A sea of visions swirled within his mind, reminders that accompanied Instinct. Both keeping him focused as he gorged on an unending River.

  It had become his main purpose.

  As such, his Blessings, and kin, had created a custom room for him. No longer did he spend his days within an Outer Gate chamber. Instead, his dwelling was housed within the sixtieth tier, and the chamber endowed with a colossal Channelingstone. With it, Blessings were able to send multiple Rivers worth of Mana directly to him. No longer did Lifeforce hover about him, taking room, as such, his dwelling had become kingly. It was full of those furnishings Vails deemed as necessities, rather than the makeshift mess it had been before.

  He'd only given the room a glance, since none of it mattered. Nor did he have the time to really enjoy it, and lounge about. Too much was going on, the realm a chaotic sea. For as more of his kin left in their own Oasis to save the Wicked, the more they all began to see.

  Death was coming for them all, and only their Wells barred its advance. It was the only offering that mattered. Though, there were moments of weakness, times when he had gained enough ground over Instinct, to become slightly relaxed. He would go play with his pups, those that had yet to be matured into adults, or mate with long lines of Blisses—another means to gather and later cure Souls—and after be part of discussions with his Anointed. Not that he was needed, but everyone was pleased to have him around, and he enjoyed being with them. But overall, his purpose resided here, in this chamber, feeding on the source of their salvation, and damnation.

  The passing of another month had brought with it worsening calamity, and the certainty that those Above, were not going to regain control of their festering pets.

  Whatever had happened higher in the realm, causing Mana Rivers to continually drain down to them, it was not stopping. Opposite, the flows were increasing, and life blooming everywhere.

  The new visions painted him a clear, dread inducing picture. With the way events had fallen, he now counted trees as one of his enemies. Those breeds of plants kept growing, their roots spreading throughout the under realm, and forming perfect pathways for the Rivers. Even the densest of rocks were being cracked apart, along with every mundane obstacle that would have kept the Mana held back a little longer.

  His Ascendants—those tasked with watching the Shroud—had gathered sights from the Nightmare. Were able to peer into the deepest depths of the realm, and witness thousands of Rivers collecting at the bottom. Breeders were swimming within that growing sea, and releasing an unknowable amount of eggs into the liquid.

  Eggs that grew—maturing in seconds—and brought forth infant Nightmares—of every type—that quickly developed. Up the ranks they went. Wind, Water, Stone, Wrath, then to levels that saw them reaching the heights of Ancients.

  A realm of Ancients, that was the future, and the threat coming for them. Blessed be his kin, for an army of Oases was what they needed, and powerful Wells to outcompete the beasts gorging on a growing ocean.

  Thank the gods, for that was what he, and his Anointed, had been doing. Bae, his personal Oasis—and the largest forged—had continued the process of making more Oases. Letting sons and daughters go out into the realm, saving, and spreading the cure.

  There were fifty-two out there, all of them growing in size as they took in more Vails. He was receiving reports from them, his kin keeping their promises, and communicating with Bae’s Anointed daily. His sons were so proud of their progress, which he shared in. Millions more Wicked had been cured, their Souls cleansed of madness.

  He'd also learned that sons were planning to forge new Oases themselves. At first, he hadn’t been sure of where they were going to get the needed Ascendants to man them. But he was informed that sons had taken a liking to Bliss as well, were laying with her flesh forms, impregnating them. In a hand full of months, all of the Oases would be forges, spreading his family, and the cure.

  It was a comforting weight on his shoulder, one that helped him fight off his dread.

  Not all the news was sweet however, and no matter how committed his kin, many Wicked had been lost. With the growing torrent of the Rivers, and the Giver’s armies failing to contain the monsters. The Middle-tier Sanctums—along with the Tranquil Paths linking them—had fallen in rapid succession.

  Such places had never been designed to hold out against multiple Ancients, let alone a swarm of them. So, while millions were being saved, millions more were being devoured. Hunger laughing, and singing joyfully within the Shroud, as that instrument of genocide continued its mission. With the beasts unable to feel contentment—only the urge for more—each death compounded their desire, the need to kill Vails.

  His Anointed, ever diligent, had gone to work tracking the losses, and provided him a stone that contained a map of the Middle-tier. It showed those lost, and those soon to be, along with the lucky ones that could still be saved. The latter were higher in the realm, near that blurry line that marked the area titled Above. Already Oases were heading that way, and Bae itself once—

  Gasping, and mind losing all focus, Dailin fell to his knees, and half crashed onto the floor before Blisses were at his sides, holding him up into a seated position.

