Closed [The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

[Modded Thread] Azira pays a visit to the spa to try to find a solution to her nightmares

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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Azira on May 28th, 2015, 9:46 pm

6th Spring 515AV
It was happening again but this time around she couldn't cope. Her nightmares had returned.

It was understandable that they had plagued her throughout the winter season. It had been a time of great stress for her, more so than normal. There hadn't only been the usual trials that the season presented but unpleasant thoughts for her to dwell on. Remembering how easily tensions had led to the riots the year before, she'd almost been expecting the same to happen again. The anxiety of it had been almost crippling and so she'd tried to bury it - a mistake. There was no way the lower castes would risk it again considering how brutally their previous act of rebellion quashed but still Azira had feared. Not willing to face it consciously, her fears had turned inwards, perverting her dreams.

The season had passed but the dreams had not. In fact, they'd only intensified as they entered Spring. The new season had entered with a bang, a storm of such strength surrounding the mountain that Wind Eagles had refused to leave. The hunters hadn't been willing to risk seeking game in such inclement weather and so the vast majority had remained within the city. The huntress had chosen to catch up on some much needed sleep. The nightmares had tormented her more than usual, as she had thought, on account of the storm. After the storm had passed however, they continued night after night without fail, growing progressively darker until the idea of rest filled her with terror.

It was always about the same thing: the riots.

She found herself in the archery range once more, a swarm of Dek and Chiet with cruel faces swarming around her as she tried to bat them away with her bow. It was their hands and their faces that terrified her the most. The glee with which they grasped at her, groped her and more recently violated her and tore her to pieces, had led to her waking shaking with terror. Many times she'd woken in tears, hysterical as she found herself unable to distinguish dream from reality. It had gotten to the point where the Avora realised that she was no longer able to function, shuddering and flinching from those she passed in the Warrens, jumping in fright at noises while hunting. She'd decided that enough was enough, that the situation had grown desperate enough for her to take drastic measures. The huntress had decided to seek help at the Dreaming Lady.

Azira paid her visit at a time when she hoped it would be quiet. She didn't want to see others there and didn't want to be seen herself. She was half-afraid they would able to see what ailed her and know what was going in her head simply by looking at her. The spa was a beautiful place of course but she was still frightened of it. Someone had to look in her head in order to help her and the idea of it made her skin crawl. The fact that someone would delve into her minds, her thoughts, her memories meant that she had every right to be worried. That was how it would work, right?

As soon as she entered the establishment, a warm vapour seemed to swirl around her. A sigh escaped her, body relaxing as the breath of air escaped her. It had been the right decision to come here, she acknowledged. They could help her here and then everything would be so much better not only for Azira but for the denizens of Wind Reach that relied on her skills as well. She took a few steps into the place and paused to look around her. Lights in the ceiling glowed a soft amber which gently illuminated the room. Her eyes slid over comfortable cushions and beautiful rugs scattered over the floor before drifting between the three openings that led to new rooms. She didn't know where she ought to go. The first room seemed the brightest, glass walls allowing the Syna's light to enter sluggishly at this early bell. The second was much darker in comparison. She couldn't see into it, the interior of the room out of sight although there appeared to be a faint glow within. The third opening was dark. Wherever it led to there was no chance of the huntress getting a glimpse into it.

Azira hovered near the way she'd come in, not with nervousness but with uncertainty. Where should she go? Ought she to be here so early? Was it too early? What should she do? A barrage of thoughts assaulted her as she considered what her course of action should be.
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Verilian on May 29th, 2015, 2:44 am

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The Dreaming Lady was not busy when Azira showed up, though it was a chime or two before anyone actually approached her. When they did, it was with a peaceful smile on her face. It was always peaceful in the Dreaming Lady. That was the point. The woman who approached seemed to be in her late thirties, or perhaps early forties. Her eyes were green and serene.

"Welcome to the Dreaming Lady. My name is Rae Tisserand. You look a bit lost, may I show you to a room?"

Rae cocked her head a bit, staring intently at Azira for a moment. A frown came over her face, but it was gone in an instant. Instead she reached out and gently took the Avora by the hand, pulling her along toward the third, dark door.

"I think I know why you are here. Come with me, you don't need to speak about it here."

