Memories (Of Dreams and Demons)

Part III Drafts

The troopers have been defeated. Vicente has fallen. It's almost as if a lifetime has passed we ran and hid, yet now we stand with friends within the Realm and fight for what is right.

The morn is dark and foggy, black fog, covers the fields as Naoko and I explore the Realm for the first time. As we wander, almost aimlessly, me drawing furiously on my little map, taking notes and creating the landscape, she points. In the distance a faint, humming speck of light. We run over to it, a single stone in the middle of the clearing, made of light. 'There were ruins here once,' she points. Large patches of grass are missing from the field, cut at ninety degrees, shapes of walls and buildings, all now gone without a trace. Only the single stone of light sits in the middle, waiting. 'Now we just need a million more of these!' She laughs, 'and we could build our own castle!'

I roll the stone over in my hands.

Minnervas gift of wisdom. The gift of understanding. Meanwhile, we find and free to our surprise Minnerva. Who had also managed to be captured while deep in trance without the party to protect her. Forced to appease Vicente with lies and compliments to feed his insatiable egotistical appetite. But she is unharmed, more weary and hungry but glad the ordeal is over.

Minnerva watches me carefully. She can sense Eligos and Rofo. "So you are one who tames both." "You have it within you to defeat Moloch now," she says. "But your journey is a treacherous one."

Let me see what the fates have determined your banner to be.

The banner: the lion and demon.

"Demon?" Vuitton quivers, looking at me uncertain.

"Fear not," Minerva says diplomatically. "It is symbolic of the lion defeating the demons."

She eyes me warily. I can see the lie plainly on her wise old face.

"The Realm you entered as a child was bright and beautiful. It mirrored your life, your dreams," "It's always been the Realm,"

"The place you first visited was serene and beautiful, and still exists," "but for now your life is riddled with demons. They need to go, before you can find peace."

"Peace.."

"It is your imagination," "Inspired by your life and emotions."

"The Realm is your kingdom alone, your true escape,"

"Then what is everything outside?"

"Your life. Your journeys with Naoko and into the Realm has opened your inner eye, your imagination soars and takes you far beyond and between your human reality."

"So you have in a way, merged both."

I smile. "So it's all an adventure. I don't care what is real and what is fake. The only thing that is real that matters is Naoko and her love!"

A long silence, before Naoko sighs, may as well get it over with.

"I'm sorry," she says quietly. "Not everything has been as it seems. I'm only just remembering, gaining an understanding myself. But there is so much that still makes no sense."

"What do you mean?" I ask.

"Well I'm not real either," "Well, not yet anyway." "I thought I was. But in so many ways I am not.. I think. You brought me here."

"What for?" I ask.

She leans up on her tiptoes, beaming proudly, "to help!"

"Help with what?" I ask.

"Well I don't know really. Does it matter? It's fun though."

My eyes narrow and flames burn the core of my soul. "Of course it matters."