Part 4

"Death of the Endless, I summon you ."

"Yes my brother, you called me?"

"Yes I did. I need to talk to you about something."

"Well here we are standing around doin' nothing so spit it out!" Apparently Death was not in the greatest moods.

"Well I made a bargain with a person and I'm having trouble meeting ends with them,"Dream explained. "Who, exactly are we talking about," asked Death in an I'm-about-to-scream-at-you-for-being-such-a-dumbass look.

"The Shallow Brigade,"he said barely above a whisper. "Who from the Shallow Brigade," she asked , her eyes boring into his skull. As her gaze intensified as he tried to answer her he stared down at his feet like student that had just been caught playing hookey.

"Jemmy," he whispered.

This was her worst fear come true. He always dug himself in so deep that he needed help getting out. Dream always came running to her to pull him out of his own mess. Fortunate for her,everyone Dream had gotten in trouble with so far was a friend of hers. Yet Death was now afraid that Dream had dug his own grave.

"JEMMY? WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING,"she screamed,"JEMMY! OF ALL PEOPLE! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND!" she screamed

Dream stood flinching in Death's parlor. Huffing and puffing Death eventually calmed down.

"Okay. What exactly did you do," she asked clearly still upset.

"Do you remember about thirty years ago when you gave that girl in Greece twentynine years to live if you took her fiance?"

"Yes. I do remember that. Why do you ask my brother?"

"Do you remember when Jemmy said thet if the girl in that explosion did not die she said she would come after me?"

Death sighed exasperatedly. "I see. Very well then. I will talk to Jemmy and The Shallow Brigade and I will explain why they should not take your life (even thought they have perfectly good reason to). It's a good thing you showed up because I have someone to show you." Dream looked puzzeled. "Come with me,"she said.

Drem followed Death into her gallery. "Destiny, Icall upon you. Please speak to me ." Dream still stood there cofused about what was going on.

"I am here my sister. What is it that you called me for," Destiny asked in a calm solemn voice.

"Would it be fine if I were to tell our brother Dream about the girl," asked Death. "Yes, I had consulted my book earlier and yes it is time. It is time he sees her with his own eyes, " Destiny said in more solemn voice than usual. "Thankyou,"said Death as Destiny faded away.

" I demand an explanation," Dream exclaimed. "What the hell is going on?" "Please calm down Dream. Much has happened in which you going on like this may make the situation worse. Now please, follow me," said Death calmly. Death led Dream to the lower levels of her realm. Once there she led him through the ballroom.

They then walked into a room where in the center lay a woman soundlessly sleeping. Death walked up to the bed and stared down at the pale, lifeless looking yong woman. Dream hesitantly walked forward and stopped at the side of the bed. He bagan to speak when Death put a finger to his lips and hushed softly. He caressed her cheek and touched her hair softly. He then bent down to kiss her lifeless hand and

walked silenly away.

Luca woke up to find herself in a room similar to the one she first woke up to her first night here. She recalled the dream she just had with goose-bumps. She knew the man from somewhere but she just could not place him. "Who was he? What is he? What draws me to care for a man I don't even know?" she thought.

Her dream was so peculiar and so eerie she could not help but to recall it countless times in her head. What did it mean?

It began in a moor that seemed to have gone forever. It had but only one tree off in the distance from where she was. She looked down at herself and saw that her attire was different.

She wore a top with a ruffled collar at the middle of her long graceful neck. A black tranluscent material came down to her chest. The sleeves were slim and came over her hand. The torso was a snug material and the bottom was large and full almost like a hoop skirt without the hoop of course.

She walked in the direction of the tree a sort of curiosity rising deep beneath her. As she walked on she began to make out a figure sitting beneath the tree. Her curiosity deepened. She walked a few yards closer and the figure came into view. He had on a cape that came to his middle with an elegant celtic design brooch. He wore trousers and leggings similar to those worn by men long ago with pointed shoes.

She stopped where she was and the man stood up and walked over to her. He walked up to her so close that if he had walked any closer they would have collided into each other. He grabbed her hand from where it was at her side and held up to his lips and kissed it. He then adressed her as Nada and said, "Walk with me."

She realized he had a deep bass voice with a slight English accent. She at first resisted frightened and scared. What did this man want? He then looked up at her with his black as night eyes beckoning her to follow. She followed him, and they walked hand in hand for what seemed an eternity. The sky above thm seemed to grow darker woth each passing minute. Lightning cracked and the thunder boomed above. the wind howled and the tall grass blew westward.

He then stopped walking and grabbed both of her hands this time and squeezed them tight.

"I will come, my love. My Nada. I will come."

Luca woke clutching her heart, a constant pounding. A decreasing throbbing in her throat. The name Morpheus suddenly was called out like an explosion in her head.

Morpheus.