Shana looked around at her friends, smiling wider than ever.
She’d already been through the training with Annabelle, but now going through it with her brother and all of her friends, she felt on top of the world.
I should have done this from the start.
Now not only Annabelle, but Shias, Kathryn, Rae, and Ben were all Apprentices, trained in the purification of Nightmyrn and Nightmares. They all stood with Shana and Altair on a high, cloud-like island, with the vast, ever-changing, ever-marvelous expanse of the Dreamworld below and around them. Heart stood before them, smiling as she spoke.
“The training is complete. Now all of you may go together to save the Weavers from their Nightmares. Well done.”
“Hey, let’s do the thing!” Shana said, stepping in the center of her friends and holding her hand out, palm down. Annabelle looked confused, tilting her head to the side, as Ben let out a groan.
“Seriously?” Ben asked.
“Seriously, it’s been forever!” Shana said. “Come on, after all of that, you’re feeling the team spirit too, right?”
“He is,” Kathryn said, elbowing Ben in the ribs before placing her hand on top of Shana’s. Shias followed, and then Rae, and Ben, clearly suppressing a sigh, put his hand on the top.
“Like… this?” Annabelle asked, placing her hand, not on top of the others, but instead underneath, touching Shana’s at the bottom of the pile. Altair flew up, doing a little backflip before placing his blue paw atop Ben’s.
Shana giggled, but nodded. “That’s perfect,” She said. “Now: Dawn Riders, on three. One… two… three!”
Together, the seven of them lifted their hands skyward, and six voices rang out (accompanied by the excited barking of one dog), “Dawn Riders!”
Heart bid them goodbye, and Shana led the way back to the Waking World. Her heart was light, her confidence at its height. And she was very excited to return to the tranquility of the Woven Nest, if only for a moment, before going to rescue the Weavers of Dreams.
But when she awoke, she was astonished at the noise. The Weavers didn’t make any sound with their footsteps, but there was a distant clamor of bells, and many voices in constant conversation, near and far. As she sat up, she saw there was clearly a concerted effort to keep the hubbub from bothering this chamber where she and her friends slept, but at the sight of Shana sitting up, the nearest Weaver who was watching over them — her name was Nereid, Shana remembered, and she had bluish tattoos that reminded her of the ocean — drew near, hope and fear mingled in her gaze.
“Is it done?” she asked, her voice serene and musical even now. “Are you able to save the Weavers of Dreams?”
“Yes,” Shana said, and her friends, awakening alongside her, echoed her agreement. Last of all was Altair, who barked once, happily wagging his tail.
“Then please, come quickly,” Nereid said. “There is little time.”
“What’s happening?” Shana asked as she followed with her friends. Out in the tunnels, many of the male Weaver guards were rushing past, ornate weapons in hand.
“The Lord of Night breached our barrier,” Nereid said. “And he has planted a seed of Darkness. The Darkness spreads rapidly. It is impossible to hold it back permanently, but if we can evacuate, we can seal this area off and contain the Darkness while we escape to safety.”
“So the others are fighting to hold it back?” Shana asked.
“Where’s Caleb?” Shias asked.
——
Caleb came to a landing, upside-down, on a Mobility disc high above the battlefield below. He gasped for breath as he adjusted his glasses. A grimace crossed his face at the burning sensation in his chest.
It wasn’t the pressure of Time Magic. Ever since he’d gone through his Trial and his powers had changed, he’d never felt the pressure of the River of Time.
No, this was his own physical weakness.
Fractured.
That single word haunted him, now more than it had in a long time. Ever since his diagnosis from Alexandra, he’d only had a few instances that had reminded him of his condition. His glasses, for one — he could never have them off, could never use his eyes without looking through their magical lenses.
Then there were his regular blackouts, an erratic occurrence that he hadn’t faced for some time, but he’d also learned to deal with, for the most part.
But one thing he hadn’t had to contend with since completing his training with Mister Midnight was the damage to his respiratory organs. It wasn’t something physical, and it wasn’t something that could be fixed. Usually, he didn’t even notice it — the damage, overall, wasn’t considered to be major, nor would it noticeably shorten his lifespan. However…
I’m no good for protracted fights anymore.
