Chapter 29, in which the Adventurers have a strange dream

Tranquillity
From inside her darkened mind Tranquillity felt slightly restored from the ultimate healing rune that Rik had used on her. She coughed slightly and rolled over, nearly to the edge of the carpet. As she was rolling an aqua coloured flask rolled out of her backpack and into the middle of the carpet.

Tetazuno
Rik crawled over to the flask and looked at it, then reached towards it. As his hands got near it he felt them warm up, then burn as it turned his hands red. The pain was unbearable and he took his had back instantly.

"What the heck was that!?!" he shouted out loud, then seeing some people turned and looked at him, he just smiled and crawled back over to Tranq. He rolled her back over into the middle of the carpet. Then took his hand and placed them on her shoulders and shook gently.

"Tranq, you have to wake up, what the hells in that flask?"

Red Un
The two robed men were holding hands and muttering mysterious spells.

"Keep at it, they're almost all asleep..."

Red Un blinked. And then again, but it took a while before he opened his eyes. And then he blinked...and didn't open his eyes at all...

This is not your world...

He felt a pain, from somewhere.

Go back...you don't belong here...

But he kept going, despite the pain. He wasn't walking, he wasn't flying, he just moved...

He was sleeping. He was dreaming. Vaguely, he felt that so were the others. They were sharing the dream.

Beyond this point, you can't go back...

Then he felt something under him. It was ground. He looked up. Something that looked like a dwarf, but without beard and with lots of ugly marks in his face, looked down at him. Then it spoke with words that was nothing like Red Un had ever heard, but still he understood them.

"What brings you to the Cliffs of Ilek-Vad, dreamer?"

Red Un saw that the others were here as well. Then he remembered something that he had once read.

"The hollow cliffs of glass? In the twilight sea?"

"That's where you are, dreamer."

"You mean...we're in...Dreamland?!"

Vitata
Vitata moaned in pain and woke up in a jail cell. He felt around him for his bag but it wasn't there. Where am I? This isn't Outlaw Camp...they don’t have cells. Think...think...Oh...I remember that I picked a fight with some guards. Then one of them hit me on my head...I'm probably in Thais dungeon now... Where's the others? Vitata stood up and looked around in the dark cell. Not seeing anybody, he headed towards the bars and noticed two guards next guarding the cell. Smiling, he put his hands to his belt to unsheathe his trusty brightsword but found nothing there. He moved his hands around himself frantically and found all of his weapons and tools missing. Even his newly stolen armour was gone and he was left wearing rags. His face darkened in anger for it was most humiliating for a thief to be thieved. The more he thought about it, the more embarrassed he became. Anger bubbled like a boiling pot of tar. His eyes widened and turned a shining red. His nails grew ten years worth of growing in a few seconds and sharpened themselves to become deadly devices. His back bulged and wings erupted from his back, ripping through the rags. There was nothing left in him except anger and humiliation.

As a child, he had been told a legend of a bloodline of thieves with amazing powers. They were the best at all the arts of stealing and fighting. Of the twelve amazing bandits, one of them was exceptionally powerful and amazing. That one surpassed all other thieves in skill, speed and fighting skills. The others became jealous of this one and betrayed him, trapping him inside a cave where dragon lords lurked. Before the thief died, he had vowed to come back as a spirit and possess the one who had his potential... and have vengeance on his kin who betrayed him.

Red Un
A fisherman had found the bodies of the adventurers at the coast of Fibula. They were brought to the town, where the local healer became very curious. The adventurers were alive, but they were also asleep. Not unconscious, but asleep. No matter what was tried, they couldn't be awakened...

Red Un got on his feet. Indeed, these were the hollow cliffs of glass, inside which lived a strange breed of people in tunnels and in the town of turrets called Ilek-Vad.

"I must be dreaming. We're all dreaming. Dreaming the same dream..."

Tetazuno
Rik looked around after opening his eyes, he felt as if he had been asleep for a thousand years, but he hadn’t been tired to begin with. But if he remembered correctly then he could remember a carpet, and a flask. When he looked at his hand it was red, but a second later it was normal. This place wasn’t real life, it wasn’t home and it wasn’t where he wanted to be right now. It wasn’t normal but it was wrong. He looked around to see the rest of the group in a deep slumber apart from Red Un who was wide awake. He was standing up pondering a thought. Rik got up sluggishly and made his way over to Red Un.

"So, wanna explain where that carpet took us?"

Red Un
"Well... I don't think the carpet took us anywhere. But we fell asleep, and we didn't dream as we usually do. Somehow, we've entered the Dreamland of Earth, a strange place far away. I've read of it in a book, a really old book... But we shouldn't be here. This is the Dreamland of the strange planet Earth, and only the inhabitants of that planet should be able to go there..."

Red Un made some grimaces, and moved strangely.

"Hmm... seems like we're stuck here. Whatever magic that made us sleep is keepin' us from awaking."

Evero Sash
Evero woke up and saw the local healer tending to the others and as he walked to see who was awake he saw himself…
But this is impossible he said. He was asleep, but he wasn’t. This is very strange, he remembered something like this when the sorcerer were performing tasks on him... He saw Red Un and Rik talking and he played what Rik had said to him on the carpet over and over in his head. "What was that," he said dreary eyed. "Where am I," he yelled. He ripped off the sheets covering him and the local healer ran towards him thinking something was wrong. He waved him off and walked outside.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity woke with a start and looked around her. This was odd, usually after using that much energy she would be unconscious for at least a day, and after that nearly incapable of movement for at least a week without restorative. She looked around her and saw her potion on the ground, it must have rolled out of her backpack, she grabbed it and shoved it back in. She jumped up and looked around. She found she was in no place she had ever been before, she walked over to Red Un and Rik. She was sure she would learn more about the situation soon.

Red Un
Red Un went to help the others get on their feet. The ugly dwarf-like creature (not Red Un) looked at them curiously.

"As I said, what brings you to Ilek-Vad?"

Braldril
Braldril awoke from a deep sleep. He looked down in his hand and still held the blue orb. He tucked it into his pocket and stood up. He spun around, looking for the others. His search ended when he spotted Red Un. He walked towards Red Un.

"So where might we be? And who is this guy?"

Braldril looked at the dwarf-like creature in disgust.

Vitata
Vitata's hair flew and whipped the air wildly. His hair had doubled in length and turned blue in the few seconds of transformation. His teeth were no longer teeth but daggers protruding from his mouth. Muttering something under his breath in a voice that was not his, blades appeared and attached themselves at his arms, shoulders, and knees. Smiling, he dove into his shadow and leaped upward, appearing before the astonished guards. In a blink of an eye, Vitata had disposed of the guards, stolen all of his armour and weapons back and burnt down the prison. Outside the compound, he turned around and fired a great fireball at the area and it exploded and curled into ash.

Smiling, Vitata dug deep into his memory and pulled out the image of Red Un and his crew. Library of Legends... I can find those who betrayed me in those books... And Vitata took off running, killing and robbing those who stood in his way. "Little dwarf... little dwarf... where are you?"


Red Un
"Okay, listen up. We're at the cliffs of Ilek-Vad. But this isn't Tibia, it's a sort of dream. We must find a way to wake ourselves up again, so that we can continue our journey through Tibia..."

Red Un looked down at the dwarf-creature.

"Say, who rules over Ilek-Vad these days?"

"Why, Randolph Carter, the famous dreamer does."

"The one who quested for unknown Kadath once?"

"That's him."

"Right...well, I guess we're gonna need food and shelter to begin with. Would ya show us to the nearest inn?"

"If you're all ready, come along."

Red Un turned to the others.

"Are we all ready?"

Tetazuno
Rik looked into his backpack and saw that everything was in order, he loaded his crossbow and steadied his knight axe on his belt.

"Well, I’m ready!"

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir were both very confused. The more that was explained the more confused the pair got. They both decided it would be best to simply follow Red Un to wherever he was going. They at least understood the part about the inn. "Yeah! An inn!" Vodok said, just wanting to not stay out of the conversation.

Red Un
The short creature went into a tunnel that seemed to go deep into the cliff. Red Un followed it into the darkness...

Braldril
Braldril looked around trying to figure out where Red Un was. He figured he hadn't turned in another direction so he kept walking straight. Braldril turned around and looked at Tranquillity while walking backwards.

"You happen to know where we are?"

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine woke up but not remembering that she had ever fallen asleep. Ground? I thought moments ago we were flying? This looks familiar... FIBULA! Gosh I haven't been back here for almost fifty years...Well, everything seem to be the same...

Katherine shook her head a little to get rid of the drowsiness. Just not far away from her, Red Un and the rest were already up and seem to be talking but she can't make out what they were talking. She tried feeling around for her staff. Good! It's there! Her backpack...There! Whisky.... where's Whisky?

Katherine started to look around frantically for Whisky, "WHISKY! WHISKY! OLD PAL! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Master, I'm here... Whisky suddenly popped out from under her dark blue robe. Was having a terrible headache till you shouted for me...

GOSH! For a moment I thought I've lost you... Katherine hugged Whisky, tears almost pouring from the corners of her eyes.

Moments later, after Katherine has regained consciousness, she walked over to Red Un and the rest, who still seem to have confusions over where they are, except Red Un... And there was another creature, a dwarf-liked creature, talking to Red Un...

Tranquillity
Tranquillity looked at Bradril, "I dunno," she said, "I think we're in some sort of dream world, I have no idea how we got here though. Not that I'm complaining of course," she smiled, "that means I don't have to drink that disgusting potion." She made a face and walked on behind Red Un into the darkness.

Tetazuno
Rik walked into the darkness too. He saw nothing but... Nothing. He carried on walking and kept thinking words that his father had spoke to him.

Don’t go when you don’t know where you’re going, because you’re probably going somewhere bad!

His dad had given him this advice when Rik was young and going for his first rotworm hunt. Thinking that he would be fine with the gang, Rik plunged into the darkness and kept on walking.

Vodok
Vodivir and Vodok both walked after Red Un down into the hole.

Red Un
Finally, they arrived in a large cave. It looked like any normal inn, except for the customers. There were a lot of the short, ugly creatures, but also dog-like humanoids who seemed to prefer eating raw flesh of some unknown kind (Red Un decided not to tell what kind it was to the others, though he knew all too well himself), and odd-looking humans with long narrow eyes, long-lobed ears, thin noses and pointed chins.

The bartender was one of the short creatures, which seemed to be the most common being in the inn. Red Un approached him.

"Uh...do ya have some beer?"

"Sure! But no wine."

"No wine, right. Gimmie a beer and a good table. I need to think about this..."

