Awakening was the usual caper—slipping back into reality from the embrace of dreams. In my dreams, I felt no different than in reality, save for the delightful thought that pain couldn't touch me there. So, when I roused to a symphony of aches and pains, I knew I was unmistakably alive.

I was greeted by the curious sensation of... hands?

It took a tick for my eyes to adjust—those peculiar, slit-like eyes of mine felt so strange. Upon opening them, I immediately regretted it. The world was awash in a kaleidoscope of blinding hues, causing my eyes instant agony.

What on earth was that?

I kept my eyes shut for a moment, taking stock of my surroundings through my other senses—namely my ears and my very skin... err, scales? Right, first things first: it felt just like in my dreams. I flexed them, my claws, confirming I still had these new appendages, the little limbs on my back, and the tail.

So, it carried over—my form was just as it was in dreams. I sincerely hoped Lotte would have a reasonable explanation when I returned because this whole business was driving me barmy.

Things needed sorting. First, I had to figure out what had happened. I was fairly certain the bottled-up mana in those towers had gone haywire. What was that flash of white that knocked me out? Initially, I thought it was a blast of concentrated mana, but that should have vaporized me and the chap with me on the spot. Perhaps it was something else—something to ponder later and query Lotte about. For now, I needed to get this fellow to calm down.

He was blubbering like a baby, clutching me for dear life. Although my vision was still on the fritz, I could feel someone hugging me like their favorite stuffed bear. I craned my long neck and ever so slowly cracked open an eyelid. The world was still ablaze with a riot of colors, but I was ready for it this time. I umm, squinted. Half opening my eyes helped them a lot against those pesky colours. I was even thinking of using a bit of fabric as a makeshift eye mask can help dim them, but squinting would do for now.

It worked, more or less, just enough to make out the same horned fellow clinging to me like I was his last lifeline, crouched behind a massive wall. I peered around, the bright hues were still making my eyes water, but I had to assess the situation. Debris littered the floor, yet the walls and ceiling appeared mostly intact. The structure had taken a beating but was still standing firm despite the gaping holes here and there.

With a bit of a squirm, I wriggled free from his grasp, making him yelp in surprise. I glanced down at myself, now fully in my little scaly critter form. It was just like in the dream, which gave me some time to adjust. But what I couldn't adjust to was my size! The chap who was now gawking at me had been smaller than me before, and now I barely reached his knees.

Bah, humbug!

The man, still trying to catch his breath, looked at me with a bit of relief mixed with more caution. "You're awake! Thank ancestors." His words were grateful, but his face seemed to be having an entirely different conversation.

"When did this happen?" I inquired, pointing a rather perplexed claw at myself. A silent thank you to all deities that I could still speak, albeit in an oddly squeaky timbre. And honestly, why on earth was I so small?

He took a deep breath, as if trying to marshal his thoughts. "We were escaping, remember? Everything was going wrong. The hall was crumbling, you were screaming your head off too..." His voice trailed off into the ether.

I nodded, trying to assemble my fragmented recollections. "Yes, the running bit. But what came next?"

"Well," he continued, "we were making our escape when this... this shockwave of white washed over us. Felt not a thing myself, but you..." He hesitated, giving me a look laced with concern.

"But I...?" I pressed, growing impatient. Time was not on my side; Lotte had mentioned I needed to eat something soon.

"You just keeled over," he said, his brow furrowing like a worried hedgehog. "One moment you were there, dashing beside me, and the next, you were out cold. Then, when I tried to rouse you, I noticed you'd... changed."

"Changed?" I echoed, glancing down at my own form. So something fishy had happened. We were both clueless in the end. Lotte had better have some answers. The way she insisted I needed a nibble, it was as if she had foreseen this scenario. She always claimed she wasn't a seer. Bah, I was beginning to have my doubts.

At this moment, I felt like one of those pesky lizard monsters with wings. I flapped them experimentally, harder and faster, but it was a futile effort. What was the point of these appendages if I couldn't even manage a proper flight?

As I mulled over my utterly pointless wings, a sudden glimmer of light caught my attention. Before I could even blink, a translucent screen appeared before me, glowing with an eerie luminescence. What the devil?

NOTIFICATION!

Message: If you're seeing this, Jade, then my attempt was a success.

My mind went blank for a moment—attempt? Success? A notification?

NOTIFICATION!

Message: I know you have questions, but this method of communication is dreadfully one-sided. I shan't be able to hear or respond to anything you say.

"Wait! Wait! Wait! Hold on a tick!"

NOTIFICATION!

