Fantasy Inescapable Shadows

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by IdyllicDreamer[/div]
"Almost blow up!" That kitchen had still been standing, and probably still was back at their old home. Whatever had become of it, that thought bringing about a note of melancholy to the woman. For the moment, though, it would be pushed to the side as she instead focused on the insects again. It was hard to imagine that these were the young of the creatures haunting Caleb, the temptation to burn them all away rising again. For a moment that desire would manifest as a small pop of a flame that swirled around her fingers before dying out.

"There are so many of them, these are all babies of those... things in the dreams?" Curious then if it was similar to rodents, where they produced so many because they died so easily, or if this world was simply overflowing with these creatures in some places. Swarms of adult monstrosities littering about. At least there were no adults here now, though seeing one may have helped her form a better image of them, of what they were dealing with.

"Also I was wondering, how does time flow here compared to our world..?" The thought of Caleb made her wonder if she was late already, or not...
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[CeriseFern]

"The, metamorphosis I suppose," he was no scientist and this wasn't an aspect of the creatures he studied closely, "consists of large groups of them using magic to merge together. This swarm is probably, ehhh, bad guess, but maybe like 10?"

He backed away from the edge of the barrier and once again found himself leaning against the tree. It didn't know it, but thanks to the barrier it would probably be one of the few things around her to survive. Not all of it was covered in their shielding, but a decent chunk. Lucky it.
"Time functions the same, a minute here a minute there. Nothing odd. If that was a problem I probably wouldn't have brought you here today, given you gatta get Caleb from school soon. The spell that transported us takes about 10-20 minutes," he added, "though I know it feels far longer,,,"
He now looked over at the other side of the barrier, they were headed in the most inconvenient direction.
"I might not have much of a home now," he muttered, "when they pass we should probably go back to Earth. Even if they don't destroy everything, it's gonna take too long to get there. Or at least, waiting for them to pass over it assuming they don't change direction. It's probably not a great idea to keep going."

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by IdyllicDreamer[/div]
That made her feel a little better, a transitional phase where they wouldn't simply remain a swarm. What exactly they became, what the condensed power of the many would become, was another matter of concern entirely. One that she would have to ask him about later, when she wasn't in the middle of a swarm of them waiting it out. Eyes darting over towards him as he continued, chewing at her lip slightly in thought.

"It's not just picking Caleb up, after school I run an elective class for a few students who have magical potential. Some of them from families who don't even know it." Evette explained, a small course that only lasted an hour or so. There was a bit of manipulation involved, just some low-key spells to keep those who wouldn't benefit from the course from actually wanting to join it. One of the few 'questionable' magics that were allowed here, to keep the secret of magic from the masses.

"If I can at least be back before nightfall I think it would be better if we stayed, and finished what we need to do rather than come back and risk the same thing. That woman you saw yesterday? She's the mother of Caleb's best friend, and she's a good friend of mine as well. There will be questions but, I know she'll keep an eye on Caleb if I don't show up." Caleb would worry of course as well, and she would have some explaining to do at the school but... Certain things couldn't be helped.

Of course it had nothing to do with the fact that she just didn't want to go through the planar travel again.
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[CeriseFern]

"Well,,," he finally looked back at her, now a bit less distracted by the creatures, "I just came here to show you what I've been doing, this, planar traveling. It's what I've been doing. This isn't the only place I've gone, but I've spent the most time here and it is the home of his nightmares. So it was worth going to more than anywhere else. I don't know that going to the house will yield any more information... I mean," he paused to think on it for a moment.

The original intentions were... Well vague at best. So show her the body of work he'd been studying? This swarm was surprisingly productive, more so than his original idea. There was a name, a person. The root of all evil one might call it. He couldn't say anything on the matter, but perhaps if Evette paid enough attention... She wasn't oblivious in the least, but tend to deal with things directly and perhaps wouldn't pick up on the clue he wanted to lay out. If he could just, talk.
"We could keep going, I suppose with a bit of luck the swarm might take a turn and then the trip won't be as long. No harm in trying then," he didn't seem that convinced, he didn't think it would change things. Still if she wanted to go, then they should.

