Eli’s eyes shot open. Without thought, his power exploded outward as his gasping breaths punctuated his return to consciousness. The feeling of a heavy, comforting blanket surrounded him even as his eyes stared sightlessly while his mind replayed the goon coming for him. His instinct to protect himself and find enemies translated into action as his senses moved beyond his room without his conscious control. Every lifeform within his expanded aura created a dizzying light show that added to his confusion, but he kept searching. He knew he needed to find safety from the monstrous goon and his neverending torture.

***

A young guard named Peris walked her patrol between the wall and granary as she thought unkind thoughts about her commander. She was again on the pre-dawn patrol, and she’d just discovered that it was now her assigned watch for the next season! She hated this shift. Eating dinner while the rest of the fortress started their day made practice and growth difficult. While most of the manor trained, she was asleep. Gifted Eyonne was kind enough to fit Peris in for a few sessions, but she felt she was falling further behind her fellow guards. How could she become a Talent if she couldn’t consistently push herself and work with the best?

A strange and eerie sound from the lord’s manor brought her gaze around, trying to understand what was happening. It sounded like an explosion of air, but there was no wind. She focused as she triggered her sight ability.

There was a haze in the air that hadn’t been there under her normal vision. She ran over even as she looked up into the sky – some sort of sphere surrounded the keep. It was massive, enveloping a few buildings closest to the manor while the edges extended halfway to the wall. She moved close to the strange shimmering wall but didn’t dare touch it. Her eyes tracked around the shape's edges before quickly glancing around for any Gifted nearby. Her gaze passed by a bird flying within the sphere. While her gaze moved on, something in the image triggered a warning in her mind.

Looking again at the bird, Peris froze. Her mouth dropped open as her brain fought to understand how a bird could stay in the air without flapping its wings. Then she saw that it was moving, only very slowly. A moment later, the shimmering sphere burst like a soap bubble. In an instant, the bird flew forward in the air, disappearing in the darkness – and only her vision’s ability let her track the tiny creature as it sped away.

***

Eli’s gasps continued as he looked sightlessly around his room for dangers just as the safe, heavy blanket sensation evaporated. He wouldn’t let that monster get him again and was convinced that his room was just another setting for his continued torturous nightmare.

A sudden wave of exhaustion swept through him, making him swoon. He almost fell on his side, but his hand braced against the mattress, the lumpy surface twigging at some memory, but he shoved the errant thought away for later. With his vision darkening at the edges like he was suddenly looking down a tunnel, he focused on the sound of his thumping heart to help him focus and push through the fatigue.

Afraid the goon was somehow sucking the energy out of him from somewhere nearby, Eli triggered Manasight with barely a thought. Flinching as the room lit with bright lights within the walls, there didn’t seem to be any dangers. Frowning, he realized that the glowing walls blocked his sight from seeing through them, unlike when he’d spied the bandits through the trees and foliage within the forest. Afraid the monster might sneak up on him, he kept his head on a swivel.

Distant sounds, yells, and cries, like in some of his nightmares, sent a fresh jolt of adrenaline through him. He suddenly heard thwapping sounds like muted drumbeats keeping a horrible beat. Turning his head to zero in on the noise, it was coming from beyond his door. He paused, realizing it wasn’t some beginner with a drum but booted feet slapping against a hard surface as someone or something rapidly closed in on him.

A loud banging sounded, briefly rattling his door. Recognizing the source of danger, Eli rolled out of bed and moved to place his back against the wall farthest from his door. He hadn’t used it much but still toggled his Flamethrower ability, hoping the flames would still work in his dream. There was a tiny thump in his chest, and a flame slightly bigger than a golf ball appeared just in front of his open palms. Feeling the comfort of the wall against his back, he focused on the door, ready for the goon.

The door cracked open just a few centimeters, enough for a voice to call from the hallway beyond. “Eli? Are you alright?”

Dara’s muffled voice jolted him, unexpected and somehow incongruent with his nightmare, and his mind snapped back to reality as if waking up a second time. His eyes scanned the area again, but it was still only his empty room in the manor. He hesitated, unsure if this was real or if he was still stuck in a dream. His thoughts came together as he picked out the details in his room, everything just like he’d left it. He could clearly move under his own power again, his body under his control. The goon was gone, and he was safe – Eli had somehow escaped the dream. The flames sputtered, dissipating to nothingness in the air.

“Dara?” He shook his head a bit, forcing his mind to catch up. Utterly spent, he slid down the wall until he thumped onto the hard floor. He took a few calming breaths, pulled up his feet, and hugged his knees to his chest as he looked towards the door as it opened further.

“Eli, what happened?” Dara asked with wide eyes as she slowly entered his room, almost hesitating as her eyes tracked around the space.

