Chapter 10: Morpheus

Or,

The Demon in the Castle

"Revenge" - Chevelle

For days, it seemed, Fox walked. The only way he could tell the passage of time was from the constantly brightening and darkening clouds that covered the desert, and from his increasingly empty stomach. He was tired and weary from incessantly treading up and down dune after dune, grains of sand were lodged in his feet, biting with each step, his mouth and throat had become as dry as the wasteland around him, and his stomach was seizing up from lack of food.

Fox felt like his rational mind was slowly leaving him; the more he pressed onward through the desert, the more he became like a mindless animal, or a machine running on fumes. All he knew to do was walk, walk...

Though he never once saw the sun, its scalding rays penetrated the clouds to the sand below, heating up the desert so that it burned his feet and evaporated every drop of liquid from his body.

But it was different now; it was nighttime. It had been for a while, and somewhere in the back of his mind, Fox was aware that day was coming soon. It wouldn't change anything, anyway – it would just suck more life out of him.

Suddenly, he felt his feet brush against a clump of grass.

Raising his head, Fox squinted to make out what lay ahead of him. On the horizon glowed several thin ribbons of multicolored light, the first signs of morning. Silhouetted against the faint sunrise was a sparse forest of palm trees and leafy bushes that poked like sea urchins into the predawn sky.

An oasis, Fox thought. The sound of his own thoughts made him jump, for his mind had been on silent autopilot for days.

Stumbling forwards, the vulpine pushed aside the dry leaves of underbrush until his swollen feet found the pool of water at the center of the hollow. Fox threw his arms wide and fell face-first into the lake of water, arms spread wide as if he were hugging a loved one. He sank a foot underneath the water, the cool liquid filling and rejuvenating every pore in his dried body.

When his feet met the muddy bottom, he lifted his head above the surface and gasped for air, sending ripples across the surface of the water. Without wasting any more time, he cupped his paws and scooped up large handfuls of water to his mouth, lapping it up greedily. Fox felt as if he had never tasted anything as cool or refreshing in all of his life.

After finally drinking his fill, Fox looked up at the oasis around him, which was still shrouded in the predawn mist and darkness. Across the lake there appeared to be a large mound or hill covered in spiky cacti, but it was hard for him to make it out.

Deciding to investigate, Fox began wading through the pool towards the hill.

As he grew closer, the young vulpine noticed that the mound was the source of mist that covered the oasis; spurts of steam whistled through cracks and holes in the dark hill, filling the fertile hollow with cloudy fog. Then, when he was no more than ten yards away from it, the flow of steam suddenly cut off, leaving the misty clouds to evaporate.

When the last curl of mist had dissipated into the air, a ray of sunlight broke through the clouds on the horizon and illuminated the mound. When its true nature was revealed to Fox, the vulpine gasped and stumbled back in the water.

On the bank in front of him sat a metal-plated castle covered in windows, towers, spires, and smokestacks of different shapes and sizes. Extending from either side were rickety steel legs and claws that gave the castle the overall appearance of a mechanical spider crouching to drink from a pool of water. While the castle was large – towering a hundred feet over Fox – it was far from imposing. In fact, the monstrosity had a rather comical appeal about it. In the end, the castle's ridiculously clumsy appearance helped alleviate some of the initial fear he felt.

It hadn't been an illusion that the walking castle was in the process of drinking; several flexible tubes extended from the walls of the castle into the pool, sending small waves of ripples across the otherwise still surface.

For a moment, Fox debated approaching the castle. Though he had no idea who lived inside, or if the mobile castle itself was alive, the fortress was his only hope of escape from the desert. If he stayed, the oasis would provide him with an endless source of water, but there didn't appear to be anything to eat, and Fox was starving. And, if he ever tried to leave the fertile haven, there was no way he would ever make it across the desert alive.

Suddenly, a metallic creaking sound filled the oasis, and Fox's eyes darted to a rusted iron door at the base of the castle that had just swung open. The coincidental act of welcoming was all it took to make up Fox's mind. He waded through the rest of the water and climbed up onto the opposite bank where he shook himself dry. Then, he quietly tiptoed to the open door and slipped inside.

