“Careful with that.” A voice sternly warned. The boy applied the ointment as ordered. Nico laid still, trying not to let on that he was awake. He had been for an hour. After he passed out in the jungle he’d found himself in a hut, on a bed of leaves. Later a boy and a woman came in and started treating his wounds. It was hard not to gag on the substance they poured down his throat. It soothed his lungs. Eventually, his legs and arms were bandaged and they left.

Nico tried to sit up, but his body didn’t have it in him. His arms and legs were definitely broken, along with some ribs. He wouldn’t be surprised if something else was broken as well. Nico summoned his runes and looked.

Echoes: [Steel hide Ape] The apex beast of the out ring. Outer ring? The leaf acting as a door flapped open and a disheveled girl walked in. She walked straight up and dug her foot into Nico’s side. Nico coughed and shot up, holding his hands protectively over himself. He was grateful she didn’t go for another open target.

“Yeah he’s up.” She shouted back. Dirty blonde hair, green eyes, and leather clothes. She resembled a picture that Rio had shown Nico many years ago. An Amazon.

“Welcome to the jungle,” She said. She tossed him something glowing and Nico’s eyes widened. It was a shard.

“It’ll help you heal.” She informed him. “No we did not hunt a monster for your sake, it was from the monkey you killed. Don’t expect any more pity.” She grinned. “You’re going to love it here.” She turned on her bare feet and walked out of the hut.

Nico didn’t even get to ask where he was. He noticed a pair of crutches leaning on a table. He looked at the shard, glowing brightly. Nico touched it to his chest and felt power flow into him. It was such a wonderful feeling, that it hurt when it suddenly ended. The shard vanished into him, and his hands were now empty. Nico pushed himself up and wobbled to the

table, putting the crutches under his shoulders. He moved out of the hut and past the leaf. The sky was rich blue with white fluffy balls floating around. Below was a floor made of wood. A platform the size of several dozen city blocks. A few openings with stairs led under and Nico peaked between the logs. The stilt village was built over the river. High walls circled the place, with sleepers all around. Some performing mundane activities like washing clothes or weaving baskets. It was impossible to forget this was the dream realm since such a lively scene didn’t exist in the waking world.

The girl from before waved at me from the bottom of the stairs. “Good now that you’re up I can bring you to Cobra Lily.” The girl was over sixteen, yet she skipped like a girl on the wood. She even passed some younger kids. Nico pitied them being trapped here at such a young age was unimaginable. He awkwardly shuffled down the steppes and went after the girl. He didn’t see her, but he guessed where Cobra Lily was. The largest hut on the platform was the tallest and most visible. People sang while Nico passed, and some even played in the river down below, like the world wasn’t trying to kill them.

‘They look at ease.’ Nico thought. Eventually he made it to more stairs, and struggled up them. The girl sat at the top, watching him every step of the way. Nico flopped down onto the top, next to her.

“What are you lying down for, Cobra Lily is waiting.” She scooted her foot closer to Nico’s side, and instinct got him up. The doorway was dressed with a rainbow of flowers, giving the whole hut a fragrant smell. The roof was tall, and stairs led to a second floor. There were people standing around a table with a map. Figures and structures populated the map, an the people moved some while they whispered.

“Cobra Lily.” The girl shouted. A woman with dark skin and gray hair lifted her head. She looked under thirty, but the hair said otherwise. Despite her possible age, her body was still in perfect shape. She wore armor that looked like tree bark, but shined like metal.

“Hello sleeper, I’m Cobra Lily.” She put out her hand and Nico reluctantly shook it.

“Nico.”

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“I’m guessing Vivian didn’t introduce herself, so this is Vivian.” Cobra Lily pointed to the green eyed girl, who smiled politely

“She introduced me to her foot, so we’re acquainted,” Nico rubbed his side, still feeling sore.

“I’m sorry about her behavior, she doesn't have anyone her age to talk to anymore.” anymore? Nico looked at the girl, her face now a mask of nothing.

“Let me give you the rundown of our situation.” Cobra Lily pushed her gray hair aside and beckoned me to the table.

“You see, we’ve mapped out as much as we could of this Jungle.” The whole map was populated by green, a circle of blue, then gray mountains. Cobra Lily pointed to a spot with a yellow rock.

“We are stuck here. In the jungle is nothing but death, and we are surrounded by mountains. These mountains are homes to creatures just as bad as the jungle.” Cobra Lily then drew a line with her finger.

“The citadel, or the chained isle, is on the other side of the Hollow mountains. That’s our goal, chart a path through and take everyone out.” Nico regarded the map, her finger. She must have done this many times before.

“How long have you been stuck here?”

“Twenty years give or take.” Cobra Lily answered. “There were people who were here longer, but they perished.” Nico looked at the men and women around us.

“And you guys?” Their answers were mind boggling, five to ten, “Twelve” Vivian said. Other than Cobra Lily, she was the one with the most years.

“What’s at the center of the Jungle?” Nico pointed to the large rock they placed there, he couldn’t help but notice that it was shaped like a skull.

“Death. Searching the jungle isn’t an option.”

“Why not?”

“It’s protected by a tyrant.” Cobra Lily dismissed her armor, leaving her with a short skit and tank top. Nico immediately grimaced. On her side was a ghastly mark covering her whole waist.

“Prince Decay Jungle, he is a humanoid Tyrant who has lived here far longer than I’m willing to look.”

“His name is Decay?” Cobra Lily nodded. “He is the one who sends the fog out, to keep us from staying in the jungle. This is just a game to him, entertainment.” She pointed to the people in her group.

“A few of us survived the last encounter, he is not something sleepers can deal with.”

“That’s why you plan to go through the hollow mountains.”

“The mountains are dangerous, but there are paths we can take. Decay is simply death.” Cobra Lily put back on her armor memory and glanced outside.

“The locust will arrive soon.” She issued orders to the men and women at the table and dismissed them.

“How can I help?” Nico asked.

He wasn’t feeling any obligation, but he also needed to get out of this place, to awaken, then ascend.

“You can start by helping Vivian.”

By helping Vivian, it meant Nico runs around after her, tripping over his crutches every now and then, and being handed things, getting yelled at, and then laughed at. The sun was starting to set, and torches were set up around the village. The adults ushered kids inside, and it struck Nico as sad. These kids were young, being stuck in a nightmare that never ended. They survived the first nightmare, just to be shoved into another.

“What’s your aspect?” Vivian appeared again, took a basket Nico was holding and then gave him some rope. She told him to pull, and when she saw he was getting nowhere, she pulled the ramp up. The whole floor was now solid wood.

“I can get echoes from monsters I kill.” Nico put his hand over his mouth, yelling at himself in his head. Who just reveals their ability like that?

“Cool, so do you have a seven foot ape in there?” She gave him a curious look and he summoned his runes. He checked them and willed the echo into existence.

The ape stood on its hind legs then landed on its fists, shaking the wood. For dramatic entrances it got a high score. Vivian regarded the echo before returning to her tasks. The Ape followed them, lumbering by hurrying Sleepers.

“I told you my aspect, why don’t you tell me yours?” Nico offered. Vivian put down her things, and didn’t hand Nico anything else. She watched the sun in the orange sky and her look was grim.

“They’re here.” Once she said it, Nico heard the rhythmic buzzing. Thousands of wings, thousands of bugs heading straight towards the village. A horn blew and a netrose out from the water, encasing the village.

“You want to know my aspect? Come watch.” Vivian sprinted down the platform to meet the swarm.