24 Into the Dream Realm

That night of victories along with the following couple of weeks proved two things: Bee was not losing her edge, and Mongrel was really just that formidable.

But as the Dreamscape was just a hobby, other things often took precedence over her constant annihilation of opposing duelists. Today was no exception.

The professor sat in a chair staring with a sullen expression. Today was going to be especially difficult, and Noble was determined to remain as busy as possible. 

Unfortunately, she had found herself drowning in her morbid thoughts. 

It took some time to pull herself out of her morose mood and onto the upcoming task. She checked on the state of her Soul Sea and sighed. 

'I do hope he will actually have some insight. It would be a shame to waste both our time. Time…what time is it? Oh!' Noble's head snapped to the door. "I'm going to be late!" 

The Awakened emerged from the large, stone building. Having left behind the musty darkness of her dwelling, Noble squinted to push back the overwhelming light. 

The sun had just peeked over the horizon, looking both just like and completely different from the bright, shining orb that kept Noble company during her waking hours.

That's because it wasn't the same sun.

Due to her job and family, Noble spent as little time in the Dream Realm as she could. As soon as her personal timer expired, she would hurry home to those she loved. Today was a rare exception. She had business to attend to. 

That is why she saw morning dawn over Ender's Deep. 

'Breathtaking.' Noble blinked a few times as she took it in. 'Time to get going.' 

Ender's Deep was one of the few citadels solely maintained by the government. 

Though most governmental power lay in the waking world, they still held a solid presence in the Dream Realm as well. While it was not nearly as formidable as the legacy clans, its existence was just as necessary if not more so. 

Acting as the connective tissue for humanity, the government strategically placed emissaries and agents in every citadel which had been conquered. Most Awakened who served the government by day also had assignments at night in places like Bastion or Ravenheart. They kept the government apprised of any and all activities as well as aided communication between entities that might not otherwise speak. 

Noble could have been stationed at any of those places if she had so desired. 

'No thanks.' Her eyes swirled momentarily. She quickened her pace, trying to outrun the thought as well as the ones that accompanied it.

In contrast to her inner turmoil, the fresh morning air brushed against Noble's skin. The rays of the sun gently warmed her face. The floating Awakened forcibly slowed herself down. 

What was the use of scheduling an unofficial early morning meeting if she ran and attracted unwanted attention?

'I'll just have to be late… He'll understand…maybe. At least our dear Saint isn't here just now. I would be spotted in barely a moment and delayed even further.'

Ender's Deep was nominally run by one of the governmental Saints, but the stronghold rarely saw their patron. So it was the everyday Awakened like the ones about to start their day who kept things going. 

Like the other fortresses and cities manned by the government, Ender's Deep functioned mostly as an outpost as well as a waystation for those who traveled in the wilds of the Dream Realm. 

Noble looked out over the forbidding landscape and imagined what an excursion like that would entail. She shivered. 'Why anyone would want to travel overland in the Dream Realm is beyond me…' 

She turned away, continuing her seemingly aimless plod. Her mind also began to wander.

Passing one of the largest buildings, Noble ran her fingers along ancient drawings carved into the walls. The images showed markets and trade, but no sign of a king or queen who had reigned over the people living here.

Noble frowned slightly. 'Perhaps the city did not need a ruler. The place has its own natural protection.' 

Being a large distance from both the major strongholds of Clan Song and Clan Valor, the topography of Ender's Deep was neither part of the once ancient forest nor was it stationed in the mysterious hills laced with lava. From the surface, she could barely make out the beginning of the mountains that the Song clan claimed. But Ender's Deep was its own place.

In fact, calling it 'deep' was a bit misleading. Although it had likely once been hidden in the bowels of the earth, some cataclysmic event long ago had obliterated one half of the city and caused a profound wound in the landscape. 

The people left behind, rather than abandoning their home, had dug even deeper into the sheer rock and became cliff dwellers. The series of ladders and varied elevations reminded Noble of a particular group of ancient natives in North America which she had learned about as a child in school. How long ago had the people of the Dream Realm similarly disappeared?

The pensive professor ambled along the edge of the street, heedless of the time slipping away. This particular walkway was also the brink of one of the many leveled terraces. She peered down into the abyss. 'Now that's deep…'

There was certainly a floor to the canyon down there somewhere, but the creatures who dwelt in the depths were not ones that a regular Awakened would ever want to meet.