The bartender poured up a beer and Red Un paid for it. Then he was shown to a long table with lots of chairs, enough for all of the adventurers to sit at.

Braldril
Braldril walked up and sat down next to Red Un. He leaned over and whispered to Red Un, "I do not like this place one bit, dream world or not. Have you ever heard of strange dreams that have affected you in the real world? I have a feeling... a feeling that this might be one...."

Braldril got up and walked over to a table in a dark corner by himself. The only light was coming from a candle, and it was a dim light at that. He pulled his hood over his head to were only his eyes could be seen by the flicker of the flame. He wrapped his cloak around himself and sat down with his arms crossed.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine explored this so-called "Dream-yet-Real" World, that the others spoke off. It seems so real to her, the plants, the sun, the rock, the ground and the air. All seemed so real. The others has already began walking towards a tunnel, where to? She knew not.

Being an elf, Katherine was able to see clearly in the dark. The tunnel was long and narrow, just wide enough for two persons. Katherine was right behind Vodok and Vodivir, they seemed to be kind of scared as they walked down this seemingly endless tunnel leading to nowhere.

Then, there was light, though the lighting was quite dim, but was strong enough to blind her for a brief moment. The room or cave, was filled with strange-looking creatures Katherine has never seen before. As the group entered the room, those creatures glanced at them, like they were a pot of gold, or suitable ingredients for dinner, while some just schemed at them, like a prey locked on by an eagle from afar.

Katherine looked across the room, She realised that Braldril and Red Un had already settled down at a long table, with dim candlelight. So she walked over and sat down beside Braldril, and said softly, "I can feel that you dislike this place, this atmosphere... The creatures here seem to be not very welcomed about us being here..."

Doing the same as Braldril did, Katherine covered her head with the hood, folded her arms with her staff intacted and settled Whisky down on her shoulders, waiting, waiting for something or nothing.

Tetazuno
Rik sat down on the table where Red Un was sitting, but at the far end. He ordered a drink and couldn’t help noticing the way the bartender liked his lips when he handed Rik his beer.

"Maybe it’s just me... But do I just not belong in bars and inns? I always end up in a fight or something, but it looks like they’re picking me to be eaten this time... "

Rik slowly reach into is back pack and took out a Great Fire Ball rune and held it tightly in his hand. He then took out a necklace and put it around his neck for his good luck charm from his sister.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine saw Rik taking a rune from his backpack, probably thinking he was gonna start a fight again, without knowing if the creatures were hostile or not, she telepathed him.

Easy Rik...Don't wanna stir up any unnecessary troubles in this dreamland...

Feeling rather thirsty, Katherine ordered a glass of beer from the same bartender that served Rik.
As the bartender walked off, Katherine noticed how awkwardly the creature walked and twitch its butts. As if she had made a new discovery, she whispered to Braldril and covered her mouth tightly to hold back her laughter.

Tetazuno
Rik hadn’t experienced this telepathy before. Thinking Katherine was talking out loud he said,

"I'm not stirring up any trouble, haven’t you seen these creatures, they’re all hideous and I’m sure that meat is human flesh!"

He looked around and it had gone quite silent all of a sudden. Rik looked around and saw everyone was looking at him.

"Maybe I should drink this outside" he said and put a few gold pieces on the table and went outside slowly, whilst the creatures started licking their lips at Rik...

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir had both sat down close to Red Un. "How do we get outta here?" Vodivir asked silently. "Yeah. We won' las' long in 'is place..." Vodok said, his eyes darting around the room.

Red Un
Red Un shook his head and turned to the other people in the bar.

"Please forgive my companions, they are new Dreamers. We're just trying to get away from Dreamland as quickly as possible, and we don't want to cause any problems. And I can assure the Ghouls that my companions meant no harm with the whole "eating human flesh"-thing. So would you please not eat them?"

The wolf-like ghouls grinned and went back to their meals. Red Un turned back to his party.

"Listen, a lot of things may seem disturbing around here, but I can assure you that we're in the safest place in all o' Dreamland."

A relatively normal-looking old man in a long nightgown approached them.

"Greetings fellow Dreamers. I'm Howard. Mind if I join you?"

"Sure, why not..."

Tranquillity
Tranquillity followed Red Un through the tunnel till they reached the bar. She took one step inside and then noticed what the creatures inside were eating. Her stomach lurched violently and she stopped by the entrance and looked around her. She leaned over towards Katherine and whispered to her, "Shout if you guys need me or are gonna leave, I'll be outside." She then rushed back up the tunnel.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine giggled when Rik suddenly talked out loud. Guess he wasn't used to telepathy as yet.

The bartender came back with the beer she ordered. She placed a few gold pieces onto his tray, and gave a few extras as tips. A corner of the bartender's lips curled and walked away.

Katherine was sipping her beer, when Tranquillity whispered to her. Though Katherine didn't know the exact reasons why Tranquillity wasn't gonna join them at the table, she nodded in acknowledgement.

Master, Red Un seemed to have been a dreamer before, or even for a long time. Judging by how he eased the tensed atmosphere... Whisky suddenly commented, as the old man, identified only as Howard, walked towards them.

I guess so... And it sure does feel comfortable, seeing a creature normal-looking enough... And knowing that we're in the safest place in Dreamland... Katherine smiled and winked at Whisky.

Red Un
The old, skinny man named Howard looked curiously at the adventurers.

"Hmm... I've never seen your kind in the Dreamland before."

Red Un sipped on his beer.

"Well, that's because we're not from Earth."

"Not from earth?! But how did you get here? Trough the vast spaces of timeless chaos and indescribable horrors that haunts in the..."

"Hey, I think I've seen you somewhere else before. Is Howard your only name?"

"Well, call me Howard PL if you want."

"Uh...okay... Anyway, we came here as a result of magic, at least I think we did. Problem is, we can't get out."

"Hmm... I suggest that you visit Randolph Carter, the king of wondrous Ilek-Vad, with its gleaming towers and cyclopean houses with..."

"Yeah yeah, we get the point. I'll just finish my drink and ask one of the ghouls to show me the way. Thanks for your help."

"No problem. Well, now I'm going to awake and write another story, so good bye and good luck."

"Wait, did you say another..."

But Howard PL had awoken in his bed in Providence, and disappeared form the Dreamland. He would come back there, whenever he felt like it...

Tujex
Tujex was all confused by everything that was going on, and he wasn't going to stain his brain any more than he had to. "I just hope we wake up soon, for some reason I have this killer pain in my stomach."

*In the Real World*
Tujex's body was lying upside down, someone's hammer fell on top of his stomach, causing the intense pain.

Braldril
Braldril had been looking at the ground the whole time. He held his axe with a strong grip, underneath his cloak.

"Red Un, how much longer must we be here?"

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir were both very confused by the disappearing Howard so they decided to just pretend it never happened. "Are we gonna go to that Rudolph figure or what?" Vodivir asked impatiently. Vodok took a beer from his backpack, being suspicious to the bar he was in and he drank it.

Tetazuno
Rik watched the man disappear, rubbed his eyes, blinked a few times in amazement then held onto his knight axe tighter.

"This table is too weird..." he muttered, and went to join Tranquillity.

Red Un
"Not Rudolph, Randolph! And well, I guess we should go there now before ya cause any trouble 'round here..."

A cat stroked itself against Red Uns leg.

"Hello little cat! You wanna come with us?"

The cat meowed at him.

"Well... come then..."

Red Un picked up the cat and went to the bartender. After some discussion he found a ghoul that was willing to guide them to Randolph Carter. They went outside the bar.

"So, shall we get goin'?"

Tranquillity
Tranquillity saw the group starting to head out and joined up with them.

Red Un
Red Un knew very little of the strange speech of ghouls, but with some sounds and gibberings, he managed to make the wolf-faced creature understand where they wanted to go. It set of into a tunnel, waiting for the others to follow it. Red Un did so, with the small cat in his arms.

Braldril
Braldril continued to sit at his table. He had a feeling that it was suddenly safer inside then outside. He got up and started to walk out to the rest of the group.

"If there is danger, I want to be part of it..."

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir walked after the Red Un. "What do we do once get to Randolph anyway?" Vodivir asked everyone close to Red Un.

Vodok was trying to sort his runes, resulting in dropping a lot of them. He hurriedly stuffed them all back in random backpacks. The ghoul carried on walking.

Red Un
"Well, I guess we should ask him 'bout how to get outta the Dreamland and back to Tibia. If anyone would know, it's him. And Nyarlathotep of course, but I wouldn't want to meet that. Ever."

There were many tunnels and intersections, and one could easily get lost here and wander aimlessly for years before finding a way out. But the ghoul steadily led them onwards.

Tetazuno
Rik walked down the tunnel behind the group. He had always liked tunnels. They made him feel comfy and slightly excited. He carried on walking with a massive grin on his face and hand on axe, just in case.

Vitata
Vitata swung his brightsword around and ducked. An arrow flew over his head, missing him by a hair, but the owner of the arrow was decapitated in a swift move instead. Standing up again, the possessed Vitata looked around and the bloody bodies and smiled. He knelt downwards and took all that was valuable off the victims and ran off in search for Red Un and the crew again. He had already searched Venore and Kazordoon, and at the same time, stolen many valuables and murdered their owners. Running off towards Thais, Vitata noticed a black shadow running a short distance off from him in the same direction. Growling, he stopped and in a blink of an eye, he had reached the stranger with his sword raised in a battle position. The stranger had dodged 7 attacks and was also in a battle stance. He dodged my attacks so swiftly. This is not an ordinary human. Vitata smiled and drawled, "Well human. You certainly fight well. Nice to see some strength in this world after all... Now kindly hand over all your possessions and I'll make your death swift." The stranger didn't reply and instead, attacked, swinging two fiery axes with an inhuman speed. Vitata dodged a few of the attacks but not all of them. The axes had sliced deep into his left wing and his right arm. Wincing in pain, he fell to the ground before the stranger and growled. "Ah... better than I thought. Finally I can have some fun." And Vitata attacked.

Where am I? This is not right. Everything is dark and there is no sound. Where is Red Un and the stupid short dwarf and the others? It's cold. Like a prison, but I can't feel anything. There is nothing to feel in here...This feeling is as if I am inside the shadow realm...But I don't remember coming in here...And I cannot get out. What's wrong with me? Where am I? Let me out! Shouted a small voice from the corner of Vitata's possessed mind.

Red Un
Finally, light could be seen at the end of the tunnel. The ghoul stopped near the opening and pointed. Red Un peered outside.

