EPISODE 26: THE HUNT FOR THE DREAMWEAVER AND THE LAND OF THE DAGARA

I stood on a land, a strange unfamiliar, yet strangely familiar land. I could vaguely sense that I was in a dream. But the nature of this dream was not quite similar to the Dreams I was familiar with. Not the dreams of a fading consciousness, nor the dreams of an unfamiliar world. This was a dream of a place I was sure existed. This was a dream that felt like a memory. A primal memory. A memory I knew...was not my own.

Before me stood a rhinoceros. A gigantic rhinoceros with a horn unlike anything I had ever seen. As this rhinoceros approached me, I could feel a familiar malice surround me and destruction followed in its wake. People were forced to flee their homes. People living sedentary lives were turned into nomads.

As the rhinoceros rampaged the land in its sickening rage at an alarming rate, I felt myself dragged by it though it wasn't physically holding me. It was like we were bound but not touching. As we raced through lands, trampling them, I being forced to witness everything without the ability to do anything to stop it, a man appeared and held my hand.

His face was clouded in shadow. Yet his eyes glowed crimson. Around him was a force resembling a crimson flame and then lines of recognition appeared on his face. I believe it would be more accurate to call them "Lines Of Identity". I stared at him in awe as he grabbed the rhinoceros by its tail to slow down its assault. He grabbed me by the hand and said to me:

"Are you just looking at all that is happening or are you really seeing all this?"

I recognized his voice.

"Father?" I gasped in surprise.

"Let me show you the power of the culture you call primitive!" he said as he held me and broke me out of the rhinoceros' dominion.

The rhino turned on him and attempted to trample him.

"I admit humans may be weak but if you're going to terrorize us in the likeness of a beast; then you've already lost!" the man said as he leapt into the air.

He was as agile as a monkey.

"Gravity is my friend; but the strength in your body will turn it into your foe" the man said as he landed on the back of the rhinoceros.

He raised his arm.

"Your flesh is almost impenetrable; my arm weak; but in the land where man and nature dwell in harmony; battling my weakness is battling nature!" the man said as he thrust his hand into the body of the rhinoceros.

It screamed in pain and attempted to shake him off. The force of its berserk rage threw the man off.

He smirked.

"When you did that...bet you never heard of acceleration" the man said as he removed a grappling hook from his clothes and threw it towards the creature.

The hook pierced the creature in the flesh and the man thrust himself towards it building momentum. As he neared it, he unsheathed a blade and sliced off the rhino's horn.

He thrust his sword into its body and cut it; or at least that was what I thought I saw. When the man landed on his feet, the rhino remained unscathed.

The man had his back to it and then he spoke;

"I hear you are named Ziri, which in my dialect means "Lies". I shall tell you my name now. In some cultures, I am referred to as Nightbane; "Bane Of The Dark". However; my clansmen refer to me as "Sanziri" which means; "The Destroyer Of Lies". Remember now how long you've lived and yet regardless of how much your conceited knowledge has informed you about mankind; there still exist cultures who do not defy nature but befriend it and hence learn the laws of nature and prosper through them. We do not attempt to replicate nature by destroying what is already in nature and so we remain primitive. Our land is a harsh one; a land without sea, where the sun is scorching. A land though, where wildlife roams free. A land without most of the benefits of electricity, yet the stars and the moon shine brighter in the darkness of our land than in the lights of the lands you are familiar with. Our culture may seem primitive to you but in your conceitedness, you were defeated by a primitive culture; a culture from "The Land Of The Dagara". The House Of My Tribe to which I am affiliated bears the totem of the Lion; King Of The Forest" the man said.

"H-How...?" the rhino spoke much to my utmost amazement.

"The body of the rhino remains intact does it not? I battled you without harming the beast you've enslaved. If you find it difficult to comprehend I'll try to explain it in a way you might understand, though I doubt you would comprehend the simplicity of this battle art. It wasn't my sword that beat you; neither was it my agility nor any other weapons I used. It wasn't even nature in its fundamental sense. What destroyed you was "My Identity" and that is why the marks on my face are known as "The Seals Of Recognition". They are the proof of my identity and the evidence that I am an accepted member of my clan; and in essence, they prove my humanity. It is these Seals Of Recognition that appear when my Identity becomes a part of my battle and it is my Identity that defeated yours" the man said.

I could vaguely comprehend what he was trying to say. As I watched, the man reached into the creature and pulled out a void of intense darkness. He dragged the void, pulled out his sword and struck the air.

When he did that, everything I thought I knew about visibility and invisibility was completely turned upside down.

What I thought was the horizon actually opened up like a door. The man threw this void into the "horizon" and locked it up with his sword.

For a brief moment, I could understand vaguely what the reality we thought we knew so well was like. It was like a painting; we were objects within the painting. Objects whose existence was defined by the borders of the painting. Objects that could not reach out of the painting into the world of the painter. Yet, somehow, this man had found a way to open the canvas of the painting like a door and throw things out of the painting and pull things into the painting. In essence, the man was aiding the painter by painting alongside him.

2ND JANUARY, 2012

I woke up from this dream and found Ananse staring at me.

