It took a few minutes to tell precisely what was going on in this new location. A dam had been created at the river's mouth and stood as a solid barrier in front of a large, grey pit which I suspect was once the entrance to another world. It was not a simple dam either. The construction was intentional and precise. It was created of poured concrete and would have taken a long time and much effort. One could only imagine what it was like in the world if it was still alive after being dried up.

“I like to call this one the world that’s been dam-ed,” Orrin happily explained with a grin.

I gave no reaction to his bad joke.

“Why is there a dam built here?” I asked instead.

Orrin shrugged.

“Don’t know, we figured it was best to leave it alone. That tends to be the best option with things in this place.”

“So, you can’t go into the world?”

“Nope, it’s sealed shut.”

“If you opened the dam, would it reopen the world?”

“Maybe, but we don’t know why it was put up in the first place. We might be opening up something that was intentionally cut off.”

I had plenty of questions, but I sensed that Orrin didn’t have any other answers. I just settled with a nod in his direction before turning back to the dam and dried-up world. When contemplating what it could mean, it created an eerie feeling. He may have been right that it was best to leave it alone. The dam was at least designed with a purpose in mind, as he said. Without knowing the purpose, it likely was best to not disturb it.

Orrin waved to show me I should follow him to the next location. It seemed like an ordinary lake, especially compared to the last two, but Orrin's odd cautiousness as we got closer was enough to tell me it was anything but.

“It’s best to stick a hand in and see this one in person.”

As he spoke, the green-clad man grabbed my arm and stepped back behind me. If I were to slip and fall, he would either catch me or be pulled in with me. I suppose that was the intention; even still, he didn’t seem all that concerned with a smile still on his face. I turned my attention to the lake and dipped my hand in.

I wish that I hadn’t.

As I had experienced before, I perceived a sensation of flying above the world and witnessing what it had to hold. The ground was like barren stone, and any plants were dead and withered. If there was any water in the world, it must have been only a tiny stream like what would come from a fountain. I saw nothing which would have suggested life.

Instead, enormous, hideous creatures roamed the world. Their steps shook the ground and left imprints. In some cases, the hole created from a footprint might have been large enough to build a town within.

They were all different-looking monsters; I saw no two that resembled one another. Each had a unique terror brought on when I laid eyes on it. One would come across another, and they would clash in a display of strength that usually resulted in the smaller opponent getting ripped and torn apart. Then the more enormous ‘winner’ would be quickly bested by an even nastier-looking beast.

I pulled my hand back and stumbled. Had Orrin not held onto me, I might have slipped and fallen in my efforts to reel back.

“Pretty nasty, huh?” he said in his typical nonsevere and friendly tone. “ we call that one the monster world since, well, you saw. Just ensure that you don’t fall into that world… there’s no guarantee of what might happen in it.”

I nodded in reply. I suspect it was the kind of place where backup wouldn’t come, even if one fell in. Orrin was the only one who could escape worlds, and it wouldn’t be rational for him to risk saving someone in such a hellish place.

Still, I had to wonder, did he show me all these things for some reason? Or was it just simply the exciting things in this grey world? I could easily see him just showing things off like a child shows off their interesting toys. He never gave a serious demeanor, so I could not pin down what he was thinking.

I could do nothing but speculate on his reasoning. Perhaps he wanted to warn me of things I might encounter, such as this monster world. Or maybe, he wanted to show off the ‘cool’ stuff in the world. I suspect the latter was the case when I looked at his face. He did not give off a sense of seriousness; none of the inhabitants here did.

I suppose I was alone in that regard. I had a sense that my life was never as casual as anyone who lived in this world. I suppose that is what set me apart from them. Once my memories returned to a decent state, I would likely need to leave. I don’t think I could see myself trying to settle with such strange company.

The brief vision of the woman I called my mother in the second dream suddenly returned to my thought. It was as if I could see her looking down at me and shaking her head—likely disappointed I had not kept up with my mission. I found my hands wrapped around my daggers. It gave an odd sense of comfort, which was enough to relax my thoughts for a moment.

I managed to break free from pondering just before Orrin indicated we would return to the base. I matched his pace as we began our trek back.