Fantasy DreamWorlds

[DergTheDergon]

Bounding towards the side of the tower that Rori's scream echoed from, Nicole looked back for only a moment to see that Nicholas wasn't far behind. In nearly any other situation she wouldn't like that he was following her, but one of the group was in immediate danger and, though she'd rather not admit such a thing in the slightest, Nicole probably needed all the help she could get against the Cyclopes. The moment she saw the lumbering beast, she froze in fear for just one second, staring up at the fantastic and terrible creature with wide eyes. Subconsciously, she gripped her sword tighter, and her eyes traveled in the direction of Julian, cowering and screaming in fear of the massive one-eyed beast, and that very moment the fear in her heart began to quickly subside, replaced by a strong and all-encompassing anger. How dare this strong and powerful beast pick on one of the youngest and least combat-capable (at least from what Nicole has seen) members of the group, away from the others? Such evil and callous acts need punishment in retribution.


Nicole began to once more approach the cyclopes with unwavering speed after her very momentary pause, but then realized she has charging in headfirst without a plan. That's how Nicole has done things all her life, it was the most natural way she solved all her problems in life. Yet, this creature seemed too large and powerful for simply stabbing it with a rapier to have much of an effect. Then, she thoguth of something... she was underwater, and therefore could move in all directions more freely than on land, including up... and the one large eye on the Cyclopes' face seemed to be the only possible weak point Nicole could perceive. If she was to stab its eye, at the very least it would hopefully be less able to harm Julian further. Then, a simple yet effective-seeming plan popped into Nicole's mind. It was very spur-of-the-moment, it may not work, and it may be too mentally draining for it to be a good idea, but it was still a plan.


Dashing in front of Julian, Nicole immediately imagined a platform rising from the ocean floor and underneath her feet. It was circular, and was made of a malleable and very bouncy material, akin to a trampoline yet perhaps a bit more extreme in terms of human propulsion, and rose up just high enough for Julian to effectively hide behind it. For his sake, Nicole hoped he did... and little did she know, Julian was not only protecting himself at the moment, but the ocean's seed as well. Taking a deep breath, she hopped, and the moment her fit hit the platform again, she found herself speeding upwards towards the Cyclopes' eye, sword raised threateningly towards it.


@JayfeatherRaven and everyone else

 

[thistle]

The ground underneath quaked as Rori set foot inside the Tower once more. Based on how the walls trembled around him, loosing shards of glass that winked in diamond drops, it seemed as though the heavy structure was intent on collapsing at any moment. It was a miracle the archway still remained, and yet even as he alighted on the sandstone dais he raised an arm overhead, half expecting one of the massive slabs to crash downward.


A reverberating groan grated overhead as the columns shifted, causing Rori's feet to quicken, but it kept intact as he passed.


Heading further inside brought little comfort. Deep fissures split the glass chamber, giving way to innumerable fracturing that continued to extend skyward, as what sounded like muted thunder gripped his bones and shook him as another chunk of the Tower broke off. All about him the memories spilled through the gaping hole on the eastern end, as though overturned by a giant hand that allowed them to rush forth. As his ears rang from the landslide of splintering wood and overturned metals, Rori sought anxiously for any signs of the girl.


His eyes rested on the same spot no longer than a heartbeat, flitting across the masses, until a familiar sight caught his eye and made him draw an involuntary breath. Caught beneath a toppled pile and half buried in sand, the bright red arm of a scarf waved its weak arm freely. Immediately, Rori went to free it, quickly wrapping it about his wrist, relieved to have found no body attached to it. As he finished, a dull 'thud' from the wall closest to him resounded and glancing Rori could make out the vague outline of a body as it then drifted downward.


It was terribly small compared to the rest of those in the party and Rori stiffened as it fell from out of view. Julian.


“Valora!” he shouted, earnest. The scarf had been almost buried beneath the rubble, and though there had been no signs of her, the scarf might have loosened as Valora was swept beneath...


Rori shoved aside the thoughts and threw himself deeper into the chamber, where the memories were stacked high and flooded the floor with dancing shadows. "No one else is inside here but you. Valora!"


@JayfeatherRaven

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

Pressure morphed into pain as Valora tumbled in and out of conscious, slabs of concrete falling all around her as the Tower began to fall. Yet this was all distant to her, and even as a large mahogany table pinned her against the crumbling floor, she felt strangely numb and unfeeling. Almost out of her control, her eyelids drooped and her vision darkened--


Silence. It was like she was floating, and smooth silk enveloped her, offering peace and tranquility. This was broken by the sound of something heavy pounding on the door. Valora lurched into a sitting position, her thin mattress slipping onto the floor. Which was slate grey. No. She thought, panic overwhelming her. She'd woken up. The increased pounding on the doors make it hard to think clearly, and Valora jumped off the cot and rushed to the machines, shaking off the remnants of the prolonged dream.


Why had she awoken? The details of the dream were blurry but not completely indistinguishable, and in bits and pieces she could recall what had happened, though large chunks were still absent, and the dream failed to make sense. All she knew was that she had to return to the DreamWorlds with a pressing urgency. The sharp raps on the door grew louder, scrambling Valora's thoughts once again. "Who is it?" She snapped, forgetting the danger posed by those searching for Dreamers.


"It's the police!" A man's voice, filled with authority. "Open the door right now or we will resort to force." After a heartbeat, the pounding the the doors started again. Fear reignited in Valora's mind as memories struggled to resurface, and finally a important dialogue sprang up: Don't wake up...a lost cause...experimental purposes... Everything flooded back to her. Nicholas. Ryan. Rori. The others. And Julian. He was in danger, wasn't he? Gripped with terror and angst, Valora pressed the buttons on the machine with shaking fingers. Sweat on her palms caused her fingers to slip and she jabbed the wrong keys more than once, causing her to curse and start over. The whole process was agonizingly slow but finally the settings were correct and accurate. Now all she needed to do was get back to the DreamWorlds. There was a chance she would fall into DreamLock, but she still had to try for the sake of Julian. She still had to make amends. With this thought lodged in her mind, she stumbled back into the cot and squeezed her eyes shut, momentarily surprised by the tears that had welled up in frustration. She willed herself to drift off, but sleep never came. No. No! She wanted to scream, but that would only make matters worse. Rest only came upon the calm. Taking a few deep breaths, Valora reached down to retrieve her mattress and lay back down, erasing all thoughts of Julian from her muddled mind. She had to believe that dreams could wipe away all her worries, and that everything was possible in the world of imagination...


As the metal doors finally gave way and the DreamPolice burst in, exhaustion took over the stressed girl at last and soon she was back in the faraway land of dreams.


-


"Valora!" She blinked her eyes open at the sound of her name. She was back. Immediate danger had been averted but her brother was still out there somewhere, with those NightMares. "Rori!" She cried, trapped beneath the long desk. Her voice was weak compared to the crashing blocks around her. "I'm over here!"