"Let me guess, you just had a dream you can vaguely comprehend but cannot classify as real, illusory or memory" Ananse simply summed up the entire experience.

I nodded.

"Y-You finally had...THE DREAM?!" he exclaimed in awe.

"I don't know what you mean by that but this dream was plain weird" I said and narrated what I saw to him.

He chuckled and had a nostalgic look in his eyes as though he had finally accomplished his life's work.

"Your identity is calling out to you" he said.

"What's this 'Identity' thing that keeps repeating in my dream?" I asked him.

"I hope you're old enough to understand what I'm going to tell you Zan. In this world, there are two kinds of legacies human beings leave behind. The nature of one of these legacies is "Entrusting". The second is "Identity". To tell the truth, human beings have an amazing trait despite all our faults. A trait I believe baffles even the forces. One of these traits is the Human Soul. The Second is "The Debate Of Human Mortality". Human beings in this reality are mortal, yet in some ways immortal. I believe that we have one mortal life to live but blessed humans live three lives on the average. They live their lives; live their lives through the lives of their children and then relive their lives through the lives of their grandchildren. This becomes the nature of "The Entrusting Legacy". The reason our wisdom of old considered childbearing a blessing and not a curse. Our children are shaped by our lives and then regardless of whether they live their lives according to a plan we pre-fashion for them or by their own convictions; they continue on with the legacies we leave behind. Then there is a second type of legacy known as "The Legacy Of Identity". This legacy is left by people; by virtue of "who they were in their lifetimes". You find their names resounding throughout history regardless of whether they leave behind descendants or not. Now, could you imagine the possible future humans could have if we left behind both the legacies of "Entrusting" and "Identity" in positive ways? There lies one of the secrets to the collective immortality of mankind. The second immortality is a more personal one but sadly, not many are able to see it for what it truly is" Ananse said.

"I see. I kinda understand...vaguely" I muttered.

IN THE KIRISAWA RESIDENCE...

"Dad, there's something I want to talk to you about" Ayumi approached her father, Ryuuji Kirisawa as he sat in his study reading a book about human-machine interfacing.

"Anything bothering you Ayumi?" her father asked without shifting his focus.

"There's this thing that's happened to my sigil...and Zan's" Ayumi muttered nervously.

"I hope the Pyrogeysers are alright" Mr Kirisawa said.

"Actually, I'm not sure about that myself. The Pyrogeysers are gone. And so is Zan's Silver Dream. They've become a new sigil" Ayumi said.

"What do you mean by they've become a new sigil?" Mr Kirisawa stared at his daughter suspiciously from the corner of his eyes.

"The two have become a single sigil and still they are fundamentally different. Zan and I named it the Pyrostellis Luminares; The Fiery Star Heavenly Lights" Ayumi explained.

"Interesting, where lies the problem?" Mr Kirisawa asked.

"I'm not quite sure it's a stable sigil and its properties greatly differ from the Pyrogeysers and so I'm unsure of whether I can apply all I've learnt about our family's Shinsei Ryuuenjinn battle style. I'm not even sure I can summon Shinsei Ryuuenjinn in battle anymore" Ayumi said.

"What do you mean" Mr Kirisawa asked.

"I say our sigil might be unstable because of something that happened while we battled Sloth and Decay. When Zan was split apart into his various attributes, the Pyrostellis Luminares regressed to our previous sigils" Ayumi explained. "On top of that I cannot verify the nature of this sigil. It started out as two blades linked by a cord of sorts; but when we fused them; it became a cannon. I'm worried about how it can impact our fighting styles and considering Zanfar's imminent advent, I'm not sure I'm ready for something like this. Zan spoke of an edge against Zanfar but he may have just been second guessing as well. In truth, none of us can verify Zanfar's true nature" Ayumi said.

"You are worried about so many things Ayumi. Haven't you learnt anything from your courtship of the seven Zans? If I learnt one thing, it's that you can't bring out your true potential if you are divided against yourself" Mr Kirisawa said calmly.

"I know" Ayumi said.

"Besides, this is partially your fault. What do you expect after a heart transplant from Zan? I've heard the saying of giving your heart away but never witnessed it in the sense Zan gave his. Maybe except for when I gave mine to your mother and the Princess Of Dreams to the Nightmare King; haha! You and Zan can no longer be considered separate entities so to speak, but at the same time, you're not completely one. So my guess is your sigils changed accordingly and took on a dualistic yet unary nature that can switch depending on your feelings about the fight. That might explain why it became a rocket launcher when you chose to blast Sloth and Decay to smithereens" Mr Kirisawa said almost indifferently.

"Hey, hey old man, I never said anything about a rocket launcher. But if the Pyrostellis Luminares is a dynamic weapon, things might get interesting" Ayumi thought.

"So do you want me to teach you?" Mr Kirisawa asked.

"What father?" Ayumi asked.

"Don't be silly, the ultimate technique of our family's battle style" Mr Kirisawa said.

"Heh, you're quite stubborn about retirement ain't you dad? I've already been deemed worthy as your successor. We both know I can summon Shinsei Ryuuenjinn now" Ayumi boasted and started to walk away.