  Their concerned words, and questions of his wellbeing, echoed. Glowing tears welled, and fell from his eyes, along with a laugh of utter joy; his whole body shaking.

  “It’s gone,” he yelled gleefully, and half sobbed.

  Over two years with their constant presence, Instinct digging into his shoulder, Dread chilling his veins, and now both were gone.

  He laughed, he cried, he would have danced too, but oh the peace. If not for his Well—ah yes, his Well.

  So taken by the relief, his endless chant had slipped. The Well wasn’t being fed, and the outflow flooded the chamber. Focusing—the act beyond effortless—the chant returned, and his source of power fed upon itself.

  That problem resolved, he fully embraced peace again, and still had not answered Bliss’s concerned questions. The moment was too precious, and it would surely pass. So he remained mute, closed his eyes, and relaxed into Bliss’s cradling arms. A giggle came from him at times, along with tears, but not much else, such peace and beautiful relief.

  Sleep should have claimed him, but his body was too saturated with euphoric power for that to happen. He was only relaxed, the true touch of that sensation so forgotten, that it claimed the whole of him.

  He should respond to the calls, provide even a halfhearted attempt to alleviate concerns. But he didn’t, for the moment would end, Instinct would return, along with Dread. So he remained inert, and didn’t bother counting the passage of time, even when it felt to be dragging. It didn’t matter, Instinct would press on him any—

  “Breathe son, breathe.” Echoed his father’s voice, it felt distant, yet there was a pressure on his shoulder, then a grip that yanked him upward. His body moved limply, almost numb. He needed to sleep, a few more seconds was all, then he would respond.

  “No son,” came his father’s voice again, followed with a smack across his face. That returned some alertness, fatigue fading, enough that he felt the sensation of someone sucking on his arm, and squeezing it tight.

  The act was a touch of fire on his skin, groggily, his mind woke and screamed urgency.

  He’d been bit, there was poison in him, and that meant death one way or another.

  “That’s right my boy, fight it, come back to me.”

  Dailin heeded those words, fought against the pull of sleep, he fought and fought, till his heavy eyelids opened, and warming light welcomed him. A face appeared in his vision, and hands gripped the sides of his cheeks and muzzle.

  “Father,” he said weakly. “What happened?” His own words brought back more of his strength. Death pushed further away as father hugged, and then rocked him back and forth in his grip.

  “A Dreambringer,” father said, and began to reposition him.

  Panic shot through Dailin’s back, the chill pushing more of the numbness away. He was still weak though, forcing father to half hold him up, as they both rose to their pawed feet.

  Eyes searching—since father wouldn’t be helping him if danger was still around—he found the snake. Its green scales discolored by blood, and its head severed from its body. For all the danger the reptile represented, it was so small compared to him. Hard to believe, that given enough time, it would have swallowed him whole.

  “Take a long look son,” father said, calmness returning to his voice. “Engrain its scale pattern into your mind.” He did, because the color of its scales made it blend in perfectly with the surrounding foliage. Not that it would have helped him before though.

  “There was nothing,” Dailin said, words feverous. “No warning of any kind.” One moment he’d been sneaking through the forest, the next, father was shaking him awake.

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  “That’s why I tell you to be vigilant.” Father reminded, heat rising in the voice. He was going to get a lecture, once they were home, along with a lashing to make the lesson stick. “Never assume you are safe, check your surroundings thrice, listen to your instincts—

  Dailin let out a small wine, and not because of the growing pain coming from his swollen arm. No, it was of self-pity. “Nothing,” he said weakly. “There were no instincts, one moment I was fine, the next I was not.”

  Father let out a tired sigh, his own eyes, and ears, never motionless as he guided them home. “You should not rely on your instincts alone, I’ve told you this before, danger is always around.”

  They halted, and father’s head snapped to their right. Following the gaze, Dailin saw the pattern this time, another Dreambringer, and it was staring back at them.

  Father glanced about quickly, but his sight always returned to the snake lying in wait. Their advance would have never taken them into its reach, but father was ever cautious, and widen their distance from the threat as they continued walking.

  Again, Dailin had received no warning, or ill feeling about the threat, which he voiced to father.

  “There would be no predators,” father said, stopping again, and spotting another snake. “If the prey could always notice the hunter. Vigilance son,” Father pressed, while tightening his grip. “And even then, sometimes—

  Father stilled, grew weak, and they both fell to the ground. Eyes wide, mind spinning, Dailin saw the cause, another Dreambringer, a clever one that had buried itself. Their eyes met, the hunter and the prey, then fangs.

  Dailin’s eyes shot open, and he took a panicked breath as he rose from his reclined position. The dream still vividly clear, which meant it was no dream at all. A memory, or a message. It mattered not, only the context.

