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A Shared Dream (Gambuiness and Gunner)

LilGunner

LilGunner

Nonsolis radios sediouis fulmina mitto.
Joined
Jul 16, 2017
Location
Michigan
'Who are you?' He had stared with fierce intensity, with bewilderment. The one thing in his dream he couldn't control. She had been so startled by this new dreamer she panicked and jumped. To him she merely vanished like some phantom. One with a certain of red hair and wide green eyes. To her it was just another change, a small jump to another time and place. Her heart beat frantically. How many dreamers could there be? Where had he come from? More over, where and when did his body lay his head at night and enter the realm? Perhaps it was just a fluke, there were many flukes after all. The rare accident of a sleeper turning dreamer. She wondered if she could find him once more.

The next night she sought the boy out. Though she supposed boy was rude, he appeared older than her after all. His tall frame and eyes of the sea. Eyes of the sea, it gave her an idea. If he was truly a dreamer he could find her again and she would let him. That night she waited in a scape her own making. If he was true he would be able to find her.

She felt him as he arrived. He had been searching for her. It was a beautiful scape. Dark and brilliant with the gentle roll of the waves, the fire of the heavens roaring in the night sky. For a man with such eyes it was an ideal place. The soft, white sand was still warm, retaining the heat from a hot summer sun. Red lips stretched to a small smile as she felt him, heard him approach. She didn't look to him, not yet. She could almost feel his frustration. A true dreamer perhaps but new to it. He did not know what the realm truly held. Slowly she turned towards him from gazing at the sea. Despite the dark of the night her eyes settled on his. Just a small moment. Her smile was soft, gentle, pleased, and daring. She dared him to find her once more. If he could perhaps he was exactly who she had been seeking. With no ceremony, bright flashes or bangs, she left him again. This would be his final trial.

One more night. He would have to find her once again and he would be tested. She laid out the scape. A wide, vast meadow. Placid and calm. A breeze tugged at the abundance of wildflowers there, played in her free flowing mane of fire. She wore a dress that was somehow white but gathered and caught the bright, cloudless sunshine and sparkled a rainbow of fire with ever dance of the cloth. It hung and draped artfully, gathered at her waist with a golden cinch, holding on around her neck with a thin and equally golden collar. She waited for him at the edge of the meadow, her hands folded in front like some prize princess at the end of a grand quest.

The moment he stepped into the meadow the earth gave a low, deep rumble. The ferocity of the land grew to a roar until the ground before him split. A shower of dirt, grass, and ripped up flowers rained over him. A massive beast, long and spindly body like a snake but with four legs ending in razor claws. Scales black and shiny as coal glinted in the bright sunlight. Eyes red as blood, set in a great, horned, head, stared down. Its maw opened, thick drool glistening across hundreds of sharp teeth, and it roared a fierce challenge to the man. This was not his scape alone any more. He could not control the dragon any more than he could control the woman. The mighty beast gave no quarter, bearing down on the man, teeth and claws flashing. Time to know how true the dreamer was.
 
The woman, that appeared in his dreams during the last two nights was still on his mind, when he returned to his apartment and started to prepare something to eat. The day at work has been awful, not so much because of the tasks he had received but rather because his mind was only around the woman from his dream and the fact, that she was different. Up to now he always could do what he wanted to do in his dreams, including to control the people he saw and met there. But he wasn't able to control her, she didn't introduced herself to him or did anything else, she just vanished.

The second dream, in which she appeared, one night later was nearly the same. At that point he was more than curious about this phenomenon and actively searched in his dream for her. But what he found was absolutely not what he had expected. He found her but the place where he found her, was no place that he had created. Every place in his dream was one, that he had created without of any exceptions and this place was none of them. He was flying through a city he had created a while ago, when he saw a beach at the edge of the city. What made the whole landscape so completely different, was that it was night at the beach and the city he was currently in, was filled by sunlight. The transition from his city to the beach brought out all the colours, one can see during a sunset to the sky, right at the spot where his city ended and the beach began. The beach itself confused him even more. The sand, he was walking on, was warm and above the water were northern lights which reflected on the water of the sea.

Matt was as confused as he was amazed by the whole scenario when he saw the woman again, standing in front of the sea, with her back turned to his. The only explanation that came to his mind was, that his mind was playing him a trick. How else could this all be? He started to walk towards her, intending to finally get some answers. When he had passed half of the way towards her, she turned around and looked directly into his eyes. She was beautiful, especially in front of this beautiful scene. When he saw her smiling towards him, he started to move faster, longing to find out who she was but before he could reach her, she vanished again.

Remembering the last two nights, Matt trained even harder in his little sport room, only to be tired enough later, so that he could fall asleep easily.
Two hours later, he sat down on the edge of his bed and read his dreams from the last two nights in his dream journal again. Trying to only focus on this woman. By now, it wasn't only that he was wondering who she is, it became a game for him, to find her and somehow stop her from vanishing again.

Short time later, he fell asleep and opened his eyes again in the world of his dreams. He was standing at a forest where he often went too, when he had no desire for any company. Slowly he started to ascend from the earth and stopped when he was above the trees, right under the blue sky. Looking around, he saw a clearing in the middle of the forest, that he definetly didn't put there. She is surely there. After a short flight he reached the clearing and saw her at the other end of the meadow. This time he wanted to just wait and observe her. Approaching her would just cause her to vanish again. At least that was what he thought when he landed at the other end of the meadow. What happened then blew his mind completely.

The monster that had appeared from the earth in front of him fascinated him. It looked way more dangerous and evil than all the dragons he had created in his world and fought. Matt was so fascinated by the beast, that he decided to make it to his pet and walked towards it. But when he reached a certain line, the beast threw his claws towards him and he had to jump backwards, to not get hit by it. The eyes of the beast focused on Matt when it made a step towards him. A bit of panic started to build up inside of him when he realised, that this beast wouldn't do what he wants it to do. The beast leaped up and jumped towards him, but Matt quickly started to fly over the beast and landed behind it. But the beast was quicker and hit him with it's tail in the side, so that he flew a few meter across the grass before he landed. The pain he felt was somehow more intense than what he was used to in his dreams.

When he sat back up, he saw the woman looking towards him. Her dress fascinated him when he saw the rainbow coming out of it but his attention shifted back to the beast, when he felt the earth beneath him trembling. His jaws wide opened it jumped towards him, ready to swallow him but he once again flew a few feet backwards so that the beast missed him. His thoughts travelled back to the woman, if she was the reason, for the beach from yesterday, then maybe she was also the reason why he got attacked by this beast that somehow was absolutely not interested in her. A smile appeared on his lips when he thought about, that he wanted to have a sword and a moment later it appeared in his right hand. But when he looked to the sword and then to the beast, he knew that it wouldn't do much against it but it at least confirmed to him, that he was still able to create things.

He throw the sword towards the head of the beast where it just hit its skin and fell to the floor. The beast didn't even seemed to have felt the hit of the sword. When it jumped towards him again, he flew upwards until he was high in the sky. He created a huge spear and flew as fast as possible towards the beast. When he was about to reach the ground, he screamed out and the beast raised his head up to the sky, to look towards him. He directed the spear right towards the mouth of the beast and pushed it with all the strength he could gather as deep into the mouth and from there into the head of the beast. His stunt ended with him, falling into the mouth of the beast but it was a success. The beast screamed and shook itself, throwing Matt out of it's mouth and on to the grass. After it ran for another few meters, it dropped down and stopped to move.

Matt walked towards the beast and sat down next to it, leaning his back against it and looking towards the woman. That was fun.
 
How would he face a beast he could not control? The woman stood there, calm and unfazed by the monstrosity. Her eyes followed the man, drinking in the surprise and fascination with the beast. Of all things she didn't entirely expect him to just walk towards it. What was he doing? Funny man. Did he think he could control it? A creature not of his own making in the scape? A new dreamer indeed. The beast had will of its own, to a degree. Attack. That's all it knew. Attack this young dreamer and see the mettle of his mind.

Her smile remained passive as the beast lunched, swiping with razor claws. The man leaped back to avoid and tried to fly over head. Well he had certainly mastered one skill. A shame it would not be enough. He was knocked from the sky like a fly, sent hurtling to the earth. Even in the scape one might feel pain but it did not affect the true body. He sat up and met her gaze. The soft smile grew, an amused glint in those wide, green, eyes. Though she looked at him for only a moment, her eyes flicking to the dragon who charged the man again.

