~AN~ *bows* The reviewers have spoken. This story will be brought to its conclusion gracefully and in its own time.

^_^ Personally, I prefer this way myself. Now I get to receive comments on every chapter! *rubs hand together like a miniature version of Grima, grinning a greedy little author's grin* Reviews is gooooood. We love reviews---don't we, Precious? *scratches her bird Kiwi* That's my new nickname for him---Precious. Now I can speak to 'my Precious', acting as if Precious is another person, when I'm the only one in the room. ^_^ It's fun to do, Precious, though they looks at us funny and shakes their heads.

Bass: …dear skies above, I do believe she's finally gone mad.

AC: Nah, she's talked to herself ever since she was three.

Disclaimer: "I swear, Avis is getting more and more loony these days."---Bass

The point is,…the point is, that as far as I can see, everything's cracking up.

Anne in The Golden Notebook, by Doris Lessing

Chapter Thirteen:

The Heroism We Recite

She told me that some maren were prone to dreams; a sort of window to the future, scrambled into nonsense, she called them. But dreaming nightmaren are very few, and they must be very strong; strong enough to sense the flashes of time and space that the Dream World sometimes lets slip. I have to admit I find it all very confusing---for example, how does a flash of time slip? Does it travel like we do?

Mira says I must stop looking at things with a scientific eye; science is for the Waking World, she says, and imagination is what rules in our world. But our world has as many laws as the Waking World, doesn't it?

Mira seemed very fond of the idea of dreamer maren; she kept on saying that they were very important. Then she said that another thing that's important is two. Two dreams, two stars, and two Ideya. Two Courage Ideya, she added quickly.

I asked her what she meant by that, but she only smiled faintly and started telling me about the Courage Ideya. They are only available once every hundred years, on what she called "the night of the convergence". Only two exist at any time; any more, she says, would be too much raw energy for the Dream World to handle. They must be powerful, I think.

She says they are very powerful; powerful enough to do almost anything with. Even powerful enough to make a bridge to the Waking World, although that can only be done on the night of the convergence. She told me when the night of the convergence is: it's a mid-summer night, exactly at midnight, once every hundred years. You can tell the date by a storm that gathers during the days before, and its clouds circle about the place the convergence will be. The storm breaks and fades, is born and dies, on the night of the convergence.

Emirgast, Recorder

Wizeman slammed the book shut, having finally found what he was looking for after perusing books all night. He shot a glance at the rumbling clouds outside and the way they circled about the Clock Tower. So. Tonight, or at the most tomorrow, was the night of the convergence. Oh, he could kill that miserable demi-maren…

There was still time. He would send out his nightmaren, have them search every space in all of Nightmare.

He headed for his throne room, bellowing mentally for his creations. 'My maren! Listen to me!'

The summons fell like a shout on the minds of every nightmaren in the castle. There were several cries of protest from the injured as someone shouted in their ear; Stella jumped, tsking as she rushed to the bedsides to comfort and sooth. "Tch, can't the big brute just ask us, instead o' hollerin' to break a window?"

NiGHTS, heading for the weapons chamber to get Lucky Star and practice, stopped in his tracks and waited in surprise. Wizeman would only resort to mentally contacting the entire nightmaren population if he had something utterly important to say. He had better listen.

Reala, about to start a training class, jerked to a halt and held up his hand for silence. He too knew that whatever Wizeman had to say must be important. A small smile touched his mouth; perhaps it was something to do with the mission.

Deep in the lowest level of the castle, Jackle felt the summons ring through his head like a bell. He gasped out and clutched his temples, moaning. That had hurt.

Calm down, instructed the voices. Just listen and hear what he has to say.

The powerful voice rang through the mind of every maren as clearly as if they were standing in front of Wizeman themselves. 'I now know that the bridge to the Waking World may only be made once every hundred years. Tonight is the night---if we do not have a Courage Ideya by midnight, the mission will be put on hold for a century! Every one of you, I want those Ideya found---search without rest! I will not be satisfied until a red Ideya is brought before me. Go!'

