Chapter one: a change of character

Nights scratched at his persona trying to get at an itch under his eye.

"The only thing I hate about my persona," he said to Reala, "is that you can never scratch an inch that's underneath it."

"Yeah," Reala said absentmindedly.

"Are you o.k. Reala?" Nights grabbed Reala's arm to stop him, "ever since I came back you've been acting strange, is it my fault."

"No of course not," Reala said cheerfully, "I've just had a lot on my mind lately, come on the master wants you."

They floated down the hall again.

Reala stopped just before the hall of mirrors, prepared to pull Nights across it, but nights didn't stop until he was on the other side of the hall.

"What's wrong Reala?" Nights asked fearfully, then he smiled, "don't tell me you're afraid to cross the hall of mirrors."

Reala didn't move.

"Fine I'll just go see master on my own, he just wanted me anyway," Nights emphasized me, proud to be the masters most important creation, and then went into the master's chamber.

Reala sighed, he knew his fear would make some crack about Reala being afraid of the hall of mirrors but at that moment he didn't care he was more worried about Nights. It wasn't Reala that was acting strange it was Nights, he hadn't been acting like Nights ever since he came back, and Reala had been getting slightly worried. Just yesterday Reala had become extremely worried when he had mentioned Adia and Nights said: "who is Adia again, I forget." Reala didn't answer he just stared at Nights anxiously, and Nights asked him what was wrong he had said it was nothing he had just forgotten to do something, and then he left.

Reala took a deep breath and floated past the hall of mirrors, ready for the teasing to commence, but it wasn't his voice, it was Nights.

"Reala, Reala, Help me, he's killing me, make him stop it hurts, Reala, Reala, Reala!"

Reala heard a sharp intake of breath, a guttural like cough, and then silence. He didn't want to look, but he did anyway.

Reala saw Nights lying on the on the ground motionless, dead.

"No! It's not true, why are you showing me this?"

"Well it's not the mirror's fault,"

Reala looked down; it was that guard, Regg something.

"It's your fear; you chose to look at it."

"Why aren't you at your post?" Reala asked.

"Usually in the daytime I'm guarding Nights' cage, but you're the one who usually assigns me to that, you want me to go out and guard him?"

"No," Reala hug himself, "There's no need for that anymore."

Reginald's tiny square eyes widened, "So you did catch him, I thought that was just a rumor."

"No," Reala said looking at the door to master Wizemin's chamber.

"Is he in there?" Reginald asked.

Reala nodded.

"You don't look to good," Reginald said sympathetically, "you should go to a healer, I here Teara is really good."

Reala snorted, he still hadn't forgotten about his first run in with the ninth level.

Nights walked unsteadily out of the master's chamber, Reala went over and supported him.

"You o.k.?" Reala asked fearfully.

"Master said I'll be fine, but I'm not quiet sure what happened," Nights' eyelids drooped, "you know, it's the strangest thing, I'm suddenly so tired."

"Come on," Reala said quietly, "I'll take you to your chamber."

"Really," Nights yawned, "That would be so nice of you."

"Just make sure you stay awake until we get there, I don't want to carry you."

"o.k." Nights said drowsily.

Nights opened his eyes, he was in a world of clouds, and in front of him was himself, but with no persona. Nights smiled and floated over to his alter ego, but no mater how far he floated he never seemed to catch up to himself.

"No, wait I need you," Nights flew faster, "I'm nothing without you."

"To get me back you need to understand," his double said.

"Understand what?" Nights stopped and cried out, his double diapered.

"When you understand you'll know."

Nights fell to his knees, "Come back," he said quietly, "pleas."

"Do not listen to that traitor,"

Nights looked behind him, it was the masters hand, eye pulsing, there Nights found safety, love.

"I am all you need."

Nights lifted his hands to his master, "take me back," his hands shook, "let me lose myself in your eyes, pleas, I'm nothing without you."

"As you wish my great creation."

A searing pain ran trough his entire body, "master what have I done, stop pleas I cant take it, I'm going to die, stop, pleas, Reala make him stop, it hurts!"

"Reala!" Nights sat up quickly in his bed tears streaming down his face.

"What's wrong Nights," Reala burst through the door, "I heard you screaming."

Nights wiped the tears from his face, "nothing, I just had a bad dream."

"A what?"

"A dream," Nights said, frustrated, "I had a bad dream."

"Nights," Reala said agitatedly, "We don't have dreams, especially not bad ones, we are bad dreams."

Nights looked at Reala fearfully, "Is there something wrong with me?"

Reala went over and hugged Nights, "no of course not," Reala smiled, "you're the Master's great creation; maybe he gave you the ability to see the future."

"Yeah, I guess," Nights rubbed his head.

"O.k. then," Reala said confidently, "Get up; I'm sure the master will want you soon."