Ah, a sword, a noble choice against a beast such as the black dragon. She couldn't know what the man thought as he looked to his sword and back to the beast. Her brows quirked as the beast attacked and the man heaved the sword at it. A strange choice of moves. The sword bounced harmlessly off armored scaled, the creature utterly unharmed by such a meek attack. Once more to the sky and a spear appeared. Clever man. Her head canted back to watch as he dove down to the jaw of the beast, driving the spear down with all his might. The spear sunk true, down the gullet of the dragon. The beast roared and gurgled, crimson blood flowing and spraying the flower jeweled meadow. It did not last long before collapsing in an unmoving heap.

Well done indeed young dreamer. Her amused smile dissolved to a pleased grin and she nodded to the man as he walked over and sat by the dragon. A moment of respite was well earned. Only a moment. The body of the dragon vanished, leaving him nothing to rest against. Even its blood vanished from the meadow, leaving it peaceful and serene once more. The woman lifted a hand. Small, fine fingers beckoned the dreamer towards her.

"Come." The word danced in the air. Wether from her lips or otherwise would be hard to distinguish. The sound reverberating around the placid meadow until it reverberated into silence. He wouldn't be granted a moment of indecision. At the edge of the forest another mighty roar sounded. Not the battle cry of a beast but the eruption of fire. A great wall of flame, hungrily lapping towards the man to push him into action. Yet the moment he stood the ground before him gave way, falling and consumed by a great, bottomless canyon. The ground collapsed all the way to the woman's skirts, leaving her at the edge of the massive precipice. "Come." The word sounded again, her fingers flexing to coax him forward.

Of course it would not be so easy as to simply fly over. The moment he attempted flight a cloud of furious birds appeared from the fire. Emerald birds wreathed in lashing flame, driving him back to the earth. His feet on the ground the cloud of birds would leave him be, hovering near to ensure he wouldn't attempt something so simple as flight again.

"Come."
 
Leaning with his back against the dead dragon, Matt looked over to the mysterious woman and saw, that she was grinning. The way she grinned made it obvious to him, that she had something to do with the dragon, who appeared out of nowhere. Not having any idea how this could be possible, he tried to come up with an reasonable explanation for this all but before he had the chance to form a proper thought, the dragon, he was leaning against, vanished and he fall backwards, so that he was now lying in the grass. Even the blood of the beast, that sticked to his jeans and his black shirt was gone, as if the dragon never had existed.

Sitting back up, he looked over to the woman who gave him the impression, that she was amused by what happened before she gestured to him, to get over to her. This was new, it was the first time that she reacted directly towards him but the way she did it, was different. Not only did she gestured him to come over but he heard her voice, seemingly coming from everywhere. This was what he was hoping for all along, that she wouldn't just vanish but that he could finally talk with her and ask her his questions. So he didn't hesitated fo follow her request and felt his curiosity grow as he stood up and made a step towards her.

After he did just one step towards her, he heard another beast roaring out loudly from behind him. Another one? he thought when he turned around and instead of a beast saw, that a wall of fire was moving through the forest towards him. As he started to run in the opposite direction, towards the woman, he had to stop right away when his feet started to move. The ground in front of him first started to open wide and then fell into itself, so that a huge hole was in front of him that hindered him from running forward. Is that the best you got? Piece of cake! thought Matt when he ascended from the ground he was standing on, to fly across the hole in front of him. But as soon as his feet left the ground, a ton of birds appeared from the wall of flames and forced him back on the ground. As soon, as he reached the floor again, the birds flew back and left him in peace but when he tried it again, the bird instantly turned around, to force him back to the earth.

The wall of fire kept on approaching him as he felt the heat rising in his back. Looking around, he saw the woman still standing there, grinning and gesturing towards him, to come to her. Sweat started to build on his forehead when he thought about the options he had. Flying was not possible, the same would probably be the case if he just walks across the air, that would be just a different form of flying. The hole in front of him was too deep as that he could climb down and reach the ground before the walls would reach him and he had a sneaking suspicion, that they would even reach him down there.

The solution was simple. He thought about a freakin' huge bow and an arrow, that has a rope made out of steel attached to it. One end of the rope would have to be buried deep into the ground he was standing on, the other end attached to the arrow. A moment later he held the bow and the arrow in his hand and aimed towards the other end of the hole. He stretched the bow as far as he could before he released the arrow and watched it flying towards the other end of the hole. Checking the rope, he made sure that it was stable enough before he threw the bow aside and transformed his shoes so that they got clamps beneath them, that would keep him from falling from the rope. Above the clamps, right under the sole of his shoe was a jet attached, that would move him forward when he is on the rope.
Making a step towards the rope, the clamps connected with the rope and he started the propulsion of the jets, that moved him quickly to the other side of the hole. When he reached the end of the rope, the clamps and the jet detached from his shoe and he jumped towards the grass. Standing straight, he looked towards the woman and couldn't deny, that he really liked the game they played.

But if she thinks, that she is the only one who can play this game, then he needs to teach her a little lesson. A mischievous grin formed on his lips when he started to to execute his plan. Matt let the ground around the woman crack open and the ground she was standing on lifted up like a plattform until she was ten meter above the level where he stood. Winds came up from the sides and surrounded the plattform she was standing on, so that she couldn't just jump from it. If she would attempt to fly, the winds would carry her right back to the plattform she was standing on. Ascending from the ground, he flew up until he was high enough to look into her eyes. With a smirk on his face he winked to her and made the same gesture she did before, that she should come to him. If she should try to simply dig a hole downwards, she would have got quite a lot to do since the plattform would only grow further towards the sky if she gets closer to the ground by moving through a hole she would dig. I hope you like the taste of your own medicine. he thought and laid down on the grass, to relax for a moment.
 
The woman watched as he turned to the fire. No where to go but forward. Her smile still stretched to amusement as he attempted flight, as she figured he would, to get over the canyon. The birds saw to it he would have to be more clever than that. She didn't entirely doubt that he could reason his way around it. In dreams the possibilities were nearly limitless. The question was, what would he do?

Her eyebrows raised as bow an arrow appeared in his hands. Green eyes followed the coil of rope hanging off the end of the arrow. An interesting approach to be sure. The set of weapons seemed almost ungainly with the sheer size of them. Of course, the rope would have to support him. He let the arrow fly, the head burying deep into her side of the ravine. Now he would just have to walk across it. The grin faltered to astonishment as he took it another step forward. Strange attachments to his footwear that clamped around the rope. Even further a rocket shot out, propelling him quickly and gracefully forward. No need to try to balance and scoot across the rope. Very, very impressive.

He landed on her side with ease, standing tall and staring her down. For a moment she thought he was cross with her trials. Yet, she thought she saw an equal amusement in his eyes. Before she could say anything or move towards him the earth beneath her bare feet shuddered. She caught the mischievous grin on his face just as the ground split and suddenly shot up. Her balance wavered a moment, the smile lost to shock and surprise as she wobbled on the newly risen platform. Once it stopped she regained her footing and peered over the edge just as a gust of wind wooshed up. Her fiery hair caught in the wind, flying up with the heavy breezes, dancing frantically about her head until she stepped back and it settled in a wild and tangled curtain.

The man came up, able to use his flight once more having passed the ravine. Oh but that cocky expression and devious wink. The woman stared a second, her expression cross between annoyance and amusement. Amusement, however, won out and she couldn't help but laugh. It was a high, keening laugh as clear and sweet as a bell. Her hand rested on her stomach as she laughed with her predicament. Perhaps she had tested him too much. Clearly he knew what he was doing in the scape.

Slowly her laughter died down as she wiped mirthful tears from her eyes. Now the real question was: how was she going to get down from the windy prison. Clearly he meant to keep her from flight or jumping with the strong winds. Digging could work but it would be a long, slow process. Given the platform was his creation she couldn't just make it shrink, vanish, or even form stairs for her to walk down. The woman rubbed her chin curiously. Stairs were not a bad thought but...something closed might be better.

Close to where the man lay the earth shuddered and rumbled once more. Rather than a great dragon or wall of flame vines and roots sprouted. Slow at first but they grew in length and breadth. They wound themselves up the platform, clinging close to avoid the wind. More and more grew, creating a long, winding tunnel of sorts. The entry to the tunnel expanded atop the platform, the exit right by the mad. Though it wasn't particularly tall. The woman brushed at her skirts which changed with the motion. The center came together to form pants, turning the dress into a sort of romper. She sat down and slid herself into the tunnel.

