Gathering Allies

The eerie silence of the dream world slowly began to dissipate as the light of the purified crystal filled the clearing. The once darkened and corrupted landscape began to shimmer, colors returning to the floating islands, and the ethereal mist that surrounded them faded to a soft glow. The air felt lighter, more peaceful—almost as though the dream world itself was breathing again.

Blakely stood in the center of it all, her breathing heavy as she leaned against her loyal panda summon, Matcha. Her body was exhausted from the effort of purifying the crystal, but the relief of knowing they had succeeded filled her with a renewed sense of calm.

Maven, still catching her breath after their battle with the shadow creatures, gave Blakely a lopsided grin. "Well, that was a workout. Guess I can check 'fight a literal nightmare' off my list of things to do today."