His endurance, even after Midnight’s training had brought him to a level of strength and speed exponentially higher than he’d ever imagined he could have achieved, was a fierce weakness. And it was making itself known now.
The Darkness spread, no matter how hard Caleb, Ariadne, and the many Weaver guardians fought. And it wouldn’t stop. This was not a fight they could win — or rather, “winning” didn’t involve destroying the enemy, but holding them back long enough.
It was an endurance fight. The worst kind of fight for Caleb.
His own condition wasn’t the only weakness here, though. No, the Darkness had a frightening ability of its own. Not only was it spawning monsters of its own, but whenever a Weaver guardian fell, the Darkness consumed that corpse, and turned it into its own warrior.
Every warrior who falls adds to the enemy’s strength.
Ariadne had started the fight by drawing a line in the snow. That line had been crossed, and she’d drawn new lines, three times. They’d started defending at the edge of the hill where the entrance to the tunnels stood, but now had been pushed halfway across it, leaving them only a few yards of horizontal space. Caleb could circumvent that with his Mobility Magic and aerial combat proficiency, but he had to be careful of overextending. And he was alone in that regard, while Ariadne and her guardians were grounded, so he usually stayed close to them to offer them the best support possible.
With the Darkness focusing its forces on the ground, Caleb’s best chance at catching a needed breather were here, high above the action. And yet…
I can’t afford this kind of break.
Shana, you’ve gotta wake up soon. I hate to say it, but… it looks like we’re running out of —
Like a shot of sunlight, the first warm rays of dawn, a cry went up from inside the tunnels. “The Dreamer is awake!”
Caleb’s heart soared. Down below, the guardians who still stood and fought rallied, and more guardians poured forth from the tunnels to aid them. Inky blackness frothed and foamed, raged against the sudden hope. Monsters roared and charged, were beaten back by Weaver spear-swords.
Caleb fought for a deep breath. He couldn’t do it. But even so…
It’s enough. It has to be enough.
I can push myself. Just a little bit harder. A little bit further.
He flexed his knees, and when he pushed off from his disc, he hurtled towards the ground like a rocket. Chains, shining white, burst forth all around him, pierced the darkness, fought back the black tide.
The battle raged on.
——
“Lead the way, Altair!”
Shana and Annabelle stood ahead of the others, while Altair charged ahead of even them. The Dream Conductor began the process of purifying the festering horde of Nightmyrn. Six hands rose, and six lights joined together with Altair as the seventh, forming a great magenta-and-gold portal, out of which came…
There are… so many…
Dozens of Dream Sprites poured forth from the portal, and dozens more followed. They gleamed in magenta and gold, they bounced and twirled with pep and delight.
They gleamed, so brightly. An army of light to stand against the darkness, a force of courage and hope to bring an end to fear and doubt.
The many Nightmyrn snapped their jaws, bristled and growled threateningly, but they never stood a chance. One by one, they were surrounded by Dream Sprites, called by Shana and the Apprentices, led by the energetic, confident Altair, and one by one the Nightmyrn transformed. Darkness melted away, rage left their expressions, and the fight went out of them. The dark quarantined chamber slowly filled with light, bouncing motes of color and brightness.
As the Dream Sprites led their new companions back through the portal into Dreamworld, Shana stepped into the quarantined chamber. There, far in the back, were twelve Weavers. All of them were asleep, and all of them shuddered and shook, curled up as tightly as they could, faces contorted in fear and sorrow at the dreams plaguing their sleep.
Shana knelt before the first on the left and stretched out her hand. It was the first time she’d touched one of the Weavers, and she was astonished to find her skin was warm to the touch, soft and smooth beneath her fingers. Seeing her and all the other Weavers like this, like frightened children, she no longer even thought of them as being like spiders. Or perhaps…
Perhaps I’m not so afraid of spiders anymore.
Whatever it was, she smiled and spoke gently. “It’s okay. You don’t have to be afraid.”
The Weaver’s sobs and shudders abated, replaced by calm, quiet breathing. She relaxed, and her expression morphed to one of peace.
One by one, Shana went along the line, speaking the same words to each Weaver as she gently touched their shoulders. They all exhibited the same change, and in the end, all slept save one, who woke with a slow, childlike dreaminess, blinking her eyes, looking around, smiling calmly. After a moment, her gaze rested on Shana, and she nodded once. “Thank you, Dreamer. You have saved us.”
