Dreambreaker: Chapter 6

"Dreambreaker: Chapter 1" 

"Dreambreaker: Chapter 2" 

"Dreambreaker: Chapter 3" 

"Dreambreaker: Chapter 4" 

"Dreambreaker: Chapter 5" 



Kalar stared in an attempt to adjust to the organized rigidity of the room.

         “She's going to wake up,” Fuybek stated. “Ashtas, she won't recognize you until she can think something good about you.”

         “Kalar,” Bodhi said admonishingly, “can't you think more specifically?”

         Yunhi opened her eyes after she finished her Psychic form on Unanda. “Unanda?” she toned, trying to rouse her as gently as possible.

         The onlookers stared and waited with baited breath. Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open.

         “Where am I?”

         “You're in a clinic in Shalagal,” Yunhi said.

         “I don't recognize any of you,” Unanda said. “Well, besides you two, of course,” indicating Yunhi and Kalar nonchalantly.

         “That's OK,” Yunhi said. “You suffered some serious injuries.”

         “Also, we just...” Sumili began, but Fuybek stopped him.

         “I know you're...” She shook her head as if to banish the images. “But...” she raised her right hand and flexed her fingers. She looked at the digits in wonder.

         “It's not a trick and we're not going to do anything to you. We're going to help you get better,” Yunhi said.

         Malasi came in with a bowl of a broth, “Here,” she said through Ashtas' Wimcard, “drink this. You need to stay hydrated.”

         “No!” she screamed, knocking the bowl away. She pulled her legs up to her chest and clutched her head.

         “She thinks it's poisoned. This is going to be a problem,” Yunhi said to herself.

         “If I am truly free,” Unanda said after a moment, “you will let me go.”

         “Fine, you are free to go, Unanda,” Malasi said. “Your vitals are fine and your body is no longer deteriorating.”

         She placed a small Healing form on the hand that smacked the bowl away before collecting the bowl and mopping up the spilt liquid. Unanda stared at the form in shock.

         “It actually feels better.”

         “Of course,” Malasi said, straightening. “Now, I know you don't trust me now, but I would like you to talk to me in one week's time,” she was the quintessence of sterile caring as she removed the sensor strips from Unanda's forehead and her secretion bag.

         Malasi looked around. Fuybek went over to Kalar, “She wants to transfer her information to someone's Wimcard. You'll be with her when she gets her new one.”

         Kalar stepped forward and held out his Wimcard. Malasi overlaid hers on top of his and dragged her profile into the shared area.

         “Also, I got this for you. You don't have to wear it,” Malasi glared at the naked Yunhi levelly, “But I think you might want to.”

         Malasi held up a simple dress of natural cacti fibers and spun copper. She laid it on the bed in front of her.

         “I haven't seen something so beautiful in...” Unanda stopped suddenly. She squeezed her eyes tightly, and screamed.

         “Unanda, is everything OK?” Kalar took her hand and searched her face. She snatched it back.

         “She's having an attack. Most of her recent memories are now traumatic events,” Yunhi said.

         “I've got this one,” Bodhi said, stepping forward. A Consciousness form moved through Unanda's head. She stopped screaming and stared at the dress.

         “It was just shopping with friends,” she said in amazement.

         “Remember that the next time you feel scared. The past can't harm you anymore,” Bodhi

         Unanda nodded and pulled the dress over her head and shimmied into it, “It fits perfectly. She threw back the blankets and stood up, smoothing the dress. She stared at her leg, touching it gingerly. She collapsed to the ground clutching it and breathing rapidly. She let out pained moans of increasing intensity. Bodhi was quick with another Consciousness form.

         Unanda let out a deep breath and stood up. “Thank you,” she said to Bodhi. “Well, I'm going to go now. Bye,” and she left the clinic.

         “Wait!” Kalar was the fastest. He jumped over the bed and Ashtas and ran after her.

         “You don't have a Wimcard, which means you don't have any money. You need me to stay with you.”