The long, squealing 'eeeee' of delight echoed hollow from inside the tunneled slide she created. The descent took less than a minute and she came shooting out of the bottom to bounce and roll across the grass. Just a couple of tumbles before she lay on her back, arms tucked to her stomach as she laughed again. It had been exhilarating even if the landing had been anything but graceful. Slowly she sat herself up, calming her mirth, and looked to the man. "It has been years since the scape has brought such fun," she said with a hint of a giggle in her voice. Rather than the misty echo from before her voice was gentle and clear. She pushed herself up and dusted grass and flowers off her clothes which flared back into a dress once more. "You are clearly not a fluke sleeper...I am impressed with your mind. Who are you dreamer? How have you come to this realm?"
 
Lying down on the grass he enjoyed the moment of peace and watched curiously towards the plattform. While he was thinking about, how he would get out of that situation, the ground in front of him shuddered as vines and roots came out of it and moved towards the plattform. Astonished he saw, how a tunnel was building around the plattform and he couldn't help but to smile due to the womans idea.

The thought came to his mind, that the women might be a product of his subconscious mind that created her since he lately had problems to come up with new ideas of what he could do in this wonderful world of his dreams. It would make sense in a kind of way, since he was a kind of guy, that always was seeking for new ideas, be it in his dreams or in the real world. This dream was a great experience so far which he enjoyed a lot. The challenges that he had faced until now, which surely came from her, were a new kind of fun, as if he found a partner in this world, that he could compete with.

He heard her squealing before he saw her coming out of the tunnel and rolling over the grass while she was laughing out loud. When she stood up, he realised for the first time, that she was a good bit shorter than him and he had to look down a bit, to look into her eyes. What she then said to him, made him wonder about her choice of words. ...the scape had brought so much fun ... not a fluke ... . Those weren't words he would use and the people in his dreams only used words, he would use as well, since they were all a part of his mind. And when she called him dreamer, he started to doubt that she was a part of his subconscious mind. Normally, when he talked to the people in his dreams and told them, that they are a product of his mind that only exists in his dream, the people reacted with denial since they saw themselves as living, existing personalities and not as a part of a dream. But if she wasn't a part of his mind, what was she then? She had to be a part of his mind, somehow he just couldn't understand it really. At least not until now.

What she asked him only enhanced his confusion as she asked him, how he came to this realm. Confused he watched over to her, ''Ehm ... hello? I am Matt ... you won't vanish again right? I have to say, that you really confused me during my recent dreams. So ... who are you and what do you mean by this realm? This is my dream just like the last two times when you just vanished, that was my dream as well.''
 
She could almost taste his confusion. Clearly he hadn't a clue what she spoke of. If he was not a fluke and he wasn't a dreamer...what was he? She clasped her hand behind her back as the man stood up and approached her. Her eyes danced with amusement as she watched him. It had certainly been a great deal of fun. The real question was who and what was he. Well he was Matt, that much she at least learned. That and he certainly was not one of her kind. His dream was it? The woman laughed quietly. Naive man.

"No, Matt, I will not vanish again. Though it wasn't from your dream I vanished, neither are we in your dream now. Come, walk with me," she said pleasantly. There wasn't much option. She wrapped her hands around his upper arm to walk with him as if they were some pair in a period drama. She led them towards the trees where fire once raged. The trees bent and parted, the ground starting to rise in an incline. "My name is Elishan, but most simply call me Eli. I apologize for the disappearances. The first time I saw you I thought it a fluke, thought you were a fluke, I was startled to encounter a dreamer at the time and jumped. The second I simply wanted to see if you could find me again and you did. This time it was to test how well you controlled the scape. You did exceedingly well."

Eli spoke as they strolled up the hill, the incline growing steeper and steeper until they reached the top. It was not so much a hill but the edge of a cliff over looking the city Matt had flown over to find her. "You are a new dreamer there is much you don't know about the realm. Sit," she said, gesturing to the ground where a thick, comfortable picnic blanket appeared. She sat down on one hip, her legs tucked back and propped up by her arm. "How long have you been a dreamer Matt? How did you even learn such a skill. I've not encountered many...from...elsewhere who possess the ability."
 
Matt gave up trying to understand, who or what she is when she explained to him, that they are not in his dream. Of course this wasn't true, he knew that his body was right now lying in his bed at home and that he could only be in his dream, if he is able to do whatever he wanted. Though, that exactly was the thing. Unlike all the other times from before, he wasn't able to do whatever he wanted since this woman showed up. First he couldn't control her actions and today, he couldn't even control the creature she had created. It made him feel a bit uneasy, to no longer have the control about everything, that was around him but at the same time, it also made him curious, especially since the challenges she gave him today were so much fun.

She hooked herself up on his arm as if they are old friends when she led him towards the forest, that was burning earlier. The canyon had disappeared by now and the meadow was only covered with grass. From time to time, he let a flower grow and bloom near them, only to confirm to himself, that he was still able to control this dream, he was experiencing. Walking towards the trees, she changed a part of the landscape by creating a hill, that they both climbed up while she explained to him, how she experienced their first encounters.

''Hello Elishan, so you tested me.'' he smiled at the thought, that a person of his own mind would test his abilities. ''You really surprised me when we met during the last two dreams. Normally I can control everything here, you were the first person or thing I ever encountered, that I couln't control.'' Sitting down on the edge of the cliff, he let his shoes disappear and sat down on the blanket, so that his bare feet were hanging from the cliff in the air. ''To be honest with you Eli, everything you are telling to me only confuses me and the fact, that you created this beast that I had no control about only adds to the confusion. During all the years, that I have dreamed lucid, it never happened that I couldn't control something.'' He looked over to her when she asked him, for how long he was dreaming lucid.

''I started to remember my dreams when I was fourteen years old. When I found out, that lucid dreaming is actually a thing, I read a lot of books about it and started to train. A short time later, I had my first lucid dream and it was so thrilling. So I kept training and learned more and more, how to control my dreams. That all happened ... roundabout fifteen years ago and since then, I experienced the most awesome things one could imagine, including myself. Though I have to say, that you really are the most unique thing, I ever experienced in my dreams.'' Matt never had talked to anyone before about his lucid dreaming. Most people only roll with their eyes or straight up don't believe him when he tries to explain to someone, what it is that he does when he sleeps. But Eli was different. She listened to what he told her and really seemed interested in what he tells her. This was a nice change, no matter if she is a real person or not, it felt good to talk to someone about this unique experiences.

It wouldn't help him to think too much about, who she is and why she can do what she can do. Maybe there wasn't even an answer that could satisfy his curiosity. So he decided to just accept that she was here for now and make the most out of the time. ''How about you? I mean, you can control everything around us really good as well and I have to say, that I can't remember the last time, I had so much fun in a dream like today. The beast you created was so impressive, because of me, we can do that more often. You know, challenge each other. Though ... will I see you more often from now on or is this a limited time thing?'' Matt liked the fact, that there was someone inside of his dream, that was different from all the others and since he met her now three times in a row, he was hoping to see her more often. That she was good lookin' only added to his hope.

He retreated his feet from the cliff and turned around, so that he was facing Elishan when an idea came to his mind. A crackling sound came from the meadow, where they challenged each other earlier. The ground split up and created a nearly five feet wide river in the spot, where it broke up. The river continued to build up the hill straight to where they were sitting. A few feet away from the blanket, the river split up and continued on the left and right side from them towards the cliff, where it ended in two waterfalls, where the water fell down towards the ground.
 
Eli listened intently as Matt spoke. His confusion at suddenly not possessing control of everything. She smirked in amusement with the admission. A new dreamer certainly would be surprised to find themselves out of control of their own perceived dream. She patiently listened to him as he talked about it and how he came to be a dreamer. It was fascinating and very curious. The amount of time and apparent study it had taken him to learn to control his own scape. A strange and fascinating thing indeed. He seemed...relieved, perhaps even giddy, to be able to speak of such things. Clearly this was not something he could speak about candidly in his waking world.

When his questions turned to her the entertained grin dissolved to a softer, almost apologetic smile. How much should she reveal to this dreamer? How much was wise? She did find it sweet he was so excited, so interested to exercise his abilities more. Test and trial one another. He was skilled, certainly, perhaps even as good as she was and many of the others. She opened her mouth to respond but stopped as he moved away from the cliff and faced her. Her mouth clicked shut with the rumbling, her head whipped around. With all his questions he wanted to have a battle of wits again? No, instead the ground split, filling with water. A wide, deep river grew, bubbling and churning around them to the cliff edge only to cascade, ever flowing, over the side.

