Nightmare sat in the higher branches of the pine, enjoying the slow pulse of life within it as Narí and Lifaen kept watch a few branches below him.

He blinked when they started hopping down, glancing after to see that Eragon had woken early. He lazily watched their ensuing conversation before Eragon cut off, grabbing at something around his neck. Sensing the alarm, Nightmare sat up straight as Saphira zoomed over the camp and to his side. After a moment, he relaxed a little bit before speaking to Arya.

He gazed at her as she spoke, enjoying the fluid grace with which she spoke, the calmness in her eyes, the sense of duty she exuded.
Why does she capture my attention so? She cannot be older than a century, whilst I am far older than her entire world. Why do I want her to be near me?

Nightmare teleported to the ground, keeping an indifferent expression as he peered at her.
Is this love?
Am I even capable of love? He asked of himself, troubled.
I think you are, Brother. The problem is, can she love you?
You forget our age gap, Brother.
The Soul wants what the Soul wants. She's of age, that's what matters, right? You said essentially the same thing to GB about Saphira.
I don't know.. I believe it is a bad idea.
It's your decision, Nightmare.
...
Yes. It is.

They had been on the water for an hour when they reached the waterfall, moving to the shore and packing their bags with the spare things kept in the canoes to make their way up the cliff.

Draco sat under the torrent, watching them as GB and Saphira offered to carry the stuff to the top.
Eragon voiced their suggestion, Lifaen blanching in horror.
"We would never dream of using a dragon as a beast of burden. It would dishonor you, Saphira, you, GB,- as well as Eragon and Blue as Shur'tugalr- and it would shame our hospitality."
Saphira snorted, sharing a look with GB before the skeleblaster snatched half of it with blue magic, Saphira hooking a talon and leaping into flight beside her skeletal friend. Catch us if you can!

Draco grinned a dragonic smile before climbing up the cliff and flying after them, Arya busting into melodic laughter. Nightmare was practically entranced by the sound. It was a treasure to hear. Arya faced Lifaen. "You have much to learn if you presume to tell a dragon what they may or may not do."
"But the dishonor-"
"It is no dishonor if Saphira and GB do it if their own free will. Now, let us go before we waste any more time."
Blue had frozen in place at being called a Rider.

Nightmare was smiling like mad as he picked up the canoe with a still shocked Blue.
"Nightmare, do you like her?" He whispered in a daze, slowly coming out of it. Nightmare's smile faltered.
"I'm not sure. I don't believe it is a good idea to feel such a way towards one so comparatively young to me, but I know I am drawn to her.." He answered truthfully.
"Well I think it's about time." Blue spoke cheerily, taking the lead.

An hour later they had climbed up and found a place where the water was still again, Saphira and GB on either side of the river, one catching fish and the other swirling his talon around the underwater plants. Draco was sitting in the river a little further upstream, eyeing them both with playfulness in his eyelights. Arya called the three of them over.
They came, encircling the group as they sat down.

Arya spoke to everyone.
"Beyond the next curve lies Ardwen Lake and, upon it's western shore, Slíthrim, one of our greatest cities. Past that, a vast expanse still separates us from Ellesméra. We will encounter many elves close to Slíthrim. However, I don't want any of you seen until we speak with Queen Islanzadí."
"But why, though?" Dust asked, slowly pulling his hood up to conceal his face till it was in shadow. He voiced the question everyone was asking. Nightmare was already thinking.

"Your presence, all of you, represents a great and terrible change for our kingdom, and such shifts are dangerous unless handled with care. The queen must be the first to meet with you. Only she has the authority and wisdom to oversee this transition."
"You speak highly of her." Eragon noted.
All skeletons immediately snapped their gazes to him, aware of her status. The elves watched her with guarded expressions.
At first she was blank, then she stood proudly. "She has led us well.... Eragon. Skeletons. I know you carry hoods on yourselves. Until we are free of possible observers, will you wear it and keep your heads covered so none can see your rounded ears and know you are human, or see your white skulls and know you are skeletons? And Saphira, GB and Draco, you must hide and catch up with us at night, as Saphira did back in the Empire. Ajihad told me of this."
"May he rest in peace." Dust muttered.

I hated every moment of it. Saphira growled.
"It's only for today and tomorrow. After that we will be far enough away from Slíthrim that we won't have to worry about encountering anyone of consequence." Arya explained.
Saphira went and faced Eragon.
When we escaped the Empire, I swore I would always stay close enough to protect you. Every time I leave, bad things happen: Yazuac, Daret, Dras-Leona, the slavers.
Eragon made a retort they couldn't hear, GB rubbing his shoulder blade against Saphira reassuringly.
You know what I mean! I'm especially loathe to leave since you can't defend yourself with your crippled back.
Eragon said something else to her, everyone waiting. Saphira paused.
I trust Arya and you skeletons. She blinked at them, then addressed Arya. Very well. But I won't wait any longer than tomorrow night, even if you're in the middle of Slíthrim at the time.
"I understand." Arya responded, adding "You will still have to be careful when flying after dark, as elves can see clearly on all but the blackest nights. If any of you are sighted by chance, you could get attacked by magic."
Wonderful. Saphira said drily.
Perfect. Draco muttered.
Nah, it's exactly what I needed! GB added mockingly, huffing.