"Suit yourself. Hope it doesn't take you twenty years to Master the Reborn Dragon Flame God Assimilation technique; and then another twenty years to Master the epitome of our battle style; the Ryuuenjinn no Sotensouryu; otherwise known as the Reborn Dragon Flame God's Blue Heavens Twin Dragons. Well, I did manage to master both by the time I was forty making me the youngest in our ancestral line to master this technique" Mr Kirisawa said.

"You're bluffing" Ayumi said.

"Can you afford to assume I am at this critical time? I pride myself in the fact that your tenacious willpower drove you to discover how to summon Shinsei Ryuuennjinn at such a tender age but do not fool yourself into believing five or even ten strikes is the zenith of Shinsei Ryuuennjinn's ability a human can call upon" Mr Kirisawa said.

"Damn you dad! So you held back in all our battles and training sessions?!" Ayumi roared angrily.

"I didn't want to kill my daughter. Forgive me if I have to say all you knew how to do then was spout flames. You've changed since then. If you can sense the development of your sigil then I deem you worthy" Mr Kirisawa said.

"How long will it take?" Ayumi asked.

"No less than thirty years at least" Mr Kirisawa asked.

"HAVE YOU GONE SENILE?! ZANFAR'S SHOWING SIGNS OF CRUSHING THE NEW YEAR AND YOU CAN PROJECT THIRTY MORE YEARS SO CONFIDENTLY?!" Ayumi yelled angrily.

"Well, it is possible to simulate thirty years without affecting the ageing process of your body. A hyperbolic time chamber of sorts if you'd like to call it so" Mr Kirisawa chuckled slyly.

"I think you've read too many manga!" Ayumi roared and turned to leave.

"If after all you've witnessed, you can so clearly define the borders of dreams and reality and impose limits on them; you might be the one that has gone senile Ayumi. Either that or you're just delusional" Mr Kirisawa said.

MEANWHILE, LOWER EAST SIDE DREAM CITY...9:00GMT THE SAME DAY

I had just finished taking my bath. I wore my slippers and informed Ananse of my plans to visit the Kirisawas.

He said eerily...

"I hope you arrive at your final destination" and then he walked away with a creepy laugh.

When I stepped out of the house, I stared at the clear blue New Year Sky. So I couldn't stay up long enough to keep the New Year's Vigil. My only chance to wish Ayu a Happy New Year was today. Them belated stuff don't cut it for sweethearts.

"A clear blue sky, just like Ayu" I sighed.

OKAY! STO-O-O-OP! Which continent did you say Dream City was on again?

Never said! I thought I told you not to even ask in Ep 1!

Blue sky on New Year's day? Now I'm actually curious!

May Zanfar bless your New Year with a pleasant dream.

BARBARIC!!!

So where was I?

Gallop! Gallop! Gallop!

Yes, there was,

"A clear blue sky, just like Ayu when she's in a good mood" I thought.

(Sorry to say pal but you just misquoted yourself. You have no right to be playing defense).

Gallop! Gallop! Gallop!

"No streetfights, no muggings, no old ladies waiting to smack your head with their hand bags...just the beautiful sound of horses prancing about the city.

Gallop! Gallop! Gallop!

"Wait, there really are prancing sounds! Is it Santa?!" I thought and turned towards the sound.

Neigh!

The nine creatures I witnessed that day were definitely not horses and they were especially nothing like reindeer. Fearful unicorn like creatures they were, except for their flaming bladed single horns and intensely determined flaming eyes. Besides that; their hoofs were clothed in flames and their entire bodies were shielded in Silvery White armor as though the armor was a part of their bodies! At that moment, I definitely didn't want to know who their Santa was but he definitely made sure I knew a moment later.

"Happy New Year Son!" the voice called while laughing maniacally.

In his right hand was a lasso! I definitely didn't want to know why that thing was in his hands and why those unicorn wannabes were so focused intently on me. I did the natural thing and attempted to flee the heck out of the area. Other people in the area could not see this phenomenon but they could feel a sudden wave of heat brush past.

"Stay in the past year!" I screamed and escaped as fast as I could.

In the next moment, the lasso was around my body and I was (insert...snapshot 1; snapshot 2; snapshot 3 here) lifted from the ground.

"ON THE 3D NATURE OF DRUAGA IN A 2D ANIME, WHAT IS THIS, SOMETHING OUT OF CHARLES DICKENS 'A CHRISTMAS CAROL?' AND WHAT ARE YOU, THE GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE?!" I screamed.

"I have a question of my own, what are you, Emma Colette? How many literary allusions do you need to prove your point?" the Nightmare King, my dad laughed at me as we soared through the skies.

"Knowing your nature, I have just one thing to say to you" I muttered angrily.

"Spill it son" he said.

"Place me gently on the ground somewhere and zoom off to wherever it is the Ghost Of Christmas Past Lives!" I screamed in horror.

"You had the dream didn't you?" my dad laughed happily.

"More like a nightmare and then you, the King Of Nightmares just up and decide to make a feature appearance" I growled.

