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𝐕𝐈𝐀
It was black. It was cold. My eyes were open, but I couldn't see. I could clench my fingers and bite my lip, but I couldn't feel anything. It was weird; usually when I slept, I was practically still awake-- I was constantly aware of what was going on in the mind, and in reality.
I felt myself blink. Reality. That word made a thought come to me. I didn't know why this came to me, but I suddenly realized where I was. I was in the Dream Realm. I'd been sent here several times by the scientists, and challenged to change the very fabrication of its properties. I decided I'd put my abilities to the test.
I blinked again, but this time, I could see my surroundings. I looked down-- my bare feet were drenched. A layer of a liquidy pink substance lapped around my ankles, tiny sparkles of white and turquoise swirling in circles. The bubblegum-colored lake seemed to stretch on forever-- I turned all directions, and all I saw was the liquid. Nothing else. No land, no creatures, no one else. Above the horizon, the "sky" was a mix of white and pink colors. A turquoise replacement for the sun stretched high in the pink streaks.
I smiled, glad I was still able to do this.
"Hello."
I whipped around at the unfamiliar voice, and was surprised to see a person. Except-- this wasn't a person. This was a demon. It was the demon who inhabited Mika's mind, I realized. It was a man, and although his figure was the shape of a human, he was made out of a swirling black mist. It was as if someone took black smoke and molded it into the form of a human. The man-- demon, I mean-- stood calmly in the water. Where he stood, the pink liquid slowly started to turn black.
The demon's head pivoted around, surveying his surroundings. "You like to imagine the Dream Realm as this, hm?" A pair of red eyes emerged from the black mist, a pearly, sharp-toothed smile spreading across his face. "I prefer to think of it as a void of nightmares." Raising his hand, the demon snapped his fingers. The world around us turned dark again, as it was before. The only expectation was the dim, pink tint that illuminated across our bodies. The demon hummed deeply. "You've tainted it. Impressive."
"My power leaves lasting impressions, sometimes," I willed the pink dreamland to return, "Who are you?" I asked as the pink lake appeared again. The demon seemed to wince at the bright colors surrounding him.
"My name is Arioch," the demon replied, his sinister smile still displayed. "You must be Via, the Lucid One."
I wrinkled my nose. "Lucid One? Where did that come from?"
Aroch's red eyes narrowed into slits. "You are the elemental master of Lucid, are you not? Descended from the great Natalie Glasse?" My eyes widened at his inquiries. I had no knowledge of those facts. My power was elemental?! "It appears you were not familiar with these facts." Arioch clicked his tongue. "Now, let's get down to business, shall we?"
