Nothing but more fuzziness spread throughout my head the second I opened my eyes. Becoming less stronger the more I forced myself to focus, only to have found myself in another plane of reality. Resting on a red couch that was floating on a disk-shaped platform with a black and white checkered floor. The empty space around us being nothing more than a wasteland for forgotten debris of things I assumed were forgotten in the real world.
"Dreams always had such a funny philosophy," A rather upbeat voice began. And when I turned to it in sudden surprise, a man in these long white braies and loose long-sleeved shirt shared the once empty space beside me. He also wore on top his mangy long blonde hair a rather comedic white nightcap with his pointy small ears holding it up. He looked feminine and rather majestic with these translucent gold wings shaped like leaves, tucked behind him. I immediately identified him as a fairy. And clenched in his hand was a golden chalice with a rather strong aroma of honey tea.
"The moment you drift and go off on various adventures is the moment one feels connected to something "beyond" reality. Whether it be a means of escape, or a way of one's body telling one urgent news."
"Why should I care? Dreams are nothing more than a reminder of pain or gazing upon something we'll never have. A way of fooling dreamers into thinking they are special."
"Oh but you should care, your highness. After all, you were one of them. You see, it is the rumors that speak of your dreams having brought upon a new age to our already chaotic world." The stranger replied, elegantly gesturing his drink at me before taking a sip. At that moment I could not help shake off the strange feeling of uneasiness. But I did not doubt him. Not even for a second. Although I was left wondering.
"Everyone speaks of it or act as if it's a rumor, like nothing has changed. Although few speak of it as if it has happened, but happened in a way that a distant dream can vaguely be remembered." I looked out into the empty space in front of me. Reminiscing of my entire trip here, meeting all kinds of faces and personalities. It was too bad I was stuck in my head too much to be able to observe the world more closely.
"You are correct. It is a rumor that many believe hasn't or isn't going to happen. But very few has seen the change and fought for ways to make it less of a public truth and more of a private agreement."
"In other words, the vital piece of evidence the council has used against me." I finished, taking a moment to think deeper. But they presented the trial in front of eyewitnesses. Human eyewitnesses that could very much be less knowledgeable of such a reality altering event. If NPCs only follow a script without a thought in their head to tell them otherwise, then how could they be expected to react? Unless it was not what it seemed to be. After all, my family and friends were part of that group. And they could not have been used against me since I easily evaded them and used them to blend in from that chase. What else could I have missed?
"I was one of the few outside that council's tight circle to know the truth. Since a majority with the strength to remember such an event all reside in the council. But I am the Dream Master Ezephyr. A dream fairy--a mere puppet of the real Ezephyr residing somewhere in a cancerous state in Ehert."
Ehert. I assumed that was this world's word for Earth. Sounded fantasy-like indeed.
"Your servant witch, Augusta. She called me a Dream Warper."
"Indeed my student did, your highness. For you are a Dream Warper. The first and only one of its kind." He stood up, pointing at sudden pale pink bubbles that suddenly appeared in the air above his extended finger. I had barely noticed the sparkles emitting from his body. "That is the reason why I brought you here. I am fascinated by your dreams," He paused to run his finger over the surface of the bubble. Like caressing a tiny kitten ever so carefully and delicately. "So far the ones you've had after your little fusion has left me begging for more."
"What?" I felt the urge to kill him on the spot grow stronger. Like every instinct was telling me he needed to be eliminated. Perhaps this feeling stemmed purely from Sin's primal instinct.
The chalice revealed a familiar symbol. Once I had consistently seen throughout the council's castle mixed in with another unfamiliar symbol. Except it had a large white line across it. Perhaps to symbolize opposition.
"Dreams hide many things. Desires, scars, pushed-back memories... things we have either left behind or simply wished for a little fun while the night fell. But beyond the realm of dreams there lies the staircase to the truth. So let's see what you are hiding from the world, prince. Because you are simply too dangerous for the council to kill and for that silly Eminence group to claim."
And he appeared in front of me so suddenly, his chalice now a golden cane with a white owl as the handle. He was going to do something to me but I did not budge. Something within me took the title of Dream Maker to heart. With the tap of it to my head, I felt everything flood into my mind at a speed I couldn't endure.
As I was being pushed through varies memories, Ezephyr's voice seeped into my ear like a haunting whisper in the middle of the night,
"Give me everything."
Memories of myself as I currently was, passed by. Zipping like lines of super fast cars on a straight road without stopping. And then flashes of more prominent memories.
My fusion with Sin as Art, me face to face with the head of the council, until I felt the beginning of it all grow near. As he viewed my life, I suddenly saw his--All memories and hidden secrets. Echoes of his deepest desires and tormenting thoughts like a storm clouding his mind. Until I got access to a certain dream or memory.
It was Augusta, or more like a teen version of her in this purple vest on top a white button down shirt and dark purple shorts, sat in front of a fire place. Except it released white flames that began to eat the entire place. But she and Ezephyr did not seem to mind.
She then turned to Ezephyr, a glass cup of milk in hand. 'Why are you so focused on this criminal, Ez? The one you call Dream Warper? Is he like you? A Dream Master?'
Ezephyr, no longer in his usual sleepwear but in silver and gold armor with symbols of an owl on each shoulder plate, took the moment to rub his sunken dark eyes before shaking his head.
'No, Augusta. Dream Masters read, feel, and take memories and dreams like film reels. Whereas Dream Warpers, they can tamper with dreams in many ways until it bleeds into reality.'
'What's the purpose anyway? Aren't dreams not real?' Puzzled Augusta asked, which made Ezephyr look away in question
'Dreams are important to people. They help the strong remember, help motivate and create. Help grow and shape our perspectives. Whereas the weak succumb to the more darkest pit of dreams. Eating away at it obsessively like sour fruits in order to gain power, or simply fade away. In my old job, we had three different types of jobs depending on gifts bestowed by the Fairy Goddess of Slumber and Memories, Aralaine. To help guide and observe many. Lead them to the right path, even if dreams may be unreal at times. But with the rumors surrounding that Mirrikhian Prince, I think it is safe to say that the path he will take threatens all dreamers, even life itself.'
'So he's really as bad as they say, huh?' Augusta sang as she took a sip of her milk.
The fire now engulfing her in a now large, red flame. And the flickering light made her black, wavy hair glow slightly red at the tips.
'Indeed.' He muttered. This dream now fading just like his mutter.
Then another voice whispered as more dreams and memories zipped by.
'I am a dream fairy. Once a servant of Aralaine.' It echoed throughout. 'I have seen all dreams. All memories within them. Many brought me the same despair as dreamers, whereas others brought the same enchantment. But still, so many suffering. So much change now that HE brought upon an abomination. I wish to leave dreamers in peace from all control and change...'
As I went through this, Ezephyr was going through my memories at the same time until my memories as a human inched closer and closer. The anticipation of its arrival excited Ezephyr. He knew well it was going to reveal everything.
"Yes! YES!!" He shouted in excitement.
And you could imagine the next part playing something similar to this from an outside point of view:
A splash of red blinded both our sights. I was ripped out of the dream realm, absolutely out of it as my mind phased between reality and memories. Shifting back and forth like channels on a television. I tried my best to fix my composure. Meanwhile, Ezephyr held his head in severe anguish. Crying out at the infectious bag of my dreams and memories which forcefully attempted to make its way out of him. Although he lost connection to the personal dream realm inside my mind with his cane, he pounced forward to hang onto my face, fingers pressed deeply against my temples. Magic attempting to force its way into my mind.
I could not help but smile at his desperation for he was walking into my newfound plan.