The following days were a blur of fear and frustration as Simon, Ezekial, April, and Violet continued to struggle with their powers. They had found a small, relatively safe building to use as their base, and every day was spent practicing and trying to control their abilities.
Simon focused on producing small, controlled flames, though larger bursts still escaped his control when his emotions ran high. Ezekial managed to reduce the rain cloud to a drizzle, but it clung to him stubbornly, soaking everything around him. April learned to animate small objects without them attacking her, but larger ones remained a challenge. Prism continued to grow at an alarming rate, now the size of a large dog, and Violet struggled to keep up with its demands.
Each night, they took turns keeping watch, wary of the plant-zombies and other unknown dangers lurking in the shadows. Despite their exhaustion, they knew they couldn't afford to let their guard down.
One night, it was April's turn to keep watch. The others had managed to fall into a restless sleep, their minds heavy with the events of the past few days. As the hours passed, April felt herself nodding off, struggling to stay awake.
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the silence. April bolted upright, her heart pounding. She realized the scream had come from her own mouth, and she was drenched in sweat, trembling with fear.
"April! What's wrong?" Simon shouted, rushing to her side, flames flickering from his hands in his panic.
April's eyes were wide with terror. "I... I saw Dominique. He was in my dream, but it was more than that. It felt so real."
Ezekial and Violet joined them, their faces pale and filled with concern.
"Tell us what happened," Ezekial said, trying to keep his voice calm despite the fear gnawing at him.
April took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "I was in a dark place, and Dominique was there. But he wasn't himself. He looked... twisted, like he was part plant. He told me that he was coming for us, that he would haunt our dreams until we gave in."
Violet shuddered, holding Prism tightly. "This isn't just a dream, is it? Dominique is somehow reaching out to us."
Ezekial nodded slowly. "It makes sense. Remember the cave and the runes? Maybe whatever happened to us is happening to him too, but in a different way."
Simon clenched his fists, trying to suppress the flames that threatened to engulf them. "We need to find a way to fight this. If Dominique can reach us in our dreams, we're never safe."
The next night, despite their best efforts to stay awake and keep watch, Ezekial was the next to fall victim to the night terror. He woke up drenched, the rain cloud above him pouring heavily as he screamed.
"Dominique was in my dream too," he said, shivering despite the warm rain. "He was taunting me, saying we'd never escape. It was so vivid, like he was really there."
The group realized they needed to come up with a plan. They couldn't continue like this, constantly haunted by their friend-turned-foe in their dreams. They decided to work on controlling their powers even more, hoping that mastering their abilities would give them an edge against Dominique's dream invasions.
As the days turned into weeks, their powers gradually became more manageable. Simon learned to control his flames with greater precision, though the energy consumption still left him ravenous. Ezekial managed to contain the rain cloud, using it to his advantage in controlled bursts. April could animate objects without them rebelling, though she remained cautious. Prism continued to grow, but Violet found ways to communicate and bond with the creature, their connection becoming stronger.
Despite their progress, the night terrors continued. Each of them experienced Dominique's haunting presence in their dreams, his twisted form a constant reminder of the danger they were in. The visions were relentless, draining their strength and testing their resolve.
One night, as they huddled together, trying to stay awake, Violet spoke up. "We need to confront Dominique. If he's haunting our dreams, there must be a way to fight back, to reach him and break whatever hold he has on us."
Simon nodded, determination in his eyes. "We have to find him, both in our dreams and in this world. If we can face him, maybe we can free him from whatever is controlling him."
Ezekial looked thoughtful. "There might be a way to enter the dreamscape intentionally. If we can control when and how we enter, we might be able to fight Dominique on equal footing."
April agreed. "It's risky, but we can't keep running and hiding. We need to take the fight to him, to find a way to save our friend."
They spent the next few days preparing, practicing their powers, and researching ways to enter the dreamscape deliberately. They knew it would be dangerous, but they were determined to face Dominique and free him from whatever dark force was influencing him.
As they prepared for their next step, they felt a renewed sense of hope. Together, they would confront the darkness, both in their dreams and in the world around them. And no matter what it took, they would bring Dominique back.