“I’m glad I could help,” Shana said. “But it seems we don’t have much time. Everyone has to evacuate. Can you get the others up?”
The Weaver looked at her companions, moving with a slowness that seemed even slower now that time was of the essence. When her gaze rested back on Shana, she spoke once more. “We mustn’t flee. Not yet. You were not merely brought here to rescue us.” She held out a hand, touching one of the Weavings, fine, gleaming magenta-gold threads that ran vertically from floor to ceiling. “The Dreamer’s Heart does not know all. The Dreamworld is a marvelous, vast, mysterious place. You have a truth you must uncover, a revelation on the importance of your role going forward. What I have seen, you must now see. This Weaving will be lost when we evacuate.”
“So I… have to do this now?” Shana asked. She looked back out from the chamber, where more guards were rushing towards the exit tunnels. Nereid stood at the entrance, and she nodded to Shana.
“Please,” she said. “It is why you are here. You will not get this chance again.”
“Shana,” Annabelle said, nodding to Shana. “If the Weaving is going to be lost, it’s more important than ever that its truths are not lost with it.”
Shana turned back to the Weaving, and slowly stretched out her hand. “So I just… touch i—?”
She cut off in shock as her fingers touched the thread. Warmth rushed through her, and the world around transformed into a vast sea of magenta mist. Shapes and shadows moved through the mist, but Shana could barely make them out. In the great distance, there appeared to be some lumbering beast the size of a mountain, moving along with a calm, leisurely slowness. There were more mysterious shapes and shadows like that, up above, down below, all around.
But right in front of her, Shana’s eyes were drawn to a girl. It was only a silhouette, but she would recognize that silhouette anywhere.
“Fae!”
She called out, reaching forward. Her voice came out strangely, like it wasn’t coming from her, but from somewhere far-off. But she didn’t care about that. She saw her sister, and she raced towards her.
But…
No matter how she moved, how she struggled to race forward, the distance didn’t close. Fae’s ghostly silhouette turned to face her, and in the shadows, Shana thought she could just barely see her expression.
She looked haunted. A subtle fear, a subtle dread, atop a solid undercurrent of loneliness.
“Fae…”
Shapes arose around them. A city, like nothing she’d ever seen. Though it was lacking in fine details, made of wafting mist and shadows, Shana could still tell that the architecture was unlike anything she knew, with shell-shaped domes and spiraling towers, and they seemed to floating atop… clouds? A variety of islands in the sky, connected by cable-drawn gondolas, and throughout the streets a great array of people. They moved with a leisurely, comfortable pace, but what Shana noticed quickly about them was…
They’re all… artists?
Everyone seemed to have a pencil and sketchbook, or paints and an easel, or a musical instrument, or were reading a script. It was a whole city of artists.
And there was Fae, looking haunted. Lonely. She reached out, but she couldn’t touch the city, couldn’t touch the people. And then she turned away, and in her hand… was a mirror. She gazed into it, and in it she saw the city… and Shana within it.
“What’s that… mirror? Is it…”
But Fae suddenly vanished. Shana was yanked back, drawn up and around, pulled flying through the city, until she was drawn down, down, down, below cloud-island after cloud-island, until…
She reached the bottom.
One island, far below the rest, yet also positioned as if it was protected by the rest. And on this island, a single structure — a series of massive, overlapping sea shells, forming a protective dome, with only one small entrance. Shana landed, and was able to move of her own free will. She walked into that entrance, and saw within…
“The Key… of the World.”
There was the Key, the one Delilah had described to her, the one she, Delilah, and Fae’s group were seeking. Three, but one, and here was one of the three. It was inserted in its pedestal, all alone, shining with a constant, pure white light.
She reached out for it, but a voice called her attention. Far off, she couldn’t hear everything said.
Only one word.
“…remember…”
The city vanished, pulled apart by the mist. New shapes formed, swiftly rising and then sweeping away: three Keys, in different places and forms; a mansion she didn’t recognize, with all her siblings and parents there with her; a dome-like chamber, like the one in the cloud city that protected the Key, but here it was on a fractured, shattered coastline…
And then it all was swept away. Shana was alone, startlingly so, in a vast, empty expanse.