Confusion rang through the halls. Kitchen workers looked up in cluelessness. "Did he mean me?" they asked each other. Fighters in their classes looked to their teachers, asking if they were dismissed. The teachers blinked, decided that when Wizeman sounded that mad they'd better do what he said down to the letter, and nodded. Healers looked at their still-invalid patients and edged out reluctantly. The courtyard was quickly filled to its capacity and beyond with confused nightmaren, all unsure of what to do.

Reala marched into the midst of the confusion, and his voice rang out above the clamor. "ALL EYES ON ME!"

Everything quieted, and he had the floor. His voice was powerful. "First Power Division! Sound out!"

There were scattered calls as those who had just been assigned to the named

group yelled out. Reala pointed in their general direction. "All of you, search Spring Valley! Go! Second Power Division, sound out!" More calls. "Splash Garden! Go! Archers! Lancers! Archers to Stick Canyon, Lancers to Soft Museum! Swordsmen!"

NiGHTS came out into the courtyard intending to start searching, but ending up watching in amazement as the chaos was instantly turned into a well-spread search expedition by Reala's forceful leadership. The Seeker General stood tall, black and white clothes strikingly bright, his face full of power. He was in his element.

Within moments the air was filled with nightmaren leaving the castle in all directions, desperately searching for dreamers. Groups flew towards their respective destinations as fast as they were able.

Clawz sprinted by, his namesakes digging into the earth as he gathered his sleek, powerful body into a tight ball before launching himself into the air, actually leaping onto the castle wall and then making another jump down to the ground on the other side, guards staring open-mouthed after the catmaren who had just performed a fabulous leap that was at least thrice his height. Gillwing flapped overhead, his destination Spring Valley, and Gulpo was doubtlessly taking the water tunnels that led from his lagoon and bowl in the Great Hall to Splash Garden. Puffy was already at Frozen Bell and would probably base her search from there.

Reala took off, heading for Soft Museum. Jackle would have taken it were he here, but the demi-maren was missing and therefore someone else had to take up his slack. NiGHTS launched after him, intending to search Stick Canyon. No other High Seeker would be there, he knew, and the searchers needed to be spread out evenly; otherwise he would have liked going to Mystic Forest. He liked the woods.

Soon the castle was, barring the wounded, entirely deserted.

Two healthy maren remained. Chink and Chank had been about to head for Stick Canyon when a mental summons, heard only by they themselves, echoed through their heads. 'You two. Bring Jackle to me.'

Glancing at each other, they both shrugged and went to do as told.

In his throne room, Wizeman watched as maren scattered throughout the Dream World, dreamers screaming in fright as hordes of nightmarish creatures descended upon them, ripping away Ideya without mercy. Good.

He did not see the hesitation with which more than one nightmaren acted, most of the hesitating ones being those who were part of the party that had been attacked yesterday, along with one or two of the older maren. This went unnoticed. Wizeman turned his attention away from the frenzied hunt without, satisfied that his servants were doing everything in their power to find him what he needed. Perhaps, just perhaps, they would make the deadline.

There was nothing more for him to do until the Ideya were found, and therefore he had time to see to the misdeeds of a certain demi-maren…

"I swear, I'm going to roast that miserable maren alive," he muttered.

Jackle was humming to himself when he caught the sound of footsteps falling along the passage further down. Instantly he was on his feet. 'Someone's coming!'

Didn't we tell you?

The door opened slowly, allowing the smallest bit of light to be seen. Jackle's eyes shot to it as if it were gold, and he took a stumbling step forward.

Chink blinked and, without even realizing it, stepped back; his brother did as well. The personage coming towards them was almost terrifying.

Jackle staggered out of the shadows, barely visible in the darkness. His eyes were dilated and bloodshot, and his mouth was slightly open from heavy breathing; sharp fangs glittered in the low light. His hands twitched nervously, as if he were depraved of a habit, and his eyes were filled with staring fascination. He smiled, the fangs showing more. "You wanted me?"

Chink swallowed, trying to ignore the frightening crack in the demi-maren's voice, as if he'd spent hours screaming. "Lord Wizeman wishes to speak to you."

Jackle paused, and for a moment his eyes flashed to fear; then they became slightly unfocused. He was silent for a moment. Then, he laughed.