 

[CeriseFern]

Evette's words would be cut off by the sound of a loud crack, the swarm might be thinning but their effects were only worsening as the bugs past over. Each one taking their share of the plants energy. Trees began shedding dead branches. One by one limbs came tumbling down. This barrier could take the light beating. The branches mostly rolling off the circular dome. What this barrier couldn't take was the full brunt on an entire tree. As Gracen warned his, tallest tree in the area, came tumbling down. The bark might have been reduced to dust but the trunk was still sturdy and heavy.

Neither of them had any real time to react before the tree came crashing down. Without giving it much thought Gracen grabbed Evette and throw out a second smaller barrier within the first. For Gracen this is where he passes out, taking the full impact of the tree crashing through the first barrier and into the second. Lucky to have his over use of magic today take him out before the pain of the tree. Evette was not as lucky as she found both the tree and Gracen suddenly on top of her. At the very least the insects continued to fly past completely uninterested in the mess below.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by IdyllicDreamer[/div]
By this point Evette was beginning to wonder if either of them had really thought out their plans as far as they should have. Wondering, then, if he was afraid to try and explain things, even things that might not have triggered the inconvenient spell settled on him. How bad the pain might have been, for it to potentially make this all so much more complex than it needed to be. Damn the whole thing. At least the swarm was thinning out.

That relief wouldn't last long when the branches started to fall, confident in her barrier in that regard. An entire tree, however... That was another story, another story that she was about to try and do something about when Gracen grabbed her. Yelping slightly as events progressed so quickly beyond that point, stunned for a moment as the proverbial dust settled. The two of them were lucky the impact hadn't killed them!

She might have made a comment of just that, about the exact tree that had fallen on them, if she hadn't seen the state he was in. For a moment it felt like her heart stopped, panic welling up as the situation settled in as her own nightmare. Trying to move at first was not only futile, but entirely painful.

There was little hesitation then as she clenched her eyes shut, envisioning what she needed to do, and working it into practice. The sensation burning along her arms as she called upon her powers, force pushing against the tree. Leveraging it with the terrain, the surroundings, something to move it off of them enough for her to try and pull him farther away from it.

Then... where? She didn't know where his damned house was, or anything about this world! Trying her best to continue ignoring the sensation as she moved her body. Focusing, concentrating, the burning spreading throughout her before she would start to transition. Shifting into something a bit more squat, sturdy, and capable of moving him better than she could have. In the direction of his house, if nothing else. Hopefully whatever it was wouldn't have been destroyed by the swarm.

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[CeriseFern]

Despite the abrupt deforestation the world almost felt peaceful after the swarm past. As the buzzing lessened to near nothing and the dust settled. The dense air lessened and the sun's rays were finally able to reach the underbrush. These creatures weren't done, and Evette could easily see them continue on their destructive path. Here, however, was calm.

The path Gracen traveled was hard to see at first, given the litter of branches. It was there, still, and Evette could follow given the inclination. She would even find that as she went it became increasingly easier to follow. Of course they were getting increasingly closer to his home, and in the case perhaps it was best to follow the path most traveled.


The swarm continued to move forward at a steady pace, a decent distance from Evette and Gracen. It seemed to swerve left and right, and just as it seemed like it would make a turn it swerved right back into place. It was safe to assume that it would continue this pattern and hope of it changing was futile.

All the while Gracen seemed irregularly still in his state. At points so much so it seemed like he might have stopped breathing. Far more like a stone than a person. He had been like this before. It wasn't totally uncommon when he was young and often experimented with powerful magic. Though not always dark in nature. Still he'd often come two given a half an hour or so and be his normal self. At this point hours had passed and there seemed no signs of him waking soon.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by IdyllicDreamer[/div]
Her worries had evidently been for naught, as soon enough Evette would manage to locate the... house, if it could be called that. In an odd way it suited him though, and a pang traveled through her as she wondered once more how he had been living this whole time. Shaking it off she would take him inside to lay upon whatever was the most easily available surface aside from the floor. Body shifting, twisting, back into its original shape... The burn traveling along her back now though she forced it from her mind. Instead focusing on assessing him.

Evette wasn't a healer, nor did she have a vast amount of medical knowledge. Yet she knew some things, some research she did to make sure she would be prepared for many common symptoms of problems should something have happened to Caleb. Some far less likely than others... It still meant she didn't know nearly enough about what might have been wrong with him, though fortunately it didn't look like he was dying...

