1-123 Waking up from a nightmare

Jaina bolted upright as the tears began to pour down her cheeks. She woke everyone as she struggled from the bed and hurried for the door. Her sobs echoed from the walls as she fled in shame, rousing Roric in concern.

“Jaina?” Roric called as she ran from the room without saying a word.

“Why is she so upset?” Gisley asked as she sat up.

“Why?” Chandice grumbled. “Don’t you remember what happened?”

“No,” Gisley said. “I was asleep somehow.”

“You weren't asleep; you were dead!” Chandice cried.

“No, I wasn't. Was I?” she asked in confusion.

“I take it the dream didn't go well,” Evalynn stated as she came awake.

“It was a disaster,” Chandice groaned. “And I am not absolutely sure, but I think Heather and Jaina just broke up.”

“What do you mean they broke up and Gisley was dead?” Roric said in alarm. “What the hell happened?”

Chandice threw her legs over the side and tried to explain the nightmare landscape that was Heather's mind. They arrived in what she could only describe as a barren, lifeless hell, standing in a narrow canyon of rock and blasted gray sand. Gisley immediately started complaining that something was fighting her for control of the dream, but she had control for now.

“Frank and Blackbast were on edge from the start,” Chandice said. “Frank wanted to go the moment we arrived, but Blackbast felt it was wiser to look around a little. She was worried that this was vitally important to Heather and she would never get another chance like this.”

“It was just a dream,” Gisley said.

“That wasn't a dream,” Chandice challenged. “You started to bleed from your nose and fell over like somebody had sucked the life out of you. Jaina and I tried to wake up and snap you out of it from this side, but we couldn't. Then a creature born from the darkest visions of Lovecraft attacked, and we had to run for our lives.”

“Oh, I don’t remember that,” Gisley said.

“You were attacked in the dream?” Evalynn asked.

“Whatever that thing was, it beat Gisley for control,” Chandice replied. “It took over that nightmare world and came after us.”

“Why didn’t they heal her?” Roric asked. “Blackbast is a very powerful healer.”

“She tried,” Chandice said as she got up to pace. “We all tried, but magic is all screwy, and restoration magic was useless. Almost nothing works in that place. I tried half a dozen spells, and not one of them worked. Only Breanne and Heather could cast spells, and then, only necromancy.”

“Wait, you are jumping all over the place,” Roric said, looking distressed. “What happened after your group decided to go on?”

“That wall,” Gisley said as her voice trailed off.

“A wall?” Evalynn repeated. “What's so special about a wall?”

“It was a cliff wall,” Chandice explained. “It was down the canyon, about a three minutes walk. The word home was written all over with arrows pointing down the canyon.”

“That's unusual, but why do you sound like it was more traumatic than that?” Evalynn pressed.

“Because the writing was all different and done in different methods,” Chandice explained. “It was like reading the final warning of a dozen doomed souls who scribbled the message with whatever they had. I swear some of them used blood.”

“It was scary,” Gisley agreed.

“Frank was upset by it for some reason.”

“He was more than upset,” Chandice said as she thought back to the terrible place. “But he brushed off Heather's attempt to get him to talk about it. So we asked what the arrows were pointing to, and she showed us.”

“What was it?” Roric asked.

“A pyramid,” Chandice said. “A giant pyramid that looked like the gray sand had been blasting against it for ten thousand years. There was battle damage on it too. Parts of it were blown up from explosions of some kind.”

“The sky was so angry,” Gisley said. “It was all clouds, rolling like in a storm, and the wind howled in the canyon. It moved too quickly, and something was up there.”

“What do you mean something?” Roric asked with his ears pointed high.

“A thing,” Gisley said as she thought back. “You could only see it if the lightning flashed behind it. But it was like a giant catfish with ropey things around its head.”

“Do you remember the pyramid?” Chandice asked.

“No,” Gisley admitted. “I remember feeling sick as we came out of the canyon.”

“she calls it feeling sick. Her final words were I don't feel so well as blood started running from her nose,” Chandice explained. “You could see all the color drain from her face as her eyes glazed over in seconds. Jaina nearly had a breakdown as she caught Gisley and tried to wake her up.”

“How could this have happened in a dream?” Roric asked, truly perplexed about how an imaginary place could have attacked.

