It wasn’t until a couple weeks later that Marcus intruded upon Celeste’s family again. He brought some game with him this time. Some fresh rabbit and venison jerky. A much welcomed gift for meat was rare to come by during the early months of spring when monsters are most active. Celeste invited Marcus in with a greeting like she would have greeted an neighbour.

“I would feel troubled if you constantly come bearing gifts Marcus.”

“More of a small part of a payment for a favour I have come to ask.” Marcus said and drew his lips to a line.

“Well, I shall do what I can for you, but I hope you will understand I still have many limits.”

“Of course, nothing beyond your capacity.” Marcus sat down with a grimace as he rubbed his temples.

Marcus slowly explained his curse. Wondering if she could help him find the caster in order for him to clarify the situation. Let them know that the Shadow King is dead and beg, if he had to, for them to lift the curse. Marcus was truly weary of the nightmares.

“Huh.” Celeste exclaimed out of the unexpectedness of the situation.

“I am very well aware of who the caster is, for the person who hexed the former Shadow King is none other than me.”

Marcus looked at Celeste with an eyebrow raised and a relieved expression. Immediately thankful that a problem that had caused him great worry could be easily resolved.

“So can you lift the curse for me now? I would to be able to sleep regularly again.” Marcus smiled wearily.

“Well, it should’ve gone away on its own, it shouldn’t need much intervention. How long have you been inhabiting — the body.”

Marcus furrowed his eyebrows in an attempt to remember. “It feels like it has been months but I think it is only at most a few weeks. I haven’t been counting really, you are actually the first clergy — well, ex-clergy member I’ve talked to.”

“Strange it should’ve have been lifted shortly, as in a few days, after the former Shadow King died.”

Celeste was now looking at Marcus with suspicion again and her hand was drifting toward her dagger.

Marcus raised his hands slowly in the air in surrender.

“If you don’t trust me. Which I completely understand that you wouldn’t. You could join me in my dreams and see for yourself.”

Celeste eased her suspicious and told Marcus to lie down. Celeste then put her hands on Marcus temples as he laid his head in her lap.

“Do you need sleeping aid?”

“No. I am exhausted and I am barely able to keep conscious. Are you sure you want to face the Shadow King’s memories?”

“You speak words out of concern, but is your head not already in my lap?” Celeste asked teasingly.

Marcus opened his eyes and was about to sit up, but Celeste gently pressed his head back down.

“If what you said is true, I can easily guide the dream to another direction. I have not grown that weak.”

Marcus nodded then drifted to sleep almost immediately. The dream world came into being and Celeste inserted her consciousness into Marcus. The darkness of Marcus’ mind slowly morphed into a dark cell with the Shadow King chained in the corner. He was a teenager now, bruised and blooded. Marcus this time however was outside of the Shadow King’s body and standing beside him was Celeste. Celeste look at Marcus curiously.

“Marcus, it seems you have taken some creative liberties with your looks in the real world.”

“You can’t really fault a man for wanting to be slightly handsomer with his looks when granted the opportunity can ya?” Marcus scratched his head embarrassingly.

“Well now I believe you, let me try to end this curse.” Celeste said and relaxed her vigilance.

As Celeste try to move the dream realm and shatter the curse. The world started falling apart. Void expanded to consume the dream and everything became frozen in time. As the void expanded Celeste grew strained. Beads of sweat forming on her forehead as she groaned.

The void was about to consume the Shadow King but some foreign power prevented Celeste from shattering the curse and forced the dream realm to shift instead. Marcus and Celeste now saw the Shadow King standing above Count Vezai. The Shadow King had one foot on the once so proud head of his father while calmly wiping blood off his sword. They were in the count’s office. The furniture was turned over and bloodied documents littered the floor. The count’s blood was gently streaming out of his neck. Celeste frowned then gathered herself to try again with more effort as the world froze once more and the void expanded. This time she close her eyes to focus. The void expanded faster but again as it touched the Shadow King the world shifted.

They were now inside a basement with the air smelling of blood and dampness. There was a large demon summoning circle made up of demonic symbols and the Shadow King was fervently chanting the demon tongue. The Shadow King’s legs were bent in unnatural angles and there was still a madness in his eyes. His face was older, but he could be no more than 30. His hair was not its usual shining black nightly colour but instead grey, dusty, and dull.

“It seems like I am unable to lift my own curse.” Celeste said with both astonishment and guilt.

“I suppose that would have been a little too easy.” Marcus said with a comforting smile, but the exhaustion in his eyes grew heavier.

“I might be able to change the target though, it does seem a large portion of it has departed with the Shadow King’s soul, the remnant is unfortunately tethered to his body.”

“Wait. This is the remnant? How nefarious was it in its full form?” Marcus looked at Celeste with shocked eyes.

Celeste had a wicked grin on her face proud of her curse. “Yes, the original would have affected the Shadow King in his waking moments as well.”

Marcus shivered at the thought, noting to himself not to anger Celeste.

“I can move it to you instead or your soul rather, the curse will instead project your memories instead of the Shadow King’s, but you would have to let me into your deeper consciousness and memories.”

Marcus contemplated for a brief moment, recalling his former life’s most miserable memories. He nodded slowly with acceptance. To Marcus at least he could live with his own mistakes. Many of which he had already came to terms with.

Celeste nodded at Marcus in response and the world started to change and warp. This time it wasn’t black void that consumed the space, but white. It started to consume everything and once the white void touched Marcus the world shifted.

They were now at a dilapidated home with Marcus at the bedside of his father. A dying old man whose hand Marcus held. Marcus was no longer beside Celeste, he was inside his own body once again except this time no longer aware he was in a dream. He is now living out his most painful memories as the curse intended.

“Father. I am with you now.” A middle aged Marcus wept silently. His tear-filled eyes had sorrow. “Your son is here with you.”

Celeste looked at the middle aged Marcus. He was wearing worn out rags and was extremely unkempt.

“Your son is alright now. He is healthy, wealthy, and has a loving wife with a kid on the way.” Marcus said as he held his father’s hand tightly. “So please, don’t worry about me any longer. I am alright now, I will be alright.”

Marcus’ father whose eyes had no light in them smiled and said “That is good my sunny boy. I always knew your bright mind would prevail. I’ve never told you this Marcus, but you father has always been secretly proud of the man you’ve become. I love you dear boy. Is your wife here too?”

“No father, she is too pregnant to make the journey, but she is lovely and beautiful.”

“That’s good, it is a shame I won’t be seeing my grandchildren.” Marcus’ father said with a slightly sorrowful tone.

“I will name them after you, father.”

“Name them after your mother, otherwise they will inherit you and my ugly mugs.”

“I will father.” Marcus said with a smile through his tears.

“I am tired Marcus, but now I feel like I can truly rest. I love you son.”

“I love you too father.”

Marcus father smiled one last time and closed his eyes.

Marcus woke up with Celeste looking at him with warm eyes. Marcus still had tear stains on his face and sat up.

“My father was a great man, he deserved better.”

Celeste nodded at Marcus’ words

“I wish my last words to him were honest ones.”

Celeste patted Marcus back comfortingly and tried to offer assuring words, but she could think of none for she didn’t know Marcus and the words would have been empty.

“Well it is getting rather late, I best be heading off.” Marcus bowed to Celeste and bid farewell. He stopped at the door for a moment, turned to Celeste and said “thank you” before stepping out. The sun hung brightly in the sky as he left.