Most of the people who claimed Ender's Deep as their second home avoided wandering along the brink of the darkness. It was good to have a healthy respect for heights. But Noble had no such qualms. She didn't have to worry about falling off the edge because she wasn't really standing on it to begin with. 

This outpost was the perfect place for someone with the professor's aspect. Fort had–somewhat selfishly– recommended Ender's Deep as the ideal citadel for her when she awakened. It was out of the direct influence of the major clans and was, as far as the Dream Realm was concerned, relatively secluded and safe. Thanks to her family's government clout, there had been no argument from any of the officials involved. 

 Now, Noble couldn't really dream of being anywhere else. 

'Ha, dreaming?… If only I could actually dream again…' The woman's face twisted into a wry smile at the thought.

 The only way for that to happen was for her to become a Master.

'Yeah, that's never going to happen.'

Going into the first nightmare had been horrific, but Noble had had no choice in the matter. To willingly go into another one…that was unthinkable. 

So the dreams of old would have to remain merely memories.

'Speaking of Memories…'

Noble reached the end of the walkway and scaled a ladder. Two feet awaited her on the next landing. One of them was tapping.

A stately emissary in a grey coat and slender shoulder pads looked down on the woman with a grim expression. His light brown skin and curly hair stood in stark contrast to his piercing eyes. "You're late." 

"Am I?" Noble raised one eyebrow.

"Yes." The other Awakened inclined his head. 

"I would have thought you would have seen that coming and adjusted your arrival time accordingly." The corners of the professor's mouth turned up slightly, but her companion simply clicked his tongue. 

"That is not how my aspect works." With a sweeping motion, he reached down with his gloved hands and helped the woman onto the landing. 

The professor accepted his assistance and dipped her head in thanks. "You mean all diviners have unique ways in which they discern information?" She asked a little too innocently. 

"Actually…" the man held up his index finger to begin an explanation of his particular aspect and how he needed to actually be in physical contact with the person or thing to glean any real information when he realized that he had explained this to her in the waking world only a few days before. He gave her a sidelong glance, "Yes, that is exactly what I mean." 

"It is nice to see you, Emer," Noble smiled at him. She actually wasn't sure if Emer was his actual name or a shortening of his title. Either way, it was what the emissary preferred to be called, and that was enough for the professor. 

"Is it now?" It was Emer's turn to raise one eyebrow. "What is nice to see? My unbreakable human spirit tiding against the cruelty of the universe? Or my stoic wisdom which stands like a mountain which will never tumble?"

Noble flushed. She had not intended for her words to be taken so literally. "Both, I suppose," she answered at last. 

Emer took the answer at face value. "Wise. Now, you wanted to see me?" 

"I did." Noble shifted nervously, checking the rest of the walkway for anyone who might overhear. 

Taking the cue, Emer motioned toward one of the deep tunnels carved into the rock. "Would you care for some tea? I was able to have some transported from the waking world." 

The professor nodded politely. "That would be lovely." 

Noble followed after the diviner into the passageway which served as a main hall to many offshooting rooms. It had likely been dreary and dank before the earth was ripped open, but now it had a pleasant breeze running through it to some other exit at another point along the wall. 

Emer brought her to the fifth door on the left and pushed it open. A low whistle could be heard inside.

As she entered, Noble noted a kettle hanging over a fire. "I thought you were kidding about the tea."

Emer wrinkled his nose. "I never joke about tea. Coffee maybe, but not tea."

"Noted." Noble accepted a steaming cup which he handed to her. She set it on a small table in front of her to let it cool.

Taking a mug for himself, Emer ignored the heat and drank deeply before leveling his gaze at his guest. 

"You wanted to see me?" he reminded her. 

'He does get to the point.' Noble blew at her drink. "I did. It's about a Memory." 

Emer pursed his lips, "Correct me if I am wrong, but aren't you an expert on Memories?"

The professor took a deep breath. She had anticipated the question. "You are not wrong." 

"I rarely am," he shrugged. 

"Which is why I have come for your help. Will you help me?" Noble looked down at her cup awaiting his answer. He did not have to assist her. In fact he really had nothing to gain by doing so. "I'll pay you," she added as an afterthought hoping that would sway him.

Emer waved his hand. "Your money does not interest me." 

"I can–" Noble was silenced as the man held up one finger. 

"Your money does not interest me," he repeated, a hint of a smile blooming on his face, "but your desperation does. Summon the Memory."

A moment later, a rain of sparks filled the room.