What dreams awaits us

Now that we had the necessary equipment, we now only needed to put it together. Given how he is so strict, we let Lex do the assembling by himself.

- Now we only need Stoor's digestive fluid and a philosopher's stone.

- Philosopher's stone? Is it for the trasformation from destructive power to regular magic?

- Yes, it is a critical part of the purifier.

- Then how do we obtain it?

- Simple, we just need to take it from where I left it.

- And where is that?

- At the bottom of the ocean between Ehstos and Nearn.

- ...

- What is it?

- And you think we can fetch it for you?

- Of course.

- And how would we do that?

- By bunch of my spells cast on to you.

- And what if it's not there?

- Then we just need to find the second one that is in one of the volcanoes in Dia. But there is no need to worry, since I can track bouth of them since I created them. Though there is a third one that I lost contact with a while ago.

- You lost one of the philosopher's stones and you aren't even worried about it?

- It was only one of my creations in my prime. You wouldn't care if a grain of salt went missing, so why should I.

- You are comparing two things that are worlds apart.

- I mean, I did use salt as a basis of the stone. You wouldn't believe what salt can do in hands of a mage.

- Leaving your carelessness aside, let's go with the ocean one.

- Finaly you see my point. Even if I did lost one, it probably went to someone who could find uses for it that I couldn't come up with. Now that is why I still live in this world.

- I told you to let it go aside. You realy don't care if the world is destroyed either way, do you?

- Of course, it would be shame to let it end.

- But?

- But there are indeed times where you need to let things just go. If it's the time that Norbul is destroyed and it's time has ended, then so be it.

- Let's just take care of the philosopher's stone.

- Yes, are you two ready?

Aktor looks surprised.

- You mean that I have to go too?

- Of course. You're there to make sure that any locals don't snatch it from Nor.

- *sigh* Fine, I go with him. But I'm still recovering mentaly, so don't expect too much.

- What do you mean recovering mentaly?

- ... Don't mind me. Just do your thing.

- Very well then.

Lex starts to cast his spells on us and then we are sent of to a bottom of the ocean. Weirdly, we could breathe under water and we didn't feel the pressure too much. Just a bit cold. Then we start to hear Lex's voice on our heads

- The stone should be near where you are, burried beneath the sand. So just start digging.

I try to speak telepathically to Lex, but it doesn't work as it's not the same as it was with Rahasia. I try talking to Aktor and that goes smoothly.

- You start there, I start here.

Lex teleported some shovels to us and we started digging. It lasted hours until we finaly found it. We than tried to contact Lex, but we didn't know how. I tried activating the ring with no response. Then suddenly we were teleported where Lex was. He asked

- What took you so long?

- We were digging and when we found it, we called you, but you didn't respond.

- Show me the stone.

I give the stone to Lex.

- Yes, this is it. Now we can actually make the purifier.

- Great. Me and Aktor will now take some well deserved rest.

- Do as you will. I will build the purifier in the mean time.

Me and Aktor go get some sleep. I wake up when I hear a sudden explosion. I run as fast as I can towards the sound, and I see a piece of the hill missing. Then I see Lex and Siel'Kel standing near the soultree and the purifier. I look for what could have caused the ruckus, and I see a shade of destruction floating in the air. This is bad.

Then I saw Aktor piercing the shade with great force. The shade seems to fall down to the ground, but raises up immediately after it lands. Then I hear Siel'Kel talking something.

- As I foresaw, you have come to bring ruin to this land. As you're threat to the great soultree, I will do anything in my power to make you threat no longer.

Then Siel'Kel casts a huge barage of lighting bolts towards the shade and the noice is earshatering. When the barage stops, we only see smoke coming from where the lighting bolts landed. Then suddenly we see the shade charge at Lex at tremendous speed and I could barely follow the trail. When it hit Lex's magical shields, it kept on pushing on to break them. As if it was only targerting him.

As the shield started to break, Aktor charged at the shade and made a few strikes. At a blink of an eye, Aktor gets thrown towards the soul tree and high speeds. During this time, Siel'Kel casted a huge beam of light from the sky. It lasted only couple of seconds, but the force was enormous and the heat high.