“Ask Gisley,” Chandice groaned. “Nobody knows how it all went so wrong, but this is the tame stuff.”

“It gets worse?” Roric questioned.

“Oh, it does,” Chandice said. “We tried to wake up, but it wouldn't work, so I told Jaina to ask Hezzrigozza what to do.”

“That was clever thinking,” Evalynn said.

“I wish I hadn’t,” Chandice sighed. “His words to us were to run. Run while we still could.”

“He knew you were in danger? Did he know from what?” Roric asked as the hair on the back of his neck stood up.

“Cthulhu, or something close to it,” Chandice said. “This mass of darkness, like the pure absence of light, spread into the sky from behind the pyramid. It was bigger than the pyramid and wailed with a screech I may never stop hearing. Frank grabbed Gisley and told us to run. We were so frightened he had to start shoving some of us to get us going.”

“I don’t remember that,” Gisley said with wide eyes.

“You were practically dead at the time,” Chandice said. “Frank had you over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes as we ran for our lives. We only escaped because Heather had a brilliant idea. The thing cut us off, and had us trapped. We all knew the only way out was to wake Gisley, so Heather used a necromancer power to turn Gisley into a zombie.”

“I was a zombie?” Gisley muttered.

“Don't you remember asking why you felt so cold?” Chandice asked.

“What good did turning her into a zombie do?” Evalynn asked.

“As I said, Necromancy still worked, so once Gisley was a zombie, Heather could heal her,” Chandice explained. “Gisley woke right up as that thing closed in on us from both sides. I shouted for her to take us out, and we were instantly in a dream of her pond.”

“Wow,” Evalynn said as she and Roric exchanged worried glances.

“So, you all managed to escape,” Roric stated and waited for Chandice to nod in agreement. “Where does this end in Jaina and Heather breaking up?”

“They had a fight,” Gisley said.

“It wasn't a fight,” Chandice corrected and took a moment to clear her head. “Once we were safe, we started to ask questions about what had just happened. We were pretty rattled, and tensions were high, but we all agreed that it was more than a dream. Breanne asked if we had gone someplace else, and Blackbast suggested that maybe we astral projected.”

“Is that possible from inside a dream?” Roric asked.

“I don’t know,” Gisley replied with a shrug. “But it was strange. I could feel divination magic at work the whole time. Like we were looking into someplace we shouldn’t be.”

“I'm sorry. I know what I am about to say is terrible, but something is very wrong with Heather,” Chandice said. “She may be far more dangerous than we ever suspected.”

“Let's not start throwing around statements like that,” Roric urged. “When did Heather and Jaina start fighting?”

“It wasn't a fight per se,” Chandice said. “In trying to understand where we had just been, Jaina came up with a possible answer. It appears that Hezzrigozza has been talking to her about Heather, and what he's said isn't good. He told Jaina that there were places called dead worlds that are entire worlds destroyed by players who reached the power of a god.”

“That's crazy,” Roric said. “How could a player destroy a world?”

“It's what Jaina said,” Chandice countered. “Not only did he talk about these places, but he told her about one player he called an insane goddess.”

“Let me guess, Heather,” Roric stated.

“Yes, and Jaina spilled the beans, telling Heather all about it,” Chandice said. “Heather went into a state of shock and just shut down. She walked away and asked to go home. Jaina pleaded with her not to be mad, but Heather had nothing more to say to her. She insisted she wanted to go home, so Gisley sent them out.”

“Oh, she must be heartbroken,” Evalynn said.

“I don’t think Heather wants to talk to her,” Chandice said.

“Let's not jump to conclusions,” Roric suggested as he got out of bed. “It sounds like you were all frightened out of your wits, and tensions were high. Heather was pushed to a breaking point and needed time to recover. I am sure they will be able to talk after she's had some time to clear her head.

“She looked so upset,” Gisley said. “Jaina kept pleading with her to forgive her.”

“I am going to talk with her,” Roric said as he headed for the door. He felt an air of tension as he used his power to locate his slaves. Jaina was a surprising distance away, having used one of the forest portals to carry her on. Roric followed the pull, wisely using the right door to reach a hidden temple along the mountain slopes. Evalynn hadn't created a use for the site yet, but it served as a great place to be alone. He found Jaina curled up in a ball beside a shallow pool, telling Heather she was sorry.

