Keeper had one hand on her hip and the other cradling her face. "Save a Seer, I can't believe it."

"Help me or don't, I won't be—"

"Three Names, a Nameless, and a Seer. It's like the start to a bad joke. What's next, we befriend a Nightmare?"

That's what I like to hear. I grabbed the bag she was holding right out of her arms. "Three Names, you said?" I asked, pulling out a pair of soft, clunky, winter boots. "You expect me to wear these?"

Wanderer glanced behind. "Hurry up! You would not stand to see Surreal tortured, would you?"

"I am doing my best!" a voice shouted from the distance. "For what reason I was required to attend is beyond me, I would be far more useful back at home drinking a hot cup of tea!"

The Watcher of Dreams came around the bend, awkwardly lifting his legs each time he took a step in the snow. "My attire is not suited for this sort of weather, I'll have you know."

Who would've thought that I'd miss his face. "It won't hurt to get the robes wet, Watcher!"

I tossed the boots off to the side. "What else is in here?"

"Hey!" Keeper jumped after them. "Don't just throw these away! If you're not gonna wear something this warm, then I will."

I scrounged through the sack and pulled out a few more heavy woolen layers to wrap around my slowly freezing body.

"We'll need a plan," I said.

Keeper balanced on one foot, shoving the other inside the fluffy boot. "Sounds like it. Did you find out if the Seers were behind that Nightdream?"

I tilted my head. "A Nightdream? Do you mean the lizard?"

"Blame him for that one." Keeper jutted a finger out at Watcher.

He was leaning over his knees and panting when his neck craned up, and he lifted an arm to protest. "I was sick of hearing 'Compound Nightmare and Dream' over and over, wouldn't you be?"

"I like the name," I said.

And Watcher squinted his eyes at me. "I cannot tell if that was sarcasm."

"Well," I said, pulling another layer of warmth over my legs. "I didn't really have the opportunity to find out if the Seers were behind the Nightdream, not that any of them would have told me. All I know is that it was a coordinated effort to deny me of Diction. Surreal was the only one in my favor."

If only I hadn't been so out of it, I could've done more. I should've done more.

"Not to worry," Wanderer said. "It would help us little in this endeavor."

I perked up. "You sound like you've got an idea."

"Somewhat. I have heard the Seers are weak in a fight without time to prepare. And if the rumors are true, it makes sense. Wait around too long and they will see you coming. Let us hurry."

Watcher scoffed. "That's your plan? Be quick? Realm almighty."

"The kind of plan I've come to like," I said. "No time to waste."

We hashed out the details on our way. At least, Keeper, Wanderer, and I did. Watcher lagged too far behind to be of much contribution.

As far as Keeper was aware, the Seers didn't have access to the same sorts of abilities as the Named. According to her, most of them held skills not entirely suited for combat. Of greater concern, was their Diction. The way she spoke of it only furthered my curiosity. Would Diction without an ability really be all that fearsome?

After walking a while, the snow had begun to fall like rain, dense and constant. The wind pushed the sheet of white against us, and the falling wall dampened our voices.

Keeper's words barely came through the whistling winds. "Even without a knack for combat, if they've ever anticipated being in a fight, they'll have words at the ready."

"And what does that mean… practically?" I asked.

"They won't have to concentrate on what they're doing. It'll all be strategy. They'll be playing Chess and you'll be, well, fighting for your life," she said.

"What is Chess?" Wanderer asked.

"More words we've never heard before, very helpful Keeper."

She groaned. "Oh, whatever. Expect it to be hard!"

----------------------------------------

The sky was shifting to night once we'd returned to the Forevergreens. The trees were dense enough to block out some of the snow and wind, too. With each step drawing us closer to the Seers, I couldn't keep my heart from racing. The dark forest didn't help, either.

How many stupid plans have I been a part of so far? Well, if you could even call running in as fast as possible—blind, might I add—a plan.

"As it so happens, where is this woman being kept?" Watcher asked, creeping from spot to spot, behind one tree to the next.

"I don't know," I said. "I didn't see any of the other rooms. I do know the Seers must all stay somewhere though, could be separate or all together. There's a kitchen too, they cooked me food while I was here."

"They cooked you food? I thought you didn't enjoy your time away from us," Keeper said.

This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

I scowled. "It was not entirely appetizing."

"Ahead." Wanderer pointed with his sword, he could barely move it around with how close the trees grew together. "The Ritual was there."

And he was right, the trees opened into a clearing, only visible due to the snow that fell from overhead.

"The entrance will be somewhere around here," I said. "After I came up, I passed the Ritual site on my… on my left it would've been, so this way." I motioned in the general area. "It'll take us forever to find it, so we better split up to cover more ground."

Watcher tapped me on the shoulder. "Did you mention that you came up?"

I wasn't sure what he meant. "Yes?"

He shook his head and his shoulders heaved. "You could have said so."

Keeper lit up. "Oh, right!"

Watcher kneeled down. His robes brushed against the layer of snow on the ground. His pants dug into the muddy soil. He closed his eyes, and in one motion, pressed both hands deep into the dirt. "Sense Pulse."

Two words. I waited for the magic to take place.

But nothing happened.

I glanced at Keeper. "What is he—"

She smacked my arm. "He's concentrating. You know, I always forget he can do this."