It was very short, only a giggle really, but apparently it made him feel better, for he looked back up at them with an almost childish grin. "Well, then, take me to him already!"

Behind him, Chink could hear Chank suck in an almost inaudible breath and then let it out quickly. He felt the same. Swallowing, he moved to Jackle's side, taking his hands behind his back. "Standard procedure," he mumbled.

"Oh, don't apologize to me," laughed Jackle, trailing off into a dying giggle. Chank stepped in front and began the walk down the hall, listening to the footsteps of his brother and the insane demi-maren behind him, and praying that they would be able to get away from Jackle soon.

The girl screamed shrilly, crying out as the wind was knocked from her by a blow to her back. She fell, trying to choke in a breath, and sobbed.

The boy she had only met that night leapt next to her, shouting defiantly at the strange beings that floated before them. "Leave her alone!"

The purple one turned and looked at the black and white one disapprovingly. "Really, Reala, you shouldn't have hit her!"

"I was just knocking her down to keep her from escaping," snapped Reala irritably, winded from his exhaustive search. He didn't stay annoyed for long; he was too filled with the pride of accomplishment. "Now hurry, we have to get these two back to Wizeman!"

NiGHTS watched in dismay as Reala swept down towards the girl, who had finally managed to get air back in her lungs and now screamed again. NiGHTS shot his hand out in a gesture to stop. "Reala, wait! Let me take her."

Reala pulled up and gave his brother a queer look, one eyebrow raised. "Let you take her?"

NiGHTS nodded wordlessly and dropped down to the ground, walking towards the girl with an almost hesitant gait.

Reala stared at him for a moment before snorting and turning to the boy, who faced him bravely. "I'm not afraid of you," the boy said quietly.

The general waved a hand dismissively. "Yes, yes, I've heard it all before. Millions of times. Now hold still and don't squirm, or I'll drop you." That said, he lunged for the boy, gripping him in a tight grasp and rising into the air with his burden. "Meet you at the castle, NiGHTS!" he called, and shot off.

NiGHTS bent down, wincing as the girl pulled away, her eyes wide with fear. "Don't hurt me, please," she whispered. Then her expression changed to bravery. "And even if you do, it won't get you anything."

"You're right," replied NiGHTS, and gently lifted her, carrying her as carefully as he could in his arms. "Hold on."

She gasped as he rose into the air and shot forward, putting on speed he knew was necessary. She swallowed, but made no other comment. She had the Courage Ideya.

NiGHTS' mind was flying far faster than his body, his thoughts chaotic and restless. 'So now we have the two Ideya---we're going into the Waking World tonight! But the younger ones---it's too soon! They could all get killed!'

Below him, nightmaren were chasing dreamers like there was no tomorrow, not aware that the objects of their search had already been found. NiGHTS did not dare stop to declare so because of the urgency that he get this girl to Wizeman, but he did watch. The scene below was frighteningly like the one he'd been witness to yesterday, and it brought back to the front of his mind the first image he'd seen. A giant stone monster lashing out at the small creatures around it, their terrified screams merging with the moans and sobs of the wounded teens lying about.

His stomach gave a sickening twist. 'By tomorrow morning many young maren will have been in a situation like that. Along with the human children, too.'

He looked down at the girl in his arms, swallowing to try and keep the feeling of sickness down in his gut. She stared back up at him with wide, light blue eyes. Very light blue eyes, almost like the color of forget-me-nots in spring…

Reala's eyes.

He jerked back his head. 'Her eyes don't look like Reala's! Not any more, at least…' He closed his own eyes tightly, trying to banish the thoughts and images that ran through it, and concentrated on getting to Nightmare Castle.

Wizeman's voice rang out in answer to the knock on the iron doors. "Enter."

Chink opened the doors quickly, holding them for his brother and the now trembling demi-maren. He closed them just as fast and moved to stand before the other two, bowing hurriedly to Wizeman. "We have brought him, Lord Wizeman."

"Very well. Go and join the search."

Chink and Chank stepped back as one, bowed low, turned about and went out.

A single stone hand hovered down to float a few feet in front of Jackle, its eye focused squarely on his face. "What do you have to say, Jackle?"