It was an amazing sight. Huge towers of glass spread out all across the deep crater in the cliff of Ilek-Vad. People walking between them looked like tiny ants from the position Red Un and his companions had. The ghoul kept pointing. Red Un turned in the direction of pointing.

There was a glass temple in the middle of the city, like a huge dome of crystal, and inside it laid a marvellous landscape never seen in Tibia, but well on Earth, for it was the New England as it had been in Randolph Carter's youth, before he entered the world of dreams to finally become king of Ilek-Vad. People walked trough the landscape, and small houses lay here and there. There was a deep forest with an ominous cave, a city with steepled houses and a long river running through it all. Obviously, it was where Randolph Carter lived. Red Un turned to the ghoul.

"Well...I guess we can go on our own now..."

The ghoul nodded and scuttled back into the caverns.

Braldril
Braldril turned and watched the ghoul go by, making sure it wasn't trying to pull anything. He turned back around and looked at Red Un.

"Fancy little git-up this guy has."

Braldril rolled his eyes and continued to walk forward.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine walked on for what seemed like forever in this ever twisting and turning forest of tunnels. Finally, she could feel warmth in her eyes as she saw streams of light coming from afar, where Red Un and Braldril stood.

The ghoul who led them all the way to here, walked wumbly past her and gave a groan. Katherine raised her staff and was ready to strike down when Whisky popped in.

NO MASTER! It's harmless… You're awfully easily provoked these days master...

Sorry Whisky... I don't know what came over me... Katherine apologised and slowly put down her staff and walked hastily towards the others.

Red Un
Red Un led the group through the streets where many strange people walked...

Braldril
Braldril looked around in awe, wondering what mysterious weapons might be found here.

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir were both shocked by the view. They had both never even heard of such a place before. "So whadd'are we waitin' for? Le's ge' to Randolph and out o' here!" Vodok said impatiently while looking around.

Red Un
They walked on...


Darkness Fall-ll
The streets were buzzing with life. Strange monsters and creatures never seen before filled up every corner and every street. They worn robes, armours, clothes, some were too oversized to fit into practically anything.

They came in all shape and sizes. Strange features on their faces, weird sounds they make, some were even disgusting.

The buildings' infrastructure were nowhere close to those on Tibia or to say, way more advanced, yet at the same time more backward than Tibia's technology.

Katherine was totally amazed by the breathtaking sight, as she turned around and around closely observing at everything her eyes could see. Katherine continued to follow Red Un & the rest, perhaps towards the glass temple they saw before they emerged from the "Forest of Tunnels". She wasn't sure, but surely she'll find out soon...

Red Un
Two guards in strange armour stood outside the gates to the glass temple. They were wearing large golden helmets with beautiful, jewel-encrusted masks covering their faces and held long golden spears with diamond tips. As the party approached them, Red Un started to drool a bit. The guards stood still but their voices could be heard from beneath the masks.

"What business do you seek in the Temple of Glass, dreamers?"

Red Un returned from his greedy fantasies.

"Uh... We wish to meet your master, the Old Dreamer Randolph Carter."

Then a man came walking out of the huge gates. He looked quite young and was wearing a black suit with tie. But his eyes spoke of much wisdom and ancient secrets beyond a mortals mere imagination.

"Greetings travellers from afar. I am Randolph Carter."

Red Un was stunned for a bit, but quickly regained his composure.

"The... the one who quested for Kaddath? The holder of the Silver Key?"

"The same. Now, I suggest we'll find a place to sit and eat and speak, don't you agree?"

"Uh...right."

Randolph lead them trough the gates into the New England paradise of his own imagination...

Braldril
Braldril stared in awe the weapons of the guards.

"Hmm, I want one of those...."

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine schemed at those marvellous items the guards were possessing.

I could make a fortune from those items… Wonder if they'll disappear if I bought them back to the real world... Katherine thought to herself...

Katherine followed the lead of Randolph through the gates and upon hearing about eating and drinking, she stepped back to Tranquillity and whispered to her,
"Gosh...Not sitting down again. But I guess a short rest would be good. At least we can get settle down around here..."

Red Un
Randolph led them over the grassy fields inside the enormous temple until they reached a small cottage in classic New England style with sloped roofs. Red Un raised an eyebrow.

"Hardly the abode for a king, I'd say."

"Oh, it's the most wonderful place I could ever think of. It's my home. Come inside, all of you."

He showed them in to a table on which there laid sandwiches, cake and cheese, and to drink coffee. Red Un sniffed at the strange smells that hadn't ever been in Tibia.

"Hurm, I guess ya ain't got any ale."

"No."

"Right..."

Carter sat down at the far end of the table, and Red Un took one of the chairs.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity was there and was doing stuff...


Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir had expected grand halls, and most of all very comfortable chairs. They were slightly disappointed. Vodok sat himself on one of the chairs, Vodivir followed his example. Vodok stared at Red Un hoping he would start the conversation.

Vitata
Vitata fell to the ground, grabbing his arm in pain. Fresh blood flowed out of the wide gash the stranger's axes had made. Grimacing in anger, he stood up again and placed his brightsword in his right hand, since his good arm was wounded. He shouted and rushed towards the stranger, who moved at amazingly high speeds, much faster than Vitata. Dodging three slices and returning five, the stranger crippled Vitata by slicing his knees. Vitata crashed to the ground, sword falling out of his hands. The one dressed in black picked up the fallen weapon and pointed it at Vitata's sweaty throat. The fallen thief looked upwards in amazement, trying to see the face of his successor but only able to face the grinning mouth under the dark hood. The mouth moved, but no sound came out, for the blade had pierced Vitata's neck. Blood flowed freely as if all the dams within his neck had been destroyed at the same time. The stranger pushed the sword deeper and eventually, the razor blade went through the neck entirely and stuck deep into the earth underneath. Vitata's eyes faded to nothingness. The wings underneath the robes collapsed, having no control over the muscles to hold them upwards. All of time seemed to stop as the bandit died to the only person he had ever been defeated by. A few seconds later, only the wind could be heard, howling for the fallen warrior. As the stranger's robes flapped in the wind, he reached with his cold, white hands into the robes and pulled out a small dagger. He bent over Vitata's body and made a quick movement with the dagger, drawing no blood as there was none left. The robed one stood up straight and turned to leave. And one who would happen to walk past that area would see a fallen bandit, not even a full adult, with a long brightsword protruding out of the earth, through his neck. And if that person looked closer, he would see a marking on the body's chest; one that looked like a black star, burnt onto the cold flesh. A tear that had ceased to fall for 16 years of life, fell. And somewhere deep in Vitata's dead body, a whisper of nothing could be heard by those who were past the age of life.

Why...


Red Un
When they were all seated, Carter began to speak again.

"So, I believe that you have a problem you wish to speak to me about?"

Red Un was chewing on a sandwich.

"Yeah...how the heck can we get back to Tibia?"

"Tibia? Is that what your world is called?"

"Aye, and I'd really really like to go back there. No offence, you've got a lovely place here and all..."

"Ah, no offence taken. Have you tried to wake up?"

"Yup. Didn't work."

"Hmm... I guess you ought to go find the seven hundred and seventy steps that most Dreamers use to get here and go up them."

"Oh. And where are those steps?"

"You'll have to go to the Enchanted Wood."

"Hum... How can I... we get there?"

"Well, if everyone is finished eating, I could help you."

Vodok
Vodok rapidly started chewing sandwiches. After quickly pressing down an apple he slowly got up and put his backpacks on. "Righ'. Le's ge' goin' then." Vodok said while deciding to eat a sandwich on the way.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity finished nibbling on her sandwich and got up, ready to go search for the staircase.

Tujex
Tujex had managed to sneak many things into his pack while they were here, and finished drinking many cups of this "coffee". For some reason he felt energized, energy rushing through his entire being. He swallowed down a sandwich, in one bite, and rushed tot he door. "What are we waiting for let’s go!!!" Tujex screamed as he began running in circles around everyone else.


Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine was barely even nibbling on her sandwich when the rest of them were already almost finished with theirs.

"You guys are fast when it comes to food and going home..." Katherine stared at Vodok, as he practically stuffed the whole sandwich into his mouth.

Well, since the rest are already almost finished, I guess I’ll just take a small bite... But seven hundred and seventy steps... Gosh that's gotta be a lot of steps...

"Here you go old buddy..." Katherine took a small piece of her sandwich and offered to Whisky.

Red Un
Randolph led them out of the building, over the rolling green hills and bridges, past the deep forest and small houses until they reached a cave. He went on inwards and the rest followed.

The cave was very dark, but there was something inside it. Something moved, and Red Un felt a smooth, oily hand touch him. Randolph Carter uttered some strange words, and the hand disappeared again. They moved onwards...

Braldril
Braldril didn't follow the rest of the group. He had fallen asleep in the chair he was sitting in. He sat there for a while and finally fell out of the chair and woke up.

"Where did everyone go?"

He got up and started walking around.

Red Un
There was movement all around them now, strange sounds and slippery hands all over the place. But Carter seemed to be able to hold back whatever was in the cave with his strange words...

Tranquillity
Tranquillity felt a hand slide along her hip and was about to turn around and get angry with whoever it was, because she really wasn't in the mood, when she realized what had really happened.

She was very frightened.

Braldril
Braldril walked around and went outside. He stretched and continued down a road. He came across a blacksmith's shop and went inside. He gazed at the magnificent weaponry and armour inside.

"I'll have to remember this place," he said with a smile.

Tujex
Tujex was beside Braldril, he stared at the wonderful things inside the blacksmith's shop. "Hey, you think we can stop by here before we leave..." Tujex asked with a fiendish smile.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine followed the rest into this dark cave again.

She wondered to herself, "Why caves again? Gosh I hate caves. They always have those mysterious monsters etc things in them..." Just as she finished her sentence, she felt something brushed against her staff. It almost made her jumped.

Since she had infra-vision, she looked around and realised one thing, "GUYS! where's Braldril anyway? Would we have left him back at the bar???!!!" Katherine questioned the others, trying to make them realise that they'd lost a team mate, and perhaps turn back to look for Braldril...

Red Un
Randolph smiled.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry..."

Red Un grinned too.

"Yeah, as I said, this is the safest place in Dreamland. Tough that ain't saying much..."

They had now arrived in a large chamber.

"I guess you want to know why I brought you here" said Randolph Carter. "If you want to go to the Enchanted Woods, you ought to stop by at Ulthar and prepare yourselves. And the fastest way from here to Ulthar..."

He lit a torch.

"Is on the backs of Night-Gaunts."

