Lucid (28 page)

****

Woodinville was dead at this hour, which made me wonder how late it actually was. We didn't seem to be in Fantasm long, but then again I knew better than to go by my own sense of time. All of the shops were closed, and everyone was sleeping, so we didn't have to worry about sneaking around to get inside of Deem's headquarters
.

Sophia was waiting at the door when we arrived. His shoulders sagged at the sight of us walking into the room. He seemed to be relieved
.

“Oh, thank the powers!”
h
e exclaimed, grasping Viv's arms. He studied her face intently. “And you are uninjured!”

“For the most part
.
” Mitch sank down on a low sofa, groaning with the relief of being someplace safe. I also felt happy to be able to sit down without having an ancient spell attacking me or some Nightmares howling for a fight
.

“Well,” Elis said, making sure the door was closed shut. “Enlighten us on your grand adventure.”

We took turns explaining what we'd encountered on the trip. Kyle animatedly described how he amazingly transported us across the huge “ocean” with just his willpower and desire to protect us. Then Viv took over saying how easy it was to sneak past the stupid Nightmares' military base. Iven gushed over the Fantasm library, going into great detail about the content of each shelf that tried killing us. Hope explained about how the library was actually more of a death trap than a center for knowledge and talked about how she had to single-handedly hold up the Lucid Well with her magic skills.

Everyone looked to me when we got to opening the case. I didn't feel heroic like the others did when explaining their parts. To be honest, the thought of entering in the spell's circle made me shiver; I could barely bring myself to talk about the floating words attacking me and the evil voice I heard discouraging me to go on
.

“But you did,” Sophia said, his eyes boring into mine. “You got the book despite fighting off multiple opponents. And you've started mastering your own powers. You have grown since this morning.”

“What about the voice?” I felt rude not thanking him for the compliments, but I didn't feel any different than when I'd set off for Fantasm. “Was that really Phobio? Can Nightmares read our minds?”

Sophia took a few moments before he answered my question. He sighed deeply and said, “I do not doubt that the Nightmare Lord contacted you in the Lucid Well. No Nightmare, however strong he may be, can force his presence into a closed human mind. You were weak, and the Well was already signaling your presence like a beacon of light
. I've no doubt that any Nightmare, or Dreamer for that matter, could have easily tried influencing you in that position. The fact that you
resisted
, howe
ver, is the true act of power.”

“Hope helped me,” I admitted sheepishly. “I wouldn't have been able to get the book without her.”

“Then I am thankful you have
a rebellious streak, Hope
.
” Sophia smiled at the young Dreamer
.

“She's not the only rebel around here
.
” Mitch spoke up. He described the Nightmare fight and how Aille ended up betraying Salik to save us. Sophia didn't find this very surprising.

“Nightmares have always expressed dissention
.
” H
e shrugged. “They are a barbaric, yet rigid, society. It is understood that some unique souls will rise up to challenge such authority. I am very thankful one of those Nightmares was on the beach tonight.”

“Salik said he was special, too,” I added, thinking back to his chilling black eye. “He said he was the eyes of Phobio. What does that mean?”

“He's a spy
,
” Elis said from the corner. “Plain and simple. Nightmares are suspicious by nature, so it is normal for their leader to plant scouts within his military camps to make sure everyone's doing his or her Nightmarish duties.”

“Perhaps…” Sophia thought for a minute
.

Hope interrupted the thick silence with a deep yawn
.

“Yes, you all must be tired
.
” Sophia noticed we were all slumped on either sofas, beds, or like Kyle, snoring on the floor
.

“Here
.
” Iven pulled the Fantasm book from his vest and gingerly handed Sophia the book. The old man looked fondly onto the worn, leather book like it was his best friend
.

“Get some rest,” Sophia told us all. “And we will answer some questions tomorrow.”

We all got ready for bed, taking turns to change behind the velvet curtain in the back. Now that the adrenaline from the day's events was wearing off completely, I felt extremely tired.