@thistle

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

The Cyclops howled in pain as Nicole's sword hit its mark, and with it momentarily distracted, Nick hurried to Julian's side. There was a faint blue glow emanating from his skin, and Nicholas hesitated before touching him. Instantly, , all the fear and anger bunched up in him evaporated and warmth bloomed in his heart, causing a rare smile to spread across his face. Although he was unsure of the Seed's true power, it was keeping Julian alive, and Nicholas suspected it was also healing the body with its mysterious powers. After all, this was a dream, and these injuries were not physical in reality. Now that he was certain Julian was fine, he turned to Nicole, who was still fighting the Cyclops with her endless energy. "It's okay!" He shouted to her, "Julian's got the Seed!" The Cyclops let out one last roar before disintegrating, and peace descended over the Ocean once again. For a second, everything was quiet, even the fracturing tower behind him.


But then the sound of laughter broke the silence. A laugh. From Nicholas. Yeah, he actually laughed. As in that sound humans make when they're happy about something. How long has it been since he really laughed, not because of irony or sarcasm, but actual happiness? Even he couldn't remember. But it was a great feeling, and suddenly he felt like everything was about to be alright. It was ridiculous yet elevating at the same time.


The weird, ecstatic emotions dissipated the instant his hand left Julian, and he sobered up once again, the grin vanishing from his lips. Turning around, he eyed the Tower, which was now reduced into a pile of broken bricks. "Two DreamWorlds destroyed, three to go." He said, the empty smile back on his face.


@DergTheDergon

 

[DergTheDergon]

Nicole struck at the Cyclopes's giant eye with all the strength she could muster, stabbing the swrod in deep before pulling it out quickly and with great force. The Cyclopes seemed unable to strike at her or restrain her with its humongous hands despite its futile attempts to grab at her. it was as good as dead, if nightmares even die in a sense remotely similar to the way living creatures in the material world do, she was sure of it. Floating there, near the cyclopes's head, still slashing and stabbing at it with all her might, her determined expression faltered for just a moment as she heard Nicolas shout out at her. She smiled, for a just a moment, yet the comforting and surprisingly wonderful news that Julian was alive and somehow acquired the Seed to boot only fueled her passionate strikes further, until the cyclopes disintegrated. Hm... I don't feel tired at all after that, Nicole thought in disbelief, only to feel soreness and fatigue set in immediately. Note to self... don't question this place or only the painful things will make sense... It'd take a while to get used to dream this lucidly, she realized. Sighing as she sheathed her sword and rubbed her sore sword arm, she looked to Julian with a smilght smile, eyieng the seed in hes hand curiously. He seemed alright.


Her head then snapped in Nicolas direction as she heard his loud, boisterous laugh. A jovial sound that seemed entirely unlike the Nicholas Nicole has grown to know so far. Eyeing him curiously, not sure what to make of that, she was only further surprised at his abrupt change in behavior the moment he took his hand away from Julian. Was the Seed having that effect on him, he wondered. Curiously, and also to confirm for herself that Julian was okay, Nicole approached the unconscious young boy. Then, catching a glance of just how ruined the tower had become during her fight, her eyes widened in fear. "Umm... where did Rori and Valora go? They aren't... still in there, are they?!" She asked fearfully with a shaking hand pointed at the rubble. It didn't look like there was much left of it, and it was still crumbling. "We... we should go look for them," she said, gripping the hilt of her sword for the needed courage to simply say those words, not to mention begin to walk towards the rubble, trying to find a way in ans she subsequently did. Always one to forge a path, no matter how dangerous, that's exactly what Nicole did. "Rori! Valora! Anyone here?!" She yelled out anxiously, glancing about frantically.


@JayfeatherRaven @thistle

 

[thistle]

Extended a few yards from where he was approaching another dead end loomed ahead, and Rori felt the situation slip further into bleakness. Sighting no body, the artist pivoted and shot back the way he’d came, turning onto what he hoped was a new path.


He wanted this to be over. Not necessarily the DreamWorlds - not even departing the Ocean, really - but rather this very moment of dashing blindly through the Tower. Without a sense of direction or the faintest idea of Valora’s whereabouts, it sent a certain anxiety thrumming through his chest. A constant, tickled fluttering that tapped his heart with impatience.


It was similar to the anxieties one feels while preparing for an exam. Not knowing whether the endless preparation is enough, wishing for the end to arrive even before the test has gone underway. Impatient and restless all at the same time, wondering if the information stuffed into every available brain cell is enough, it predisposes one to immediate uncertainty.


The very idea of not knowing the outcome of things or being unable to see the end – that was the gnawing sensation he wished to quit. Instead of a test though, it was Valora’s survival that hung in the balance. Thinking of it once more urged Rori to lengthen his stride, to draw his breath quicker than before.


Perhaps the cause of such heightened unease was due to his past. Having met all forms of disappointment, it paled in comparison to what his teacher’s opinions would be of him once he found out about Rori. To know he had failed, to relent the bitter truth, struck immediate dread. But worst of all was the anticipation leading up to that moment, and even now Rori could feel it growing as they passed through each world…


The cry of distress shattered Rori’s thoughts in an instant. Without hesitating, Rori doubled back the way he’d came, fixed on the direction of his name. Two turns were taken by spontaneous decision and before there was a chance to question his whereabouts, Valora was suddenly before him.


“There you are!”


The relief in his voice was impossible to miss. Dismissing the conflicting thoughts from earlier, Rori crossed the final distance separating them, his expression now warm. One glance revealed the amount of distress she was in, as the dining table, meant to impress those in waiting, continued to bear both its finery and immense weight on top her.


Rather than lifting the end closest to her head and driving the other half into her spine, Rori shuffled to her side and pressed the table from there, hearing as Valora struggled to pull herself free. He thought little of the repercussions until he saw the water swim in faint red curls before him, and the moment she was clear Rori reset the table and clutched a hand to his side, pain flaring into existence.


Still, the injury didn’t prevent Rori from extending a free hand to her. “Sorry for being late,” he apologized, and meant it despite the soft laugh that followed, “though I admit - it’s a common trait of mine. Get to know me better and you’ll find I’m tardy in most cases.”


It was then Rori noticed the sudden silence of the Tower, which now lay in ruin. Dappled sunlight filtered through and above it he heard Nicole’s shout in the distance, notes of concern recognizable. “Back here!” he called in return, throwing his voice and hoping she could hear the echo. “We made it!”


“In case there were any lingering fears, Julian never returned to the Tower. Instead I believe Nicole and Nicholas found him outside.” Rori unwound Valora’s scarf from his arm as he waited for a response from their companions, and draped it partly about her shoulders. “Dropped this, by the way.”


@JayfeatherRaven @DergTheDergon


(Sorry for the change in font! I'm not sure what the default one is called, and this font was carried over from Word.)

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

Warmth wrapped Julian in its embrace, and soon he could feel every injury in his body start healing itself. His broken bones knitted together in a foreign but not uncomfortable way, and he felt his skin mend quickly, regenerating and spreading back over his wounds. Then the amazing feeling faded and he blinked his eyes open slowly to see Nicole's worried face peering at him. "I...I'm okay." He said, the words thick on his sluggish tongue. Relief washed over her concerned face and she turned to find Rori and Valora. At the thought of his sister, Julian felt a stab of guilt. He never should've shouted at her, since all she wanted to do was protect him. Shoving the Seed into Nicholas' hand, Julian hurried after Nicole and spotted Rori and Valora down in the ruins of the Tower. His sister had one hand wrapped around Rori's shoulders, and though there were no obvious injures he could see on them, Valora was clearly limping, relying on Rori to prop her up. "Valora!" Julian said as he approached them. "Are you guys alright?"


