Reforged!

Dreamscape - The Blackthorn Academy Library

Andrea sat up and looked around, she had been napping, having a horrible nightmare, she remembered being in a dark place all alone. She had been napping in the library! She was an apprentice librarian, her responsibilities had included sorting and returning the books to the shelves. This was the Blackthorn Academy library, most of the approved books could be found in the multi-shelf system. The library was grand, a multi-floor building with rows and rows of books. During the day cycle, the library was lit by the glass-domed ceiling and at night cycle the magical light orbs provided plenty of light.

Andrea loved this, she loved to read. When she was not doing her duties as an apprentice she would spend time in a book. Stories about gods, adventurers, heroes, and villains. Romances that spawned lifetimes, she loved all the things she could not be. She had a hard time even looking at people, especially men. She would get clammy and embarrassed, she would get real quiet and would not say a word.

The library was introducing a new storage system. The new system was being implemented with the Crystal Slate system, books contained on small magical crystals that could be displayed on portable crystal slates. Just insert the storage crystal into the slot and then you could see an image of the book stored inside. This was more compact and many more books could be stored.

Master Jerilith stood before her desk, his two crystal skulls floating next to him, bobbing up and down, the red one floated up and whispered into his ear. He looked down as if listing and responded, “No, I am not going to punish her for the nap.”. He looked down at her embarrassed face, “No need darling, now I want you to go find your destiny. “

Andrea looked at him squarely “Hmm? Could I go after I get something to eat? I am starving.”

“No, you need to go now and pick up my book. The Destiny of the Fallen, by Anilatak. It’s a twisted tale for sure, about a succubus with a soul who falls in love with a mortal. The book is on special order. Here is the paperwork you will need for the pickup.” He handed her a slip of paper.

“All the stories I read usually end badly for the poor mortal who tries something like that. A succubus is al soul-crushing demon, who enjoy tormenting their prey, crushing their loved ones.”

“Ahh this one is special, you see she still has her soul. Makes a big difference. The story is about dark god who wanted this demon to suffer, so he gave it a soul. The demon found she could love again but was rejected by the sanest moral men and women. She finally found a broken man, who had been hurt by cruel acts. They both had something they could share with each other. Each had a dark past with desires they could not quench, but in each other’s arms, they found a piece they could accept. In the end, it still ends in travesty, she ends up binding his soul to her forever as she ascends to godhood. It’s truly a dark romance.” He paused for a moment, the blue skull brightly lit up while it whispered something in his ear.

Master Jerilith turned back to Andrea, “Now, The Hidden Occult is a little out of the way shop in the common districts. Good luck.” he turned and walked away, the red crystal skull floated backward-looking at her for a moment.

Andrea felt a bit tense with the direct stare of the red advisor skull. When it turned back around to follow Headmaster Jerilith, she was relieved. Andrea thought, Why would he want a book like that? I better go get the job done. I don’t want to fail the headmaster. She gathered her personal belongings, just a pouch and tucked them inside her grey robe pockets, and headed out the golden double glass doors of the library. She wanted to stop for something to eat, but the Headmaster said she needed to go now.

Andrea found herself walking through the city of West Bale, though she did not recognize the area, the people had changed, the outfits had changed. Gone were the square stone and wood buildings with the open roof balconies. She could not even hear the waves or smell the ocean anymore. The architecture had changed, the buildings were taller, three to five stories high, and in more disrepair. She was getting a bit afraid and feeling more uncomfortable. She had the distinct feeling people were staring at her. As she walked, people stopped what they were doing and just looked as she walked by. She then found what she was looking for, the little shop called the Hidden Occult. She felt relieved that she had found her way here, the sooner she could retrieve Headmaster Jerilith’s order, the sooner she could get the book and go home.

Dreamscape - The Hidden Occult

Andrea pushed the door in and she heard a mechanical bell chime, the bell was attached to the door to let the merchant know somebody had entered. She looked at the shop, the store was in such disarray. Jars of persevered creatures littered the store shelves, the strong scent of incense could be smelt, little items hung from hooks, and other items could be seen suspended from the ceiling as well. She could see a storage cubicle of scrolls, scrolls shoved into multiple slots, and overlapping in some places. She wondered if one could find anything in here.

Andrea could see someone moving, his clothes were dark and shady in dark gothic form of fashion, his back was facing her. He was digging through a crate and pulling random things out and placing them on the cluttered countertop above to him.

Andrea walked up to him and stood there. She slowly built the courage up to ask “Excuse me”, her voice was very soft and quiet. She spoke louder, “Umm, Excuse me.” He stopped and turned around to face her. She remembered him from class, what was he doing here. “Oliver?”

He looked up at her, he held her gaze as he locked his brown eyes on her. He smiled, “This is sure a nice dream. You have the most lovely blue eyes.”

Andreas’ face turned beet red. She pushed up her glasses with her middle finger. Andrea swallowed hard. “I” she stammered and pulled out the piece of paper from her pocket. “I came to pick up a book on order from your shop.” She said quickly.

He took the paper, “Alright I think I got this.” He rummaged over a stack of books. They were piled up in a single row up to the ceiling. “So what is your name miss? I did not catch it.”

She paused, “Andrea, Andrea Wellington.” When he turned to face her, she turned her head away to avert his own gaze.

