Dyllan took a deep breath as the dream smoke cleared away. Below him was his patient’s mindscape. It was a bit of an unusual one, but honestly, every mindscape was “an unusual one.” They were, after all, representations of the way someone thought and felt - there was no way being in a place like that wouldn’t be jarring.

That said, this particular mindscape was especially disorienting for Dyllan. At first glance it appeared to be a floating orb of liquid, simultaneously thick and thin - and gently rippling with a quiet panic. Though as soon as Dyllan hit the surface, it revealed how strange it was. There was no big splash, or any real kind of impact, like one would get diving into a pool. Instead the transition from falling to gently floating downward was smooth - like slipping gently into a lake… at a hundred miles an hour.

Looking down, Dyllan could see the city streets that made up the mindscape below him. Looking up, he could see more city above him - though it hadn’t been there before. He was already in the center of the city sphere, and the liquid he’d used as a portal to enter it was gone as quickly as the cityscape appeared.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Dyllan glanced to his left, where Cedric and Andie were falling beside him. He needed to find a good landing spot before gravity chose one for him.

Unfortunately, as soon as Dyllan began to scan the ground below him, a flash of tarry black flew past him - drawing his attention back up and to his left. To his left where Cedric and Andie had been, now just Cedric. “Dyllan! Your shield!”

Cedric didn’t need to ask twice. “Come forth, my Loyalty!” Blazing red light gathered from the air, crystallizing to form Dyllan’s shield. “Stand your ground, my -”

Dyllan was cut off by a sudden impact from the front. Swift reflexes and martial arts instincts helped him block the brunt of the attack, but there was only so much he could do without any footing. He was sent flying backward through air… and several concrete walls.

It took everything Dyllan had to tuck and roll, ending the whole ordeal hurt, but still standing… until he started to black out.