@DergTheDergon


-


"Thanks." Valora smiled gratefully at Rori as she took his hand and stood upright, stumbling slightly. Her lost scarf did not offer any warmth in the dream but it comforted her all the same. Still a little disoriented from her brief visit to the waking world, she gave her head a shake to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Rori was speaking to her as he helped her out of the collapsed Tower, but his voice was reduced to a distant chatter as Valora's mind wandered back to the terrifying experience. The police must be swarming over her and Julian's sleeping bodies by now. How had they found the secret location? Had the Keepers been compromised?


"Valora!" She was pulled out of her troubled thoughts at the sound of Julian's call, his voice filled with worry and remorse. Even so, his voice was the sound of angels to her. "Julian!" She gasped, bending down and drawing him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry." She whispered in his ears, breathing in his scent. Then she released him and looked into his chestnut brown eyes. "I promise I will never ever hide a secret from you again." Then she crushed him into another hug, holding on as if she would never let go.


@thistle


-


When Julian thrust the Seed into Nick's hand, he felt the same tingly feeling start to overwhelm him again. Mortified, he let go of it, leaving it to float in front of him. The pearl was truly beautiful, glowing with an azure aura that seemed to spread into the water surrounding it. Eyeing it warily, Nick pulled up his sleeve so that it covered his hands before grabbing the Seed again. He held it away from himself, like it was a viper that would strike at any moment. The layer of fabric between the pearl and his skin seemed to null the effects of the jewel. Good. Nicholas thought. He preferred it to stay that way.


Julian had shot off like a rocket towards his sister, as if he had never been thrown around by a giant ogre and slammed against a stone building, breaking God knows how many bones. The kid looked completely fine, but the same couldn't been said for his sister. Nick looked away from her and Rori. The two looked close. Really close. But that was none of his business. He looked away and headed towards the other half of their group, where Alisa and Nina were struggling to keep Anelie and Ryan conscious. If the Seed had healing properties...He gripped the blue stone tighter in his hand and glared at it. As it pulsed in his hand, Nick wondered what the other Seed they had obtained could do too. Perhaps they had underestimated the power of them. "Here, catch." He tossed the pearl towards a frantic Alisa. "See if this works on them." He nodded towards Anelie and Ryan, who were both floating with their eyes closed, their skin shockingly pale.


@Mitchs98

 

[DergTheDergon]

Nicole bounded through the tower, gripping the hilt of her sword firmly. As long as her hand was touching it, she felt an acute sense of drive and determination to do what she wills, overwhelming the fears that kept her questioning doing just that. Only time would tell if this inanimate object was worth the memories she lost... it couldn't be, a voice within her chided, you lost all the memories of your first love... the one you said you'd never forget... not trinket, however useful could justify such callous disregard for the boy who changed your life.


Tears of sorrow welled in Nicole's eyes as she bounded through the wreckage, searching all around... then at that moment, she heard an echo from nearby. It was Rori's voice. This snapped Nicole out of her thoughts in an instant. "I hear you! Hang in there, I'm on my way!" She picked up speed, running towards the voices, and finally began to see Rori, helping up Valora, who looked rather worse for wear, up off the floor of the massive, ruined building. She waved to them, beginning to close her distance to the fellow two dreamers, when suddenly she heard fast, echoing footsteps from behind her, as if someone was running. Turning to see, she saw Julian, running at top speed, seeming as if he was healthier than ever. Her eyes widened in surprise. How was that possible?! The last she saw of him, he'd suffered a blow that had to have broken a few bones... this was the Dreamworlds, where so much was possible that wasn't in reality, but still... what could have healed him so quickly? Pondering this, she looked over towards Rori and Valora to see that Julian was already approaching them.


Walking the rest of the way over to them, she found herself smiling looking over at the siblings as they embraced. They were rather close... a solemn look crossed over her face, as she wished she had someone close to help her through this... but no one she held dear was present... they were all locked in a dreamless sleep. Shaking her head to refocus herself from these dreary thoughts, she looked to Rori. "You alright, Rori? You look fine, just making certain..." her gaze traveled back over to the embracing siblings for a moment as she continued. "I think we should give them thier moment, then head back over and regroup with the others for a bit... we've got a few injured... I dunno what healed Julian, he was a right mess earlier, but whatever did, the others may need it..." she then realized that Julian didn't seem to be holding the seed and said, "Er, Julian... very sorry for interrupting but, what did you do with the seed?' She asked kindly. It was a very important object by the way, losing it could be catastrophic.


@thistle @JayfeatherRaven

 

[Mitchs98]

Warmth wrapped Julian in its embrace, and soon he could feel every injury in his body start healing itself. His broken bones knitted together in a foreign but not uncomfortable way, and he felt his skin mend quickly, regenerating and spreading back over his wounds. Then the amazing feeling faded and he blinked his eyes open slowly to see Nicole's worried face peering at him. "I...I'm okay." He said, the words thick on his sluggish tongue. Relief washed over her concerned face and she turned to find Rori and Valora. At the thought of his sister, Julian felt a stab of guilt. He never should've shouted at her, since all she wanted to do was protect him. Shoving the Seed into Nicholas' hand, Julian hurried after Nicole and spotted Rori and Valora down in the ruins of the Tower. His sister had one hand wrapped around Rori's shoulders, and though there were no obvious injures he could see on them, Valora was clearly limping, relying on Rori to prop her up. "Valora!" Julian said as he approached them. "Are you guys alright?"
@DergTheDergon


-


"Thanks." Valora smiled gratefully at Rori as she took his hand and stood upright, stumbling slightly. Her lost scarf did not offer any warmth in the dream but it comforted her all the same. Still a little disoriented from her brief visit to the waking world, she gave her head a shake to clear the cobwebs from her mind. Rori was speaking to her as he helped her out of the collapsed Tower, but his voice was reduced to a distant chatter as Valora's mind wandered back to the terrifying experience. The police must be swarming over her and Julian's sleeping bodies by now. How had they found the secret location? Had the Keepers been compromised?


"Valora!" She was pulled out of her troubled thoughts at the sound of Julian's call, his voice filled with worry and remorse. Even so, his voice was the sound of angels to her. "Julian!" She gasped, bending down and drawing him into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry." She whispered in his ears, breathing in his scent. Then she released him and looked into his chestnut brown eyes. "I promise I will never ever hide a secret from you again." Then she crushed him into another hug, holding on as if she would never let go.


@thistle


-


When Julian thrust the Seed into Nick's hand, he felt the same tingly feeling start to overwhelm him again. Mortified, he let go of it, leaving it to float in front of him. The pearl was truly beautiful, glowing with an azure aura that seemed to spread into the water surrounding it. Eyeing it warily, Nick pulled up his sleeve so that it covered his hands before grabbing the Seed again. He held it away from himself, like it was a viper that would strike at any moment. The layer of fabric between the pearl and his skin seemed to null the effects of the jewel. Good. Nicholas thought. He preferred it to stay that way.


