I dreamed of flying. I was soaring over the forest near where we were camped, gliding up through the canopy to the open sky. I turned and went east over the plains that separated the Eternal Forest from the Shurin Mountains. I watched from above as towns and farms sped by, the roads and paths full of people walking to and from. The mountains approached in the distance, awe inspiring and intimidating in height.

Far above the plain below, the mountains formed an unbreakable wall that stretched as far as the eye could see from north to south. Trying to climb and fly over one of the peaks, the temperature dropped heavily and my breathing became ragged. Whatever body I was using couldn’t make this journey, as if on queue, I turned and flew north.

The Two Sisters Gap appeared on the horizon, like someone had cut out of a piece of the mountain with a knife. The valley was narrow and long with a well maintained road through it, Elestra growing up from the ground like an ant hill at the mouth of it. It was alone on the plains and valley as the only town of size in this area.

Onwards I flew deep into the deserts of Aaith. I watched as beasts battled the nomadic humans across miles of unbroken sand. Massive worms raged out of the hills of sand to snap at the humans seeking refuge on the rocky outcroppings. Large bird-like beasts preyed on both from the skies.

Nomads herded the beasts they maintained for food through footpaths lined by rocks. The land seemed a nightmare to navigate and hellish to live in, a testament to the fortitude of the people of Aaith. I watched a fierce battle between one of the nomads who wielded fire as a weapon and a massive spider that was tan and blended in with the sand. The nomad threw spheres of fire like arrows fired from a bow at the spider while it spat back webs trying to trap him.

Onwards I flew, missing the conclusion of the epic battle. A massive city of red clay buildings rose out of the desert. Arian, the jewel of the desert, it was called. The capital of the desert country and one of the largest cities in the known world. It was besieged by beasts with spindly legs on large stingers. The beasts were crawling all over the walls in an unending tide. The city must have triggered a survival event.

Defenders were on the walls shooting arrows and slinging fire and water as weapons. A large group prepared to engage in melee combat behind the gate. The citizens of the city hunkered down in their homes. I fly on towards the center of the center to the giant building of red clay that looked to be on fire itself in the shining sunlight. A young man was standing on the railing of the capitol building looking out at the fight. I landed on the rail next to him and watched in the same direction.

“So you dream as well?” The young man said to break the silence.

I panicked thinking about the last time this happened and the Norx emperor threatened me and the King’s archers shot at me. It was eerie being in this body and not knowing how to end the dream. I tried to respond but I couldn’t speak in this body. The only thing I could do was turn to look at the young man. The man was speaking Eteri but with a strange accent, similar to the way it sounded when the Thorks Mine people spoke.

“I mean you no harm. You are Sylar, correct?” He said again, turning to face me. “I have seen you in my dreams. We are linked by something, something that I do not understand yet. I watched as you battled the Crucian. You prevailed against a survival event by yourself while we struggle with an entire city of resources. My name is Omrock, I am the highest level and elected leader of the Aaith people.”

“When I dreamed of you I was in the body of a scorpion, a deadly killer native to my lands. That is what you see attacking the city walls before us. Although they are not normally five feet tall and traveling in hordes of thousands.” He chuckled to himself. “I couldn’t speak to you then as I predict you cannot speak to me now.”

“I know not what links us, or for what purpose but I have a guess. I have seen terrible things happening in our world since they began. Most terrible of all is the Norx Emperor. You have heard no? He has conquered his entire nation now. They wage war at the border of Desti with the survivors of Norx led by Commander Lucien.”

Stolen story; please report.

“I believe our fates are linked with his now Sylar. We must work together to prevent what happened to Norx from happening to us as well. We share a border, you and I, through the Shurin Mountains. My people are sending help to the Desi border, we are trying to get stronger before war arrives on our doorstep. I suggest you do the same with your people. Meet me at the Pass of the Two Sisters in one month. Let us work together to survive this cruel new world.”

I woke up with a start back in the clearing we were camped in. The fire was reduced to coals so I added a few more pieces of firewood. Nadia was still sleeping, triggering Identify showed her health had increased to ten. The framework had allowed her to begin healing after the punishment of renouncing Eter.

Marci was fast asleep sitting on Van’s helmet on her new favorite perch, while the forest ape was asleep laying against a tree. My plan to keep them awake must not have worked for long. I was grateful we weren’t attacked by anything during the night. I went through a quick kata and practiced some simple drills with my spear while digesting the contents of the dream.

It was strange to think that Omrock had been there during my battle with the Crucian Elite. He saw me near death, he likely saw Marci’s mother die. Instead of thinking of me as weak, he instead sought a potential ally. I wondered if he knew about the situation with the King of Eter? Was that why he was proposing an alliance with me?

I visited three world leaders during these dreams. First was Allain the Necromancer of Norx, then I visited the King of Eter although I didn’t see the actual man. Lastly, Omrock of Aaith, there was a pattern here that I desperately wanted to understand. What linked the four of us? I was not a leader on the world scale like the other three were. Why me? Omrock, Allain and I were all on the leaderboard but the King of Eter was not.

The contents of the dream faded the longer I was awake. If they continued there would be a need to get the supplies to begin writing them down. It felt like I was missing the most important piece of a puzzle that I didn’t know why I was assembling. I hung my head in frustration as another thought rolled across my troubled mind.

The realization that I had no semblance of a plan from this point was a sobering one. I knew the general route to take to get to the first town that would join one of the main roads to Etes. How would I get into Etes now without Nadia? How would I get her to her friend at the Short Step Inn? I took my frustration out on a nearby tree as if it were the cause of all my problems.

The commotion woke Marci and Van as they leaped up, ready for combat. I laughed at the pair and returned to the fire. We ate a simple breakfast of vegetables and some ethel bread. I tried in vain to explain the dreams to the two beasts over our bonds. Van didn’t understand and Marci just chirped in confusion.

The pre-dawn light began to filter down through the canopy by the time we finished breakfast and packed up our campsite. Nadia was at ten health and still not responding so Van would carry her again. I sent Marci out to scout for the town while we began to walk down the old trading path.

We reached the border of the forest after half an hour. The last time I had left the forest it was during the siege of Burch. I took a deep breath and stepped out from the last few shrubs and plants. The path turned to dirt as it traveled over the fields, farmhouses visible in the distance. Marci sent images of the town through our bond to prepare for our approach.

I had to make a decision now about how to travel into the town. Van would be obvious to any agents of the King. Not to mention how suspect carrying an unconscious woman would look. We decided to leave Van and Nadia at the border to the forest, while I would head to the Short Step Inn and meet with Nadia’s friend.

If I could convince them that Nadia was ok and this was her plan, hopefully they would help us. I had six days to get to Etes, I didn’t even want to think about what would happen if I didn’t. Van was not happy about being left to watch over Nadia, he only begrudgingly accepted when I begged.

With a last look at my friend and companion, I turned and began to walk down the dusty path leading towards the town. Marci was lazily gliding in a wide circle above me, no sign of threat coming through the bond. It was a beautiful sunny day on the plains of Eter, except for a cold and sharp wind occasionally blowing. I hoped it would stay that way.