Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles Book 1)
Page 15
“It’s alright, I’ll speak with you.”
Despite getting what he apparently wanted, Darius hesitated. “Are you sure?”
“I want to.” It wasn’t until I’d spoken the words that I realized just how true they were. I wanted to do more than speak with him; I wanted to get to know him, spend time with him…I gave my head a little shake. I couldn’t do any of those things, not when the way he’d turned on me to the Council gave me little reason to trust him.
Yet still the fact remained that despite these reservations, I wanted to. What did it mean?
But Darius was shaking his head, still looking guilty. “No, we’ll talk when you’re not feeling compelled to humor me.”
I furrowed my forehead. What did he mean? But I had little time to wonder, for Stardust had returned and nudged me, needing no further invitation to urge me to leave this confrontation. I did so reluctantly, if for no other reason than the apprehension that if I lingered, then Darius might discover something about Mother in the ashes that I didn’t want him to find; surely my secrets weren’t safe from him.
Darius looked as if he wanted to ask me to stay before thinking better of it. “This interaction didn’t at all go like I’d anticipated. It appears that in my efforts to protect you, I only made the road to earning your trust more difficult. But I will, especially since we have plenty of time; I have a feeling we’ll be seeing one another shortly.” He turned to go but paused to look over his shoulder, his gaze searching. “Tell me the truth: despite your claims, you’ve read nothing about Weaving, meaning you’re about to receive a weaving assignment without any idea on how to construct dreams.”
I wanted to lie to him and claim I had ample training, but something held me back, almost as if I couldn’t willingly deceive him. My shoulders slumped in defeat before I forced myself to hastily straighten. I had a plan; between it and my advantage in having watched dreams my entire life, surely I could prove to the Council I belonged here after all.
But Darius didn’t appear fooled by my attempted confidence. He nodded to himself. “I thought so. This is becoming much more complicated than I anticipated, and I have a feeling it’s only going to become more so.”
But rather than look discouraged, his eyes glistened with anticipation, as if the challenge I presented only excited him. Another puzzle that was this man, one I was too tired to try and work out. But like he suspected, I too had a feeling that our interactions were only just beginning.
And strangely, even though I knew I should, I didn’t find that prospect at all discouraging.
Chapter 12
My determination to master magic and earn my place in the Dream World proved far more daunting than I could ever have imagined when I discovered just how difficult my magical training would be. Magic existed everywhere in this new world—an invisible force working behind the scenes to keep the Universe running smoothly—which proved to be much more complex than I’d anticipated, even with the help of my two new friends. It wasn’t long before I began to question my decision to forgo training at the Academy.
My days passed in a swirl of study and practice. On Earth I’d been able to get by on only a few hours of restless sleep, but now exhaustion seemed to be my constant companion. I spent most of my waking hours learning spells. Some parts were relatively easy—such as summoning my powers—but Angel still had me practice over and over until I could do it effortlessly.
Even after I’d learned to command my magic in an acceptable amount of time, there was still much more to learn: spells to master—such as the summoning charm that allowed me to pull objects towards myself—techniques that kept my Weaving stitches together, the art of balancing in the air so I could hover above my Mortal while they slept, even a technique that allowed Dreamers to enter closed windows into a locked Mortal home. Apparently, all that was required to break in was to insert a magical key purchased from the Dream Locksmith into the glass; the trick was locating the keyhole.
“Do Nightmares enter the same way?” I asked as I jammed the magical key in random places in a practice Mortal windowpane in an attempt to locate the invisible keyhole, which was proving especially difficult since my thoughts kept drifting to a certain Nightmare.
Angel didn’t look up from painting her fingernails licorice red. “Despite using their magic in opposite ways, Nightmares are still governed by the same magical laws we are.”
“But I’ve heard of Nightmares who can enter and exit a Mortal’s home by appearing and disappearing like lightning.” When Darius had invaded my bedroom back on Earth, he hadn’t gone through the window at all, but instead had appeared out of thin air.
Angel paused in painting her nails and Iris looked up from her pet potted geranium she’d been feeding spoonfuls of honey. “It’s undoubtedly faster than traveling to Weavings by cloud, but traveling that way requires advanced skill and quite a bit of dream dust that not many can afford.”
Muttering curses at the extent of that Nightmare Darius’s power, I finally found the invisible keyhole and shoved the key inside with more force than I intended. The key jammed, requiring us to wait for a locksmith to come and coax it out before we could resume my training.
When not practicing, I spent many dull hours restlessly studying thick volumes of magic until all the words blurred together. The books Stardust had smuggled from the Dream Library had behaved like ordinary books on Earth, but once within the Dream World they revealed their enchanted nature.
At first, I’d thought Basic Charms and Spells entirely ordinary, but after an unusually exhausting and long night, I fell asleep and drooled all over Chapter 19: Basic Spells for Everyday Use, after which the book had the annoying habit of shrinking itself to the size of a matchbook and hiding whenever I searched for it—taking cover in a dusty corner or beneath my bed—until one day it disappeared altogether, and Angel and Iris had to persuade the disgruntled librarian to let me borrow another copy from the Dream Library.