A moment later, she was back in the Woven Nest.
“What…?” she started, but she didn’t have the words.
“All I can tell you, all that I know for certain,” the Weaver of Dreams said, “is that city you saw is one that exists in Dreamworld. The Dreamer’s Heart has forgotten it — or, perhaps she never knew it existed. But you can find it, using what you just saw. All of the clues are there to help you find it, and you will need to go there, as soon as you can.” She looked up, and nodded once. “Yes. That is all that needs be said here. We must evacuate. I will wake my sisters. You should go with Nereid.”
“Thank you,” Shana said, though she still had so many questions. She rose, and as she headed back with the others, Kathryn came up alongside her and lifted a finger, brushing it across her cheek. “Huh?” Shana stepped back, staring at her.
“You were crying,” Kathryn said. “Just a little.”
I…
…hadn’t noticed.
Kathryn smiled, and that smile spread to Shana as she followed after her.
Nereid led them, and they headed through tunnels they hadn’t seen before. They led down at a steady, easy decline. Just as Shana was starting to worry about Caleb, a branching tunnel brought Ariadne, and in her arms…
“Caleb!” Shana and Shias cried together, racing forward. Ariadne cradled their older brother, whose eyes were closed. But he only had a few small scrapes and bruises, so Shana was confused.
“He is Fractured,” Ariadne said. “The exertion took its toll on him. But he will live.” She inclined her head, like a sort of bow, to Shana. “Thank you, Dreamer. You have saved us. And Caleb played his part as well.”
“He was amazing,” Addie said. Shana hadn’t noticed the little girl, but now stared in surprise, because Addie rode atop Ariadne’s shoulder. “He’s just tuckered out, is all. He fought really hard.”
“Come,” Ariadne said, starting on ahead. Nereid followed, along with many other Weavers. And despite the narrowness of the tunnels, it never felt crowded, and Shana and the others were never jostled or shoved as the escape was made. It was a surprisingly orderly, calm evacuation.
They soon reached a deep chamber, one that looked just like the one with the stairs from Hollow Island, only this had a much wider spiral staircase, wide enough for all of the Dawn Riders to descend them side-by-side, and many Weavers to walk alongside and before and behind them. More Weavers still leapt to strands of silk thread, sliding down those to safety.
“The Woven Nest is connected to all worlds,” Ariadne said. “Places like this help section them off, so one does not disturb the other. Once we have reached the end and a new sector of the Nest, we can seal the previous one off, containing the Darkness, preventing further spread.”
“But those tunnels are lost forever?” Shana asked.
“Not forever,” Ariadne said. “Should the Lord of Night be vanquished, that Darkness, born from his wicked heart, will vanish. Those tunnels will require repair and rebuilding, and the Weavings will need to be woven anew. But all can be restored.”
“When that day comes,” Shana said, gazing up at Ariadne, “can I help you put things back together?”
“Not just you,” Kathryn said, nodding. “We’d all like to help.”
Ariadne, for the first time Shana had seen her, looked surprised. It was just the slightest widening of the eyes, the slightest raise of her eyebrows, and a longer pause before her reply than usual, but it was enough to show that their statements had surprised the Weaver Queen. But then she nodded, that same reverent sort of bow of a nod. “I would be honored if you would aid us. When that day comes, I shall ensure the way is open to you.”
And down the stairs they went. With conversation ebbing, Shana’s gaze was drawn to this vast, cylindrical shaft that they descended through. The walls far beyond the stairs glistened with a strange sort of light. They were black, obsidian, and yet veins of multi-colored light shone faintly throughout their construction.
“The walls are a protective measure,” Ariadne said, noticing Shana’s curiosity. “We travel now through the Void of Separation. Beyond those walls, there is a great void that few can traverse. This stair is one safe way through the Void. Although…”
“Although?” Shana asked. Ariadne had a look of worry in her eyes.
“I… am sorry,” Ariadne said, bowing her head. “It will be very difficult to return you to your world.”
“What do you mean, ‘our world’?” Shias asked.
“That is…” Ariadne started.
“It’s all right,” Shana said, waving her hands. “If we’re not allowed to know, that’s okay. We’ll… figure something out. ‘Very difficult’ isn’t the same as impossible, after all.”
