As we all continue reading through the book, more and more information comes to light: Apparently, Yggdrasil was planted by Odin himself after he created Midgard (Earth) and Asgard (Heaven). This tree is said to be the most sacred of all the trees in existence. If someone were to plant this tree, they would gain great power over life itself, and if it was planted in the wrong place, it would cause the world to fall into ruin.
After some debate between ourselves, we decide that we need to go visit these three trees and see which one best suits our needs. So we set off to travel towards the location of the three trees.
As we make our way closer to the trees, we begin seeing strange signs appearing everywhere such as 'Do Not Enter', 'Dangerous Creatures Inside' and even 'This Is A Trap'. After much consideration we agree that we must enter the forest despite the warnings.
Upon entering the forest, we notice that there are many different types of trees surrounding us along with a lot of dangerous looking creatures lurking in the shadows. We try to avoid them at all costs but unfortunately we fail to do so.
Suddenly, we hear a loud roar coming from somewhere ahead of us. We turn around only to see a huge black dragon staring us down. It roars again and begins charging towards us. Before we can react, it opens its mouth wide and releases a torrent of fire onto us.
The flames burn through my clothes and skin as I'm forced to run away from it. Just when I think that I've escaped death, I feel a sharp pain in my chest and suddenly collapse to the ground. My vision starts getting blurry and I can't breathe properly.
I hear Alice screaming and then everything goes black.
***
I wake up to the sound of thunder and rain hitting the window. Looking around, I realize that I'm laying in bed in my bedroom. I sit up and rub my eyes before standing up. Walking over to the window, I look outside and see a beautiful blue sky filled with white fluffy clouds. The sun shines brightly above me illuminating everything below.
I close the curtains and walk over to the fireplace and grab the poker. Using it, I stir the coals inside the fireplace, making sure that there is enough heat to keep the room warm.
I take off my shirt and pants and throw them on the chair next to the door before walking into the bathroom and taking a shower. Once finished, I go into my closet and pull out a pair of grey cargo shorts and a gray t-shirt. After putting on my new clothes, I look around. "Why am I in my house again?" I
I say out-loud. A familiar voice spoke. "This is the place you go to when you're over-stressed. It seems like it means alot to you."
Turning around I notice that Lilith is standing in my room. She's wearing a tight black tanktop that shows off her toned abs, and a pair of black leather pants. Her long golden hair hangs down to her waist and she has two large horns sticking out of her head.
"Lilith? What are you doing here?" I ask confused.
She chuckles. "It would seem that I was the only one taken with you, Kamen. I'm not sure why Lumen and Vestis aren't here, maybe they're outside of your mind protecting your body." She says with a smirk.
I shake my head. "No, they're both in my head right now. They just don't want to show themselves for some reason."
"Well, what do you say we get started then?" Lilith asks while motioning for me to follow her out of the room.
I nod and follow behind her as we leave my room and go into the kitchen where she opens the fridge and grabs a bottle of water. Taking a sip, I look around the kitchen trying to figure out how this happened.
"Kamen, I know that you're probably wondering about all of this, but please trust me." She says smiling at me.
I look back at her and smile. "I guess so. You seem to have a pretty good grasp on things." I say nodding my head.
She smiles at me and walks over to me and puts her hand on my cheek. "Thank you, Kamen. I promise that everything will be alright from here on out." She whispers before kissing my lips softly.
I wrap my arms around her waist and hold her close against me. As our kiss deepens, I feel something pulling on my soul.
Suddenly, I push her away from me and step back. "Lilith! What are you doing?!" I yell out in shock.
Lilith looks surprised as well. "What's wrong?" She asks nervously.
I quickly look around the room. "Where did the others go?" I ask frantically looking around the room.
Lilith frowns and shakes her head. "I don't know what you're talking about." She answers simply.
"Lilith, tell me how to get out of here or else." I say through gritted teeth.
Lilith sighs and closes her eyes before opening them again. "You can't." She tells me.
"What do you mean I can't?" I ask confused.
"I don't understand it either, but if you try to leave, you'll die instantly." She answers me.
"How could I possibly die?" I ask confused.
"You won't be able to move anymore." She tells me.
I furrow my brow at her words. "So what am I supposed to do then? Just stay here forever?" I ask frustrated.
