The Aspiring Archivist

What is going on, Haly? What is this place, and why is it so important to you?

Like, you don't know if you can physically? Or is this a mental barrier?

Look, I get that you are interested in whatever this place and these people are. But staying here does nothing at all. Maybe you should at least try.

Alright. Tors still sounded shaken. How will you talk to him, exactly?

Hopefully nothing. I don't think there's been any super powerful person with intent on killing us all that we've encountered. How about you?

One of two... I suppose you would call them gods. He was the bad one, so to speak. He killed his counterpart, Bonum, before destroying the world. If he had survived his own destruction, we would probably already be dead. Or he'd be trying very hard to make that happen.

It wasn't really a place. There was nothing physical about it. Sort of like... interdimensional space. Exactly like that. But it wouldn't make sense for Tristan to be in that dream. And if he is alive, the why doesn't he know what happened to him after our home was destroyed? It just can't be true. That would mean everything and everyone is somehow still out there, like the boys' families, the city... and Malum.

I don't know. It doesn't make sense. Tristan is dead, he has been for five years. He got pulled into that void just like I did, and only TAAron and I ever came out.

"Alright." TAAron turned to the dragon. He decided to try something more direct. "Ranryu, find Haly." The hum increased to a high-pitched ringing. TAAron didn't know those words. I'm almost sure of it.

TAAron sighed, releasing Nameless. "How can we do that?" TAAron looked thoughtful. "Let's see. The last time I saw her was in the dream. Potentially, that means that she's still asleep, which would be bad for us. If not, the only way I've ever known her to be able to travel interdimensionally is with her finding ability, but that wouldn't work unless she had some frame of reference. I don't know, could Ranryu send her a signal like she did with you and Nameless? I don't see how that's possible. You didn't know Tristan or that world, so it wouldn't be able to act independently in a dream without you. But he also couldn't be... Did he say anything odd to you? Like names or terms you didn't recognize?

"Nameless? Nameless!" TAAron shook him by the shoulders. I... was there when the rift opened. I got pulled in immediately, and went out into interdimensional space. But how could the dream have continued when TAAron was out of it? Was Tristan doing anything? Did stuff start dissapearing? "How will we 'find' Haly? She's floating out in interdimensional space! Neither of us can go there on command, I don't think."

Was there a... rift of some sort? The crystal that Tors was made out of began vibrating and humming, as though reacting to her emotion.

Tristan? As impossible as it seemed, Tors' voice choked. What did he say? What was happening in the dream?

How do you know that? I was having trouble finding him. Did you speak with him somehow?

I see. So what do you know about TAAron's situation? "Nameless, please try. You aren't in your right mind right now."

So the dream just made you forget? Then what's made you so sad?

How do you know about this, anyway? And why is it more important to you than saving TAAron? Just as when she had asked about romance, there was no judgement in her voice. She simply did not understand Haly's rationale based on her view of human behavior.

You can't leave? What do you mean? What is the Exodus of Kella? Are you bewitched or something?

Haly! I finally found you! What do you know about the others? Tors had appeared next to Haly, hovering warily. This is an odd dream.

"Well, how are we going to manage that? He's our interdimensional traveler!"

TAAron frowned. ''Maybe you should rest, unless you can use your magic to heal yourself. Can you do that?" The look of worry returned to him. "Haly can't float in interdimensional space forever. We have to get her!"

"Doctor? You seen to know this world, where can we find a doctor?

"You mean the void? Interdimensional space? How about after that? While you were rescuing me. And where did you get that name from?"

"I mean, what do you remember from what just happened?"