The cave was filled with dreadful, humanoid creatures. They had barbed tails, curved horns and odd, bat-like wings. But the strangest thing was that they had no faces, just a suggestive blackness where the face ought to be. Red Un suddenly put his hand on his sword.

"Master Dreamer, have you lead us into a trap?"

Randolph Carter laughed.

"Oh, no such thing! I've ridden on the backs of Night-Gaunts many times. You just need to know their language, and they'll be quite helpful. I shall order the strongest of them to take you to Ulthar."

He spoke more of the strange words, and a number of the Night-Gaunts climbed down from the walls and stood in front of him.

"So, let us get out of this cave and get flying, shall we?"

Braldril
Braldril looked at Tujex.

"So you happen to know where everyone else went?"

Vitata
Smoke rose from a body that had been long gone in the real world... and a hand twitched.

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir stared at the creatures in disgust and both looked at Red Un hoping he would tell them what to do.

Red Un
"Fine, let's go outside and find the others..."

They made for the exit together with the Night-Gaunts.

Tujex
Tujex looked to Braldril, "What do you mean wher..." Tujex looked around seeing nobody he recognized. "What the..." he muttered as he began spinning in circles looking for someone he had been travelling with. "It can't be that difficult right. I mean this is Dream World, so we should be able to do whatever am I right?" Tujex clicked his heels together three times saying, "I wish I was witht the othes." but nothing happened. "Well...guess we'll have to find them the old fashioned way."

Braldril
"Yea we better get moving. We got to hurry and find them before they take off without us."

Braldril began to walk slowly down the street.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine was quite shocked at the sight of these huge faceless monsters. But since they were going to spend some time together, she might as well go up to them and make friends with them...

So, Katherine slowly walked up to one of the Night-Gaunts, and slowly reached out her trembling hand to feel it.

"Go ahead young elf... It's alright, they're harmless..." Randolph Carter encouraging Katherine to feel it.

Katherine gave a nod. Just as she was about to place her hand on the forehead of the creature, one of the Night Gaunt suddenly sneezed, and Katherine was so frightened by it, that she jumped a few steps back...

Red Un
"KATHERINE?! BRADRIL?!"

Red Un walked trough the grass, yelling for the missing people. Soon, they came to a small collection of houses.

"Hmm... I'm sure they're around here somewhere..."

Darkness Fall-ll
"Er... You call for me Red Un???!!" Katherine looked over to Red Un, who was shouting out for her name.
"I was... er... trying to make friends with these Night-Gaunts...." Katherine added, still frightened from that loud sneeze.

"Where you guys going?? Going back for Braldril? OH GREAT!"

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir followed Red Un having a low conversation about disappearing people.

Vitata
A body was being dragged along by two men in dark robes. The wound on the neck where blade had pierced skin was gone, leaving nothing, not even a scar. Eyes that haven't opened in too long, uncovered themselves and fell back down in exhaustion... and still they dragged him.

Red Un
Red Un looked around.

"Darnit, where is he?!"

Tujex
Tujex ran up to Red Un. "Hey, I thought we'd never find you guys." Tujex looked back to Braldril who was taking his precious time. "So do we have a way outta here yet?" Tujex asked, a smile showing his was eager to awake. That's when he was struck with an idea. "I shouldn't feel pain in the dream world..." he said with sneaky grin. He walked up to Katherine and placed his hand upon her chest. He smiled childishly at her, and received a hard smack. He rubbed his cheek. "Guess I was wrong..." Tujex muttered as he began following Red Un.

Braldril
Braldril took slow steps towards the group, just acting like he was taking it slow for the view.

"Hey guys, did ya miss me?" he said with a sarcastic voice.

Darkness Fall-ll
"What do you think you were doing Tujex!!!" Katherine screamed, almost biting Tujex's head off.
"If you ever dare do that again, I swear upon my parent's name that I'll make sure that my serpent staff goes right into your big fat invitaitous butt!!!" Katherine added, as she gestured by poking her staff into Tujex's back.

Suddenly, she felt a slight rub on her right arm. It was the Night-Gaunt which Katherine wanted to be friend. Katherine turned her head slowly. Under the light, she could see a slight scar across the left side of its face. Somehow, Katherine felt sorrow in her. It was as if the scar was on her. Slowly, she reached out her left hand and gently placed it over the scar. The creature let out a soft sound of delight. In return, Katherine gave it a soft pat over the scar and a slight smile.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity had to try to stop from laughing at the performance of Tujex and Katherine.

Red Un
"Right, are we off then?"

Red Un sat up on the back of his Night-Gaunt. He had been taught a few words in the odd gibbering language that Randolph Carter had spoke, and uttered some of them. The creatures started flapping their wings. Carter spoke to the party.

"Remember, don't go too high! If you hear the sound of strange flutes, fly away from it, no matter how seducing it sounds!"

Red Un grinned.

"Ah, is the 'ol Mad God at the centre 'o infinity?"

"Yes. Stay away from him!"

Braldril
Braldril sat on his Night-Gaunt and wondered how to control it.

"Erm, anyone by chance know how to use one of these... creatures?"

Braldril tried to get it to move and looked over at Red Un. He repeated the little phrases that he had said and the creature began to move.

"Well then, anyone want to stop by a tavern? I feel a sudden urge to become rather drunk at the moment."

Darkness Fall-ll
As the others slowly rode on the back of their Night-Gaunts, Katherine did the same and jumped onto the back of the creature. Katherine tried to mimic whatever language Red Un was mumbling, but it didn't seem to work.

"Er... Guys!? What's the secret password again? I tried a few variations of it, but it doesn't seem to work at all..." Katherine asked the others, who managed to get their creatures moving.

At the same time, she threw a glaze over to Tujex, making sure that he would not be up to anything again.

Red Un
"No Braldril, we're not goin' to a bar, we're goin' to Ulthar. Then again, there might be a bar there..."

Red Un said some other strange words and the whole group of Night-Gaunts (with the party on their backs) started flying out of the great glass dome.

Tujex
Tujex's face still hurt from the slap. "Man... it feels a whole lot more painful here than in the real world..." Tujex muttered as he rubbed his sore jaw. He looked down at the ground as the things began to fly. "Who woulda thought these things could fly." he said staring down upon the glass dome. Tujex noticed Katherine passing him cold stares. "Man I wish she would stop looking at me like that..." Tujex muttered as he turned so that his back was facing her.

Vodok
Vodivir and Vodok were both sitting on one of the faceless flying things. Vodivir was balancing rather well on his thing, but Vodok was almost killing his thing by holding it around the neck.

Red Un
They were flying over the vast seas of Dreamland now. Strange ships sailed there, and in the waters lurked mysterious creatures and ancient cities. The great city of Ilek-Vad became tiny on the horizon, and then disappeared completely. Now there was only sea in all directions. But the Night-Gaunts flew steadily onwards.

Braldril
Braldril rocked back and forth looking down into the sea.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity winked at Katherine, out of the corner of her eye she could see Tujex's face. He still had a red mark in the shape of Katherine's hand on his face.

Tranquillity was finally getting used to the Night-Gaunts and their flight so she began to look around her, looking down at the ground she couldn't help thinking it was strangely familiar, like she had seen this land before a long time ago. She couldn't quite place it. "Red Un!" she called out, "Where did you say we are again? And have you been here before?"

Red Un
"As I said, we're in the Dreamland of the far-away planet Earth. I haven't actually been here before, but I've read certain books by insane scholars who somehow managed to go here from Tibia, but had to pay with their sanity. I just hope we won't have to do the same..."

Darkness Fall-ll
The Night-Gaunt Katherine was riding on, was very stable and very comfortable?! She didn't know that riding on their back was this comfy. Katherine didn't know how long it was gonna take for them to reach this so-called Ulthar place...

As they rode on, Katherine looked down at the Dreamland, everything was so tiny, like little nano-bots on the ground. The clouds felt like cotton, soft and cooling, as they flied through them...

Katherine was listening attentively to Red Un and Tranquillity's conversation, when she heard "...pay with their sanity..." Katherine swallowed hard...

From the looks on Tujex face, Katherine could sense that he was rather uneasy with her occasional glares, thus she telepathed him...

Tujex, as long as you keep your hands to yourself, I promised that I won't give you any of those "scary" glares...

Braldril
Braldril looked over at Katherine and Tujex and rolled his eyes.

"Such childish behaviour...." he said under his breath.

Red Un
They were now coming close to a coast. A great river was running over the land. On one side was a deep, dark forest, on the other grassland. And far away, Ulthar...

Tujex
Tujex turned to Katherine, her mind link still connected as she awaited a response. A perverted smile came onto his face. "I can't promise that..." Tujex said with a childish giggle. He could feel another cold stare, though he could not see it due to the fact that he was smiling so hard his eyes were closed.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine couldn't be bothered about herself more... Less to say bother about Tujex and his cheesy smile…

"Red Un! How do we know that we've reached the so-called Ulthar? What does it look like?!" Katherine shouted over to Red Un.

Red Un
"Do ya hear the sounds of cats meowing? Then we're close to Ulthar..."

Indeed, even up here, the sounds of many cats meowing and purring could be heard. The small cat in Red Un's lap had rose from its sleep and answered back. The Night-Gaunts began to descend.

"Remember, and this is VERY important, in Ulthar, nobody may kill a cat" said Red Un with grim seriousness.

Darkness Fall-ll
Purring of cats, and no killing of cats.... Katherine repeated these few phrases over and over in her brain, so that she would always remember them when she reached Ulthar.

"I hope there ain't too many cats in Ulthar.... Though I don't have a fear for cats..." Katherine said and giggled to herself...

Just as she finished her sentence, the winds carried the sounds of the cats to her ears. They were like faint like chimes ringing faintly in her brain, but it was distinguishable that it was the sound of a cat. Immediately, chills were sent shooting down her spine.

Red Un
The Night-Gaunts landed on the outskirs of Ulthar, with its pleasant green cottages and small farms. A large group of cats gathered around the party, and the small cat Red Un had brought from Ilek-Vad jumped down from the Night-Gaunt and joined them. One of the larger, older cats bowed its head at Red Un and meowed. If the half-dwarf had known the language of cats, he would know that the old cat was thanking him for bringing back his son from a long, dangerous mission in some far-away land. But Red Un just grinned.

"See, these cats are friendly to you if you are friendly to them. But I wouldn't want to be in the shoes of a man who dares to kill a cat 'round here..."

Vitata
"Where are the others?!" a loud voice sounded in the darkness.

"Don...'no..."

"Look at yourself! You're worthless! Answer me and live! Defy me and face death of torture!"

