Time to Say Goodbye

Over the next few days, the location—or rather locations—of the Gates were slowly confirmed by the other teams.

 Noble finished up her government contract over the next six weeks by translating as much of her Father's work as she could.

 Among his papers were the original evacuation plans from the North American Gate. They were rudimentary and made in the moment, but a lot of the information helped to serve as a framework for things to do and not do.

By the end of her time working for the Government, Noble was resigned to the inevitable. If the Nightmare Gates were coming, the professor would do her best to help the world be prepared.

And part of that preparation lay in her work at the Academy.

"It is nice to have you back," Bee Two greeted Noble when she set down her things on her desk.

The professor pursed her lips. "What do you mean? I have been here almost nonstop for the past week to make up for all the time I have lost. Fort asked me if I am planning to make this my second home."

Bee Two shrugged. "As I said, glad to have you back."

Rolling her eyes, Noble looked at the readouts waiting for her on her desk. "Are these from that one Memory that I was asked to examine yesterday?"

 "Yes, the Memory turned out to be a Garment, which is why the Dreamer was able to use it with Armor Type Memories," Bee Two pointed to the information in question.

"Ah, so it is just a rare Type of Memory. Special but not terribly noteworthy. I was really hoping we had found an Armour Memory that could overlap other Armor Type. Two different Types make the whole thing far less interesting…" Noble sighed.

She had hoped for at least a little good news. Not that the results were bad news, Noble reminded herself.

"I'll give the Dreamer that information before lunch. I don't want to forget."

 "Understood," Bee Two paused. "If you check your schedule, you were assigned your group."

"Did Awakened Rock take all the best students for himself again?" Noble allowed a ghost of a smile.

"He took your requests into account this time. You should have a look." The android pulled up the information on the datapad and passed it to the professor.

Noble scrolled through the list of names with a complicated expression. "I don't know whether to feel happy or sad."

"Be both. Be neither. Human emotions are beyond me." The android had no sympathy for the professor's struggle.

"Thank you for the information, Bee Two. I will make the final preparations." Noble took her seat and sat in silence for a moment to compose herself.

 She was feeling extra sensitive lately due to all that was unfolding. Today was going to be rough, but she would have to hold it together.

And, whenever possible, give her calm to those around her.

 For it was her least favorite day of the year. The day she dreaded more than any other.

 It was the winter solstice.

At sundown, the students she had spent up to a year mentoring and investing in would enter the Dream Realm for the first time since surviving their Nightmares.

 Those who made it out and back to the real world would become Awakened like herself. Those who didn't…those who perished would become hollow.

 'They all have to make it. We will need all the help we can get.'

 Every teacher had their own way of handling how they sent off their batch of students. Noble's varied from year to year, with one thing always remaining the same: reminding the students why they needed to come back.

 That tradition seemed even more important this year.

After saying goodbyes to any of the students who came by and passing her final pieces of advice, Noble found that the day had flown by.

Picking up her datapad, Noble steeled herself and headed out of her classroom for the last time that year. She kissed her fingers and then touched the top of the door frame, silently blessing all who had come through her classroom in the past season.

 Each would need all the luck when they shut their eyes that night.

The groups were gathered at the various staging areas around the Academy.

 When Noble entered her assigned room, she was overwhelmed with the amount of emotion contained within.

Most of the time the students in the Academy were a rainbow of different levels of teenage angst and excitement.

But this evening only two feelings permeated the air: fear and anticipation.

Fear for every horror they were about to experience and anticipation because waiting was harder than fighting.

 It was a little eerie to have everyone be so in sync. Even the legacies, who hid behind somber faces, were filled with uncertainty.

 The small amount of chatter died away when the professor entered the room. Straightening her skirt, Noble took her place at the center of the room.

"You know why you are here. Nothing I can say will make what is about to happen stop. That irresistible sensation of sleep? I have felt it too. You cannot fight it. In an hour, you will be in another place. You will visit the Dream Realm. Find each other if you can. Find a citadel or gateway no matter what. You are strong. Take heart and have hope. You are humanity's future." Noble shut her eyes.

 If she said any more, the tears would certainly come. Instead, she straightened her back and motioned for her students to follow.

 Her spot was the farthest location of them all from the Academy's medical facility. That was a small blessing because it meant she would be able to compose herself before the final goodbyes.

As they got closer, other groups of Dreamers were being led by other Academy teachers.

Awakened Rock caught Noble's eye, and the two exchanged knowing nods. He slowed to let her group move ahead of his. 'Ever the gentleman,' Noble dipped her head in appreciation. They traipsed on in solemn silence.

The snowy banks in the parks between the buildings were fresh from the night before. Tonight it was clear without a flurry in sight.

 Instead, it was the Dreamers' minds that were clouded.

 Coming up on the medical facility, Noble suppressed a shudder. This was her least favorite building on the entire campus. The professor took in as many breaths of crisp, fresh air as she could before the doors opened to admit her batch of Dreamers. 

A healer led the way down the hall to a set of rooms containing specially designed pods. She explained to the Dreamers that she and the other healers would be monitoring and maintaining the health of their bodies while they went on their journey. 

Noble recoiled at the word journey. It sounded so pleasant, and there was nothing pleasant about what the teens behind her were about to experience. The professor only hoped their 'journey' would be short and successful. 

The sterile air of the hospital only made Noble more uncomfortable. It was too clean. So different from the world of the Dream Realm. The contrast was profound. 

When the healer stopped, Noble knew that the worst part of her 'journey' had come. 

It was time to say goodbye.