I took the white linen trousers and tunic from Iven without question. They were warm and dry and only made me sleepier. I knew that I was probably going to have some unpleasant dream about home, but my eyes didn't care. They closed as soon as my head hit the soft mattress, and I drifted to another world instantly
.

I Dream of Doom

Fun fact — when you fall asleep in the Dream world, it seems you can visit any person or place that floods your sleeping brain. Sounds pretty convenient, right? Nah, it's creepy when you're trying to avoid Nightmares before shutting your eyes
.

At first I thought I was experiencing what the Dreamers did while sleeping. My surroundings were completely black. I'm not talking about nighttime darkness. This felt more like a suffocating emptiness
.

To top it off, I wasn't alone. I couldn't see anything, but I
felt other people — or other things — in the room with me. My neck prickled, and I felt my hair stand up slightly. I could feel my chest pounding with built
-
up pressure, like it was bracing me for something very scary. I almost couldn't take the terror, until I saw a red point of light blink into existence
.

I instinctively shrank back as I recognized the Nightmare forming out of the shadows. Salik looked a little worse for wear, he was sporting a bloody gash on his leg, but other than that he didn't appear to be badly damaged. In fact, his red eye glinted strangely, as if he was eager for another fight.

His one glowing eye appeared fixed on me, and I braced myself to run for my life. Salik didn't move, though, he just stoo
d there staring off into space. I soon realized — with crippling relief — that he was looking
through me
.

I blinked in confusion as the Nightmare continued to stare at something past me. Soon I realized this was similar to when I dreamt about Tiff and Andy. I was sort of like a ghost, and that thought allowed me to breathe a little easier, though I was far from feeling relieved. Salik couldn't see me, but that didn't make me feel any safer.

“
Come
,
” A voice thundered behind me, causing me to jump a mile
.

I quickly spun around and stared in horror at what was behind me. It was a pedestal of black onyx that blended perfectly into the emptiness around it. The only reason I could see it now was because blood red light emanated from the base.

Sure, a light-up pedestal doesn't sound very scary, but you need to be in the same room in order to
feel its evil. The light pulsated and gave off waves of pure, radiated hatred. I had to avert my eyes after a few moments. If I stared at it, I could feel my knees grow weak; and I didn't want to panic in such a dark place.

I started running past Salik, trying to find a way out (I'm so brave in situations, right?) but once I passed the Nightmare, I hit an invisible wall
.

Fear almost overwhelmed me; I did not like being trapped, especially in the same room with an evil footstool and a deadly Nightmare. I was about to place my head in my hands to escape the darkness, when to my surprise a small ball of light appeared in my palms. I tried clasping it, but it slipped through my fingers at the last minute and flew behind my shoulder
.

Guess my magic thinks I'm a coward, too, I thought glumly. I was happy that my powers decided to kick in during my dream-time, though. Seeing the light reminded me that I was actually asleep in Deem's headquarters. This was just a dream, a
real dream, where no one else could notice me. I finally found the courage to turn around and watch Salik.

The Nightmare was now kneeling in front of the black pedestal. I crept closer, forgetting I was invisible
.

“Lord Phobio,” Salik whispered, bowing his head
.

“
Give me my sight,” t
he pedestal hissed. “
So that I may see exactly how you
failed me
.”

Salik winced, and I thought he put his head in his hands out of shame. I looked closer and saw I was
very wrong.

Instead, he clawed at his black eye, and with a sickening sucking sound, he wrenched the eye out of its socket. Salik's talk about being his Master's eye now made sense; he was a walking security camera for his leader
.

After getting over my gagging sensation, I realized Salik was talking to his Nightmare leader, Phobio. I understood why both Dreamers and Nightmares spoke of Phobio so fearfully. His voice made my heart want to escape from my chest and made my blood feel like it had turned to ice. And I was just looking at his haunted foot
rest
.

Salik gingerly laid the eye on the pedestal and it immediately glowed with bright gold light. The Nightmare scrambled away from the strange object, shielding his remaining eye as the light hummed with power. I shrank back in the shadows, looking at my softer, blue light for comfort
.

