I have to admit, after the meeting I was not feeling the most confident. Still driven, but not confident. I was hanging behind as everyone else filtered out, hands on my hips and eyes downward in an attempt to look like I was deliberating. In truth, pondering was perhaps a better word.

The Dreamweaver was still acting unimpeached and all that we had really changed was making it aware we were watching for it. That was naturally a risky move. Either it was going to be deterred or it was going to start retaliating. So far this thing was just engaging in fanciful, or rather, deeply unfanciful conjurings, but what else was it capable of? Why was it doing any of this?

I was pretty sure I could take it's worst efforts. Herobrine had taught me well. I remembered the white eyes which had once seemed so tender and wise and my stomach twisted in nostalgic sadness. I remembered how, as we retreated from Vechs across the Southern Crafts, an ash cloud had floated up from the ruins of the Thaumlands I had fought to grant independence, blue and red sparking out of the suffocating grey.

"'Kicked in the soul' is an accurate description to be sure," I thought.

But yes, in those days when I had served the Blind Watcher, he had taught me a great many things about the guarding of the mind and the protection of dreams in particular. I could take this Dreamweaver.

But what if it went after Warnado? He was only a kid! Powerful magic-user he may have been, he was also vulnerable and I'll be honest I kind of got the vibe he was making it all up as he went along as regards the magic. How else did he keep summoning jam alongside coin? And what if this child ended up getting hurt because I couldn't figure out if Destiny or Fristad or neither of them was messing with his girlfriend's head?

Said child nudged me. We were the only ones left.

"So," he asked, with unconvincing enthusiasm. "What's the plan?" The upper half of his face was obscured, but in the auburn depths of his eyes and the curls of his mouth I could see the twitching of worry and anger. I had to help him catch this thing.

"I need time to think, and we need to do some research on mind-altering magics. I think I saw a library, book shop sort of thing around here." Then, it occurred to me that he might interpret this as an invite. Naturally, I liked the kid a lot but I needed some space. "You stay here, I'll go find it and come back for you. I should have a clearer idea of what we're looking for by the time I'm back."

Warnado was uncharacteristically laconic, offering a simple "alright" before marching off, presumably in search of Amanda. I felt terrible.

And so I ambled out into the corridor, trying to feel aloof from everything and just strategise but I couldn't keep it all bottled up in my head. I had to talk aloud. Turning Warnado away was a mistake except it wasn't because I needed to say things that might upset him and that I didn't necessarily agree with but which I needed to say aloud to process. And although talking to Tyron felt pretty good the other day now it looked like he and Kir could be the ones responsible. And what if NO ONE was trustworthy?

WhoCouldITalkToWasIJustGoingToSitThereAloneStewingInAbjectMiseryAndConfusionUntilIMakeAnotherInevitableMistakeAndGetEveryone-

"Hi, Kay."

I jumped much higher than I'd like to admit. I must have been like a cat on springs. I felt the breeze of motion on me and it felt good. I was almost about to grab my sword. Thankfully, I landed facing my startler and it was just Astro. He blinked.

"You didn't see that," I ordered.

"Don't worry, who am I going to tell?" he asked, smiling.

"Probably Aaron first, then maybe Secret. You and Cossack have been pretty chummy since Killer Craft so probably him too."

He laughed but he seemed kind of confused. That was when I tensed up again. I still didn't know how he had gotten here.

"So," he began. "That was… intense back there."

"Yeah," I stated, trying to cover a tendency toward iciness and restraint with a very tangible and sincere irritation. "Destiny almost set Fristad on fire. I noticed."

And then he said something that broke through all my defences: "Don't beat yourself up about it. I know this isn't ideal but you're doing your best, and I know you can find out what's going on. You always have, and you always will." And near as I can tell he was absolutely sincere.

And as he said all this my mental image of him flickered and he was just the same old Astro. The guy who invested in my airship. Who let me fly again, short as that had been. Who spared me on the banks of the river. Who had been a voice of wisdom and guidance throughout our entire journey across the Old Continent into the New. I choked up and I wanted to tell him everything and I almost did. But I had to ask something first.

"Listen, I really want to confide in you right now, but I need to know something first."

Astro smiled again and spread his arms: "Go ahead."

"How did you get here?"

He bit his lip, deliberating. "I was kidnapped by some Endlings."

"They Grey Ones, I know. But in what circumstances."

Now he was quiet. "I was… out hunting?"

"With who?"

"...Secret?"

"That's funny, because last I saw you, you and Brit and that creep Gracey were all out getting our visas arranged."

"Bugger."

I reached for my sword, then froze up. I let my hand fall back. I looked up and he was holding his hands before him, pity moistening his eyes. But there was no indication he was going to fight back. He could have broken my neck in a second if he wanted to, but he was just looking at me, with all the disappointment and sadness of an old man struck by tragedy. And then I knew why he was so different, and why I could still trust him.

"So, how long has it been since that?"

"I'm guessing about a decade."

I hugged him. "I'm sorry." I patted him on the back and let go. "A decade?"

"Maybe a little more." I hugged him even harder, almost knocking him over.

"Hey, easy," he laughed. "Anyway, before you ask, no I'm not telling you about how the future goes."

But there was still something weighing on me. A weight upon my shoulders. A terror that needed calming.

So, I asked: "Can I get one question?"

"Yes, you do come back!" Astro groaned. "You get out of here, now get out there and solve this mystery!"

"That wasn't my question but good to know. And I'm still holding you to that question. We have a verbal contract. It would hold up in court and I will sue. And an interdimensional court is totally going to buy that you're from my future. They've seen some shit this last while, that won't even register!"

He was laughing away and I followed suit. He leant back against the wall and closed his eyes, rubbing his temples like a psychic. "Okay…" He put on a stern, theatrical voice: "What truths do you seek?"

I paused for a moment. Did I really want to know? My stomach felt like it had just fallen through a trapdoor. But I pressed on.

"Do I still have both my ears in the future?"

Astro snorted and managed to choke out one question before collapsing over into laughter: "Seriously?"

"Yes!" I insisted, eyes widening with worry. "Yes! Everyone who knows something about my future keeps remarking that I 'still have the other one' and it's eating me up inside!"

"But why the ears?" He was crying laughing now, wiping away the salty tears with the tips of his fingers.

"I don't want to look lopsided - answer the damned question!"

He took a few seconds to calm himself, before finally chuckling out: "You have both your ears. I swear it."

The weight was lifted.

"Thank you."

He didn't say anything, but his smile made it clear I owed him nothing. But I really did, because he'd really cleared things up. He wasn't the Dreamweaver. He was still my close, dear friend and I could talk to him. Poor Tyron was out of the job as my informal therapist. Still, sound lad. He might make a good backup.

Best of all, I now had a clear idea of what I was going to achieve at the library.

"Anyway, I'll grab a drink with you later. I've got a mystery to solve."

I sprinted off down the hall, calling to Warnado at the top of my lungs. We were going to go over there and we were going to talk out all the books they had on mind-altering magic, dream interpretation and military strategy. We were going to figure out the magical, psychological and physical aspects of this thing if it killed us.

"Come on out Dreamweaver," thought I. "I'm ready for you."