When it stoped, we saw the shade crawling towards Lex. When it lost it's strength to crawl, it raised it's hand towards Lex and said in a bellowing voice.

- Brooth-heeerrr...

Then I heard Lex say.

- Soon brother, soon.

As he said those words, the shade disapeared like a dust in the wind. After a moment, we all went to see Aktor lying on the ground all bloodied up with arm and a leg missing and other arm all mangled up. We could barely hear him breathe. I then started healing him little by little. Eventually, the wounds were all healed up and limbs were close to normal, but Aktor didn't wake up. Then Siel'Kel did some searching on his mind and concluded.

- He might not wake up anytime soon.

- Can't you do something?

- I can try to force him to wake up, but I don't think that is good idea.

- Why do you think so?

- His mind and soul is somewhere between life and death. In these types of situations, forcing the mind to return can cause some problems. Such as panic attacks, strokes, his mind not being entirely there and some of the senses not working correctly.

- I... I see

- If you want to try to get him back, then you should head to a realm of dreams.

- Another demon prince's realm. Sure, if that's what it takes to get him back.

- Now what you need to do is to collect an artifact known as "necklace of dreamwalking". With this artifact, you can go inside his mind and try to guide him back to our world. If you don't do this, there is a chance where he never will wake up again.

- I saved him once from the third layer of Hou. I can do this as well.

- This time is different. Last time he was well aware of where he was going and that he will have someone to rescue him. Now, he went to a realm between life and death without any comforting toughs that someone will help him. In fact, he might just choose to die there this time if the tide goes that way.

- He won't do that! He got people waiting for him to return.

- Sometimes, people will eventually give up.

- Then I must hurry. Now send me to where I need to go.

- ...

- What are you hesitating for?

- Do you know how to gain that artifact?

- I just ask the demon prince for it and give something in return.

- But what are you willing to give up?

- Whatever I need to give.

- ...

- What is it?

- You're going to do something you regret if you go like that. Here take this.

Siel'Kel hands me something. A cube.

- What is this?

- An ancient relic that was once used by my people to cach dreams.

- Why would you make something like that?

- Because our dreams are the purest form of our minds and we want to capture those moments our minds created. We didn't seek to create much, we only wanted to be observers where no one can harm us.

- How many dreams does this relic have?

- It once belonged to my sibling and our parents. They wanted to relive their purest moments that their dreams made. It has so many dreams that even I haven't seen them all. Though, I haven't taken a look at it for a while.

- You sure I can have this?

- It's just an old relic now. No one but me can use it anymore, and I watched it plenty of times now. I'm satisfied with this.

- If you say so. Thank you.

- Now go. Use it to change the fate of your friend.

- That I'll do.

Then Siel'Kel transports me to yet another realm. I see many underwater creatures floating around and I wonder, am I underwater? Soon I realize that there is no water exept for the pond nearby. The creatures were just floating around like they were in water. I even saw, what looked like a whale in a distance. Taking a closer look, I see many islands floating around and I have no idea whare I should go.

Luckily I saw a building in one of the islands a bit downward from here, so I decided to go there. I soon realized that I could float, so I floated towards the island that had building on it. It took a while until I reached it but I made it. I knock at the door and soon I see an elf woman.

- Hello. Can I help you?

- Yes, would you know where the demon prince of this realm is located?

- Yes, I do know where Oblew is. Why do you need to go meet her?

- I need an artifact that may safe my friend's life.

- Hhm, I see. Let me cast a spell on you real quick.

- A spell? Wait...

She casts her spell anyways.

- Here. Now you should see a path that will guide you to where you need to go.

- Oh, I see it. Thanks. May I know your name?

- That's unnecessary. See you later Nor.

- Okay... Wait, how do you know my... ?

She shuts the door and goes away. Guess I wont get to know then. I start following the path that is in front of me.

It's been couple of hours and I've seen many creatures on my way. Some of them tried to kill me, but I managed to beat them. I had to use magic to defeat them because swinging my sword was hard on environment like this. I could not make any dashes like I could elsewhere. When I had solid ground to stand and something tried to kill me, I used my sword instead, but even then it was a bit hard.

