“She harnessed such magic in a matter of hours and arrived here already? She should have been at least a day or two away, yet she seemed to close the distance in a matter of minutes! The doubt that once clouded her is gone. Where is this confidence coming from?”

Rell

“I don’t understand, Kenta!” Rell called as she followed the Arden man down the castle hall. “What do I have to do with any of this?”

“What is your relationship with Madia, your majesty?” Kenta asked urgently over his shoulder.

Rell blinked. “She’s been taking care of me and my sister in the absence of our parents,”

“Then you might just be able to wake her.” Kenta responded as he rounded the corner, reaching the door to Madia’s tower.

“But how? How could I wake her if nobody else could, not even magic?” Rell questioned as Kenta took off again. Rell glanced back to see Filera and Elkin right behind them.

Rell chased after the Arden as he ascended the staircase.

“My mother once told me about how she had an instinct to wake up when one of her children was crying nearby. If your relationship with Madia is not unlike a mother and child, she might be able to hear you!” Kenta insisted as he opened the door to her room.

Rell ran ahead past him, seeing Madia there in bed. Rell stifled a gasp as she saw her adoptive mother appearing pale and fragile. There was a layer of frost around the windows and the air was remarkably cold.

Filera mimicked Rell as she placed a hand over her mouth. “Oh heavens…”

“Rell, try speaking to her. Maybe she’ll hear you!” Kenta urged.

Rell gulped and did as she was told, rushing to Madia’s side. What do I say though? She paused for a moment. “M-Madia… you’ve been asleep for almost a week, please wake up,” Rell stammered.

Silence.

“Madia, we need you!” Rell pleaded as she placed a hand to Madia’s forehead, finding it cold. Rell flinched at the touch, biting her lip for a moment. “There’s nobody here to protect us… Rune is in danger, and the kingdom-” Rell caught herself as she tried to calm down. “The kingdom needs you.”

Everyone stared for almost a minute as Madia showed absolutely no signs of responding to Rell’s voice. Kenta let out a frustrated sigh as he stepped back and sat down in a chair to the side of Madia’s dresser. “I thought that would work… it made sense in my head.”

There was a crackling outside the window, causing the group to turn their heads to see what was happening. Rell opened the shutters and looked out and into the sky, seeing bright colours dancing against the clouds and mixing with the stars. Her mouth hung open in awe as the lights shifted and stuttered.

“What in the name of…?” Elkin muttered as his eyes reflected the colours.

Another crash forced Rell to look down. She gasped in shock as she watched a building within the city collapse into the streets below, before realizing the fog of the Dream realm was creeping through Elra.

“I-It’s here… before long, whatever is happening in Lady Madia’s dream will become real,” Kenta whispered.

Rell stared down at the destruction beginning to unfold within the town below, feeling herself start to slump in defeat. “We can’t wake her up. She hasn’t even noticed she’s dreaming.”

At that moment, something flickered in the corner of Rell’s eye. A flurry of bright lights and a flash of red and purple. Rell shook her head as she brought her gaze down to the town again, seeing a violet light traveling along the road before vanishing again. “Wait, Kenta did you see that?” Rell asked, looking back to him as he sat by the dresser, a hand to his forehead.

Kenta tilted his head. “See what?”

“I did,” Filera said quietly. “The purple light…”

Rell nodded at the redhead, before staring down into the town again, her eyes attentive to any peculiar movement. There was something odd about the light, the way it moved and bounced, and how it faded in and out of vision.

As if on cue, the light reappeared, but this time closer to the castle. It swayed and jumped around rapidly as it approached the palace walls.

Then she saw it; for a split second, a horse appeared beneath the light. She could see through it, the ground below still clearly visible.

Yet that was not all; atop the horse, a girl clad in a dark robe that sparkled like the stars rushed forward, a bandage wrapped around her head and her hair tied back as she gripped a staff that emitted a radiant amethyst light.

“MADIA!” Rell cried out.

“That’s her?” Filera squeaked.

Kenta immediately stood up and ran to the balcony in shock. In that same moment though, the vision faded away again, and the light dispersed. “Where? Where is she?” Kenta gasped.

“She was right there! She was riding towards the castle!” Rell exclaimed, turning around and running for the door. Kenta and Elkin exchanged confused glances, obviously not seeing what happened.

Filera followed right behind Rell. “Come on, you two! We’ve gotta do somethin’!”

They all chased after Rell down the stairs as they entered the main hall yet again. Kenta skidded to a stop as he had a look of deep thought on his face. “Elkin, you’ve been to the castle before, yes?” he asked.

“I- of course I have! I sell my goods here all the time with Alverd!”

“And you and your sister are famous?” Kenta continued.

“Well I wouldn’t go that far but in essence yes-”

“Find the most influential person you know. Tell them what is happening. If Madia is out there, we need to get the word out and fast!” Kenta insisted.