Message: It's rather fascinating, I must admit. By reverse engineering what Barn did, I managed to establish a connection through this thing. Return to the dream once you're safe. There are multiple threads turning red around you. Be cautious and don't rush. Only sleep once you're certain of your safety or if Barn awakens.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Lotte? By Jove, it was indeed Lotte! She had found a way to converse with me beyond the realm of dreams! A rush of joy and warmth enveloped me, momentarily diverting my mind from her last ominous warning. Ah, those crimson threads were there as well… I knew well what they portended. Danger, pure and simple. And multiple threads? Multiple sources of peril. I felt a chill creeping through my veins.

NOTIFICATION!

Message: Oh, it seems I might have bungled things up and intercepted another message from this thing.Right, let me step back for a moment, it should come through.

MISSION ALERT!

Objective: Eat to Survive

Task: Devour some sustenance within the next half hour.

Reward: Triple Morphogen and Experience from the subsequent kill.

Penalty: Immediate Death.

Accept: Y/N?

I blinked, attempting to digest the information. Wait, what was this about immediate death? LOTTE! I wanted to refuse, to rail against the absurdity of it all, but then another line of text appeared, dashing any such hopes.

Survival Missions are Automatically Accepted!

"Bloody marvellous," I muttered, glancing at the fellow who was still observing me with a bit of concern and, perhaps, confusion. But alas, I had no time to decipher his expression.

"What's the matter?" he inquired.

"Nothing," I replied, unwilling to divulge too much. Lotte had already hinted that something peculiar had befallen me and had emphasized the importance of eating immediately upon waking. Would I have perished had I remained in the dream and not been ushered out by Lotte? Crikey, that was a morbid thought.

His eyes told me he didn't believe me one bit. First things first, I needed his name; I was getting rather tired of referring to him as 'this chap' or 'this fellow' in my head.

"What's your name?"

"Er, m-me?" he stammered.

"Of course! Who else do you see around us?"

"It's Stephan. P—" He halted, likely about to say "Princess Vernia." Good. I didn't fancy being called by someone else's name.

"Jade. The name's Jade. I'd love to natter more, but I desperately need to eat something. For some inexplicable reason, it feels like if I don't consume something within the next half an hour, I might very well die."

He looked horrified. "But how?"

"I haven't the foggiest," I admitted, letting a touch of frustration seep into my voice. "But it seems I don't have a choice in the matter."

As for something edible, if there were threads of danger weaving around me, then there must be a source. I glanced at my claws, sharp and deadly, and snapped my teeth, ready to rend flesh. If there was a threat lurking, I licked my teeth, surveying the surroundings, it jolly well better be something I can munch on.

"We're in quite the danger, I tell you. Don't ask me how I know, just trust that I do."

He looked at me not with scepticism but with a hint of surprise. "I, um, might have a clue about that."

Hmm, he did?

"You're aware of the danger around us?"

He said nothing, merely pointed upwards. There, in the wall, was a sizable hole.

I stared at it, irked by how diminutive I'd become. The old me would've peeked through it just by standing tall. "I might need a lift to get a gander at this."

It took him a moment, but he caught on and hoisted me up. Elevated thus, I peered through the hole.

I searched for anything that screamed 'danger.' Debris was scattered all about. Beyond the wall lay a hallway, stretching out into the unknown. Its width was ample enough for two carriages to pass side by side, and its height was quite ordinary. The walls, once smooth and artfully crafted, were now blemished with cracks and chips. Faint remnants of intricate carvings were barely visible over the damaged surfaces.

Dead sconces lined the passage, their lights long extinguished. But I didn't need their glow to spot the shadows skittering amidst the debris. They moved swiftly, eyes glinting crimson, and filling me with a creeping dread. My earlier bravado about danger being a potential snack was quickly ebbing away.

It seemed they hadn't noticed me, thank goodness. Stephan slowly lowered me back down.

"Part of the reason I'm hiding here," he said. "Ever since that shockwave of white hit, it seems like every magical device and enchantment broke. None of them are working anymore."

This implied something I really didn't want to hear.

"So… the portals too?" My voice trembled. Please, please say you didn't check. Please, stop my mind from spiraling. Please… prove Lotte wrong for once.

"Stopped working as well." His eyes glistened with unshed tears. I felt a similar numbness settling into my own, not from those blazing colours, but from a sudden, profound sorrow. And with it came a surge of anger—directed at myself.

Lotte had advised me to bid my farewells, warning I'd end up in some far-flung locale. But heed her words? Not I. Now, in this altered state, no one would recognise me. The portal home had ceased functioning. What would Father think? Had he concluded I'd scarpered, abandoning him?

I blinked back the tears and gave my head a resolute shake. There would be time aplenty to wallow in this wretchedness later. I silently assured my anxious heart that I would find a way back. The method was unclear, but find it I would.

Presently, I had more pressing matters to address. Either I found something to nibble on soon, or I'd meet my maker.