"Then buckle up son...cos we're heading home...TO AFRICA!!!" my dad screamed.

"You're insane!!! Do you intend to fly me this way all the way to Africa?!! A-Are you stupid or something?! (Good thing that kangaroo was already on the gallows!)" I screamed in horror.

"I find your lack of originality rather distasteful. So yeah, unless you can spout one original phrase, this is as much as your first class ticket can accommodate. Heh, just said accommodate" the Nightmare King said.

"Go jump in a black hole while it absorbs the force of a hypernova!" I yelled.

"Like I said, an unoriginal tongue" the Nightmare King said as he picked up the reins.

"FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT JUMEN ORKAN...AND I'M NOT NICE ENOUGH TO CALL YOU BY NAME!" my father said as he turned to me.

"You're a monster" I muttered in defeat and then..."NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!" my voice trailed off as my father winked at me and whipped the reins.

We immediately vanished from sight.

MEANWHILE...IN THE DREAM WORLD...

Tyrannes, the Chancellor of the Dream King, also known as Sloth, Sin and don't forget his other alias, Chancellor With The Name Tyrant; I'll never let you forget how you messed up this much gramps; had been respawned by Zanfar.

"Your final task is at hand Sloth. Gaze into the world of humans and see what your works have created. Indifference, indecision, a false sense of security. They gaze at all the turmoil around them and somehow find it easy to delude themselves into believing this turmoil is far from them. This is the second day of a New Year. I believe I shall delay my coming for a bit. Let them spend one happy week in the false bliss created by their delusions. The sixth day will teach them just how fragile the state of happiness and security truly are. You were sure to hand your stone and Decay's to my other self as planned; were you not Sloth?" Zanfar asked.

"I did exactly as you instructed. The predictable nature of humans took care of the rest. Now we will force your other self into being the hand that opens the Forbidden Gate" Sloth said.

"Let the Hunt for The Dreamweaver commence! Let us see if what Sanziri said is true. Can a fragile human identity really overcome mine; the one also known as The Devil's Ultimate Living Sigil?" Zanfar chuckled slightly.

"I fail to see the point. At your current power level, you could easily shatter the gate" Sloth said.

"You underestimate Zion, Sloth. If I shatter the gate with my own hands, Zion will immediately throw me back in. That is why our only way forward is by influencing human affairs. A human hand will undo this seal. That is the significance behind the birth of the Human Dreamweaver and the true nature behind the malice directed towards him since his birth. That fool has even deluded himself into believing that I hate humans so much I would detest becoming one of them. My original plan was always to incarnate in a human body and utilize its almost unlimited adaptability to material and spiritual power. Without realizing it, even the rebellious Chaos served my plans. I'll leave everything to you now Sloth. Herald the Deplorable Dream, like you're supposed to" Zanfar ordered.

IN THE KIRISAWA RESIDENCE...

"Interesting proposition dad but no thanks" Ayumi refused.

"What?!" Mr Kirisawa exclaimed in shock.

"I have my warrior's pride as well. For someone who intends to surpass you, I don't intend to walk in your shadow for forty years; not even if they are forty years projected in a hyperbolic time-space chamber" Ayumi said.

"You really are stubborn, just like your mother" Mr Kirisawa said.

"If Ryuennjinn no sotensouryu was so effective, Zanfar should have been defeated by now. It will take more than just fighting techniques to beat Zanfar. That is one thing I am certain of; the fact that we don't know what exactly...is unsettling. Needless to say, elemental attacks may be useless against him as well" Ayumi said.

"You realize all that and still..." Mr Kirisawa was saying when Ayumi interrupted him.

"I appreciate your concern dad, I really do, but I'll train in my own way" Ayumi said as she walked away.

THE NIGHT OF 2ND JANUARY 2012

UPPER WEST REGION, GHANA...THE LAND OF THE DAGARA...

"Know your identity; and let tears flow;

The Seal is there; within you know;

Now find yourself, make sure you're free;

You are My Kin; My Family..."

I was in a dark place; a dark place within myself; no dreams, no nightmares; just silence. And then this song broke through the darkness. All I could see was a brilliant light. I could feel the mysterious nature of the land.

It was a dry land, during this season. A severe dryness permeated my skin, even into this state of dreamlessness I found myself in. "The Harmattan" was what they called it. A wind that blew from the North-East. A land or should I say; a part of the land unbounded by the sea. A Savannah with scattered trees so much that you could see a very long distance through the trees. A land with so many questions concerning its history. In the daytime, it was a land that was almost unbearable to live in. Extremely hot; but when cold, extremely cold. It was almost as though the land itself knew no moderation, in-betweens, or perhaps it would be best to say "fence sitting". Historically, during the time of slave raiders and slave trade and colonial rule; these people were known by the Southerners of The Land as "Those That Were Exact". Their way of living was so carefully controlled to meet their standards that the title "The Exact Ones" became almost a derogatory term in much later years.

