Congratulations. You have reached level 31

We both buckled as the effect of leveling up washed over us. Only when the haze of euphoria wore off did we notice where we were. Kalli looked at me in alarm and asked, “Isn’t this Celestea Castle?”

I nodded and replied, “Yeah. Do you think being here triggered some repressed memories?”

She looked around nervously as if she expected some long-lost trauma to come into the room at any moment. “I don’t know. I’ve never dreamed about this place before.”

“Perhaps you want to dream about the bath we just had,” I suggested hopefully. “That could be fun.”

“In your dreams!” Kalli snorted with a giggle as she slammed a pillow into my face.

Looking around, I recognized the room we were in. It was the child’s room with the tiny bed. We were currently sitting on the bed, which felt much larger than it had looked.

Suddenly, the door burst open and two people rushed into the room. We both stiffened in shock as a man and woman strode over to the bed. As usual, they both ignored me and doted on Kalli. They were huge, easily the size of giants.

Then I realized that it was the two of us who were tiny. Kalli was a small child, and I was sized to match. The woman had auburn red hair that flowed down to her waist and freckles bridging her nose. Kalli was an almost perfect clone of her, only smaller. The man, on the other hand, was brawny with a bushy brown mustache and a ponytail that was draped over his shoulder.

The woman reached behind Kalli and swaddled her in a blanket, saying, “Do not fear, my little. Everything is going to be fine. We are going on an adventure.”

“No!” Kalli screamed, reaching out for me with tiny arms. “Melvin, don’t let me have this dream. Not again! I’ll take the bath dream. Anything. Just don’t let this happen.”

Not knowing what to do, I flooded the room with my mana, trying to obscure the parents that stood in front of Kalli. The scene faded and we were outside. Looking around frantically for Kalli, I saw her in the arms of her mother, who struggled to run through the rain-slicked darkness. Sounds of pursuit echoed through the night behind them.

While I did want to spare Kalli the dream, it was becoming evident that I lacked the power to do so. I also wanted to discover the identity of the person who had killed her parents.

Heading back in the direction of the noise, I climbed up on a rock to get a better view. Being in the dream made what I saw next much clearer than when I had seen it through Kalli’s dreaming eyes.

With her staff drawn, Lady Mardella swatted a tree branch out of her way as she slogged through the mud. She was followed by several armed guards whom she shouted at. “Find them! We need the child alive. The others can be killed.”

I was rather confused to be hearing a conversation that Kalli most definitely would not have been aware of. I followed the archmage through the mud as she continued in her pursuit.

Just ahead, the defiant-looking redhead raised a wand as Lady Mardella approached. A feeling of rage engulfed me as I realized I was about to witness the murder of Kalli’s mother. I lunged at the plated mage in an attempt to thwart her but I passed right through her.

All of a sudden, a figure clad in a blue robe planted himself between the woman and Kalli’s mom. He raised a hand in front of her face, and Lady Mardella stiffened, freezing in her tracks.

Behind the man, I heard a familiar spell being muttered.

“Pvruzth”

The man in the blue robe didn’t so much as flinch as the flames washed over him. Steam rose in the cool night air as the flames had their way with the cloak. Then, to my surprise, he pulled the cloak off of his head and looked straight at me.

The face that looked back at me was my own. Though he appeared to be older, the man in the blue cloak was definitely related to me. He touched a finger to his lips and spoke to me. “They still live. Take Kalli to a hut to the south of Celestea. Let her meet her parents.”

Then, without waiting for a response, he turned to the woman and scooped her up, vanishing into the night. A few seconds later, Lady Mardella reanimated and stalked forward a few steps, shaking her head as if to clear away cobwebs. Then, without stopping to wonder what had happened to her prey, she stomped off into the night.

I fell on my butt with a splash of mud as I attempted to compute what had just happened. While I wanted to save Kalli’s mother, I hadn’t believed I would be able to do so. Then I somehow summoned a clone of myself and that person had saved her.

The questions were numerous. How had I done it? Why was my clone older than me? Had my actions in the dream had any effect on reality? Where had I seen that blue cloak before?

After what felt like an eternity, I woke with a start. Kalli tossed and turned next to me in the giant bed we shared in The Queen’s Suite. I shook her gently to wake her up.

Her eye fluttered open and she panted for several moments before regaining her composure. Then she glared at me with tears in her eyes. You abandoned me in there. I told you to get me out of that dream. Any other dream would have been better than being trapped in that tree again.

I cut her off by placing a finger on her lips. She snarled and bit me.

Ow! Kalli! Stop! Let go! I need to tell you something. I think your parents might just be alive.