More hours later and I start to see civilisation. Buildings build in small islands and a bigger island with lots of buildings on it. I decide to take a rest there and find an in. There seem to be lot of elfs here. I wonder why.

After a I managed to get some sleep, I decided to continue my journey after breakfast. I got many glances at me from other people, but I wonder why. I even noticed some kids staring at me. Maybe I'm not welcome here for some reason. I don't see any other humans here either. Maybe I should leave here as quickly as possible.

When I left the town, I noticed few more people staring at me. Still, I just need to continue my journey. About half a day later I see a temple of some sorts on a cliffside of an huge island. The path that's shown to me leads inside the temple. So I go there.

Immediately I'm stoped by two woman with spears, who's lower body is fish tail. The left one asks me.

- What is your purpuse here?

- I'm here to make a trade with her highness Oblew.

I decided to add "her highness" because it might be appropriate for this type of situation. The guard on the right side asked next.

- Why would a human have business with her excellency?

- The item that I need from her might safe my friend's life.

- As expected. Human would never do anything that would venorate those higher than them.

- I'm also here to have a small chat with her. I'm sure she wouldn't mind that.

- Her excellency's favorite pastime is to watch other people's dreams. She would likely be offended by your presence. Now leave.

- Wait! The item that I have is one concerning dreams.

- ...

The other guard says.

- Go on.

- This cube that I have, has dreams stored in it. And the ones that dreamt these dreams were no other than lost race of vitreus.

- What is vitreus? Never heard of them.

- They are long lost race that became the great soultree.

Other guard says.

- Now you're talking nonsense. Leave now, or there will be consequences.

- Wait, I... !

- Leave, now!

I back down a bit until I see sudden surprise on their faces. Then they say.

- Wait! ... You are... permited to enter, by her excellency's command.

- I... see.

I go inside and I manage to hear two of them talking to each other.

- Why was her excellency so mad at us?

- I don't know. Perhaps the cube has something in it after all.

I float around the temple and I get plenty a glares at me. I finaly reach the chamber where Oblew was in. She had a shape of a giant eel that is formed purely out of watery substance. There were some tentacles around it to touch stuff and she could retract them back to the main body at will. She starts to talk to me telepathically.

- So you're the one that has a trinket of interest. I also hear that you are here to trade it with something. Interesting indeed. Now then Nor, do tell me your purpose here.

- You knew the purpose of my visit? How is it possible?

- I'm a demon prince and you're in my realm. Of course I would hear you from here when you talked to the guards. Uncivilised those two. Didn't even know what vitreus is. I suppose passage of time has it's downsides. Now back to the topic. Your purpose here. What is it?

- Yes, as you know I came to trade this cube that has vitreus's dreams collected on it with a necklace of dreamwalking.

- That is all?

- That is all.

- *Sigh* You mortals do not see the value of things in front of you. Most of you disregard their own dreams as pure coincidence. Yet they are lot more than that. *sigh* I'm fine givin the necklace to you, but you're underestimating the value of this cube. I take it off your hands for cheap if that's what you wish.

- What else can I get?

- You came here saying that you would chat with me, so why don't we chat.

- Okay. Well first, I saw this dream...

I describe the dream that I had back then.

- I see, and you suspect it might be more than that.

- Yes, well at least it feels that way.

- The fragment on your soul has some memories on it's own. The memories have partly come to you. Perhaps it's a regret that the owner of it had before they passed. A worry about something.

I tell her about my situation. The original powers and all

- I see. Now it makes sense. I think I have a clear picture. I just wish I would have seen that dream myself.

- What did you get from it?

- The fragment in you wishes to settle the unease that her brothers may have. She, or in this case bouth of you, feel that you must bring calm to the heart of the other original powers. You have met, at least in some capasity, two of them in your current life. You see the Magic secluding himself to his research and wish to make him understand something. As for Destruction, he is still raging and you wish to bring peace to his soul and let him rest. Creation on the other hand...

- What is it?

