Deep Sea Embers
chapter-529

In a serene clearing within the woods, the consciousness of Taran El, an elven scholar, stirred from a deep, dormant state. This state, known as a “protective descent,” had been his shield against potential harm. As the debilitating effects of the Black Sun began to wane, the essence of his self-awareness resurfaced, and he found himself back in the shallower realms of his dream.

Almost instantly, Duncan and Lucretia sensed the shift in Taran El’s status and hurried over to him. As his eyes adjusted, Taran El found the environment altered from his last memory. Instead of the familiar glow of sunlight streaming through the trees, the forest was now bathed in an uncanny half-light, where daylight and shadow merged seamlessly. As he looked around, he recognized many unfamiliar faces, but one stood out distinctly: Morris, an old acquaintance he hadn’t encountered in decades.

With a deep breath to collect himself, Taran El asked with a shiver in his voice, “Was my situation really that dire?”

Caught off guard by his query, Lucretia responded, “What do you mean?”

Taran El gestured towards himself and then towards Heidi, Vanna, and Morris, who were approaching from afar. He sounded genuinely surprised, “In such a brief time, why have so many come to counsel me?”

Trying to keep her emotions in check, Lucretia’s face briefly betrayed her surprise. Taran El, with a hint of irony, added, “If waking me proved impossible, perhaps you should have allowed me to attempt my own remedy. The ‘sudden death method’ usually works quite well…”

Lucretia quickly intervened, “Don’t even entertain thoughts of that ‘sudden death method.’ Do you understand the gravity of what just transpired?”

Taran El, still reeling, responded, “What do you mean? I was merely… disoriented.”

With a grave tone, Lucretia explained, “The Black Sun’s minions trespassed into your dream and even manifested an echo of the Black Sun’s offspring. Didn’t you perceive any of this? Had my father not intervened promptly, the repercussions of the battle might have obliterated your mental presence here.”

Taran El’s face darkened as he absorbed Lucretia’s revelations. However, when he caught the mention of her father, he turned, visibly shocked, to Duncan and hesitated, “Your… father?”

Confirming silently with a nod, Lucretia introduced him. Duncan, attempting to ease the tension, stretched out his hand with a cordial grin, “You may simply call me Captain Duncan.”

But Taran El seemed rooted to the spot, transfixed by Duncan’s towering presence. He then drew a sudden sharp breath, his body quivering intensely. And, without another word, he faded from view, disappearing amidst the trees.

Duncan stood still, trying to piece together the unfolding scene. He blinked in confusion, then turned to Lucretia, “What just happened?”

Lucretia, who was equally taken aback, tried to find her words. After taking a deep breath, she replied with a mixture of disbelief and sarcasm, “It appears the ‘sudden death method’ did the trick.”

Duncan frowned, clearly not understanding, “What do you mean?”

As the trio of Heidi, Vanna, and Morris approached, they too had witnessed Taran El’s abrupt disappearance. They exchanged perplexed glances upon hearing Lucretia’s cryptic remark.

Heidi’s eyes widened in amazement as if to silently express, “Did that method actually work?” Morris seemed saddened, perhaps reminiscing about the memories he shared with Taran El. Vanna, with her athletic background, appeared thoroughly lost amidst the psychological intricacies. In her experience, confronting fears meant facing them head-on rather than delving into the intricacies of the mind.

Morris spoke up, his voice tinged with melancholy, “I had hoped to reconnect with Master Taran El. Decades have passed since our paths last crossed.”

Heidi interjected softly, “To him, you’d still be that young man venturing overseas. I doubt he’d ever fathom you having a family, let alone a daughter.”

Morris let out a resigned sigh, “Such are the complexities when dealing with elves.”

Intrigued by the camaraderie and banter amongst the trio, Duncan asked, “Have you all come to terms with past grievances?”

Vanna raised her hands in a somewhat playful surrender, replying, “Yes, and endured quite a lecture in the process.”

Heidi, however, seemed distracted. Her gaze was fixed on Duncan, perhaps assessing the reputation that preceded the well-known captain. Her contemplative silence left one wondering what conclusions she might be drawing.

Lucretia, on the other hand, was deeply engrossed in the surroundings. The forest, though a mere dreamscape, was astoundingly vivid. She voiced her observations, her tone hushed yet filled with authority, “I was right in my suspicions. Even though Taran El has awakened, this ‘dream’ persists. There must be other ‘dreamers’ anchoring this realm.”

Duncan nodded in acknowledgment. The nature of this dream was puzzling, and its connection to the average folk made Duncan wary of any drastic actions. But ever since Taran El’s startling departure, Duncan had been intently scrutinizing the environment.

Though a mere projection, the forest’s lifelike appearance was rooted in its dreamer’s subconscious. By utilizing the “spirit walk” technique, Duncan could theoretically interact with this subconscious layer. This was akin to how he once felt fleeting emotions and thoughts when he connected with the “stars” during his spiritual journeys.

