Chapter 5: Ascending Dreams.

Appearing out of nowhere in the vast lush green of a forest outside Balamb, Dahlia looked upward towards the mountain range. She couldn't see much of the mountain's foundation as the night set in, and the stars shone in the sky. The sky had minimal cloud coverage as Dahlia approached the nearby town as the ocean breeze twirled and danced around her hair. She quietly entered Balamb, looking cautiously for a path leading to the summit of the mountain.

Passing the gas station to her right, she tried her best not to make any loud noises or bring any attention to herself. Her heels were clipping and clopping as she moved slowly, admiring what surrounded her. She continued up a small street of houses on either side. Lamps outside each home's entrances, lighting up the way and keeping what could be a dark street amply lit. Dahlia came to a crossroad as she looked both ways, not sure where to continue next. She turned her head to the right and noticed the town's train station.

The station was lit up brightly at night, which helped people get around and stopping them from getting lost. Dahlia looked towards the horizon and could see the mountain range ever so close now. She walked off in the train station's direction as a guard stepped out of the entrance to the station.

"Oh, excuse me, madam, the train station is closed for tonight". Said the guard as he put up his hand as a sign to stop her advance.

Dahlias face rose to greet the guard with a wide grin covering her face. It did not resemble a usual smile but one which represented cruel intentions.

"Not for me, it isn't". Whispered Dahlia.

Dahlias body radiated a purple glow. Dahlia bent her right hand back to her shoulder and then quickly extended her arm towards the guard with her fingers pointed towards him. The guard rose off the ground, clutching his chest. Dahlia then threw her arm off to the left as the guard flung through the air, hitting the station's railing and crumbling over the top.

"Hmph, impudent man" Dahlia said.

Her eyes were glowing a bright blood red as her actions had excited her. The guard laid curled over on the ground, his lifeless body lying perfectly still. Dahlia continued walking as she saw an alcove opening to her right. Many pillars lined the sides of the pathway, which were lightly coloured green. The colour seemed to have faded away as it was showing its age. She walked down the path with no lights, only a couple of lit flames situated on either side of the walls. The walls were crumbling with bits of rocks hanging off the sides, and fragments littered the ground. Dahlia reached the end of the path. A vast stone wall lay in front of her. Dahlia laid her hand on the wall, closing her eyes as her hand, then her body becoming invisible and walking straight through the wall.


As his eyes widened, Seifer felt disorientated and sleepy. He lay flat out on the floor, hoping to roll over and go back to sleep. His arms and hands were weak as Seifer flexed his fingers. He rolled over to his right side, his head tilted over as the space around him was dark. His eyes widened as in shock, all of sudden he saw a blob of blue fill his view. It moved towards him at a steady speed.

"Oh c'mon, not this shit again". Seifer blurted.

"Oh, you are back, Seifer." The little blue alien announced.

"You are that little alien thing I dreamt about before. Papa or something, was it?". Seifer asked, trying to remember.

"It's Pupu, Seifer. I need your help. Will you help me?" The little alien pleaded.

Seifer rose to a sitting position, hands placed firmly on the ground behind him. Still feeling the effects of the sleep, Seifer asked a question.

"What help is it you need from me? Why can't I go back to sleep?". Seifer pronounced.

With a tool in its hand, Pupu reached out to Seifer, offering him something to aid in its dilemma.

"I need to fix my ship. Will you help me put it back together?". The alien continued.

Snatching the wrench out of the little Pupu's hand, Seifer stood himself up, towering over the little creature.

"Let's get this crap done then, shall we". Seifer replied.

Following Pupu over to the cheap spaceship, parts were scattered all over the ground. Seifer lifted a square metal casing and placed it against the spacecraft. Using the tool in his hand, he tightened the outer casing into the mobile.

Stepping a few feet back with a slight smirk on his face, Seifer announced, "Huh, not bad!".

Seifer continued to pick up pieces and attach them back on while the tiny Pupu worked on reprogramming the craft. While working away, Seifer felt a slight jolt from the spaceship.

"Argh" what was that" Seifer yelled.

"Yes, it's switched on again". The Pupu babbled.

Seifer began to get light-headed by moving his hand and fingers around, fixing his muscles after the jolt of pain. Raising a hand to his head, Seifer began to feel unwell. Seifer fell back onto the ground, landing on his backside. This disorientating feeling he had succumbed to started to push him back into sleep. Seifer reached out his hand before collapsing back onto the ground, becoming unconscious.


On the other side of the stone wall, it extended further along with small alcoves designed into the walls on both sides covered with overgrown plants and frost, a particular mountain element. Extending upwards was a large staircase, with mist flowing down the stairs representing the mountain range's temperature ahead. Dahlias heels dug into the wet steps as she moved up the case with ease. Reaching the top of the stairs laid a colossal statue of a unicorn covered with frost and dirt standing on its hind legs with its front legs pointing outwards with its sharp-pointed horn aiming directly towards the sky. As Dahlia turned a couple of corners and felt like she was in a maze, she slowly walked through the pile of rubble laid all over the ground. Finding it difficult to walk much further, Dahlia floated off the ground and moved through the air. Dahlia turned another corner as she looked out from the top of the mountain.

She could see the vast land of Balamb beneath her as she smiled and cackled to herself, "Not long now!".

As Dahlia flew up the next set of stairs, she could see before her an altar surrounded by hundreds of Glacial Eyes that inhabited the mountain. The Glacial monsters were flying creatures covered in multiple shades of blue with a small head in size containing one massive eye in the centre. The beast also had multiple veins below its face connecting to its wings which hung down its head. Its body was petite and relatively short in length connecting to a tail on the bottom half with razor-sharp bones coming out of the sides of its tail.

Laughing out loud in hysterics, as she laid her eyes on the gathering of floating balloons, she yelled out: "Not even you weaklings are gonna stop me".

Dahlia flung out her hands into the air as a flash of light shot out from her eyes. The monsters, now standing still in mid-air, paralysed from Dahlia's spell.

"Now my little frostbites, down below a town, awaits your presence! Now go!". Dhalia shrieked.

Dahlia swayed her arms and clicked her fingers, directing the gathering of Glacials down towards the town of Balamb.