Surprisingly, the land was not as primitive as my dream had made me believe. Though further North, there were people that lived in mud houses and huts for the sake of preserving the coolness of their homes; a little south of the land, you could find brick buildings; block houses, electrical facilities and water supply though in the case of water, a lot of people utilized bore holes. In all, the land wasn't as primitive as I had originally imagined. In the day time; it was a harsh land...but I was in the North of the land...away from a lot of the electrical appliances and in a house made of blocks hidden among the trees. It was so silent and peaceful that I could hear the insects. The crickets were especially loud.

I opened my eyes and found my dad in a smock and dark trousers. The smock was a tribal shirt woven heavily and made up of stripes of similar colors, short-sleeved and a neck that was slit down to around the chest area. Surrounding this slit was an elaborate pattern of weaves.

"He woke up much sooner than I expected" I heard a familiar voice.

"Ananse! You're here too?! But how?!" I exclaimed in annoyance. "Did you two scheme this?!" I growled angrily.

"You're such an antisocial lad aren't you Zan? To think you'd keep so much from your dear Uncle who was so worried about you" Ananse complained.

"My salary, now!" I stretched out my hand skeptically.

"Come now Zan, don't you trust your dear Uncle Ananse?" Ananse asked.

"When it comes to advice, yes, I do; but in matters relating to money; food or any material good; I'm sorry to say a peacock would do a much better job at not being extravagant" I said.

"Hahaha! Finally, an original line! That's my son!" the Nightmare King laughed happily.

"And you dad, what are you scheming?" I stared at him.

"Nothing really; just wanted to spend some father-son bonding time. It gets so tiresome ruling the realm of Nightmares all the time" the Nightmare King complained.

"Yeah, I totally agree. Only you could pull off such a feat and still have time to 'lasso' your dear son all the way to Africa" I folded my arms and grumbled. "Let me guess; we're here for some special training aren't we?"

"Of course we are. But this special training is going to be different from anything you've ever done since you summoned your sword" the Nightmare King said.

"You mean my sigil" I corrected him.

None of them reacted for a while.

"For your son Sanziri, I'm compelled to say this boy is quite dumb" Ananse said.

"Like you're one to talk! Who hides a pot of wisdom on a coconut tree?!" I yelled at him.

"Sadly, that was my mistake..." Ananse said. "I should have hidden it on a Baobab tree".

"That was not the point!" I yelled at him.

"I thought it was a palm tree. Hmm, never mind! Besides, you shouldn't call me Ananse here. Ananse is the title I am given when I travel South Of The Land. Up North Of The Land; my title is 'Bader'" Ananse said with an elaborate pose.

"Huh? So Ananse was not his name?" the Nightmare King seemed surprised.

"Then I should just call you Spider!" I roared.

"Zan; don't encourage him. That sort of argument will never end" the Nightmare King said with a regretful look on his face.

I took in a deep breath.

"So you were saying something about special training" I asked.

"Yes. I've brought you here to prepare you to face Zanfar and in the worst case; Zanböngfar. Your regimen is going to be extremely tough. You might die" the Nightmare King said with a grim look on his face.

I gulped.

"Your special training is...NO TRAINING FOR A WEEK!" the Nightmare King declared.

"Oh, I see, I see, sounds horrifyi...wait what? Did I perchance not perceive your words correctly?" I asked with a puzzled look on my face.

"Oh, you heard right" the Nightmare King said with a smirk.

"................................................................................................................................

WETIN KIND STUPID JOKE BE THIS?!" I roared angrily.

3RD JANUARY, 2012;

I woke up from my slumber. There was a cool breeze in the air. The land was almost silent but the songs of the birds and the buzzing of the insects felt quite soothing. But the cool breeze I mentioned earlier; it wasn't exactly a wonderful breeze. Rather it was a harsh, dry misty breeze.

"So this is the harmattan huh?" I wondered. "Now I wonder, where do I fetch some water to take my bath? Wait before that...how do I brush my teeth since...I left everything in Dream City!"

I found my dad sitting outside the brick house that was our temporary accommodation chewing on a branch.

"Dad, good morning" I grumbled.

"Why don't you just say upfront, I hope you have a bad day?" the Nightmare King stared at me from the corner of his eyes.

"I'm glad you can read that much into my greeting. Do I have any toothbrush I can use?" I asked.

It was already far too embarrassing to ask that normally; but it felt far worse to ask the man I didn't want to acknowledge as my father that question.

"Well, if we head towards Wa; we should be able to find some to buy. I'm not as familiar with this land as I was in the past myself" the Nightmare King said, almost in a growling whisper.

"So how did you brush your teeth then?" I asked him.

"Brush my teeth? I'm brushing my teeth right now" he chuckled sinisterly.

"But I don't see a brush" I smirked in an attempt to close the lid on the bubbling cauldron called my anger but this guy was seriously trying to pry it open.

"Don't have such a one track mind Zan. Look at the tree behind you. It has quite thin and flexible branches. Cut one of reasonable size, skin it and come join me. If you think you've lived a ghetto life, this should be no big deal. Besides; every man knows this simple truth; 'in the absence of an ideal situation, man shall improvise!'" the Nightmare King said.