Julian had shot off like a rocket towards his sister, as if he had never been thrown around by a giant ogre and slammed against a stone building, breaking God knows how many bones. The kid looked completely fine, but the same couldn't been said for his sister. Nick looked away from her and Rori. The two looked close. Really close. But that was none of his business. He looked away and headed towards the other half of their group, where Alisa and Nina were struggling to keep Anelie and Ryan conscious. If the Seed had healing properties...He gripped the blue stone tighter in his hand and glared at it. As it pulsed in his hand, Nick wondered what the other Seed they had obtained could do too. Perhaps they had underestimated the power of them. "Here, catch." He tossed the pearl towards a frantic Alisa. "See if this works on them." He nodded towards Anelie and Ryan, who were both floating with their eyes closed, their skin shockingly pale.


@Mitchs98

@Iomana @Elfia Nightwing


Alisa Ann

Alisa pretty much just sat there beside Nina, Anelie, and Ryan the entire time. She gently held Anelie's hand with a worried expression on her face, hoping the pressure on her hand and from her shaking her ever so often was enough to keep them with them. The last thing she wanted was for her to wake up and be captured, or worse. She shuddered to think what the Dream Police would do to any of them that woke up, really there was no telling. She was focusing so intently on making sure the both of them stayed with them she was blissfully unaware of the chaos going on around her. As long as everyone was safe that was all that mattered to her. Luckily she snapped out of her focus when Nick walked over telling her to catch something. She saw the pearl and caught it, studying it closely and nodding at his instructions. She wasn't sure what to do with it exactly but she assumed she had to hold it. Thus she moved to place it in Anelies' hand and hope it worked. "Come on..please work.." She mumbled with a hopefuly expression on her face.

 

[Iomana]

Anelie lay there, the very image of a figure straight from a painting with her hair billowing around her in the ocean like strands of corn silk. If it weren't for the blood, paleness of her skin, and slight crease on her brow by all means it would have appeared as if she was peacefully asleep. However, the girl teetered on the edge of consciousness, only a hair's breadth away from being swallowed by darkness. Everyone once in a while, just as she was about to slip away, there was an insistent shake and a pressure on her hand, always pulling her back in just the nick of time.


"Can I sleep just a little longer, Mother...?" The words left her in a muddled, German haze. A spike of pain shot through her, a grimace flashing across her features at it. Soon, a warm feeling grew in her hand. Slowly, it traveled up her arm, erasing the pain as it went in a soothing wash of comfort. In no time at all her entire body was enveloped and the girl's eyes slowly fluttered open, traveling down to stare uncomprehendingly at the small pearl in her hand. The warmth was clearly emanating from it, but what was it?


Her gaze then worked its way up to find Alisa hovering over her, face drawn and worried. Her mind sharpened in an instant and Anelie shot up to a sitting position, suddenly remembering where she was as her head whipped around to take in everything. The Tower was in shambles, no surprise, and it seemed as though the NightMares were taken care of as well. That was a relief. Glancing down again at the gem clutched in her grip, she held it out to Alisa. "What happened? Is everyone okay? Did this thing heal me? What is it?" A torrent of questions flew out from Anelie as she stumbled over her words in an eagerness to know what had transpired while she was down.


@Mitchs98

 

[thistle]

In an automatic gesture Rori’s arm came about Valora, winding behind the middle of her back, fingertips rested at her ribcage. His touch remained casual, prepared to steady her in case she faltered again. With little exchanged between them aside from a tangle of fingers in chestnut brown hair, the fact that her side was lined up against his own was nothing to dwell on.


Previous interactions with the girl revealed her unassuming and often reserved nature, opting to remain quiet to avoid confrontation, and the grimace that periodically crossed her face was enough reason for him to comply.


Only a few yards from where the receiving desk had pinned her, they were still making a slow path forward when the sound of upturned sand was heard, revealing Julian who was pelting down a straightaway.


Valora stiffened, and seeing her expression collapse into wordless relief, Rori released the girl as she fell to her knees to catch Julian. There was an instance of exchange, murmured apologies and comfort alike, and Rori ambled ahead to give them privacy.


It was there he found Nicole, not even ten seconds behind the young Dreamer who had flown past with determined speed. Unsurprisingly, her fingers were already set in the burnished handle of the sword, slipping away as Rori neared.


“Me?” he asked at her anxious inquiry. “A few scratches here and there, though that was bound to happen. Unlike yourself, physical combat is not something that comes to me naturally. How are you holding up?” Rori started to venture forth again as he asked, agreeing to her suggestion, but when it was apparent that Nicole remained in place, he glanced to check on her. "Nicole?"


The tail end of her question made him recall how Julian had arrived with empty hands while embracing his sister. With something as important as the Seed he imagined he or Valora would have noticed if it had bounced off his person during the boy's rapid descent. Rori swept his eyes outward in time to spot Nicholas cast something into the air. It glowed with the same intensity as the last Seed as Alisa fumbled to catch it and lower it to Anelie’s unconscious form, and Rori reached over to tug meaningfully at Nicole’s dress.


“Nothing to worry about. The answer to your question is just down there.” He released her then and resumed the trek downward, beckoning for Nicole to do the same. “Let’s go check on the others, yes?”


@DergTheDergon

 

[DergTheDergon]

Nicole's blue eyes gave Rori a suspicious once-over at his words, as if not believing them at first, before nodding. He did seem more well off than a few of the others, that was for certain. She then found herself shaking her head and giggling a bit at her next comments. "Naturally? Hardly... 7 years of fencing practice every day, and 3 years of annual tournaments are the only reason I can fight with this bloody thing at all." Nicole rested a hand atop the pommel of her rapier for emphasis on her subject, quite clearly proud of all that hard work and pain and the skill it earned her. "It does seem to be quite a bit... easier here, the movements and steps feel effortless most of the time, but only in my dreams, as they say. And I'm quite alright, thank you for asking. Certainly nothing all that serious,in fact it seems I'm quite lucky compared to a few of the others."


Julian seemed so understandably occupied at the moment that he didn't seem hear Nicole's question whatsoever. She sighed, and began to turn around to simply look for the bloody seed herself when she felt a tug on the hem of her dress. Her gaze turned quickly towards Rori, and met his eyes questioningly for a moment at his blunt and rather cryptic statement.


Turning and squinting past him as he nonchalantly sauntered off to try and see what he was on about, she fleetingly noticed the faint glow in the distance, just before poor Anelie's hand closed around it. "Ah, well there it is," Nicole said quietly in an enlightened tone. She found herself startled momentarily as the boy suddenly beckoned her to follow, seeming as though he was heading off without a word just moments earlier. Nodding hastily, she quickened her step to catch up to the oddball of a boy, then walked next to him towards the others. "Well, you're quite the observant one," she complimented, "I dunno if I'd have been able to catch that without it being pointed out to me... not as quickly as you did, for certain."


Nicole's blue eyes scanned over the dreamers gathered outside the tower, settling on Anelie as a miracle occurred before Nicole's very eyes, the girl that was lying in pain moments earlier suddenly jolting into a sitting position as if she was fine. That solved the other mystery that had been plaguing Nicole's mind in the last few minutes, namely Julian's sudden and complete recovery. From the glow emanating from the strange pearl, it simply had to be the seed, as Nicole had deduced earlier... this made her wonder what sort of fantastical properties the Forest seed may have, though Nicole doubted Nina would part with it for even a moment so she could experiment with it.


