In the dream, there was no Dungeon.

Nor was there a musclebound kidnapper or a gaggle of cultists.

No.

I was floating in the dream.

Leaning back on a fluffy bed made of clouds.

A warm summer sun was shining through the sky. Its rays dyeing the puffy goodness in vibrant hues of red and gold.

It all looked so...pristine.

Like a picture out of a fairytale.

I took a deep, calming breath and felt a wave of chilly air entering my lungs. Refreshing me in ways that were difficult to describe.

Yes.

I felt so cool.

So very very....cold.

Cold.

Too cold.

My arms were getting stiffer. Like they were slowly turning to stone.

I looked down to check on my legs and found them missing. In their place was another layer of cloud stuff.

The kind of concentrated gas that might have held up a genie.

Was I a genie in the dream?

Another shiver ran up my pine at that thought and I found myself rubbing my hands together.

"Too cold. Why is it so cold?"

It didn't make any sense. Or perhaps it did?

People said it got really cold up in the sky.

Maybe that was it?

"But I was warm just a second ago. It shouldn't be getting this cold now."

I looked around for a source of heat, only to find more empty air around the cloud furniture.

Then I looked up at the sky. Staring at the glowing sun.

"The sun should be warm, right? Yes. The sun is warm. Its a star that burns so hot that its rays heat up all the planets in the solar system. It'll keep me warm."

I reached out for it.

Trying to swallow it whole.

Instead, I caught motes of light.

Tiny, irrelevant twinkles that didn't amount to anything.

I wanted to keep going higher, but it was getting even colder now.

Instead, I hugged the motes. Clinging to them with all my heart. Isolating them and myself from the rest of the dream.

It worked.

I got warmer.

And warmer.

And warmer still.

Until I felt safe and happy and whole.

___________________________

I blinked. Once, then twice.

Trying to fight against the weight of my eyelids.

They felt heavier than steel.

Pressing downwards with inexorable force.

I kept blinking anyways.

Catching burst of motion every now and then.

There were people milling about.

Moving back and forth like ants in a terrarium.

They were wearing long white coats that flowed down past their knees and their voices were hushed and quick.

Whispering conspiratorially amongst themselves.

"Wo....up."

"Than.....ness."

"Ca.....wler."

I couldn't make out what they were saying.

Not even when I strained my ears to listen.

There was more motion afterwards.

More people came in, though I did not know their faces.

The strangers said words.

I didn't catch them.

They would leave and more strangers would take their place, though I couldn't hear them either.

On and on it went.

Repeating the patterns until at last, a tiny faceless blob came upon me. I felt a hand touching my arm.

My vision returned all at once.

I was looking at a young woman in a bright polka-dot dress.

Her eyes boring deep into mine.

If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

"Good. You're finally awake."

"Uh." I said in response.

"How much do you remember dear?"

"Uh." I repeated.

"Oh goodness. This might be a tad more serious than I thought. Brain damage is such a bother sometimes. Tell me, how many fingers am I holding up?"

"I don't have brain damage." I answered.

That was probably true. I didn't feel like someone with brain damage.

"Whew. That's a relief. You have no idea how troublesome those cases are. People around here are always going on about magic this and magic that. None of them really appreciate the limits of what our arts can do. Until their bravado comes back to bite them that is. Mark my words young man. That recklessness is going to get someone killed one of these days."

I wanted to shout at that. To scream that it hadn't been my idea to fight against a bunch of monsters in a dingy cave.

Thankfully, I managed to stop myself in time.

Either she was with them and might take offense to me being ungrateful about my family being brought into the cult or....

Or this might be a normal hospital and I was here after some sort of car crash.

Which would conveniently explain away all the magic nonsense.

I mean, she'd just spoken about magic, but I might be hallucinating right now.

Shoot.

How would someone even know if they're hallucinating? Is there some kind of test that you can do? Like pinching your arm?

The lady smiled warmly.

"Why don't you look at the Analyzer?"

"The what now?"

"The device on your hand honey. The black one with the numbers when the screen lights up. What does it say?"

I turned my head to look.

Seeing some changes in the numbers.

Name:

Cecil Fowler

Core:

None

Level:

0

Vitality:

1.2

Endurance:

1.1

Potency:

1

Precision:

1

Fortitude:

1.1

Skills:

None

"Oh. That's a pity." She said with a sigh. "Honestly, what a blunder. To risk death for so little gain."

My head swivelled back as if on springs.

My eyes staring deep into hers.

"How dare....!"

She snapped her fingers, cutting me off before I could start ranting.

"It really isn't your fault dearie. I know that much at least. That oaf Homer has years of experience training our children but he's never had to teach someone who's just starting out. Our kids usually have at least 2 or 2 and a half points in every stat by the time they're your age. All from being born with an advanced core. That hit that broke your leg would have been a bruise on any one of our novices. He was probably hoping you'd shrug off the hit so he could chastise you on your form afterwards."

"Wait, you're telling me he could have stopped it?"