Yet as time went on, and she was left to slowly sooth her own issue, Evette would start getting more worried. She couldn't remember him ever having been under for this long, in those odd sleeps that he had in the past. His experimentation constantly worrying her, fortunately Caleb had never displayed any signs of one. Memories of being afraid that was the time he wouldn't wake up came seeping back in, and she couldn't help the feeling from swirling all over again.

Unable to sit still Evette would have eventually started tidying the place up, there was little else she could actually do here that she felt 'safe' doing. Placing up a barrier around the house in case another swarm happened to pass through, looking through anything that seemed to suitable shape... How many hours had passed? Glancing to him again eventually... Was his condition the same, worse? What was different this time, was it the overuse? The tree? So many factors, and no ways for her to really get her answers.

Moving over to check on him again... Evette would hesitate for a moment before she leaned over near him. Did he have a fever? What was his condition now..? Soon she wouldn't be able to help but lean in closer, pressing her lips to his forehead to see if he was any warmer than he should have been.
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[CeriseFern]

The small shack consisted only of four walls and one room. Constructed of what seemed to be still living plants and vines. It might have been camouflagable if not for the front door. It was far less a house and more like a study in the middle of the forest. Though that did seem typical for Gracen. The chaotic mess, books and papers everywhere. Gracen would know where everything was, somehow, but lord help anyone else trying to figure out where something was at. One desk with no room to left on it, several shelves and book cases packed full, and one rarely used and rather uncomfortable looking cot.

"I think healing kisses only work in fairy tales," Gracen mumbled, still in a spell between sleep and awake. He registered what Evette did but still seemed somewhat unaware. The pain fogged and exhaust fogging his mind.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
Evette froze up slightly when he spoke, not having expected it for one thing, and simply floored by what he said for another. She would suddenly jerk away from him after a moment, face getting a brilliant shade of red as the words settled in, the way that must have been taken... The way it probably looked, when that wasn't her original intention at all. She was about ready to start speaking, to defend herself right now, when she realized something important.

The bastard wasn't even actually awake. The thought held an almost bitter not to it, until she realized his state was still terrible. A soft grumble-groan slipped out as she pressed her face into her hands, trying to expel the embarrassment right now. Unsure if he was lucky, or not, to be in the state he was in right now... As if he wasn't she would have ended up chewing him out a great deal for that little comment and let him suffer right along with her.

Instead... nothing, she just sighed. Going back to what she was doing, trying to straighten out this damned mess since there was nothing else she could do. Aside from worry about how Caleb and Gracen were doing.

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When school had ended for the day the boy had been looking forward to seeing his mother, that final class for the day, most of it almost made school worth it. It almost helped him forget all about those things anymore that wouldn't leave him alone. Yet today, when it came time for him and the others to meet up... She was nowhere to be seen, no one could reach her on that cellphone that kept going straight to voicemail. Magical means of contacting her were failing as well, Caleb would know... He had been magically screaming for her for a few hours now.

Nothing was working, and all of the explanations he was getting were so half-assed and unsatisfying, he was starting to get extremely frustrated. Caleb was a very well behaved boy, he listened to his mother, his teachers, other adults. He said his pleases, and thank yous, he mostly remembered to pick up after himself... He valued the 'partnership' his mother said the two of them had, working together as they only had one another. It made him feel special, as if he too was helping her in a way when she did so much for him. Yet right now? With her missing as she was..?

It felt like the world was ending and no one could tell him why. He was upset, cranky, angry, a mix of things swirling inside the boy that resulted in him being a bit less pleasant than usual. His tone was a little shorter, he was probably going to get in trouble at some point if he kept that up... Especially when she got back, she was coming back right? The thoughts littering his mind that this morning would have been the last time he saw his mother, the dreams coming true, his world turning upside down. Thoughts of that man slipped into his thoughts, seeping through and turning bitter. Everything was weird since he showed up.

By the time night started rolling around Caleb wasn't feeling anymore tired than he had hours prior, no he was feeling angry. Focused, he knew what he wanted to do, he wanted to find his mother. She had said before they had a special bond, a connection. That was why he could find her in his dreams, could call out to her... He forced himself to go to sleep that night. Not in the way a child might on Christmas eve, where the excitement over tomorrows events kept them away. No, he did so with his magic this time.

Calling upon things he didn't quite understand to reach what he wanted. It would be easier in the dreams, more familiar probably. He could find his mother like this. Except he didn't know she wasn't asleep, she couldn't sleep at the moment. There was however, someone near her that was asleep. Someone that he could find.