         “Well, OK, but don't tell me what to do, and if you show the slightest sign that this is a trick...” She pushed him against a wall and held him up by the throat, “...I will kill you.”

         “OK,” Kalar managed to choke out. He was slightly afraid of the unhinged woman threatening him. She let him down slowly. She stared at the floor.

         “Hey it's... it's fine, I understand that it's hard for you. But you're going to be all right. We'll do whatever you want to do.”

         “OK,” she replied, “But you have got to give me some space.” There was some of her usual attitude in her declaration. “Are they going to be following me everywhere?”

         “Well, maybe,” Kalar looked at the group of people in the doorway. “Who do you want to come?”

         “Yunhi and you and her,” she said pointing to Kalar and Bodhi. “She made me feel better...”

         “Well... I have to go. I just wanted to stay until Unanda woke up. I've got some costumes to work on for a Poison Day play.” Kalar had the feeling Akyiko only spoke up to dispel some of the tension.

         “Yeah, I have to go, too. Kalar, let us know how she's doing,” Jhaqoh followed suit.

         Fuybek chimed in, “As much as I want to see how this progresses, she really doesn't want us here. And Sumili thinks we should be getting back to the monastery.”

         “We'll take the ree on our way back,” Sumili added, turning to collect their meal boxes.

         Everyone turned to Shkerqi and Ashtas.

         “Bodhi is my wife, so I'm going to go with her.” That left Ashtas.

         Kalar turned to Yunhi, who was looking bored.

         “Oh, he should come. He's, well, … It's a good idea.”

         “Whatever, I'm going,” Unanda said, walking toward the elevator. “I just need... Ahhhh!” she cried out, clutching her head.

         Bodhi dispensed a third Consciousness form, and Unanda was able to stand on her own.

         “Now, Unanda, I have to warn you. Consciousness natura is meant only to help you along. The second you become reliant or dependent on it, it will not work.”

         Unanda looked at Bodhi with a look of fear, “How much longer will it work? I have to just live with the fact that I'll have debilitating pain every time I reme...” Bodhi's form was in place even before Unanda could cry out.

         “You have some work ahead of you, and I can help you, we all can,” Bodhi looked at Kalar before turning back to Unanda. “But as for your first question,” she stopped and the twinkle of consciousness natura flashed, “I can't tell you that.”

         Unanda took a deep breath and collected herself, “I don't know what your angle is here or how you're going to cause me more suffering, but I'm going to get a Wimcard and I'm going to try and find food that isn't poisoned.”

         She hit the button for the elevator and when it came, she entered. Bodhi, Kalar, Yunhi, Ashtas, and Shkerqi all entered behind her, leaving Akyiko, Jhaqoh, Sumili, and Fuybek.

         “She turned slightly to Kalar, “What floor do we get off?”

         “Let me find out,” Kalar tapped on his Wimcard and found a map of Shalagal. “We need to get off on the seventh floor, and take a train across the city to the North exit. From there we can ...” Yunhi cut him off.

         “You should just follow us for now,” she stated. “Unanda, I'm going to put a Psychic form on you that will make you unable to recognize where we are going. It'll be for the best.”

         “OK,” Unanda said, waiting.

         “Kalar, I need a talisman for this.” When Kalar obliged her, a complex Psychic form worked its way into Unanda's brain.

         “Did you do the same thing that you did in regards to me?” Ashtas asked.

         “Yeah except faces and voices are easy. Places are stored in and combine many different schema, so I don't know how well this will work. It's not exactly recommended for cities.”

         They were exiting the elevator and heading toward a stone train station. The homes carved into the sinuous inner walls of the city, were beginning to glow like the sparks from a stirred fire. They followed a walkway over stone ramps and under metal networks. They passed over the vats of bacteria and algae and the pipes that ushered away reclaimed minerals and biomanufactured chemicals. The rail tracks that transported people around the city were suspended from the roof with thick cables or held aloft on stilts. A scaffold path lead down to the station carved out of a giant rock buttress that connected to  the city wall. They entered the station, walked under the first track, and up a ramp to the second track that led in the opposite direction.