Draco then touched his fangs to Saphira's side. At least we're not alone. She gazed up at him, adoration in her eyes. No, we are not.

After repacking the canoes, they went out searching for a hiding spot for the dragons. They found a secluded meadow a little further out of the way than they wished, Bird patting one of Draco's arms sadly as Blue and Eragon hugged GB and Saphira.
Blueberry suggested GB come with them again, but the skeleblaster shook his skull, saying he would rather stay with Draco and Saphira.

So they left, the three dragons gazing after them as they did so, skeletons teleporting the group back to the boats so as not to lose time.

As they floated onto Ardwen Lake, the water became much like a mirror to the sky, broken only by the waves their crafts made behind them. It was like they drifted in the sky. Dust made a joke about it, causing Bird to gaze up above them, wings shuffling under his cloak as he longed for his element.
In the distance, boats darted across the water at great speeds, reminiscent of insects.

Night fell, white lights coming to life in the trees like stars of their own, stars made of moonlight. A boat passed by, the elf steering murmuring at them. "Kvetha Fricai."

They broke camp further away from the shore on dry ground, Arya casting a spell so the mosquitoes would leave the fleshly ones alone.
They surrounded the fire, waiting for the dragons to come find them or something of the like.

Dream suddenly reached out to Nightmare.
He heard singing through his brother's consciousness.
Brother! I feel... alive! Brother do you hear it? It's a spell, I know it's a spell, but I feel.. like we should be near each other, Nightmare..
I am sorry, Dre- A voice interrupted him from the forest. A lone woman, singing. Everyone perked up upon hearing it. Nightmare felt a shiver go down his spine; he could feel the magic in the words, hearing the spell put him on edge.

Suddenly, it swelled, more joining in the tune. It weighed heavily onto Nightmare, setting into him and filling him with so many emotions. He felt as though he would burst.
In fact, he was beginning to explode, unable to hold in his nature, a hum reverberating throughout his skull as it began pouring out of him uncontrollably.

He gripped his skull, growling, though not in anger.
Tentacles heaved themselves out into the open, lashing as they searched, hungered for something.
The black substance coated him, reflecting the firelight in shades of blue.

When the tension had eased enough for Nightmare to become aware of his surroundings again, he noted the shocked faces around him.
Gritting his teeth, Nightmare pressed himself against a tree.
Bird, he noticed out of the corner of his eyesocket, had moved clear to the other side of the camp, as far as he could get.

"I apologise for that.." He rumbled, appendages twitching. "Although.." he hesitated, caught by the allure of the music. He shivered.
"You do not seem as afraid as I expected you would be at my appearance." He finally managed to choke out.
"No." Lifael spoke slowly. "We are amazed to see a transformation such as that. Have you always been capable of that, Daéda Alalëa?"

He trembled again, tentacles twitching as he slid down to a seat. A blush colored his face, despite him not wanting it there.
"This is actually my preferred form." He explained, tremors shooting through him. He noticed the others in worse positions due to the music. Most spells affecting skeletons directly were useless, so nothing could be done to help them. Animals began scrambling around in a frenzy.
Nightmare opened his mouth again. "I had kept my other so as not to spread undue fear. I didn't mean to change, something in that spell forced me to.... Could you perhaps explain this?"

"Yes." Said Arya quietly. "I apologise. I miscounted the days. I didn't want to be anywhere near a city during Dagshelgr. Our saturnalias, our celebrations, are perilous for mortals. We sing in the Ancient Language, and the lyrics weave spells of passion and longing that are difficult to resist, even for us." They peered at the other skeletons.

Horror spasmed on the ground, two eyelights of huge, bloody orbs flickering as they rolled in every direction chaotically, splayed out in the dirt and facing upwards.
Dust twitched, developing a tic as he began levitating, a purple aura around him as his eyelights burned.
Killer whispered to himself incoherently, eyelights vanishing and reappearing fast enough to give an epileptic seizure. Cross gripped his skull and screwed his sockets shut, twitching every once in a while as he breathed heavily.
Blueberry was astonishingly creepy, sitting cross-legged before the fire with eyelights so huge they nearly encompassed the entirety of his sockets, swirling in dizzying patterns as he gazed into the flames, whispering things like Arucane, Brisingr, Istalrí, Eldrvarya, and more words in the Ancient Language related to fire. It almost looked as if a pair of glowing blue eyes stared back at him.
Bird sat half in the darkness, wings twitching constantly as he groaned. At one point he spasmed, wings flapping like an injured falcon.

