Tam and Jeager approached an up market expensive looking blood red apartment building on the rich part of town, it was early morning and the streets were a bustle of activity both on the sidewalks and the roads.
The building's colour made it stand out no matter how far one saw it from and that is exactly how the owner wanted it, flashy and obvious, for Winter Alliso never believed in the need to hide from anyone despite being the greatest DreamWalker to ever live.
DreamWalkers by nature were beings of class with an affinity that boarded on need to show off. Although no one ever truly understood what they were only some of the things they were capable of, such as how they could find anyone human or not supposedly through dreams good dreams or bad, because any creature with a pulse did it indeed dream they would say.
They could manipulate a being in their sleep, alter memories if they wished as well as do harm or kill without ever really needing to have been there physically. Some of their legends had become known as the Sandman master of sleep and dreams, a legend they did particularly enjoy. These were some of the known talents DreamWalkers had although they had many other secrets in store.
They came to stand at the entrance and Tam rang the intercom for the penthouse apartment where Winter resided, she hoped he would be there.
Jeager and Tam were unarmed both having agreed they would most likely not need their weapons and most certainly had to leave the Jakali's lungs and scream, and so they had gotten a locker to rent which they blessed with protection against anything unwanted.
"Awful flashy yer DreamWalker is." Said Jeager as he looked the building over.
"It's the DreamWalker way and Winter is more DreamWalker than most." Replied Tam
A bit of static sounded on the speaker as someone answered on the other side, a woman's voice came through
"Hello?" She said
"Hi, is Winter in?" Asked Tam
"Mr Alliso is sleeping, who is this?" Replied the woman.
"It's Tamorin Haro, I must see him it's urgent, could you just buzz me in?" Tam said
"He doesn't like to b----" She began before stopping, indistinct chatter from a male voice in the background interrupting her.
"Alright Mr Alliso," Said the woman, "You can come up." She said now speaking to Tam.
The gate buzzed once and clicked open. Jeager held it open as Tam stepped through.
The elevator they stepped into was decorated with a mural, the floor depicted the ground were a war waged between what seemed to be multple armies, villages burned, and as Jeager's eyes continued up the height of the elevator walls the mural began to depict the skies where winged beings in loincloths and long garments seemed to have been playing music as they watched the carmage below.
"Interesting fellow this must be." Said Jeager
"To say the least." Replied Tam taking a glance at the mural.
Tam pressed the lone red button at the top of the panel marked 'P' and the elevator began ascending swiftly, so it didn't take long for it to ding as it reached the penthouse and opened.
The door at the end of the hallway was open and beside it stood an young woman in her twenties dressed in a simple yet elegant brown dress and white apron, her auburn hair was braided neatly. Her pale skin as flawless, she turned and smiled as Tam and Jeager approached, Tamorin noted the calm behind her stormy grey eyes.
"Lady Tamorin, Lord Jeager. Forgive me for earlier, I wasn't aware of whom I was speaking to." She said turning to face Tam, "Mr Alliso tells me you are a friend, many circumstances have delayed our meeting. Please follow me." She said
"Tamorin is just fine." Said Tam, uncomfortable with the idea of being addressed with such the 'Lady' title, Jeager however did not complain.
Shan led them into a lovely place that had Jeager raising an impressed eyebrow. The place was split into two levels with a staircase leading to the level above.
The lower level's entire rightside was a dedicated library with the two walls facing the window built in shelves, as well as two smaller shelves below and a small table with a book prop and a comfortable looking chair set between it all.
Large windows set high allowed light to flood every corner without a glare.
The otherside of the lower level had a small glass dining table between the mini library and a living room that had a large television screen mounted on the wall, strangely shaped yet comfortable looking couches and a fireplace.
A brightly white open cast kitchen area was flattened against one side of the left side of the lower level. Jeager glanced up the upper level and guessed that was were the bed would be but there seemed to me more space for more things up there.
Upon one of the strangely shaped couches sat one Winter Alliso. He was quite devilishly handsome exceeding human standards as he liked to think, his caramel like skin almost seemed to glow in the morning light that flooded in, his ashen hair was done in knots, his eyes were the same colour as the building he owned, crimson. He wore loose fitting pants and a shirt.
The DreamWalker sat in relaxed extravagance, arms spread across the length of the couch, legs resting on the coffee table.
Winter watched his guests being led to him with a curious smile on his face. Shan presented Tam and Jeager then bowed, turned and went to run up the stairs to the second level.
"Thank you, Shan." Winter called after her as she half way up.
Winter stood and approached Tam and Jeager, every movement he made seemed exaggerated yet appropriate and necessary somehow, it was odd and took some getting used for anyone seeing him for the first time. Tam had grown used to it but to Jeager it was something quite new.
"Tamorin." He said. Even as he spoke each syllable was lingered upon as was any expression and motion he made. That included the embrace he gave Tamorin and the handshake with Jeager where he never broke eye contact or lost his curious smile. On some level it made Jeager uncomfortable.
"Sit, welcome to my humble abode." Said Winter.
