BEYOND: The Nameless Eater

Eighth Dream: Catch Up with the Speed King

I had a dream again, I was on an island, but it was not the blue one. It was an entirely different place that resembled an island much more, golden sand and clear blue sky and yet the water surrounding it remained black. At the center of the island, there was a single, adorable child playing with the sand by herself, she had long, messy black hair and wore a white robe much like the girl that preceded her, however, this one's eyes were not hidden, they were sparkling blue, radiating childlike innocence and she also had a missing tooth. I calmly and slowly approached her, and when I was one pace away from her, she looked up to me and said: "Hello!"

I responded hesitantly: "...Hi?"

The girl: "I like you!"

Me: "Um... Thanks?"

The girl: "But you're really, really sad!"

Me: "..."

The girl: "Y'know, when I'm sad, I build a castle, and then I'm happy again! Do you want to build a castle with me, Nameless?"

Me: "Excuse me, who are you?"

The girl: "Me? I'm 'Bargaining'! That's my name! Bargaining!"

Me: "What an odd name."

Bargaining: "Yeah, but mama gave me that name, so I'm happy with it!"

Me: "Do you... Know where we are?"

Bargaining: "We're on the yellow island! It's in your head because you're asleep!"

Me: "Yeah, I think I gathered that much. Tell me, where is that other girl?"

Bargaining: "Who?"

Me: "Y'know, the one that looks a lot like you but... older?"

Bargaining: "Oh! You mean 'Sorrow'!"

Me: "Is that her name?"

Bargaining: "Yep! Her name's Sorrow!"

Me: "Alright then, what happened to her?"

Bargaining: "Oh? She died."

Me: "...What?"

Bargaining: "She was eaten by that big, scary, monster! She lived a long, sad life on the blue island, but I'm happy she doesn't have to get hurt anymore!"

Me: "...Monster? You don't mean..."

Bargaining: "Yep! The Leviathan ate her because she was 'Sorrow' and because she was... umm... uhh... I don't know what word I'm looking for, but it's like... umm... a thing you give to get another thing!"

Me: "an exchange?"

Bargaining: "Maybe... I was thinking about another word, though..."

Me: "She died, then? Talk about 'poetic'... She said she would chastise me until the day she died... Who knew... it would have been mere moments... away..."

Bargaining: "Do you... Want to build a castle with me?"

Me: "...Yeah. Let's call it the cathedral of 'Sorrow' and let's make it the most beautiful castle in all the land..."

I woke up somewhere unfamiliar, I was no longer in the cinema labyrinth. I was outside, atop a high building, the sky was a beautiful mix between night, stars, and clouds, making for a very beautiful would-be painting. As my senses slowly returned to me, I looked around me and saw that both Raymond and Murmur were walking in circles anxiously. When I placed my hands on the ground and sat up, they immediately noticed and, while Raymond rushed to me, Murmur practically dove arms first into me, knocking m back on the ground shortly before she picked me up by the collar and started shaking me aggressively as if I was a pair of maracas while she tearfully told me: "What the hell were you doing?! I leave you for a quarter of a day and you just get yourself nearly killed?! What's wrong with you?!"