His mind fully connected back together as he looked at her, yet his thoughts couldn’t escape from memories of his dreams. The two slightly different nightmares were brutal in their solidity – the reality and agony were too fresh to simply blink away. He could still almost feel the blade cutting him, the way the sharp knife didn’t even hurt in the first moments. It was just enough time for a tiny piece of him to hope the wound wouldn’t hurt, but then the agony would erupt to shatter his belief. Flashes and images played out repeatedly in his mind as the goon taunted him – he was trapped, and the monster was in his head.

He couldn’t understand why his dreams were so real, how they could be so palpable here, and how he could seemingly feel unimaginable pain without waking up. It was beyond anything he’d heard of before. He had to escape the nightmares but was trapped with nowhere to go. Pausing at the thought, he figured there had to be a solution, and he wouldn’t find it if he panicked.

Get a grip. They’re not real. Only dreams. Just dreams.

“Talay, Talay, Talay,” he muttered to himself as he hugged his knees. He pushed the images and feelings away as he worked through his mental exercises, but the pain wasn’t so easily vanquished. Everyone in his life seemed to die. Everyone he grew up with before Cascadia was gone, including his parents and sister. He’d then lost his grandma, so many friends in the war, Esme, and more on Lurra. He was death, and he brought it to everyone he touched.

The pressure in his chest was too much as, like a damn breaking, great sobs finally tore through his body. Shaking in place, holding his legs close, he poured out so much of the pain he’d held inside. His tears dripped down his naked legs to land on the dry ground as his arms tightened further as if to hold in his pain and push it down again.

He felt Dara’s arms go around him. He stiffened at first – some part of him wanting to pull away, but another piece rebelled. He needed some contact – to feel a connection with another person.

A new thought entered as he felt Dara’s arms around him. He was in a magical new world with so much wonder to behold. That first glimpse on the trail days ago, when the mountains reached beyond the clouds as if to pierce heaven itself. The whole world had spread out before him, and he remembered that feeling of awe mixed with hope. He had a new chance at life here, and the past was in the past. He couldn’t change it, no matter how much he wanted his family back. As always, he could only get up again, take another step, and keep going because there was so much more to see.

Life’s for the living.

He pulled his emotions together, feeling a strange lightness to his soul, to his feelings, that surprised him. He knew that someday his life would end, and he’d finally get a chance to punch death in the eye, but not today. He’d keep moving forward, and no nightmares would stop him. Wiping away his tears, he noticed that he was only in his underwear and Dara in a thin sleeping robe. Flushing red, he felt Dara lean back as she pulled her arms from around him.

“By Vessi’s sour breath, Eli! You sure know how to wake up an old man. What was that all about?”

He jumped, turning to find Wolf standing with his arms crossed inside and the door closed behind him. The older man looked at his daughter as she awkwardly stood up.

“Wolf, I swear this isn’t what it looks like!” Eli blurted out, wracking his brains for a way to escape from this situation.

“Then tell me about it,” Wolf replied almost calmly, with little accusation in his voice as he took a seat in the only chair available. There also wasn’t much warmth in his expression, but at least he wasn’t spitting mad at the misunderstanding.

Momentarily surprised, it took Eli a moment to react. Realizing he owed them a bit more of an explanation, he sighed. “I guess we should talk.”

“I know I’d feel better,” Wolf replied, shaking his head. “What just happened? I was sound asleep when I felt a sense of death; it was strong enough to pull me out of bed. I thought we were under attack for a moment there!” He poked the table with one thick finger to emphasize his last point. “I thought it was coming from you, so I came up here. What do I find when I enter? Well, you know.” The older man seemed to deflate as he gestured towards the corner where he’d found the two of them, his daughter hugging a guy in his underwear.

Eli looked to Dara, “She was just comforting a friend.” He smiled at her, and the lightness in his chest expanded when she returned it. Finding a good friend in such terrible times was truly a treasure he didn’t want to take for granted.

“Uh-huh,” Wolf responded before looking around the room again. “Where’s the other chair? I know this room has two. Did you haul it all the way down to your workroom?”

Eli stepped next to the table, realizing he had guests and not enough chairs. “Wolf, I told you about our journey here and that I had this storage device.” He held up his hand with the DS shining on his wrist. “I know I didn’t go into too much detail, but here’s a little demonstration.”

As Eli’s clothes suddenly appeared, Wolf leaned forward with interest in his eyes and a big smile on his lips. “Fascinating! I’ve heard of these artifacts that our ancestors used, but they’re more of a legend these days. I can only imagine the benefits in trade, let alone in war.” He waved his hand, “But that’s not the point. You were about to explain what happened?”

Reassured by Wolf’s reaction, Eli willed the other chair to appear. Once in hand, he moved it near the table. Gesturing to it, he looked at Dara, “Would you like a seat? I’ll go ask someone to get us another.”

