7. Dreamtrance, dreams and acceptance

The stew turned out to be quite good. Its spiciness reminded him of Thai food.

After getting to be full, he simply put the lid on the pot and put it aside. There was still more than enough for tomorrow. The bunny was slender but big.

He looked at Kagami and spoke.

I already have a blanket, but my experience today tells me, there is more stuff for sleeping in the bag.

Yes, there are two more blankets and a sleeping mat.

She showed them to him, which was as helpful as ever, and Alex had no problem pulling the mat out.

It was a roll of leather, and as he laid it out, he saw that it was an actually two big pieces of leather, sowed together, with some kind of soft stuffing between them.

Nice!

You know, you can say whatever about that Karneol guy, but he really thought about everything.

It beats all those Isekai stories, where someone just lands in the wilderness, naked or so, easily.

He put his mantle and the belt with his weapons beside the mat, laid some bigger pieces of wood on the fire, so it would keep burning, and got comfortable on the mat with his blanket.

Well, I bett er get some sleep, tomorrow there is a lot to do for us to do.

What about you?

I mean, do you sleep?

Kagami sat down, beside his mat, and shook her head.

No, and there is one thing we have to talk about first.

What is it?

Well, you are a Dark Elf now. And they don't quite sleep like most races do.

Really?

Yes, they go into something called a dream trance.

But don't worry. It is a race thing; you should be able to do it more or less by instinct.

Ok.

What do I do?

I will try to guide you.

Lay down on your back and close your eyes.

Good!

Now take deep, slow breaths. Slowly in and out.

Feel for your Mana, the new feeling inside you. Just feel it and keep breathing.

It was a strange sensation, but Alex had no problem feeling it. Like a cloud in the form of his body.

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See, it is natural,

Keep the rhythm of your breath and feel for the border of all your Mana.

Just feel it and wait.

After a while, you will feel tiny parts of your Mana leaving the whole thing.

Alex did as she told him, and after a while he actually felt tiny motes leaving his cloud and going for the ground.

Good!

The next part is very easy here because the ground pulls the Mana already.

Will the leaving Mana to the body parts that touch the ground and into it.

Good!

Continue like that, and breath. In and out.

In and out.

Don't worry; when sounds and smells are getting clearer and more intense, that is absolutely normal.

Just breathe in and out.

Soon, Kagami felt that Alex had drifted into a deep trance.

She looked down at him, smiling.

She would see what the future would bring, but Alex was nice, and she was sure they would get along just fine.

Sometime later that night, Alex woke up screaming and sweating profoundly.

Kagami who had thought about what and how she would go about explaining things tomorrow, asked worried.

Is something wrong?

What happened?

Oh, God!!

The tree. The Pain.

Alex looked around, lost.

Fuck, just a nightmare. How long was I out? Is it morning soon?

A few hours, and it's still at least 2 hours until sunrise.

Well, I don't know if I can sleep again.

I think I will go to the creek and refresh myself.

Ok, but first, there is a canteen in your bag, it looks like this.

Kagami showed Alex a very standard looking tin canteen. Still only half awake, he pulled it out and started walking.

Wait!

Take your weapons! You never know.

Oh, yes, you are right.

Thanks for looking out for me.

He stumbled into the right direction of the creek, but suddenly stopped after a few steps.

Hey, why can I see so good? Is it a full moon?

He looked up.

No, the leaves are way too dense; it should be darker here.

Well, you are still a Darkelf. Would be strange if a race that mostly lived underground had difficulty seeing in the dark.

Yes, sounds reasonable.

At the stream he splashed some water in his face and filled the canteen.

Then he looked up again, as here over the stream there was some heaven to see.

Well, no moon as far as I can see from here.

Wait, does this world even have a moon?

Do you see that huge blue star up there?

That is a moon, just a tiny one. The people call it the fleeing star because they don't know it's a moon.

But that's all this world has as a moon.

Better than three moons.

Alex mumbled and drank some water.

It's such a cliché.

The protagonist doesn't believe he is really in another world; it's all a dream, and then in the first night they see the three moons, and they start to belief it.

Those stories you told me about.

Yes, don't get me wrong, I like those stories, but if you read a lot of them, there are some things that start to get old.

What now?

Well, I don't think I want to go back to sleep.

Let's get the fire going again, and I will start asking my questions in a bit.

But first things first!

He started walking to a nearby bush but stopped again.

Oh, fuck!

You know, that will really be a first!

What do you mean?

Well, I must pee!

And I have never done that with female parts.

Me neither, but luckily, I don't have to.

Kagami said grinning.

Yes, yes, rub it in.

I bet there will be more that you miss, having no body and so on.

But for now, I can just try it out, and see how it goes.

He looked at Kagami.

Is there the possibility that there is a years worth supply of toilet paper in the backpack?

Sorry, but no.

Ok, then leaves it is.

Alex went behind the bush and started to fumble with his clothes and tryed to find a good position, to handle the deed. Kagami couldn't stop herself from asking.

Why are you behind that bush?

A little privacy, please. It's the first time I've gone for little girls.

I know that tradition says that girls have to go together, but I'm not that used to beeing a girl for now.

Not what I meant.

Why do you hide from me?

I mean, you know, I'm not really standing here. I'm in your head!

Yes, I know, but please just pretend.

It's already awkward enought as it is.

Ok! If it helps.

After a while there was a trickle of fluid hitting the ground to hear. Then Alex started to giggle.

What is funny?

It's at least not the moons for me!

I don't understand.

Do you know what people in stories never do?

What?

Going to the toilet.

Fuck, this is really true!

After that, Alex started laughing hard, and Kagami did too, after a while.