Book 2: Chapter 31
Garrett had been running into a lot of situations where Illusory Dream would have been handy, and while he had been able to get by thanks to his ability to manipulate his own dream, the opportunity to create illusions while in the dream seemed like a good one. Better, at least, than the other two options. With all his selections made, Garrett opened up his status to see how it had changed.
STATUS
NAME: Garrett Klein
PATH: Path of the Watcher
SUB-PATH: Dream Gardener
LEVEL: 5
EXP: 5/320
ABILITIES: [7/10]
Whisper of the Dream [1]
Observe the Dream [3]
Dream Seed [4]
Dreamers Cloak [1]Updated from novelbIn.(c)om
Beautiful Bewitchment [3]
Spirit-sucking Thorns [1]
Illusory Dream [1]
The number of experience points he needed to achieve the sixth level felt like a punch in the gut, but Garrett didnt let it bother him for more than a few seconds. He was on his way to building an excellent experience point farm, at which point, it would only be a matter of time before he grew to the sixth level and beyond. The feeling of power that flooded Garrett as he embraced his new level left him more confident than ever to face what was about to come, and with a thought, he left the dream, opening his eyes in the waking world.
Marta was just getting herself ready, sliding a heavily decorated dagger into a sheath hidden in her boot, when Garrett looked over, and as she noticed his gaze, she smiled at him.
Im all ready to go if you are.
Do you have any way to attack a spirit that is not mundane?
Thinking for a moment, she nodded.
You mean without a dagger or sword or something like that? Spirits dont like silver very much, but yes. I have an ability from my soul spark that can harm them. Why?
Theoretically, if we came across a bunch of spirits that physical attacks cant harm, I want to make sure we are not completely helpless, Garrett said, not sounding theoretical at all.
Walking over to take hold of his wheelchair, Marta spoke with some confidence.
Both me and Henri have abilities that can affect spirits, she replied, and as long as we dont run across a greater nightmare, we should be able to deal with anything else.
I should have known that you would have crawled out of the gutter to interfere with my business, Eben said, the point of his sword hissing as he lunged.
Youre the one in our jurisdiction, Henri snarled, drawing his sword in a circle to deflect the stab.
You call it that, but you wouldnt have been let through the front door if you hadnt snuck in. All noble houses are under our authority. But regardless, this mysterious artifact is ours!
In your dreams! Youll take it over our dead bodies.
That suits me just fine!
In front of the mirror, the long-haired woman had just finished combing Garretts hair and she tilted her head to the side, revealing bits and pieces of that terrifying smile under her hair.
All done. Why dont you come and help me comb mine?
Garrett couldnt move a single inch, and he could feel the thick strands of hair that had completely wrapped around him even though he couldnt see them with his naked eye. As the woman in the mirror held up the hand mirror, Garrett finally saw the thick, dark, tangled hair that bound him like rope and felt it begin to pull him forward, toward the mirror.
Garrett!
Though he could hear the shouts from Marta and Henri, Garrett was entirely bound, and couldnt even speak as he was pulled through the surface of the mirror. Like breaking the surface of a pond, he felt himself enter a space that was like the dream, tumbling forward out of his chair. At the last second, his hands tightened around the armrests, and he pulled the wheelchair in after him, bringing it into the Hollow Space.
A moment ago, he had been in the basement of the counts mansion, and now, as he got to his feet, he found himself standing in an old dressing room. A large mirror covered the wall behind him, and a table with a number of combs arranged nicely on it stood to his left. There was no one else in the room, but Garrett heard the door creaking and quickly activated Dream Cloak, shrouding himself in the fabric of the dream. Not even a second later, the long-haired woman he had seen in the mirror floated into the room, her hair flying around her. Her head turned, scanning the room as she tried to figure out where Garrett had gone.
I can smell you, handsome. Why dont you come and help me with my hair?
Speaking softly, her voice scraped like a rake across Garretts mind, nearly shocking him out of his hidden state. Taking a quiet breath, he slowly moved backward, distancing himself from the wheelchair and the beautiful flowers that covered it. As he moved away, the ghostly woman moved forward, her feet floating over the ground. Behind her, another woman floated through the doorway, her expression permanently twisted into a scream. Her body was as pale as a corpse, and her hair flowed around her head, twisting in the air as if it were being blown by the wind. As soon as the second woman entered, the long-haired woman seemed to grow angry and turned to face her, causing the floating corpse to shrink back.
What are you doing?! Get out! He is mine! Mine!
A terrible shriek rose from the floating corpse and her hand rose, pointing a dirty and broken nail at the flowers that covered the wheelchair.
Realizing that the corpses target was different, the long haired woman relented.
Fine! You may take one you may only take one.
As she spoke, the Long-Haired Ghost had turned back to look at the flowers, changing her mind halfway through as they began to shimmer. In the corner of the room, Garretts heart was pounding so loud that it sounded like a war drum in his ears. He was hopelessly outclassed when it came to a physical battle, and he wasnt even sure if the flowers would be able to help him against the Pale Fiends, but he knew he didnt have a choice. He had already tried to leave this Hollow Space but the window that had popped up dashed his hopes.
[This Hollow Space has been sealed by its owner, the Long-Haired Ghost. Get permission from its owner, the Long-Haired Ghost to leave.]
I guess Ill have to risk it. Time to see how good these flowers really are.
Closing his eyes, Garrett quickly came up with a plan and began to issue commands. Half of the dream flowers on the wheelchair began to sway, releasing their bewitching aura as more and more Pale Fiends floated into the room. Among them, Garrett could see the countess, her expression frozen in the same exact scream that she wore the last time Garrett had seen her. Hidden inside of her were two dream flowers, and as they reacted to the presence of the other dream flowers Garrett had brought in, he began to work, sending energy into them. At the same time, he took a deep breath and spent all of his remaining experience points, planting flowers in three more pale fiends. He had known that he was taking a risk, and as the energy left him, it proved too much for Dream Cloak, and the skill broke, causing the Long-Haired Ghost to turn toward him.
I knew you were hiding here! I found
The ghosts voice rose in a shriek before suddenly cutting off as the world in the mirror suddenly changed. In the waking world the basement still rang with the sounds of battle as the awakened fought fiercely. At first, out of consideration for the fact that they all worked for different branches of the same organization, they had been holding back, but as the fight progressed, it slowly heated up. Kicking his opponents weapon to the side, Grant landed a stab that tore through flesh on the mans side, sending blood splattering across the ground and causing the rest of the combatants to instinctively increase the tempo of their attacks. Just as they did, however, a dreadful feeling shrouded them and they all felt thin hairs wrapping around their limbs.
The fighters all froze, shock and horror covering their faces as they realized that the mirror had been turned around at some point and was reflecting all six of them. In it, the long-haired woman was standing there, a comb in her hands as she stared at each one of them. Behind the mirror, holding the frame, stood a figure in dark leather clothing, a smooth black mask that carried a familiar flower motif covering her face. Seeing them all staring at her, Ryn shrugged.
Believe me, I dont know whats going on either. Im just doing what the boss said.