He picked one book off of the counter and looked at it, then put it back and moved to another. “So what brings you to Cormanworth? Just this book?”

Andrea responded, “Cormanworth? You must be kidding, this is West Bale. Just a part I have not been to.”

“Here it is.”, he had pulled out a black and silver tome, the cover had a bright pink heart on it, a black serrated chain circled the heart with red roses, the title read Destiny of the Fallen. “Never read this one, not big into romance stories, but I know a succubus and a mortal can’t love each other. Succubus’s version of love is dominating and painful. This does not end well for the mortal soul who trusts one. I know that for a fact.” He handed the book to her.

“Umm well thanks, I will be off now. Oh do you know a good place to eat, I am starving.” She hurried over to the door, opened it up. Before her outside was the beautiful green-eyed, blue horned succubus who was in her class yesterday. She was in some sort of blue revealing dress and some spiked boots. Andrea thought, what was that even doing there or here.

“Well Oliver, you have got another girlfriend. Remember what I did to the last one, she still is not sane, she will never be able to be useful again. I had you break her, now, I am going to have you break this one too!” The blue horned winged demon reached in with her clawed hand to grab Andrea and intended to pull her into a lethal embrace.

Oliver grabbed Andrea first by the arm, spun her around, and held her in his arms, “This is what I like about these dreams. I would never be able to do this.” he turned toward Heather, “Heather, this is a finer woman than you will ever be.”

He dipped Andrea down and kissed her long on her lips. Andrea’s eyes widened and she beat on his chest quickly at first, then ever so slowly. She felt her blood rushing, her heart pounding, her face turned back to red again. She was looking into his brown eyes, with fear at first then a strange warming sensation washed over her. She felt his lips on hers, his arms holding her up. She felt her hunger go away. He soon lifted her back up.

“Time for me to play the hero, this is some great fun! Let’s go!” She was still breathless. Oliver then slammed the door shut on the very surprising demoness. The magical wards he placed in the shop will keep her out. He would have to use another exit.

The succubus’s registered all the anger and twisted emotion the demon could muster. “What..! This is not over Oliver!” she spread her wings, then pushed hard off the ground and soared into the sky.

Oliver dragged her down the stairs well.

“Where are we going!” Andrea demanded as she was being pulled by Oliver.

Oliver opened a bookcase door in the shop and headed down a stairwell, holding her hand tightly.

“Well we can’t go out the front of the store, Heather will be waiting. If she was really here then we would more than likely both be dead, since this is my dream I can get away with certain liberties. Like protecting you against the scariest thing I know of.”

Oliver had reached a door, the door was covered in runes, he pressed a specific one and then opened the door.

Andrea had entered a workshop. Like the shop above, this was disorganized. Tools, items, components all in some sort of randomly placed fashion. “How do you work in this?” she asked.

“Very carefully.” He moved to a bookshelf, pulled a single book title, ‘Lost Art of Lavatories’. With a mechanical click, the bookcase swung open and moved to reveal a passageway, the smell was horrible, sewage.

Andrea gagged, “Why? By the love of the gods why?”

Oliver answered quickly, “Nobody looting my workshop would take that book. Ladies first, and nobody wants to exit this way.”

He pulled her into the stench filled hallway. When she passed, he cast a spell “Infernal: Light” and pointed at a metal lantern. A shroud of green fire lights up a small orb inside the metal container, providing light. Oliver quickly grabbed the metal handle and held the lantern forward. “Don’t want to use actual fire down here, the gas can be rather explosive.”

Andrea noticed his eyes turn black, she thought that was not natural.

He shut the door behind them, it made the clicking sound as the door reset. “Well let’s go, I know the way out. I have this here just in case I got to leave, not through the front door.”

The two made their way quietly through the dung festered tunnels, rats and insects of all shapes and sizes skittered away from their light until they reached a set of stairs that went up to the surface. With a short climb, the two surfaced out of a tunnel into daylight. Andrea never wanted to go back into a working sewer ever again, the stench was horrid.

Dreamscape - West Bale

“Outside, I told you I knew the way out.” Oliver said triumphantly.

“A place I never wanted to go again.” Andrea took a breath of fresh air, looked around. She was back in West Bale. “Arcana: Cleanse.” She quickly cast a simple cleaning spell. The dirt, muck, and sewer slime fell off her body. The spell did not destroy the grime but just moved it to a small pile in front of her. “Best spell of the day.” Now she was clean she planned on making her escape from the strange but interesting man. “I know the way from here, I will be seeing you then.”

He grabbed her arm and looped it with his, “I will escort the young lady to her destination.”

Andrea and already given up on trying to get him to let go, “Alright, this way.”. She allowed him to escort her to the Blackthorn Academy’s Library entrance. The trip was short, maybe about a half hour or more.

The two walked, not in silence, she noticed Oliver constantly looking around, “Where am I?” He was asking questions, “This is the strangest dream I have had in a while. But I will have to say, this has been entertaining, to say the least.” he looked down at her, he looked into her blue eyes again. She looked back, she did not avoid his gaze this time.

Andrea said, “Why do you think this is a dream?”

“There is no way all this is possible. I get to save a young lovely woman from my worst nightmare. She runs with me instead of away!”

Andrea chuckled, “I think you are crazy. I kind of like that.”