Sapping out of this daydreaming, if that was even an applicable term within a dream to begin with, Nicole glanced around before say to anyone who may hear, "I'm glad everyone seems to be alright... we should get a move on before this place crumbles I believe." She then turned to Rori, slight concern evident in her eyes. "You will be alright creating another portal, won't you? Or should we wait a bit just to be safe?"


@thistle

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

The girl with light blond hair was roused from her death sleep, leaving Nicholas to marvel at the Seed's miraculous power once again. He left her barrage of questions for Alisa to answer, and instead turned his gaze to Ryan, who was still unconscious. Personally, Nick would've preferred it to stay that way, but then again, he was his prime suspect. If Ryan slipped away from this dream now, Nick would have no chance to investigate him further. He snatched the faint blue pearl from Anelie's grasp and placed it in Ryan's hand, having to wrap his limp fingers around it in order to keep it from sinking into the unknown depths below. The Seed made a deep thrumming sound as it began to cast its magic on the ashen boy, and a louder hum resonated with the first. Nick looked around, searching for the source of vibration. Then he saw it. The faintest shudder, barely discernible, came from Nina's satchel, which was now engulfed in a green glow. "Nina?" Nicholas tapped her on the shoulder. "I think the Seeds are reacting to each other."


-


Julian finally removed himself from his sister's hug, his eyes bright as he smiled at her. "Okay. Let's go." Valora seemed reluctant to let go of him, so he took her hand and helped her down to the place where the others had rendezvoused, arriving a few seconds after Nicole and Rori. Anelie was conscious again, and the Seed was currently in Ryan's possession, though he still hadn't recovered from his unnatural slumber. "Ryan!" Julian said, echoing Valora's thoughts and his own. Out of all the people, Ryan's injuries seemed far by the most severe. After all, he had been the first to head into battle, and with just the powers of an amateur DreamLurker. Glowing tendrils of light spread out from the pearl and caressed Ryan's wounds, mending them one fiber at a time. Julian had experienced the aberrant feeling firsthand, and he was sure that Ryan would awaken soon.


@JaidenLark @Elfia Nightwing @Iomana @Mitchs98

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Nina watched in awe as the seed healed their two wounded friends." That...was.." Before she could finish her sentence, she was snapped out of her daze by Nick calling out to her." The seed?" She repeated dumbly. Looking at her backpack, eminating a faint green glow." Oh..." She murmured, pulling the bag closer to her chest." What are doing...?" She whimpered, glancing down to the only thing she had left from her one love.


" Will... Will I get it back?" She asked shyly, looking timidly up at the group.

 

[Mitchs98]

Anelie lay there, the very image of a figure straight from a painting with her hair billowing around her in the ocean like strands of corn silk. If it weren't for the blood, paleness of her skin, and slight crease on her brow by all means it would have appeared as if she was peacefully asleep. However, the girl teetered on the edge of consciousness, only a hair's breadth away from being swallowed by darkness. Everyone once in a while, just as she was about to slip away, there was an insistent shake and a pressure on her hand, always pulling her back in just the nick of time.
"Can I sleep just a little longer, Mother...?" The words left her in a muddled, German haze. A spike of pain shot through her, a grimace flashing across her features at it. Soon, a warm feeling grew in her hand. Slowly, it traveled up her arm, erasing the pain as it went in a soothing wash of comfort. In no time at all her entire body was enveloped and the girl's eyes slowly fluttered open, traveling down to stare uncomprehendingly at the small pearl in her hand. The warmth was clearly emanating from it, but what was it?


Her gaze then worked its way up to find Alisa hovering over her, face drawn and worried. Her mind sharpened in an instant and Anelie shot up to a sitting position, suddenly remembering where she was as her head whipped around to take in everything. The Tower was in shambles, no surprise, and it seemed as though the NightMares were taken care of as well. That was a relief. Glancing down again at the gem clutched in her grip, she held it out to Alisa. "What happened? Is everyone okay? Did this thing heal me? What is it?" A torrent of questions flew out from Anelie as she stumbled over her words in an eagerness to know what had transpired while she was down.


@Mitchs98

@Elfia Nightwing @JaidenLark


Alisa Ann

Alisa watched as, at first, Anelie seemed to feel pain from the seed trying to heal her. Luckily soon after her expression softened as the Seed healed her. Soon enough, thankfully, Anelie woke up causing Alisa to breathe a sigh of relief. She was really worried that it wouldn't work and that Anelie would wake up. At her questions Alisa at first simply smiled and hugged her. "Da. Everyone will be okay. Ya is glad vy is alright..ya was so worried." She told her. "And da, that thing healed vy. Though..ya isn't really sure what it is. Nick told ya to try using it to heal vy." She explained. "Ya isn't sure about much else. Ya and Nina stayed to make sure vy and Ryan stayed with us." She added. She wasn't aware they'd actually found this worlds seed and that it was the pearl, honestly she was just glad everyone was fine.

 

[JaidenLark]

Booms exploded in Ryan's ears as he struggled to stay conscious, and far away he heard a voice echo his name again and again, refusing to let him fall into slumber. The relentless blows against his cheek were the only thing that kept him anchored to the dream, no matter how much he wanted to numb the pain and just descend into his deep, peaceful sleep. As he was on the brink of blacking out, heat spilled across his skin, making him shiver but not uncomfortably. Within seconds, his wound had to reduced to no more than a scar and he felt himself return to his body, opening his eyes. Ryan touched his stomach self-consciously and ran his fingers across the puckered skin. Then he realized there was something else clutched in his other hand, a glowing stone that was similar to the Forest seed, except it was sapphire in color. "Awesome." He mumbled, realizing that the others had already found this World's seed without his help, and also discovered its extraordinary healing magic. "How long was I out for?" The question was directed to nobody in particular, since everyone had regrouped around him, ready to journey on to the next destination. Besides that, the Tower had been demolished, leaving no more than large pieces of rubble and rock, and there was not a NightMare in sight.


@everyone

 

[thistle]

Underfoot, the brittle stars no longer glowed as he and Nicole picked their way down the rubble and to the sea floor. Rori half expected them to burst into small pieces given their fragile appearance, but they only scattered like slow moving leaves as worn tennies and polished boots sent them tumbling out of the way.


Not wanting to appear entirely insensitive Rori addressed Nicole’s previous comment. He didn’t think it was being observant so much as having uncanny timing when it came to spotting the Seed, but he owed a response after being quiet this long. “Similar to how you wield your sword with familiarity, I’ve grown used to spotting things people don’t often notice. Simple details mostly,” Rori ticked them off his fingers while the floor continued to shift with the sound of disturbed glass. “A vest missing its third button, for instance. Or the chips of amber that are in one eye but absent from the other. A loose seam, a faded scar.” A noncommittal shrug rolled through his shoulders as Rori finished, reaching the others at this point.


“A majority of them are meaningless observations," admitted the artist, "and by now it's only a force of habit." A quick sweep of the eyes revealed their party had returned to its original number, with Ryan and Anelies' recent revival the most noted among the haggard group. The pair was in vastly better conditions compared to when he had last left them.


He saw Ryan's hand now wrapped around the Seed, its azure glow peeking through the gaps of his loosely curled fingers. It pulsed in a way that was strangely reminiscent of seasonal tides, and Rori watched as the remaining curls of light were drawn back into the orb. As the last wisp disappeared the Seed settled then, as though finished with its task.