The interior of the castle was illuminated by an array of mismatched furnaces placed in the hallways or rooms. Glowing orange fires shown through barred grates in the stomachs of the iron, copper, and steel chambers, painting the rusted metal walls with warm, flickering lights. The interior would have reminded Fox of Taihō City if it were not for the more natural feel the castle possessed, perhaps helped by the earthy colors of the metals, the potted plants of various species, and the desks covered in plates of half-finished food and yellowed papers filled with notes.

As Fox explored more of the castle, he realized it was the home or laboratory of a scientist who loved his work. One room he ventured into was filled with hundreds of types of plant specimens; dour red leaves and black, curling bark from what he later learned was Dimlight Forest, the first location he literally dropped into in Infranimus; pine cones and saplings with teal green needles from the evergreen forest at the edge of Icelus city; bright flowers and lime-green grass from the fairgrounds atop Sulam Yaakov mountain; and, an assortment of desert cacti and flowers that must have been collected from the wastelands outside Taihō city. Whoever owned the castle must have moved it a lot; it sure got around.

Another desk in the same room was dedicated to hybrid plants, the likes of which Fox had never seen before; Venus flytraps with dangling fluorescent lures that glowed in the dim light of the castle; spiny balls of cacti that inflated and deflated like balloons; and twisting and turning banzai trees that seemed to be at the mercy of some invisible snake charmer.

In the next room Fox was confronted by an assortment of nicknacks and doodads that he had trouble identifying. He recognized different builds of orreries constructed from gold or bronze disks and wires, some of which used multicolored stones and baubles as planets. Rusted coppery machine parts lay strewn around the room in boxes or crates, giving the illusion that they were piles of treasure hidden away in a dark cave. One box contained an assortment of navigational equipment – spyglasses, telescopes, sextants, and rolled up paper maps.

Amidst all the muted earthy colors the room contained, a small splash of purple caught Fox's attention. Curious, Fox followed the dash of color to a wooden pillar in one corner of the crowded room; atop the stand sat a lone violet trapped in a crystal casing. As the sparkling light caught and reflected in the crystal dazzled his eyes, Fox realized he had seen it somewhere before. He couldn't explain it, but he had a funny feeling about the ornament, as if he had just found something that had been lost.

Glancing around to make sure the owner of the castle wasn't watching, Fox whipped the blue crystal from off the stand and stashed it in his pocket. He had never felt the impulse to steal from anyone before, but, somehow, he felt like this was important.

After turning away from the empty stand, Fox noticed a doorway in the opposite wall. The open door lead to a sterile, white room completely at odds with the rest of the castle; it was brightly lit by fluorescent ceiling lights, neat, orderly, clean, and equipped with modern technology that far outshone anything the mobile castle could offer. In fact, the strange white room was unlike any other Fox had seen in the castle – unlike anything he had seen in Infranimus, for that matter.

As he stared at the pristine white machinery and glowing LED displays on the other side of the door, Fox contracted another feeling – this one of unease. Something was wrong, definitely wrong about the room. It didn't belong in Infranimus.

His curiosity welling up inside him again, Fox crept towards the strange world, step by step. The closer he got to the room and the more he worked his brain to understand the strange sight, the more he began to lose his senses. Black puffs of clouds danced at the corners of his vision, the mechanical noises of the castle faded from his ears, and his feet moved sluggishly across the floor. Eventually, his head began to spin, and he felt lighter – everything felt lighter, including the room around him, as if it were all floating upwards and could be blown away with the gentlest of breaths.

"Where are you going?" an indignant voice asked behind him.

Gasping, Fox whirled around to face the newcomer. As he did so, all thoughts of the room behind him fled from his mind, and the castle once again became a solid reality, returning his senses to normal.

Before him stood a tall, proud figure dressed in faded white; his lab coat fell all the way down to gray, pointed-toed boots past a silver belt strung with potions and vials of different colors. His head was covered in a thick hood made from sackcloth, and his face was hidden behind a spotless white plague mask – complete with glinting eyes, flaring nostrils, and pointed beak.

Fox froze in place, still as a statue. The owner of the castle had caught him trespassing, and Fox wasn't sure how forgiving he was. Certainly, in the white lab coat and bird mask he was an imposing figure, but there was a chance he was understanding... maybe.

The scientist took a step torwards Fox, who flinched and closed his eyes in fear, but he merely passed the small vulpine to close and lock the door to the strange room.

Stepping in front of Fox again, the scientist said, "Well well, what do we have here? Has a young fox lost its way?"