I growled angrily but there wasn't much I could do so I obeyed him and broke a thin branch, found a knife and skinned it. Then I placed it into my mouth. It tasted quite bitter at first but after chewing it for a while, it started to feel quite enjoyable.

"You don't have to force yourself to drink the fluid generated from chewing on the branch" the Nightmare King said with a straight face.

"Yeah, thanks for telling me on time" I said as the two of us sat on the ground, chewing the branches and trying our very best not to look at one another.

"So how do we take our baths now?" I asked the Nightmare King.

"Since I grabbed you impromptu and brought you here. Didn't exactly have time to think of setting the place up for accommodation. Your dear Uncle was able to trick some of the villagers into cleaning up the place" the Nightmare King said amidst more chomping sounds.

I was even more irritated than I was before.

"For someone who has lived too long, you sure are quite a kid dad" I complained.

"Hmmph! Don't blame me. I haven't had the need to do any of these things for a very long time. It takes some getting used to. Dreams and Reality are very different after all" the Nightmare King said expressionlessly.

"Welcome to the Real World dad" I smirked and patted him on the back.

I could sense that his eyebrows were twitching angrily but I refused to acknowledge his anger.

"Don't act like a third person who is unaffected; the land will get to you soon" the Nightmare King almost threatened.

"Heh, you underestimate my survival instincts dad. Like you said, I was raised in the ghetto" I laughed smugly and left the Nightmare King to explore the land.

"What I hate about this lad; in every single way, he's just like me" the Nightmare King muttered to himself. "Ariel, I never should have wished that on our son. Perhaps I understand now why the Dreamweaver is such a terrifying force. He is far too smart mouthed to have earned that skill naturally".

IN THE KIRISAWA RESIDENCE...

Ayumi lay on the couch in the sitting room.

"I've read as many books in our library as I possibly can today and I've still found nothing more about Zanfar. In fact, there is no explicit mention of the force known as "Zanfar". It might be a term probably only used in Dagara culture but I find it hard to believe that there is no literature on the force known as Zanfar" she thought. "I thought I could at least help Zan by gathering more knowledge on the events surrounding the History Of Dreams and Nightmares and his birth. To be honest though; no one knew the true nature of Zanfar until Bamane dropped hints and Enslavement confessed" Ayumi sighed.

"Zan; looks like we're already running into road blocks. Please remain safe" Ayumi said worriedly as she shut her eyes and sighed again.

MOMENTS LATER…

"Ayumi Kirisawa" a voice called out to her just before she drifted into slumber.

"Who are you?" she growled.

Her mind presented her within a place surrounded by mist. She put up her guard. Her Pyrostellis; a blade that flamed with an intense golden blaze was already equipped. Her armor had changed as well. Her clothes seemed lighter than her previous armor. She in fact appeared to be clothed in a warm golden blaze.

"I like the look of your flames now….Ayumi Kirisawa. They are now kind and purifying; not the kind driven by malice. You once said; your family was founded to sever the chains binding light didn't you? Can you save the Dreamweaver?" the voice asked her.

She looked ahead and saw two figures. One of them appeared to be cloaked in bright light; a kind ever changing light. The other was cloaked in intense flame similar to those of her Pyrogeysers in the past. Both men appeared to be partly human and dragon in likeness. Their facial features were human and their bodies appeared to be humanoid but they had wings and scales on their limbs like the scales of dragons made of flame and light. One of the men; had bright white wings like those of an angel. The other had wings made out of flame. Both men seemed familiar.

"We've met before Ayumi Kirisawa; on that dreaded day, known now as The Battle Of Black Water Bridge. Our interaction then was more with your sister than with you" one of the men; the one who appeared to be made from light said.

"I recognize you. You flew over our army back then. You were part of the Nightmare King's Gamma Knightmare Forces" Ayumi said.

"Ayumi Kirisawa, you may not know us but we've met your sister Ai once, during the battle of Black Water Bridge. Your eyes are different now than they used to be. You have the eyes of one who has found herself so we will present you with a gift. This blade; it is a sigil; but one forged from many feelings. It has the power to sever bonded forces of a polar opposite nature. However, over time, its blade has been dulled by the superfluous feelings roaming this world and that is why truth appears to be a force that holds almost no power in your world. Do you wish to save Zan?" Darag-Arokna, the man who appeared to be made from flame, asked her.

"I do. If there is a way, please tell me" Ayumi pleaded.

"There is a way. If ever there comes a time he is consumed by evil to such an extent that he loses sight of who he is, you might be forced to teach him how to be human all over again. As absurd as it sounds, he might have to learn anew how to be human. That is what this sword does. Fill it with the depth of your feelings and plunge it into his heart, however if your feelings are not true, he will remain corrupted and destroy you and everything and eventually, himself. Can you live with that?" Aralpheisl; the man who appeared to be made from light said.

"What is this blade?" Ayumi asked as she took it within her arms.

It felt lifeless. There was absolutely nothing special about it.

"Its name is "Kommeno Syndesmo". It means "Severed link"; and so you should be prepared as well...in case the result of its use is that you'll be forgotten again" the two men said as they disappeared.