Roric had never seen her so hurt and worried that encouraging this relationship was a bad idea. Heather was a very different woman, and despite her recent efforts to play at being a slave, she was not like Jaina.

“I am so sorry,” Jaina sobbed. “I didn’t know how to tell you.”

Roric did the only thing he could do and swept her up, silently holding her to his chest as she cried. He didn't say a word or try to encourage her, knowing that his efforts would be in vain. Instead, he allowed her to work the pain out, letting her cry as she clutched him tightly.

“She hates me,” Jaina sobbed. “I told her she was everything she was afraid of being.”

“You told her the truth,” Roric said. “You told her what she didn't want to hear but what she needed to hear, proving that, above all things, you love her.”

“But she ran from me,” Jaina sobbed.

“She heard the uncomfortable truth,” Roric said. “She needs time to recover.”

“I just wanted to help her,” Jaina cried as her eyes ran like streams. “I love her so much, and I wanted to be there to support her.”

“You did,” Roric assured her. “But, Jaina, why didn’t you tell me about what Hezzrigozza said?”

“I didn’t know how,” Jaina cried. “He is afraid of Heather. He says she's more powerful than we can imagine and can do terrible harm. He refers to her as a creature and told me we should run far away from her.”

“And you never thought this was important to share?” Roric asked.

“I love her!” Jaina wailed. “She isn’t some monster about to destroy the world. She’s a woman who is lost and hurting over a past she can’t remember. She is so sweet and gentle. I can’t see this monster he seems to think she is.”

Roric held her fast as he tried to see Heather as anything but a caring woman. She was so caring and devoted that she encouraged monster players to play in her lands in open defiance of the northern rulers. She stood by her friends, defended the weak, and helped everyone she could without expecting anything in return. Heather was simply a good person, but this warning from the dragon could not be overlooked. If this dream was a part of Heather's past, then it was only more proof that the dragon was right. Heather was supremely dangerous, and they had to take that into consideration.

“She is never going to forgive me,” Jaina sobbed.

“Jaina,” Roric said as he stroked the back of her head. “Yes, she will.”

“How?” Jaina asked. “I told her she was a monster.”

“No, you told her that Hezzrigozza thinks she was a monster in a past life she doesn’t even remember,” Roric clarified. “And now she can learn from that past mistake and avoid it happening again.”

“I just wanted her to be happy,” Jaina said, wiping her nose. “Frank is always trying to make her happy here. He does all he can to help her see how much fun she could have. I thought it would make her happy to learn something from this dream, but Gisley nearly died, and so did we.”

“And as a result, you were all on edge and in no fit state to have a proper discussion,” Roric pointed out. “Heather will need time to process what she learned, and when she does, she will realize that she needs to talk to you.”

“I hope so,” Jaina sobbed and finally looked up. “Is. Is Gisley alright?”

“She is fine,” Roric answered. “She doesn’t even remember the nightmare monster.”

“I wish I didn't,” Jaina said with a little more strength. “I take it Chandice told you everything.”

“I doubt she told me everything, but I got a good spread of the bullet points,” Roric replied.

“I was so scared,” Jaina said. “This isn’t the New Eden I thought it was.”

“It was a nightmare,” Roric insisted. “And we know to stay away from it for the future.”

“Oh, I can’t get the sound of that things wailing out of my head,” Jaina said.

“Chandice complained about that as well,” Roric said, stroking her back as he carried her up. “Come on, let me put you back into bed where you belong.”

“I am terrified of sleeping,” Jaina said. “I may never sleep again.”

“I will have Gisley make us a good dream,” Roric insisted.

“You are sure she is alright?” Jaina asked. “I couldn’t stop the blood.”

“Jaina,” Roric said in a firm voice as he carried her off. “That was in a dream. She woke up perfectly fine and with no memory of the monster or your fleeing down the canyon. I am sorry you had to experience that, but you need to tell yourself that it was only a dream and then hold Gisley until you are sure she is fine.”

He was grateful that she nodded as he carried her back to the camp. She was still sniffling when they arrived, and he handed her over to Evalynn with instructions to keep her safe. He then told Gisley to make them a happy dream where the girls could play before going to leave.

“Where are you going?” Evalynn asked.

“I have a conversation to have,” Roric said. “I will be back in an hour.”