Another book, The Melody of Magic, habitually played music with each turn of its pages, and the soothing lullaby in Chapter 22 always lulled me to sleep. This occurred for several days until an exasperated Stardust finally had to read it herself and summarize the finer points.
After completing my first week in the Dream World, my informal tutors finally deemed I’d mastered enough of the basics to begin studying Dream Weaving, the subject I’d been most eager to learn.
“Every Dreamer has a weaving assignment, as weaving provides dream dust, the source of all our power.” Angel leaned over my shoulder to point to a chart in Weaving for Wusses that I’d propped open. “This chart outlines the value of dream dust as it’s used in our currency.”
“Why does magic need a source of power?” I asked. “I did magic long before I had dream dust.”
“Those who possess magic can always summon their powers, but dream dust is required to actually use them,” Angel said. “Dream dust enhances a Dreamer’s abilities and allows them to perform more advanced magic than they could otherwise.”
Now that she mentioned it, I’d only been able to view dreams before; I hadn’t been able to capture any portion of a dream until I’d taken some of Mother’s dream dust.
Weaving turned out to be based almost entirely on stitchery, an area in which I wasn’t completely without skill. Mother had taught me needlework since I was young, but while I knew the stitches, the weaving itself was far more complicated than I could have ever imagined—one didn’t just sew a dream together like one would a patchwork quilt. I needed to learn which ones were used to create specific dream effects, the uses of different types of thread, and how to combine all these techniques to weave quickly and efficiently. There were multiple layers of details used to create even the simplest of dreams.
Though the entire subject of dream construction was fascinating, despite my needlework background I found the entire process slightly overwhelming, and had a difficult time remembering all the various stitches and what each was used for. Even with
all my cramming, I had a difficult time retaining all the information. It was enough to get rather discouraged, though I had no other choice but to persevere. I spent hours practicing on fabric—for the dream flowers were too delicate and precious to be used on mere practice—stitching until my fingers ached.
In addition to mastering the stitches, I needed to understand the variety of flowers used to construct dreams. Iris frequently took me along when cultivating in order to tutor me in the different types of dream plants. The fields were full of flowers of different shapes and colors, and as we wandered the rows, Iris animatedly explained how each was used and how to combine them to weave realistic dreams.
“Details make the dream more vivid, which creates powerful emotions for the Mortal experiencing it, which in turn yields more dream dust.” She walked through the fields, pointing to the various sections of flowers. “While the fields contain any detail you might need, layering smaller ones to build your own from scratch allows you to make each as precise or dreamlike as you need them to be, which creates more powerful dreams.”
Iris encouraged me to spend a portion of my study hours in the Cultivating Fields to familiarize myself with the types of details grown there, but I found it much more effective to spend this time on Earth. Despite my long nights, I always managed to rise early enough to dream-watch, immersing myself in each unique dream, studying each to see if I could discern how they’d been created.
Despite my busy schedule, I still found time to explore the wonders of my new home. I never tired of seeing all the fantastic places, seeming straight out of a dream themselves. My favorite excursion had been a few days after my arrival, when Angel and Iris took me to Mirror Mirror to find my own style.
The shop was built entirely out of mirrors. Shelves laden with bundles of multicolored cloth hung from the ceiling, flashy outfits lined the curving rows of merchandise, and a section in the corner offered skin painting guaranteed to last a year without washing off.
Iris tsked as she flipped through patterns of make-it-yourself options. “So many fashion trends. What happened to the classic pieces that never go out of style?” She shot a dark look towards Angel, who rapidly flipped the pages of Bake-it-Yourself Fashions with a religious fervor. “We’re here for Eden, not to update your own style.”
Angel scowled and reluctantly closed her fashion guide, but I saw her subtly sneak peeks at it whenever Iris wasn’t looking.
We spent an hour perusing the variety of styles on display, most of which were rather outlandish, ranging from a peacock topped with a hat full of feathers to a dazzling red ladybug ensemble, complete with eccentric accessories of wings and black dots.
Finally, in a section tucked away in a corner, I found the perfect style. A sense of rightness settled over me as I tried it on and admired myself in one of the wall-length mirrors. The satin dress—white except for a layer of lavender glitter—fell just past my knees, and the ribbons from the matching ballet slippers wove halfway up my legs. Silver star clips laced through my lilac ringlets, a light layer of sparkles coated my skin, and purple stars created a painted pattern across my cheeks and around my violet eyes. Just a touch of a Dreamer to help me fit into this magical world, but not too much so that I still felt like myself.
Iris smiled as I posed in front of the mirror. “It suits you.”
Stardust revolved around me with an appraising air before nodding her own approval. I beamed, feeling one step closer to belonging in my new home. All that remained was receiving a Weaving Assignment. I just hoped that when the time came, I’d be able to prove to the Council I could handle one.