When Fox opened his eyes again, the scientist had produced a wriggling black mass of arms and feet from under his elbow and was carrying it in gloved hands towards a copper kettle across the room. The hog-like mass squealed and squirmed furiously, but the towering white figure firmly held onto it until he plopped it into the pot, its desperate cries swallowed by a soup of black goo.

Wiping his hands and removing his gloves, the scientist turned his attention to Fox. "Now, you're probably wondering who I am, are you not?"

Suddenly, it all clicked for Fox. The black goopy monster, the scientist outfit, the potions, the walking castle... it was clear who he was now.

With fear seizing him, Fox asked, "Are... are you M-Morpheus?"

"Morpheus?" the scientist asked, leaning in closer to Fox. "No, I'm An – er, yeah, that's me... Mobius, was it?"

"Morpheus," Fox repeated.

"Yeah, of course, Morpheus. That's me. And you must be Fo – well, what's your name, son?"

"Fox."

"Really?" the scientist asked, rubbing his hooded head. "Not something stupid like Apnea? Or maybe Hypnos?"

Just as confused as the scientist, Fox replied, "No, it's just Fox... I guess. Why?"

Morpheus straightened up and placed his hands on his hips. "Oh, I don't know. Everyone else around here seems to have a weird name. Even I have a weird one. So, heh heh... why so tense? There's nothing to be afraid of."

Suddenly clenching his fists in determination, Fox growled, "I'm not afraid."

Morpheus chuckled, nervously. "Huh, well, angry, then?"

"I... I hate you... for everything you've done!"

"Everyone around here seems to hate me for some reason, I can't seem to figure out why. Here I am, a reclusive scientist come to study and explore the amazing world of Infranimus, and as soon as I set foot in this strange land, nothing but mistrust, hate, and anger are given to me. What did I ever do to deserve this, hmm?"

As Fox began to cautiously circle around Morpheus, the crystal ornament in his pocket knocked against his leg, and a flood of memories filled his mind.

"You killed Heramor," he accused the scientist.

"Killed? The Ice Queen? How?"

"You... you poisoned her! Didn't you!?"

"Pssh! Me? Poison?" Morpheus quickly hid the vials on his belt with the folds of his lab coat and rushed over to close the doors to a cabinet stacked with potions. "Noooo! Of course not!"

"Well, you made all of these monsters and set them loose to attack everyone!"

"Oh, those... I admit, some of my experiments may have gotten out of hand... but you must understand, Infranimus may be the world of dreams, but it is equally the world of nightmares. The fears of the townsfolk and villagers often rise up to prey on them, but it's a natural occurrence around these parts. Instead of facing their fears, they instead look for a scapegoat to blame. They pin all of their problems on me as they'd pin a tail on a donkey."

"But he said you were to blame for everything! Guide said you were the one who poisoned – "

"Ugh, Guide! Don't mention that name around here! He's my greatest enemy. Always going on about how I kill peasants and ruin the countryside, spreading nasty rumors, constantly leading the townspeople astray, trying to teach them stupid lessons... tell me, why do you trust him so?"

Fox had been trying to slip away from Morpheus, but now he found himself stopped in his tracks.

"Well, when I first came here, he was the one who found me and took care of me."

Morpheus scratched his chin and nodded. "I see, I see. You imprinted on him. Quite natural. But tell me, where was he taking you, and why?"

"Well, we... we went to Icelus, and that's where we found Ms. Heramor dying, so we went out to avenge her. We've been looking for you... to kill you."

"I see," Morpheus repeated, thoughtfully. "Well, is that what you wanted to do? Is that your only goal here? Isn't there something else you want?"

"Yeah, I guess. Killing you seems kinda stupid now. Guide... Guide promised me he could bring me back to life. He said there's this place called Agartha, where you can actually see the sun, and you can be brought back to life. I think he was going to take me there."

"After you killed me, is that it?"

When Fox did nothing but look down sheepishly, Morpheus continued. "Agartha's just a lie he made up, son. There's no such place. Trust me, I would know; I get around a lot."

Fox's heart was suddenly overcome with disappointment, and he felt like crying.

"So there's no way I'll ever wake up from here?"

The scientist thought for a moment. "Now now, I didn't say that. Being an off-worlder like yourself, I know how to leave this dream world. I constantly switch between them, in fact. It's as easy as walking through a door... but, before I show you the way out, there's something I want you to do for me."