They entered the third room, the one with no light, and Rae shut the door behind her. They found themselves in a long hall, though it was impossible to tell just how long, as there was no light. Rae's steady hand guided Azira along until they came to a room, lit by sparkling iridescent veins in the stone which resembled starlight. A single, soft feather bed stood in the center of the room, and Rae led Azira to it, taking a seat and gently pulling the Avora down next to her.

"Can you speak about it," she asked, "I know something is troubling you, but I cannot tell what. Some people find it easier to talk about their nightmares first, but you don't have to if you don't want to."
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Azira on May 31st, 2015, 9:27 pm

Azira remained frozen with indecision until someone finally noticed her. The woman who approached her had the air of someone who belonged here, an employee. A part of the huntress wanted to scuttle away before the woman reached her but she knew she needed help so she stood her ground. Despite the peaceful atmosphere of the spa, she couldn't keep the wariness from her posture, wide eyes fixed on the serene woman. Her expression was so peaceful but the huntress couldn't share in that peace, not now or at least not yet. Maybe if she could get help with her nightmares then perhaps she could allow the calm of the Dreaming Lady to wash over her.

The woman introduced herself, her green eyes scrutinising the Avora. There was something mesmerising about those bright orbs and the huntress found herself frozen in place by them like a stunned rabbit. It left her feeling dazed, unable to come to a decision about a room. Did she want a room? What would that mean? A room meant privacy, private treatment and she needed that, right? She wasn't going to have someone poking around in her head in a public area. She didn't want anyone poking around in her mind but this woman seemed to know what she was doing, radiating a quiet confidence, which should no doubt have loosened her tongue. Instead the woman had to speak for her, taking her hand as she announced that she knew what Azira wanted. The huntress was too shocked to resist the pull and soon she found herself shut into a space in utter darkness.

The teen was left blind, reliant on Rae to guide her. She'd heard about this place. The dark room within the Dreaming Lady where the worst ailments were cured. So she had heard anyway. Her nightmares were an ailment and a bad one. It might be necessary for them to use this room for any treatment she might require. She couldn't imagine what exactly would happen next but she allowed the woman to guide her. She stretched out a hand to the side and came in contact with a wall. The hand moved to the other side, the tips of her fingers tipping off a stone surface. A passage. She'd seen it of course while the door was open but she had thought that it would have led somewhere sooner. In the dark, it was difficult to judge distances but she was sure that they had travelled a great deal.

It was only then that she noticed a few dots of brightness. They were the only sources of light and so her eyes were instantly drawn to them. They were no more than pinpricks and more and more of them seemed to appear as her gaze travelled upwards and across the ceiling. They made her feel better. She couldn't see where she was but it was as if she was looking up at the night's sky on a moonless night. The little lights were comforting because of their familiarity; they were stars to her.

Azira was eased downwards and found herself sitting on something soft. There was nothing behind her and the surface she found herself sitting on sank a little beneath her. A bed? Her fingers explored and found cloth. Yes, it certainly seemed like a bed. What was she supposed to do, sleep here? Is that how they'd help her? Would they make her fall asleep and enter her nightmares as she had them? A shudder went through her at the prospect followed by a little jolt as a. voice came out of the darkness close to her. Rae was sitting on the bed with her of course. The huntress made an effort to calm her breathing. She's here to help. I can't be afraid of her, she reminded herself. Also if this woman was going to help her then she would have to trust her, even though it would mean exposing a part of herself. Rae would learn things about her whether Azira liked it or not and she would just have to accept it.

"I'm having nightmares." The information wasn't new to the other woman but the Avora hadn't known where else to begin. "They have to do with... the Riots. I was attacked during them and I... relive it except that it isn't... how really happened," she admitted reluctantly. "In the dreams, I have a bow - I'm a huntress - and there are Chiet and Dek everywhere. Too close to shoot, too many to fight off but I always try to beat them back. Recently they can overpower me and..." she trailed off. She couldn't say rape, couldn't voice the idea aloud; it was just too horrific. "...and they can kill me now. They tear me to pieces and it's just so real!" The last part came out as a wail, the huntress hastily biting down on her now trembling lip to stifle anything else that might try to escape. The delicate flesh yielded under pressure and she felt something wet gather there. Her tongue emerged cautiously, tasting the blood that had welled up, before darting back into her mouth.