         Within a few moments, a train slowed to a stop in front of them. They boarded with a few other people and found seats. The train started again and glided along its track past glowing homes and stone arches and sunless gardens. After a few stops, they arrived at the North Exit stop. Kalar tapped his Wimcard on the wicket to pay for all of them as they exited. After descending a few more ramps, they stood before a large, closed stone gate. The keepers shouted to each other, and slowly, the doors slid open. Unceremoniously, they exited Shalagal and stepped into the sunlight.

         The sun was low in the sky and had almost set behind the mountains. Unanda put her hand up to shield her eyes, but soon crumpled to the ground.

         “The sun, too!?” Kalar asked incredulously as he helped Unanda to her feet. She pushed him away.

         “I'm somewhat at a loss for this one,” Yunhi said, kneeling next to Unanda, who was shaking and whimpering unintelligibly.

         “Then we gotta get started on her training,” Bodhi said as she knelt. “Unanda, I know you're feeling fear, but it's just a feeling. It's caused by memories that you have, but they can't hurt you anymore. Concentrate on the situation now. Concentrate on the present. Concentrate on my voice,” Bodhi caught Unanda's gaze. “Unanda, you're safe now. You are among people who care about you and will protect you.” Bodhi put a hand on Unanda's shoulder. She pulled away.

         “I don't believe you. I've been here before. 'You're safe; we'll protect you.' I'll know I'm safe when I can protect myself,” Unanda cried thick, oily tears.

         “You can protect yourself, Unanda. Have you tried using natura?” Kalar asked quietly. He held out the silver feather he had made this morning.

         Tentatively, she took it. She closed her eyes and breathed deeply. The feather floated in a spotty and shaky Metal form. The form was like a person drawing with her non-dominant hand with her eyes closed. Straining, Unanda caused the feather to crumble. She stared at the crushed metal, new tears streaming down her face.

         “Did they corrupt her whole experience of natura, too?” Ashtas asked.

         “No, well, yes, but right now she's happy. She feels like she hasn't used natura in years. She... is starting to believe,” Yunhi said, her voice cracking. A tear streaked her cheek. “She'll be fine as...” she cut off as Unanda began remembering. Her screams echoed off the surrounding mountains, a chorus of terror.

         “Bodhi. Use it,” Yunhi stared at Bodhi fiercely.

         Bodhi didn't hesitate. “Oh,” she said softly after she placed her form and immediately placed a second, bolder one. Unanda's screams didn't cut off suddenly like previously. They dwindled to whimpering and shaking slowly.

         “She can't keep this up. Yunhi, do something,” Kalar said, feeling helpless.

         Yunhi's attitude changed from stern caretaker to intrigued and distant observer.

         “We have three options. I can make her forget everything after that Healing Day in play school,” Ashtas, Bodhi, and Shkerqi looked at each other with confusion, “But she'll still need to come to terms with what happened, and that's a process I can't speed up meaningfully.” She searched for a comparison. “It would be like pruning a tree to make it produce fruit faster.”

         “So basically amnesia. That doesn't sound so bad,” Shkerqi said, crouching next to Unanda, who whimpered in a curled up position.

         “Well, that leaves the processing to the subconscious in a sleeping state. The resulting night terrors and insomnia could be fatal.”

         “What are the other options?” Kalar asked frantically as Unanda began screaming again.

         “I can give her flat affect. It's basically its own downside. She won't be able to feel anything, including empathy. Feeling emotions is like exercising. Having flat affect for an extended period can permanently impair her normal functioning.”

         “Can't you just muffle the feelings a little?” Kalar asked.

         “It's too strong for that. Doing that a meaningful amount would be like giving her flat affect,” Yunhi shook her head.