Then came the roars. The elves looked up, confused momentarily as roaring echoed through the night. The slightly metallic voices of skeleton dragons and the full-throated bellow of a true dragon. Nightmare rose to his feet shakily as he spotted the distant flashes of light in the sky; fire and lazer alike. The dragons were dancing. Orik and Eragon stood up and watched, protected from the enchantments by the elves present with counterspells.

"Nightmare, your tendrils didn't split like that before, last I've seen that form." Eragon suddenly commented.
"Split?" He asked, confused, mind fogged by the magical music.
"Yes. Look." The human lifted a finger, pointing at his tentacles. Nightmare glanced back, only to be dumbfounded for the first time in a very long time.
Indeed, they had split off into multiple ends, several tapering. He waved them around, baffled. All four of his tentacles ended like this.
"Like the branches of the darkest tree that has yet to sprout leaves." Narí murmured. Nightmare shifted his gaze to the elf, eyelights piercing into him.
"Perhaps." He rumbled. "That is so. For the leaves are in fact separate from the branches.. as the tree is in half."
They began wrapping around the trunk of the birch behind him, flattening to almost meld with the bark, texture shifting until they looked almost like bark themselves.

"Why is such an ethereal and beautiful tree split into two?" Narí questioned sadly. Nightmare regarded him quietly. Horror lunged up and howled like a wolf, drawing everyone's attention for a minute, his jaw hung open as he became an animal. Bird opened his jaw as well, eyelights changing to gold as they resembled eagle eyes. He let out a piercing shriek, like that of a falcon.
A roar echoed back from the dragons.

Nightmare spoke again, the elves' eyes landing back on him.
"There could be any reason why the tree is in two. But it is in perfect halves. Too perfect. You remember my name is Nightmare, elf. You would do well to remember that there is a Dream. Or, as you call me Alalëa, he is Islingr."
They stared at him thoughtfully, with awe.
"Where could this Islingr be?" Quested Lifaen.
"Our destination. Ellesméra."

The dragons eventually found them, Saphira's sides vibrating as all three hummed. They had piled atop each other, snorting loudly.
At one point, Dust practically exploded, Nightmare forced to wrap the thrashing skeleton in his tendrils to prevent him from hurting himself and others. Magic was burning all around him, searing the tentacles and forcing Nightmare to bite back his own screams. Nothing the elves could do could help, as the magic was rendered useless against the monsters.

Horror, at one point, jerked his skull in such a way that it made a loud crack, before taking off into the woods, eyelights burning so bright they were red headlights, illuminating the forest floor in the bloody glow.
Blue took off after him, as the broken skeleton was fast enough to outpace the elves, so great was his fervor.

Killer had begun seizing, his Soul twisting into strange shapes as glyphs in the Ancient Language flickered on and around it. Then he took off as well, no one fast or sane enough to catch him.
Cross was sick by a tree.
Either way, the spells affected the skeletons strangely, made even worse as they did everything in their power to fight it.

Except Nightmare.

When Dust passed out from the strain of magic, Nightmare had released him.
He stood, stone-still as his tentacles stretched out around all of them, much, much bigger than before.
Like a tree had grown around them, suffusing the air with the scent of apples, calming and invigorating.

Two tentacles spread out at the ground, split ends twining around everyone's ankles and wrapping around the base of several trees. The other two yearned for the sky, hanging above them like glistening, ethereal branches of something from another world.. something ancient and powerful.

There he stayed, shutting down as his mind mingled with Dream's.
They escaped to the Dreamscape, hugging in their astral forms until they were one, then peacefully enjoying one another's presence as the Astralle danced all around.

It was wonderful.

Before the sun rose, to end this night of enchantment and magic, they strode through the realms, experiencing the other sides to Alagaësia.
They wondered deep in the mists of time, happening upon windows to the world, made for beings far greater than the elves.
The Astralle rotated around them nervously, aware of this place and knowing they did not want to be here.
They pressed deeper, passing through the layers.
Then there was the Gate.
It called to them somehow, full of light and dark, existence and non-existence, life and death, creation and destruction, and so much more.
They knew not of what lay on the other side, only that they were meant to go..
They yearned for it, coming closer to the doorway to another dimension.

Then the entities barred their way.

They were black and white, alternatively. Sharply sculpted yet their edges were undefined. Wielding what seemed to be grey, clouded spears. The beings spoke in harsh tones, yet they used no words. The message was clear, they could not pass. So they addressed the beings in a language they hoped would be understood. The Ancient Language.
᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ⅈડ ᥇ꫀꪗꪮꪀᦔ 𝕥ꫝꪖ𝕥 ᧁꪖ𝕥ꫀ᭙ꪖꪗ?

𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒑𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒆𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒔, 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈. 𝑮𝒐 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕. The dark one answered in kind, cold and indifferent.
𝚈𝚘𝚞 𝚍𝚘 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚑𝚎𝚛𝚎. The white added.
They growled at the entities.
ꪗꪮꪊ ꪖડડꪊꪑꫀ ⅈꪀᥴꪮ𝕣𝕣ꫀᥴ𝕥ꪶꪗ, ᭙ꫀ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ꪀꪮ ꫀꪶᠻ. ᭙ꫀ ⅈꪀᦔꫀꫀᦔ ᥇ꫀꪶꪮꪀᧁ ꫝꫀ𝕣ꫀ, ꪖડ 𝕜ꫀꫀρꫀ𝕣ડ ꪮᠻ ᥇ꪖꪶꪖꪀᥴꫀ. ᭙ꫀ ꪖડ𝕜 ꪖᧁꪖⅈꪀ; ᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ⅈડ ᥇ꫀꪗꪮꪀᦔ 𝕥ꫝꪖ𝕥 ᧁꪖ𝕥ꫀ?

The Astralle huddled behind them, vibrating in fear as the beings bent down to gaze at the Cicállaé.
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑽𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒓-𝒇𝒐𝒅𝒉𝒓.
𝙱𝚞𝚝 𝚒𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚎𝚍, 𝚗𝚘𝚝 𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚕𝚏..
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖?
They regarded the gigantic beings.
᭙ꫀ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ᧁꪮᦔડ ᠻ𝕣ꪮꪑ ꪮꪊ𝕣 ᭙ꪮ𝕣ꪶᦔડ, 𝕥ꪮડડꫀᦔ ⅈꪀ𝕥ꪮ 𝕥ꫝⅈડ 𝕣ꪊⅈꪀꫀᦔ ꪶꪖꪀᦔ ꪖꪀᦔ ᠻꪮ𝕣ᥴꫀᦔ 𝕥ꪮ ᥴꪶꫀꪖꪀ ꪊρ ⅈ𝕥'ડ ꪑꫀડડ.
᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ꪮᠻ ꪗꪮꪊ?

The pair leaned back, seemingly glancing at each other in amusement.
𝑺𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒑𝒖𝒏𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒅𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒓𝒆, 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒎 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒘𝒆𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒍𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒅.
𝙸𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚖𝚎𝚜𝚜 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚙𝚎𝚊𝚔 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚜𝚒𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚕𝚒𝚝𝚝𝚕𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚢𝚙𝚎𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚜?
Cicállaé blinked in irritable astonishment.
᭙ꫀ ꫝꪖꪜꫀ ꪗꫀ𝕥 𝕥ꪮ ꪶꫀꪖ𝕣ꪀ ꪖꪶꪶ ꪮᠻ 𝕥ꫝⅈડ ꪀꫀ᭙ ᭙ꪮ𝕣ꪶᦔ; ꪗꪮꪊ ꪶꪖꪊᧁꫝ ꪖ𝕥 ꪊડ ᭙ꫝꫀꪀ ᭙ꫀ ꫝꪖꪜꫀ ᥇ꫀꫀꪀ ⅈꪀ 𝕥ꫝꫀડꫀ ꪶꪖꪀᦔડ ᠻꪮ𝕣 ꪶꫀડડ 𝕥ꫝꪖꪀ ꪖ ꪗꫀꪖ𝕣. ꫝꪮ᭙ ᥴꪖꪀ ꪗꪮꪊ ᥴꪶꪖⅈꪑ 𝕥ꪮ 𝕜ꪀꪮ᭙ ᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ᧁꪮᦔડ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ᭙ꫝꫀꪀ ꪗꪮꪊ ꪑꪮᥴ𝕜 𝕥ꫝꫀ ꪶꫀડડꫀ𝕣 𝕣ꫀꪖꪶꪑ; 𝕥ꫝꫀ ꪜꫀ𝕣ꪗ 𝕣ꫀꪖꪶꪑ ᧁꪮᦔડ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ 𝕣ꫀડρꪮꪀડⅈ᥇ꪶꫀ ᠻꪮ𝕣? ꪑꪮ𝕣𝕥ꪖꪶડ ꫝꪮꪶᦔ ꪑꪮ𝕣ꫀ ρꪮ᭙ꫀ𝕣 𝕥ꫝꪖꪀ ꪗꪮꪊ ડꫀꫀꪑ 𝕥ꪮ 𝕥ꫝⅈꪀ𝕜. ᥴꪶꫀꪖ𝕣ꪶꪗ ꪗꪮꪊ ꫝꪖꪜꫀ ꪑⅈડ𝕛ꪊᦔᧁꫀᦔ ꪗꪮꪊ𝕣 ꪮ᭙ꪀ ᭙ꪮ𝕣ꪶᦔ, ꪖꪀᦔ ꪖ ᠻꪮꪮꪶ 𝕥ꫝⅈꪀᧁ 𝕥ꪮ ᦔꪮ 𝕥ꫝꪖ𝕥 ⅈડ.
The black and white figures now were offended.
𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒖𝒎𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒖𝒔?
𝚆𝚎 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚎𝚡𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚒𝚗𝚌𝚎 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚍𝚊𝚠𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚒𝚖𝚎.
𝑾𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈.
𝚆𝚊𝚝𝚌𝚑 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚜𝚊𝚢 𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚗𝚍 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚕 𝚐𝚘𝚍𝚜. 𝙸𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚢 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚘 𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚎 𝚢𝚘𝚞.