The huntress tried to recollect herself but her body had begun to tremble with anticipation. She breathed deeply and swallowed before trusting her voice once more.

"Can you help me?"
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Verilian on June 22nd, 2015, 4:22 pm

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Rae was silent save for the light rustling of movement, and the steady whisper of her calm breath as she listened to what Azira had to explain. Her story was not a new one. Many people had nightmares after the Riots, and Rae herself had not had the most pleasant of times. But for most, the nightmares had simply faded away, and they did not need to seek help. Whatever had happened to Azira must have been traumatizing.

"I can help you," the woman responded quietly, and reached out to gently take Azira's hand in her own, somehow finding it in the darkness. "Those were dark times. It is only natural that they would affect you. But I will help you, and together we will find a way for you to move past them."

Rae kept hold of Azira's hand as she reached for something with her other. It wasn't just to comfort the avora that she held the hand, though that was an important part of it. The connection would make things easier, the hand serving as a key so that Rae could easily find Azira in the Chavena. Azira felt something smooth and warm pressed into her other hand, a cup, filled with some pleasantly scented liquid.

"Drink this, it will help you to relax, and speed your way to sleep. Worry not, it is only tea, and not a true sleeping draft. If you need to wake, you will be able to easily."

The tea may not have been a sleeping potion, but it was designed to help her relax. That, combined with the atmosphere, and the other aromas of the Dreaming Lady, the soft bed beneath her as exquisite as any endals, and even the peaceful way that Rae spoke, would all help to aid Azira's path to sleep.

"If there is anything more you think I should know, or if there is anything you would like to ask me, please do. When you are ready, lie back, and go to sleep."
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Azira on June 24th, 2015, 11:36 pm

The huntress found herself nodding in response to the woman's welcome words. She jumped as soon as Rae's hand made contact with hers. Instinctively, she made to pull away before relinquishing her hand so that the woman could do with it as she pleased. She simply held it, the gesture perhaps supposed to be comfortable although it could have been a way of forming a connection between them. The touch might even be necessary for her treatment. Was it a coincidence that the contact had been initiated when the admission of being able to help was made?

The teen swallowed audibly in the dark, an unseen wince crossing her face as she realised that the other would have heard it. She was glad that the flush that came to her features then couldn't be seen. The dark was useful for that but it also gave an air of mystery to the room that Azira wasn't entirely comfortably about. She couldn't see what Rae was doing and she didn't like that. She wouldn't do anything that would be harmful, that wasn't what she was meant to do so she knew she had nothing to fear. Rather she ought to know that there was nothing to fear.

The Avora tried to calm herself, breathing deeply and opening herself up to the relaxing atmosphere the Dreaming Lady offered. She focused on the soothing sound of the Dreamweaver's voice, told herself that there was nothing to fear and willed herself to believe it.

The cup was taken immediately although it remained in her hand as doubts came rushing back into her mind. If she took this, there would be no going back. She'd have no other choice but to explore her nightmares with this woman. Have this Dreamweaver in her head, sifting through her deepest thoughts and secrets, no ability to hide anything. She didn't know what the woman could do exactly but how did Azira know that she wasn't capable of doing all of that? How else could she help after all? A simple question could be asked and she could receive the answer that she wanted; what exactly the other would do?

Trust. You have to be able to trust. Have faith in her. Have faith that she knows what she's doing.

A moment's more hesitation before the pleasantly scented tea was raised to her lips and she drank. The draft was downed quickly, the teen's tongue caressed by a pleasant flavour like nothing she could recall tasting before it went down. The cup was passed blindly to the Dreamweaver. She felt behind her to get her bearings before swinging her legs up and stretching herself out on the soft surface. Although she was aware of Rae's closeness, she focused on other sensations. She became aware of the way the soft material hugged her body where it lay, how the darkness pressed in around her, a pleasantly warm air that cradled her, aromatic air surrounding her. Her eyes were closed softly, the scents breathed in. Slowly she allowed her entire body to relax starting with her toes. It moved up her form to her feet, her ankles, her lower legs, her knees, her thighs, hips, torso, fingers, arms, shoulders, back until it finally reached her head. The teen stayed like that, allowing herself to drift, trying to keep her mind empty of thoughts until she fell asleep. Thoughts of nightmares encroached on her relaxation but she managed to restore the calm that she had to work so methodically to achieve.

