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“No, Dream. We still don’t know what it is,” Brog intercedes.
“What if it has anything to do with the shadows and they need light?” I ask.
“They will be back before it gets dark, so they will be fine,” he states as he looks at the three men and then nods at them. I know they are worried about me, but I can take care of myself, and I need to know where that noise is coming from. I turn towards the forest and am about to make my way there, when Brog comes to stand next to me.
“I wouldn’t advise it,” he says quietly. Looking over at him, I don’t say anything, waiting for him to hopefully leave, but he doesn’t. “Your sisters and you have a bigger purpose in life than to get killed so soon. Don’t be stubborn, Dream. Go practice your magic and see how your powers evolve, as we might need you to be at your strongest sooner than we think.”
I sigh. I am being stubborn, and he is right. I need to build up my resistance and my magic. “Fine.” I turn, making my way back inside and up to my room. I didn’t tell Brog about Toof and his Trolls, but I am sure that Drez has given him a full report of our day. After all, it’s only work. I shake my head at the thought and how my heart hurts knowing that Drez doesn’t like me. He only sees me as an obligation.
“You’re back,” Vain says as I walk past her room. I stop, taking a step back to look into her room.
“Yeah, I’m going to go practice to see if I have any more hidden magic somewhere,” I mutter.
“Well, I practiced on Love earlier, but now she isn’t talking to me,” Vain says, looking at me innocently.
My curiosity is piqued. Something must have happened for Love not to talk to Vain. “What did you do?” I ask, only to see Vain grin mischievously, which is never a good sign.
“I worked my magic on her and made her think for a while that she had a shorter leg than the other. Oh, Dream, it was so funny. You should have seen her wobbling around.” Vain throws back her head and laughs at her memories of earlier. “Even poor Beast couldn’t stop howling at Love’s ungainly walk.”
“Oh, that’s so mean, but don’t worry. You know Love. She will be back to her loving self in no time,” I say with a smile, only to have Vain shake her head.
“I think she is more upset because Shok was there and he laughed.”
“Well, good thing I wasn’t here. Like that, she won’t be upset at me.” Having Shok laugh at her must have been what made Love upset. She has always been more sensitive when comments come from Shok.
“Can I try it on you so we can see how it works?”
I point my finger at her. “No, don’t you dare or I’ll blind you with light,” I warn, which has her raising her hands in defeat.
“Fine, you guys are no fun,” she mutters.
“Anyway, I’m going to my room. I’ll see what I can come up with,” I say as I turn, making my way to my room. Walking in, I approach the bed, sitting down. Just earlier on, I woke up to Drez sitting on the chair, looking out for me. I was so excited and happy thinking that he actually liked me, and then he told me that it was his job. Looking at the painting on my wall, I try to get lost in it like I usually do, finding the peace that the image gives me, but to no avail today, as I’m way too hyped up to relax.
Standing, I walk towards the wall, looking at the waterfall I painted, the water shimmering. Wouldn’t it be nice if this magical place was true and behind the waterfall there was an entrance that leads to anywhere a person wants? I can feel myself smiling at my imagination. Closing my eyes, I place my hands on the wall, thinking of how the blossoms around the water smell, the sound of the water falling, the brilliance of the colours all shimmering in my mind. I can even feel splatters of water on my face; that is how strong my visualization is. My hands, instead of feeling the cold wall, are feeling the spray of the water from the waterfall.
I smile as my worries slowly wash away. Opening my eyes, I see the water cascading down before me so beautifully. “What?” I tense, as I am actually seeing water cascading. I snap around, and instead of seeing my room, I see the vegetation of the forest surrounding me. “Oh my, oh no.” What did I just do? Did I fall asleep? I pinch myself, only to yelp with the pain. I feel the spray splattering over me as the water cascades down. I know that behind the waterfall is a cavern, but is the cavern the same as I imagined or is it different?
“How do I get back?” My stomach is so knotted in anxiety that I feel sick. “Think, Dream,” I say as I look around, seeing everything the same as on the painting that I have on my wall. Does this mean that I can go into any painting that I do, or is it only this one?
Maybe I can paint my way out of here, and then I shake my head at the silliness of my thoughts. “Where are the paints and paintbrushes?” I mutter. I look again at the waterfall. This image has always brought me peace ever since I started to paint it, but now, I’m scared. I look around, finding a boulder. Walking towards it, I take a seat.
I should have painted some fruit too, I think, only to shake my head in exasperation. Looking at the water again, I am hypnotised as the shimmering water seems to cascade all around me like a cascade of different colours. I don’t know how long I sit here simply staring at the water, thinking of how I can reverse whatever it is I just did.
Everyone will be so worried when they can’t find me, but they might not start to look for me until dinnertime. Brog and the men will most probably think that I disobeyed Brog and went after the men. Will Drez be worried? What will happen if I do not find my way out of here, or how will anyone even know how to look for me here? I feel a tear slip down my cheek. “Oh, Dream, you have done it now.”
Maybe I can imagine myself back in my room. Closing my eyes, I imagine my room the way it is, with the bed and the colourful pieces of fabric floating in the breeze from the open window. When I have imagined everything to its last detail, I open my eyes. “No, no, no,” I mutter, as I am still sitting on the boulder.
“You’re a noisy one, aren’t you?” At the sound, I squeak in fright. Jumping up, I look around. Sitting up against a tree is a Leprechaun. His eyes are shut, but he is clearly awake. His high green hat slanted low over his eyes, his reddish-gold beard looking like it could be fluffy to the touch. His green jacket and pants looked slightly wrinkled from sitting on the ground, but besides that, he looks like the typical Leprechaun. I had forgotten that I had drawn one in the picture.
“I’m sorry.”
He opens his eyes. “What has you so agitated, Dream?”
“You know me?” How does he know my name? I know that I have never met him before. I see him grin as he nods, and then he jumps up in one fluid motion.
“I know everything about you, child,” he states as he walks towards the water. “I know what has been and what is to pass.”
I frown. Leprechauns are known to be information brokers, selling the information they’ve acquired for a fair price. They have a reputation for being tricksters, but they are generally honest, good-hearted people who have a strong regard for honesty.