"I...don...'no...Tol'...you…"

"Burn him! Whip him! Slice the remaining skin off his bones until he speaks!"

"No...wait..."

"Hahaha! He wishes to speak now! It's about time, thief. Where are they?!"

Tujex
Tujex picked up a small blue furred kitten with green eyes that matched his when he transformed. "Aww... it's so cute," he said with a smile. The kitten meowed and pawed his nose. Tujex giggled as the kitten leapt from his hands onto his shoulder, and wrapped itself around his neck. "I never thought I'd be friends with a cat." Tujex said as took the cat into his hands and held it in front of his face. The kitten began to make strange faces, and soon spit a hairball on Tujex's armoured chest. Tujex started to squeeze the kitten, but remembered Red Un's words, and forced a laugh. "The little thing..." he said with a forced smiled as he sat the cat down and went to find something to clean his armour off with.

Red Un
The sun had started to settle.

"Okay, let's find a good Inn to spend the night, and we'll go to the Enchanted Wood in the mornin'."

Braldril
Braldril rolled his eyes.

"Can't we just go now? I'm tired of waiting..." he said to Red Un.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine looked at Red Un with a startled expression, "Enchanted Woods?!! I thought we were going to Ulthar??!!" Katherine asked Red Un, "Or are we in Ulthar, which is some sort like a country and heading to a place in Ulthar called "Enchanted Woods"?!" Katherine added, trying to reconfirm with Red Un.

Looking at the rapidly darkening sky, Katherine felt a little fatigued, after such a long flight on the back of the Night-Gaunts...

Katherine asked again, "Are these Night-Gaunts coming with us to the Inn??!!" Thinking to herself, I wish that these faceless creatures could come with us, especially this, with a scar... Placing her hand over the scar and gently stroking it...

Red Un
But the Night-Gaunts took the air and flew away over the horizon, back to fabled Ilek-Vad.

"Well, Ulthar is a city on one side of the river Skai. On the other side of the river lies the Enchanted Woods, and in those woods lies the entrance to the seven hundred and seventy steps and hopefully they lead to us awakening. But I really think we ought to sleep a bit first, as weird as it seems to be sleeping inside a dream..."


Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir were very uncertain of what to do so they just did what the rest of the party did.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine looked at the Night-Gaunts as they took off into the clouds... A drop of tear rolled down her cheek... Her fingers gently touched the wetted areas on her cheek and seem to be shocked that she would shed a tear for such a creature...

Katherine didn't know why she was crying, maybe it was because the creature has left, like a friend, an ally...

Still, her journey with the rest must proceed...

Drying off her cheeks, she turned around, "I see... Ermmm...we can sleep in a sleep?!" Katherine was quite surprised by that. "And Red Un, spare us the thought of climbing seven hundred and seventy steps..." Katherine added...making a disgusted expression...

Red Un
Red Un led them trough the beautiful suburbs of Ulthar, with cats everywhere...

Braldril
Braldril looked around and yawned.

Tujex
Tujex stretched and yawned, covering his mouth as he did so. "Man... I didn't know I could get this sleepy. Especially while I was asleep." he joked. His fatigue was obvious in his walk, his feet dragging along the ground with each step. Cats leapt from window to window overhead and scampered across the street between the group members. Tujex had to keep a constant watch on his steps as he had nearly stepped on one of the creatures numerous times. "They should be a little more careful." Tujex groaned as another yawn forced its way out of his mouth.

Red Un
Finally, they found a small house with a sign saying "INN" hanging outside.

As they entered, they had to thread carefully as cats were everywhere. Most of the other guests seemed pretty human-like, no ghouls or Night-Gaunts around. The innkeeper greeted them.

"Welcome! You need rest and food, I presume?"

Redwick greeted him back.

"Yeah, and some drinks would be nice. I'll have a good piece 'o ham and a mug 'o ale. What about the rest of ya?"

Darkness Fall-ll
Well, Katherine did have a liking for cats, but now there were WAY too many cats!!! Oh my. It was like, every step, there were like four or five cats... So scary... But they were so tiny... She almost stepped on a few of their tails numerous times... It was like they were walking through a "live" landmine field...

Katherine saw Red Un turning into a house, she looked up and saw "INN", swinging lightly in the breeze... She followed inside...

AGAIN, Cats...GOSH! Katherine felt that perhaps after this trip she might have a phobia for cats... HA!

"Well, I think a cup of ale and something nice to eat would do fine for me..." Katherine replied, her eyes still fixed on the ground full of cats.

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir sat themselves down at a table without buying anything. Vodok started unpacking food and beer ignoring the angry look from the innkeeper. They silently started discussing what might happen if you gave one of the cats a big kick when a cat walked right over Vodivirs food.

Tujex
Tujex finished off a whole bottle of wine, and let out a loud belch. The people around him eyed him strangely. "What... everyone does it," Tujex said with one of his childish grins. "Lighten up people, it’s a celebration!"

Braldril
Braldril sat down and pulled a potion bottle out of his backpack and drank a dark green potion. He squinted his eyes when he drank, as the potion had a very bad taste to it. He put the bottle back in his bag and sat with his arms on the table, looking at the wall.

Darkness Fall-ll
"Er... Tujex, I think you’ve had too much a little drink." Katherine said as she looked at Tujex, who was almost drunk…

Soon after, the waiter brought a mug of ale and a plate of garlic bread and placed it in front of Katherine. Feeling a little hungry, Katherine quickly finished the food and the mug of ale...

"Well, guys & ladies, I'll be up in one of the rooms "resting". If you need me just call for me..." Katherine said to the rest as she wiped off some of the ale's residue from the tips of her lips and walked up the flight of stairs...

Red Un
"Please excuse my fellow adventurers, they're first-time Dreamers."

The bartender nodded and served up the food and drinks. Red Un drank deeply...

Tujex
Tujex looked to Katherine as she walked off. He wanted to say something to her like "Would you like me to join you?" but she would probably take no mercy on him. Even though he was drunk. He just watched her as she left the area, keeping his thoughts and everything else to himself. Tujex dug into his pocket, pulling out a small ring. "Well...... isn't that something," he said as he slipped the ring on his finger and felt normal once again.

Red Un
Red Un finished his beer and food.

"I guess I'll go sleep too now. The rest of ya, don't get into any trouble, and DON'T kill any cats. In fact, I suggest ya don't leave this building at all until tomorrow..."

Tranquillity
Tranquillity was famished after that long ride and ordered a large serving of ham, some venison, and some garlic bread. Once it came she gave her meal her full concentration.

When she was finally done she looked up and saw Tujex's gaze follow Katherine out. Tranquillity couldn't help but feel lonely for all the things but more importantly the PEOPLE that she had left behind. She tried to push the melancholy thoughts out of her mind but was unsuccessful. She sat there brooding for a long time lost in thought, oblivious to all around her.

Finally she got up. She decided to go get a room and some rest. Besides, she though, I don't want anybody to see me in this mood. She got up and smiled towards the others. "I'm gonna get some rest guys. C'ya later.”

She went to the front of the inn, got herself a room, and proceeded upstairs. Once she got to her room she immediately pulled a chair out onto the balcony. She sat staring out into the distance, lost in thought. A cat came over and jumped into her lap. Without thinking she began to slowly stroke it, still staring into the distance.

Red Un
Red Un went to sleep in his room.

He actually had some good dreams this night, since the Master didn't seem to haunt his head when he was sleeping in the Dreamland.

Darkness Fall-ll
Entering her room, she felt a sense of relief coming over her. After weeks of battle with Red Un and the rest, she realised that they didn't really had have time for a good rest at all.

Putting down her backpack, laying her serpent staff against the wardrobe and untying her cloak, Katherine climbed onto the soft single-person bed and laid against the frame of the bed.

She let out a sigh, her hand reached into her backpack and took out a small elven miniature. Her fingers slowly traced the lines and craves on the miniature. Tears started to roll down her slightly blushed cheeks, "One day, I'll uncover the secrets to your location, Father and Mother... Just you wait..."

Holding the miniature closely to her heart, Katherine slowly fell into a slumber. Whisky flew over her and pulled the blanket over her.

Vitata
Crunch, crunch, crunch...Footsteps could be heard that belonged to a figure walking slowly over the grassy plains. A hand dripping blood was holding a crimson brightsword. A scar could be seen, mended crudely, across the figure's pale, pale neck. And on the chest, as if burned into the robes and flesh, was a black star. And the figure walked on...crunch, crunch...crunch...

Ruby Davie
Terena walked into Red's room, gave him a li’ll poke and said hi.

'I never thanked you enough for what you did for me in the past, hope you sleep well tonight' she whispered.

She stood up and walked out the door.

Red Un
Red Un mumbled something and went back to sleep.

Outside the inn, hidden in the darkness of the night, stood a lone man in a black robe. He grinned evilly and disappeared into the darkness. Then he stumbled over a cat.

"Stupid creature..."

He kicked it hard and kept going...

Vodok
Vodok put a dwarven ring on the table, which was the dwarven gesture of saying "if I get too drunk slip this ring on my finger." Vodok took a sip. After drinking the whole mug Vodok took the ring back and went and ordered a room in the inn. He went to sleep.

Tujex
Tujex went upstairs watching Tranquillity as she went into her room. He noticed a strange expression on her face as if something was bothering her. He slowly climbed the stairs to where the rooms were and carefully opened the door as not to alarm her. He peeked into the room, making sure she wasn't in the nude or anything and found that her balcony door was open. Tujex opened the door enough so he could squeeze in, and saw that she was sitting in a chair on her balcony. He came up behind her, placing his hands upon her shoulders. "What's wrong Tranquillity?" he said as he placed his chin on the top of her head. "I noticed the look on your face when you left the room. So I came to see what was wrong."

Red Un
The robed man went on through the darkness, not noticing that cats had started to follow him silently.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity jumped when she felt Tujex place his hand on her shoulder. She hadn't even noticed him come in. If it had been an enemy she would have been defenceless. "It's nothing Tujex," she said, "Sometimes things just overwhelm me. At times it can seem you are doing the right thing. You think you are willing to pay the price of your actions. Only later, once it’s already done, you realise you weren't ready. But it’s to late to change things then and you just have to keep going on." She looked up at Tujex. "Do you have any idea how old I am?"

Red Un
Red Un felt something in his sleep, some premonition of future danger, but it didn't worry him much.

Tujex
Tujex rubbed his chin and looked down at Tranquillity. "Now that you mention it... I don't really know that much about anyone here other than there names. Except Red Un and Vodok, and the strange one Vodivir..." Tujex scratched his head. "Well uhhh... I guess I should ask you your age huh?"