Tamorin and Jeager sat, Winter sat back in his seat taking up the same sitting position he was in just a few moments ago.
"So the God of Arms in my home, interesting." He said
"Ye an interesting fellow yer'self Winter." Replied Jeager
"I try to be," he said and without breaking his gaze on Jeager spoke to Tam, "You feel different Tamorin, more purposeful than before and something else I can't quite tell."
As he finished speaking he looked over at Tam.
"Trust you to notice that Wint, I see you changed the look of the place, it's nice." Replied Tam
"You think so? It's starting to bore me I might just change it soon. Now indulge my curiosity, what would you Tamorin along with Jeager want from me on a lovely morning such as this?" Asked Winter.
"I need to find someone." Replied Tam pulling the piece of Macinios' clothing and floating it over to Winter.
He grabs it out of the air and stares at it moment before sniffing it. He closed his eyes with the piece of clothing still held against his nostrils, his eyes snapped open and a grin came upon his face as he pulled the piece of clothing away and floated it back to Tam who caught it.
"So you're looking to call home, mmhmm," He said his gaze shifting between Tam and Jeager, "or rather looking to go home and pick a fight."
"Can ye help, yay or nay?" Asked Jeager
"Jeager I may not be as powerful as you or her for that matter but I am far older than anything that's ever existed, so yes I can most certainly help you. However the question now becomes what are you willing to do for it?" Asked Winter leaning forward for effect.
"Not as powerful?" Said Tam raising an eyebrow. To which Winter smiled impishly.
Tam looked up at Jeager and the two's eyes met and they stared at each other for a moment in silent deliberation.
"Any'ting." Replied Jeager
Winter's grin widened, "Excellent."
"Do you have the scream and lungs of a Jakali?" He asked
"We wouldn't be here if we didn't." Replied Tam.
"I don't see them with you." He said
"We didn't bring them with, I figured we'd first deal with whatever price you put up first." She said.
Winter pursed his lips and nodded
"Shan! Be a dear and bring down scroll twenty two would you?!" He shouted.
There was silence for a moment followed by the low sound of shuffling feet this was shortly followed by Shan coming down the stairs with an old closed scroll in both hands. She came to a halt next to Winter and unfurled it but said nothing until winter nodded for her to speak.
"Item required," she read, "would be the Aegilo from Zalliano." She said.
Tamorin half expected the writing on the scroll to be longer but given what was written on it. She understood why there was such little writing.
"Ye would have the very thing tha' keeps the lights on in Zalliano?" Exclaimed Jeager
"If you wish to have my help that is my price. You are welcome to decline however know this there is no better DreamWalker dead or alive than me." Said Winter
"You do know that could mean the end of Zalliano, where would mortal souls that have earned reprieve go?" Asked Tam
"I have a plan for that." Said Winter with a smile and a devilish twinkle in his eyes, "Oh what do you both care? You've spend lifetimes down here. It's not as if you're looking to go and settle home."
"They be the Godlands DreamWalker. No God or mortal or Cigam knows what it'll mean if the Aegilo is taken." Said Jeager
"And this is the world of men and Cigam, the Gods are all but dead and I sit with the last of the pulse of Gods, if it is to fall from the sky let it! Then perhaps then you'll have earned some belief back from the mortals, if not then you'll know a piece of what once was lives on elsewhere." Said Winter
"What would you do with it.... Winter?" Tam askes
To which Winter Alliso merely smiled. "My dear you know I can't tell, will you deal with me or seek other avenues? Is your steaming anger and thirst for a drink from the cup of vengeance worth it?"
With that Winter's crimson eyes glowed brighter as he extended his hand toward Tam, a hand that had the glowing brand of a full moon within a four sided star.
In her mind Tamorin weighed the risks of giving such a powerful item to Winter Alliso, an item that built their homeland, more powerful than anything, any God, a power that she found difficult to fathom let alone explain. What would he do with such a power?
The man is so damned hard to read! She thought, then again he no mere man
One would have expected Tam to be the first to shake Winter's hand but it was Jeager who did it first whilst Tamorin contemplated the options. He grunted as the brand burned into his hand, with a raised eyebrow Tamorin did the same. She had expected resistance from her brother more than she had for herself.
She stared down at Winter's brand which would not fade until both ends if the bargain were met.
"The binding is complete, a contract has been made. Failure results in death stretched across a 1000 years of unimaginable pain. We shall honour the contract." Whispered Winter closing his eyes for a moment and muttering something.
"Well then! Let's get you to Zalliano! Tell Shan where and how to grab the ingredients... Remain here, I must do this alone." Winter said.
Tamorin relayed her instructions as to where and how to get the scream and lungs. Winter accepted the piece of clothing from Tamorin and turned walking straight toward the wall below the second section, it shimmered slightly as he walked straight through it.
______
On the other side of the wall was a room Winter had designed that served to draw out his DreamWalker essense at a much faster rate.
The walls made the room hexagonal, built into one of the walls was a cupboard with many compartments and small drawers, the rest of the walls were covered in runes originating from the different languages and cultures of the world, the floor was ruby with the carving of a full moon within a four sided star covering most of the floor.