Eli couldn't help a small, entertained laugh. "How pretty," she complimented on the added scenery. "Perhaps we will see one another more often," she said with a little shrug as she got to her feet. The water looked cool and inviting, might as well take advantage. She stepped to the edge, lifting up her skirts to dangle her feet into the crystal waters. Her long hair pooled behind her as she sat on the river edge, dancing her toes on the water. "There is no limit in the realm save for when your body must waken for the day." Eli slowly kicked her feet, back and forth in the cool water, tilting her head back to stare up at the blue skies. "Like you my true body lays asleep, it is so with all Dreamers. There....well...there is much you do not know of the realm and scapes, being so new. Unlike you I have controlled my surroundings in the the Realm since I was very small."

Her smile faded as she glanced over at Matt. A foreboding, worried expression crossed her face. "But you must know something, Matt, know and understand. This is not your world, neither is it mine. The Realm belongs to all dreamers, good and bad. Now that you have learned to leave your Scape and enter the Realm you must be cautious. Not all is as it appears and there are...dreamers who have learned some...some dark things."
 
The woman was just as nice and beautiful, as she was mysterious. She really believed what she told him when she said, that she is a dreamer as well and already was since she was small. Sure, he had read somewhere too that children remember their dreams more easily but a kid dreaming lucid or even controling the dream world ... surely not. But then her whole expression changed when she returned her glance back to him and warned him about other dreamers, that are here as well. A feeling of uncomfort started to spread out inside of him when he heard the way, she warned him. She was serious right now and if he wouldn't be certain, that they were still in his dream, then he would probably feel a panic building up inside of him. But as it was and since he still could do whatever he wanted, with the exception of her, it only caused him a short moment of uncomfort.

But the way she talked to him still left a bad taste in his mouth. ''Okay ... thank you for the warning I guess.'' Returning her glance he stood up as well. ''Don't worry that much. I mean, what is the worst that could happen? Me waking up? I can deal with that.'' he tried to bring back a bit of the positive atmosphere but somehow it didn't worked out since she kept her worried face. Realising that she wanted him to stay save, he smiled to her and told her, ''okay, I will take care. I don't really know of what or whom I should take care but I will be carefull.''

Feeling his eyesight getting blurry, he realised that he would soon wake up again and leave this wonderful place of his mind and Eli behind. ''Seems as if I have to leave. At least for now. It was really great to finally be able to talk to you and the little challenges were a lot of fun. I hope that we can do that again.'' More and more the colors faded out and the landscape was no longer really visible to him. Before he disappeared completely, he said, ''Bye Eli, I hope that we will mett again. Maybe next time you find me.''

When he opened his eyes again, he was back in his bedroom and right away started to write down what he had experienced in this dream. He even tried to paint a picture of Eli and the beast but just as always, he found out that he wasn't really good when it comes to painting.
The day that followed was as boring as every other day and Matt couldn't wait to get back to sleeping again. He knew, that it would seem strange to other people, that he preferred his sleeping time more than his waking time but he didn't even tried to explain that to the other people around him anymore. He tried that a few times but for those people, it always seemed so strange what he did if they even went so far and believed him, that he could dream lucid.
During a few times of the day, he found himself thinking about Eli and how much he enjoyed to talk with her about lucid dreaming. Maybe she was designed by his subconscious mind so that he would have someone, with whom he could share this wonderful experience. That at least would make sense. But when he thought back to how she warned him, he doubted that this was her only purpose... .

He went to bed an hour early to his regular time, hoping that he could spend some more time in his dreamworld. Just like always he laid down, closed his eyes and relaxed his body before he fell aslepp and opened his eyes in the dream world. Being curious, if she would look for him like he looked out for her during the last dreams, he appeared at the beach, where he found her two nights ago. Wearing a jeans and a black buttoned shirt, he sat down at the edge of the beach and let the water of the sea in front of him cover his feet each time, when a wave came to the shore. Looking towards the northern lights he relaxed and waited at the spot. He couldn't deny the fact, that he was hoping, that Eli would find him.
 
He went to bed an hour early to his regular time, hoping that he could spend some more time in his dreamworld. Just like always he laid down, closed his eyes and relaxed his body before he fell aslepp and opened his eyes in the dream world. Being curious, if she would look for him like he looked out for her during the last dreams, he appeared at the beach, where he found her two nights ago. Wearing a jeans and a black buttoned shirt, he sat down at the edge of the beach and let the water of the sea in front of him cover his feet each time, when a wave came to the shore. Looking towards the northern lights he relaxed and waited at the spot. He couldn't deny the fact, that he was hoping, that Eli would find him.

While startled by her warning it didn't seem Matt was keen to heed it. Her head tilted at him as he told her not to worry. The worst was just waking up right? Her lips pursed at the flippant attitude. Of course, she could hardly blame him. By all accounts he was a new dreamer, new to the realm. He didn't know the newly wakened dangers of the realm. He at lease conceded to exercise caution. Not knowing who or what to look for was a fair point. Of course, that was the real struggle. No one knew exactly who or what to look for. Eli huffed a little sigh, unsure of how to make him understand without exposing him to danger or expose the strangeness of the realm.

He attentions turned away from the foreboding roil in her gut as he spoke up. Time to leave. He was fading, his body ready to wake. A new dreamer indeed. Eli gave him a little smile before getting to her feet. "I enjoyed meeting you as well, Matt. I shall see you again," she said confidently with a bright grin. Even if he didn't understand yet it was refreshing to find such a new dreamer. Refreshing and terrifying. She wondered how many there were like him. A world where dreamers were the exception rather than the rule. With no flashes, bangs, or smokes he was simply gone, leaving Eli alone. The city, the river, anything he created in the scape vanished with him. Behind her she felt a new presence, a familiar one.

"It's rare to find a new dreamer in the realm," his deep, rumbling voice sounded behind her.

"Rare indeed..." she said distantly. Eli didn't need to turn around to see her old friend. Near twice her age, his dark skin wrinkled and cracked with a life of smiles and frowns, the long and twisted tendrils of hair well salted. "What news then, General Skyriul?"

"Is it ever good news?" His tone was somehow both amused and disheartened.

"One can dream, General, one can dream." In the same sudden manner the pair were gone. The landscape simply blinked out of existence and back to the true darkness as all scapes did when the dreamers left.

It was not difficult to find Matt. When one knew the realm, understood the patterns of scapes, it was easy. The dark beach and bright sky lights once more. Eli smiled at the sight, it was quite beautiful. It didn't take long to find Matt, standing in the surf of the rolling ocean. She wore the selfsame dress as the previous night though, rather than the white and sparkling cloth, it was a deep and dark blue, smooth and soft as silk. The gentle wind coaxed her long hair in a soft dance as she approached Matt.

"You copied my scape," she said with a grin and small laugh. "Beautiful, isn't it? It's not often I get to see dark skies." She stood next to him, uncaring that the skirts of her dress hung in the gentle surf. "Though, with your penchant for this, I imagine you don't either." For a little while she just stood there at his side, admiring the view. How the lights danced in the sky, a symphony of color in the inky darkness.

"Come, there is something I wish to show you," she said as she looked to Matt and extended her hand for him to take. Being such a small creature her hands were minuscule in his. She wrapped her short fingers around his hand, holding tightly. For such a little thing her grip was vice-like. They didn't move. Instead everything around them simply vanished. They stood, or possibly floated, in a vast void. All around them lay never ending shadow save for below. It would be like looking at the strangest map. It extended forever in every direction. The distinctions in sections were varied and vast: fluffy clouds, tan deserts, steely and blue oceans, land of light and shadow. Millions, if not billions, of landscapes dotted about in no obvious pattern. They didn't simply end and start, melding and blending together like the great masters of impressionism.

"This, Matt, is the realm, yet we also stand still in the realm. Each variation you see are individual scapes. See how they blend and blur, touching and melding. Some are lovely and peaceful, others dark and terrifying. There is a scape for every being who dreams, sleepers and dreamers alike. You have learned to leave your scape and enter the scapes of others. A rarity even among dreamers who can control their own scape." Eli paused and frowned a moment. "No...not quite a rarity...a rarity, at least, for your own kind. With your ability to enter the realm I wanted you to understand just what it means...though even this barely scratches the surface of what lays in the realm...and outside of it."
 