He left them in the bedroom and headed for the magic door, making his way across the hall and into the floating palace. He had been told a dozen times that this was his home as well, but he still felt like an intruder here. This was the private space of Frank and his family, and despite their assurance he was welcome, he hated to invade their privacy. Thankfully, he ran across Quinny almost immediately, who hurried to him to talk.

“Is Gisley alright?” Quinny asked as she stood naked before him.

“Gisley is fine,” Roric assured her while trying not to stare. “How are you and the others?”

“Shaken up,” Quinny replied. “Did Jaina tell you what happened?”

“No, Chandice did because Jaina was in no fit state to tell me anything. She fled our bedroom and hid in the forest because she is convinced Heather hates her,” Roric said.

“Oh,” Quinny said and looked down. “Yeah, Heather was pretty upset about what she said, but I don’t think she hates Jaina. She was just overcome and needed to get away.”

“I thought as much,” Roric said. “But, is there any way I could talk to Frank?”

“I think so,” Quinny said with a smile. “And you don’t have to keep trying not to notice I am naked.”

“I would prefer not to stare at the breasts of my best friend's wife,” Roric replied.

“Ha, you spent plenty of time playing with them that night we had together,” Quinny said.

“That was under different circumstances,” Roric insisted. “Now that you are Frank’s wife in all but legal paperwork, I must respect him by honoring his views about you.”

“You and Frank are a lot alike,” Quinny said. “You're both good guys. Stay right here, and I will see if he can talk. Heather only really calms down when she’s in his arms.” Roric nodded as she padded off, making no effort to hide her body. He took a deep breath when she was gone and wondered if he should have waited until morning. Five minutes of tense internal debate later, Frank arrived in his human form, the worry evident on his face.

“You know what happened?” Frank asked as he approached Roric.

“I think I have a good picture of events,” Roric replied. “How is Heather?”

“In shock,” Frank said, running a hand through his hair. “I don't know what to say to her. She is convinced she is a danger to herself and everyone around her. She loves us all so much she now thinks it would be better if she ran far away so she couldn't hurt us.”

“That’s a panic response,” Roric said. “She is too fresh from the trauma to think clearly and is leaping to the first irrational conclusion she can make. You need to keep her calm and safe until she can work through it and make a more rational decision.”

“Yeah,” Frank agreed. “Blackbast is trying to talk to her.” He paused to look back as if trying to see Heather, then turned to Roric with a pained expression. “What Jaina said really hurt her. She doesn't know how to deal with that.”

“Frank, I don’t know how to deal with that,” Roric said. “Nobody does because it sounds crazy. I think you had the best idea of all of us. Put all that behind her and focus on being happy here and now with her new life.”

“What is this thing that talks to Jaina?” Frank asked. “Is it like Heather’s crown?”

Roric sighed and explained the shocking events on their trip north after the two groups parted. He studied Frank's reaction as he described the dragon attack and Jaina's failed efforts to seduce it. He then spoke about the events that followed and how the dragon marked Jaina as his chosen mate for her ability to please him. He then decided to share how the succubus craved the dragon's power, offering Jaina gift after gift in exchange for the mark. Frank was interested in the tattoo and how it wrapped around Jaina's body. He wanted to know why none of them had noticed it before, and Roric explained Jaina was shapeshifting to hide it.

“He claims to have been in New Eden before most of the other races and knows a great deal about its history, including some of Heather's past incarnations. That's why he told Jaina those things,” Roric said. “But, none of that matters now. She reset and came back a completely different person. I wholeheartedly agree with you on letting her past go and focusing on the here and now. She is a princess married to a prince. Let her live that life and forget this past one ever existed.”

“I wish she could, but she worries that her past will catch up to her somehow, and when it does, something terrible will happen,” Frank said. “All she wants is a better idea of who she really is. Honestly, Roric. I am giving serious consideration to making her a proper sex slave.”

“You are?” Roric said in surprise. He was equally surprised when Frank explained how playing the role helped take Heather's mind off her past. She enjoyed the game so much that she forgot all about her missing memories and smiled in genuine happiness.

“She says that she feels a sort of excited tension inside when I play with her,” Frank said. “But I don’t know how to be like you. I don’t know how to play with her in a meaningful way that will help keep her in that mindset.”

“Jaina is addicted to that sensation,” Roric agreed. “All my girls are, and it isn't very hard to keep them in that mindset, but it does require you to test them. If you want, I could try to teach you how I do it or even loan you Jaina to help guide you along.”