If that couldn't be more of a sign, now was a good time as any to get a move on.


Raising a hand, a curious thought crossed his mind as Rori wondered how well the group would continue to get along. There had been brief flashes of camaraderie during the past events but even after acquiring two Seeds, their relationship as a group seemed fixed. It wasn't entirely ubiquitous, progress being made between a few of them. But for others reluctance and indifference still lingered, giving way to growing rifts as Nina, clutching her satchel, eyed Nicholas with an uncertain look.


Rori, turning from the two and shaking his head at Nicole's suggestion to rest, drew up a door instead to reveal the stretch of urban buildings. "Best if we kept moving," Rori decided as Metropolis wavered into view.


Only time would alter these relationships.


@DergTheDergon @Iomana @JayfeatherRaven @Elfia Nightwing @JaidenLark @Mitchs98

 

[DergTheDergon]

Nicole gave Rori a semi-startled look as he began speaking after a short silence. She had assumed he would not answer for whatever reason, and was alright with that, but the answer was still very much appreciated. It was also intriguing. She listened to his verbal demonstration of his powers of observation with a curious look in her eyes, then replied. "I don't think these smaller observations are meaningless, per se. If you've a habit of looking out for minute details, however unimportant, the ones of true importance become easier to notice. I doubt you would've noticed the glow of the seed so quickly if it were not for all that practice, for example." She smiled a bit as her own observation of sorts came to a conclusion.


Nicole finished voicing her thoughts on the matter as they approached the group, looking over everyone and smiling, glad to see that the seed had healed the other two injured just as swiftly as it had healed Julian. It made Nicole wonder what sort of powers the Forest's seed held, and just as she was along that line of thought, she overheard Nicholas's words directed towards Nina. "Reacting to each other?" Nicole repeated aloud without noticing, frantically looking towards Nina's backpack to see what Nick meant. It was glowing... Nicole found a sad look crossing her face at Nina's sad, fearful words. What's worse, Nicole did not have certain words of comfort for her, seeing as she had no idea what they were doing, and she didn't want to be proved a liar by trying to give some reassurance. Making sure to keep an eye on the seeds in case something happened, and Nina in case her seed changed in some way that may upset her, and Nicholas in case he had some sort of nefarious intent behind his words, Nicole then gave her suggestion to rest to the group.


Rori's answer caused a slight frown to mar Nicole's lips for a moment, especially as he then finished conjuring his portal to Metropolis without a second thought, but thinking about it he was right, and she gave him a reluctant nod of partial agreement soon after. The fate of the dreamworlds is at stake here... and the waking world as well, if one were to get technical. Nicole thought of her family, still in a coma most likely or... worse, perish the thought, and shook her head, mentally chastising herself for wanting to sit and laze about when so much was at stake and she was one of the few who could hopefully make things right again. Nicole was simply concerned for the ones who were recently injured, and hoped to give everyone in the group time to recuperate from recent and suspenseful events, yet the more she thought about it the more resting now seemed like a potentially catastrophic decision. They could rest when all the seeds were gathered... it didn't take very long to get the first two anyway.


As Metropolis materialized into view through the portal, Nicole took a deep breath and, despite her earlier reluctance to move in, stepped into the portal the moment she had mentally prepared herself for the incoming otherworldly sensation of being transported into another world.


@thistle @JayfeatherRaven

 

[Iomana]

Startling somewhat as the object, it must have been a Seed because what else could have such power, was snatched from her grip, the young girl turned just in time to see Nicholas placing it in Ryan's hand. He looked to be in even worse conditions than she had been in and feeling sheepish at asking so many questions while he lay there on the verge of unconsciousness, she watched with incredulous eyes at the pearl went about healing the boy. She had felt its work earlier but hadn't had the chance to see it for herself.


Just as her attention was being drawn in by the warm green glow emanating from Nina's backpack and her earlier guess was answered by the others, the blonde was pulled into a hug by Alisa. She patted the girl's back, feeling a little embarrassed from the sudden and relieved display of affection. She was honestly grateful that both she and Nina stayed nearby to make sure nothing bad happened to them. Considering they had just met, Anelie didn't know if, the moment she fell behind, she would be figuratively thrown to the wolves. "Thank you for staying by me."


Before she could say anything more, Ryan spoke up and Anelie gave a hapless shrug towards him. He must have gone down sometime after she did but unfortunately the girl didn't even have a clue to how long she had been down either. The rest of the group soon joined and Anelie was relieved to see that only her and Ryan seemed to have suffered the worst of the injuries. Trying to hide a gasp of surprise as a door suddenly materialized from thin air. She moved to peek into it and caught sight of what appeared to be a city. It reminded her a bit of home. A sudden bolt of homesickness pierced her heart and in an effort to ignore it, the girl rose slowly to her feet as Nicole moved towards it and stepped inside. Hesitation was written plainly across her features as she took a slow step towards it, then another, until she could peer closer in. "Is-is it safe...?" Try as she might, she couldn't just will herself to jump into a mysterious doorway without some form of reassurance.


@Mitchs98 @JaidenLark @thistle

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

"Long enough for us to fight off the NightMares, find the Seed, and destroy the Tower." Nicholas answered in a brusque manner, dismissing Ryan's question with a wave of his hand. "And now we're off to the Metropolis." He retrieved the Seed from Ryan's hand then hurriedly flung it towards Nina as if the Seed was on fire. "Keep it." He ordered, noticing how the glow had intensified now that the Seeds were closer to one another. "And whether to keep them apart or not...that's your choice."


With that, he headed towards the portal and plunged through it, ignoring the girl who was peeking in curiously. For a moment he was trapped in swirling bits of aether and nothingness, and the next he shot out of the portal and onto cold hard concrete. Picking himself up, he instinctively checked his surroundings for signs of danger. Nothing. Just dull grey buildings protruding up into an equally dreary sky. "Now isn't this just optimistic." He remarked, heavy sarcasm laced through his words. This DreamWorld was in even worse condition than the last two.


@JaidenLark @Elfia Nightwing @DergTheDergon


-


Inwardly, Valora worried that Rori wouldn't have enough strength to conjure up another portal in his state, but that was exactly what he did, looking as confident as ever in the role of their personal portal chauffeur. But still she fretted, though she knew they could always use the Pearl if anything bad happened. Shifting her gaze to Nina, she was forced to avert her eyes again when the two Seeds began radiating a blue-green light, blinding Valora when she tried to spot the young girl through the luminescence. Perhaps...bringing the Seeds together wasn't good idea. "I could hold it for you." Valora offered, stretching her hand out until her fingertips brushed the surface of the blue jewel. The instant she did that, all thoughts of doubt slipped from her mind and overwhelming calm swept through her, leaving a tiny, satisfied smile on her face. Suddenly, she had no sense of urgency nor anything negative. "Why are you in such a hurry?" She asked dreamily, grasping Anelie's wrist when she readied to step through the portal. "We could just...relax in the lure of the Ocean."