Matt heard Eli before he saw her. Looking over to her, he smiled back before he replied to her. ''Hello Elishan, I never saw northern lights above such a beautiful beach before I met you and wanted to see it again. Yes, it is very beautiful.'' Turning his head to her, he saw the beautiful woman standing next to him. It seemed to become a habit, that she said things that only left him with more questions. Just like now when she said to him, that she doesn't get to see dark skies often. ''Where I live in the real world, there never are any northern lights so yeah, I really enjoy this sight quite a lot.''

Like two old friends they enjoyed the view in front of them for a little while before Eli told Matt, that she wants to show him something. Getting curious he reached his hand out to hers and couldn't help but to smile when he saw her hand disappearing in his. To his surprise the grip of her little hand was unexpectedly strong when she helped him up to his feet. The landscape around him started to disappear until there was nothing more around them. It was as if someone had put him into an empty room and switched off all the lights and Matt couldn't help but to feel uneasy. Except for Eli there only were different shades of darkness around them. There was no above or below since it was all the same and the urge to create something, just anything became stronger and stronger.

It took him a while to calm down and the only reason why he was able to stay sain was the calm expression on Elis' face, this was all her doing. When he looked at the void around him, he slowly began to see a vast variety of sceneries, too much to count.

He listened to what Eli told him but did not really understand everything. Matt still struggled with the thought, that Eli wasn't a part of his own dream, but an individual being. But slowly he began to doubt that she was a part of his dream or has been created by his mind. Looking over to her, he started to question everything he knew about his dreams.
''This is ... are you telling me that everything I see is a dream in itself and we are able to enter the dreams of other people?'' It wasn't really that he asked her, he rather tried to comprehend what he told her.

It was a bit too much for him to really believe what she told him but what he saw right now made him question if what she told him, might be true. But if it was true, then what she told him yesterday about this place being just as beautiful as it was dangerous woudl also be true. How could a dream ever be dangerous? And this was just a scratch of what he realm really was about ... . He looked around once more, trying to see more clearly what the landscapes in front of him were about.

Exhaling deeply he turned his face back to Eli before he started to talk. ''Say, when all of the scapes here are dreams of other people, I could just enter them right? Is that how you got into my dream?'' He became quiet for another moment, the thought that what she said could be true seemed so impossible ... but there was no sign on her face, that she just made fun of him, she was serious.
''I don't know what to say to be honest. Are you saying, that what I see right now are the dreams of other people and that we can enter them? That can't be real ... right? And what do you mean when you say, that it is a rarity for my kind? That sounds as if you are an alien and all of your kind can enter the dreams of others easily.''
 
Eli waited patiently as Matt digested the revelation. A soft smile remained on her lips as she watched him. For one not indoctrinated to the realm from a young age it didn't surprise her that he struggled to grasp the facts of it. If the roles were reversed she would likely feel the same. Disbelief. Denial. Confusion of course. His first question made her pucker her lips in thought. "In a way, yes. Though it is both more complex and simple than that at the same time." She didn't expound on anything just yet, letting him work out some of it himself, come to terms with the idea.

When he question her to be an 'alien' she couldn't help a light little laugh. "Well in this instant I would say, perhaps, you are more the alien. My kind access this world without effort, without training. It is as natural to us as...as breathing, assuming you breathe in the waking world." She was teasing him just a little. "How and where our physical locations differ I do not know. What I do know is that our bodies do not exist in the same realm. Wether that is stars, galaxies, or even the potential of paralleling dimensions it is not known. What I do know is that we are not of the same world and I know this for a very simple reason." Eli reached over and plucked at his black T-shirt with an amused but curious grin. "Your clothing is quite strange. In my waking world we do not wear such things, I have never seen material like this ever before."

"I think, perhaps, the best way to comprehend the realm is to think of it not as a place in your dreams. While the scapes of sleepers and new dreams are their own...space within the realm, they were merely a small part of a greater whole. This is a place all its own that you enter when you sleep, rather than a place created simply in your own mind. Yet, at the same time, a place deeply and directly affected by your mind. That is why sleepers experience a variety of dreams from pleasant adventures, surreal fogs, and terrifying nightmares. A dreamer takes control of their scape. A strong dreamer can leave their scape and enter others. Does that make sense Matt? I realize it is a lot to take in, given you come from a world where the realm is taken for granted. Assumed as a place simply within your mind."

It was certainly a great deal to take in all at once. He needed to know though. If he could access the realm, enter the scapes of others, he needed to know the basics of it. Perhaps then he would understand her dire warnings. She didn't wish to scare him from continuing his journey as a dreamer but he needed to be told how dangerous it could be. Especially now.
 
It all became too much as that he really could understand and process everything, Eli had told him. Instead of replying to her, what would only lead to more disturbing answers which he didn't wanted to hear, he sat down into the nothingness and simply looked into the void. Could this be true? Different dimensions, Eli living in a world that wasn't the world he knew? The easiest explanation for that all was still, that this all was just a product of his mind tricking him but what she said and what he saw right now ... he couldn't believe that his own mind even could come up with such a fantasy.

But Eli still was calm and even laughed or smiled from time to time when she told him about this realm. He looked to her once again, searching for clues that would show, that she is really not from his world. But she looked just like any other human did, well not like any other human, she was shorter than average woman but that didn't changed anything about, how good looking she was for him, quite the opposit and it definetly was no proof, that she wasn't from his world.

''This is all a bit much to take in. To be honest, I have no idea what to think about this all. Until recently, I just enjoyed my dreams and had fun experiencing things, that in the waking world are not possible but this ... I don't know.'' He recalled what he knew about Eli which only led to more confusion. ''To sum this all up, you are not from the world where I live, not even from the same galaxy. This place here is not just a dream, made up from my mind but an realm where all dreams come together. You learned already very early to enter this realm. Where you live, it never gets dark and you have never seen someone wearing clothes with this fabric.'' he tucked at his shirt.
''Does that mean, that I am the first human you saw, from my world?''

This all was so unbelivable, so impossible, at least for what he knew about the world until now but was it really impossible? The thought, that there is an entire different world, invisible for everyone to see but still there and the only possibility to communicate would be by dreams, the thought was just too interesting as that it wouldn't make him curious. ''Okay, assuming that this is all real and you are not a product of my mind, then you know and visit this realm since you were a child and looked at the dreams from people or even visit them?'' He remembered some of his dreams, especially his early ones where he tried out a lot of stuff with woman he liked and felt his cheeks getting red at the thought, that someone might have watched him. ''Ehm ... just out of curiosity, have you seen my dreams before I was able to ... how do you say that ... enter the realm?''
 
Eli watched Matt as he sat down in the void, trying to take in and process everything she was telling him. Her look was somehow amused but sympathetic at the same time. It was a great deal to take in on faith alone. As he tried to sum up and reword for his own ease everything she said Eli lowered herself to sit as well. Rather than a fully flat plane she sat as if on some cliff edge, her legs hanging strangely forward and swaying back and forth slowly. She couldn't help a short laugh at one misunderstanding. "It does indeed get dark where my body lays, I am asleep before the darkness and awake with the light," she corrected him. "But I believe, yes, you are the first of your kind I have encountered."

She let him go on with trying to understand that this was not just a product of his own mind. Her smiled turned gentle as he hesitantly questioned if she had been in his scape before. She saw the creeping flush and thought it charming. What he was truly thinking, however, she hadn't a clue. "Would it make you feel more or less at ease to know that three nights ago was the first time I encountered you?" She said with a gentle pat to his hand. "You should know, too, that it was not I who entered your scape that night. I have reason to believe that may have been the first night you entered the scape of another, without knowing of course. You startled me enough I woke. One of the few times I've seen the darkness of my own chambers," she added with a small laugh. "I do not make it a habit to enter the scapes of other beyond my own kind. My world is...well...I should think very different than yours."

Elishan would dearly love to show him what her world was like. At the moment he still needed to reconcile with the concept of the realm and scapes before learning too much more. "I understand this is a great deal to fathom," she said gently and put a comforting arm around his shoulders. "I would be happy to tell you more, show you more, but only when you feel ready. The realm is a wondrous place and you have barely scratched the surface of its potential." With the apparent rarity of dreamers in Matt's world he had to be special. Perhaps someone like Matt would be able to aid their cause, even help defeat those who sought to tear their world asunder. Of course she had other duties to attend to but couldn't bring herself to leave Matt to his own devices just yet. "Of course, when you find yourself accepting of this, I can show you just how my people use the realm."
 
