There once was a Knight who sought to serve a prominent Lady.  This Lady was rather particular.  She demanded nothing less than perfection from all who were in her employ.  Second best was simply not good enough for her taste.  So the Knight was charged to perfect all his skills that he may serve this Lady's court.

 Being eager to serve, the Knight sought a shortcut to the normal Deochs of training that perfection of his skills would require.  He engaged in a mystical form of training.  He entered into a trance like state and practiced his skills upon thin air, ingraining them into his subconscious through many hours of this dream training.

 In short order, he had mastered all of the sword techniques he could.  His Lady was most impressed when he demonstrated how he now could swing his sword with total precision and perfection.  It was as if the Knight were swinging without thinking, reflexively moving his blade with utmost perfection.  The Lady was pleased and the Knight entered into her service.

 He guarded his Lady for some time with great success.  No monster or brigand stood long before the perfected swings of the Knight's blade.  He performed his job without even thinking, for his skills were forged under his conscious mind.  One day, the Lady sent this Knight away from her manor to obtain some supplies.  A menial task, but vassals do as bidden.

 Upon his return to the manor, the Knight was greeted with a sight that horrified him.  A Kardi was running out of the manor towards him!  Without thinking, his blade swung out in perfect reflex, quickly dismembered the smiling Kardi.  Sensing that his Lady was in danger, he burst into the manor, and saw all manner of beasts before him.

 The Knight's subconscious took over, and he sliced and diced his way through the crowd of monsters. His conscious mind caught only glimpses of what he was doing.  Chests reduced to piles of blood and splinters... Kraken torn limb from limb from limb...  Gremlins with their throats removed, forever silenced... He soon reached his Lady's chamber.  Inside, the Knight found what was surely the cause of this.. a succubus!

 His sword swung before he could think, headed straight for the neck of the foul temptress.  The Knight's conscious mind, however, began to notice something.  As the head bounced on the floor, the purple wig came loose... His Lady's head lay there on the floor, staring up at him!

 As his conscious mind regained control, the Knight realized some details he failed to notice in his hypnotic slaughter. The Kardi had had a pinwheel in its hand... The others were dining on small snack cakes...  Banners of a most colorful nature were strewn about the main hall...

 The reality of the situation dawned on the Knight.  This had been a surprise costume party for him.  To reward his latest deeds of valor, no doubt.  The costumes, being for his Lady, had, of course, been perfect.  His perfect skills had slaughtered the entirety of his Lady's court.

 The Knight fell to his knees and began to weep.  His sword now dripped with the blood of those he had sworn on his life to protect.  No greater an act of shame could a Knight perform.  This Knight's life was now forfeit.  May we all learn well a lesson from this sad sad tale...

If you train in your dreams you may find yourself waking up to a nightmare...