.

Dream's are ideas, the personification of your wants and desires, of hope.

You may ignore me all you want, open your eyes and focus your mind as long a you want, but in the end. When the trials and tribulations wear you down, when your mind cannot sustain the stress of the real, when you close your eyes, you enter my realm, for I, am the King of Dreams.

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Arriving in the large atrium filled with various dark, exotic looking plants Dream looks at the woman before him.

"I request your aid." And without further explanation he grabs another handful of sand and wistfully blows it at her. Her head slumping back down from her previous shocked state as she is sent to The Dreaming.

Teleporting back to his throne room with a hurricane of sand he sees her there as well. With grace that seemed natural he walked toward her, down his many steps.

"Hello Angela. I... am Dream." With his gravely voice he introduces himself. Angela stood there shocked, one moment she was relaxing surrounded by her garden, living another boring day in Hades palace. The next, a strange gothic looking man appeared and blew sand in her face, and then she was here. In this colorful throne room similar to Hades other than the throne being higher than his.

Angela quickly takes a few steps back apprehensive of the... man that transported her to this strange place.

Lucienne quickly comes up to her hoping to calm her down.

"There's no need for that, we need your help, nothing more. And I think you would want to, after all it involves your lord." With a book at her waist and glasses she looks like the librarian she is, easily able to gain her trust from her non threatening appearance, far from Dreams own dark and menacing vibe.

"Who are you people, and how did I get here?!" Still alert for dangers she starts asking questions, she could tell just from her surroundings these people weren't human which means they're probably god's.

"As I've previously stated, I am Dream and I'm sure your mortal mind is trying to figure out what that means and if you come to the mistaken conclusion that I am some foreign god then I implore you to think again. Now, for why I brought you here, I need your help to get your lord to wake up, he has simply been here too long." With a formal voice radiating decorum he explained her the situation. 'your lord' obviously meaning Hades, after all he has been sleeping and the man in front of her was literally called Dream. Connecting the dots she calms down, if something like the manifestation of dreams asked for help waking up Hades something must've happened.

"Why do you need my help? Aren't you all powerful here? In thre Underworld Hades can do what ever he wants, kick out and let in whoever he wants so why cant you?" Asking more questions Dream gains a small frown.

"I cannot simply wake him up unless he is a threat or it involves the Waking world. It is against my morals, to put it in your language."

"However, having you wake him up instead is perfectly fine, of course as long as you agree, do you agree?" His imperious face returns as he demands her answer.

"What do I have to do? If I have to kill him in his dream for him to wake up I doubt I can do that."

"I would hope you would decline any deal if it involved harming your lord, but no you wont be fighting him. You'll simply ask him to wake up, and if that doesn't work then I shall intervene in such a scenario."

"Sounds like a plan... so where is he?" Looking around she only saw an entrance to a library and a big double door similar to Hades own. No branching rooms or stairs.

"He's in his dream of course." A portal like window appeared showing her Hades dream. He was on a beach sitting in a reclined chair sipping on a chilled lemonade, dark aviators on his face obscuring his molten rock like eyes as he relaxes with the sun shining on his tanned olive skin.

There was a demonically erotic woman with purple skin, four dark brown horns curving from her head sitting next to him also drinking a lemonade as she laid in a surprisingly conservative bikini. Her body was nothing extreme and could be said to be average in both tits and ass with only a little more than normal spring and bubble in them. From her thighs to her shoulders at the edge of her body it begins to shift into scales with sharp edges with small blades jutting from her elbows and top of her shoulders. She was exotic, to put it simply.

"It looks like he finally got bored having sex all day." Lucienne says with glad eyes at seeing Slaanesh relaxing and taking a break.

Angela's eyebrow twitches at seeing the lord she idolizes frolicking with some strange woman. And from what she knows, he's been with her for over a century. Unable to contain her jealousy she asks who this harlot is.

"Who's she?" She asks Dream.

"She's one of my Nightmares. I originally created her to sate dreamers desire for pain and pleasure; however, since Hades arrival she has not had much time to fulfill her role, her being monopolized by Hades for over a century. Of course, I have other Nightmares, but unfortunate none the less." Dream looks at Slaanesh like an artist looks at their masterpiece.

"She's one of my 3 pillars," He motions at the three figures depicted in stained glass behind his throne.

"Slaanesh, The Corinthian, and Mr. White," He points to their figure as he calls their names.

"I created them soon after I was born, they've been with me ever since." Finished with explaining who the woman next to Hades was, he wanted this to be over with. The walls surrounding his realm haven't finished yet, and the last thing he wanted to deal with were some chaos demons.

"Onto the task at hand.." a door materializes next to him in a whirlwind of sand. Lucienne moves to leave to her library, sensing the conversation was over.

"Ask your lord to leave The Dreaming." And without further words he ascends the stairs and sits on his throne, his form enshrouded in shadow as his eyes glow in the darkness, a crow landing on his shoulder with a squawk.

"If he refuses to cooperate, I will wake him forcefully."