Matt giggled at her request, if it would make him fell more or less at ease, if she tells him, that she saw him three nights ago for the first time. It made him feel extremly more at ease, knowing that she didn't see what he did in the past. It wasn't that he was ashamed of it, but there are certain things you would never do, when you know that someone is watching. ''I was just curious, didn't asked for a certain reason.'' he told his little white lie and hoped, that she would buy it.

All the stuff she said to him made him believe, that he was either going insane or that he really was the first human from earth, who got in contact with someone from a different place in the universe or maybe even, from a enitre different dimension. First he began to giggle at the thought, that this all would be real and a moment later, the giggle turned into a wholeheartedly laugh that he just couldn't stop due to the amount of crazyness, that he just experienced. ''This all is just so crazy Eli.'' he said to her as he wiped a tear from his face, that came from all the laughing. ''I mean, all the time people from my world send signals into space and look for any signs of life, that isn't from our world and here I am, sitting with you, the proof that we are not alone. And I found you in my dream or in a dream of someone else, that I just stumbled into.'' He looked over to her and slowly calmed down, as he began to accept the thought, that she really is not a part of his mind.

''You know, this reminds of something I read, when I began to discover lucid dreaming. Before it was proven, that lucid dreaming is actually a thing, no one who didn't experienced it by himself, believed that it is possible, to become lucid in his dreams. You could tell someone, that you walked through a field of flowers during your dream but you could never bring one single flower with you, when you return to the waking world. So it was not possible to proof to someone, that you just walked through the flower field in your dream but it was still something, that happened. This is somehow similar. When I wake up and I would tell anyone about it, they wouldn't believe me and how could they? But I am right now here, with you and you are telling me, that I accidently left my dream and somehow am able, to enter this realm.''

No matter how he looked at what was happening right now, there was no way that he could get any proof, that it wasn't just a dream. But the outlook, that this all was real made him curious about, what could be possible. The thought he had yesterday returned to him, what was the worst that could happen? His real body was still lying in his bed, safe and sound. If something happens, he would just wake up and try again on the next night.

''Okay, let's assume that this all is real. When I dreamed lucid before, I always did things that would not be possible in my world like flying or fighting dragons. Why don't you show me, what you do when you are here in the realm?''
 
Eli gave Matt nod; his worry seemed assuaged. The nervous giggle was rather charming if she was honest and she couldn't help but grin a little. Her curiosity was piqued but she didn't ask him to elaborate. His sudden bought of laughter, however, was a little disconcerting. Perhaps the entire concept of the realm would drive him to madness. Odd were it wouldn't be the first time a dreamer lost their mind at the simple complexity of the realm. For a moment Eli watched him, concern knitting her brows together. It was too crazy. What was crazy about it? Still, she had to remind herself to think from his side. This would certainly be a shock. He seemed even more surprised at the thought of her being from another place entirely. She honestly couldn't say if it was another planet or dimension but he seemed to think planet was more likely. So be it.

She patiently sat and listened to him as he spoke of lucid dreaming. The term was foreign to her but she grasped the concept. It was what people called dreamers, or the act of it anyways. Her smile turned slightly amused. Clearly the people of Matt's world were rather small minded to think that physical proof was needed. "Well it would be preposterous to bring anything back from the Realm given it is not even a true, physical place." One could eat a sumptuous meal in the realm and waken famished as the food of the mind didn't nourish the body. "An accident in a way but I should imagine you were able to jump from your scape due to skill within the realm. Even for my people it takes time to learn to jump scapes."

Though she had suggested it she was surprised Matt was ready to learn more about the realm and, more over, her own scape. Eli had not bargained for his willingness to learn. She wasn't even sure if she was ready to let him know more. Still, a promise was a promise. Eli's lips pressed together and she huffed a small sigh before nodding. "I hope you will not be disappointed. It has been a long time since I used the realm for sheer enjoyment." Barring testing him of course. While still "seated" in the nothingness of the void, Eli reached out and took Matt's hand. Her little fingers were barely able to wrap around his large hand but she held tight. Then the void simply vanished.

The pair of them appeared on a hill, overlooking a sweeping expanse of a sort of town. Small houses of reddish brick, white columns, and thatched roofs. In the center of the town rose a large castle-like structure with spiraling turrets and tall columns. It looked as though roman and gothic architecture blended together to make the town. Though the look of the town might explain the toga-like dresses Eli wore with their high empire waists reminiscent of Victorian England. The town was devoid of life as Eli led Matt through. "This is my home," she said as they walked through the streets with the houses and stores neatly lining the sides. "I don't often populate the town when I dream, I would prefer to talk to the townsfolk in person when possible. The nobility, however, are free to enter my scape when they have a grievance."

They walked straight to the castle gates where a man stood waiting. A tall, imposing figure with rippling muscles under dark skin. His long, twisted locks were pulled and pinned back from his softly wrinkled face. He wore a sort of flowing red tunic, sleeveles, under a shimmering silver breast place with vambraces of a matching metal. Pants of a dark perhaps velvet covered his legs and tall, well shined, black boots hugged thick calfs. His eyes narrowed at Matt as the pair approached. Eli stopped before him and the man place a hand over his heart to give a shallow bow. "General Skyriul, I hope things are well."

"Are they ever?" His voice rumbled deep in his chest, his tone mixed between annoyance and amusement. "I see you have brought the dreamer."

"I have indeed. Matt, meet General Skyriul, my military advisor and truest friend," she said with a gentle gesture. Skyriul looked down at Matt. While Matt himself was not a small man the general stood a good head taller. He reached out a hand to Matt and took Matt's hand up in a firm grasp before giving a similar bow in greeting.

"A pleasure, Matt," the man rumbled to the newcomer. "It's not often a new Dreamer is among us."

Eli couldn't help a small laugh. "If by not often you mean never," she said through her laughter. "This is a marvel though I don't imagine the nobility will be so thrilled. Their woes and complaints often overshadow anything else. I assume they are all waiting for me?"

Skyriul gave a sharp nod, "they are and none are particularly pleased to have been ignored these three nights."

Eli heaved a long, annoyed sigh and rolled her eyes. "I am not surprised. Perhaps, Matt, you would prefer to have Skyriul tour you about the city? I can populate it for you to see what my home is like. I it frightfully dull to sit in on noblemoots and counsels."
 
Matt somehow was surprised to hear, that it's been some time since Eli used the realm for sheer excitement. That combined together with what she mentioned yesterday, that not everything is as it seems and that he needs to be careful, gave the mood a sour taste for Matt. It felt as if something was going on here and for whatever reason, she didn't wanted to enlighten him. In the past, he never had used his dreams for anything else but his excitement and he couldn't come up with a reason, why someone should do anything else here, than having fun.
In addition he felt her hesitating before she reached out for his hand and let the void be replaced by a hill, they were standing on and a town in front of them. In addition her clothing changed to a look he only had seen in history books or on TV.

As they walked through the deserted town towards the city, he couldn't help but feel a bit strange. He just wasn't used to such deserted places. Her explanation for why she didn't populated the town was difficult for him to understand but maybe it is just the way she was or it had something to do with the realm itself. But what followed then left him wondering even further. The nobility? When they have a grievance? He understood nothing and once again his head filled up with questions about this whole situation. Are the people from her world visiting each other in their dreams?

When he was just about to start his bombardement of questions on her, he saw a person standing at the gates of the castle, that was in front of them. Though that was no man, it was rather a mountain standing on two feet. The way they talked to each other and she introduced the man, General Skyriul, to Matt strengthened Matt's believe, that the man in front of him was a real existing person. ''Yeah ... ehm ... hi.'' said Matt who felt totally overwhelmed by the whole situation and additionally didn't expected to meet anyone else.

Once again it became too much when it dawned on him, that there were more people inside of the castle, probably real people and from the way, Eli and the General talked about them, they must have been important people. Not just was the whole concept, to dream together with others somewhat hard to understand but the thought, that even in the dream world are people, who are superior to you and you have to do what they tell you, was unimaginable for him.