Winter's usual demeanor changed completely to one of seriousness as he closed his eyes and whispered the words to draw out his essense, as he chanted he walked into the center of the carving on the floor, as he walked the runes on the walls began glowing white and began humming.
'With the blessings of those before me and around me and akin to me, with a strength that can never be understood lurch my essense from within me' Winter repeated eight times, the runes glowed brighter and hummed louder with each repetition.
When he went silent the runes were glowing and vibrating so intensely one would think the wall would explode and then..... Silence.
As Winter opened his eyes the glowing light from the runes floated off them and into his body, as they did so the ruby floor beneath him began to shine and maintained it's glow.
Winter's appeaeance began to change his ashen hair became highlighted in jet black streaks his face and hands became aged and a beard of ashen and jet black grew on his face, his appearance became that of a man in his fifties. His clothing changed into a long set of crimson robes. When transformation completely he let out a breath and scratched his beard.
From behind him Shan entered with a bag slung over shoulder and large flat circular disk made of clay in her hands.
"At times I forget how old this body of mine reverts in age when my essense is drawn to its fullest." Said Winter as Shan placed the disk at his feet.
"If it is any consolation sir I would say you look quite dashing with the beard." She replied with a pause and a blush.
"You flatter me Shan, but I suppose that is the grace of friendship. How long have we known each other?" Winter asked as he sat down cross-legged
"Thirty six years this year sir." She replied. As Shan spoke she carefully removed the lungs and the vial with the scream from the bag, placing each one beside the disk.
"Mmhm a long time. I don't think I commend you enough my dear but you are without a doubt the best demon that has ever come into my employment." Said Winter.
"I believe it is you who flatters me now sir, but I thank you." She said with a bow before turning and leaving Winter alone in the room.
Shan having left, he raised his right hand and beckoned three draws to open and out came a twisted ball of roots, a small vial with bubbling muddy grey liquid and a gnarled dried up fruit. All of then floated towards him and hovered above the clay disk.
From within his robe he pulled a knife and cut a few pieces from the root before waving it away and back into it's draw, popped open the vial and shook out three drops from it then sent it away the drops sizzled as they melted the root pieces, he then grabbed the fruit and crushed its enterity onto the clay disk it broke apart easily and in flakes, the mix made a pool of murky liquid.
"I should remember to ask Shan to visit the DemonLands for more of that fruit." He whispered to himself.
Winter unwrapped the lungs and held them in his hands for a moment, blood dripped from them slightly. He brought his nostrils close and took a sniff before licking each lung and closing his eyes in enjoyment.
"Jakali is such a good delicacy, such a pity." He the placed the lungs on the mixture from his ingredients.
Taking the vial in one hand he let his other hand glow white before carefully opening the and immediately grabbing the scream to silence it, although it did make the slightest of sounds before he had it in his grap. It was collection of air wriggling around like a brown coloured eel.
"May all things be one, return from whence you came so I may tame you and find what remains" He said waving his free hand over the scream.
He lowered his free hand and merged the scream with the lungs and the lungs heaved as though taking a breath and then held it.
With the piece of clothing he took and lit it on fire letting it drop on the lungs, the rag continued to burn but did not turn to ash.
"Alitu manu eealu," he said now chanting in the old tongue, "nioe aker, alesi manuvetu, herso Zalliano."
As he finished chanting the flame from the rag spread rapidly lighting the contents of the clay dish on fire, a column of smoke that began to rise from it had the pungent smell of burning blood, meat, the root smelled of burning ink and the fruit smelled of rotting flesh.
Winter closed his eyes and wafted the smoke towards his nostrils, breathed it in and collapsed to the floor thrashing violently before shooting across the room on the floor smashing into each wall before coming to a halt standing and walking towards the center of the room again.
His eyes opened but he did not see the room he stood in anymore, he stood in a black space in darkness deeper than anything he had ever seen, but a light shone from somewhere far below, he squinted to see before but couldn't make out much, so he made a swimming motion to draw himself closer. And as he did he smiled to himself stopping just a short distance away.
He had found Zalliano and it was vast and brimming with life of those who had made it there in death, he could make out the actual physical home of the gods with its massive spirals and brilliant marbled build, Winter could not help but marvel at how the building seemed to defy architecture.
It was boardered by mountains as far as the eye could see, he was suprised to see skies and what looked like a sun, the only entrance seemed to be a gate set right at the front it seemed unguarded but Winter knew better.
He closed his eyes and opened them again breaking the spell and also simultaneously bottling up his essense returning to his usual appearance.
_____
Tamorin had almost grown tired of waiting for Winter to complete his search, Jeager and herself had been waiting over an hour for him to return, the girl Shan simply stood by the wall not providing any updates, but finally just as she was about to speak Winter re-emerged with blood on his hands and a smile on his face.
"So how would you like you travel, first class or business class?" He asked.
Tamorin could not help but smile because he had found Zalliano and she was a step closer to vengeance.