Gravity Rises (S2)

NMS: Part Four

Gideon dreamt of Mabel.

They were in the forest together. Sunlight streamed through the trees, bouncing off the snow in glittering majesty. The only thing that sparkled more than the snow was Mabel's eyes.

"Come on," she said, grabbing his hand. "Come see."

She wanted to show him something. Gideon doubted there was anything in the forest he hadn't seen, but he decided to humor her. He followed her through the woods, their feet gliding atop the snow as if they were floating.

"It's just up here," Mabel said. "I can't wait for you to see!"

They turned a corner.

Suddenly the light was gone — snuffed out, save for the tiny flickering flames of lamps. The trees were replaced with brick walls, the snow with stone. On the other side of the suddenly enclosed room stood hooded figures, just barely visible in the lamplight.

"See?" Mabel said happily. She spread her hands out as if presenting the room for Gideon to see.

"Mabel," Gideon said, panic starting to creep into his bones, "we have to get out of here."

"Why?" she asked. "I bet there are ghosts. Don't you want to go exploring?"

"Not — not right now." He looked warily at the hooded figures.

They took a step forward.

"Run," Gideon said.

"We can't," Mabel said matter-of-factly. "There's no exit."

The hooded figures took another step. They moved as one body, perfectly in sync.

"Why did you bring her here?" A booming voice swept over the room.

"I — I didn't," Gideon said. "Please — I didn't mean to — don't hurt — "

The hooded figures rushed forward.

Gideon cried out and tried to activate his amulet — but it wasn't there. He threw his arms around Mabel, trying to protect her, but there were too many attackers. They shoved Gideon off her, grabbed her, forced her away from him —

"Gideon? Gideon! What's happening!" Only now did Mabel seem to realize the danger.

"Mabel!" Gideon ran for her, but was shoved to the ground by a robed attacker. An Order member.

"Gideon, help!"

The Order of the Crescent Eye held Mabel up above them, raising her towards the ceiling as she struggled against them. Then her eyes locked onto something on the ceiling and glazed over. She went slack in the Order members' arms.

The ceiling cast a yellow glow onto her.

"No!" Gideon struggled against his captors, struggled towards Mabel — he never should've followed her, never should've let her get involved— "No!"

But it was like moving through molasses — the strong arms around him held him back — someone stepped forward, engulfed in a purple robe, with blacks shadows where a face would be — and something glittering in their hand, glittering like the snow — shining and silver — they raised it up above Mabel's limp form —

Gideon shot upright in bed just as the last red remnants of his dream splattered across his vision.

He gasped for breath as sweat trickled down his nose. The memory of the dream was already fading, the details blurring, but he still clearly remembered the horror, the fear.

Slowly, his heart rate settled. He took a gulp of water from a glass on his nightstand — stale. But it helped get some moisture back into his throat.