  “Blessed Beyond,” a voice said, that he quickly registered as Tealhun’s. She entered his sight, positioned on the bed with him. Blinking, he looked about, saw scores of his kin, along with Blessings.

  “Father,” she continued, leaning closer, her aura deeply grayed by worry. “Can you hear anything?” She began to Sign at him, asking the question again in the mute tongue.

  He raised his hands, and patted at hers, then said: “I’m not deaf daughter,” he leaned back into a Bliss that was behind him, using her body as a pillow. “I’m tranquil,” he voiced louder. “Apologies for having formed Worry in all of you,” looking to Tealhun, he asked. “How long was I out?”

  Her downward oriented ears went completely limp, and her aura filled with rich relief. What marks of distress shifting her fur, resided, and she became the picture of calm again. “A Round—hour—we all rushed here, when Blisses showed visions of you unresponsive.”

  “Ah,” he helpfully voiced, ears and whiskers twitching embarrassment. “Apologies again, I thought it only a Breath. Beyond’s warnings had waned completely and I—

  Voicing it, Dailin realized that Instinct was still gone, along with Dread; peace remained.

  “Father?” Tealhun said, leaning forward again, and hand resting on his shoulder.

  He breathed out slowly, strained his senses, tried to pick up on Instinct. But no matter how he searched, there was no sign, no danger.

  ‘There is always danger.’ Echoed words from the vision, a warning, maybe the last one. He got that feeling from it, something had happened, and whatever it was, Instinct was no more.

  “It’s still gone,” he finally said, to his daughter’s relief. “And, I don’t think it’s coming back.”

  That should have been wonderful, if it had meant all threats had been removed as well, but the vision said otherwise. Which meant, none of them were safe, and worse, he was now blind to Death’s advance.

  “I can’t feel out the Nightmare’s growth anymore,” he voiced absentmindedly, as internally, he started to panic. Bliss caught on to it, and Tealhun, given she could see auras too. The former began singing, outer love comforting him, and without Instinct’s presence, the touch was far more intense.

  Tensing muscles relaxed again, and his form sagged a little.

  “I knew their blessing was a burden on you, but not this much,” his daughter said after a few Breaths.

  He weakly smiled, joyous to have made his own Blessings to aid him. “Neither did I,” he confessed. “Its constant presence has been with me since coming to this realm, with it gone, well.” Barely gesturing with a hand at his current state. “It seems I needed a rest.”

  If only he could actually achieve that, return to his dream plane. Bask in a realm that fitted to his every desire, and a place freed from all turmoil. It was, as he finally considered it, Paradise.

  It would stay a dream, if he and his kin didn’t remain vigilant.

  Groaning, out of an engrained response to reluctant movement. Dailin forced his overly relaxed form to move, and rose from his resting position. His daughter reached out, along with Bliss, both helping him to his feet, and guided him off the cushioned bed.

  It wasn’t needed, his body was in its prime. Everything fatigue related, was mental. He went along with it though, savoring the affection that was finally unspoiled by Dread’s touch.

  “The Nightmare is still a danger,” Dailin said softly to his daughter, who slowly let go of his arm. “I received passing advice,” he added. “That we should not become lax, and think ourselves safe.”

  Tealhun’s ears rose slightly, an expectation to hear more, instead he shook his head. “That was all, Beyond didn’t provide any reasons as to why they removed their blessing.”

  “Perhaps, we are no longer in need of it?” She commented. “And maybe, its toll had reached a point, that it was no longer acceptable.”

  “I offer, that your words hold value.” Dailin voiced after taking a deep breath. He may have been freed from Instinct, but a new feeling had already become its replacement. Worry, the kind focused on the unknown. He already saw that being blind to danger, was far worse than actually knowing of it.

  Looking towards the Channelingstone, its rich glow promising power, Dailin found it a less comforting sight. No longer was it the source of respite from Instinct’s demands, the source to lessen its crushing touch. Now it was a reminder of the realm flooding in Lifeforce, and him clueless to the extent the Nightmare was growing.

  “I should get back to deepening my Well,” Dailin said. “I’ve wasted enough of your time, all of yours,” he voiced louder to the crowd of kin. “And birthed too much Worry.”

  “This is never a waste,” Tealhun said instantly. “And Worry is already gone.” A glance her way showed much of that to be true, there were only small specks of gray left.

  “Also,” his daughter added. “It was time for me to take a break, and the others insisted.”

  That explained why Vollow, Uoth, and Sounness were not there with her. They had taken up her duties, and were making sure she didn’t try to sneak back into the Core. Vollow had mentioned a few times how troublesome it could be, getting Tealhun to stop working.