Vodok
After a brief "discussion" about who should have the mattress Vodok lay down on the floor and tried to sleep a bit, trying to ignore his black-eye.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity, smiled up at Tujex. "Heh, that was rhetorical. A girl never tells her age. Just know I have walked the earth far longer than it might appear." She smiled up at Tujex again. "It's been nice talking to you Tujex, but I think I had better get some rest." she said as she stood up. "I'm pretty sure Red Un will have us travelling quite a distance tomorrow."

Red Un
The sun was starting to get up, and the cats were returning to their homes for now. But it wasn't day yet...

Braldril
Braldril walked outside and looked into the dark sky that was turning to a lighter colour. He breathed heavily and started to walk into the remaining night.

Tujex
Tujex sat atop the inn, he didn't get much sleep that night since he wasn't exactly tired. "I don't see how someone can, sleep in a dream" he said before letting out a sigh. He looked to the sun which was poking its head over the horizon, his thoughts were on his conversation with Tranquillity the night before. "...I wonder how old she is? And that thing she said, was she trying to call me young... or even worse... immature?!" Tujex stood, and jumped from the roof landing on his room’s balcony. He walked inside his room and lay down, staring at the ceiling as thoughts ran through his mind.

Red Un
Red Un woke up, got out of bed, and dragged a comb across his head. He went downstairs and greeted the barkeeper. The bar was quite empty.

"AHOI FELLOW ADVENTURERS! WE'RE GONNA GET MOVIN' TO THE STAIRS NOW!" yelled Red Un.

Vodok
Vodivir, Vodok and half the rest of the inn woke up by Red Un shouting. Vodok gave a short scream and stood up realising it was just Red Un. Vodivir allready had his hammer in his hand. After their heart rate had settled they both went down to Red Un.

Braldril
Braldril heard several screams coming from inside the inn and he turned back and looked to see if everything was all right. He rolled his eyes and continued his walk towards a small stream.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity heard Red Un shout from the bottom of the stairs and finished combing her hair, a couple minutes later she grabbed her things and slowly walked down the stairs. She smiled art Red Un and asked him whether anybody had come down yet.

Red Un
"Hmm... now where's Braldril? I don't want anyone gettin' lost in the Dreamland, that's just asking for trouble."

Red Un stepped outside and looked over the way to the river Skai which they would be passing to get to the enchanted woods.

"Darnit, I told them not to go anywhere..."

Braldril
Braldril sat down at the river he came up to and began to read a book that he had pulled out of his backpack. He read for a bit and put the book up. He looked up into the sky, looking at the treetops. He took a deep breath and stood up.

"What a beautiful day."

He started to walk back to the inn.

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine almost fell from her bed when she heard Red Un's thunderous roar, as she jolted up from her bed.

She pushed opened the windows. Immediately, sunlight shot into the room, breaking darkness. Katherine's eyes were blinded for a brief moment as she was unable to adjust to the brightness fast enough.

But soon enough, after her eyes were comfortable to the brightness, she saw Braldril, Tujex and Red Un already standing in front of the Inn, waiting for the rest...

"Coming..." Katherine said to them, as she quickly woke Whisky up and grabbed her things, and not forgetting her miniature statue.

"Good day everyone!" Katherine greeted everyone, as she gathered with everyone.

Red Un
Red Un looked at the assembled adventurers.

"Okay, we're gonna go through the enchanted woods today, and hopefully find some Zoogs to guide us to the seven hundred and seventy steps that will hopefully lead us back to the waking world. Just remember, ALWAYS follow me. You wouldn't like gettin' lost in the enchanted woods. Right, let's go!"

Red Un set off for a far-away bridge that would lead them over the river Skai.

Braldril
Braldril followed Red Un, looking all around and thinking to himself what they might come apon ahead.

Red Un
The sun was shining, the grass was green and the sky was blue. Red Un and gang walked down a dusty road. Cats were sitting here and there on the sides of the road, peering at the adventurers weirdly.

Knight Fenix
An arrow clashed with Red-Un's helmet and shattered. A boy far-off in the sunny plain was pale and ghastly. He suddenly threw his bow and arrow down, put on his armour, sheathed his sword and ran-off in the opposite direction.

"Stupid Fenix... Stupid..."

Fenix dashed through the woods and suddenly hid behind a bush. The gang of people looked around bewildered and trudged off. The cats slick eyes following them as they walked.

Red Un
"Hum...that's odd. That wasn't a ghoul or a zoog or any other Dreamland inhabitant that I know of."

Red Un turned to the bush and yelled.

"Ahoi there, young man! What're ya doin' in the Dreamland?"

Knight Fenix
Fenix crept out of the bush and walked toward them with his sword out.

"I... Well... my name is Fenix. And... I accidentally... slipped into this Dreamland a couple years back. I was practicing my skills until someone would come and find me... Well... It looks like I’m found now... But... Who are all of you?"

Fenix sheathed his sword and grinned.

Red Un
"Ya oughta be careful with reading magical books before ya go to sleep, or ya might end up here."

Red Un grinned.

"Me name's Red Un, half-dwarf adventurer and beer-drinker extraordinaire. Me an' my fellow adventurers got stuck here after some...adventures, and are tryin' to get back to Tibia. Care to join us?"

Knight Fenix
Fenix ran back, picked up a cat, and rejoined them, stroking its head.

"Ok... now I’m ready. Onwards to Tibia!"

Fenix walked with his new friends, a big grin on his face.

"Well Fayt...(he whispered to his cat) time to go home...We’ll be able to drink milk... eat food... travel the world..."

Fenix droned on as the party moved farther into the Dreamland.

Tujex
Tujex looked at the new kid strangely. "He almost took Red Un's head off with that arrow..." Tujex muttered, almost one hundred percent sure the kid couldn't hear him. He looked to Tranquillity and then to Katherine. "Man... I can't wait to get back in my real body. This dream world is a little too crazy for me."

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine sometimes hated her abilities to be able to mind-read…

"Don't worry Tujex... Soon... Soon, we'll be able to get back to our real body and give those sons of a bitches a hell of a time they've never experienced before..." Katherine telepathed Tujex.

Looking at the newcomer, Katherine didn't give him much notice, though she was still a little uneasy about the intentions of this newcomer. Reaching her hand into her backpack, she took out a few small crackers and took off a corner and fed it to Whisky. And handed some to Tranquillity and Tujex.

Red Un
They passed the bridge over the river Skai and soon entered the deep, dark enchanted woods. The cats had all disappeared by now, but strange sounds could still be heard.

Red Un made fluttering sounds that he had been taught by Randolph Carter. It was the language of the Zoogs, inhabitants of the enchanted woods.

No Zoog appeared.

"Hum... I guess we should find the Zoog village in the middle of the wood."

Red Un led the party onwards into the wood...

Shizuma Eiku
While in the woods Red Un and his party they met a mercenary sitting in a tree staring down at them. He asked the group if they needed any of his "duties.”

Tranquillity
Tranquillity nodded her thanks to Katherine and trudged on, nibbling on the crackers. She reached behind her into her pack and pulled out some lemonade, she took a couple of sips of it and then offered it to Katherine.

Red Un
Red Un looked up at the mercenary.

"Uhm...what're ya doin' in the Dreamland? We're just on our way to get outta here, so if ya wanna help us, be my guest."

Something slipped through the bushes nearby.

"Now that was definitely a Zoog!"

Red Un made the fluttering sounds again, but to no avail.

"How odd... why aren't the Zoogs responding? Well, I guess we could find 'em in the village. Let's go!"

Tranquillity
Tranquillity had a funny feeling about the "zoog" in the bushes, but she figured Red Un would know better than she would so she followed anyway.

Braldril
"So what might one of these zoogs look like? I mean I guess it would help to know..."

Braldril looked around at everyone and shrugged his shoulders.

Red Un
"Well, uh... they're small, and brown... uhm... you'll know it's a Zoog when you see it. I don't like dealing with them, 'cause there's rumours goin' that they don't just eat fungi, but has a taste for flesh as well. But they're also the ones who knows these woods the best, so I guess there ain't much choice..."

The sun had a harder and harder time to get through the leaves now. It was almost as if it was night here, deep inside the enchanted woods. Shuffling and flapping sounds could be heard among the trees, but no Zoog was to be seen.

"We're almost at the village now..."

Knight Fenix
Fenix felt uneasy, standing behind the group of travellers. He knew that he might be the source of trouble.

"Fayt... I know you will always be my friend no matter what..."

Fayt licked Fenix's face and they quietly giggled. Red Un looked back, but paid no attention. Fayt suddenly turned his head around and stuck his big floppy ears up. Fenix turned around and saw a "Zoog" trailing behind. Fenix poked Katherine (she was closest to him) and whispered.

"Uhm Miss... how much longer...? I’m scared."

Fenix drew out his sword and trudged on.

Tranquillity
Tranquillity walked along following Katherine. The hairs on the back of her neck were standing up. She couldn't help but feel that they were being watched. She kept on looking around for some sign of somebody, or something, watching them but there was nothing, not even a branch rustling. That frightened her.

She shivered. She looked at her arms and saw goose bumps.

From up ahead she heard Red Un talking. "...they don't just eat fungi, but has a taste for flesh as well."

She sped up and fell in along side Red Un. "Then what do we do if one attacks us?" she asked. "If we kill one of them, they'll never help us... will they?"

Red Un
"Well, if we're attacked, it's obvious that they wouldn't want to give us their help anyway. And then...we'll see when that happens."

Red Un looked ahead.

"Ah, here we are."

Ahead laid a circle of ancient, mossy stones in what was one a clearing but was now pretty overgrown. Red Un led the party to the middle of the circle. Then he made the fluttering sounds again.

And the Zoogs came.

From hidden burrows and holes in the trees, clinging to the branches above and turning the forest floor to a sea of brown furry backs. Their yellow eyes glared at the adventurers, and they bared their teeth. One of them, a very old Zoog, started to make long fluttering sounds. Red Un responded with other fluttering sounds, but to no avail. He turned to the rest of the adventurers.

"He says that we're here to burn down the forest and raze their ancient stone circles! I don't know where he got that idea from, but I guess we'll soon find the answer to Tranquillity's question..."

He drew his sword as the whole horde of Zoogs surged towards them...

Tranquillity
Tranquillity reached behind her and pulled her sword out of its sheath. She took several deep breaths and began to relax her body. She looked around her and sensed how they were massively outnumbered. She reached with her left hand into a sheath and drew out a long thin dagger.

She faced her enemies and held her blades in a defensive position. "This doesn't look good you guys." she said.