Lilith shakes her head slowly. "No, you should still be able to use magic, but only for a short time." She explains.
"So what am I going to do?" I ask annoyed.
"You need to find a way to break free." She says.
"How am I supposed to do that?!" I snap at her.
"I don't know, but you're smart enough to figure something out." She replies with a shrug.
I frown at her and start pacing back and forth across the kitchen floor. "I wish I knew more about magic." I mutter under my breath.
Lilith takes another sip of her water before setting it down on the counter. "Maybe there is someone who can help you." She suggests.
"Who?" I ask curiously.
Lilith pauses for a moment before answering. "Asmodeous, He's the king of dreams." She finally says quietly.
I furrow my brow at her words. "Dreams? Why would he help me?" I ask confused.
Lilith sighs. "He's been watching over you since your birth, and he may be able to offer some insight into this problem." She answers simply.
I shake my head and sigh deeply. "Fine, let's go talk to him then." I say reluctantly.
Lilith nods and turns towards the door leading outside of the house. "Let's hurry up, though. If you stay here too long, you might be stuck here." She tells me before walking out the front door.
I quickly follow after her and we make our way through the forest until Lilith stops in front of a small cabin that seems to be made entirely out of stone. The windows are covered by thick curtains, and there doesn't seem to be anyone inside.
"This is where Asmodeus lives." She tells me as she starts knocking on the door.
After a few moments, a voice calls out from within. "Come in." It sounds like a man's voice.
Lilith opens the door and steps inside. I follow behind her closely while looking around at everything. There were two large chairs sitting next to each other facing a fireplace along with a table between them with several candles lit all around the room. In one corner was an old wooden chest filled with various books, scrolls and parchments.
As we walk further into the room, I notice that there were several paintings hanging on the walls, most of which depicted a dark-haired man wearing robes and holding a staff in his hands. The pictures looked very old and worn down, as if they had been there for centuries.
Lilith walks up to the second chair and sits down, motioning for me to sit in the first chair. Once I'm seated, she stands up and goes over to the fire to light a candle. As soon as it lights, she places it into a holder near the wall. After doing so, she returns to the seat opposite mine and takes off her leather jacket revealing her toned arms and shoulders.
"So, what brings you here today?" A deep voice asks from the direction of the fireplace.
Lilith looks up and sees a tall man standing in front of the fire. His face is completely hidden by shadows, making it impossible to see any details about him. He has long black hair tied back in a ponytail and wears a white robe that reaches down to his feet. He also appears to be wearing some kind of metal armor underneath the robe.
"I came here because I was hoping that you could help Kamen with a problem that he's having." Lilith answers politely.
The man sighs heavily and walks over to the table in front of us, sitting down on the edge of the chair without saying anything else.
"What exactly is the problem?" He asks calmly.
Lilith glances over at me before speaking up again. "Kamen and I are stuck in his dream and can't get out." She said calmly.
The man scoffs. "That's not surprising." He laughs dryly.
Lilith frowns at the man's response. "Why do you say that?" She asked confused.
"Because I've been watching over him for years now. It's only natural that he'd end up stuck in his dream eventually." He chuckles.
Lilith narrows her eyes at the man suspiciously. "How did you know that I was going to come here today?" She questions him curiously.
"I have been watching over Kamen for quite some time now, I knew that sooner or later he would need me, I was the one who helped put your soul into his body." The man explained.
Lilith furrows her brow at the man's answer. "Why haven't you helped him yet? You're supposed to be his guardian angel aren't you?" She asks curiously.
"Yes, but I am bound by my own rules and cannot interfere with things unless they happen to affect my domain." The man explains.
Lilith frowns at the man's words. "What do you mean by your own rules?" She asks curious.
The man sighs and shakes his head. "It doesn't matter, anyway, I don't think I can help you much more than I already have." He says quietly.
Lilith nods and stands up from her seat. "Thank you for your help, you've given me enough information to continue on my own." She tells him.
"You're welcome, though I must warn you that this will probably not be easy." The man warns her.
Lilith gives the man a smile. "I'll take what I can get." She replies with confidence.
The man sighs and stands up from his chair. "Just promise me one thing." He says before turning away from Lilith and walking towards the door.