In this vast dreamscape, Duncan tried to reach out with his heightened senses, probing deep into the very fabric of the dream. He sought the emotions, the memories, and the very essence of the dreamer. But no matter how hard he strained or how deeply he delved, he encountered a profound void.

It was an overwhelming sensation of emptiness. There wasn’t a trace of fear, thoughts, or any signature of the dreamer’s presence. Continuing to wander through the forest, he found the woods just led to more woods; digging deep, it was still just earth below. The entire environment lacked the distinct markers of a dreamer’s subconscious or any protective barriers. Instead, to Duncan, this vast expanse felt more like a nebulous fog devoid of intent.

Unlike a protective barrier with a defined purpose and intention, this fog seemed like a manifestation of randomness, functioning only by age-old principles unknown to him.

Engrossed in his contemplation about the source and nature of this dream, Duncan was jolted back to reality by a sudden, chilling gust of wind that emanated from the forest’s heart.

Heidi looked around, her expression a blend of concern and puzzlement. “The forest appears to be resisting our presence. But why did it stay dormant until now?”

Lucretia, deep in thought, ventured an answer, “It’s possible that with Taran El’s awakening, the dream’s equilibrium was disturbed. Even though the dream didn’t disintegrate, it’s as if a portal was sealed. We, being foreign entities, are now being gradually expelled.”

“We might need to make our exit,” Duncan observed with a touch of disappointment in his voice. He had a gut feeling that this dream veiled deeper mysteries. Yet, he recognized the inherent dangers of overstaying, especially with the dream’s evident hostility. The potential harm could rival the prior incident involving the “distorted sun.”

Lucretia looked determined, “I need to return and check on Taran El immediately. The last thing I want is for him to have perished on my vessel.”

Duncan acknowledged, “Proceed. We’ll reconvene once back in the real world. I’ll locate you shortly.”

Lucretia’s demeanor had a brief hesitation, but she masked it with a fleeting smile, “Of course, but it’s a lengthy journey from the Cold Sea to the southern waters. Please be safe…”

Duncan interjected with a hint of amusement, “What I meant was, I’ll see you soon — possibly by this evening. My ship, the ‘Vanished’, is anchored close to Wind Harbor.”

A look of surprise overtook Lucretia. She stammered, “…You’re here?”

Unfazed, Duncan explained, “It appears the sun’s outage had unforeseen consequences. The ‘Vanished’ bridged a vast stretch almost instantaneously.”

Visibly shocked, Lucretia’s form flickered momentarily, and in the blink of an eye, she disappeared from the dreamscape.

This left Duncan, Heidi, and the rest with many questions, exchanging intrigued looks.

The silence hung heavy in the air, palpable and tense. As the moments dragged on, it was Vanna who broke the deadlock. “Did Lucretia’s shock jolt her awake?” she pondered aloud.

No one provided an answer. The weight of the unspoken words between them seemed to grow even more substantial.

Recognizing the need for action, Duncan finally said, “We should exit this dream. If there’s anything you all wish to discuss further, we can reconvene once we’re back in the real world.”

Heidi felt a pang of melancholy as she realized that this unexpected gathering was drawing to a close. She glanced at her father, Morris, and her friend, Vanna, both standing alongside Captain Duncan. A thought suddenly struck her. “But how will I get in touch with you again? Especially if you’re aboard the ‘Vanished’?”

Morris chuckled lightly, “Simply pen down your thoughts and send them to the antique store in the lower district. Duncan has a way of making sure he gets such messages.”

“You expect me to just write a letter?” Heidi questioned, baffled by the antiquated method.

Before she could dwell on it further, Vanna interjected, “If it’s something brief, you can always approach the cathedral. Bishop Valentine is known to relay messages when required.”

Heidi grew more bewildered, “The cathedral? Why there?”

Sensing her confusion, Duncan clarified, “When the ‘Vanished’ takes a break, which it occasionally does, I can arrange to bring Morris and Vanna back to Pland.”

Heidi’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, “You take holidays on the ‘Vanished’? That’s unexpected.”

However, her questions remained hanging in the air, unanswered.

The forest around them seemed to grow more unwelcoming with every passing second. The temperatures dropped, and the dream’s very fabric appeared to repulse them. Heidi watched as the figures of Captain Duncan, Morris, and Vanna started to become indistinct and blurry.

Gradually, her surroundings dimmed, her consciousness wavering until an all-encompassing darkness and a fleeting floating sensation engulfed her.

When the shroud of darkness finally lifted, Heidi found herself jolting awake. She blinked, taking in her surroundings – she was in a hospital room, lying comfortably on a bed. Curiously, the patient she had initially been attending to was absent.

Piecing it together, Heidi deduced that after the dream had ensnared her, someone must have discovered the irregularity and moved her to this facility.

She took a moment, inhaling deeply, processing the intricate web of the dream she had just experienced.

The bewildering journey through the dreamscape had finally reached its conclusion.