Red Un
And then, in the middle of the Zoogs, stepped a dark-robed man. Red Un gasped.

"The Master! But you can't be here, you're just in my head, haunting my...dreams..."

"Yes, foolish half-dwarf! When you entered the Dreamland, you finally gave me the opportunity to destroy you once and for all and stop your foolish quest!"

The Zoogs surged forward, and Red Un swung his sword, sending them flying backwards again. But more came to take their place. The Master laughed evilly.

"These Zoogs are quite good to have as allies..."

Knight Fenix
The adventurers were slowly closed into a small circle where they had to defend themselves. Fenix had a gash across his face and was bitten several times on his body.

"Too much..."

Fenix sheathed his sword and took out his bow and began firing rapidly into the massive army of Zoogs. Fenix suddenly realized that far off in the distance there were two red eyes glowing back at him.

"Mr. Undersoor!" What is the Zoog's biggest enemy?!"

Braldril
Braldril looked around at the funny looking things and laughed. He pulled out a sword and swung at the zoogs, knocking them to the side.

Red Un
Red Un swung around towards Knight Fenix, while desperately trying to fight back the swarming Zoogs.

"Their biggest enemy? Well, I guess it would be..."

He saw the red eyes, which were now joined by many other pairs of glowing eyes.

"...cats."

The bushes erupted with cats that stormed into the Zoogs and started to slash with their long claws and bite with their fangs. The Master looked at them, horrified.

"Cats! Cats! Cats can't do this! They're just stupid furballs!"

Then he quickly dodged Red Un's sword swing and drew his own, long sword. Red Un grinned.

"I guess the odds have changed, eh?"

But there were still a lot of Zoogs, and the cats couldn't handle them alone...

Tujex
Tujex swatted the creatures away with his forearms. "These things aren't worthy of my Noish's Promise." Tujex said arrogantly. He snatched a dagger free and sent it into a one the attacking creatures stomach. With a swift move he snatched it from the things body and slashed it in half. "Is it possible to kill things that appear in Dreamland, wouldn't they just respawn after we slay them." Tujex asked as the Zoog's body fell to the ground before him.

Vodok
Vodivir and Vodok had been close together when they were suddenly attacked and before they knew it, they were surrounded. Since they hadn't been prepared they were fighting poorly without a foggiest idea of what was going on.

But luckily, the cats came and the tide turned.

Red Un
"Don't worry, if they're dead, they're dead."

The Master and Red Un duelled among the swarms of Zoogs and cats. The Master was getting the upper hand, it was obvious who was the better swordsman of the two.

"Damn you, half-dwarf! I might have lost this fight, but I shall make sure you lose your life!"

He sent Red Un to the ground (who crushed a few Zoogs on the way down) and put up his sword for a deadly blow...

Knight Fenix
Suddenly Fenix saw what was happening to Red Un. Fenix threw Fayt at "The Master" which sent him into a spasm of slashes and bites. "The Master" soon dropped his sword and was trying to pull the cat off his bloody face.

"Fayt! Don't let that man hurt you!"

Fenix shot an arrow into a zoog and tried to conjure another arrow when he realized he was too tired too. Fenix took out his bastard sword and began slashing away at the tangled army of Zoogs.

"Mr. Undersoor! Don't let that man hurt Fayt!"

Darkness Fall-ll
"Whisky! Take Flight!" In an instant, Whisky transformed into a White Owl Shield and mounted onto Katherine's left arm.

Zoogs were everywhere. Swarms of them! Katherine no idea where the hell they came from...

But something's wrong... The Zoogs didn’t seem to be attacking her at all, they kept a distance from her, something was making them frightened. She slowly shifted her legs and moved in circles. Now, she was surrounded by Zoogs, no way out! But why weren’t they attacking?

Katherine slowly studied this strange behaviour and realised it was her serpent staff.

"GUYS! These zoogs are afraid of my Serpent Staff. I think there's a hidden power within my Staff that might be able to kill these Zoogs!" Katherine cried, as she waved her staff around. And indeed, the Zoogs seem to be afraid of her Serpent staff somehow.

Delai
Delai stepped into her warm comfortable bed in the guildhall and drifted off to sleep.

And was awakened by a swarm of screaming brown thingies rushing towards her. She stared, screamed, and then ran away from the horde. She fled down the hill into a group of people. The woman before Delai gripped a snake-entwined staff and swung it viciously at the small, brown beasts. Cats and beasties fought madly with one another and all about her there was fur and fury. The woman shouted: "I think there's a hidden power within my Staff that might be able to kill these Zoogs!"

Delai ran up behind her, happy to see anything that could hurt these 'zoogs' if that's what they were. The woman swung the staff again and hit Delai firmly in the midsection as she approached.

"Oooooofff, oww!" Delai moaned.

The woman turned, startled. "Who on earth are you?"

Delai began to answer just as a loud cry came from deep within the swarming mass, a sound of screeching as the zoogs were crushed under the weight of something. The woman turned and her mouth opened to say something, but Delai was already running toward the sound. When she got there she found a man, hooded and cloaked in black raising a sword above a stocky man. She threw herself fully into the robed man's back, knocking him to the ground.

Tranquillity
The zoogs were soon attacking Tranquillity, but since she was fairly close to Katherine they did not surround her. She found the zoogs to be surprisingly lithe. Nonetheless she managed to fight them off with her double swords. She saw from the corner of her eye Red Un fighting a man that he called "the master". He seemed to be losing, but at the moment it seemed like there was little she could do to help him from her current position.

She stepped backwards closer to Katherine and noticed that the zoogs were more apprehensive about approaching. She shrugged, she thought it was a bit odd, but she figured that now wasn't the time that she should be thinking about it. She took both of her swords in one hand and reached into a pocket. She took out four explosion runes and put them into slots on the inside of her sleeves. She took another one out and fired it at the zoogs between her and Red Un. She took her sword back in her left hand then ran into the opening the explosion had created. She had to fire off two more and then fight off some more zoogs before she was in sight of Red Un.

Keeping "the master" straight ahead of her she flicked her wrist so as to make the explosion rune fall into her hand. Nothing happened, she did it again, still nothing, she felt along the side of her arm, sword still in hand and felt a tear. She looked back and saw the rune lying in the dirt.

With an exasperated sigh she turned back around and tried to get close enough to Red Un to help him.

Red Un
The Master tried to get Fayit off his face when the newcomer pushed him over. As he hit the ground, many cats came crawling over him. The Master screamed in pain and terror, but soon only the sounds of the angry cats were heard.

Red Un turned to Katherine.

"Use your staff to drive the Zoogs away or something!"

Tranquillity
Just when Tranquillity was about to break through the zoogs to Red Un she saw something hit "the Master" in the face. Soon after he went down screaming, covered in cats.

Tranquillity hurried over to Red Un and turned to face the opposite direction of him to ensure that they wouldn't get attacked from behind. "Are you ok Red Un?" she asked as she looked warily out at the sea of zoogs.

Braldril
Braldril sat down against a tree and took a deep breath. He sheathed his sword and set it down beside him.

"My my, these zoogs are feisty little buggers."

Delai
Delai peeled herself from the robed body. She'd not meant to participate in death, she'd wanted to prevent one and now there was a dead person under her. Ugh.

"Are you ok, Red Un?" asked a female voice to her left. She rose to her feet, mentally checking for broken bones and realizing that the real problem was what the cats had done to her nightgown. She was still dressed well enough, but there were tears everywhere. She turned to see the stocky person, almost dwarven, standing up holding his hand over a huge gash in his forearm.

The druid gripped the ground hard and reached mentally deep into it to find its central power, its inner being. She fell the swell of life below the soil and pulled some of the energy into a swirling blue field about her upon which the zoogs angrily gnawed, but they could not penetrate it.

Delai sat back and concentrated hard on nothingness. She fell into the Void and tapped the Spheres. She ripped order from them and forced herself back up to consciousness, where she instilled the order of the Spheres into the hurt man's arm. She pecked around the man in the Void, finding him to be only half-dwarf and then came back to the normal world.

She had a knack for dropping shields at the wrong time for as she exited the Void and dropped her defence, a wave of the zoogs swarmed towards her. She was exhausted from the healing and there was no chance of resurrecting the shield in time. She reached for the sword that should have been over her back, and then realised that there was no blade there, for she had only what she slept with.

The swarm flew closer.

Red Un
First, Red Un just looked at his healed wound in amazement, but then he saw that the newcomer was in trouble, so he ran to her aid, slicing through most of the Zoogs.

"I don't know who you are, or how you gotten yourself into the Dreamland of Earth, but we sure could use another one 'o them magical fields right now..."

Delai
Delai winced as the half-dwarf's blade flashed through the air. "We could really use another one o' them magical fields right now," he said between strikes. Delai nodded quickly and began to recreate the shield around herself, she poured more and more of the Spheres into it, to expand it further. It began to encompass the half-dwarf, allowing him a respite from the slaughter. She tried to push it further, but felt it begin to reach her limits. "There's just no way that I can make one of the... shields... big enough... I lack the capacity. We need something else to incorporate into the shield!"

Red Un
Red Un looked around as the Zoogs kept jumping but smashed against the magic wall.

"Katherine, we could really use that staff right now!"

Darkness Fall-ll
With the newly gained knowledge that Katherine's Serpent Staff has a hidden power that might be able to defeat these Zoogs, she held her staff with two hands in front of her and mumbled "Gaerthi Kaerthyre Baerthiy!"

It didn't work! But this was a word she learnt and remembered that it could only be used in times of need.

"Red Un! I can't unlock the Hidden power! I need more energy!" Katherine exclaimed. "Delai! I need you to transfer all your remaining energy into my Serpent Staff. It's the only chance we got!" Katherine shouted over to Delai, who was trying to maintain the Magic Wall.

Tujex
Tujex watched as the Zoogs smashed into the shield before them. Everyone around him was trying their best to do something to help, but Tujex knew he couldn't do much of anything. The amount of mana in his body was very low, and it wouldn't help either Delai or Katherine much. "It may not, but it's better than not doing anything." Tujex muttered as he placed his hand on Katherine's shoulder. His hand began to glow slightly as he transferred what little mana he had in him to her. "Hope this helps..." he said with a smile as he withdrew his hand.


Red Un
The Zoogs realized that the magical wall was impenetrable, so they started to surround the cats instead. Soon the cats stood in a circle, hissing and growling as the Zoogs moved closer...

Knight Fenix
Fenix suddenly jumped over the Zoog's head into the circle of cats. As the Zoogs closed the circle in more Fenix jumped into the pile and began to fight the army of Zoogs. As they all began to bite and claw at him a slight rain fell down from the sky. Thunder shattered over-head as he saw all the stones with symbols begin to glow. Everything suddenly froze. Fenix and the others walked about...confusedly at what happened...