Dream was at a loss for what to say, but the other half, Nightmare, felt rage bubbling up within him, and it seeped into his other half.
ꪗꪮꪊ𝕣 ꪖ𝕣𝕣ꪮᧁꪖꪀᥴꫀ ⅈડ ꪖડ𝕥ꪮꪊꪀᦔⅈꪀᧁ. ꪗꪮꪊ 𝕣ꫀᧁꪖ𝕣ᦔ ꪖડ ꪖડ ⅈꪀᠻꫀ𝕣ⅈꪮ𝕣 ᭙ꫝꫀꪀ ꪗꪮꪊ 𝕜ꪀꪮ᭙ ꪀꪮ𝕥ꫝⅈꪀᧁ ꪗꪮꪊ𝕣ડꫀꪶꪜꫀડ. ꪗꪮꪊ𝕣 ꪖᧁꫀ ⅈડ ρⅈ𝕥ⅈᠻꪊꪶ ᥴꪮꪑρꪖ𝕣ꫀᦔ 𝕥ꪮ ꪮꪊ𝕣ડ, ꪖꪶꪖᧁꪖëડⅈꪖ ᭙ꪖડ ꪀꪮ𝕥 ꫀꪜꫀꪀ ꪖ ᠻꪶⅈᥴ𝕜ꫀ𝕣 ꪮᠻ 𝕥ꫝꪮꪊᧁꫝ𝕥 ᭙ꫝꫀꪀ ᭙ꫀ ᭙ꫀ𝕣ꫀ ꪖꪶ𝕣ꫀꪖᦔꪗ 𝕥ꫀꪀ ᥇ⅈꪶꪶⅈꪮꪀ ꪗꫀꪖ𝕣ડ ꪮꪶᦔ. ꪖꪀᦔ ᭙ꫀ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ꪗꪮꪊꪀᧁ ᥴꪮꪑρꪖ𝕣ꫀᦔ 𝕥ꪮ ꪮ𝕥ꫝꫀ𝕣 ᧁꪮᦔડ ꪮᠻ ꪮꪊ𝕣 ꫝꪮꪑꫀ. ꪗꪮꪊ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ⅈꪀᠻꪖꪀ𝕥ⅈꪶꫀ 𝕥ꪮ ꪊડ, ᭙ꫀ ꪮꪀꪶꪗ ᥴꪮꪑꪑꪊꪀⅈᥴꪖ𝕥ꫀ ᭙ⅈ𝕥ꫝ ꪗꪮꪊ ꪖડ ડꪮꪮꪀ ᭙ꫀ ડꫝꪖꪶꪶ ᥇ꫀ ડꫝꪖ𝕣ⅈꪀᧁ 𝕥ꫝꫀ ડꪖꪑꫀ ꪶꪖꪀᦔડ.

The contrasting entities stared at them blankly until something arrived between them. A familiar face, in a way.

𝔼𝕒𝕤𝕪, 𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕪, 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥. 𝔻𝕒𝕣𝕜. 𝔻𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕝𝕖𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕠𝕡𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕒𝕙𝕖𝕒𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕪𝕖𝕥; 𝕀 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕞.
Limbo appeared from behind, looking very much the same as their last meeting, only he was surrounded in clouds of charcoal grey, his surroundings blackening in his Void-like aura. The eternally vibrating white orbs seemed to smile in recognition.

𝔼𝕗𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕚! 𝕀 𝕣𝕖𝕔𝕠𝕘𝕟𝕚𝕫𝕖 𝕒𝕟 𝕒𝕦𝕣𝕒 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕖𝕖𝕝 𝕒 𝕝𝕚𝕥𝕥𝕝𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕡𝕝𝕖𝕥𝕖 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕆𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕣𝕠 𝕛𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕪𝕠𝕦. ℂ𝕠𝕞𝕖, 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖, 𝕝𝕖𝕥'𝕤 𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕜. He waved at them, walking away from the beings he'd called Light and Dark. Not knowing what else to do, Nightmare and Dream followed.

᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ꪗꪮꪊ ᦔꪮⅈꪀᧁ ꫝꫀ𝕣ꫀ? They blurted when out of range of the other two. Limbo shrugged. 𝕀 𝕗𝕠𝕦𝕟𝕕 𝕚𝕥 𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕝𝕪 𝕠𝕟 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕀 𝕒𝕣𝕣𝕚𝕧𝕖𝕕. 𝕀𝕥'𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝕠𝕗 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕕𝕤. 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕤𝕦𝕘𝕘𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖, 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕖𝕥. 𝔸𝕤 𝕚𝕞𝕞𝕒𝕥𝕦𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕤 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕤𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕕𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕖, 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕖𝕕 𝕚𝕟 𝕔𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕟𝕦𝕡 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕡𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕚𝕤 𝕒 𝕙𝕒𝕣𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕞; 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥'𝕤 𝕨𝕙𝕪 𝕀'𝕞 𝕨𝕒𝕣𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦. His orbish eyes gazed into them. 𝕀'𝕞 𝕥𝕣𝕪𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕥𝕠 𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕡 𝕪𝕠𝕦... 𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕞𝕒. He took his arm off their shoulders, though they weren't sure when he'd draped it over them.

𝕊𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕕𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕝𝕒𝕘𝕒ë𝕤𝕚𝕒 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕛𝕦𝕤𝕥 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥 𝕠𝕗 𝕒 𝕨𝕒𝕣, 𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕦𝕡 𝕤𝕞𝕒𝕔𝕜-𝕕𝕒𝕓 𝕚𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕚𝕕𝕕𝕝𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣. 𝕎𝕖 𝕘𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕒 𝕡𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝔸𝕝𝕒𝕘𝕒ë𝕤𝕚𝕒 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕, 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕨 𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕧𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕡𝕣𝕠𝕓𝕝𝕖𝕞. 𝕐'𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀 𝕞𝕖𝕒𝕟?
They nodded, thinking.
ꪗꫀડ. ᭙ꫀ ꪊꪀᦔꫀ𝕣ડ𝕥ꪖꪀᦔ. ᥇ꪊ𝕥, ⅈᠻ ꪗꪮꪊ ꪖ𝕣ꫀ ꫝꫀ𝕣ꫀ... 𝕜ꫀꫀρ 𝕥ꫝꫀꪑ ⅈꪀ ᥴꫝꫀᥴ𝕜 ᠻꪮ𝕣 ꪊડ ⅈꪀ 𝕥ꫝꫀ ꪑꫀꪖꪀ𝕥ⅈꪑꫀ, ᥴꪖꪀ ꪗꪮꪊ?
He smiled with those white lights, wisps of white smoke drifting off of them again.
𝕆𝕗 𝕔𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕤𝕖. 𝕎𝕙𝕒𝕕𝕕𝕒𝕪𝕒 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕀'𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕕𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕘? 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟'𝕥 𝕜𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕘𝕦𝕪𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣; 𝕀 𝕘𝕠𝕥𝕥𝕒 𝕓𝕦𝕤𝕪 𝕞𝕪𝕤𝕖𝕝𝕗 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖𝕙𝕠𝕨. 𝔹𝕖𝕤𝕚𝕕𝕖𝕤, 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕧𝕖 𝕓𝕖𝕖𝕟 𝕒 𝕘𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕙𝕖𝕝𝕡. 𝔹𝕪 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕛𝕠𝕚𝕟𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝔸𝕤𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕝𝕝𝕖, 𝕀 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕒 𝕙𝕦𝕘𝕖 𝕒𝕕𝕧𝕒𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕘𝕖. 𝕀 𝕘𝕠𝕥 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕟𝕜 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥.
ꪗꪮꪊ'𝕣ꫀ ᭙ꫀꪶᥴꪮꪑꫀ ᠻꪮ𝕣 𝕥ꫝꪖ𝕥, 𝕥ꫝꪮꪊᧁꫝ ᭙ꫀ ᦔꪮꪀ'𝕥 𝕜ꪀꪮ᭙ ꫝꪮ᭙ 𝕥ꫝꪖ𝕥 ꫝꫀꪶρડ ꪗꪮꪊ.
𝔼𝕙. 𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕦𝕤𝕤𝕚𝕠𝕟 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕠𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖. ℝ𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕟𝕠𝕨, 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕠𝕦𝕥𝕥𝕒 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕙𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕤𝕥𝕦𝕗𝕗 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕥𝕥𝕖𝕟𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕤𝕠 𝕕𝕠 𝕀.

