It was already the next morning when Phil woke up tired and hungry, he was confused since he was asleep the whole time and he soon discovered why this was the case. Traveling in the plains of sleep depletes your energy since 'Lucid Divers' do not connect to their tethers and directly use the energy of their souls resulting in the diver feeling exhausted once he wakes up rather than refreshed like the normal dreamers.
Phil walked out of his room to head downstairs and eat his breakfast since he was famished. When he arrived he found that his parents were packing their respective bags.
"Mom Dad where are you going?"
"We are heading out son. I have an important case to attend to in New York, it's about some deranged lunatic and a cult of sorts and they need more hands to investigate and crack open this case, it's rather urgent since an important person has gone missing."
Phil's father explained as he was packing his bags.
"I'm going to New York as well son, NYPD needed your father for this case and they sent a formal letter to my department to assist your father."
"When are you going to come back?"
Phil asked
"We do not know yet, earliest will be a week while the latest, I guess will be a month."
His father answered.
Phil was a little sad since his parents did not have time for him again, he wished that his grandfather was here so that he wouldn't be lonely. Phil found the breakfast his mother prepared for him and quickly ate it, he quickly rushed towards the bathroom and took a bath since he wanted to at least send his parents to the airport, he dressed up ready to go out but soon found out that his parents were gone the cab that they were riding just turned on the corner of the street.
On the dining table, Phil found a note.
"We are in a hurry son. Sorry for not saying goodbye. Mom prepared food for you that will last you at least a week, we will be sending you money weekly if we do not come back a week from now. - Love Mom and Dad.
-P.S. Do not be late or cut class in school or else you're gonna have it."
Phil had a gloomy look to him as he felt hollow on the inside, he headed out of his house and walked towards the nearest park. He kicked all the rocks on his path and sat down on a bench near the pond but unbeknownst to him an old man with a cane was looking at him under the shade of a weeping cypress tree.
The old man looked at Phil with gentle eyes, he even had the urge to go talk to him and give him a hug to rid of his sadness. The old man perked his ears up when he heard the slow footsteps coming towards him.
"Why don't you just go and talk to him, dear. Explain to him your situation and maybe things will change, no."
A curvy woman spoke sweetly as a lovely smile painted her face.
"Do not call me 'Dear', Ruth. And he is not ready yet, he will never be since I will be here to support him."
"Oh come on Howard we were once intimate with each other you know. Me, you, and Alice."
"Shut up! Don't you dare call her name. You took her away from me."
"Do not lie to yourself Howard Craft. You know that I was not the one who took her and that I am not to blame."
The old man, Howard, was silenced and could not answer the woman.
"Your grandson needs a mentor dear. If you do not help him he will soon be consumed by his power sooner or later."
"I have started to prepare him for what to come, he will learn how to control his power in due time."
"Your methods will bring him deep pain, and worse he might lose himself."
Howard did not have an answer and was just staring at Phil. Ruth sighed as he watched the foolish old man, she turned around and wanted to leave but she remembered why she was here in the first place.
"And oh by the way Howard. Niah and his gang have returned, they are controlling someone with high power this time and is quite dangerous."
Ruth walked away after leaving her message, she soon disappeared into the thick forest near the park.
Hearing what Ruth has said, Howard's eyes were filled with fury, his head was filled with flashbacks on what had happened in the past he clenched his fist, the raven skull in his cane creaked as strange figures slowly claw their way out of his shadows. Moments later, he calmed down as clarity dawned on him when he saw Phil who was still sitting on the bench gazing lonely on the pond.
"I must destroy them before they target my family again."
Howard declared as he stomped his cane on the ground and walked away vanishing deeper into the shadow of the weeping cypress tree.
Phil was loitering in the park and was just letting time pass, he was looking at the sky when suddenly a girl directly looked down at him.
"Why the long face Phil?"
Phil was surprised and unconsciously stood up hitting both their foreheads against each other. Phil clenched his forehead in pain as well as Sonja.
"Ow! Why did you stand up quickly like that?"
"You scared me Sonj, it's your fault."
It took a moment before both of them recovered and sat together on the bench.
"So, what's wrong with you?"
"It's my parents. They left for New York for a job, and they did not even say goodbye to me personally. I'm just a little sad that's all."
"Don't be sad Phil, I will always be here for you. My mom, dad, and nana too. Anyway did you already have lunch?"
"No, not yet. Hey, are you okay? Why is your face so red? I only hit you on the forehead right?"
"Shut up dummy. Let's go and eat lunch at my place, I remember mom cooking a lot this morning, I think your parents asked mom to feed you."
"Thank you Sonj, really thank you."
Phil smiled at Sonja. Sonja looked at Phil and suddenly turned around she started running towards her home, her ears were clearly red and she felt her face get hot.
"Hurry up you dummy! I'm getting hungry now!"
She shouted as she ran away. Phil was confused about why she ran away since food would not rot that fast, he shrugged his shoulders and followed after Sonja to her house.
Phil stayed at Sonja's house for lunch. He and Sonja played together until evening and Sonja's mother insisted for him to stay for dinner as well.
Phil arrived home with a full stomach since Sonja's mother always refilled his plate saying that he is a young growing boy and needs to eat more. Although a little queasy from the food he ate Phil was happy since he had Sonja's family that cared for him even though his parents were always busy.
Phil was a little jealous of Sonja since her parents are always there for her and are always ready to support her. Phil was always lonely when he was little and it was his grandfather who was with him in times when he was alone, Phil was sad again but had a bright idea.
'What if I dream about my grandfather and the old times?'
Phil thought as he quickly ran upstairs and opened his secret cabinet.
'I need to remember the tiniest details of what happened though, to recreate a more natural scene in my dream.'
Phil immersed himself in remembering his grandfather, the way he spoke to him, the way he patted his head, and the way he smiled whenever Phil felt sad when his parents were away. He studied thoroughly and only stopped when he was sure that he can recreate his grandfather in his dreams. He slowly exhaled and calmed himself down before he lay down on his bed.
He slowly closed his eyes and minutes later he felt the sensation of sinking, deeper and deeper until he felt he had stopped. Phil opened his eyes and found himself in an old living room, an old man was sitting on his chair his back turned and was writing on his typewriter.
'Clack, clack clack.'
The sound of the typewriter echoed in the old living room. Phil was nervous as he slowly moved closer to the old man, he then put his hand on the old man's back. The old man stopped typing and slowly turned around, his eyes grew wide as he saw Phil.
"Phil? Is that you, my boy?"
Tears streamed down on Phil's face as he slowly nodded, the old man slowly stood up and his arms were wide open. Phil hugged him back and cried on his chest, the old man caressed his head lovingly.
"Phil my boy I am happy that grandpa can see you once again. I have a request for you my boy and I hope you can help grandpa."
"What is it, grandpa? I will help you to the best of my abilities."
Both of them were still hugging each other when suddenly the old man stopped caressing Phil's head. Phil felt the old man's chest slowly grow cold as the old man whispered in his ear, tightening his embrace.
"Set... Me... Free..."