He quickly summoned one of Wolf’s servants. A young woman in the standard off-white outfit soon appeared, though she seemed somewhat nervous as she entered his room. She was quick to leave but soon returned with another chair while a second woman brought a carafe of some fruit drink and a few clay cups.

While the servants worked on their tasks, Dara left with a promise that she’d be right back. True to her word, she soon returned wearing a deep blue garment reminiscent of a karate or judo gi, but it was slightly different with its thinner, more delicate material.

Eli poured drinks for the three of them before taking a seat and collecting his thoughts. He really didn’t want to talk about what had just happened, but he’d somehow done something while out of it, and a guest shouldn’t put his host in danger. After taking a quick sip, more to delay for another heartbeat than because he was thirsty.

Mustering a little courage, he started by talking about his two nightmares with the goon. From there, he moved on to some of his other dreams. There was no need to share all the details, but he focused on how real they were, how he was unable to move. Worst of all, he described some of the torture he’d endured. Even the highlights made Wolf grimace and wince a few times while Dara laid a comforting hand on Eli’s arm throughout.

Wolf didn’t say anything throughout and waited for Eli to finish, though he was frowning slightly by the end. His eyes glanced to his daughter, and Eli imagined all the questions Wolf had to have after such a story.

“I might be missing something,” Wolf started. “If so, you’ll have to forgive me. I know you said you don’t serve a god, so you aren’t technically a Blessed, but you might as well be with your power. I have known a few Blessed in my time and served quite closely with Clachta, so I have a good bit of experience with this matter. With that in mind, how much do you sleep every night?” The older man cleared his throat, then looked at his daughter. “Dara, you spent enough time with him, so you must have some idea.”

“I don’t know how to answer that,” Eli replied with some confusion. “I mean, I sleep about the same as anyone else, I think. Maybe six or seven hours if I’m lucky. Unfortunately, it’s been more like eight or nine for the past few days. Why?”

After describing my horrendous torture and whatever ability I unconsciously performed, his first question was about my sleep patterns?

“That doesn’t seem right. Eli, a person with your strength shouldn’t need as much sleep.”

“Wait, say what now?”

“It isn’t something I can ask the Blessed,” Wolf replied but paused as he took another drink before continuing. “It isn’t something I should even know. Not really, anyway. But it's something you notice and other Gifted talk. If you didn’t already know, Gifted need less sleep than the People, even Talents. It gets more pronounced for those who grow in strength to a certain threshold. Take me, for example. I only need about four hours a night. If I’m injured or exhausted, maybe five or six. I could easily survive on only two or three hours, for half a week if necessary, without losing my edge. The stronger I get, the less I need.”

“Father’s right,” Dara said with a nod. “I only sleep around five hours, but I needed more when I was younger.”

“Oh. Huh,” Eli replied, his mind whirling with the new information. It made a weird sense if more power led to a better health system with subsequent higher regeneration. But where would it end? Would it mean he would have a higher metabolism? Would he live longer? But then, even if that was true, why was he different? He’d needed a lot of sleep over the past few days and still woke up exhausted. Was it somehow related to his dreams?

“I haven’t wanted to pry,” Dara said. “I’ve already told you of my debt to you, and no, you cannot deny me this,” she quickly added before he could interrupt. “Eli, you can talk to me.” She squeezed his arm firmly. “I’m sure you can talk to my father too. If there’s anyone that will not betray your confidence, it is two that owe a blood debt sworn before the Oververse.” She smiled, her eyes full of assurance, and patted his arm before taking it back.

Eli felt an explosion of feeling in his chest with almost enough force to make him cry again – but in happiness this time. Instead, he took another sip to buy himself some time. “Thanks,” he finally replied and cleared a throat still thick with emotion. “I really do appreciate that. But to answer your question, there’s something off with me. I don’t know if I’m under attack or if this is something I’m doing to myself – I just don’t know. I have an idea of a way to fix one of the issues, but I don’t know how safe it is for me.”

“You think that someone is making you sleep more?” Wolf asked slowly with a slight head tilt as if in question.

“I just don’t know, Wolf. I’m still learning how everything works here, and the facts or guesses I can make now are just theories. Still, the reality is that I’ve been having horrible nightmares for the past week, where I actually experience pain and torture. You tell me, does that sound normal?

Wolf shook his head, a frown growing with his words while Dara looked between them, concern swimming in her eyes.

“Wolf, is there a way to close my testing room downstairs? Maybe some way to block the door with stone or another barrier? Just in case what I try doesn’t work?”

Wolf’s eyes narrowed, “What do you think might happen? That seems like an extreme measure to take. That workspace is over a dozen meters underground and heavily shielded.”

Shrugging, he said, “Call me cautious. After what just happened here from a nightmare, I’d rather take more precautions than not enough. Know what I mean?”

Wolf finished his drink, putting his cup down on the table. “We’ll make it work.”