“I will give it more thought,” Frank sighed. “I still wonder about the offer Rajeen made to allow my girls into her harem. Maybe that would help.”

“Frank,” Roric cut him off with a waving hand. “You are too fresh from the trauma as well. Don't make any decisions like this until a few days have passed and your mind is clear. Right now, Heather is wounded, and you would do anything to help her, but making a mistake that damages you will only make it worse.”

“You’re right,” Frank agreed as his shoulders sank.

“Look, Frank,” Roric began as he tried to think of a way to encourage him. “If you go down this route and put your girls in Rajeen's harem, you understand that you will have access to all the girls, including mine?”

“Yes,” Frank replied.

“And you understand that I will have access to yours?” he pressed.

“I do,” Frank said.

“Think that through,” Roric insisted. “You don’t strike me as the type who can share his girls with another man. Honestly, I am amazed you are allowing Heather and Jaina to date. I hope you aren’t doing it just to make her happy.”

“Why else would I do it?” Frank asked. “Seeing her happy is all I ever wanted. But you're right again. I am doing it for her, but to be honest, I'm not bothered by it.”

“You are sure?” Roric pressed. “So far, it has just been a little kissing. All the sex has happened in a dream where it's easy to walk away. If you wanted out of this, now is the time to do it.”

“I don’t want out,” Frank insisted. “I kind of like watching them kiss. Actually, I like watching all of them kiss. I am into seeing girls play with each other.” Frank looked embarrassed to admit it, but Roric could see he had spoken truthfully. Like most men, he found two hot women kissing absolutely beautiful.

“Ha,” Roric laughed and clasped him on the arm. “Frank so does nearly every man. None of us can explain it exactly, but there is a magic in seeing two beautiful women kiss and make love. I could watch it all day and sometimes do. So you have nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“I suppose,” Frank sighed.

“Listen, take some time to think, and if you still want to go ahead with putting them in Rajeen's harem, then I have a suggestion,” Roric said.

“What?” Frank asked.

“We arrange another dream,” Roric said. “This time with you, me, Jaina, and Heather. We make love to the girls in the same room, and we switch partners frequently.”

“Why would we do that?” Frank questioned.

“So you can see firsthand what it's going to do to you if it happens for real,” Roric said. “This allows you to experience it in a dream that you can walk away from and never talk about again if it upsets you.”

“A chance to discover how I feel without actually doing it,” Frank agreed with a nod. “I will give that some thought later. But as long as we are talking about dreams, could I ask you to have Gisley put all the girls into another dream? I want to recreate the tea party Quinny had a few days ago. Heather was very happy that day, and I am hoping the memory will soothe her.”

“Of course,” Roric agreed. “Who will dream it?”

“Quinny was the one who built it, so have Gisley use her to recreate it,” Frank replied.

“I will have her do it the moment I get back,” Roric agreed. “But I suppose I should get to the real reason I came here. I need Heather to talk to Jaina. She thinks she has wounded Heather so badly she will never speak to her again.”

“Please tell Jaina that Heather will speak to her,” Frank sighed. “She was just overcome and had to hide. I will talk to her about it later when she's recovered. Besides, right now, I have bigger things to worry about. I have to figure out why Heather is dreaming of this place and why only when she's unconscious and not asleep. I can't let her go on believing she is responsible for that.”

“Heather is not a monster who destroys worlds,” Roric insisted, assuming that was what Frank was getting at.

“No, she isn’t,” Frank replied as he looked away. “But I might be.”

Roric was staggered for a moment, unsure of how to reply. Why would Frank come out of this ordeal believing he was the one who was the monster? By Chandice’s account, he rescued Gisley and got them all moving when fear had rooted them in place. If anything, Frank was the hero of the story, but the look on his face said otherwise.

“I don’t understand,” Roric said at last.

“That dream, that place,” Frank stumbled on his words as he thought back. “I know that place. I know I have been there before.”

“But how is that possible?” Roric asked as he struggled to make the connection. There was a passion in Frank’s voice that said he knew more than he was letting on. He looked at him with eyes full of pain as he made an admission that chilled Roric’s blood.

“Because that nightmare wasn’t Heather’s,” he said slowly while visibly trembling. “It was mine.”