@Elfia Nightwing @Iomana

 

[Mitchs98]

Booms exploded in Ryan's ears as he struggled to stay conscious, and far away he heard a voice echo his name again and again, refusing to let him fall into slumber. The relentless blows against his cheek were the only thing that kept him anchored to the dream, no matter how much he wanted to numb the pain and just descend into his deep, peaceful sleep. As he was on the brink of blacking out, heat spilled across his skin, making him shiver but not uncomfortably. Within seconds, his wound had to reduced to no more than a scar and he felt himself return to his body, opening his eyes. Ryan touched his stomach self-consciously and ran his fingers across the puckered skin. Then he realized there was something else clutched in his other hand, a glowing stone that was similar to the Forest seed, except it was sapphire in color. "Awesome." He mumbled, realizing that the others had already found this World's seed without his help, and also discovered its extraordinary healing magic. "How long was I out for?" The question was directed to nobody in particular, since everyone had regrouped around him, ready to journey on to the next destination. Besides that, the Tower had been demolished, leaving no more than large pieces of rubble and rock, and there was not a NightMare in sight.
@everyone

Underfoot, the brittle stars no longer glowed as he and Nicole picked their way down the rubble and to the sea floor. Rori half expected them to burst into small pieces given their fragile appearance, but they only scattered like slow moving leaves as worn tennies and polished boots sent them tumbling out of the way.
Not wanting to appear entirely insensitive Rori addressed Nicole’s previous comment. He didn’t think it was being observant so much as having uncanny timing when it came to spotting the Seed, but he owed a response after being quiet this long. “Similar to how you wield your sword with familiarity, I’ve grown used to spotting things people don’t often notice. Simple details mostly,” Rori ticked them off his fingers while the floor continued to shift with the sound of disturbed glass. “A vest missing its third button, for instance. Or the chips of amber that are in one eye but absent from the other. A loose seam, a faded scar.” A noncommittal shrug rolled through his shoulders as Rori finished, reaching the others at this point.


“A majority of them are meaningless observations," admitted the artist, "and by now it's only a force of habit." A quick sweep of the eyes revealed their party had returned to its original number, with Ryan and Anelies' recent revival the most noted among the haggard group. The pair was in vastly better conditions compared to when he had last left them.


He saw Ryan's hand now wrapped around the Seed, its azure glow peeking through the gaps of his loosely curled fingers. It pulsed in a way that was strangely reminiscent of seasonal tides, and Rori watched as the remaining curls of light were drawn back into the orb. As the last wisp disappeared the Seed settled then, as though finished with its task.


If that couldn't be more of a sign, now was a good time as any to get a move on.


Raising a hand, a curious thought crossed his mind as Rori wondered how well the group would continue to get along. There had been brief flashes of camaraderie during the past events but even after acquiring two Seeds, their relationship as a group seemed fixed. It wasn't entirely ubiquitous, progress being made between a few of them. But for others reluctance and indifference still lingered, giving way to growing rifts as Nina, clutching her satchel, eyed Nicholas with an uncertain look.


Rori, turning from the two and shaking his head at Nicole's suggestion to rest, drew up a door instead to reveal the stretch of urban buildings. "Best if we kept moving," Rori decided as Metropolis wavered into view.


Only time would alter these relationships.


@DergTheDergon @Iomana @JayfeatherRaven @Elfia Nightwing @JaidenLark @Mitchs98

Nicole gave Rori a semi-startled look as he began speaking after a short silence. She had assumed he would not answer for whatever reason, and was alright with that, but the answer was still very much appreciated. It was also intriguing. She listened to his verbal demonstration of his powers of observation with a curious look in her eyes, then replied. "I don't think these smaller observations are meaningless, per se. If you've a habit of looking out for minute details, however unimportant, the ones of true importance become easier to notice. I doubt you would've noticed the glow of the seed so quickly if it were not for all that practice, for example." She smiled a bit as her own observation of sorts came to a conclusion.
Nicole finished voicing her thoughts on the matter as they approached the group, looking over everyone and smiling, glad to see that the seed had healed the other two injured just as swiftly as it had healed Julian. It made Nicole wonder what sort of powers the Forest's seed held, and just as she was along that line of thought, she overheard Nicholas's words directed towards Nina. "Reacting to each other?" Nicole repeated aloud without noticing, frantically looking towards Nina's backpack to see what Nick meant. It was glowing... Nicole found a sad look crossing her face at Nina's sad, fearful words. What's worse, Nicole did not have certain words of comfort for her, seeing as she had no idea what they were doing, and she didn't want to be proved a liar by trying to give some reassurance. Making sure to keep an eye on the seeds in case something happened, and Nina in case her seed changed in some way that may upset her, and Nicholas in case he had some sort of nefarious intent behind his words, Nicole then gave her suggestion to rest to the group.


Rori's answer caused a slight frown to mar Nicole's lips for a moment, especially as he then finished conjuring his portal to Metropolis without a second thought, but thinking about it he was right, and she gave him a reluctant nod of partial agreement soon after. The fate of the dreamworlds is at stake here... and the waking world as well, if one were to get technical. Nicole thought of her family, still in a coma most likely or... worse, perish the thought, and shook her head, mentally chastising herself for wanting to sit and laze about when so much was at stake and she was one of the few who could hopefully make things right again. Nicole was simply concerned for the ones who were recently injured, and hoped to give everyone in the group time to recuperate from recent and suspenseful events, yet the more she thought about it the more resting now seemed like a potentially catastrophic decision. They could rest when all the seeds were gathered... it didn't take very long to get the first two anyway.


As Metropolis materialized into view through the portal, Nicole took a deep breath and, despite her earlier reluctance to move in, stepped into the portal the moment she had mentally prepared herself for the incoming otherworldly sensation of being transported into another world.


@thistle @JayfeatherRaven

Startling somewhat as the object, it must have been a Seed because what else could have such power, was snatched from her grip, the young girl turned just in time to see Nicholas placing it in Ryan's hand. He looked to be in even worse conditions than she had been in and feeling sheepish at asking so many questions while he lay there on the verge of unconsciousness, she watched with incredulous eyes at the pearl went about healing the boy. She had felt its work earlier but hadn't had the chance to see it for herself.
Just as her attention was being drawn in by the warm green glow emanating from Nina's backpack and her earlier guess was answered by the others, the blonde was pulled into a hug by Alisa. She patted the girl's back, feeling a little embarrassed from the sudden and relieved display of affection. She was honestly grateful that both she and Nina stayed nearby to make sure nothing bad happened to them. Considering they had just met, Anelie didn't know if, the moment she fell behind, she would be figuratively thrown to the wolves. "Thank you for staying by me."


Before she could say anything more, Ryan spoke up and Anelie gave a hapless shrug towards him. He must have gone down sometime after she did but unfortunately the girl didn't even have a clue to how long she had been down either. The rest of the group soon joined and Anelie was relieved to see that only her and Ryan seemed to have suffered the worst of the injuries. Trying to hide a gasp of surprise as a door suddenly materialized from thin air. She moved to peek into it and caught sight of what appeared to be a city. It reminded her a bit of home. A sudden bolt of homesickness pierced her heart and in an effort to ignore it, the girl rose slowly to her feet as Nicole moved towards it and stepped inside. Hesitation was written plainly across her features as she took a slow step towards it, then another, until she could peer closer in. "Is-is it safe...?" Try as she might, she couldn't just will herself to jump into a mysterious doorway without some form of reassurance.