“True enough,” Ariadne said. “Even so, I am sorry. We took necessary measures, to save ourselves and our important work. But while we saved your lives, we… have blocked off your way home.”
“When Caleb wakes up, he’ll just Phase Step us home!” Addie said, pumping her fist, grinning.
“I am… uncertain that will work to cross such a great expanse,” Ariadne said. “But such optimism is welcome.”
Shana had to do a double-take after a while. Because she’d never noticed when it had changed, but, just like with the stairs from Hollow Island to the Woven Nest…
Their descent had turned into an ascent. Now they climbed up, though they’d never turned around or changed directions of their own accord. The Weavers who had been sliding down silk thread now climbed nimbly up those same strands.
Soon, they reached the end of the stairs, leveling out on a wide platform with a large door at the far side. Ariadne stepped to that door first and opened it, ushering the others through ahead of her. Shana stepped through.
She’d expected to come to the same sort of tunnels she’d escaped from, but this part of the Woven Nest was different. There were no tunnels here, but instead a great, wide sphere, miles high and miles wide. The outer walls glistened with a greenish hue, one that brought to mind trees, grass, and growing, vibrant life. Rising through the center of the sphere was a massive reddish-brown pillar, like a great tree trunk. Indeed, the very center of the pillar looked like tree roots meeting together, like two tree trunks met and one rose while the other descended. All throughout, the sphere was webbed with long rising, falling, curving, spiraling, open pathways that all connected to one another, occasionally meeting at wider platforms, most of which supported the work of weaving, with vertical glowing strands. On one platform were the magenta strands of Dreams, on another the blue of Time, and on another scarlet, which must be Weavings of Fate.
There were so many Weavers here already, and while most carried on with their work, a few turned inquisitive eyes on the massive group that had just arrived. One descended from above, spinning the same thread that carried her down to the ground, and she spoke in hushed tones with Ariadne. After a brief exchange, the two rested their foreheads against each other’s in a gesture that seemed full of a deep, shared sorrow, before the other Weaver left, and Ariadne stepped forward.
“We will be safe here,” she said. “Please, those who came with me — rest, recover. Your work will continue unabated here, until our previous tunnels are open to us once more.” She turned back to the door, which stood shut after all had come through. She pressed two of her arachnid legs against it, joining in the center of the door. Golden light shone faintly, and then webbed out across the door, glistening like dew drops. And then…
The door vanished.
The way back was gone.
“It is done,” Ariadne said. “The Darkness cannot follow us here. And when the time comes, I can unseal the doorway and go back. But until then…” She looked with sadness on Caleb in her arms, and at Shana and her group.
“Maybe you should explain the Void of Separation,” Kathryn said. “At least a little bit, so we can work on figuring out what to do.”
“T-that won’t be necessary!”
The new voice was a man’s, sounding a bit flustered, a bit nervous to be drawing attention to himself. Shana turned, staring in surprise at two newcomers. The first was the man who’d spoken, with large round spectacles that framed dark blue eyes. Dark hair fell to his shoulders loose and free, and his hands fidgeted with his bowtie.
The second, Shana knew, but only from descriptions. Descriptions Caleb had given to her.
“You’re… Tock?” Shana asked, staring at the blue-haired girl with clocks on her small top hat and a pair of watches on her right wrist.
“I am!” Tock said, gazing at Shana with wide, curious eyes the same blue as her hair. “But how did you know?”
“Caleb,” Shana said. “He told me about you. But how are you —”
“Caleb!” Tock suddenly cried, racing forward to Ariadne. She reached out to Caleb in her arms, but paused just before touching him, then slowly withdrew her hand. “He’s… going to be all right?”
“He will recover,” Ariadne said.
Addie hopped down from Ariadne’s shoulder, staring up at Tock. “You’re… Tock,” Addie said, a sort of awed tone in her voice.
“That’s right,” Tock said, kneeling slightly so she could talk at eye level with Addie. She held out her hand. “And who might you be?”
“Adelaide,” Addie said, taking Tock’s hand. “You can call me Addie, though. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you too, Addie,” Tock said with a smile.
“I…” Addie fidgeted nervously, then slipped one hand in her shirt, pulling out a large, metallic blue pocket watch embossed with a T that hung from her neck by a pearly-white chain. “Caleb gave me this from you. For safekeeping.”