Lilith turns around to look at him questioningly. "What is that?" She asks curiously.
The man stops next to the doorway and turns back towards her. "Don't trust anyone." He tells her seriously.
Lilith furrows her brow at the man's warning. "I don't understand why I shouldn't trust people." She mutters under her breath as she watches the man walk outside of the cabin.
After he leaves, Lilith sits down in the same chair once more. "So, where should we start looking for a way to escape?" She asks herself aloud.
Suddenly, the room begins to shake violently. The walls crumble apart sending pieces of stone flying everywhere across the floor. In the corner, there is an explosion that sends shards of wood flying through the air. Then all at once, everything goes silent again.
Lilith frowns at the destruction. "I don't understand what just happened." She whispers.
***
I wake up in a cold sweat, my heart racing as I lie on my bed. I look over at the clock and see that it's almost four in the morning. I hadn't meant to sleep so late last night, but I couldn't stop thinking about the conversation that I had with Lilith. "Damn it, why did I wake up here again!?" I yell out.
I throw off my covers and stand up, wrapping my robe tightly around myself. I make my way to the bathroom and turn on the faucet, splashing water on my face to calm my nerves. I step into the shower and turn the water on hot before stepping under the stream of water. I let out a loud sigh as I lean against the wall, letting the warm water wash over me. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, trying to clear my mind.
I hear the sound of the door opening and footsteps coming into the bathroom. I open my eyes and see Lilith standing there with a cup of tea in her hand. "I heard you screaming." She says calmly.
I shake my head and frown. "I didn't scream." I tell her, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Lilith smirks. "No, I'm pretty sure you did." She tells me teasingly.
I frown at her words and huff. "Well, I definitely didn't." I reply, shaking my head.
Lilith smiles and sets her tea down on the sink. "Then maybe I dreamed it." She teases.
I roll my eyes. "You're not funny, you know we can't get out of here." I tell her.
She shrugs. "Maybe, but I can't help it." She says as she walks past me.
I follow her out of the bathroom and into the kitchen. She picks up her cup of tea and takes a sip before setting it down on the table. "Where do you want to start?" She asks.
I sigh and rub my temples. "I don't know. We're not getting anywhere with this." I say, frustrated.
Lilith nods and looks over at the table. "I agree. I feel like we're just wasting our time." She says, sounding tired.
I frown at her words. "But we have to find a way to get out of here." I argue.
Lilith looks up at me and shakes her head. "I found something in a book on your shelf that might help us get out of your dream and back to the real world." She explains.
I furrow my brow and look at her questioningly. "What did you find?" I ask.
Lilith nods. "There's a 'supposed' spell that you can use to transport yourself out of the dream world and back to the real world, I'm not sure if it will work." She explains.
I furrow my brow at her words. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner? Give me the book and I'll try the spell!" I exclaim.
Lilith shakes her head. "I didn't know if it would actually work. I wanted to test it first." She tells me, taking the book out of her pocket.
I take the book from her and place it on the table. I turn to the page that she pointed out and begin reading. "This is how it works: When you are ready, close your eyes and imagine yourself being transported to the real world. Imagine the colors of the real world and focus on them. Then, open your eyes and visualize the scene that you want to be transported to. Once you're ready, say these words." I read aloud.
"You can't be serious, it was this simple the whole time?!" I say annoyed before reading the spell.
"Transportio! I summon thee to me. Come forth, my portal." I chant, closing my eyes and focusing on the colors of the real world.
I open my eyes and see the same room that I woke up in earlier. Lilith is standing there with her hands folded in front of her. I walk over to her and take the book from her hands. "Now what?" I ask her.
Lilith tilts her head to the side and shrugs. "Just wait here." She tells me.
I nod and sit down in the chair, resting my chin on my palm. I watch Lilith leave the room and close my eyes. I can still hear the sounds of her footsteps as she walks away. After a few minutes, I hear a knock on the door.
I open my eyes and see everyone standing around me looking down at me worried. "Oh my god it worked! I can't believe it!" I yell out happy.
I stand up and look at Lilith who is smiling widely. "I told you it would work!" She cheers.
I smile and walk over to Jenny and kiss her. "It felt like forever without you." I whisper softly into her ear.
Jenny giggles and kisses me.