  Before, exhaustion itself would force the matter at a certain point, but with her an Ascendant, sleep would never reach her either. She could work forever, never growing weary of it, maybe not mentally either, given her dedication.

  “I am touched by Love,” Dailin said, raising his voice to include everyone present, and letting out a pulse of warmth. “That you all gave your time to be here. Know everything is Tranquil, and that if you have tasks to attend to. Then by all means, see to them if you must.”

  A myriad of replies touched his ears, words of love, devotion, and assurances that they would always be there for him. With it came farewells, for there were those who had tasks in need of attending. One by one they left as he gave out hugs, comfort, and assuring words to those still worried. Soon though, it was only him, Tealhun, and his Blessings.

  It was clear she wanted to talk, since she had made no move to leave. Instead staying near his bed, while he attended to everyone else. With them gone, he neared her, and sat at the edge of his bed. She did the same, and if the twitch of her ears was to be believed, was hesitant to ask him something.

  He smiled, and said: “Listen not to Curses daughter, you may ask me anything.”

  She gazed into his eyes, a sign of trust, and love, then glanced around him, an obvious tell that she was looking at his aura.

  She gave a smile of her own, before it fell, and she asked: “How many visions have you had?”

  “Ah, the vision,” he said, looking up at the domed ceiling covered in colored glass. “Three in total.”

  Dailin blinked, somewhat startled as he looked down to see that Tealhun had grabbed hold of his hand, while she stared at the floor.

  “And the messages were always true?”

  “The first two,” he said, gently squeezing her hand. “Weren’t warnings, they were Beyond sending the knowledge I needed to become an Ascendant. Still, yes, the information has always been correct.”

  Tealhun’s ears went limp, fear displayed, and it became her turn to squeeze his hand. “Then, we are in danger, and I,” gray hues began to spread, its emanation that of regret. “I had offered to those Beyond, that they free you of their touch.”

  Brows rising, he muttered: “What?”

  “Even with you secluding yourself away, all could see the burden of their gift.” She said, meeting his eyes again. Fear, worry, the two mixed with deep concern, and glowing love. “Worse, than when they warned you of the Giver’s armies, and the need for an Oasis to be forged. I could see it whittling away at you, and Dread, stronger than ever before.” Her eyes quickly traced across his aura. “Now it’s gone, and you’re with Peace.”

  She held his hand tighter, and stared into his eyes, searching for something; maybe an outburst? Her tone did convey of someone ready to be scolded.

  He looked down at their joined hands, a bond, and sign of mutual care for the other. He softly smiled at the sight, as his surprise gave way to love.

  “There’s not a speck of Anger.” Tealhun voiced, causing his attention to return to her. “Not even Annoyance, I only see Amusement, and Love.” She seemed to be talking mostly to herself, given that her aura was colored with confusion, surprise, and a great deal of relief.

  “Why would I birth Anger?” He asked. “Your intentions were pure, and true. It was crushing me, and Dread’s icy touch, clawing at me. That,” he added while gazing upward again. “And your offering wasn’t the cause,” their eyes met. “Something else brought this, I don’t know what, since it’s a feeling. But, be with Peace Tealhun, you hold no fault. And even if by chance you had been the cause, there would be no Anger. I needed this, even if it means I’m blind, I was—

  He took a deep breath, faced the truth. “I was too weak for the blessing.” An obvious fact once freed from it, and bathed in the wonderous sensation of blissful calm. If Instinct came back at the level it had been, he wasn’t sure if he would be able to handle it. Being clueless to how stressed he’d been, had done wonders for his endurance.

  “Do you think the blessing will come back?”

  He considered the question for a moment or two, wondering the same thing, but ultimately, he shook his head. “No, it was a last warning,” the intention mixed within the vision had been clear.

  “Then, we make our moves assuming the worst,” Tealhun announced, her posture straightening, and her normal air of calm conduct, returning.

  “The blessed path,” Dailin added, and loosened his grip, given he expected his daughter to hurry off. There was work to be done, plans to change, and warnings to be sent out to Oases. Yet his daughter didn’t move, and her grip remained tight.

  “Would it be overreaching to your Kindness,” Tealhun said. “To make a request?”

  “Never,” Dailin answered.

  “Will you join me back to the Core?” Tealhun said. “Everyone will be touched by Peace, to see your radiant aura.”

  He half glanced at the Channelingstone, the call to feed, which failed to feel all that urgent with Instinct gone.

  Patting his daughter’s hand, and offering a wide smile, he said: “That sounds like a Love touched idea.”