''Yeah sure. No need to populate the city.'' he replied and watched her walking into the castle. Turning around he looked back to the city before he walked to the side of the entrance of the castle, sat down and leaned his back against the wall. He felt the look of the general on him and returned the glance. ''Is she in trouble?'' Somehow this was the first question, that came to his mind. Even though this all was nothing he had expected to see, when he asked her to show him, what she does when she just seeks to have some fun, the thing that sticked to him was the general mentioning, that the nobles were not amused, that she had gone missing for three days. That all probably just because of him and somehow he didn't liked the thought, that she was in trouble because she had spend time with him.
 
Eli gave Matt a small smile. She didn't want to leave him alone in her scape but there were matters that needed attending. Perhaps it would have been kinder to take him back to his own scape. "Very well, I shouldn't be too long. General, please be kind to our guest," she said with a small added laugh as she headed towards the palace. As she ascended the stairs her blue dress changed. The train lengthened, cascading behind her down the marble stairs, and so did the dipping sleeves. The whole outfit changed in color to that shimmering off-white color Matt had first seen her in though every hem was ringed in gold. Even her hair changed from the sleek curtain of red to a pile of curls atop her head with hanging ringlets to frame her face. A fine sort of crown held the pile of curls atop her head, long golden earrings appeared on her ears, and a smattering of gold bangles and clasps on her arms. She glanced back at Matt and Skyriul with a small, almost sad smile before disappearing past the castle doors.

Skyriul glanced down to Matt and his singular question. Dark brows rose curiously at the boy. "Trouble? No. Her scape is a place for the troubles of our nobles to be aired and dealt with, leaving the time of waking for other things," he stated. He was curious what Matt had been told about their land and had to be careful not to overstep his bounds. Lifelong friend and guardian he might be there were limits to what he was allowed. "I am told you are from another land entirely," he said simply, casting his dark eyes over the eerily empty city scape. "We must seem as strange to you as your clothing is to us." There was a hint of amusement in his statement, the tiniest crinkle around his eyes. "Perhaps I should show you how the nobility of our world utilize the realm."

With a grip of iron Skyriul caught Matt's arm. Much like with Eli the world around them shifted. They were once again up on a hill. Though rather than a peaceful valley below the horrific sounds of war drifted up to them. Two massive armies, clad in green and blue respectively, collided. The screams of the dying, the clashing of sword, even the smell of shit and blood wafted their way. Skyriul was calm as he watched, releasing Matt's arm. "Troubles and disputes are settled in the realm. As we are a world of dreamers it has long been custom to settle matters here, rather than the waking world. Here no one loses parent, sibling, child, or lover to war. Here the soldiers are nothing but thoughts." Skyriul folded his thick arms over his barreled chest. "There are rules for the battles and victory is respected in the waking world. An eden of sentient beings without war and strife is a fanciful myth but here, at least, there is no loss of life. Smaller issues that need to be solved are brought before the throne and decisions are respected there."

Skyriul paused a moment to let Matt absorb even more information. He wondered how daunting this all might be for an outsider. "At least...this is how it had been. In recent months a...cult, I suppose, of insurgents have learned some dastardly tricks. They have learned how to kill within the scape. It was always believed that the waking body and the dreamer were separate entities. Now we are not so sure. It is a troubling time for a new dreamer to have left the safety of his own scape."
 
Matt saw her changing and couldn't help but to swallow hard. Was Eli something like a princess here? Or is she a noble? She surely looked like one just now. Skyriul stopped him starring at the place, where Eli no longer stood, when he told him, that she wasn't in any trouble. He listened closely to Skyriuls explanations and was very thankful, that he enlightened him a bit. ''So you really are using the realm to spend time with each other. Wow ... that is unbelievable.'' He stood back up and looked over to the general. ''To be honest, yes you look a bit ... well not strange ... just ... out of time. At least for me. It would be great, if you could show me a few things, I don't understand too much of this all.''

With a grin on his face he thought back to his real world, where people bought jeans, which had holes in them and just thought, that it is funny, that Skyriul just like Eli, mentioned his clothing while he wore the most normal clothes, he could imagine. Skyriul grabbed Matt's arm and he felt the cold steel pressed against his skin, when the scape shifted and they stood once again on a hill. Eli too grabbed him each time, when she took him with her. Maybe it is the only way, to travel in the realm together.
The sight in front of him was utterly impressive when he saw two armies clashing into each other in front of his own eyes. It was like a scene from a movie but instead of watching it on a monitor, he was standing right in front of it. Though somehow he started to think, that it would be better, to watch this in a cinema or on TV when the smell reached his nose.

What Skyriul described him could only be described as a wonderful idea. Instead of people actually dying, they could settle their disagreements here, where no one would actually suffer. ''That is such a great idea. I slowly begin to understand, why it is so beneficial to be able to meet other real existing people here.'' Skyriuls words, though it was hard to believe, made him understand a few of the things, Eli had mentioned earlier. The thought, that everyone in their world was able, to dream like this was still overwhelming but for them it is probably something normal. Somehow the thought, that they live in a world without of any war made him think, that they live in a kind of a Utopia.

But of course there had to be a downside to it all and it came, when the General told him about the cult. ''So that is what Eli meant, when she told me, that I have to be careful around here.'' Would those people be able to do that to him as well? He wasn't from their world, so would the same rules aply to him? Matt just knew, that he wasn't looking forward too much, to find it out. ''Thanks for the warning I guess.''

The two armies were still battling each other when Matt felt the urge, to do something himself. As bad as the news regarding the cult was, it still fascinated him, that a battle would mainly be decided by who has the better ideas. ''So ... are there any rules about, how the battles in the realm have to be fought out?'' Matt let a man appear on the side of the battlefield, that was wearing a black robe. He raised his hands towards the air when a loud roar appeared and fireballs started to fall from the sky on the soldiers at the battlefield. ''Could I do that for example?'' A moment later, the only one standing on the battlefield was his mage and in front of him, was a black burned area.

The earth beneath the mage started to shake and opened up when a huge worm appeared, that swallowed the mage. ''Or that?'' Slowly he started to have fun with the thought, that they could fight however they wanted. The one with the better idea wins. ''Or is it always just two armies, clashing each other?'' He needed a moment to visualize what he wanted to do when the ground began to shake and from each side of the battlefield were Tanks rolling towards each other, shooting towards the opposit tanks.
 
Skyriul gave a slow nod as Matt began to understand. It was clear he had been given some warning but not everything had yet been divulged. He hoped he had not overstepped his bounds. Perhaps Eli had simply been trying to protect Matt without frightening him. Such strange times, however, a little fear was healthy. He glanced down and over to Matt with the halfhearted thanks was given. It shouldn't surprise him that Matt couldn't fully understand things within the Realm, he was new to it all. He did, however, seem far more interested in the battle being waged before their eyes rather than the potential of impending murder.

The large man's brow rose curiously as Matt asked about the rules. "Well no, they choose to fight however..." Skyriul trailed off as his eyes lifted to the field of battle. His heart skipped as a new, cloak figure appeared. It stopped completely with the roar and hail of fire from the sky. It was mere seconds until the cloaked figure stood alone on the field. Skyriul's mouth fell open, his mind whirling at what had just happened. It wasn't awe or shock of the display, so much, that stopped the man in his tracks. When the tanks appeared to shoot one another Skyriul snatched Matt by the back of his shirt. "What are you doing boy?!" His voice was furious and strangely panicked. "This is not your battle!"

Before Matt could respond to the suddenly manhandling of him two figures descended from the sky. Both were older, a man with more salt than pepper in his chestnut hair and a woman who might have once been blond but most had turned grey. Their faces were thunderous as they landed hard before Skyriul and Matt.

"What is the meaning of this?" The woman demanded, her tone fierce and furious. "Who has interrupted our battle?"

Skyriul's jaw clenched and unclenched, his fist only tightening on Matt's shirt nearly strangling him. The newcomer's eyes flashed onto Matt. Young and oddly dressed, some sort of outsider.

"You? Who are you, boy, to interrupt?" The man demanded, his voice husky and cracked.

"Forgive him, he does not understand our ways," Skyriul jumped in to Matt's defense despite his obvious and overwhelming want to throttle the boy.

"So this is the new Dreamer? Allowed to wander about in scapes and tamper with our means of diplomacy?" The woman's eyes narrowed at Matt, arms folding across her chest.

"He does not..." Skyriul started but the man was quick to cut him off.

"The boy has a tongue of his own, General, perhaps he should use it himself! Speak, boy, how dare you interrupt with your ridiculous machinations?"
 