It would be Caleb's powers that shaped the world this time, this dream state that is. The space he created would be a near exact replica of his home with his mother, though it lacked the protective wards that the physical home had. Unknowingly calling the wrong person into this false world. Looking around for his mother, she had to be here.
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[CeriseFern]

Pulled from a dreamless sleep it took Gracen a moment to orient himself. For a moment even he felt as if he woke up. Though back at Evette's house? That didn't make sense. Well, her Azaleas looked fine. Oh and his entire body didn't ache, that probably should've been the first clue...

He shrugged off any thoughts he had and walked up to the front door. Locked. Well, might as well knock right? It perhaps took him too long to realize this was in fact a dream, but to his credit it was rather atypical. It looked and sounded stunningly real. Though the lack of people out on the road and sidewalk was a bit off.
Though he certainly could tell that his mind didn't create this. His memories of this house, after going to it just once, are way to fuzzy.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
Were he thinking clearly Caleb probably would have thought about the fact that his mother certainly wouldn't have been knocking on the door, even if she had forgotten her key she still had other ways of getting it open. That didn't stop the little bubble of hope from building up in his chest at the sound, which sent him racing for the door. So familiar with the house he wouldn't even bump into a single thing along the way there. He hardly even noticed that the door wasn't even locked in his haste to throw it open, to see his mother and know that she was safe.

Except when the door open the bubble burst, that hopeful feeling fading away into something else as he saw him. That man, that damned man who had started all of this, it was because of him that his mother was missing. The anger filling the space where hope had once been, suffocating and blinding out reason. The boy had his mothers temper, though it took him far longer to reach his 'blasting' point. Well, right now he was there.

"Where's my mom!?!" The boy just about shouted out, forgetting the fact that this was his dream state right now, unaware of the fact that the 'monsters' would likely be coming for the both of them this time around. Unconcerned that, were this the real world, he would have been breaking so many rules right now, as power swirled around him. Capabilities that most youths wouldn't have, the product of power settled within him.

It would come rushing out, things he shouldn't have known how to do, a blast of corrupt energy aimed straight for Gracen. Anger was fueling the black and purple flames that came licking out of his body, no heat was produced by the fire. Icy, frigid, draining. Were his mother there to see that, something she was unaware of, she would have been horrified immediately.

But she wasn't here, and that was the problem.
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[CeriseFern]

The blast certainly did a number on Gracen, if only because he didn't expect it. A part of him had to know, really. If Caleb was alive and well all these years he had to be practicing dark magic. Did Evette know? It felt like something she would've talked about. There were just so many thoughts and so many things, it was hard to sort out the important from the inconsequential.

Gracen stood back up, ignoring the pain. It was only dreams after all. The worst Caleb might be able to do is give Gracen a bad night's rest, and well he already anticipated as much.
"You feelin' any better kid?" he asked, "it's good to let out pent up aggression, but maybe not at me next time?"

He wouldn't scold him for the dark magic, it was almost understandable at this point. Still hurt like hell though. He got to escape the pain of the tree, but now this. It was almost even worse somehow.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
By the time the blast had left, and hit the stranger, Caleb was already feeling a bit drained. That blast hadn't been a small feat in the slightest, and he wasn't adept enough to drain vitality with his powers. They were rough, unrefined. He had never actively worked on them, not these powers that lurked below the surface. Panting slightly as the man recovered like that, as if it were all so simple. It would be hard to tell if Caleb was even sure this was a dream, even knew it was his own dream right now. The lack of awareness dampening his potential 'control', giving it away.

"I'm not a... not a kid, where's mom?? I know you took her!" Or at the very least Caleb knew he had something to do with it, he had to. The boy wasn't stupid, he knew better than to think it was all some coincidence, even if he wasn't exactly thinking rationally right now. It was fear, and anxiety, right now that were in charge. Both of which were fueling anger, because she was suppose to be here with him. Instead she was gone, like they said she would be. It was at that thought there would be a sound in the distance, her scream, a mix of terror and pain. Caleb's body jolting slightly at the sound, wide eyed.