         Unanda looked like she was starting to calm. She was trying to breathe deeply and relax with varying degrees of success.

         “The third option is blocking her fear center. She'll be dangerously fearless, which includes all forms of embarrassment and fear of pain. The good thing is this will help her process the fastest. The downside is that kind of power is highly addictive. With people with less developed moral centers, I would recommend against this, but with Unanda there is as much risk as with amnesia.”

         Unanda was on her hands and knees now, one hand clawing the paved path, the other violently waving away anyone who tried to help her. She cried out through clenched teeth.

         “We should ask Unanda what she thinks...” Ashtas said.

         “Fearless. Now,” she grunted through gritted teeth.

         Yunhi was visibly frightened of what she was about to do, but didn't hesitate. The Psychic form disappeared into Unanda, and she relaxed. Bodhi, Kalar, Shkerqi, and Ashtas helped her to her feet.

         “It is done,” Yunhi said quietly.

         Unanda turned to Ashtas, “Who are you again? You seem familiar, but I can't figure it out.”

         Ashtas looked at Yunhi before answering, “I'm your mentor. You are studying the Metal Way with me.”

         “No, that's not right. My mentor raped and slowly dismembered me,” she stared at him thoughtfully. “I don't like to think about that. Well, I want my Wimcard.”

         She walked away from them on the path and down into the stairwell that lead to the train.

         Five Wimcard alarms went off simultaneously, querying whether they would like the next train to stop. It was going the wrong direction, so they asked for the next one toward Meqiyoha. Single file they entered the wicket, tapping their Wimcards to pay. Kalar was last and tapped his twice to pay for Unanda who had waited for him.

         “I'll pay you back,” Unanda said turning to him. She said this matter-of-factly, confidently.

         “No need, honestly,” Kalar said with more that a trace of guilt.

         “No, that's just what I do,” Unanda replied.

         Yunhi turned to Unanda with a bemused look on her face. Bodhi picked up on the cue and turned, too, curious.

         “I find you very attractive,” Unanda said looking deep into Kalar's eyes. “Someday when I get these disgusting memories out of my head, we are going to have the sweatiest and most intense beast of your life.”

         Kalar coughed and cleared his throat, “I... I...” A lump had lodged itself in his throat, and his face felt hot. He looked at Yunhi, who turned away in what might have been disgust. Bodhi flashed him a “good for you” gesture. Shkerqi smiled with glittering eyes. Ashtas' mouth quirked up with the slightest hint of amusement.

         The guilt tightened on his throat. Guilt for his past, guilt for what happened to Unanda, guilt over the desire to take her up on her offer soon, tonight even. After a minute of his heart pounding in his ears, he finally managed words.

         “Unanda, I like you, too, but I'm not sure we want to have this conversation right now, right here,” a slight twitch in his neck indicated the present company.

         “Well, you're right about that, not if it's going to go like this. These memories are awful, I want them out of my head. Everything reminds me of something terrible that happened to me over all those years.” Unanda said in a stream of consciousness way.

         “Well, Unanda, the thing is, these are your real memories, except corrupted and masked. Your brain will slowly unmask them now that you want to live, just like when Bodhi uses a Consciousness form,” Yunhi explained.

         “So you mean that he really is my mentor, but he didn't torture me?” she asked.

         “No, you loved working with me. You loved every moment,” Ashtas broke in, missing his student.

         “Funny, I seem to remember hating every moment of it, from the first time you...” She trailed off. “Ah!” she exclaimed.

         Everyone crowded closer to Unanda.

         “Another attack?” Kalar asked.

         “No, she is trying to remember,” Yunhi replied not looking at him.

         “Where do I know you from!?” Unanda demanded.

         “Like I said, I'm your...” Ashtas began before Unanda cut him off.

         “Have you ever been to the Burning Esagoo Festival on Chaos Day?” she asked. Bodhi, Shkerqi, and Kalar stared at Unanda and Ashtas in turn.

         Yunhi smiled widely, “I go every year.”