Tock looked amazed, eyes widening, but her smile quickly returned. “And you’ve done a marvelous job, Addie,” she said. “Thanks for looking after it.”
“You… you want it back, right?” Addie asked, holding it out.
Tock blinked twice, then laughed, a simple laugh that was somehow so reassuring, full of light and joy. “It was a gift,” she said. “So, no. I don’t want it back. I gave it to Caleb, and he gave it to you. It was for him to make sure he remembered me, but now it’s helped more than just him remember me, so…” She paused, emotion brimming in her eyes. “I’m really glad. Please. If Caleb gave it to you, it’s yours, now. Take good care of it.”
Addie nodded, smiling. “I will. I promise.”
Tock laughed again. “A promise! Caleb’s so good at those. I’m sure you are, too.”
“I-if it’s all right…” the man who’d come with Tock said, rubbing the back of his neck. “We really should be getting going.”
“Oh! Right!” Tock jumped to her feet, nodding several times. “Of course! Oh, Maxwell, come here!” She rushed to the man, taking his hand and pulling him over so he was properly in front of everyone. “This is Maxwell, everyone. And he’s the real reason we were able to come here at all. He’s shy, but don’t mind that, he’s really quite a lovely person, and very brave, despite how he looks.”
“Your method of complimenting me still carries with it the same odd sting…” Maxwell said, shaking his head.
“But how are you even here?” Ariadne asked. “You are from their world, aren’t you?”
“We are,” Tock said, nodding. “And we know all about that stuff you can’t tell them, all about the Void of Separation. It’s so exciting.” Her eyes were shining with enthusiasm. “You see, Maxwell’s study — it’s odd to call it that, since it’s so much more, but still — his study can traverse the Void. We can go anywhere!”
“But how did you even know to come here?” Shana asked. “I mean… we just arrived.”
“That’s all thanks to Alexandra,” Tock said. “She —”
“She can explain it better than we can, I think,” Maxwell said, looking a bit sheepish for interrupting Tock. But Tock’s eyes widened in understanding, and she nodded.
“Of course, of course!” she said. “Right. Don’t worry about it. The point is, she knew you’d be here and would need our help! She’ll explain how when you get there.”
“Get where?” Shana asked.
“To Alexandra’s home,” Maxwell said. “It is unlikely you will be staying there like the rest, as there is more for you to do, but a gathering is beginning to form that you will find helpful. And it is the safest place that currently exists in our world.”
“The Lord of Night can’t see or hear a thing that goes on in there,” Tock said with a wink. “And he can’t get in uninvited, either, and Alexandra’s not about to invite him! Come on. It’s a cozy place, too, despite its size. To think a mansion that big is ‘cozy,’ but, well, yeah! It really is. Even cozier with all of you along.”
“A mansion?” Shana asked. Part of what she’d seen in the Weaving of Dreams came to her. “What’s it like?”
“I mean, it’s a lot to describe…” Tock said, pursing her lips in thought.
A soft, warm hand rested on Shana’s shoulder, and she looked up to see the Weaver of Dreams she’d spoken with smiling at her. “Go,” she said. “It is the place you saw.”
“And it is a fortuitous path back to your world, right when you needed it,” Ariadne said. “This is not to be missed.”
“But, uh… where’s your ‘study’?” Addie asked, looking around.
“Ah, through here,” Maxwell said, pointing at…
A door.
It was just a door. Nothing more. No walls, no attachment, it perched on the edge of the platform. It was a rather lovely door, nicely polished, with a reflective brass door knob, but even so, it was… just a door.
“The study’s as shy as Maxwell,” Tock said with a laugh. “Doesn’t like to show itself from the outside. Don’t worry, there’s plenty of space inside. Come on! There’s room enough for all of us.”
And so they followed. Shias took Caleb from Ariadne, carrying him. Shana tried to help him, but he smiled, waving her off. “He’s really not very heavy,” he said, and Shana believed it. Caleb had always been skinny, despite how active he was and how much he ate.
Through the door they went, and astonishing sights greeted them. Shana brimmed with excitement and curiosity.
The whole world becomes bigger and more amazing the farther I go. Though the journey’s fraught with danger…
I’m really glad I didn’t give up.
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