Broken Souls

Chapter 5

=JR Clinic=

Efiáltis sat in the chair next to the stranger's hospital bed looking around the room with Grail's desk and comfortable chair designed with a low back that wouldn't bother his wings. And the Meme team's couch and gaming setup. Heck Meláni even had an easel set up in one corner and Cyan had a beanbag and his laptop. None of them had really felt right leaving him alone even if they hadn't been able to do anything in the last three months other than keep him company and hope he came out of the coma on his own.

Grail sighed and rested a hand on Efiáltis shoulder. "Are you sure you want to try this? He has rejected every attempt I have made to contact him in the dreamscape."

"That is why I have to try what if he is rejecting you because your counterpart is like you were before you figured out killing me isn't an option? All those injuries came from somewhere long term serious fighting would explain it. That or maybe being a POW in a very bad place." Efiáltis looked over his shoulder at Grail worried. "I just have never done this before. What sane doctor would let me near a coma patient when there are other options?"

"Efiáltis don't say that just because your abilities in the dream realm are nightmare related don't make them less important, nightmares can help you work through some really heavy stuff." Láthos frowned at his mate knowing he needed reminding not to pick apart his self esteem.

Meláni watches from his corner sketching the scene trying to understand the interactions he would be the first to admit he was an unfeeling bastard but he knew that this scene would evoke some kind of emotion in others. It was that ability to capture emotions he couldn't feel that made his art so popular.

Stavrós passes Cyan half his HU chocolate bar watching. "I hope this works. I am worried about him not eating even if the doctor says the nutrient drop can sustain a skeleton for a really long time."

"Even if it doesn't we will probably learn something. I wouldn't mind a few answers." Cyan takes a bite of the chocolate then freezes and looks at it nibbling slowly and savoring. "Where did you get the good stuff?"

"Like hell am I telling you if I do you would clean them out. You are as bad about chocolate as Láthos is about coffee." Stavrós nibbles his half of the chocolate smirking.

Grail stands back letting go of Efiáltis's shoulder, "you can do this you have dreamwalked before you just need to find him and draw him to the surface."

Efiáltis closed his sockets, taking a deep breath he relaxed letting the world fall away as his magic took him into the dream realm. It was easy just like a thousand times before, it was even easier finding the entrance to the stranger's dreamscape. It was a simple black door at first glance but a moment's inspection revealed that it was intricately carved with webs and constitutionals from highly polished petrified wood. The more he looked at it the more details he noticed this was rare in his experience. In fact the only one who had a barricade this solid was Grail, this took time, and attention. He looked around and then knocked firmly on the door, understanding that he would only be entering this dreamscape with permission. He was surprised when the door opened revealing OuterTale and a lone figure sitting on a cliff. Efiáltis approached slowly not wanting to startle him, scuffing his boots on the ground so his approach would be heard.

"There is no need to be so careful I unlocked the portal for you. What do you want?" Error turns and looking at the version of Nightmare standing behind him somewhat surprised to see he wasn't goopy, confirming his theory about being in a different multiverse. He had known when he hadn't felt the balance. He knew they were in his dreamscape after all he could see clearly. He had probably been here a while if the over positive aura that kept trying to get in was anything to go by.