Deep Sea Embers
chapter-575

Rushing through the cityscape, Duncan and Alice made their way back to their headquarters situated at 99 Crown Street, a place colloquially known as “The Witch’s Mansion.” The urban environment around them had regained its typical rhythm and vigor. The streets and squares that had once been consumed by the magical “Enchanted Forest,” as well as the roads where crawling vines had previously disrupted daily life, were now bustling with people going about their regular routines.

The number of pedestrians seemed to be growing steadily with each passing minute, and the first bus of the morning had already completed its inaugural pass on the main thoroughfare. They noticed a smooth transition of power taking place at a major intersection: intellectuals who had been serving as temporary guards were relinquishing their duties to the regular city security force. It was as if the uncanny events from earlier had been nothing but an elaborate illusion, a secret knowledge that only Duncan, Alice, and their associates were privy to.

Once they entered the mansion, they found their teammates already congregated in the spacious living room. Lucretia, seemingly the group’s unofficial leader, was the first to approach them. “Are you alright?” she inquired, her eyes reflecting both concern and relief.

Waving away her worries with a casual flick of his hand, Duncan swiftly replied, “The challenges Alice and I faced were unique compared to what the rest of you encountered. It’s crucial that we bring all our pieces of information together.”

Alice, who had followed Duncan into the room, handed over a wooden puppet head to Lucretia. “Here, this is for you. It survived our ordeal without a scratch!”

Accepting the puppet head, Lucretia wore an expression of complex emotion. Her gaze briefly darted toward a maid puppet that stood motionless near the staircase. With a wave of her hand, she summoned a robust, armored manservant. “Place this in the preparation room; I’ll attend to it later,” she commanded.

Once everyone had settled down, Duncan occupied the central seat on the living room sofa, scanning the familiar faces around him. Even though he had earlier been assured of their safety, a profound sense of relief washed over him as he confirmed that they were all indeed unscathed.

Breaking the thoughtful silence that had enveloped the room, Duncan began to share his observations. “First, it’s apparent that the colossal disturbance that rattled the city last night bears a significant resemblance to the dream that Taran El was ensnared in. While there are nuanced differences and several new elements have come into play, it appears that the root cause is what’s referred to as the ‘Dream of the Nameless One.’ Alarmingly, this ‘dream’ is showing indications of expanding its influence and risks leaking into our reality.”

He paused briefly, glancing at Alice who was seated next to him. “Secondly, following the onset of the vision, each of us had diverging experiences. While Alice and I remained in the physical world and witnessed its transformation due to the overflowing dream energies, I also encountered a colossal entity that had seeped out from this alternate dream realm. On the other hand, the rest of you were involuntarily transported into the ‘other side’ of this dream. During this time, we lost all forms of communication with one another. The only exception was Lucretia, who was able to maintain a tenuous link to our world through her specially crafted puppet servants.”

“Let’s begin with Lucretia, then,” Duncan suggested, directing his attention towards the “Sea Witch.” His proposal sparked a wave of anticipation among the group. Each member was eager to recount their own experiences within the mysterious realm they had come to know as the dream world.

Ever the poised storyteller, Lucretia immediately nodded and adjusted her posture, preparing to unravel the intricate tapestry of her dream adventure. “Alright, allow me to commence with my experience,” she began. “My journey within the dream commenced in a desolate corner of a sprawling forest. It was there that I crossed paths with an elf who introduced herself as ‘Shireen.'”

Nina, an attentive listener seated beside Lucretia, couldn’t contain her astonishment. “Wait, you encountered someone? Perhaps another dreamer?” Her interruption was swift but quickly followed by a remorseful apology, her tongue poking out in a sheepish manner. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t resist. Please, continue. I promise not to interrupt again.”

Lucretia maintained her composure, offering a gracious nod to Nina before proceeding. “No offense taken. Now, to continue. From my perspective, it seemed that ‘Shireen’ wasn’t the one who had initiated the dream. Instead, she appeared to be a resident, a denizen, of this expansive dream. It’s as incredible as it sounds.”

