Chapter 6

That night, Howard had another lucid dream.

It was pitch dark and very cold. He stumbled in the darkness, taking small steps his hands outstretched like a mindless zombie. Cold air currents brushed his face and if he could see, he would see the spirals of his breath forming strange shapes before dissolving. 

A sharp pain in his heart pounded with every step he took. His legs were tired but he willed himself to continue walking. It was as if he knew his life depended on it. After what felt like a kilometre of walking he reached what felt like a wall. 

He blindly felt his way trying to feel what felt like either a wall or window. After going around the building twice he stopped pondering his next move. From touch, he knew the building or room was made of brick and mortar. It was also slightly higher than him as twice he had brushed his hand at what were the eaves of the building. 

His heart also told him it was imperative for him to enter the building. He made another revolution around the building heading for the spot where he felt the eave. 

He stretched out his hand way above his head and got a grip on the edge. He slowly pulled himself up over the wall and onto the other side. The moment his feet touched the ground he was blinded by bright bedazzling light.

He looked up into the clear sky trying to acclimatise his eyes to the brightness. He frowned wondering why he couldn't see the light at all if the room had no roof. That was when he looked down and he almost screamed. 

The room had no floor, instead, he was looking down at the stars. A thought nagged at his mind and he looked behind him. He nodded in affirmation. The wall was no longer visible. 

It was as if he had been transported and suspended in space. He was surrounded by stars but eerily he knew he was still in the building. A comet passed overhead its tail casting a cold white-blue illumination on the starry background.

The pains had miraculously vanished along with his fatigue. He took a tentative step forward expecting to fall but his foot met a cold hard surface. He kept on walking in an imagined straight line until he came across a door that shone amber.

The door was made purely of amber from top to bottom neither of which he could make of as it stretched endlessly vertically. Neither was there a handle he could use to unlock or open the door. A thought struck him and he took a step forward. 

The door shimmered for a second as it let in the traveller. The moment he walked into the room he knew this place was literally out of this world. He didn't know how but he could sense different energies emanating from it. Though he couldn't make them out, due to the amber hue of the room, he could see items.

The one that stood out because it was the closest to him was a chest that was covered in pure gold. On top of the chest were two golden cherubs, their wings stretched out meeting at the tips as if covering something.

Besides the golden box was a set of two katanas. He could feel two different energies issuing forth from the two swords. He couldn't tell how, but he know those two katanas without even needing to touch them.

The one to his right glowed an eerie purple while the one beside it glowed a warm orange hue. He tried to pick up the purple one as it was the nearest but as soon as he approached it, he felt a quick pain across his finger.

He looked at his middle finger and watched as a red line formed on it before turning into a droplet of blood. He tried again but this time the pain appeared across the back of his hand. 

He warily approached the other one and stretched out his hand before quickly pulling it back. He did that three times before a voice popped into his head.

[I don't bite like my colleague]

He grabbed the katana and admired the dark leather scabbard. Up near the tsuba was a red hanging cord that had a hanging tassel shaped like a skull. He almost dropped it as the skull started glowing.

[We shall meet again] 

He put the katana down and ventured deeper into the room. He felt something calling out to him within all these items. He walked deeper and deeper into the room, bypassing piles of gold coins, ingots, a golden chalice that he strongly suspected was a certain famous goblet, and chests upon chests of what could be long-lost treasures.

It took him thirty minutes to finally reach the spot where he felt calm and contented. He was standing before a silver box that was surrounded by rolls of carpets and other fabrics that he later guessed to be purple linen and silk. The silver chest had a silver diadem on top of it.

His hand lightly brushed the diadem and the lid sprung open to reveal another silver chest this time having an owl on the lid. He again touched the owl and the box opened to reveal another smaller chest inside.

After opening ten of these similar boxes all having different emblems on the lid he finally reached the last one which was a simple metallic box similar to the one that he had found the crow in.

Just as he was about to open it, he heard a voice behind him, "You must be the one that we have been waiting for. It is too early for you to have this in your possession. "

He looked back to see a hooded figure dressed in what looked like a silver robe. On the chest was an emblem of an eagle swooping down.

"You are clearly favoured by a few others," the voice came forth from the hood. Howard tried to look at the face but saw nothing. "It is time to go back but you will be back here."

He felt the silver box leave the grasp of his hand and he watched as it levitated to the silver monk. The monk passed him and returned the box to the matryoshka boxes. The monk waved his hand and Howard was forcefully pushed out of not only the amber room but also from the starry place.

He woke up suddenly as if someone had just sat on him. He looked around in the dark sitting room wondering what scared him. He told himself in the morning he would go look for a bedroom. This idea of sleeping on the sofa was no longer appealing. He closed his eyes and drifted off to dreamless sleep.

The sound of a cup shattering on the floor woke him up. He looked up to see a young lady about his physical age clearing up the pieces from the floor. She noticed he was up and waved at him. 

He looked at her still registering that there was a stranger in the house. 

"You must be my new boss, sorry about that, I am Violette," she introduced herself. He rubbed his eyes and stared at her again something was not right.

She chuckled and pointed to her left eye which was covered by a black eye patch, "My left eye is unsettling to most people so I cover it up."

He nodded and got up. She offered him a glass of apple juice and sat beside him. She smelled of green apple and peppermint. He stared at her knees as she was dressed in a short skirt and she noticed it. 

"Freddie told us that you need a team, of hunters and gatherers. It is only fair that I tell you we aren't exactly such a law-abiding bunch. We are on the run from the law and a few others. We don't come cheap but if you pay us well, we will do anything for you."

Howard nodded and gulped his juice. The crow had this discussion last night just before they slept and he had seen what the crow could do. He got up and headed to the dining table and pulled out a brown A4 envelope from under his chair.

He gave her the envelope motioning for her to open it. 

Violette pulled out five national identity cards. One had her alias on it along with a passport picture and made-up details. She pulled out a passport that also had her details. 

Without missing a beat she pulled out a knife and pressed it hard against Howard's neck.