“
You
failed
to kill the Dreamers and capture the champions!” t
he pedestal barked, causing Salik to shrink back further. “
You are one of my Elite, my chosen Eye, and you still cannot perform such a simple task
?
I think our Lucid's resort an
d arena have slowed your mind!”

“Th-they were strong!” Salik protested, though not daring to approach the pedestal again. “And one of the Dreamers gave the humans a bracelet that channeled the power of the Lucid River
—
”

“
Impossible…” Phobio's voice faltered and the eye glowed even brighter for a moment as if reviewing the evidence. I had an absurd vision of an ugly Nightmare with a box of donuts and a large soda watching a surveillance camera like the ones in malls
.

My humor was short-lived once the eye stopped glowing, plunging the room into new darkness. Salik whimpered from somewhere to my left.

“
You didn't tell me the Champions were traveling with another Lucid
.
” Phobio growled, causing me to inadvertently grind my own teeth
.

“I didn't know,” Salik explained, his red eye blinking as he rose to face the pedestal. “He was not a threat until
—
”

“
UNTIL YOU
FAILED
!” Phobio shouted, causing the eye to explode in a blinding flash
.

The slimy marble squealed as its jagged pieces flew across the room. Salik also shouted, falling to the floor and trying to gather up the shards. I shivered as I realized Salik had now lost an eye
.

“
You are not worthy of my gifts,” Phobio said in a dangerously calm voice. Salik dropped the shards and looked up at the pedestal. I thought I saw hatred glinting in his red eye, but I wasn't sure of anything I saw in the dark.

Phobio continued. “
However
, you are not worthless yet
.
” The pedestal's red glow returned. “
You and your pet Tracker will still hunt the humans and their Dreamer escorts. Find their village, Woodinville, and we will destroy more than the Dreamers' hopes for rebuilding their city.”

“We cannot find the village, my Lord,” Phobio stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. “You have sent many of your subjects, some more skillful than I, to scout the place, but it is well hidden. The Dreamer's protective spells are too strong. We can't cross the Lucid River to track them.”

“
But Lucids can,” Phobio hissed. “
And the Dreamers aren't the only ones with a pet Lucid, are they?”

“No.
” Salik stood up, and it seemed that he was slowly understanding what Phobio was piecing together. “I—I will go talk to Leona immediately.”

“
See?” The pedestal quickly pulsed with light, as if Phobio were chuckling. “
There may be some hope for you yet. If you succeed in using our Lucid to cross the River, maybe I will return your sight.”

“Th-thank you, my Lord.” Salik bowed, slowly backing away
.

“
And Salik
?
” The pedestal called in his most polite voice yet
.

“My Lord?” Salik had stopped, his shoulders rigid, as he refused to look back at the pedestal.

“
Do not think your attempt to hide what the traitor,
Aille
, did on the shore went unnoticed
.
” Phobio kept his voice casual. I could almost imagine a gruesome Nightmare examining his nails in a nonchalant fashion. “
Should she cross your path, you will kill her on sight. I do not care for the past relationship you may have had with her. I do not tolerate insolence very well, as you can see.” Salik glanced at the shards of his eye as Phobio continued, “
And remember that you are not my only Eye. Even you are monitored at all times.”

“Yes,” Salik muttered, barely above a whisper
.

I tried seeing how angry he really was, but Salik seemed about finished with being in the dark tent. He slashed a rip in the darkness and disappeared. The pedestal grew dark, as well, and I was plunged into the pitch black for a few moments until
—

“
Did you hear that, little magician?” Phobio's hiss sent a jolt through my body. I forced myself to wheel around and face the pedestal. The eye repaired itself, only now it was larger and bright yellow with a slit pupil that was glaring right at me. “
Run and tell your Dreamers that war is coming!”

The eye flew at me, and I defensively called my light to deflect the attack. A spell expanded over me like a shell of much-missed warmth. The light grew so bright that I couldn't see. I heard Phobio's mirthless laughter before jumping from sleep, screaming
.