The man had his eyes closed and held completely still, then he shivered. His hands pulled abruptly out of the dirt. "Damnedest Dreams, I'm filthy! Remind me to never do that again."

"And what exactly did you do?" I asked.

"I listened." And then he pointed in a direction. "I imagine that was where you were being kept, one small room with a tunnel leading to it. And over there." He pointed to the opposite end of the Ritual site. "There is the only other room within shouting distance. It's quite large in comparison, I imagine it houses all of their living quarters and the aforementioned kitchen. The chimney does well to indicate as much."

I stared at him in disbelief. He listened to the pulse bounce off the structures underground… Would have been useful to have him around in Blink.

"Be amazed later," Keeper said. "Come on." And she ran off in the direction of the Seers' quarters.

Watcher shrugged and followed along with Wanderer. I was close behind.

The entrance to the Seers' underground quarters wasn't far, but it would have taken a while to find. A plain wooden canopy sat toppled on its side and completely covered in snow. It looked less distinct than any of the other mounds of dirt around the area.

The group huddled around the hole in the ground.

"My sword will be of little use in a tunnel of this size. I will follow from behind," Wanderer said.

"Oh, I guess someone has to go in front, huh?" Keeper said.

"I am absolutely worthless, in a fight underground," Watcher said. "Unless you all feel like being buried."

"I'll take the front." I looked amongst our group, then I looked to Keeper. "Should I try not to kill the Seers for any… mystical reasons?"

"Kill them?" She snorted. "I don't even think it's possible. Go ahead and try."

Sounds like permission to me.

And finally, I led the way into the tunnel.

Much like my last underground tunnel, it was wet and damp. Even the faintest footstep echoed when I met with a puddle. Not that it mattered much, with four people we weren't exactly intending to go unnoticed. Watcher's steps alone were loud enough to wake a drunkard.

The tunnel ended with a door, I looked behind to check on everyone. Their faces were stern. They were ready. Carefully, I creaked the door open, and as I was leaning to peer inside, a cold and sharp yelp filled the hallway.

I inhaled sharply. That must be Surreal.

I pushed the door the rest of the way. The tunnel opened up into another, wider and less puddle-ridden tunnel. On either side were rows of rustic wooden plank doors, about twice as many as there had been Seers at the Ritual. At the end of the hall was a massive set of smoothed stones with a seem down the middle. It reached all the way to the ceiling and covered the entire back wall. Something tells me that's the room we're looking for.

Someone tapped at my shoulder. I spun. Keeper was jutting her finger out at one of the doors on our right, pointing at it frantically. The door opened. And I was beginning to think there wouldn't be any problems.

Instead of scurrying back the way we'd come, I only continued forward. This wasn't supposed to be a stealth mission in the first place.

"Ferro," Keeper whispered. "What are you doing?"

One of the Seers from the Ritual walked out. She was an older woman, but not elderly by any means. Our gaze met. She looked surprised, but not aggressive. This I can work with.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

"I forgot one of my things with Surreal, would you mind if I grab it?"

Her gaze turned into a glare, and then she closed her eyes. "Foresight."

"What is that?" I glanced to everyone behind me. "What's she doing?"

"What does it sound like she's doing?" Keeper asked.

The woman's eyes shot open. "I see…" she said.

"Oh, Dreams. No chance you'll let us through?" Watcher asked.

And the woman screeched, "Intruders!"

After a brief moment of tense silence, one of the doors swung open. Then, another. And another. Soon, half the doors hung agape and the Seers were staring us down. One of the doors that remained closed was the one at the end of the hall. The only Seers that remained absent were Surreal and Pragmatic.

"Ferro," Keeper said. "We'll hold them off, get to Surreal."

"You make it sound easy," I said. I need that door open, then I could slip past them all as a Chaser. If only… "Watcher, can you open those stone doors in half a minute?"

"It may bring the entire place crumbling down, but with precise enough—"

"Good, do it."

I closed my eyes and exhaled sharply. "Escape."

I had grown accustomed to the sensation of losing sense of the world, having done it so many times with Surreal. It felt almost comfortable. I sprinted for the end of the hall. One of the Seers to my right lunged at me, and I only felt a vague sense of his arm as he flew by. The floor shook. I expected to lose my footing but my feet were barely even touching the ground in this state. It was shockingly simple to stand upright.

But before I knew it, the sensation wore off, and I was thrust back into reality. I stumbled just before the massive doors. Dust, grit, and pebbles spilled from the ceiling. And then, the stone entrance creaked open a sliver.

I glanced behind, two Seers were on my tail. Without thinking, I slipped through the small gap and grabbed at the two ring handles dangling on the other side. I wrenched with all my strength and the massive doors came shut.

An eerie silence overtook the chaos. There was a presence in that room that drowned out all noise, an indescribable sense of something looming over me.

"Oh, look! A visitor. Surreal, did you invite this guest? No? You didn't? Strange, I wonder why he's here."

I turned slowly. The man, Pragmatic, rested his hand on Surreal's head. Her eyes lay open, expressionless. He pushed against her temple. Her neck was only attached at one end. It was cut three quarters of the way through. The wall behind her sprayed with blood.

"Fashionable to arrive late these days, isn't it?" Pragmatic grinned.