@Mitchs98 @JaidenLark @thistle

"Long enough for us to fight off the NightMares, find the Seed, and destroy the Tower." Nicholas answered in a brusque manner, dismissing Ryan's question with a wave of his hand. "And now we're off to the Metropolis." He retrieved the Seed from Ryan's hand then hurriedly flung it towards Nina as if the Seed was on fire. "Keep it." He ordered, noticing how the glow had intensified now that the Seeds were closer to one another. "And whether to keep them apart or not...that's your choice."
With that, he headed towards the portal and plunged through it, ignoring the girl who was peeking in curiously. For a moment he was trapped in swirling bits of aether and nothingness, and the next he shot out of the portal and onto cold hard concrete. Picking himself up, he instinctively checked his surroundings for signs of danger. Nothing. Just dull grey buildings protruding up into an equally dreary sky. "Now isn't this just optimistic." He remarked, heavy sarcasm laced through his words. This DreamWorld was in even worse condition than the last two.


@JaidenLark @Elfia Nightwing @DergTheDergon


-


Inwardly, Valora worried that Rori wouldn't have enough strength to conjure up another portal in his state, but that was exactly what he did, looking as confident as ever in the role of their personal portal chauffeur. But still she fretted, though she knew they could always use the Pearl if anything bad happened. Shifting her gaze to Nina, she was forced to avert her eyes again when the two Seeds began radiating a blue-green light, blinding Valora when she tried to spot the young girl through the luminescence. Perhaps...bringing the Seeds together wasn't good idea. "I could hold it for you." Valora offered, stretching her hand out until her fingertips brushed the surface of the blue jewel. The instant she did that, all thoughts of doubt slipped from her mind and overwhelming calm swept through her, leaving a tiny, satisfied smile on her face. Suddenly, she had no sense of urgency nor anything negative. "Why are you in such a hurry?" She asked dreamily, grasping Anelie's wrist when she readied to step through the portal. "We could just...relax in the lure of the Ocean."


@Elfia Nightwing @Iomana

Alisa Ann

For a few moments Alisa lingered hugging Anelie, just relieved she was going to be alright, that both her and Ryan would be alright. She considered these people her friends, even if they didn't think the same of her and had just met. She was sure they'd all do the same thing for her, help her if they could, and help each other. After all, they all had the same goal; to find the seeds and restore the Dream Worlds. So far, they had two of the seeds. With any luck, they'd soon have them all. Soon enough everyone else had came back to their little group relatively unharmed. "Good. Ya is glad everyone is alright." She told them, a warm smile on her face. She was also glad to see that Julian seemed to be doing alright now, she felt bad for him..but as long as he seemed fine that was good.


Soon enough Rori came over and said they should go, followed by opening a portal. Alisa stood up and nodded, though she waited for Nicole and Nicholas to go through before doing anything. When Anelie asked if it would be okay she nodded. "Da. It should be okay to go through. It's how my got here from the Forest...and to the Forest." She replied, adding the last part in the case of her and Nina. She was about to step through when Valora grabbed Anelie by the wrist and more or less stopped her from entering. Alisa arched a brow, why was she suddenly saying that? "My need to go. Vy know this Valora. Come on. Ya is sure my can come back when my fix everything." She told her. She wasn't entirely sure what was going on, but whatever it was she didn't like or trust it. Valora knew they had little time to spare, so why was she wasting it?

 

[Elfia Nightwing]

Nina caught the pearl clumsily, just barely missing it. The orb of the forest was glowing intensely by the point, as if it were longing for its companion. No. Not yet. She wasn't ready to lose the last bit of Pan she had left." Oh no you don't!" With that Penny stuffed the forest orb back in it's bag, concentrating on another bag for the pearl. This one was mirror to the one for the forest orb, except with a thicker lining on the inside. "In ya go!" She smiled and stuffed the pearl inside.


That seemed to calm down the orbs, which were no longer able to sense each other. "Okay! All set!" Nina set the pearl bag on her front and the green orb on her back, bobbing over to the group. "Ready to go!" She smiled up at the group.

 

[Iomana]

Anelie paused the moment she felt a hand circling her wrist and a small frown appeared as her brow furrowed. The group had, up until now, made it seem like this mission was one to be completed with the upmost of urgency yet now Valora was suggesting they relax. That didn't add up in the least. Alisa's response and the dreamy look on the other girl's face only added to her suspicion and confusion and her head cocked curiously. "Alisa is right, I'm pretty sure we need to hurry. Is everything okay...?"


@JayfeatherRaven @Mitchs98

 

[JayfeatherRaven]

Valora gave her head a shake, frowning in confusion. Anelie's words had jolted her back to reality but for a second the sense of overwhelming peace had rushed through her. "I'm okay, I think." She said slowly. Then her gaze landed on Nina's new bag. Despite but thick leather that surrounded the Pearl, the faint blue glow still wasn't completely smothered. Valora balled her hands into fists as her mind revisited the stupor she had just fallen into. It was strangely jarring to lose one's sense of urgency all of sudden, just to be replaced but a feeling of hollow calm. She didn't like it.


"Be careful with those Seeds. I think we might be underestimating the extent of their magic in these worlds. Until we find a safe place to store them, it is best we keep them contained." She said, another shudder running through her. "That was - awful." Desperate to escape from the unnerving expanse of ocean, Valora plunged through the portal after Nicholas and was spat out onto the other side.


@Elfia Nightwing

 

[Mitchs98]

Anelie paused the moment she felt a hand circling her wrist and a small frown appeared as her brow furrowed. The group had, up until now, made it seem like this mission was one to be completed with the upmost of urgency yet now Valora was suggesting they relax. That didn't add up in the least. Alisa's response and the dreamy look on the other girl's face only added to her suspicion and confusion and her head cocked curiously. "Alisa is right, I'm pretty sure we need to hurry. Is everything okay...?"
@JayfeatherRaven @Mitchs98

Valora gave her head a shake, frowning in confusion. Anelie's words had jolted her back to reality but for a second the sense of overwhelming peace had rushed through her. "I'm okay, I think." She said slowly. Then her gaze landed on Nina's new bag. Despite but thick leather that surrounded the Pearl, the faint blue glow still wasn't completely smothered. Valora balled her hands into fists as her mind revisited the stupor she had just fallen into. It was strangely jarring to lose one's sense of urgency all of sudden, just to be replaced but a feeling of hollow calm. She didn't like it.
"Be careful with those Seeds. I think we might be underestimating the extent of their magic in these worlds. Until we find a safe place to store them, it is best we keep them contained." She said, another shudder running through her. "That was - awful." Desperate to escape from the unnerving expanse of ocean, Valora plunged through the portal after Nicholas and was spat out onto the other side.


@Elfia Nightwing

Alisa Ann

Alisa noticed Valora continue to act a bit odd, but she quickly regained her composure. She guessed it was just the stress catching up to her? Or something in the world was influencing her. Either way, if she wouldn't go she'd soon find Alisa forcing her into the portal against her will. They had to go and something was cleaely wrong. Though, luckily that didn't have to happen as she soon regained her senses and jumped into the portal herself. "Cya on the other side guys!" She told them cheerfully before leaping through, also being spat out into the other world. She wasn't sure how things would go, but she was confident in everyones abilities to make it through.