Chapter 19: A Dream of Home

They glided for a long while in the starry blackness. Again they were silent, and even dozed a bit. Vivi would later claim it was a miracle none fell off the dragon's back.

Orko dozed off rather swiftly, and dreamed of home. But, he saw it as if Trolla and Eternia were merged into one. His friends on Eternia and family members on Trolla walked side-by-side, in an environment that mimicked both at once. Of course, in the manner of dreams, it made perfect sense for this to be so.

And his magic! It flowed out of his fingertips like water, perfectly obeying his every command and whim. He drew forth his wand - his wand! - from within his robes and made the magic dance. His eyes closed his blissfulness at this feeling. He was Orko and Great once more...

... Slowly his eyes opened, to be greeted not by the images of his dream, but by Natar's neck and head, and the eternal expanse of sky.

"Trolly-molly..." he murmured sadly.

"Something wrong?" asked Zentarou from behind him in a whisper.

"No, just a dream." He felt the cat twist a bit to peer behind.

"The others are asleep, and I just recently woke up myself. It's probably nighttime on our respective worlds." He chuckled. "Or maybe this place is tricking our bodies into thinking it is, anyhow."

"There's a lot of worlds," Orko whispered. "Trolly-molly, I never, ever thought there could be so many."

"Honestly, neither did I." Zentarou peered around. "It's a bit overwhelming. I have to wonder, how many worlds have magic, have life like us, able to reason and think." Orko didn't comment, this thought more than he cared to ponder, especially in the wake of that wonderful, happy dream. Thus they fell silent.

After a while, Vivi, then Dregan, stirred and awoke.

"First time I've ever fallen asleep sitting up," Dregan chuckled at a whisper.

"The air in this place is... strange," Zentarou whispered back. "It's dreamlike."

:That's because it's saturated with the air of a dream realm: came Natar's voice. :Look to your left. Can you see that lighter fuzz on the horizon: It was faint, but noticeable now that it was pointed out.: That literally is the realm of dreams. A world within a world, it's the physical manifestation of the creativity of every being in existence. A child creates an imaginary friend, a bard creates a tale of whimsy, it manifests there as a reality. The fuzz, you see, is a fog that acts as a boarder between the two realms, a result of the mixing atmospheres. Both are equally breathable and have mixed almost to a perfect blend, with just enough of a difference to maintain the fog barrier. We do nor cross over to their world, nor do they cross into ours.:

"And this - mixed air gives the dream-like feeling, the sedation?" queried Zentarou, fascinated.

:To those not native, yes.: Natar chuckled. :I'd suspect you four will sleep quite a bit during this journey.:

"At least we'll be well rested for out return," joked Dregan, stretching. "I wonder how much time had passed."

:From the day you first summoned me: Natar informed, :we have been together seven days, by your reckoning.:

"Then I've been gone seven days," whispered Vivi. "At least, I think seven."

:Six: corrected Natar. :My venom is designed to keep someone unconscious for a day, and I took you a day before your escape.:

"Than I've been gone a little over two weeks," mused Zentarou.

"Closer to three, by my recollection," Dregan whispered. Orko didn't comment, thinking.

If it's been seven days since our escape, he thought, then I haven't seen home in a month. He didn't realize that, through the pendants, his Bretheren mages had heard.

The glided along for a while longer, in silence. Natar coasted along, the stars below a glittering trail. Occasionally they dozed, and once Natar glided to a world for a brief stop.

:I know this world: he explained as they flew towards a city. :It's a heavily traveled world, so you'll be safe.: They slid off his back, when he landed near the town. Then he vanished. They went into the town, where they found food and rest for the night amidst the varied races, some much stranger than anything they'd ever seen before, and indeed many were planar travelers, though none had heard of their worlds before.

The next dawn they resumed their trek, each mentally adding another day to their totals. But for some reason, as they entered the plane, Natar's pace was a little swifter, and there was tenseness in his movements. He glided from path to path, snapping around turns rapidly.

"Everything okay, Natar?" Dregan asked.

:Everything if fine. I have merely sensed something.: Before anyone else could comment, he made a sharp turn and barreled through a gate.

They appeared over a swamp. But despite that, their breaths were stolen away by the beauty beyond, planes, woodlands, mountains, and a large city standing out not too far away, gleaming in the dawn like a jewel.

"Where - " Dregan began to ask, but Orko gave a cry of delight.

"It's Eternos City! We're on Eternia! I'm home!"

Author's Note: Hehe, I put it at the end of it this time. Didn't want to spoil anything. Whoo hoo! The first one is home! Took a while, huh?