         “No, of course not, that's...” Ashtas stopped again as his eyes grew huge. “Once. A long time ago. Some of my students convinced me to go with them. I left very early, before they even lit the thing.”

         “But before you left, you helped me find my bag. I floated so far that night, I'm surprised I can even remember. I was already floating when we met. I was probably naked.”

         “I don't seem to recall that detail,” Ashtas said, scratching the back of his fringed ear with his tail, clearly recalling.

         “That's where I know you from! Whew, mystery solved,” Unanda said with finality.

         The cool air of the tunnel and ambient light washed over them in the silence. Unanda ground her teeth and doubled over. Yunhi placed her hand on Unanda's back.

         “Unanda, do you want to talk about it?” Yunhi asked.

         Unanda straightened, shrugged off the hand, and blew her breath through clenched teeth, “Well, I'm starting to believe you, but I'll kill all of you if you turn out to be lying. It's starting to feel like a dream, though the pain is still intense and searing. I was remembering a time I waited for the train, when daemon attackers grabbed me from behind and started choking me. Three of them kicked and beat and bit me while the fourth tightened his hold on the wire around my neck...” Unanda stopped and breathed several times, as if to remember she could breathe. Kalar was filled with horror as he listened, followed by anger and shame. He wanted to hear it all; he wanted to take on her pain. A desire for punishment.

         Unanda continued, “But this was Meqiyoha! When does that happen in Meqiyoha? We haven't had a random act of violence like that in a millennium, excluding the Akina Balaa and the like.”

         “That's true. Crime virtually stopped when we started giving people what they need,” Bodhi said sagaciously, but they all knew this. It was part of theirs and everyone's cultural identity. Yunhi smirked at their simultaneous programmed response.

         “And then I remembered a time a while ago, I waited for a train and it was fine. Now the bad one is kind of two memories, a horrific one superimposed on a normal one, like the one from decades before.”

         “That's great progress,” Yunhi exclaimed as the train came to a stop. They entered the train and found open seats together. The train was fairly crowded, a result of the popularity of the destination. The train rocketed through the tunnel and emerged soundlessly into a blurred landscape basted in the light of a setting sun.

         Unanda turned to the passenger next to her. He was tall, gaunt, with a long thin neck and long, thin legs. These features marked his Ryponi heritage, but the chitinous outgrowths of his joints, hard, smooth wing covers, and unique eyes were from a cultural group who identified themselves with a chemical scent, but people who could speak called them by the chemical's name, Collectemone.

         “I'm Unanda. You have an interesting background. A re you Ryponi and Collectemone?” she asked with a specific type of interest cultivated for talking to strangers.

         He looked at her with placid eyes, “Yes. My grandmother was a Mother for the Collectemone. She left and met my other grandmother in Ryponi.” His voice was low and melodic, like a wind blowing over a large open jar. “Through the miracle of biology, my mother was born. Much to the surprise of my grandmothers, they had just the one.” Kalar remembered that Mothers for the Collectemone had multiple children, sometimes twenty one to twenty eight.

         “My mother had three males. We were raised in a Ryponi school, but those old-fashioned notions of family have led me to investigate my relatives. And you? You are ferroid and humanoid, are you not?” His interest, the same she had for him, was conversational, though genuine.

         “I'm not exactly sure,” Unanda began, but stopped to clench her teeth and clutch her head.

         “Are you all right?” the other passenger asked, craning his neck to get a closer look and leaning forward.

         Kalar put a hand on Unanda's back, but she shied away from it. He could feel the cool of her metallic skin.

         She straightened, and Kalar pulled his hand away.

         “No, I'm not. I was just tortured in Nikyry for a few years. My memories for the years prior have been cloaked in a daemon-coated pain festival and all I can remember of the important people in my life are monstrous doppelgangers, and I've got to sort it all out.”

         The passenger's eyes widened at this and his mouth opened in horror and confusion.