For a moment there would be a hand on his shoulder, a twisted knobby shape of skin stretched across bones, a whisper in his ear that would be indecipherable to anyone aside from him. In a second it was gone, or visually gone anyways, as the power roiled around Caleb's form. Fueled, he was terrified of something happening to him mom now, after all of those dreams. The parts she never saw, before he ended up summoning her.

The following blast would be far less focused, less condensed, more power spread out over a larger space as he screamed out with its release.

[div class=PostieBar][/div]
Something was wrong, the feeling settled in her mind and wrapped around sharply as she suddenly froze with her work. Eyebrow furrowing, that hair raising feeling along the back of her neck was intense now. Instead of a tingle it was practically stabbing at her, impossible to ignore before she doubled forward slightly. Hands gripping at the desk within the room, eyes clenching such for a moment as she tried to focus her own energy. Push her mind passed it, what? What was it this time? What was the disturbance, the wrongness with the world that was screaming at her so?

There was usually ever only one thing that could call out to her in such a way, Caleb. Yet he should have been fine, with Gracen sleeping that would protect him.. At least so she thought. Eyes glancing over towards him, something was clearly happening. The scream that echoed in her mind, however, chilled her. Terrified her, Caleb. Once again it was her fault, she had been the one to want to stay, the one who prolonged this damned visit and left him alone. Among others, but alone.

But what could she do about it now? Hopelessness creeping over as that feeling of wrongness rose within.
[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

Those bastards, of course. With two of them here Gracen would've hoped they'd bother someone else. Unfortunate as it might be, them bothering literally anyone else this night would've been a god save. No, this was perfect for them. Caleb was upset and desperate and Gracen just being here only made him angrier. Even for the dream realm, this raw energy was incredible.

There was a pulling, a family sense of being dragged into nothingness once more. With Caleb's unintentional pushing. Gracen lost his footing and the world began to slip from his grasp. No. Gracen couldn't let them be separated, not going to happen.
The moment Caleb finished Gracen ripped away from an imperceptible force, raced in as fast as he could. Tightly grabbing the boy and holding him close, protecting him from what came next.

"ENOUGH." Gracen thundered, the whole world shook. The house, everything, began to ripple and dissolve. It was just the two of them. In a colourless, soundless void. Perhaps it wouldn't last, but he bought them some time. He hoped.

"Ki-Caleb," he let go before Caleb could complain, "your mom is fine." Gracen affirmed, now taking a small step back to give Caleb some more space, "I'm sorry for the scare we just got caught up by something unexpected. If you could just, just stop attacking me for a moment here and I could explain?"

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
Caleb really didn't know what to think at the moment when the strange man came rushing at him, bracing himself in a way, those chilling flames flickering for a moment. Weakened with his confusion, he would end up completely startled and frozen when Gracen suddenly shouted. Unsure if it was at him, the world, or any other number of things... One thing would settle in soon enough though, and that was this man was still touching him, which was wholly unacceptable. Fortunately he was released before he could really start squirming, fighting back. The boy would take a few steps away from him immediately, unsure if he should believe it when this man said his mother was fine. If she was then she would have been here.

"Then... explain! Where is she?" The boy didn't quite seem sure if he was suppose to trust this man, though the fact that his mother had said she would tell him about it all... Maybe that should have accounted for something. Regardless he didn't seem to be rearing up any attacks again, the black-purple flames slowly dying away. He was still upset, still afraid something might have been wrong, but he wasn't exactly on the attack anymore.

"And who are you?" Without the nearby whispers, the things Caleb almost always heard, it was a lot easier to think more calmly. In this unnatural, quiet, space, a place unlike any in his typical dreams.
[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

"While you were at school I was showing your mother where your nightmares came from, in an attempts to explain the situation to her," Gracen paused a moment, trying to figure out the best way to explain. Nothing good came to him, he just had to spit out nonsense and hope it worked.
"Those creatures... Aren't of Earth. She's not on planet Earth at the moment. Any communication spells won't work, and unfortunate for her I'm the only one who can get her back on Earth."

Gracen sighed and oddly opted to sit down on the ground. Really starting to feel the exhaust. This was sleeping, but he'd never actually get to rest.
"Kid I got crushed by a tree earlier but you really knocked the wind out of me, I suppose I've been out for a day then. Maybe longer? Is it the first night since she's disappeared or has it been longer?" He conveniently left out that Evette was likely hurt by the fell tree as well. Though he reasoned if he was still alive than she had to be fine as well. Right?
"I'm betting she's not asleep right now because of how worried she is about," he vaguely gestured all around him, "all, all of this."