"Well, sure, I'll do anything if you help me escape."

"Good, good! Now, I need you to lead Guide into a little trap for me."

"A trap?" Fox asked, uneasy.

"Just a little ambush, you see. That little snake has been a thorn in my side for far too long. You've seen firsthand how he lies to and misleads people. I just want to... get rid of him, so to speak."

"Get rid of him?" Fox questioned, surprised. "You mean, kill him?"

"Now now," Morpheus hurriedly calmed him, "Nothing too painful. Remember, us off-worlders have to stick together. Haven't you figured out that everyone you've met so far isn't real? They're all just part of the dream! They're just figments of our imagination! It's just like betraying one of your toys or stuffed animals. But you and I; we're real. We're from the physical world. And you, sonny, want to get back. Help me out here, and I'll see to it that you return to reality."

The scientist extended a hand to the young vulpine. "Whaddya say?"

Fox thought for a moment, considering Morpheus' deal. He did have a point; they were the only real people in Infranimus. Maybe he was right about Guide; maybe he had been lying to Fox the entire time. He was certainly wrong about Morpheus.

Looking back up, Fox said, "Alright. I'll do it."

He reached out and shook the scientist's hand.

"Splendid, splendid. Now, you'll need the details, of course, and the master plan. Right now, that idiot Guide and his partner in crime Sage are following some white rabbit on a wild goose chase. As we speak, it's probably leading them back to its home in the Labyrinth."

"The Labyrinth?"

"Yes, it's a large maze of valleys, gulches, and caves just a little east of here. You're job will be to lead them in the wrong direction, towards an ambush I'll set up."

"But, but how will I no which wrong direction is the right direction? I mean, which wrong direction do I take?"

"You, my good lad, will follow something else."

Morpheus stepped over to an upturned top hat and grabbed a cauldron full of black goop. Tipping it over slightly, he let a good amount of the bubbling liquid spill into the hat until it was nearly full to the brim. Then, after dropping a carrot into the mixture, he stirred it with a copper ladle and pulled out a squirming black rabbit by the ears.

"You will follow this little critter – my black rabbit – wherever he goes. Just keep a good eye out for him, and tell Somniadux you're leading him towards the white rabbit. If I know him, the dupe will believe you. Do you got all that?"

"Yeah, I understand what to do."

"Swell, swell." Morpheus threw the wriggling black rabbit into one of his lab coat's pockets before brushing his hands off.

"But, how do I get there?" Fox asked. "I really don't want to walk through that desert again."

"No, no, of course not. I didn't build a walking castle for nothing, did I?"

The plague-mask wearing scientist lead Fox to an observation deck on the opposite end of the castle.

Pulling a few cranks and levers, Morpheus said, "I bet you've never had a real ride before in Infranimus, have you?"

"Well, there was this one ski lift..."

"Pssh, that's nothing compared to this."

The scientist hit one last button before the mobile castle let out a giant metallic moan and struggled to its feet. The castle swayed from side to side as it righted itself, and spurts of steam shot through different cracks and pipes in its side. Then, after tipping its front end down a little, the castle lurched forwards and started off out of the oasis.

"Wow, this is pretty cool!" Fox exclaimed as he gazed out at the landscape rushing past. The observation deck afforded the pair a great view of their surroundings, as the castle was raised several meters into the air by its thin iron legs. The sand quickly whipped by below them, and Fox couldn't believe how fast they were traveling; it was such a noticeable difference when compared to his sluggish crawl through the desert.

Finally, they came upon a large dune that was even taller than the castle, and Morpheus hit a lever that stopped their little ride. Slowly, the castle sank down onto the sand once again and bent its gangly metal legs.

Morpheus escorted Fox back to the same door through which he had entered. Waving him off, the scientist reminded him, "Remember, black rabbit, not white. Your friends are just above that hill right there, waiting for you, I believe."

"Uh, thanks, I guess. See you... later..."

"Bye-bye, lad."

As Fox turned his back on Morpheus to begin scaling the large dune in front of him, he heard the sound of the castle starting back up, and felt the pounding vibrations in the sand as it began walking away. Even now, he questioned the deal he had just made, but it still seemed like the right thing to do. They're not real, he repeated to himself. They're not real.

A/N: What? Howl's Moving Castle? Never heard of it.