DRAUMRS - Dreamweavers - Book Two

4 - Roger That

The evening came too quickly for Will. He had made it through the notebook, but was only slightly more informed on the challenges of the talisman. Too much of the dated prose was written in riddles and metaphor. Did a dead bird flying mean the literal corpse of a bird flying through the air or mean that things that are impossible would happen, not involving birds at all? He was still very confused.

At dusk, he was called to the common room to begin the evening's exercise. Water, Emma and Jack were present. The women were already there, looking serious and detached. They were so close now. Was it appropriate to show any of that connection as they prepared for combative dreaming? Will moved closer to them and touched each of them. Snow and Lulu showed no concern for appearances and each hugged him fully for a long time. Unspoken, but felt by all: they shared a new dread of things that could go wrong. Will had informed them of the consequences of injury or death while in a dreamscape manifested with the ancient stone. Their preparation now needed to include resolute thinking about not dying for the cause.

Snow had her anger and frustration built since losing her client. Lulu had a mother literally in the jaws of the beast that they were fighting. Will knew that the same commitment was expected of him; he just wasn't sure that he had made that commitment. Both Water and Jack had said that he was the one who would make the difference when it came time to decide to kill or to be killed. He was in a war that had come looking for him. He had a new feeling in his gut that he had never felt before: a fear that he wasn't ready.

Water opened with mundane procedure, by indicating that they should sleep, as normal when working, in the single beds arranged off the common room for them. Now, Green Clan cousins would be present and would assist anyone who exited the dreamscape. This was new to the Leutnants, but was accepted as a necessary part of the training. That Water still used the word 'training' gave Will some comfort. Hopefully, that meant that failure wouldn't be fatal. Yet the stone in his pocket seemed to intercept and correct the thought. Anything that goes wrong could now be fatal.

Water continued, "You will move together to the place that we have chosen, based on a very troubled dreamer." He paused and connected by eye movement with each person to be sure that all heard him.

"The setting is real and once Will enters, with the effect of the talisman, dangerous for each of you. Yes, you can be injured or die. Know that and be careful. We know that you can control the dreamscape challenges to ensure your safe passage, but your experience with the talisman is so limited that you will learn new things each time you use it. All I can tell you is that this dreamer is troubled by events in his life, not by interloping Draumrs. It should be safe. Do what you can to help him find some peace."

Was Water talking directly to his doubts? Will pushed them down with a deep breath and clenched fists.

Emma now picked up the instructions.

"As we understand it, the talisman gives normal dreamers no special abilities or strengths in the dreamscape. You still have your abilities so you should prevail, but you can't control the creations of another's mind. Unlike other dreamscapes, any injuries you inflict will be real. If someone dies, they will be dead. Be ever aware, if you are attacked and injured, you will be injured for real on waking. Please be very careful." She was talking to all of them but let her eyes rest on Sacha as she finished. She knew that Sacha was raging to settle a score. Obsession could become dangerous preoccupation.

Will now reassessed the reasons for attendant staff in the room. They were a medical precaution. If one of them was severely injured, trained staff could step in immediately with life-saving actions. Were there actual trauma doctors behind the scenes? He suspected that they were on call and ready to act. This was getting very scary; which, he concluded, was just as Water had intended.