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
The tumbling storm of mixed emotions would quell to an extent as the man spoke, as Caleb was told the things he so desperately wanted to know. The fact that his mom was on another planet was an uncomfortable fact, he hated the idea that she was so far away. That neither could reach the other, this wasn't how things were suppose to be. She shouldn't have been potentially in danger somewhere because of his dreams, guilt creeping in at that. Fists clenching at his sides, it was easier to have just been blaming this man... But apparently he couldn't.

"It just... happened today." Caleb said, a little stunned for a moment at the fact that the man had apparently been crushed by a tree?? He had questions about that, but he also had to wonder if his mom was okay too then? Apparently she was better than him, since she wasn't... asleep, or anything. If she was Caleb would have found her, he was sure. "But she's never late getting me, not late like this anyways, so... So I knew something was wrong." The boy would still quickly add that in, not wanting the man to think he was just some baby who jumped the gun!

"Yeah she... she worries a lot, I know..." It was a little embarrassing sometimes when she worried too much but he kind of loved it at the same time, it made him feel a little special. "But she also does dumb things sometimes when she's worried! Like.., like... if... She can't make it back soon, don't let her do too much magic stuff without her book. She'll lie and say its fine but she's hurting herself. I saw it one time, she gets these burns on her invisible tattoo's." Again he would add that in quickly, wanting at least someone to make sure she wasn't trying to do too much. Unfortunately this weirdo was his only option...

"Hey! You never answered my other question, who even are you? How does Mom know you..?"
[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

"Your mom and I grew up together, our families were close friends," Gracen kinda brushed off the question, though he did answer truthfully. He finally stood back up, gesturing slightly to make a table and chairs appear. Easy enough to do here, but it was still Caleb's dream and it appeared as Evette's table.

"Why don't you take a seat-" he did himself "-I think they're scared enough of me that I bought us some real time," he'd been waiting for them to make an immediate reappearance, but they hadn't.
"You know, it's not your job to worry about your mom. It's her job to worry about you, and." Was he really going to say this? He thought to ask Evette herself but the timing was never right, and now he was going to pry Caleb for the information unintentionally instead. He couldn't think of it long and just did what came naturally, "your father's job to worry about her."

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
Well that mostly checked out with what his mom said anyways, that they were old friends, which probably explained why he was helping. If you couldn't count on your family, or friends, then who could you count on? A thought that made him feel a little better, they must have been close then. Caleb had to wonder why his mom never talked about this guy then, or why she didn't ever see him before now? It was weird.

Curious as he was about who 'they' were in all of this, the things in his nightmares, Caleb didn't actually launch into an assault of questions about it all. Slowly taking a seat at the familiar table, the chair he chose in particular was his chair. He knew because of a small nick he had made on it years ago. More questions formed in his mind, but they would all be shut down when the man had to go there, ask about his father.

"My fathers dead, so it's my job to worry about her instead." When Caleb said that he didn't sound particularly upset, mournful in any way. It was hard to mourn a man, or miss a man, he had never even met. "It's okay though, I'm used to that so don't do that weird apologizing thing some people do... I know its bad but, I'm more worried about Mom than me when it comes to my dad." Adding that in Caleb would just end up looking down slightly, arms kind of folding on the table as he started fiddling with his fingers.

"I asked her about it once when I was little, what happened to him. She got this really sad look, I think she got that look a lot when she saw other kids dads or something, she probably felt bad or something... She didn't need to. Anyways, she said... Something took him away, something she couldn't understand, and that he's gone." He would pause for a moment, looking unhappy about it all before he would look back up at the stranger again.

"She never really said much more than that and I never really asked again, I didn't want to make her sad. And don't you ask her about it either!... Please... She still really loves and misses him, so I want to help keep her from thinking about it. Don't tell her I told you either." Caleb almost sounded a touch nervous at the end, not really wanting her to know that he said all of this to some... old friend.

[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

"I," Gracen frowned, not expecting that sort of answer. This kid really liked to overshare, didn't he? Maybe he needed more friends, or... Some hobbies or something? The stress from the undersleeping probably didn't help, but still, Gracen suspected he was just always like this.

"Well," he said with half a laugh, "I definitely won't tell her you told me that."