At last, her head seemed to grow cloudy and she drifted off to sleep, heading to realms she did not know.
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Verilian on July 24th, 2015, 10:17 pm

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Navigating the world of dreams was not like walking down a hallway from room to room. As confusing as the inner warrens of Wind Reach could be, they were nothing compared to the infinite pathways that made up the chavena. Finding the chavi of a single specific individual was challenging even to skilled Dreamwalkers, and without something connecting them to that person it was nearly impossible to most. Luckily Rae had Azira right next to her, and holding her hand, she was able to navigate her way to the troubled Avora's mind with as much ease as one could when traversing the chavena.

For Azira, it was just like sleeping. At that moment sleeping is all that it was, in fact, and when Rae found the woman there was not any sign to alert the sleeping Avora that anyone was there. Rae remained quiet, peering at Azira's chavi, searching for the moment when the riots happened, and waiting for Azira to dream. Unfortunately, trying to find a specific moment in someone's chavi was like trying to find a needle in a haystack. Without something to guide her, it would be nearly impossible to find the exact set of memories she needed. Once Azira started dreaming, however, it would make things much easier.

Rae peered at the closest part of Azira's memory, seeing the conversation they had just had play out in front of her. She could tell that Azira was nervous about the entire experience, but you didn't have to be a Dreamwalker to tell that. Azira was not a trusting type, and Rae wondered if she had always been that way, or if it was because of what she had experienced during the riots. Either way, Azira must have gotten desperate to have sought out such an intimate form of help. Rae hoped that she could provide that help. It was never easy dealing with such issues, especially when the person in question was as closed off a Azira was.

Rae waited patiently. She could tell from experience that Azira was close to dreaming. She was reaching that stage of sleep when the mind began to wander and imagine, the time when people from across the world could share dreams with one another without even realizing it. Rae considered bringing Azira into her dreamscape before allowing the nightmare to begin, that way she could talk to her first, but decided against it. It would be better to let her dream and see what happened, and then pull her out before things got too extreme. In that way she could see what she was dealing with, and hopefully locate the actual experiences the nightmare was derived from. She waited, and eventually, Azira began to dream.

OOCSorry.. I know I took forever on this and this post is kind of lame, but I couldn't really think of anything for her to do at this moment that made sense. Go ahead and start your nightmare and get into it, but don't complete it. Maybe get to a climactic moment and then let Rae intervene or something like that.
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Azira on July 29th, 2015, 10:28 pm

OOCIt's fine. I thought it was quite a good post actually.

Her dream began as her dreams often did. She was practising archery in the Second Quiver. She went through one arrow after another but without having to go through with the act of nocking and drawing them. She didn't have to draw the arrows from her quiver either. They just appeared and shot themselves. She knew what she was doing, in the dream it all seemed perfectly normal. It would only after she woke that it the strangeness of it would become apparent.

Feelings of frustration as again and again the arrows struck the target anywhere but the centre of it. Her entire world revolved around striking the bull's eye. The need to hit it was all consuming and her view grew smaller and smaller as the spot in the centre gradually became all she could see. The arrow began to hit closer to the bull's eye and the huntress suddenly realised that she didn't want it to hit home. She instinctively knew that nothing good could come of it but she had no power to stop herself. As soon as the centre of the target was pierced, it blew up, pieces flying everywhere as a figure stepped through the wreckage towards her. Another appeared and another until there were a multitude of ugly, sneering faces. Azira tried to run, to get away from them and escape but it seemed impossible to put any distance between them and she found herself trapped as they closed in on all sides.

Her bow swung uselessly in the air in front of her in an effort to keep them at bay but she couldn't keep her eye on all of them or knock them back. She found herself overwhelmed, silently screaming as the weight of bodies forced her to the ground. Her bow was lost to her, vanishing from her hand at some point as the Dek and Chiet men bore down upon her. She simply knew what caste they were and knew the danger she was in. Hands grabbed her roughly, pawing at flesh, and pulling at her hair and clothing. The Avora struggled feebly but it was in vain. Fingers dug into her like clothes, shredding and tearing her clothing away as faces leered over her. Faces from her past stood above her, past tormentors like Cedrin. She tried to close her eyes--anything to get away from those faces!--but no matter how she tried they remained wide open.