Elkin nodded, before starting to run down the hall. He stopped and called to Kenta as he walked backwards for a moment. “What for, though?”

Kenta snarled. “If even one person can reach Madia and tell her she’s dreaming, she’ll realize it and wake up!”

Rell felt her heart leap as hope returned to her. Just as Celendrin said… a false awakening! Rell recalled. And if she realizes she is dreaming, she’ll immediately be able to fix all of this!

“You two, come with me,” Kenta requested as he began to run towards the main entrance of the castle. “If Madia is heading for the castle, we may be able to intercept her and wake her ourselves!”

Kenta and the girls quickly stumbled down the stairs, desperately searching for any sign of Madia.

As they scanned the area, Rell looked up at the gatehouse and felt her heart freeze. The silent mist of the Dream realm steadily curled over the walls, snaking through the parapets.

As if heralded by the fog, what sounded like a powerful gust of wind filled Rell’s ears, shortly followed by a screeching sound. Rell screamed as she ducked down, along with Kenta and Filera. Kenta immediately grabbed Rell and pulled her close to him, causing her to gasp as the breath was knocked out of her. Like an eruption of stone and rock, the very earth shook violently as the walls into the palace exploded, sending pebbles and boulders everywhere. Kenta spread his wings wide and wrapped them around Rell and Filera, small rocks showering them as he grunted. Rell panted and began to cough as a cloud of dust blew over them.

Rell shook her head as she tried to get her bearings, ears ringing as her eyes refocused. Kenta relaxed around them, retracting his wings and revealing the courtyard filled with chaos. People were running for the inner castle, and some were scattered on the ground unconscious, or worse.

“W-what… what happened-?” Rell yelped.

Filera immediately stood up and began running to the aid of others, looking them over and examining their wounds. “Th-they’re terribly injured, your majesty-!”

“But what happened? What was that?” Rell asked again as she looked back to the wall. It had been absolutely decimated, an entire section completely collapsed and destroyed to the left of the gate, making for easy entry. The walls had been breached.

“It’s not safe out here, your majesty! We must get you inside!” Kenta insisted as he grabbed her hand.

“But what about Madia?” Rell cried.

“Please, your majesty, we can’t stay here!” Kenta pleaded as he began to drag her away.

“No, wait!” Rell exclaimed as she saw the light just on the other side of the rubble. Moments later, a faded vision of Madia shrouded in mist leapt over the rubble, spinning a crimson staff in her hand, her mouth wide open as though she were shouting.

“Madia!” Rell broke free of Kenta’s gasp and rushed forward. “Madia it’s me, it’s Rell! You are dreaming! Wake up-” Rell kept running forward, reaching out to touch Madia, only to phase right through her.

Rell nearly tumbled over as she regained her footing, looking back to see Madia had not even noticed her. Madia was swinging her staff around and jumping through the air as though she was locked in combat. Rell felt the hope she had dissipate again as Madia took no notice of the young girl. “M-Madia-!” Rell stammered.

“It’s no use,” Kenta called to the princess. “She’s completely lost in her dream!”

Rell returned to Kenta, looking up at him desperately. “Then what do we do?”

The odd vision of Madia disappeared again, along with the light as she began to run through the courtyard. Kenta’s mouth opened and closed as he tried to speak. “I-I… I don’t know-!” Fear filled his voice, and Rell realized they could do nothing.

“Th-there’s got to be something we can do!” Rell insisted.

“Your majesty!” Filera called as she ran forward. “Do you have any reagents? I need them to mend these people's wounds!” Filera asked anxiously.

Rell gulped and nodded as she reached down to the pouch on her tunic before a thought crossed her mind. “Wait,” Rell paused. “Magic… sensory magic!” Rell exclaimed.

Kenta and Filera looked confused. “I have one more thing to try, come with me!” Rell commanded as she ran back up the stairs. Filera and Kenta followed suit as one last time, they entered the great hall of the inner castle. Rell darted up another flight of stairs as she worked her way up to the second floor, before turning along the balcony and rushing towards her room. This is insane. There is no way this could work, but we must try!

Rell flung open the door, the room meticulously cleaned and their beds made as if she had never left. She wasted no time climbing up onto the bed.

“Your majesty, with all due respect, this is not the time to be sleeping-” Kenta cut himself off as he saw Rell pull the pouch off her belt and toss it to Filera. The redhead squeaked as she caught it.

“Filera, do you know any sensory magic?” Rell questioned.

“A-A little! My friend Hivoria taught me some while we were traveling!” Filera replied.

“I need you to put me to sleep,” Rell insisted.

Filera appeared confused. “B-but that’s dangerous! What if I hurt you?”

“You won’t hurt me Filera. If the stories are true, you’d never hurt anyone!” Rell encouraged. “Trust me, I know what we need to do now!”