Ayumi awakened from her sleep to find herself clutching a sword rusted tight within its sheath. Her discovery puzzled her but her heart was beginning to become more focused and calm. This might be the only way to save the one she loved but the final outcome would not depend on the lifeless sword in her hands; but on the depth of her feelings.

IN THE UPPER WEST REGION OF GHANA…

My heart skipped a beat. It felt strange. At first, it was a feeling of unease and fear; not the frightening kind of fear but a momentary awe. Afterwards, I started to feel calmer.

"Ayumi" I thought silently with a smile.

I was walking through the village of Nandom, hoping to find a river but during the Harmattan season; everything was dry. Even rivers dried up.

"Zan!" I heard a familiar voice call to me.

I growled in irritation.

"Ananse!" I muttered angrily.

I turned around and saw him approach me. He had a calabash of Pito in his hands; a popular local wine completely brewed naturally.

"Isn't it a bit too early to be drinking?" I chastised him on his reckless behaviour.

He laughed at me.

"You've been a bit out of character lately. Come on Zan, what happened to the funny guy we all used to know. Lately, your sarcasm has almost been cynical. Has Zanfar finally taken over?" Ananse teased me.

I sighed. Then I lowered my head sadly.

"Can I speak with you Ananse; I mean, really speak with you?" I said seriously.

"Come on; let's head back to the house" Ananse motioned.

"That's the reason. After growing up without my dad; it's kinda weird to have him around so suddenly. I can't quite get used to him and a part of me is still angry. With all his power; and I know my dad is really strong; why didn't he save Wanye?" I asked Ananse.

Ananse looked quite grave.

"Zan, you might hate him even more after I say this; but San; your father; he doesn't fight mortal battles. Have you ever heard the tale; how he achieved the title Destroyer Of Lies?" Ananse asked me.

"Wanye told me the tale so many times. I always looked up to Sanziri; then when I learned that he was my dad…I just couldn't stop feeling angry. He could have saved Wanye. Wanye believed in his heroism!" I declared.

"I don't know much about the Sanziri you've exemplified so much but your dad has always been a queer person. Even his fighting style is insane; all forces know how fearful a person he can be. Not one of the Dream Knights; not even the Dream King has seen Sanziri fight with all his strength when he is greatly angered. You saw it first hand in your dream didn't you? The battle against The King Of Lies. How he was defeated. Normally, people would see what Sanziri did as sealing Ziri up but it is not something quite as simple. When normal people look up at the sky; they see an endlessness that can never be reached. When Sanziri looks up at the sky during a real battle; he sees himself as part of a painting. The sky is a canvas; but a canvas he, a part of the painting can tear open and interact with his painter. Sanziri has battled Nightmares for so long; he no longer perceives battles in the same way the rest of the Dream Knights; and Nightmares do. Everything he does; every decision he makes; he weighs in light of an eternal destiny. Human affairs should be handled by human hands and regardless of whether you are his son or not; he acknowledges that Wanye chose as a human being to protect you even if it meant his death. Your father is a great man…but he is such a pain. Like you I doubt he'll ever really grow up regardless of how strong he becomes" Ananse said.

I laughed.

"You know him really well" I said.

"But I've come to realize that you should best be careful when something seemingly absurd escapes that man's mouth. Regardless of how pointless some of his decisions may seem; they always have far reaching consequences. It's like shooting an arrow that can hit its mark in twenty years. His decision to marry your mother was out of love; but even then; seeing how things have progressed so far; I doubt it was driven by feelings alone. Only one man stands at par with your father in this mortal world; I believe he might show himself soon so watch out Zan; for the Breaker; Olele, the one also known as Code Ageless" Ananse cautioned me.

I began to feel some newfound respect for my dad. I sighed.

"I suppose it shouldn't be too harmful if I rested up a bit" I said.

Ananse nodded. Ananse and I returned to our temporary accommodation. We found my dad resting with his shirt off. For the first time; I briefly saw his face. I was surprised to find out how much I resembled him. Then the shadows began to mask his face again.

"You know; if you're so scared of Zanfar, you could always lose" he said.

"TCH! As I suspected, you really know how to irritate me!" I roared.

"I haven't been there for much of your life son but I've been watching you. I will give you your first bit of fatherly advice. It is alright to be beaten down like a dog. But the fight isn't lost until you refuse to stand up. If you can't knock your foe down; then stand up until he quits!" my dad said.

"Heh! Sounds too painful. I've not been training all this while to be beaten down like a dog! I come from a line of people who view nature as a friend and while you're the worst kind of villain; mom's a cool heroine; it's no wonder my mind's so messed up. I know my weakness in Maths comes from you dad! Mom wouldn't be such a screw up!" I roared angrily.

"I hate numbers. It is a well-known fact that the most unforgiving kind of people are those that keep numerical records. Besides, I fail to see the connection in your thought patterns?!" the Nightmare King said.

"Ah, that so huh? I'm glad to hear that. I'll be sure to remember that the next time I flunk a Maths test" I growled at him menacingly.