She released my finger and I held it up, looking at the indents her teethe made on it. My finger throbbed and Kalli winced as she shared the pain. What are you talking about? We both just watched them die.

I shook my head vigorously.

No! I watched myself rescue your mom and I think I know where she is right now.

Kalli’s mouth hung open and all she managed was a weak reply. What?

I’m telling you I rescued her and told myself where to find her.

Kalli folded her arms over her chest. How did you tell yourself? Are you sure you weren’t just dreaming in my dream?

I shook my head, not willing to give up what could be the happiest moment of Kalli’s life.

No! I’m telling you, I think they are alive. We need to go south.

In the end, Kalli agreed to come with me. While it very well could have just been a dream, I decided to trust dream me and the two of us slipped quietly out of the castle.

We munched on food that we were surprised to find in the castle’s kitchen. Not only was the larder stocked full of delicious meats and vegetables but we also found two lunch bags ready and waiting when we visited. It was as if the castle knew we were going out for the day and wanted to make sure we ate something.

Kalli was beginning to get impatient after we walked for a while. How far away is this? We can’t just walk forever if your dream turns out to be just a dream.

I sighed, realizing the flaw in my plan.

I forgot to ask myself how far it was.

Kalli stopped in her tracks. Wait. Are you saying that you told yourself this and can’t tell yourself where it is now?

Since I wasn’t able to come up with an answer that made sense, I pulled up the map to see if there were any landmarks down south. When I scrolled in, Kalli gasped and pointed to a mark on the map. A red X sat next to a hut icon with words scrawled in fine print.

Kalliphae’s Parents' House.

When she said nothing, I laughed and made a suggestion.

Let’s go there!

Kalli sighed theatrically and said, Duh! Seriously though, did you put that mark on the map?

I put the map away and started in the direction of the hut.

Can’t you tell that I’m not lying? I would never do that to you.

She frowned, looking at the ground as she walked. I do trust you. It’s just that I can’t wrap my head around this. My parents are alive and you learned about it from a dream. How is any of this possible?

I couldn’t explain it either. All I knew was that we had to go look for them or I would always wonder.

It took us another hour to reach the location marked on the map. We discovered a small cabin nestled up against a hill. Smoke rose from the chimney as we approached. Kalli whimpered quietly next to me. Mel, I’m scared. Do you think my parents are there?

I took her hand to comfort her.

Don’t worry. I’ll go in first. I know what they look like. Your mother looks exactly like you.

Kalli smiled nervously. Does she really?

I nodded and she steeled herself as we made our way to the door. We looked at each other as we stood there, listening for any sound from inside.

Should I knock?

She glared at me as she replied. Yes! What if they are naked or something?

I scowled back, though I was just hoping to put her nerves at ease.

Why would they be naked?

Kalli stomped her foot and I got the message, so I knocked.

Knock Knock Knock.

I thought I heard a rustle of movement but nobody answered.

What now?

Kalli squeezed my hand in a death grip. I don’t know.

Should I go in?

Not waiting for an answer, I reached for the handle and pushed. The door swung open to reveal a quaint, yet empty room. It was clean and looked lived in. I took a few steps into the room when I noticed smoke coming from the fireplace. It had recently been doused.

“Pvruzth”

Kalli, who had waited outside for me to investigate, barreled into me, shoving me onto a straw bed. I turned to see Kalli immersed in flames as a woman blasted her with a wall of fire from behind the door.

The flame was so loosely controlled that the building was starting to catch fire. For Kalli’s part, she just stood there, impervious to the flame but unsure of what to do.

After a few seconds, the flame died and for a moment, the two redheads stood staring at each other. Not sure if she was going to attack again, I did the only thing I could think of, infusing my mana with water and putting out the fire.

The woman glanced at me from the corner of her eye before returning her attention to Kalli. There was a glimmer of tears in her eyes when she whispered, “Kalliphae?”

I looked back and forth between them. Kalli stood stock still for several long moments. Then her lower lip started to quiver. I wanted to take her in my arms and shield her from what she was feeling but I felt paralyzed by the powerful emotions emanating from her.

Finally, Kalli cried out. “Mom!”

She then flung herself into the woman’s arms. The woman embraced Kalli tenderly and whispered, “My dearest child. You have come back to me at last. I was beginning to lose hope.”

Kalli shook and sobbed into the woman’s chest. The woman wore ragged attire that I was used to seeing the people dressed in whenever I arrived in a new village in the dark lands. Watching them cry caused tears to form in my eyes and made me think of my mother back on Earth. I deeply regretted not telling her before heading to Gaia.

After what felt like an eternity, Kalli’s face emerged from her mother’s shoulder, her face puffy. She looked into her mother’s eyes and asked, “Where’s father?”