“Your majesty, you don’t intend to possibly…” Kenta began to mutter.

Rell locked eyes with him and nodded as she lay down on her back, taking a few deep breaths. “I’m going to visit Madia myself, but I need to get to sleep fast.”

Kenta frowned. “There’s no telling what’s going on in Madia’s nightmare, what if something happens to you in there?”

“We don’t have time to think about that!” Rell lifted her head and shouted at them. “Just do it, Filera!”

Filera’s eyes were wide with terror as she snapped her fingers, a light enshrouding her hand as she moved it shakily over to the princess’s forehead. “J-just take deep breaths and try to relax.”

Rell tried her best to calm herself down as she remembered what little she had read about sensory magic. Focus on what you want to see; on what you want to do. She imagined the shores of the Realm of Dreams; the waters lapping at the coast; the stars speckling the sky. You are dreaming… you are dreaming. She began to repeat in her head as she felt Filera’s magic start to work. She felt a twinge of pain in her head like that of a headache, before she drifted off and everything went black.

Rell let out a loud gasp as she sat up, eyes wide in shock. Her voice echoed around her as her senses returned and her eyes adjusted to the dim light. She shook her head as she stumbled to her feet, finding sand beneath them. She placed a hand to her forehead as it ached and throbbed.

She glanced around, realizing she had arrived at the sea of dreams. The waters ahead of her jumped, surging up and down as though rocked by a vicious tempest. Lightning crackled and struck the water out on the horizon as the chaotic scene unfolded before Rell. She carefully stepped back as the spray of the ocean assaulted the beach. I made it!

Rell began to run across the sand, looking in every direction. “Madia! Madia I’m here! It’s alright!” she called into the storm. The wind and thunder drowned her out as rain began to fall from the sky, soaking her already damp clothing. She kept running as she looked up into the sky, the enormous moon hanging above as it approached its peak. Come on Madia, where are you?

As Rell darted along the coast, she suddenly felt a piercing pain in her back. She cried out in pain as she collapsed forward, face-first into the sand as her back rippled in protest. “A-ah… what-” she stammered as she carefully pulled herself to her feet. She panted as she felt a few tears escape her eyes. The pain was so intense she felt she would not be able to stand. Rell winced as she carefully reached around her back, before gasping as she felt something warm and sticky along her back against her clothes. Blood? Am I bleeding?

Rell gasped as she fell to her knees again. No… Madia’s nightmare! The young girls’ senses began to darken as she supported herself with her hands, bending over as she coughed. “S-somebody… help me, please-!” she whimpered as she crawled forward, but there was nobody around to help the princess. Rell was alone. There would be nobody to rescue her this time.

She managed to look towards the tumultuous waters of the ocean. Rell bit her lip hard, drawing blood as she forced herself to turn towards the water. She crawled at an agonizing pace, working her way to the sea as she felt her tunic becoming coated with blood, tears practically streaming down her face now. Not like this… not like this! Rell pleaded desperately with herself as she approached the water.

With a wail, she pulled herself to her feet, looking into the waters. She saw visions of devastation and fire within the water’s reflections, the dreams of Alarulin in turmoil as Madia’s absence was keenly felt. Rell began to grow light-headed as her eyes started to narrow, her breathing picking up and becoming more broken. Mother, father… please help me-!

Rell pushed herself forward, closer and closer to the water, the waves starting to lap at her feet as she limped on. She felt a sense of calm wash over her as the ocean began to assault her legs. Despite the surging waters below, she knew what she had to do. Just the same, Rell began to see double as her eyes struggled to stay open, her limbs barely keeping her up until, at last, she collapsed into the water.

Immediately, the current seized her. She coughed as she inhaled water and felt herself thrown about amongst the waves. She spun and dipped in the violent waters as they tugged and pulled her every which direction. No- No I can’t die like this!

But as if on cue, she suddenly heard what sounded like metal colliding with metal. There was a loud CLUNK and moments later a clattering as though something metal had struck the ground. Then a voice penetrated through the waters. It was a lady’s voice; a cry of fury and determination. Madia- that’s Madia! Come on Rell… you can do this!

Moments later, there was another dip, and Rell felt a surge of strength as she kicked with her legs, lurching forward as she dared to open her eyes, seeing a mixture of fire and rubble before her. She kicked again, and again, until she felt as though she were falling. She opened her mouth to scream, having it flooded with water at first, before suddenly breathing in air.

Suddenly she found herself lying down in a puddle of water, flames dancing around her. She was laying on her back in Elra’s courtyard, the same pink lights dancing through the sky, and the same thunder echoing across the landscape as the sky flashed. What- no! Am I back in Elra?

Suddenly she heard a shout of pain. Rell whirled around, fighting the pain in her back as she forced her eyes wide open, just in time to see Madia and Tuulin through the curtain of fire, Madia lunging at the Arden man with her knife outstretched.