The Dream

Garrick stands in the centre of a beautiful meadow. It travels on for as far as the eye can see. A slight breeze that makes the grass look as if it were dancing.

An unfamiliar voice yet reassuring voice speaks to Garrick.

"You resist so much, why? Do you hate what you are now? Hate what you're capable of? Why?" the voice curiously asks.

Garrick doesn't respond.

"You need not answer, but know if I wanted to know your answer, then I would. I can see in your soul all it is and all it ever will be, but I won't. You are the first of its kind, and seeing what you might become gives me much thrill. I will not interfere; you will live or die on your terms." The voice assuredly states.

Garrick still doesn't respond.

"Are you afraid? You do not sleep; nightmares haunt your mind. Think of this as a gift from me to you. I will let your mind rest easy until you awake."

Garrick still doesn't respond. He is still as if dissociating from himself.

"You do not seem afraid, yet you do not speak. I envisioned that this scenery would appeal to you, make you feel more at ease." The voice utters, somewhat confused.

"It isn't real." Garrick responds.

"It isn't? Why isn't it real?" The voice asks,

"An illusion inside my mind, just a dream." Garrick calmly states.

"Just a dream? If you can smell the meadows of flowers, touch them, smell them if your senses all believe them to be real, then doesn't that make it so?" The voice asks curiously.

"No, it doesn't." Garrick responds.

"Then you would live your life questioning everything and never experience anything. How do you know when you awake, anything is real at all?" The voice asks in a questioning tone.

Garrick doesn't respond.

"If it puts you at ease, then yes, when you awake, you will be back in' your world', your plane of existence, but what you see around you is also real." The voice reassuringly states.

"I've felt this feeling before." Garrick says confusedly.

"Yes, you have. Your body lays dormant, resting, but your soul, the essence of your being, wanders. You achieved this by accident due to your uncontrollable, unrefined, and wildly dangerous power. To Soulwalk in the same plane of existence as your body, your 'tether' is difficult. To Soulwalk across planes of existence even more so." the voice says in an impressed and proud tone.

Garrick looks around at the scenery.

"Where am I?" He asks.

"You already know where I brought you here because I wanted to speak with you." the voice says.

"Why?" Garrick responds.

"You already know why." The voice states.

Garrick looks toward his arms, focusing on the runes that glow blue.

"...The runes…"

"Yes. Runecarved is what you are now. Good or bad, hero or villain, I refuse to know. You are interesting, not because it's you, but because of what was given to you." The voice states commandingly.

"Who are you?" Garrick asks curiously

"You do not know, but you will eventually. I will not speak with you again after this discussion. Interfering like this has already affected your development, altered what you could have been." The voice states, somewhat disappointed.

"Then why do it?" Garrick asks.

"Because you are interesting. The answers need not be complicated. I will give you a restful sleep until you awake, but not more after that. Your life is your own; live it as such." the voice says.

Garrick grits his teeth slightly.

"I don't feel in control. I didn't even ask for any of this."

"You have decided your actions, you alone." The voice responds. "Whether you know it or not is not my concern. Take this meadow around you; you were correct that it isn't 'real', but you choose to believe it is subconsciously. You see a flower and decide what it must smell like; it must have a scent; after all, it is a flower."

Garrick is confused about what the voice is meaning.

"What are you getting at? Are you a demon like Valavax?"

"No, I am not. It is not my place to tell you the answers. You must uncover them for yourself. Now fade to that void, floating through nothingness until you awake again. Farewell Garrick Goldwind, Runecarved."

The scenery begins to fade until Garrick is left floating in the darkness, and his vision fades away.

End Chapter