"Flunk the next test and even the torrential power of a black hole's force of gravity won't be enough to teach you the meaning of regret. You'd better not fail. The fact that I hate numbers does not necessarily mean I will indulge your failures!" the Nightmare King said as he glared at me with crimson eyes. "And if you think I'm scary, you should wait till your mom gets back".

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" I asked him.

"Your mother is far more resilient than you think. Without her, Zanfar would have already made a move. To think she'd be able to keep him immobilized for twenty years. I'm impressed Ariel. Endure for just a little longer…for our son's sake" the Nightmare King thought silently.

IN THE CASTLE OF DREAMS…

The Chancellor Of Dreams had called a meeting of the Dream Knights. The Arthurs and Kenyahs had finally returned. The Kirisawas had excused themselves from attending this meeting since they could sense that a trap was being set up for them. They knew that the other knights by now questioned their allegiance to the Dream King and an execution order might not be very far off. Unfortunately, this was the very essence of the meeting.

"This has been long in coming but finally, we possess all Seven Elemental Stones Of Sealing. They now lie in the hands of the Kirisawa House Of Dream Knights. The Dreamweaver has outlived his usefulness. It is finally time to hunt him down and ensure that the revival of the dark lord Zanfar is never realized! Find the Dreamweaver and take him down; if the Kirisawas get in your way; by order of the Dream King; they are to be annihilated as well…with extreme prejudice!" the Chancellor ordered.

Loud cheers echoed throughout the Hall Of The Dream Knights.

"Wh-What are…?!" Victoria was about to object when Face placed his hand over her mouth to silence her.

"Ssh! You'll be killed as well. We have to warn the Kirisawas. I'm sure they'll get word to Zan. It seems he's been laying low for a while now" Face whispered as discreetly as possible.

Victoria nodded.

THE LAND OF THE DAGARA…

I stood before the elders of my village; in the Upper West Region Of Ghana. The chief was seated on the skin of a lion. In my tribe, the chiefs did not sit on thrones; neither did they sit on stools as was the tradition South Of The Country; they sat on skins. The skins of wild animals caught during a hunt. For some reason, I thought that was pretty cool.

I recalled my dad's words before I was presented.

"Zan, we're meeting with the elders of the tribe and our clansmen. Remember, our interaction will be with men of high repute. Do not lock eyes with anyone; it will be viewed as a sign of disrespect; do not speak unless spoken to; do not speak out of turn; and finally; listen to me and get this right…you are not from the Clan Of Lions. Our tribe operates around a familial system referred to as "Yir" or "Houses". The Lion is the totem of the "Yir" to which we are affiliated. I can't beat our entire system into you in this short time but I guess if anyone should ask…you could say…you are from "The House Of Lions". Our blood flows through you but you cannot call yourself a true Dagara until you've met with the rest of your brethren and they've acknowledged you as a Member Of The Family" my father had informed me.

"State your purpose, Great Hero Sanziri; the Destroyer Of The Great Beast; also known as Ziri the King of Lies" the chief demanded a reason for this unexpected visit.

"The boy you see before you is the one I've spoken to you so often about. He is the human that houses the essence of both Dreams and Nightmares within; the essence of Light and Darkness; the one I believe will free Zanviel, the beautiful dream and destroy the one we know as Zanböngfar. I wish for him to be recognized as a part of our clan and receive from the Heavens, a restoration of his familial link; His Seal Of Identity!" the Nightmare King declared.

There were sounds of murmuring as the elders seemed to debate among themselves. Whispers circulated around the room for a while; and then the chief raised his hand, motioning for everyone to remain silent.

"What say you; Tindana? The custodian of the land?" an elder asked one of the men present.

"I see no reason why the boy should remain cut off from his roots. When the roots of a plant are cut off; the entire tree risks death" the man referred to as the custodian of the land said.

"Very well; as you have spoken, so shall it be; Zan Sanziri; I welcome you into the tribe as a Dagara clansman; as it is the will of the Heavens, so shall it be done!" the chief declared.

A bright aura flashed around me and materialized as a Silver Flame. The Nightbane appeared in my hands and shattered; the Silver Dream appeared and shattered; and finally; the Pyrostellis Luminares appeared.

"You seem to really like this one, don't you? My brother from on High" I muttered with a grin as my eyes changed color from their dark brown to a silvery like color.

"Pure Eyes Of Mercury that chase away evil!" my clansmen said in approval as silvery blue lines appeared on my face; four of them. Two flowing up the sides of my face; two flowing downwards. On my forehead also was a marking that emitted light like a glowing star.

"And so it begins anew; a battle against Zanböngfar; the entity that dreams the deplorable dream" the Nightmare King; my dad said.

THE FOURTH MORN OF JANUARY, 2012; ZAN WAS ACCEPTED AS A DAGARA CLANSMAN. THE FOLLOWING NIGHT; A SIGN WOULD APPEAR ON THE MOON; THE SEAL OF ZANFAR'S DECLARATION OF WAR!

"And so; Dreamweaver; Weaver Of Dreams; Hath thou, the power to face…

THE WEAVER OF CALAMITY?!"

-AND SO THE END DRAWS NIGH…OR PERHAPS; A NEW BEGINNING.