She elaborated further, “She spoke of a place known as the ‘Silent Wall,’ a defensive line of sorts. ‘Shireen’ identified herself as a ranger and explained that an order had been issued for everyone to retreat behind this ‘Silent Wall.’ Throughout my time within the dream, I remained by her side as we journeyed towards this elusive ‘Silent Wall,’ but we never quite reached our destination.”

Lucretia’s detailed narrative captivated her audience. Apart from Duncan, who had some prior insight into the events, everyone else listened with rapt attention and a growing sense of wonder. The reason was simple: Lucretia was the sole member of the group who had established contact with a native resident of the dream world.

The existence of entities like ‘Shireen,’ seemingly indigenous to the ‘Dream of the Nameless One,’ had caught them entirely off guard.

The implications were staggering. If ‘Shireen’ spoke the truth, could there be more sentient entities dwelling within the depths of the ‘Dream of the Nameless One,’ concealed behind that mysterious Silent Wall within the vast forest?

Once Lucretia had concluded her account, the room fell into a brief silence, the weight of her revelations sinking in. Finally, Morris broke the stillness. “Nina and I experienced our dreams together.”

This revelation surprised Duncan. “Both of you together?”

“Yes,” Morris affirmed with a nod. “It appears that the process of entering the dreamscape had an element of randomness. Not everyone was separated. We also found ourselves in a deserted area, surrounded by an endless expanse of unrecognizable flora. At one point, Nina took flight to gain a broader perspective. Together, we stumbled upon regions within the forest that appeared tainted—a kind of dark corruption.”

The room remained focused, the gravity of these accounts hanging in the air. As Morris and Nina prepared to share their unsettling experiences, it became increasingly evident that the dreamscape was not a mere reflection of someone’s imagination but a complex, autonomous world with its own laws and inhabitants. This revelation instilled a sense of awe and trepidation in those hearing it for the first time.

“In addition,” Morris began, his voice methodical as he recounted their experiences in the ‘Dream of the Nameless One,’ “we noticed that the entire dreamscape reacts quite intensely when Nina harnesses her power.” This revelation held a note of intrigue for Duncan, who leaned in, a faint frown creasing his brow. He was particularly intrigued by the vigorous responses exhibited by the dream when Nina unleashed her sun-like abilities.

The reactions seemed almost akin to a vehement repulsion.

This newfound information led Duncan to reflect on his own encounter within the dark, mist-filled expanse. According to the enigmatic ‘suspicious goat head,’ he had been expelled from that realm due to Atlantis’s fear. Could Nina’s repulsion be of a similar nature? Could her ‘sunlight’ have posed a threat to the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’?

Lost in thought, Duncan raised his gaze, fixing it on Shirley.

“I crossed paths with a cultist, a member of the Cult of Annihilation,” Shirley interjected quickly, her expression radiating unapologetic pride and her tone tinged with an element of boastfulness. “I managed to extract a significant amount of information from him! And to cap it off, I gave him quite a beating. I even had Dog leave a lasting mark on him. Oh, and there was this bizarre phenomenon where the entire forest seemed to descend into chaos. It truly terrified me. Could that ‘Erosion Zone’ that Lucretia mentioned be related to the ‘polluted area’ Morris and Nina encountered?”

Duncan’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

While each person’s experience in the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’ had been distinct, Shirley’s account appeared to be particularly explosive.

Duncan’s demeanor turned instantly serious. Leaning forward, he fixed his penetrating gaze on Shirley. “Slow down, don’t skip around—what exactly transpired?”

“Alright, let me gather my thoughts,” Shirley replied, noting the captain’s grave expression. She straightened up and made an effort to organize her thoughts, her cheek scratched in contemplation. “Actually, Dog, why don’t you explain it? I’m worried I might not be as clear.”

