To Dwell In Nightmares and Dreams

Back Again

He stood alone, the only one left within the court room. What had just happened going around and around in his head.

They'd been so fearful and wary around him.

This was actually happening...

He was the New Grand Master.

Stiles honestly didn't know what to do about this new turn of events. Well he knew what he should be doing, just not how to feel about what everything that had happened.

Stiles shook his head, clearing it. Now wasn't the time to think about it all when he had a job to do.

Without thinking Stiles raised his hand, one of his new runes glowed golden.

A golden shimmering portal shimmered into life, glittering in the light coming from the glass stained windows.

Stiles hesitantly stepped through the portal.

He then swore as he bumped his head on a much smaller ceiling. Stiles quickly bend down, almost crouching. He quickly recognised where he was. He had wanted to be taken to the Mind District but it seems his magic had given him one better, he was...in his old room?!

It was so freaking cramped.

Now would be a great time to learn how to get back to your normal size Stiles thought angrily to himself.

Because he was no way fitting through that door at the size he was now.

Thanks magic Stiles thought irritably.

He closed in eyes, hoping him changing his shape would work similar to how he made clones of himself. He pictured what he wanted to be inside his head.

Please work!

He didn't seem to have a rune for this but hopefully as the last Grand Master could transform himself to look a more well...more normal then he should be able to do that too, right?

Very slowly he felt a strange tingling encase his whole body then he watched in shock as everything seemed to grow bigger but to his relief he knew it was because he was growing smaller.

He didn't need to focus to stop either, his own energy did it without him needing to think about it. The cloak he was wearing shrank with him, easily fitting him.

Stiles looked at himself in the mirror, half expecting himself to look like his old self before becoming the Grand Master but to his surprise he still looked exactly the same.

The only thing that had changed was his size.

His eyes were still blazing golden, his body was still in top shape and his runes still there.

Stiles thoughts went to Alicia, Kirah and Madam Rucia, what would they think? Did they knew what had happened to him?

Word couldn't have gotten around that fast? But then who would have told the Mind District? They had no Lord. The sorcerous all might have felt the Grand Master die but he didn't think any Lady or Lord that he'd seen in the court would think of going to tell the Mind District what had happened.

Rumours from other districts maybe but nothing solid. Not until now.

Stiles warily opened the door, stepping into the corridor that he'd grown so familiar with.

Taking a deep breath he walked towards what used to be the Lord of Minds room, where so much had happened...

Within minutes he was at those achingly familiar doors. Madam Rucia was no longer standing outside but Stiles supposed he hadn't expected her to be there still anyway.

Hesitantly he opened the doors. Stepping inside slowly. Stiles stiffened slightly as he spotted an equally familiar face. But not the good kind.

The ex Lord of Mind, Rocrik. He was pacing up and down, muttering to himself but still looking the part, despite having his title taken away from him.

Rocrik had heard the door open and twisted around to stare at him. Nothing was said between them for a while. Despite his eyes sweeping Stiles, he could tell that the ex Lord wasn't really looking at him. He was only completely focused on one thing, so completely and utterly obsessed that he did not even process and question why Stiles looked so different from when he'd left.

This became very apparent when the first thing out of Rocrik's mouth was....

"Well?! Did he let me of? I've been waiting and waiting, something should have happened by now right? You're back, you haven't taken my place so I'm still a Lord, right?!"

Stiles stared at him for a few seconds then slowly things slipped into place, after all despite feeling like it had been ages since he'd been here, it hadn't actually been that long.

Also the last Grand Master had only stripped him of his title, not his power, not yet.

Stiles realised remembering what had been said, the last Grand Master was going to do it once I replaced him or was it something that happened automatically once a new Lady or Lord was chosen? He wasn't sure.

"You-"

Stiles stopped himself from talking in surprise, his voice? It had gone back to normal! He wasn't sure how he felt about that but something told him he could change it back quite easily if he wanted too...

But no...

Not yet.

"You haven't talked to anyone since I left with the Grand Master, have you?" Stiles said slowly.

Rocrik scowled and he replied stiffly "Rucia wanted to tell me something, something important she said. But can't that hag tell? There isn't anything more important than this! I don't have time to deal with anything else!"

The ex Lords voice started to slide on a more desperate and panicky edge but he tried to hold it in front of Stiles.

"I've tried to contact the other Lords and Ladies but they won't respond to me! I don't- " He stopped himself from saying more, turning away from Stiles.

I don't understand.

The ex Lord suddenly twisted around sharply, glaring hatefully at Stiles.

He growled "Well? Speak boy! W-what's to be done with me? Surely he mentioned me?! Does he intend to insult me by sending you to deliver the Grand Masters message over my fate?"

Stiles smiled slowly but there was no warmth to it, only a freezing coldness.

"Yeah, I have a message for you..."