What Was Missing

Sixteen: -Max's Dream: Part One-

Note: This is the start of the Dream chapters. The next few sections are all of Max's dreams, in which he adopts the memories of himself, or some version of him inside the Iss. Little to no explanation is given at the time, but we hope that this will improve.

In a place not far away, an adult dragon roars piteously into the sky for one last time. And, crouching down as the echo reverberates faintly against the roughened walls, I finally view a way in. Into the forbidden place. The Dragon Room.

My name is Maximilian. Max to my relatives, and Maxie to my friends. No... Well, actually, yes and no at the same time.

Wherever I am now, Maxie's what I'm called. But, back in the other world, where I was simply Max, I... Okay, let's word it differently. I now have two conflicting lives, two different sources of memory. They battle within me, and I feel like I would normally shake my head. Yet in this place, I don't. My personality in the dream is slightly altered. Those are the facts. Get it? Hope you do. Because I don't.

I'm in a broad hallway, with claret stone walls, bustling with cloaked throngs of people. Each individual adorns a golden hood, obscuring any facial features, and though I search the crowd to the left and right, I don't find who I'm looking for. Oh, well. We'll have to meet up later.

A silver gate lies due north, the way I'm slowly inching, but I'm not looking at it- that's not my goal. No, the glistening gate of intertwined metal is simply an annoyance, the real target to the side. The air vent. My way in.

Removing the shining screws from the air vent's grate, I quietly pry it off, place it aside, and shove the metal bits into my left pocket. I don't yet know why, but I'm breaking into the one place I'm not allowed: The Dragon Room.

Despite the fact that both of my parents live in this mansion of a place, I still decide to keep my clothing rumpled; I still decide to leave my room a mess. I'm your classic nothing- No talent, no distinguishing features. Save my straggled hair. Yet I'm... royalty, I remember after a moment. I'm a future prince, but I act just the opposite. As I crawl into the vent, I pull the grate into place behind me. Glancing back once more, I shrug and move forward. Too bad...

Once in a while, I take a pause to consult my map. I keep it in my backpack, and whenever I halt for a breather, I pull it out, and glance at the inky jottings. They tell me all I need to know. Almost there, I think to myself, and on my next turn, bump into someone and reel back in surprise. And so turns around Olivia, or Lily, a soft voice echoes in my head, and the pale, noir-haired girl shows a toothy grin and sits down on her backside. "You made it!" I exclaim, and she laughs. "I just couldn't resist getting a head start."

I shake my head, and she giggles again. "How did you get this far?" I ask, and she pulls out a map almost identical to mine, replying with an evil grin. "Great minds think alike!"

I scowl, and pull out mine. "You copied it, didn't you," I grumble, and she nods with a smile. "Well, I'm glad you made it."

Olivia gives a thumbs up, and forward we go, following the map and turning corners as they come. We're able to eavesdrop as we pass over a few room's vents, and stifle snickers at snippets of conversation.

"We need to-" voices one, "study today about-" commands another, and "go to the bathroom?" asks a third. We both collapse, trying to hold in our guffaws, but after a moment, rise again, wiping tears from our eyes. I have to say, I love this new life. Almost more than my one at home...

Finally reaching our destination, I pull out my screw-driver, remove the bits from the grate, and set it aside. "Ready?" She nods. "Ready."

Pulling an 80-meter rope out of my pack, I hand her one end and she loops it around her waist. I do the same with my side, and pulling a device out of my pocket, stab it into the dull vent floor.

The thin sheet-metal creaks, fighting for a second, but after a moment it gives, the spike-like apparatus sinking in. It's an anchoring device; stick it into something, and on the other side four protrusions fling out, forming a sort of grapple hook. I press a button and hear the satisfying chink as the tip reforms, and reading the status on a small screen, confirm that the transformation is complete.

We're ready.

Slipping the rope off from around my waist, I feed it into the device's hole, pushing it through enough to wrap around me once more, and give her a thumbs up. She does the same, and without further ado, I turn backwards and jump off, hurtling into the forty meter pit, towards the floor of the Dragon Room.

We've done it. We made it. I clench onto the rope higher up, and so when Olivia presses a button on the device, pulling the support taut, my stomach doesn't take all of the jarring force as I slam into the cage wall. All in the back and the hand. Swinging a meter off the floor and attempting to hold in my lunch, I happily take in my surroundings.

Lush, almost neon-green grass wriggles up from the wire-cage floor, and the walls are made of the same material, minus the plants. I can't see far into the distance due to a thick, white fog, and grabbing onto the cage wall while I untie my rope, squint into it. Can't see a thing... With the rope in one hand and the wall in the other, I let go of the cage, falling to the ground with a gasp. Carefully, I tie the excess rope to the wall, rise to my feet, and take a deep breath in the soaking air.

I've finally done it. But why have my parents forbidden it? What's in here?

And what the heck is that stomping noise?