Cicállaé grabbed Limbo's shadowy arm and stared into those strange eyes, Nightmare's memory of him causing Dream's empathy to act up.
᭙ⅈꪶꪶ ꪗꪮꪊ ᥇ꫀ ꪖꪶ𝕣ⅈᧁꫝ𝕥? ᭙ꫝꪖ𝕥 ᭙ⅈ𝕥ꫝ ꪗꪮꪊ𝕣 ᠻꪖ𝕥ꫀ ꪖꪀᦔ ꪖꪶꪶ?
Limbo smiled back, resting his voided hand on theirs. 𝕀'𝕧𝕖 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕟𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕖𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕝 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝𝕞 𝕒𝕘𝕒𝕚𝕟. 𝕀'𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕠𝕜𝕒𝕪. 𝕊𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕕𝕒𝕪, 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕤 𝕙𝕒𝕤 𝕔𝕒𝕝𝕞𝕖𝕕 𝕕𝕠𝕨𝕟, 𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. He paused, glancing over his shoulder.
𝕀 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕜 𝕪𝕠𝕦'𝕝𝕝 𝕓𝕖 𝕒𝕓𝕝𝕖 𝕥𝕠 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖, 𝕥𝕠𝕠.. 𝕔𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕙𝕠𝕞𝕖. 𝕐𝕠𝕦 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕝𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕒𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕥𝕒𝕝𝕤, 𝕆𝕟𝕖𝕚𝕣𝕠 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝔼𝕗𝕚𝕒𝕝𝕥𝕚. 𝔹𝕦𝕥 𝕒𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕤𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖.. 𝕀 𝕕𝕠𝕟'𝕥 𝕜𝕟𝕠𝕨. 𝕐𝕠𝕦'𝕣𝕖 𝕒 𝕦𝕟𝕚𝕢𝕦𝕖 𝕤𝕡𝕖𝕔𝕚𝕖𝕤, 𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕒𝕚𝕤𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕞𝕒. 𝔸 𝕕𝕚𝕗𝕗𝕖𝕣𝕖𝕟𝕥 𝕓𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕗 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕠𝕗 𝕦𝕤, 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥𝕖𝕧𝕖𝕣 𝕨𝕖 𝕒𝕣𝕖 𝕒𝕟𝕪𝕞𝕠𝕣𝕖. He slid their hand off.
𝔾𝕠 𝕓𝕒𝕔𝕜. 𝔸𝕝𝕒𝕘𝕒ë𝕤𝕚𝕒 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕𝕤 𝕤𝕠𝕞𝕖 𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕝 𝕘𝕠𝕕𝕤. 𝕎𝕖 𝕟𝕖𝕖𝕕 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕡𝕒𝕚𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕚𝕟𝕘𝕤 𝕠𝕟 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕗𝕣𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕤 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕞𝕠𝕟𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕜𝕚𝕟𝕕 𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕤 𝕙𝕖𝕣𝕖. 𝕃𝕖𝕥'𝕤 𝕘𝕖𝕥 𝕥𝕠 𝕨𝕠𝕣𝕜, 𝕖𝕙?

They chuckled. ꪗꪮꪊ'𝕣ꫀ 𝕣ⅈᧁꫝ𝕥, ꪶⅈꪑ᥇ꪮ. ⅈ𝕥 ꪶꪮꪮ𝕜ડ ꪶⅈ𝕜ꫀ ꪗꪮꪊ ꫝꪖꪜꫀ ᥇ꪮ𝕥ꫝ ꪮꪊ𝕣 𝕣ꫀડρꫀᥴ𝕥. ᭙ꫀ ᭙ⅈડꫝ ꪗꪮꪊ ᧁꪮꪮᦔ ꪶꪊᥴ𝕜 ᭙ⅈ𝕥ꫝ 𝕥ꫝꫀ ᧁꪮᦔડ ꪮᠻ ꪖꪶꪖᧁꪖëડⅈꪖ. Cicállaé turned to leave, heading into the mists of the greater Dreamscape.
𝔸𝕟𝕕 𝕘𝕠𝕠𝕕 𝕝𝕦𝕔𝕜 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖𝕤 𝕠𝕗 𝔸𝕝𝕒𝕘𝕒ë𝕤𝕚𝕒. Limbo called after them kindly.
ꪗꫀડ. ᭙ꫀ ડꫀꫀꪑ 𝕥ꪮ ꫝꪖꪜꫀ ⅈ𝕥 ꫝꪖꪀᦔꪶꫀᦔ ᭙ꫀꪶꪶ, ᦔꪮꪀ'𝕥 ᭙ꫀ?.. They murmured under their breath.

They woke to sunlight sifting through the trees, Dream in a branch of the Menoa in Ellesméra, Nightmare in a meadow outside Slíthrim. Everywhere, throughout all of Du Weldenvarden, sprouted new growth on the trees and plants.
Dream had found his wings had unraveled, winding around the tree he rested in, as well as the vines that normally covered him now.
Nightmare had found himself on his feet, ridiculously long tentacles that split several times on each one, woven around his entire team and companions like an overgrown tree. They resembled branches all too well.

Both eventually pulled themselves together, concerned about the positions they found themselves in.
Dream teleported to Life's garden, looking for the goddess.
Nightmare retracted his now oversized appendages under his cloak, though no matter how bunched up they were they somehow still left strange bulges under the fabric.

"Wow, you are different, Nightmare." Killer muttered. He regarded him. "Didn't you run off last night?"
White rings steadily gleamed in his sockets as he shrugged. "Found my way back."
Horror dropped from the tree behind him, collapsing on the ground with a heavy wumph. Without looking around, he raised his arm in a thumbs up. "I'm okay!" He rasped, voice scratchier than usual, like he'd screamed it raw.