"I-I'm sorry, master," faltered Jackle, eyes cast low.

The eye continued to stare. "That is the only defense you have?"

Jackle's mind raced for a more suitable answer; small voices in the back of his mind provided him with one. "My fear of your power made me hide," he confessed, his voice trembling. "You're too strong for me to comprehend…how could I admit that I went against your will?…"

Wizeman was silent. He brought another hand down, getting a better look at the demi-maren's eyes. "What do you expect to happen now, Jackle?"

"I don't know," whimpered Jackle, when the voices did not provide another answer. "What you did…last night?…" His voice trembled. A slight waver in its tone made it sound as if he were on the verge of giggling.

A third eye joined the other two. "No. I will do nothing."

"N-nothing, master?"

"You seem to have learned your lesson. But remember, what I did to you last night was only using the smallest fraction of my power. I could have multiplied your pain by a million had I so desired. Keep that in mind."

"Y-yes, master." Jackle bowed quickly, his hands twitching sporadically. "What do you want me to do now, master?"

"Go back to as you were," replied Wizeman, his three eyes still searching the demi-maren's eyes. "Tonight, should the Courage Ideya be found, we will cross over to the Waking World and begin our conquer of it. Be ready."

"Y-yes, master." Something whispered words in the back of his mind, and a small smile touched the edge of his mouth.

The three eyes all saw the motion. "What is so amusing, Jackle?"

"Oh, nothin'," replied Jackle, smiling. "I was just thinking about how much new games we'll get to play…"

Wizeman's hands drew closer, gazing at the demi-maren's face; then, abruptly, they drew back. He turned away. "You are dismissed. Go and join your brethren in the search for the Courage Ideya."

Jackle bowed, his cape fluttering about his body in graceful waves. "As you wish."

He blinked, his eyes becoming slightly unfocused for a second; then he giggled. "Boss," he added.

Turning cheerfully, he went out.

Wizeman stared into space, his mind busy running over all of the subtle signs he'd picked up from the demi-maren, signs that had disproved his expectations and kept him from letting out his wrath. He had expected the rather fragile-minded nightmaren to come out of his containment trembling, babbling about his loyalty and cringing at every move the ruler made. Instead he seemed strangely together, capable of reasonable thought and reaction, but with a healthy dose of fear. He was also oddly happy, and giggled under his breath. Which, really, meant that his expectations hadn't been off.

Jackle was insane.

NiGHTS glanced down at the girl in his arms, cringing inwardly when he saw that she was still gazing up at his face. His eyes, perhaps.

'Will you stop staring at me?' he thought in frustration. 'Your eyes look too much like Reala's. Stop looking at me!'

"Your eyes are pretty," said the girl.

NiGHTS blinked. "So are yours," he replied before he realized what he was saying.

He blinked again, thrown off-kilter by this unexpected bit of conversation; thankfully he was over the castle walls now, which meant that this was nearly over. He landed gently in the courtyard, finding himself face to face with an impatient Reala.

"Took you long enough!" Reala snapped good-naturedly, turning about and stalking off with the boy shoved in front of him. "Come on, Wizeman's waiting."

NiGHTS let the girl down and pushed her gently before him, following Reala. Inwardly, he was despairing. 'Why does this all feel so wrong?'

Clouds rumbled threateningly, moving in ceaseless turmoil, boiling into a brewing storm that was centered directly over the Clock Tower. Lightening flashed within the clouds, lacing them with stark white edging. Thunder muttered and growled deep within the roiling mass.

Out in the Dream World, spanning it from one end to the other, flying over every inch of ground, maren shivered and glanced towards home. Winds blew even in the normally peaceful Spring Valley, causing Gillwing to shudder, his sides heaving with the effort. Gulpo stayed as near to the top of the water as possible, trying to remain in the warmer surface water. Puffy, searching through Soft Museum, rubbed her arms, trying to stay warm. Deep in the shades of Mystic Forest Clawz paused to shudder, his fur pricking unpleasantly as the wind ruffled it with cold fingers. Searchers blew on their hands and pulled coats tighter about their necks, hoping that the coming storm would hold off long enough for them to finish their search.

The storm was nearly there.