         “Yes, she's telling the truth,” Yunhi said.

         “You don't need to worry,” Ashtas chimed in, “She's in the best hands.”

         The train stopped at their destination and Unanda and her entourage exited, leaving the stunned rider still staring.

         “Unanda, you might not want to tell people what happened to you. It scares them,” Kalar suggested gently, though he was admittedly impressed with her honesty.

         “Nah, I think I do. I used to be scared before Yunhi's form, but now I want to show that I'm not. I'm not going to try to hide anymore. I'm going to face things head on. I'll do what I want because it's like you said, I'm free now.”

         Kalar let the issue drop. She had a good point; she shouldn't have to hide.

As they exited the massive train station, the sun was a little higher that it had been. It glinted through and off the glassy buildings like a giant chandelier.

         “This is such a beautiful city,” Ashtas said. Murmurs of agreement followed.

         Bodhi consulted her Wimcard, “The main Wimcard building is in the upper portion of Mekyan circle. We should get a cab.”

         After a brief walk through the sinuous sidewalks they came to a cab station. They entered the first available car and tapped the button with the name of their destination.

         The car was designed to accommodate a large number of people and therefore lacked seats. It had windows on all sides, affording them a view of the sparkling city. Yunhi folded her legs under her and rested on the floor.

         “We have a little while before we get there. Might as well get comfortable,” she said, nonchalantly. Ashtas coiled up as well.

         “This is... Meqiyoha?” Unanda said staring out of the window.

         “Yes, why does it look familiar?” Kalar said turning to look down at Yunhi. Yunhi shook her head.

         “No, the Meqiyoha I remember... This place is clean and bright and beautiful. It's the opposite...” Unanda said, her voice breaking. A thin, oily tear ran down her cheek.

         Around the city, preparations were being made for the Feather Festival. Banners of red, white, and silver were hung on buildings and across sidewalks. Feather garlands and ornaments floated gently over doorways. Strings of lights began flickering to life.

         Buildings began to glow as the sun finally set on Meqiyoha. The light was soft and cool, like moonlight. The buildings were constructed in such a way that only the street levels and skywalks were illuminated; beyond a certain level, one could see stars.

         The cab slowed and stopped with a click as it locked itself last in the queue of cabs. They walked up a gently slope past a luminescent garden to the second level and along a balcony to a set of sliding doors. A floating name above the doors read “Wimcard Central Manufacturing” in a friendly script.

         The reception area was hot and sticky, and clouds of vapor hung in the air. They were greeted by a being with moist blue skin and watery headphones that encased feathery gills.

         “Welcome! How may we help you today?” the receptionist smiled warmly at them.

         “We need a replacement Wimcard. Her Wimcard was lost in an accident,” Bodhi said congenially, wiping her forehead.

         “Take the elevator to the twenty-third floor, and a robot named Rubronna will take it from there. Have a nice evening.” But before they could answer, the receptionist accepted an incoming call.

         After a very short elevator ride, the doors slid open to reveal a small desk with a tall, smooth robot standing behind it.

         “Hi, welcome to the storage floor. I'm Rubronna,” she said in a business like manner.

         “Hi, I'm Bodhi and this is Unanda. She needs a replacement Wimcard,” Bodhi was a diplomat by nature and therefore implicitly took to representing them.

         “Oh, you're Unanda. We monitor all the Wimcard doubles here very closely,” Rubronna said picking up a folder before leading them down a long corridor to an unmarked room. As they entered the room, the ceiling illuminated. Along all side of the space were filing cabinets, stacked to the ceiling. She walked to the “una” cabinet and pulled out a thin plastic file with a Wimcard in it.

         “I can't understand what happened. Data just started being corrupted. Then it was deleted, and it was blank. At this point we knew something was very wrong, so we tried restoring it with a saved back up,” Rubronna gracefully waved her head back and forth. “It's basically impervious to information. It's not a failure on our part, so none of you has to worry about something like this happening to you. Tell me, did the accident involve Dark or Vacuum natura?”