The claw-like fingers returned again, this time digging into flesh, pulling and tearing although the huntress could not feel it; she had only the knowledge of being in pain. She watched as her body was reduced to a bloody mess, the skin pulled away in strips, exposing muscle, bones, organs and she looked away, screaming as they gave a the final wrenches that she knew would pull her carcass apart. A leg came off then the other, then an arm. She always woke up when they went to pull her head off but the feeling of dread that filled her told her that this time she'd know about it.

Silent pleading and begging was mouthed by her but she couldn't make the sound come out. Faces laughed above her as organs were sent flying. She prepared herself for her final moments, a scream coming from her mouth that was stretched to its limits. It would end soon but it wouldn't be soon enough and time seemed to be slower now. It felt as if there would be no escape and she was helpless to her fate.
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Verilian on August 21st, 2015, 4:47 pm

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The dream began innocently enough. Rae even recognized the location. Like most Inarta, she too had dabbled in archery from time to time, and she recognized the Second Quiver right away. Azira was firing on a target, presumably aiming for the bullseye. It was odd watching the dream, because she was also aware of the way Azira's view seemed to narrow down until only the bullseye was visible. It was hard to describe. Luckily, she did not have to describe it to anyone.

Rae remained invisible as the dream continued, looking for signs of the coming nightmare. Finally, Azira pierced the bullseye, and it exploded into a million pieces. A figure appeared within the shrapnel and approached. More joined the first and the chase began. Rae was familiar with this sort of thing. Often in dreams people would run from things and it usually represented running away from some other thing in their life. Of course.. Azira might just be afraid and traumatized from what had happened in the past, but there was more likely some other underlying reason that she was having the dream.

The figures began tearing her apart, and Rae knew it was time to intervene. Rae focused on the dreamscape around her, reaching into the walls that made up Azira's nightmare. Changing and reinventing the dreamscape was one of the basic skills of a Dreamwalker. It was altering true memories that were truly challenging.

Rae reached into the dream and focused on the figures attacking Azira. All but one vanished, and Azira's limbs returned to her body. Her arms were outstretched, and her bow was back, an arrow nocked, drawn back, and pointing right at the remaining man's head. All she had to do was let go. That would be best, if Azira herself actually let go, but if she didn't, if her mind tried to reassert control over the dream and turn it back into a nightmare, Rae made the string pass through the Avora's fingers, launching the arrow into the man's head and causing him to fall back, dead.

After that Rae changed everything, wiping the dreamscape clean and returning them to the archery range at the beginning of the dream. She did not give Azira her bow back.. giving someone a weapon in a dream was as dangerous as giving them a weapon in real life. One could die in the dreamscape. Rae stepped into the dreamscape, or rather allowed herself to become visible to Azira.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to intervene. Are you alright? Don't worry, as long as I am in control, the nightmare won't return."

They were not actually in Azira's dream anymore. Rae was in charge of the dreamscape around them, and had brought Azira into it with her. The nightmare wouldn't return until Rae released her back into her own dream.

"I want to ask you. Is it always this dream, or does it vary? And.. do you recognize any of the figures that are attacking you, or are they all faceless?"
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Azira on August 23rd, 2015, 7:04 pm

Something changed, shifted in the dream.

The killing blow she expected never came and instead she found that she held a bow. The fact that her arms had returned didn't occur to her. Some agency had come back to her and that was all that mattered to her at present. The huntress opened her eyes to find just one attacker. Features blurred on its--his--face. Twisting, morphing, shaping until the shadow of an identity appeared. More than one in fact as the features she saw wouldn't settle. Azira was too caught up in the changing face, seeing familiarity in the twisting features. Faces from the past, jeering faces of men and boys she'd known over the course of her young life. Faces twisted with hatred, faces that sent whispers of "Chiet" and "Dek" whispering through her mind.

She held the bow, she had the power but she couldn't seem to let go of the string. She froze and was unable to do it. There was just one man but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Through no will of her own, the missile was sent flying. The arrowhead slammed into the man--who ever he was--and causing him to topple over backwards. Before she could feel anything about what she'd done, everything shifted. Rae appeared out of nowhere and instead of finding herself on the floor, Azira ended up standing at the target again but without her bow. There was no danger now, especially as the Dreamweaver was here but she felt somehow vulnerable without the weapon. Even with the woman's reassurances, the huntress felt uneasy.