Gracen systematically started cracking his knuckles one by one, clearly lost in thought. Before Caleb could begin talking again he spoke up.
"I was waiting, for your mother to decide if you should know this. But, you know what? I grew up without a father too, and I was much older than you before I found out the truth. You deserve to know the truth," Gracen made an effort to actually look Caleb in the eye, something he often avoided given a chance, "I'm your father."

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Caleb Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
By that point he was becoming a little worried, the nervousness from the other man leaving him to wonder if he had simply gone too far. He could be a bit of a talker, which wasn't usually a problem... Since there were only a few people he really spoke to much anyways. If nothing else... at least his mother wouldn't be told about what he said. A small blessing...

A blessing that would die out when the man spoke again, eyebrows furrowing in obvious confusion as he had to wonder why he was talking about his father. Maybe just, a weird adult bonding thing? He saw it in movies sometime, weird guy shows up and he and the kid form some kind of father son thing. If this man thought that was going to happen he had another thing coming.

But then he shattered Caleb's [div class=FancyText]world[/div]. Everything felt like it stopped moving in an instant as those last words left the other mans mouth, it was a lie. A trick, a nasty, horrible, lie of a thing. His mother wouldn't have lied to him about his father, no, that couldn't be the case. The feeling swelled within him darkly for an instant, the trickle of truth that floated through left a pain wrenching through the boys heart.

One hand moved up to clutch it, as if that would really do anything for the pain, before his eyes flashed over to the man. [div class=FancyText]Anger[/div], at this thing that had brought this all about. For a moment it may not have been entirely Caleb looking at him. The whispers, Caleb hardly thought about them anymore they were so common over the last few months.

The burst of energy that came out of the boy as he screamed again, shattering this dream space. Breaking the connection. Caleb would awaken elsewhere, far away from either of his parents. Safe, perhaps... If one could call his current state that.
[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

"FUCK-" Gracen abruptly sat upright in the cot, "-ing, hell." Then the pain hit him, "Ah, god damn. Kill me now, I'm never going to be able to sleep again, am I?"
The question wasn't meant for Evette specifically but he made eye contact with her after saying his bit.
"Oh, we made it," he gave a slight sigh in relief, "I thought you would but couldn't be certain, right?"
A part of him wanted to get up from the cot, yet when he tried to access his legs to move he realized... That was not going to happen. Another sigh, annoyed this time. He very reluctantly laid back down.
"I'm sorry Evie, I FUCKED UP!" as much as it hurt he still dramatically threw up his arms, of course not elaborating. Typical.

 

[IdyllicDreamer]

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[div class=PostieBox][div class=PostieBall][div class=PostieAvie][/div][/div][div class=PostieName]Evette Rulivae[/div][div class=Credit]Created by @IdyllicDreamer[/div]
The prickling sensation had grown so much worse, the wrongness of something out there that she couldn't put her finger on, yet knew exactly what was. Something was going on with Caleb, there was no other answer that made sense in her mind. So she was trying to concentrate on that feeling, cling to it and use it as a tether to check on the condition of her son. It was difficult, a little painful, and utterly exhausting really... yet she had to know.

Unfortunately the sudden shout from the cot would absolutely destroy her concentration. Her entire body jerking slightly before her head whipped over to look at Gracen, eyes wide as she processed the still odd swearing coming from him. Moving over to the cot then, focusing on him for the moment as... Well, he had almost just died today. A stern expression as she made sure he laid his ass back down..

"Stop moving about like that, what are you talking about..? What did you do?" He had been asleep after all, what could he have done? Aside from something involving those demonic monsters... Except he didn't seem nearly as disoriented upon awakening as he had before. A variable was different, so what else was?

[/div]

 

[CeriseFern]

"Caleb... He was looking for you, and, of course, your not asleep and I guess I'm the next 'best' thing magically speaking. So we just talked, and I tried to calm him down so he wasn't as worried about you," he paused just a moment, "I told him. About me. I thought he deserved to know. That really upset him."

Gracen forced himself to sit back up, but leaning against the wall now. Evette wouldn't take this well but it needed to be said, "because of what's been happening for the last decade... I knew Caleb would be, unusually good, at dark magic for his age. I didn't want to tell you, I thought maybe it couldn't be as bad as any speculation of my. But, it was still a shock to witness. Even for the dream realm, it was, powerful."