They were 7 around the table that night and while the afternoon felt very silent, this dinner had a way warmer mood.
The hunting group shared stories with Chung-Ho about hunts they had done in the past. It seemed Cool when they were telling it, but Diane Always made clear that there had always been danger, and that this wasn't a subject of jokes.
"I understand that this Realm is dangerous, but those stories are very interesting, it puts context on what I have read this afternoon. It makes concepts clearer."
Diane looked at him and smiled.
"I'm sorry that I break the mood, I'm just worried and I want you to get the point that this Realm is not funny. Those 5 here, they can't be helped. They like the adventure. Specially Olaf."
Olaf smiled.
"That's true! But you, young boy, Diane told us your story, but I would love to hear it from you. What can you tell us?"
Diane looked Olaf with a frown.
"Well," Chung-Ho was feeling easier to speak today. "It all started with a nightmare like I already experienced in the past."
Diane cut him instantly.
"What are you saying ? This wasn't the first Time you had this nightmare?"
"The fire in my room?"
"This one indeed."
"No I had it before." He tried to sound light. But Diane's look made it clear that she knew this was a crucial information. She didn't say a word though and he kept going with his story. This time he knew he had to tell everything. His voice was calm but firm. He was looking at the table as if he was looking at this nightmare through it. "I'm in my bed, flames all around me. There's a corridor on my right. I already tried to go there, but I never saw anything. Only smoke. Lately, this dream has been slightly different. I felt observed. Two days ago, I came back in this nightmare after waking from it. And I wasn't able to wake up like I usually do. Normally I just think of waking up and it's over," his voice was faster, without him noticing, the feeling of oppression he experienced in his nightmare was slowly taking over him again. "I tried to wake up but I couldn't. Aislinn told me to wake up. I didn't know it was her when she told me I needed to wake up, but now I know it was her. And it surprised me so much that I hit my head on my sidetable."
He was breathing faster and stronger. His eyes opened wide.
Diane was up, at his side, her hands on his shoulders.
"You're with us now. Don't worry. We'll help you to get rid of this nightmare."
"I'm sorry Madam. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. This isn't just a nightmare... This is a memory. I know this is a memory..."
"Oh boy..." Jeanne Dupont spoke. "Our nightmares are based on memories, on traumas, on feras that are in us. This is what creates the nightmares. Sometimes we'll live something we experienced in the past. Sometimes it's something we've seen that marked us sondeeply that it will haunt us at night. But it doesn't mean you can't fight it, that you can't overcome it. What is in the Dream Realm isn't your memory. This is the fear that this memory brought to you."
"But how can I fight it ?"
"What you described us is a location. You should tell them what you did after, I'm pretty sure you'll be able to find a way out of this nightmare then."
Park Chung-Ho started his story once more.
"Well yesterday, when I went to sleep, I came back in this room full of flames. Aislinnwas there, though I didn't know at the time that it was her who told me to jumped through the flames. She said I needed to escape this place as soon as possible. So I did as she said and entered the dark corridor. She told me to run with her and not look back. I didn't know why until I heard the dark voice of Albormare behind us. He was faster than me and managed to put his hands on my shoulder. The air and ground seemed thicker and thicker to me and In the end I couldn't escape him and I was plunged into pure darkness."
He took a pause there.
Diane was still at his side.
"You may understand better why you had this sensation now, right ?"
"He pulled me deeper in the nightmare zone or something like this I guess."
"You guessed it right." Said Pierre Dupont. Chung-Ho thought that his quality as a cartographer was the reason why Pierre answered him.
"Anyway," the young man started again. "I was in this darkness and I searched for a way out. So I drew my room in my mind. And we got there. He made a cut on my arm. I wasn't able to move so I drew the flame room and we were there. I wanted him to burn. But he laughed. So I sent us in space. But there again he wasn't much affected. So we came back to my room were Aislinn came and pulled Albormare out. And she was uncounscious. That's when I woke up."
Diane and Sasha already knew the end of the story. But the other four were astonished by what they just heard.
Pierre asked.
"You drew places and got there ? Wow that's a huge level of traveller that you got for a newly awakened. If the placed didn't affect Albormare it's because you created projections only. But still, that's impressive !"
The other three were nodding.
"You managed to stay focussed and look for a solution despite the situation. I admire that." Said Ida. "This is a proof that you're wise."
"I don't think this is proof of being wise, just survival instinct I guess." Park Chung-Ho was embrassed to hear those compliment, especially while all he thought was that he did nothing to help Aislinn.
Dianeay have catched something in his expression, because she talked with a sweet voice.
"My daughter took a decision. There was nothing you could do. Now, be reassuree that nothing will happen in your room. Nightmares are blocked by the best runes possible. Ida made sure of it. It's midnight a d we have a lot of work tomorrow, you should go to sleep. We all should."
They all left for the rooms in the white corridor. Even if telling his story had been mentally exhausting and worrying, Park Chung-Ho was happy to go to bed; he had a lot of things to discuss with Aislinn. Her room was closed, but he gave it a look while passing by. He lay down on the bed, but he only kept his underwear that night. After all, he would wear something else in his dream; he just had to think about it. Nótt entered the room. It was difficult to mistake this cat with any other. His dark hair with sparkles of gold was quite unique. The cat jumped on the bed, purring.
Park Chung-Ho turned the light off, and Nótt stepped on his belly. The young man slept with the light on the day before. But this night, he was able to see that there were runes glowing on the walls and ceiling of the room.
"Another protection," he thought, while he was scratching the cat. "Those runes are everywhere."
He took a deep breath and started to décontract his whole body to try and sleep faster.
It was all dark all of a sudden. He knew he was in the safe place, but he was alone.
"Aislinn?" He asked, just to hear his voice echo in the dark. He felt something touching his leg.
"Nótt?" He asked, as he identified what touched him as a cat.
"Who else do you think I am?"
"Now I hear a cat that speaks." Said Park Chung-Ho.
"It's me, Aislinn. I just wanted to see your reaction" she laughed as she turned into her true self.