         “No, only Nikyry,” Unanda remarked offhandedly.

         Rubronna looked confused.

         “So can she get another one?” Bodhi asked.

         “Absolutely, we already set one up,” Rubronna opened the folder she was holding. “We just need to double check skin composition,” Without touching the Wimcard, she offered the folder to Unanda.

         Unanda picked up the Wimcard and it sprang to life.

         “Hello, Unanda. You have two new messages,” it said in an even voice.

         “Well that seems to be in order. We'll disentangle your old one and compost it. If you find the other one, we'll take care of that one, too,” Rubronna said.

         “Oh, I don't think we'll be getting that one back,” Unanda said. She started tapping on her Wimcard, taking inventory of her digital possessions.  She cried out, and fell on her hands and knees.

         “is she OK?” Rubronna asked with genuine concern.

         “No, but she will be,” Yunhi answered, kneeling next to Unanda. “Maybe you should take it easy with the pictures and videos... and music for that matter. You've had a rough day. We should find a place to rest.” Unanda let Yunhi help her to her feet.

         “There's something wrong with my Wimcard. Why is the date wrong? And where are all my messages? I should have thousands. I've been gone for several years,” Unanda explained.

         “We...haven't modified any of your data. This is as your Wimcard was a half hour before the corruption and any subsequent automatic data acquisition,” Rubronna explained, hoping it would clear up the confusion.

         “I wasn't even gone for a whole day...” Unanda mumbled. The room was silent.

         “Thank you so much for your help,” Bodhi said after a moment. They began walking back to the elevator.

         “Not a problem at all. We're happy to help. Thank you for visiting Wimcard Central Manufacturing and enjoy your Wimcard,” Rubronna said with finality and formality.

         As they descended in the white elevator, they discussed what they should do next.

         “Maybe Shkerqi and I should go home. You seem to be doing better, Unanda. You don't really need any more Consciousness forms,” Bodhi smiled at Unanda.

         “I would like some more, but maybe not tonight,” Unanda said agreeing.

         “Personally, I think you should stay, in case... she has trouble sleeping,” Yunhi interjected.

         Sparks of Consciousness natura flashed before Bodhi. “I think you're right.”

         They exited the Wimcard Central Manufacturing but stood outside discussing.

         “What about me? What should I do?” Kalar asked.

         “You should stay, I want you to stay,” Unanda said, searching his eyes.

         “You should stay, too, Ashtas,” she said after a moment and turned to him. “I wish I didn't, but I trust you. I trust all of you even thought it's likely a trick,” Unanda glared as she said this last part.

         Bodhi sighed, “Kalar, can I borrow the talismans you have for a moment?” When she received them she said, “Now I'm not supposed to do this because it messes with people's minds if they aren't ready for it, but here it is, regardless.”

         Rivers of Consciousness natura flowed around Bodhi, and upon separating into millions of hair thin strands, wove themselves into complex, lacy patterns. It folded in on itself and settled on Unanda. Wide-eyed and sobbing, Unanda sank to her knees.

         “What was that?” Ashtas asked. Yunhi also wept and collapsed. Shkerqi smiled knowingly.

         “Unanda are you OK? What did you do?” Kalar asked.

         “I gave her a glimpse of reality. A small one. It transcends thinking or feeling or experience. It can't be faked with anything.” Bodhi said levelly, but she was worried.

         “Bodhi,” Yunhi said thickly amidst tears, “you did the right thing. Don't worry about your council or Quenching or anything. I'll testify on your behalf. I won't let you get Quenched.”

         Bodhi clasped her forearms and backed up against Shkerqi for comfort. He changed his shape to engulf her and kissed her softly on the head.

         Unanda took Kalar's hand and looked around at them all wildly, “I saw. I saw,” she said breathlessly. “I'm really home,” she said as new tears welled up in her eyes.



"Dreambreaker: Chapter 7"