Matt knew that he did something wrong, when Skyriul grabbed his shirt and asked him what he was doing. Before he understood what was going on or what he did wrong, two people appeared and descended from the sky. The way they were looking at him made him realise right away, what just happened. He thought, that Skyriul showed him an example of how they handle conflicts, so that he would understand it easier. But instead he brought him to an actual battle ... which he not just interrupted but completely ended.

He felt his cheeks getting red and Skyriuls hand on his shirt wasn't making the situation any better. Looking to the two people he began to talk, ''Ehm ... hello. My name is Matt. I am really sorry for interrupting your ... battle.'' For a moment he thought about, to just disappear from here and never return. With a snap of his fingers, the tanks disappeared and the field was quiet and empty again. The situation was so uncomfortable for him, that he struggled to maintain eye contact with the two people but he didn't want to run away. He reminded himself that these are actual people and continued talking. ''It wasn't my intention to interrupt an actual battle. Truth is, until recently, I dreamed alone and I am struggling with the thought, to share a dream with other, real existing people. So when Skyriul showed me the battle, it never came to my mind, that this is an actual battle. Once again, I am very sorry.''

The expressions of the two people in front of him didn't change, what made it clear to him, that this was really serious. ''I just was overwhelmed by the thought, how you handle differences and it overcame me to try something out. I really hope that you can forgive me.'' Matt turned to Skyriul and said, ''Thank you for trying to defend what I did. I think that it is better, if I return to my own dreams before I cause even more chaos.'' Skyriul finally let go of him but kept his eyes on him. But before he could say something, Matt continued. ''Please give Elishan my regards, I think that I better return to my world for now. There is a lot I have to think about.'' Turning to the other two he said. ''I hope that you can continue your battle. Please excuse me.''

For the first time since, what felt like forever, he ended his dreaming state and a moment later, the world he was in began to fade before he finally woke up in his bed at home. He wasn't proud about, how he left the people there but he didn't want to stay there any longer. Eli was on his mind and the thought, that his actions might backfire on her, since she brought him there, which caused him to fell uncomfortable.

During the following day, he called in sick at work and took some time, to really process what he had experienced. The fact, that he wasn't alone in a dream changed everything. He was so used to do whatever he wanted, that it felt strange, to know now, that there are different people he might meet, which are real people. The following night, he decided to not dream lucid and spent the night normally asleep. Waking up the next morning, he already missed the dream world and the freedom it brought with him. Above that, his curiosity about all that he had learned, grew more and more. So he decided to prepare himself for the next night. There were things he needed to know and in addition, he wanted to see Eli again. Matt felt bad for just leaving during the last dream, though he still felt, that it was the right thing to do. On top of that, he thought about ways, to protect himself from those people that Skyriul mentioned, those from the cult.

When he laid down on the following night he thought about, what he had learned so far and what he needs to know before he slowly drifted off to sleep and into his dream. Waking up in the dream world, he was in the forest and walked towards the meadow, where he and Eli were testing each other. To protect himself from people of the cult, he created a copy of himself, that was looking exactly like him. He then put a robe on, that would take care that he is not visible. Walking a bit away from his copy, the two went to the meadow and sat down on the green grass, hoping to see Eli again.
 
Through Matt's apology the elders' expression remained thunderous. They glared at the young man before them who dared stick his nose where it did not belong. It seemed they didn't care a whit that he was new to all of this. Never mind that they could likely just resume their battle with the field clear once more. Their eyes flicked between Matt and Skyriul who both fumed and quelled under the furious gazes. Big man that he was it wasn't him, hardly even Matt, who would face the ire of the elder nobles. Skyriul heaved a sigh as Matt apologized profusely, he rubbed the back of his neck in his agitation.

Mat suddenly took his leave and simply vanished leaving the three of them standing there. "Outsiders so not belong in our affairs," the man chuffed angrily. The woman heaved a long, slow, and angry sigh before relaxing her arms and nodded along.

"He's just a boy," Skyriul grumbled.

"Be that as it may this should be reported at once. If the newcomer is going to be shown our world then he must abide our rules. His ignorance is a failure of those who brought him here," the woman said though her tone was easy from thundering fury to annoyed chiding.

"Then take your grievances to her Majesty," Skyriul said simply. The nobles glanced at one another and gave sharp nods before disappearing. Skyriul remained a moment and heaved a long sigh before doing the same.

Two nights later Elishan entered the realm. Matt was growing easier to find it seemed. Something felt...off but she couldn't place it. Her read hair was down once more, not curled and piled on her head like he had last seen her. She wore her simpler dresses again, this time in a deep green color that accented her green eyes but wildly contrasted with her fiery hair. She smiled when she saw Matt and approached him, still feeling off but unaware of the copy.

"How are you fairing after your encounter with the nobility?" Despite the serious transgression she seemed jovial about the whole affair. "I am sorry for it. It was my fault, I should have explained things better to you. Perhaps it was not yet a good time to show you how our society functions using the realm." Eli gave a small pause and tilted her head. "Something is...strange with you. I cannot pin just why but...it is off."
 
Still disguised he saw Elishan approaching his copy and heard what she said. He stood a few feet away from her when he let the copy disappear and opened up the robe, that then dropped to the floor. ''Hey Eli.'' he said in a soft tone, trying not to scare her. ''I thought I follow your advise to be careful and Skyriul told me about these cult guys. Since I don't know very much about all that is going on here, I thought I better listen to you two.'' He walked over to her untli he was close.

''I should say I'm sorry, I put you probably in a lot of trouble. It was just so ... I don't know, I think I just got carried away. I guess I need to get used to the fact, that things I do now, can have consequences in the dream world.'' He laughed a bit as he thought about the situation he was in. ''Could I ask you a few questions?'' He waited for her response before he began to ask her.

''The two people who were fighting the battle I interrupted, referred to me as the dreamer. As if they had heard about me before. Why did they knew, about me? Another thing that is on my mind ...'' he was a bit hesitant to ask her this but in the end, curiosity got the better of him, ''Who are you? I saw how you changed your appearance to a far more .. noble ... high standard look. And the nobles are coming to you, to talk about stuff. Are you something like their queen?'' On one hand, it seemed so far fetched for him, that she would be the ruler of a whole country or whatever that is but he knew by know, that their world could not be compared to what he was used to, or to how things were working in his world. Where nobles, kings and queens were mostly a thing of the past and where it seems to be impossible, to dream together.
 
Eli waited for Matt to respond. Instead he disappeared. Her smile fractured to surprise with his sudden disappearance. Skyriul had mentioned Matt disappearing suddenly after the altercation and for the brief moment she thought he was doing it again. She didn't have time for the surprise to turn to sadness he would run out on her as such. Matt appeared again out of thin air not so far away. Her head jerked back in mild surprise and fright before she gave a little laugh with his explanation. "Well I am glad you are heeding my warnings about them," she said through her mirth, obviously glad he was taking precautions.

Her smiled was gentle as he apologized. She had never been angry with him about it, even when the nobles had stormed in with their fury. "There is no need to apologize, it is my fault for not explaining our ways well enough. You could not have known what such a battle meant. I gently chastised Skyriul as well. It was not his place to bring you there without proper explanation. But yes, feel free to ask anything."

Eli was patient as Matt asked his questions, hesitating some on the second question. Her smiled turned a little sheepish as he asked about her rank, who she actually was. Eli rubbed her arm some as she took her time to think of appropriate answers. Eventually she heaved a long sigh, her smiled still sheepish but perhaps sad as well. "They knew of you because of my absence. I had to explain to them why I was kept away for those nights. A new dreamer outside of our kind is a rarity. They did not like I was gone, shirking my duties, but they, too, were curious about you. As for the other...." Her lower lip caught between her teeth as she glanced away from Matt. "Yes, I rule our land. Though I am quite new at it. My mother retired her crown hardly a year ago. It was wrong of me to hide that from you but it was rather refreshing to speak with someone who didn't have political motive...and our small battle was enjoyable. As I said it has been a long time since I have used the Realm for fun."

She reached out and place a gentle hand on his arm. "This all must be a great deal to take in. Strange that our worlds are so very different. It is almost a shame we do not share the same world. I cannot spend all my time in the Realm with you, enjoy all the realm has to offer as you do. My people, for ages, have used the Realm as political battlegrounds to enable our time in the waking world to be far more productive."
 
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