A shabbily dressed entity made entirely out of bones wasn't exactly what Xander was expecting when he set out to look for the Well of Despair. Kokalotas didn't appear to be hostile, but he was standing in front of the well like an ancient gatekeeper.
"Pleased to meet you. My name's Xander Nyxon. I'm sure your master would have told you about me." Ignoring the guardian, Xander approached the well.
"I do not have any master," Kokalotas declared, spreading his bony arms to block Xander's path. "Only the worthy may drink from the Well of Despair."
Xander stopped a few paces away from the skeletal figure and heaved a sigh. "I'm not here for a drink. I just need to awaken the Dagger of Diminishing. So, please stand aside and let me through."
"None shall pass without proving their worth," Kokalotas reiterated much to the Dreamwalker's annoyance.
"You're just another lousy skeleton. I've dealt with far tougher undead before. Don't test my patience," Xander muttered, glaring at the guardian.
Instead of being intimidated, Kokalotas stood his ground and matched Xander's gaze. Pits of swirling darkness stared back at Xander as he looked at Kokalotas' hollow eye sockets. His face was as devoid of emotion as his cold voice.
"You are welcome to test your strength against me, Dreamwalker. But I must caution you that I am not an undead. I have existed long before your first cities sprang to their glory and I shall continue guarding the well even after your world crumbles to dust," Kokalotas whispered in an eerily prophetic voice.
"You asked for it!" Xander snapped, shooting Kokalotas in the head. It shattered the guardian's skull, breaking a bony chunk from the top.
Kokalotas staggered back as five more bullets shattered his lower jaw, exposing three sets of brittle white teeth. But, the guardian barely moved an inch from his spot.
"Had enough or would you like me to continue?" Xander threatened waving his smoking revolver in Kokalotas' face.
To his great shock, the guardian's damaged skull reformed in seconds, restoring his shattered lower jaw and sealing all the cracks on its surface. It didn't even look like Xander had fired his weapon at him.
Kokalotas stretched out his right hand and conjured a gray wooden staff overgrown with dusty roots. Slamming it hard against the ground, he stared at Xander. "There will be order."
As the guardian's hoarse voice resounded through the darkness, the apparitions flying overhead started wailing in their shrill voices. Xander had to holster his gun and cover his ears to block out their bloodcurdling cries.
When the wailing finally stopped, Xander lifted his head and looked up at the bony guardian. "What the hell do you want me to do?"
"Prove your worth, Dreamwalker," Kokalotas repeated.
"How?" Xander muttered in frustration.
"By answering my questions."
"I need to close a Nightmare Gate. People's lives are in danger. I don't have time for your silly riddles," Xander retorted condescendingly.
Suddenly, Kokalotas lifted his staff and slammed it against the ground, forcing Xander onto his knees. Despite trying his best to lift his head, Xander found it impossible to straighten his body. It was as if an invisible hand was holding him down.
"You can either answer my questions or walk away from the well. These are your only choices," Kokalotas declared, slowly raising his staff from the ground and allowing Xander to stand back up.
"I would love to answer your questions, but I don't have the time. If that Gate isn't closed, things are gonna take a nasty turn," Xander said in a final attempt to reason with the guardian, but the skeletal being remained adamant.
"The sands of time trickle much slower inside the Shrine of Mordred. It is a part of the veiled realm. You of all people should have known that. Even if you spend a day here, merely a few hours will pass in your world," Kokalotas replied.
Seeing no other option before him, Xander eventually relented.
"Fine, I'll answer your questions. Get on with it."
Kokalotas waved his empty hand, dispersing the apparitions flying overhead. Hundreds of violet daffodils sprang from the ground as he put his staff away.
"I dream of a dainty yellow cottage surrounded by fields of grass. A chestnut mare stands outside my door with a fair maiden seated on its brown saddle. What do I yearn for, Dreamwalker?" Kokalotas asked.
At the Dreamwalkers' Guild, Master Arwin had taught everyone that every single dream was meaningful and reflected a person's deepest desires. However, the interpretations varied depending on the person's nature and lifestyle.
Though Xander had interpreted dreams before, his clients had never been otherworldly beings. Before answering Kokalotas' question, Xander deemed it necessary to ask for some clarifications.