"Thank you for taking me out of that. It's always... It was horrible."

The teen shuddered, real horror rippling through her due to what she'd experienced. It didn't matter how many times she experienced it, even in spite of the many variations, she was always horrified during and afterwards.

The huntress bit her lip then began to explain.

"Usually... they're similar but they've been getting worse. It's always in the range but otherwise, it's been different. Sometimes they catch me earlier, sometimes I can fight some of them off and sometimes there are less of them. They always catch me no matter what I do and they always kill me. I don't feel it but I just know it happens. Just that recently, they've gotten worse and more than that... more vicious."

The girl looked pleadingly towards Rae. "Can you do anything? Is it fixable? How can this be fixed? How can they be made to go away? I can't handle this. It's affecting my sleep. Without sleep, I can't hunt. If I can't hunt then I can't be an Avora and... and..." She couldn't finish the thought. Azira couldn't acknowledge aloud the idea of dropping castes. It was utterly horrifying to her and she didn't think that she had to voice it for the Dreamweaver to understand what she was getting at.

She gazed at the other, wondering what solution she could offer her if there was one to be had. If there was no way to help then she didn't want to think about what would happen to her.
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[The Dreaming Lady] The Stuff of Nightmares (Verilian)

Postby Verilian on October 1st, 2015, 7:42 pm

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Rae considered Azira's words for a time. There were things she could do. She could alter what Azira remembered about the events, but doing so was difficult, and did not guarantee the nightmares would go away completely. It was very possible that there were things contributing to the horrible dreams that Azira might not even be consciously aware of. Changing the memories might even make things worse, but they were an option for a last resort. Better if she could get Azira to confront her nightmare and overcome it. There were risks along that path as well, and it would be harder on Azira's part, but in the end the results would be far better than the false security that would be granted from altered memories.

"I can help you, but it will not be easy. You will not like some of the things you have to do, but I believe you can overcome this, one way or another."

Rae closed her eyes, concentrating for a moment, and things changed once again. It appeared to be only a subtle change, at first glance. They were still at the ranges, but in a different position. Rae was still there, and Azira was still unarmed an standing next to the Dreamweaver. The difference was that they were not alone. There was another woman, one that was very familiar to Azira. She was standing before the target, trying to hit the bullseye, but obviously having a difficult time of it.

"I want you to see your nightmare from my point of view. From the outside, where nothing can harm you. See it and know it for what it is, a fiction. The creation of a troubled mind and nothing more. This alone will not be enough, but if you can see it the way I do, as an observer from the outside, then perhaps it will loose some of its power over you."

The dream played out exactly as it did before, with the notable exception that Azira was seeing it from the outside. She could move about, but could not interact with the dream in any other way. It was as if she were some sort of apparition, able to view the world, but unable to alter it by her actions. Technically what she was seeing was not her dream. It was Rae's dream, the memory of her watching Azira's dream, and because Azira was not a Dreamweaver herself, she had no power over this dream.

It played out, exactly as it did before, only just before the dream reached the point where the figures should begin ripping Azira apart it froze. Rae laid a hand on Azira's shoulder and turned her away from the image.

"To move forward with your life, you must first overcome this nightmare. It is only a dream. No matter what happens in your dreams, it cannot hurt you. Not really. You can change things. I have shown you this because now, when you dream this on your own, you should be able to remember this experience, seeing the nightmare from without. That should allow you to recognize the nightmare, and allow you to change it as I did before."

The nightmare began again, and the figures began ripping the dream Azira apart. Then everything changed, as before, and the figures became one. Dream-Azira was whole again, and armed. A moment later the arrow flew from her bow, striking the man in the face, and the dream ended. Dream-Azira vanished, but the figure remained, motionless on the ground, his face unrecognizable due to the blood and the arrow sticking from his eye.

"Your dreams are your own. Many people do not realize this, but if you can, you can change the dream however you like. You'll need to let the nightmare come again, if you are to face it. And I imagine that alone won't be enough to solve everything, but maybe this will be the first step."
Forecast for tonight... Dark
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