"What the fu.-"

He pushed a Zoog over where it suddenly disappeared, no trace of it ever having existed.

Delai
Delai gripped Katherine's staff and flung herself full force into it. And then as Delai and Katherine's defensive matrices were pushed into the bearing of their magic walls, it began to rain. As the rain fell, the zoogs began to dissipate before the party's eyes, transforming into nothingness. As the mass of Zoogs around the party disappeared, Delai turned to the lady with the staff. "You know my name, but I don't know yours. And do you happen to have a spare cloak?"

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine looked over her shoulders and gave Tujex and Delai a smile. "Thanks..."

The eyes of the serpent glowed with a strong green light and emitted an aura around it. Katherine raised her staff high up in the air and was about to strike the ground to release the Hidden Power within the staff, when the Zoogs just disappeared at the touch of the rain.

Shocked, confused and astonished by what was happening in front of her eyes, she turned to Red Un for an explanation.

Moments later, after she calmed herself...

"I mind read Delai... Name's Katherine." Reaching into her backpack she pulled out an old cloak she found a long time ago, thinking to herself Finally, this thing has found a new owner...

"Here you go Delai, I found an extra cloak in my backpack, you can have it, and may you give it new Life and Energy..." as she handed a neatly folded cloak to Delai.


Red Un
Red Un was amazed. Never before had he seen magic like this. Then he noticed that it still rained.

"Hrmph... now I'll get all wet an' stuff..."

The cats had gathered at his feet, now small and friendly-looking again. The oldest one of them told him in the language of cats that they had wanted vengeance upon the evil dark-robed man, and since Red Un and his gang had been kind to the cats, no harm would befall them in the Dreamland anymore.

Unfortunately, Red Un didn't speak the language of the cats, so all he heard was meowing.

"Hey, thanks for the help, little cats. I guess ya should go back to your humans now, before they start to get worried."

But the cats all set of in one direction, and the old cat told the party to follow them to the seven hundred and seventy steps.

"That's funny, it's like the cats wants to show us something..."

The old cat muttered something about the stupidity of mortals...

"Aw, how cute, he's purring!"

Vodok
Vodok and Vodivir had avoided a lot of the fighting by hiding in some bushes and picking off as many zoogs as possible while they passed. When the rain came down and the zoogs disappeared Vodok and Vodivir came out from their hiding place. "Ain’t much weirder than when that island started fallin' down..." Vodivir said to Vodok as they approached Red Un and the cats. "Wha' now?" Vodok asked as if nothing had happened.

Red Un
"Well, I guess we could follow the cats to see what they wanna show us..."

The cats were moving away into the woods, and Red Un followed them...

Knight Fenix
Fenix picked up Fayt and ran up behind Red Un... as they walked the cats began to meow and purr in unison, even Fayt joined in. The meowing and purring continued on in unison until about an hour or so.

"These cats are starting to get to me..." said Red Un.

"Well, they're singing, as to pass the time” replied Fenix.

"Mrowr...meow..."

"Anyone know any good songs? Fayt told me the journey would take about three more hours..."

Red Un
"Well, I've got a song..."

Red Un started singing.

"Hey ho, hey ho,
trough the enchanted wood we go
to find a stair
and keep our hair
Hey ho, hey ho!

Hey ho, hey ho
I don't like rainin' no
I'll get all wet
and will probably fret
Hey ho, hey ho!"

Then he stumbled over a cat and fell face-first into the mud. He got up and wiped some mud of his face.

"Sorry for steppin' on ya, cat."

The old cat thanked his younger brethren for saving them from having to hear the half-dwarf sing for three hours...

Knight Fenix
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Fenix began to point and laugh at Red Un.

"Sorry Mr. Red, it's just that I haven't laughed for about two years until now."

They walked on until they reached the giant staircase. It was incredibly steep and seemed to go on forever.

"Mr. Red...can we take a break?"

Red Un
Red Un muttered while they walked. When they reached the staircase, even he was awed by its size.

"I think we should just get movin' and get outta here before the Zoogs come back. Let's go people! It's only seven hundred steps to the cavern of flame, and then just seventy more to the waking world!"

He started to climb the huge staircase...

Tranquillity
Tranquillity was getting slightly tired when suddenly they all came before the giant staircase. "Red Un, are you sure there are ONLY 770 steps? Or is that just the name they chose for it because it sounded nice and big?"

She stared way up to the top of the staircase, suddenly a thought struck her, "And do we know what will be at the top of the staircase? And what’s the deal with that cavern of flame? I'm sort of at a loss for what to expect." she explained apologetically.

Knight Fenix
"All I know is this'll take forever...I think I’ll take a nap..."

As the others climbed the HUGE staircase Fenix slept at the bottom, letting his strength gather. Fenix awoke to see a Zoog in the bushed staring back at him.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH~!"

Fenix dashed up the staircase to where the others were currently climbing, exhausted and annoyed.

"Hurry up, the Zoogs are coming!"

Fenix hurried up along, Fayt running behind.

Red Un
"I don't think ya have to worry, the seven hundred and seventy steps are taboo for the Zoogs. Just five hundred left to go up to the cavern o' flame..."

There was darkness on all sides now, so Red Un lit a torch and kept on trudging...

Tranquillity
"367, 368, 369, 370. 371, 372... forget it" she mumbled as she gave up counting and started to listen to the cats as she climbed. "Halfway there" she said.

Tujex
Tujex sighed as he stepped upon step four hundred and fifty. "Man... this is murder on my legs. When I get through my calf muscles better be massive." The halfbreed opened his eyes to see that he was falling behind and went into a slow jog to catch up. "I don't think I'll make it three hundred more steps. I don't see how the dwarves can do this without whining."

Delai
"Whining?" Delai asked from behind. "Nay, if there was complaining to be done, they'd be beering all the way."

Red Un
Red Un cheerfully set his foot on step number five hundred twenty-three.

"Dum de dum...almost at the cavern now, and soon in the waking world again!"

Meanwhile, in the waking world...

The Thaian doctor had been studying the strange cases for some days now. A gang of sleeping people found of the coast of Fibula. No attempt to wake them had been successful.

As he entered this morning, he noticed that something was different about them. Yes...there was definitely some movement beneath their eyelids. But still they would not wake.

Vodok
Vodivir was tired and Vodok was completely exhausted. With his short legs, even for a dwarf and all his backpacks walking was rather tough. He was to sober for his liking and wanted to drink a beer but knew that falling down all these steps would be all but good for his survival. So Vodok walked on and on and on panting and drinking lots of water. "Can't... we... take'a... li'l... break..." Vodok just about said. To bad he was to far behind the rest of the group to actually be heard...

Dragon Hunter
There was a darkly dressed man sitting at by the bar at Frodo's, drinking from a crystal bottle filled with a dark, red liquid. His long, silver-white hair freely fell down on his back, and he seemed concerned. His left hand was resting on the hilt of a sword, sheathed in a very decorated sword sheath, hanging by his belt. People seemed to stay clear of this man, and he seemed pleased with that. "I wonder how they are doing. Sometimes I wonder if it was wise leaving them like that..." he thought for himself. Some time ago he had left a group led by a dwarf named Red, since he had some business back home. These thoughts had been troubling his dreams for quite some time, and he rarely had a dream without meaning. As he drank the last drop from the bottle, he let out a troubled sigh. None of his spells had been able to locate them, and he was seriously worried, for the first time in over a hundred years. He had started to like the dwarf and his group, and that was something unusual as well. He put away the bottle, and climbed up on his feet. He headed towards the exit and pulled up the hood on his pitch-black cloak, he was going to look for any news about such a group...

Knight Fenix
Fenix cheerfully walked up the stairs, fully rejuvenated from his sleep the day before.

"600...608..."

Fenix knew that when he "woke up" he would be seven years older than he was in the Dreamland.

"19...I can't wait!"

Fenix and the group ascended the stairs until they reached stair number 700.

"70 more to go!!"

Red Un
There it was, the cavern of flame, wherein resided the bearded priests Nasht and Kaman-Thah.

"Welcome, dreamers! Are you in need of rest after your ardorous climb?"

Red Un was actually panting a bit, so he sat down on a small chair carved directly out of the rock.

"Yeah...a little rest would do before we get outta 'ere..."

Nasht looked at the party.

"What strange beings are you? You don't look like inhabitants of Earth to me."

Red Un grinned.

"Nope, we're inhabitants o' Tibia, a far more interestin' place..."

Tujex
Tujex collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily. "I can't believe I made it..." he said between gasps for air. "I never thought the ground could feel so nice," he said before he let out a yawn. He rested his head on his arms and smiled. It wasn't long before he began snoring and someone gave him a kick in his side. He simply rolled over on his back and began snoring even louder.

Red Un
While the two priests looked at the party curiously, Red Un kicked Tujex again.

"We've still got seventy more steps to go! You can sleep when we wake up!"

Darkness Fall-ll
Katherine's legs felt like they were gonna break off any moment when she finally reached the 700th step.

"Dar.. Darn it... I...I..I'll nev..never cli..climb that..much...much...steps...steps ev..eve..ever AGAIN!" Katherine said in between breaths, as she gasped for air. The fresh, cool air refreshed Katherine. Giving her enough energy to keep her mind clear and prevent her from falling into darkness...

With only 70 more steps to go, Katherine knew that she had to go on. Dragging her worn out body, she continued to climb the remaining steps.

"Why does these steps..steps.. seems...seems like for...forever..."

Finally. As Katherine passed the final step, she collapsed on the ground. Her breathing was so weak, that it seemed like she didn’t even have the slightest energy for breathing.

Lifting her head up, with a blurred vision of Red Un, "Red Un... Do...Don't... Ev..ever..."

Without even finishing her sentence, Katherine's mind fell into total darkness from the climb.

Red Un
Red Un pushed the unconscious Katherine into the darkness ahead. Then he followed, as did the others.

He couldn't see anything...

But what was there to see? He didn't have a body anymore...

A mind floated between the land of Dreams and Tibia...

He saw someone sleeping...it was a half-dwarf. The mind seemed to recognise it from somewhere. Curiously, it moved closer...

And then, all was dark.

Red Un fumbled around with his hands, but it was still dark.

Then he realised that his eyes were closed. He opened them.

He and his party were lying on beds in a small room. Red Un got of his bed and walked over to a door. Locked. He knocked at it.

"Ahoi! We're awake in here!"

But no answer yet...