The Council summoned me three weeks after my arrival. Head Dreamer Galaxy waited in the center of the chamber, the members of the Council perched on the floating benches behind him. I scanned the rows and stiffened when I noticed Head Nightmare Ember and Nightmare Darius amongst the others—Ember with a look like she took great delight in the thought of my upcoming failure, and Darius with one that might have been meant to be encouraging but just made me feel intimidated.
While the rest of the Council resumed their business, Galaxy motioned for me to join him in a tiny room just off the main chamber, which was empty save for a gold table laden with parchment. I shakily sat at the edge of my seat.
“Are you enjoying the Dream World?” he asked kindly.
I lit up. “I love it here.” If only I could earn my place so I’d never need to leave.
“Is it everything you imagined it would be?”
“It feels likes home.” Amidst all the glitter and marvel of the Dream World, thoughts of Mother’s disappearance and the reasons behind it were slowly becoming less frequent.
He surveyed my fidgeting before a hint of a smile cracked his stern expression. “I see you’ve found a style.”
“Every Dreamer has one, and I’m a Dreamer.”
“That is what we’re here to resolve,” Galaxy said. “I’ve prepared a portion of the final exam we give graduating students at the Academy to determine if your previous study is adequate enough to remain here. I believe this will be an accurate measurement of your abilities.”
It began with a written exam, which focused on weaving. I was required to identify specific dream flowers, write an essay about the difference between various stitches and their unique uses, and create a detailed dream blueprint. This was perhaps the easiest and most fun part, as it consisted of not only a detailed description of a dream, but also an explanation of the best use for each flower and the stitches used to construct it. I confidently chose a dream I’d watched only the morning before—an enchanting story where the Mortal soared through the sky as it changed between night and day. When my time was up, I’d filled several rolls of parchment with my detailed descriptions, which included several samples of details I could potentially use to bring it to life.
Next was an oral exam. Galaxy asked me specific details about the magical properties of dream dust and had me recite famous stories from Dreamer history. This was a struggle; in my brief training, I hadn’t bothered to read much history, so I butchered Galaxy’s request for me to explain the legends of the first Dreamers and the formation of the Dream World. However, I was able to confidently share the primary reasons behind the separation between Nightmares and Dreamers, and explain each world’s role in the Mortal World.
The exam concluded with the practical portion, where I was required to showcase my magical skills in front of the rest of the Council. I’d dreaded this part the most. I twisted and untwisted the fabric of my dress as I eyed the Council, who watched me with solemn expressions.
“You mustn’t be shy about using your magic,” Galaxy said. “Especially as you’ll always be required to weave in front of your Nightmare partner.”
I willed myself to relax as I wiped my sweaty hands against my skirts.
“Because Weavings are performed while hovering over the sleeping Mortal, floating is a necessary skill for all Weavers,” Galaxy said. “We’ll begin there.”
Despite Angel repeatedly emphasizing its importance, floating had been my biggest struggle from the first day of my training; Iris suspected it was because I’d lived under the law of gravity for so long. Luckily, I managed to lift myself several feet off the ground on my wobbly first try, but I teetered several times before I finally managed to sit cross-legged relatively stilly.
Galaxy scribbled down a note. “Next, the summoning technique.”
After two attempts I summoned his quill. He effortlessly re-summoned it back and used it to jot down more notes. Despite my rough start, I successfully performed all the remaining spells Galaxy requested: recalling my magic in under three seconds, performing a healing spell after pricking my own finger, and using actual dream flowers for the first time to stitch together a portion of the dream blueprint I’d created during the written exam. Before I began, Galaxy explained to me that the Council room was the only place in the Dream World where dreams could be woven; all others had to be created on Earth.
The Council’s murmurs finally ceased and Galaxy returned. “It’s obvious you still have much to learn. Your summoning is adequate, your floating mediocre, and you’re quite a slow Weaver. Some of your rough edges center on skills so basic even a Dreamer child could do them.“
I stiffened. His assessment made me fear my performance wouldn’t even qualify me to attend the Academy. I braced myself for the words that would tear me away from the only place I’d ever wanted to call home…but the words didn’t come. I peeked up at Galaxy to find him looking almost…dazed. My gaze flickered towards Darius, who watched him rather intently.
Galaxy hastily blinked and his expression softened. “Despite these flaws in your performance, there was still much to be admired. Your weaving skills—particularly your dream blueprint—are reasonably solid. I’m impressed by how much you’ve managed to learn despite not having attended the Academy, which shows your natural aptitude. Though you have much to learn in your journey in developing your magical abilities, there comes a time when a bird must leave the nest in order to learn how to fly. I believe the next best step is to give you an assignment.”
I bounced on the balls of my feet. “Really? An actual weaving assignment?”
Galaxy looked almost surprised by his own words before a smile lit his eyes. “Enthusiasm and passion are essential qualities of excellent Weavers and are key in creating fantastic dreams. Because you’re not an advanced Weaver, you’ll start with only one Mortal who will require only one dream a night, until your skills are adequate enough for more. There’s much to handle in being a Weaver, but I’m confident that through the many thousands of dreams you’ll create during the course of your Mortal’s life, your skills will develop admirably, and eventually you’ll be able to receive additional assignments.”