Sunday 26 February 2012

Dream Travel


Tyreeque Boshaunn set his sword and shield by the bed post, a little uncertain but unwilling to challenge his master’s assurances that they would come with him.  He prepared for bed normally, save for the hide armor he wore.  His magical pendant and rings would be with him in a burlap sack in his arms, but also tied to his right wrist.  When he awoke, he would swear something fierce if they weren’t with him.  He climbed into bed, and moved to snuff the candle on his night stand, black skin glowing in the warm light.  He reclined, and recalled his master’s words:
“Tyreeque, listen well, for students of my school have many gifts to master.  You could choose to go off into the dark and dangerous dungeons, fighting the hoards of beasts to your ladyfriend, but know that the monsters you seek have already found a way around such horrors.  You will need a way around them yourself, or you will be doomed to toil forever, and Mackaelah will be in their clutches too long.  Listen, for you alone can fight for her, and I shall now teach you reach her.”
Tyreeque shifted uneasily in bed.  It wasn’t easy to listen to his master, not with Mackaelah in who knows what danger. 
“You want me to sleep?” he started angrily in his memories.
“To dream,” replied the master.  "It is the fastest way…”
Tyreeque remembered his anger, his turning away in that tense moment.  “Master, I cannot…”
“Heed me.”
“No!  I just can’t rest while she’s in their clutches.  My group is getting ready to go.  If we hurry we might still catch them in the mountain pass before they get underground.”
“Please…” quoth the master.
“Enough!  I will send when she is safe.  Goodbye master.” And Tyreeque left in his rage. 
Lying in bed “I had so much to learn master… I may yet still.”
Tyreeque burned with the shame.  He now knew exactly what the master was talking about, about the ability to dream and arrive at the place of dreaming.  He might have intercepted the monsters if he had just listened.
And Mackaelah might still be alive.
It was a long way to the monsters home lair, and his group was down in numbers.  In fact, with magical protections blocking most teleportations, and a moat of deadly aboleths blocking the way, it might be impossible even to get close to it.  The evil ones may have almost won.
Almost.
“Though I learned too late to save you, “ he told the image in his mind, the image of Mackaelah, and his master, “I will make it right.  They won’t hold me back tonight.”
As Tyreeque closed his eyes, he willed the image to change, to the back entrance of the dark underground citadel, past all of the defenses.  He knew more difficult challenges lay ahead of him, allegory in dream form for the monsters he would have to face in the physical world, but he doubted they would be as dangerous as they would be here in waking reality.
“I’m coming for you, now.” He meditated on the place until he was no more awake, and what follows is his journey in his dream to the destination he pictured.

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