My Dream

Interlude: Circle of Life

"Is this... another dream?" Gwen asked, looking around. She was confused. It had been two weeks since the last time she had a dream like this.

"I can hear the wind." Gwen looked around. She could see a giant rock in front of her. There were animals of all kinds crowding below it.

On top of the rock was a cave opening. Out of the opening came a majestic looking lion and lioness. A baboon walked behind them, cradling something in its hands. A blue bird flew in the sky before joining them.

"I feel like I'm missing context." Gwen muttered, walking closer for a better look.

The baboon shifted his arms, revealing a baby cub. The baboon presented the baby to the cheering animals below.

"Oh!" Gwen realized. "This is some kind of christening!"

She stepped closer, trying to get a closer look at the baby. The ground felt slick beneath her feet. Fearfully, she looked down. The ground around her was dissolving into ink.

"No! Not again!" She shrieked, falling down into the abyss.

***

Gwen landed back into the inky abyss. "Hello?" She called. "Quinn? Riddle?"

When the Tyrant had first appeared, he had almost levitated out of the ink, like he was attached to puppet strings. Whatever, or rather, whoever, this thing was, it clawed its way out. It reminded Gwen of a caged animal, frenzied and desperate.

Gwen took a step back. It growled, turning its attention towards her. "My Prey..." it rumbled. It stalked towards her. "You're about to witness the dawn of a new king."

Gwen turned and began to run. "Quinn!" She screamed. But no one came.

It tackled her into the ink. "RIDDLE!" Gwen screamed.

***

"Eh!? What are you doing here!?"

"You promised me a magic lesson."

"I did? Well, I changed My mind. Go home."

"I'm not supposed to. No one else will be there."

"Oh. Well, I dunno, go read a book or something. Just let me nap."

***

There was a pounding at the door. Gwen jumped, turning away from the mirror. She rushed to the door opening it.

"Gwen!" Riddle looked at her with concern. "Are you alright!?"

Gwen teared up, throwing her arms around him. "Riddle!"

Riddle led her back inside, gently shushing her. "Shh. It's okay Little Rabbit. I'm here now."

He sat the two down on the couch. Gwen nuzzled into him. "Riddle, what are you doing here? It's late." He was even wearing his pajamas.

"It's... hmm... how do I explain this?" Riddle paused, trying to find the right words. "I woke up, feeling like you had called for me. I couldn't shake the feeling that you needed my help. So I came over."

"Oh... I did call for you. In my dream." Gwen said. "I was scared."

Riddle gave her a gentle smile. "Well, I came didn't I?"

"I woke up in front of the mirror again." Gwen confessed.

Riddle looked over at the mirror. "You said you stopped after you woke up in the hospital wing. Then... what caused this?"

"Can you stay with me tonight." Gwen asked. "Please?"

Riddle looked conflicted, and Gwen knew he was thinking about the rules. Finally his concern for Gwen won out and he agreed. "Let's go to bed, Little Rabbit. We have a busy day tomorrow."

***

Okay, Che'nya, I want you to tell me everything about Overblots. What are they, and how do they happen? I'm curious, we don't have those things in our world.

The fuck do you mean Gwen has five boyfriends!??!