Saphira shook herself, crawling over to Eragon.
The fever has passed; I am myself again. She spoke. GB dragged himself to her side, crooning as he leaned into her, peering at Draco behind him. The larger stood up and wrapped his bone wings around the two, clacking as he settled next to them. A light dusky brown colored his face.
Saphira reached over and licked GB over the top of his skull. A bright blue blush lit up across his face as she did so. He made a coughing sound and stared at the ground.

That might be a problem. Nightmare noted with some humor. No one seemed to have any comments.

Arya addressed their elf companions. "Lifaen. Narí. Go to Slíthrim and get horses for five of us. We cannot walk all the way from here to Ellesméra. The skeletons have their own transport and will ride beside us. Also, alert Captain Damítha that Ceris requires reinforcements." Narí bowed, asking "And what shall we say when she asks why we have deserted our post?"
"Tell her that which she has hoped for- and feared- has occurred; the wyrm has bitten it's own tail. She will understand."
They left after removing all supplies from the canoes.

"So.." Dust began, facing the dragons.
"What did you do last night?"
All three paused, Saphira glaring as GB seemed to die inside. Draco huffed, getting up and stalking to the other side of the camp.
"Dust asked a very good question. What did you three do?" Arya inquired stiffly.
I.. GB trailed, grumbling fretfully, unable to meet anyone's gaze.
I'm sorry. Draco finally spoke, sounding disgusted with himself.
Saphira stretching, warbling. There is nothing to apologise for; I am of age.
Not by our terms! GB snapped, shaking. Draco opened and closed his jaws, a hollow clank. The age difference makes it abhorrent, what we did. I don't want to talk about it; I feel stained for doing that with someone so damn young.

Nightmare held up a hand, letting his tentacles hang out in the open since they were hidden from discovery. "You shouldn't berate yourselves so terribly; you were manipulated by a spell that you had no hope of escaping. It was no one's fault. Not even the elves, for they could not have known you were here to stop the spell. It was a mistake. Let us leave it in the past, and hope nothing comes of it. And if anything does come, we will deal with it as happens."

Silence pervaded as his words set in. Then GB stirred. I'll trust you. Because you've done nothing wrong since we met in Tronjhiem and speak honestly. Though.. I don't know how I'd forgive myself.. if I can forgive myself.
Draco shifted in place. I agree with GB for the most part. Though I don't really trust you. I don't think I can trust you until I see.. I dunno, Dream himself throw himself at you in a hug and you don't try to kill him.
Nightmare stared incredulously at Draco for a whole minute. Then he doubled over, laughing quietly as his tentacles drifted around above him.

Wiping his eyesockets, Nightmare wheezed, contacting Dream to mention the idea.
Oh now we hafta do exactly that! He cried, sending Nightmare into explosive fits of laughter.
When he finally recovered enough to speak, he snickered and said, "Really?" After studying him suspiciously, Draco slowly agreed. Yes. Exactly that. Nightmare let out a whiny laugh, using his bottom pair of tentacles as support as he leaned back, covering his face with one hand.
"Oh my Stars.." He murmured, before straightening with a grin. "Very well." He spread out his hands, grinning. He hardly noticed that the air around him glowed silver, blue reflecting off his tentacles like neon lights. "You'll get your wish. I've lost my hate for my brother, and he has learned of this already. Wait until we reach Ellesméra." The humor rang in his voice, a baritone lilt.
It was strange for them, even unsettling to Draco and Bird, who inched closer to the large skeledragon.

Lifaen and Narí returned, guiding the elegant horses through the dappled shadows. They stopped at a word from Lifaen, Eragon reaching up in awe. "Are all your horses as noble as these?" They didn't shy away from the dragons. They weren't afraid of them.
Narí laughed. "Not all, but most. We have bred them for many centuries."
"How am I supposed to ride?"

Arya answered as Cross petted one steed, Dust holding Horror by the arm as the broken skeleton eyed another hungrily.
"An elf horse responds instantly to commands in the Ancient Language; tell it where you wish to go and it will take you. However, do not mistreat them with blows or harsh words, for they are not our slaves, but our friends and partners. They bear you only so long as they consent to; it is a great privilege to ride one. I was only able to save Saphira's egg from Durza because our horses sensed that something was amiss and stopped us from riding into his ambush.... They won't let you fall off unless you deliberately throw yourself off, and they are skilled in choosing the safest, quickest path through treacherous ground. The dwarves' Feldûnost are like that."

"Right you are." Orik agreed. "A Feldûnost can run you up a cliff and down without a single bruise. But how can we carry food and whatnot without saddles? I won't ride while wearing a full pack."
Lifaen tossed a pile of leather bags before the dwarf as he pointed at an extra horse. "Nor will you have to."