- You know deep down that he is still suffering somehow somewhere. If he knows about you, he will take notice of it and do something about it. But what will he do once he meets you? Or perhaps... he is already gone from this world. The first one to do so out of all of them. Well, if you don't count Soul. After all, she technically lives through you.

- That's... lot to take in. No wonder Lex was so hostile about the dream being some kind of sign.

- He is oldest thing in the world, so he might be little bit... harder to change. Once you live a sertain way for so long, you might have some trouble adjusting.

- I see. Well, I need to try to do something little by little.

- Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?

- Let me think. ... What about the hostility that I felt towards me when I came here?

- You mean those two guards? They are trained to be cautious for intruders.

- No, that's not it. When I visited a town in this realm, they all seemed to not want me to be here.

- Hhm... Perhaps it has to do with why they are here.

- What do you mean?

- This realm is a realm of dreams Ohlowe. The elves came here to further their knowledge about dreams. They seek to be able to read dreams like I do to further their understanding of this world. In their eyes, humans and most of the races don't seem to try hard enough to further their understanding of this world. Where humans and other races seek mostly to just live normal lives, the elves seek to understand their existance on the world and find a sense of belonging doing so. This aplies to most elves, and the elves here are bit more keen to their ways. Time flows here a bit slower than the outside, so most of the elves here are quite old.

- I see. I did saw kids here as well.

- Of course they seek to make their kids to try to find the purpose on their existance. It's natural of them to try to imprint their way to their kids. Though to be honest, I think the elves here are bit more eccentric than the elves on the overworld.

- Things start to make a bit more sense.

- Any other subjects?

- It's a longshot, but do you know what this seed on my chest is?

- Hhm... Where did you got it from?

- Likely from Sa'at.

- From him... Well, why don't we just ask him?

- What?

- Oh, I can just make a portal connecting the two places and just talk to him.

- Is it okay.

- Of course it is. I'm the second oldest sibling after all.

- Second oldest. Who is the oldest then? And does it matter?

- Null is the oldest. And yes, it does matter to us demon princes quite a bit. Now, would you like for me to connect to Sa'at?

- Yes pleace.

She opens a watery portal, in which I see Sa'at himslef.

- Hellow Sa'at. Long time no see.

- Oblew? What is the meaning of this?

- Ah you see, my friend here, Nor, I presume you have met, needs to know something that's been bothering him.

- Nor? Yes I remember. What do you want.

- You see, he has this mysterious seed lodged inside his chest and he wonders where it came from. Now you woudn't happen to know anything about it, now would you?

- ...

- Do I need to come there myself and ask you again?

- No, it just...

- Just?

- I wanted it to be surprise to all of them when it does bloom.

- One of your surprise gifts. Fascinating and all, but what does it do?

- Why does that matter?

- You would put a any ordinary seed in his chest. Now that would be quite unlike you.

- If you realy need to know, then Nor.

I say.

- Me?

- Yes. Do you believe in fate?

- What does that have to do with anything?

- Just answer the question.

- I don't entirely believe in fate, but sometimes I wonder if it does exist.

- Well, to those who have ability to see the future, can call things fate. Just like the guardian of the great soultree.

- Siel'Kel? Does Siel'Kel have the ability to see the future?

- Past and present as well. He is perhaps the most reliable one when it comes to future sight.

- So Siel'Kel knew about the shade's attacks before they even happened?

- Yes. The quardian is most omnipotent of all mortals. The guardian is someone most close to godhood that isn't a god.

- But what does fate and future sight have to do with the seed?

- When the guardian or any other who has future sight sees your eventual fated death, the flower of fate will bloom and change the verry fate itself. I don't know about when will this happen, or how it will change the fate. All I know, that if there is such thing as fate, the flower will bloom and does it's purpose and change it.

- That's... Where did you find such a flower.

- It was made by me.

- Even it's creator doesn't know what it will do.

- That's what I made it for. For entertainment. For the possibility for me to change the very fate itself.

- I see. Bye then Sa'at. Hope it will be of your liking.

- Bye.

Oblew shuts the portal.

- Now if there is anything else you'd like to ask, then ask away.