"Of course dear. Any one of your new teammates could have stopped those monsters all by themselves. Rippers only get scary after they get smart. Around the third floor or so. First floor Rippers are little more than furry punching bags. That is, as long as you've got magic."

She chuckled dryly.

"Oh, you should have seen his face when he brought you up. He looked like someone had broken all his ribs and then set him on fire. I don't blame him for that reaction either. It was a close thing."

I blinked. Many times in quick succession.

"You're saying I almost died?"

"Yes." She confirmed.

Her face never so much as twitched as the words left her mouth.

Another shiver ran up my spine.

"And you would have been fine with that?"

"Oh goodness no! That would have given us all a big fat headache." She brought her hand up and caressed my hair. Messing it up with her long slender fingers.

"Your uncle was ready to burn half the town down when we brought him in on the secret. Same with your aunt. Seeing the monsters and Carlyle's plans soothed their fears somewhat. They had been briefed and calmed. Ready to join our community, with all the rights and privileges that it entailed. Until you came back that is. If either of them had been armed, I suspect they might have tried to take a hostage. Not that it would have done them any good, but still. Its the thought that counts."

"My family, they're okay?"

She nodded sagely.

"Your uncle was temporarily restrained for his own good. To make sure he didn't do anything too foolish. Your aunt and cousin have been re-located to another residence downtown, to make sure they don't try to escape. Carlyle has spent an awful lot of time building up his little empire and the stories those two might tell could very well reduce his dreams to dust. Its not an option right now, with humanity on the line."

I listened to her words, waiting until she was finished.

Afterwards, I took a deep, steadying breath.

Schooling my expression in order to hide my fear as much as possible.

"You're keeping us locked up?"

"Only your uncle and only for the moment. He's....too worked up after seeing you."

"I almost died." I said, not phrasing it as a question. "Of course he'd get upset. I almost died, and you locked him up for that."

"We did." She confirmed, not bothering to sugarcoat her words.

"So? What happens now? Are you going to kill us?"

"Sweetie. Please. We're magicians. Not monsters. Why would we kill you?"

"You said so yourself. We know your secrets now. And my uncle won't work with you after what you did to me."

She put up a hand to stop me.

"Right. Let me correct two things for you. One, we didn't injure you. You became injured through coach Homer's negligence. There's a difference. He will be punished for his failure to protect you. Be sure of that. Two, your uncle knows things you do not. He's very much aware that to go against us is to go against humanity's survival."

"He won't work with you." I insisted.

She gave me a sympathetic look.

"Then I truly hope you're smarter than he is."

"What do you mean?"

She leaned back into her chair.

Casually moving a few strands of brown hair away from her face.

"Are you still willing to keep training after what you went through?"

A sudden silence descended on the room.

For my part, I had to shake my head in disbelief.

Was this lady really asking me if I wanted to fight monsters again?

After what that muscle gorilla put me through?

After almost dying?

Ha!

As if!

I was about to tell her where to shove her training when she began speaking once more.

"Please note that, while we don't perform executions, that doesn't mean you'll be free to go. As I said. All of us depend on some level of secrecy. At least until more dungeons start appearing in the surface and the magic levels begin to rise all around the world. People who are uncooperative are rare, but we have had experience dealing with such....cases."

The way she said that last word made me gulp.

"What happens if I refuse?"

"You'll join your aunt and cousin in one of our more...secure homes. Your uncle will join you, eventually. You will not be allowed to train or go near the schools in case you happen upon the idea of taking hostages. You'll be homeschooled for the rest of your high school career and you'll be expected to take odd jobs here and there in order to earn your keep. You will not have access to internet or television and you'll be expected to keep a tight curfew or face longer terms in an actual jail cell. You'll be given ankle monitors and all of you will be forbidden from leaving the house for the next three years. Until the wider world learns about magic. After that, you will be expelled. Left to fend for yourselves with the rest of humanity while the current institutions crumble all around you. Slackers have no place among us. Especially those that are coreless. Outsiders will be trained and taught during that time, but you'll have already given up your chance to make a difference. You will not receive another."

I was nodding along the whole time.

Keeping her attention on the movements of my head while my thoughts ran wild inside of me.

'She's saying we're going to be prisoners. No, stupid, we're already prisoners. She's saying we'll lose any hope of living in the new world. She did say they would let us go though. Yeah, once the outside was full of monsters. She could also be lying. Maybe she wants to see if she can convince me to join by being nice. Maybe they'll force you to fight monsters anyway, only in chain gangs or something. Maybe she wants to know if she can salvage the situation. Maybe they'll kills us all if you say no. After all, why bother with housing and feeding us for years if all they're gonna do is wash their hands of us afterwards?'

I gulped. Feeling a lump in my throat that hadn't been there before.

I thought of my uncle and what he must be going through right now.

I thought of my aunt, holed up in some bunker with little Eva.

I thought of all they'd done for me since my parents died. Of how much they'd struggled to give me a good home and keep me from foster care.

"I'll fight."