– Lewis –

Its cold, empty eyes stared at me. Its life-energy lay dormant within it while the remains of its previous lives surrounded it like a graveyard.

“Surely you aren’t that cold~” chimed a familiar voice.

“If ye wan’ a fire than ye bett’r keep it ‘live yeself.” Another voice interjected.

I tore my longing gaze away from the fireplace and shot looks at Lily and the innkeeper, attempting to hide the mild, red tinge that had invaded my face. If Aeryn was awake I could’ve asked her to light the fire and keep it going… The idea of sleeping in front of a warm fire circled around my mind like a starved shark stalking bloody and weak prey; refusing to leave. It was midnight when Aeryn, and presumably myself at the time, were dragged into that supernatural library, wherever it was. After the encounter with the hooded girl, we fell unconscious. I was the first to awaken. My core ached and pusled irregularly – I assumed it was from its sudden usage and training, but it could’ve been anything. My expression darkened as uncomfortable thoughts filled my head. It wasn’t specific things that frightened me, no. What frightened me was the constant sense of the unknown that plagued my mental wellbeing. Rays of the early morning sun that had pierced through the tree and window annoyingly forced the sleep out of my eyes, causing me to stir and rustle within the warm embrace of the… couch.

“mmmph” I groaned as my stomach sent out pulses of pain.

“What did you do to yourself?” Normally core use aches only happen during childhood…” Lily asked, worry evident within her tone.

I was torn. Do I tell them about the place from my dream?

A reassuring feeling rose within me, although I couldn’t find out where it came from… some subconscious thought that I couldn’t consciously think?

‘Pomf’

The sound of a body flopping down on a soft surface marked my final decision.

I looked at Lily, and my gaze found its familiar target. The eyes of a person told many things, but the most important of those things, was their intentions.

“Ehhh… Have you ever lucid dreamed before?” I asked,

“Yea! It’s great fun! But.. a bit weird…” Lily replied, probably reliving memories of finding herself in a land created by her subconscious, allowing her true freedom. Freedom to do, to be, to have anything. Yet her expression was one of a sad smile; after all, those memories were just dreams.

“Have you ever found yourself in a dark place? A black sky and a black ground, but there seems to be some soft light everywhere?”

As I spoke, she piqued up, her eyes told me to continue.

“There’s this… building. A library. It looks like–”

“Awwwwhhh, here I thought you’d be saying something interesting~” She interrupted.

Was it common knowledge? Was this something everyone experienced?

Bloody hell, there’s too much I don’t know… too much I don’t understand.

“It’s called the Mental Plane” She started, sensing my ignorance.

“You can get there by practicing slow refining just before you sleep, although… I’ve heard stories of people just going poof, saying they ended up there… Anyway! It’s pretty much just a training and study area that’s purpose is for getting stronger and learning more and more magic~

Although, your body doesn’t actually sleep while you’re there, so it’s a bit of a double edged sword..”

“Oh?” I responded, as she drifted back into thought.

An awkward silence ensued, one side waiting for more information, the other thinking about how to continue.

“That’s… pretty much it.” She finally concluded with.

Interesting… quite interesting! This confirmed that the books inside were different powers.. wait, no. Not powers… they were too broad.. branches of powers? Perhaps.

“So, what arts can you use?” Lily inquired.

I glance down at my hands, recounting the power I had used in the Mental Plane.

“I’ve got the most power under Osuuse Arts, I think. I’m most fluent in Orue and Aewause… they are quite draining though…”

“Pffft-” She chuckled. I looked up to see her holding back a laugh while the innkeeper stared blankly at me. Was that confusion or concern plastered over his expression?

“What? Are they some kind of dark arts-?” I started, worry beginning to seep through me.

“No! No! Don’t worry~” Lily replied, releasing the laughter she had struggled to hold in.

“I knew you were ignorant of how things work here!” She stated, still half-laughing.

“Mmm… Ye did ‘ive off tha’ sorta feelin’” The innkeeper affirmed.

“Eh-?”

“I’ll ‘splain.” The innkeeper said. Lily had mentioned he used to be a Dungeon Team Leader…

“Ye pow’rs are ye main source a’ stren’th, ye trum’ card. I ‘dvise ye don’t jus’ ‘and out these sorta d’tails.” He lectured with a stern but caring tone.

I… I’m such an idiot. Had I started breaking my previous life’s habits?

Another awkward moment ensued.

“I see.” I said, voicing my acknowledgement of their logic.

The Mental Plane… huh…

I rose from the couch’s warm embrace; put aside thoughts of magic and training, and began to formulate a plan.

Work.

I’d need to start by getting some of these ‘prisms’. Plans, schemes and honest ideas began to swarm though my mind.

I paused.

I should consult Aeryn, we were stuck in the same situation after all.