- Well then, you wouldn't happen to have a fragment of destruction with you?

- Unfortunately, I lost my fragment to Kiat long ago.

- Of course it was Kiat. What is he planning?

- When it comes to that brother of mine, I never can tell what he's up to.

- Well then, that's all I needed to know. Now take this.

I hand over the cube to Oblew.

-Thanks, this will be verry interesting to go through. Now your payment.

She garbs the necklace from a portal with her tentacle and hands it to me.

- Now then, if there is ever something you wish from me, feel free to come again. Oh, and I don't mind what you'll do with the artifact after you're done with it. Perhaps I shall take a peek on your dreams every once in a while. Until we meet again.

- See you later.

I'm transported to where Siel'Kel is. I go where Aktor is and put the necklace on. But before I use it I say to Siel'Kel.

- I'll have some words with you after we're done.

- I see.

Then I use it with best of my knowledge and I somehow manage to get inside Aktors head. I see Aktor sitting on mirror like lake with spears coming from the ground around him. I walk where he is.

- Aktor, there you're

With a weak and gloomy voice I hear him say.

- Oh, Nor. So you came here too. So that's how much I failed.

- No, we bouth aren't dead. You just were gravely injured and lost consciousness. I came here with an artifact that can enter dreams.

- So this is inside my mind. Huh, well that explains the spears.

- We need to go back, we need you.

- Do you? Do you realy?

- What do you mean?

- You have two literal godlike beings with you, and you have a fragment of godlike being yourself. What do you need me for?

- If it weren't for you, Lex would have died back there.

- Did he say that?

- No he didn't, but what I manage to see was desperation on his eyes when the magical shield started to break. If you ask him, I'm sure he will thank you.

- Is that so.

- Also, you have your family to consider.

- Oh yeah, I did have one after all. But maybe I'm not necessary for them given how much I'm away.

- That's not true. They look forward to your next visit. I'm sure of it.

We talk about some other stuff we been through.

- I'm just tired. Can't I finaly stop this journey of mine?

- Well then, perhaps you should consider retirement. You're, what 64 now.

- Actually I'm 67 to be exact. Retirement huh. I'll live more than 100 year if I come back so retirement doesn't sound verry appealing.

- Then what do you want to do?

- I always wondered what it's like to farm land. Though I don't see myself staying sane in that line of work.

- You grew up to be traveler. Just travel.

- It's just... I have to deal with so much bullshit everywhere I go.

- Just take a stable job as a hunter for some random village somewhere. Or maybe go to Ost and stay there and hunt creatures on the side.

- That does sound like a plan. I think about it. You can leave now. I'll... stay here for a while. I'll return but, just a little more. It's just so calm in here.

- I see. See you then.

I leave him be. I then wake up next to Aktor who is still sleeping. I trust that he will return so I go talk to Siel'Kel. Lex is somewhere else.

- You're awake. How is Aktor?

- He will come to us soon. He just needs a little more time. Now then let's talk about you and you furure sight.

- So you learned that. What of it?

- You knew about many deaths and could have prevented them. Why didn't you?

- I only promised to watch over the great soultree. Nothing more, nothing less.

- So you're okay on seeing people die infront of you?

- I learned that I can't change what happens in the future. I've tried many things, but I can't.

- So that's your excuse.

- It's the truth. Well you and Aktor are different story.

- What do you mean?

- You seem to be able to change what happens in the future. I can see your future, but it changes from time to time. My only explanation is that the fragment of Soul is affecting my ability to see your future. Perhaps I can only see your future and not the future Soul is affecting.

- I can change the future. Then what about Aktor?

- I can't see his future at all. I believe it's his ability to stay out of sight that is affecting my ability. It's like he doesn't exist in the future I see. That makes him able to change the future quite often. For example, the future I saw is where Lex is injured gravely when the shield breaks. But then Aktor came and made just enough time for me to cast my spell and end the rampage of the shade.

- That's... quite a lot to take in. Tell Aktor what you told me when he wakes up. I'm going to get some sleep.

- Good night then.

I go to the temple and get some sleep. Perhaps Oblew will be watching my dream with me.