"What time of day is it in your dream? And who else is there with you?"
A faint grin appeared on Kokalotas' face as his lower jaw shifted ever so slightly. "It is midday and the sun is blushing from behind the fleecy white clouds. I am alone inside my cottage, staring at the chestnut mare through a little wooden window," he answered.
Xander analyzed all the information in his mind, paying close attention to every little detail. The answers were within his grasp now, but he had a hunch that there was some trick to it.
"I await your answer, Dreamwalker. What do I yearn for?" Kokalotas asked again.
"You yearn for love, but not the usual kind," Xander replied.
Kokalotas looked intrigued by his reply and urged him to continue.
"The fair maiden represents love, but the chestnut mare she rides symbolizes a yearning for adventure. You yearn for a wild and untamed love that will set you free from your homely captivity," Xander added.
Kokalotas' bony hands clapped in appreciation, and a hoarse chuckle escaped from his cackling jaw. "Your answer was impressive. You certainly know your way around dreams."
"Finally," Xander sighed. "Now please let me through."
"Not so fast, Dreamwalker. You have only fulfilled half the promise. The well still lies beyond your reach," Kokalotas replied.
"You've gotta be kidding me. What else do you need me to do?" Xander asked in a frustrated voice.
"You've unraveled the gift inside my dream, but you must also free me from my nightmare."
"Fine! But this better be the last of your questions." Xander frowned, fixing his glaring eyes on the skeletal frame.
"You have my word, Dreamwalker. This will be your final trial." Kokalotas' hollow sockets flashed for a split second, and that was enough for Xander to catch a glimpse of something unsettling.
Gulping the airy lump in his throat, Xander faked a smile to put on an act of confidence. But deep down, he was beginning to feel uneasy about this whole situation.
"I am naked and running through a dark alley. A faceless man is pursuing me with a weapon in hand. What am I afraid of?" Kokalotas asked.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Xander couldn't help but scoff at him mockingly. "You're pretty naked right now as well. The nightmare doesn't make much sense when I really think about it."
"You have a devious sense of humor, but it doesn't impress me," Kokalotas spoke in a stern voice. "If you are unable to answer the question, I cannot let you pass."
"There are a lot of things you could be afraid of. Nightmares are complicated. Every nightmare has a different meaning for a different person," Xander responded.
"Let me ease your burdens then. You are the one having the nightmare. What are you afraid of, Xander Nyxon?" Kokalotas' voice turned raspy and jarring as he rephrased his question.
Xander's face darkened as he heard the new question. The nightmare Kokalotas had mentioned had a personal significance for Xander since he had experienced it plenty of times after his sister's death.
After pondering for a while, Xander replied, "I'm not afraid of anything."
"If that is your final answer, then I am afraid you must turn your back on the well and never return," Kokalotas glowered.
"A naked dream symbolizes anxiety. It suggests fear of confronting a difficult situation or being unprepared," Xander replied. He paused for a while before continuing. "If that was my nightmare I could be afraid of a lot of things... judgment from society...fear of failure...or fear of not being good enough."
"You're wrong once again. This is your final chance, Dreamwalker. Answer my question with honesty or turn away from me."
Xander understood that Kokalotas was trying to probe his mind and dig out his most painful secrets. He had tried throwing his words around to give a vague answer to the guardian, but Kokalotas could tell Xander wasn't being honest.
"I'm afraid you aren't worthy, Dreamwalker. Seek the well no more, for it shall never quench your thirst. Walk—
"Hold on," Xander muttered through gritted teeth. "That nightmare...symbolizes the fear of death. I am afraid of watching my...loved ones dying before me. I am afraid of facing my guilt. I am afraid of my own helplessness. That's what the nightmare means."
There was complete silence for a minute. Even the wailing apparitions turned mute. A soft white glow spread through the darkness, and a raspy groan echoed from inside the well.
Kokalotas stood aside and bowed to Xander. "You have confronted your fears and answered my questions correctly. The Well of Despair awaits you."
The very next moment, the skeletal guardian disappeared into thin air, and the well lit up with an eerie glow. Xander heard a multitude of voices calling out to him and gripped his gun tighter, expecting another unsettling encounter.