All eyes in the room shifted to Dog.

Dog sighed with a hint of resignation, facing Duncan’s intense scrutiny. He began methodically, “First, we encountered rapid decay in the forest, which, according to the information we later pieced together, corresponds to what’s known as the ‘erosion’ vision.”

With clarity, Dog proceeded to detail their experiences in the forest. This encompassed the sudden decay and contortion of the once-vibrant forest, the subsequent encounter with the cultist, and the wealth of information extracted by Shirley during their confrontation.

As Duncan absorbed Dog’s narrative, he began to connect the dots, fitting the puzzle pieces of information together. The room buzzed with tension as everyone present came to grasp just how intricate and unpredictable the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’ truly was. From the reactions to Nina’s powers, the presence of sentient beings like ‘Shireen,’ the mysterious ‘Silent Wall,’ the unsettling ‘Erosion Zones,’ and now a member of the ‘Cult of Annihilation,’ it became evident that the dreamscape was more than a passive backdrop—it was a dynamic world with its own responses, possibly even its own agenda. This realization elicited a potent blend of wonder, curiosity, and apprehension among the group.

“The phenomenon of decay, the enigmatic ‘Silent Wall,’ the ethereal presence named ‘Shireen,’ the ominous Cult of Annihilation members, and then… the abrupt conclusion of that surreal dream,” Lucretia began, her voice tinged with thoughtful reflection.

“It appears that the ‘erosion’ mentioned by that ‘Shireen’ corresponds closely to the unsettling experience Shirley and Dog encountered,” Lucretia continued. “The once-vibrant forest twisted into nightmarish shapes, the very ground decayed and assumed a malevolent character. Those affiliated with the Cult of Annihilation seem to possess significant knowledge regarding these phenomena.”

“Regrettably, the cultist managed to elude capture,” Morris interjected, a deep furrow etching his brow. “If he has found refuge in another city-state in the waking world, tracking him down will prove to be a formidable challenge.”

“The more immediate concern is how these cultists have gained ingress and egress to the ‘Dream of the Nameless One,'” Vanna, who had remained silent until this moment, suddenly interjected. “They seem to possess a specialized method, granting them the ability to enter and exit the dreamscape at will, even conducting coordinated operations within it. This ‘method’ holds the key.”

Duncan nodded slowly in agreement with Vanna’s assessment, then turned his attentive gaze to her.

“What did you encounter ‘on the other side’? Were you also within a forest?” he inquired with curiosity.

Vanna cast a quick glance at her fellow companions, contemplating her response for a brief moment before she began to recount her own experience. “That’s precisely what I wanted to bring to your attention. My encounter differed greatly from all of yours—distinctly so. As you described the forest, I found myself feeling rather perplexed because… I was situated in a desert.”

A profound hush enveloped the living room.

Baffled expressions were exchanged among those present.

Several seconds elapsed before Duncan finally spoke, a trace of disbelief coloring his voice, “You’re saying you were in a desert? You didn’t witness a forest in your dream?”

“Yes, no forest at all,” Vanna affirmed with solemnity, her head nodding in affirmation. “Only sand dunes, some withered and sparse vegetation, and colossal rock formations. I ascended the tallest of those rocks and surveyed the expanse before me. Not a single trace of a forest was to be seen.”

The revelation rippled through the room, leaving its inhabitants in a state of sheer astonishment. The fact that the dreamscape appeared to react differently to each individual was already perplexing, but the discrepancy in the environments they had encountered introduced an additional layer of complexity and enigma. It hinted that the ‘Dream of the Nameless One’ was not merely a static backdrop for their experiences, but conceivably a dynamic, responsive world governed by its own set of rules, if not its own intentions. In the midst of this puzzlement, one question loomed large: Were these diverse landscapes some form of trial or perhaps fragments of a much grander, inscrutable realm? The questions continued to accumulate, deepening the sense of urgency and wonder that surrounded their inexplicable encounters.