Nights Twilight Dreaming
Chapter Twenty-Five
Crystal, Bela, and Stella were all falling down her vertical tunnel together to the Dream Gate. The young princess kept them in her bag to keep them safe while they huddled together in the same satchel. They continued their descent for about ten seconds or so before the light beneath them grew brighter than the stars above. The trio has made it to its' destination.
Owl was waiting for Crystal's arrival at the Dream Gate while frantically flapping his wings. Nightmaria, Luminaire, and Seraphinite were with him as well to keep him company while he flew back in forth in a frantic state. His fear subsided when he saw Crystal's paraloop vortex appear five feet in the sky and out came Crystal, Bela, and Stella. A group of Nightopians saw them fall out and pointed up at them, garnering Owl's attention. Cumula and Pidge exited the resistance headquarters just in time to see their master arrive from above. They bounced happily as they flew right to where she was going to land. Crystal thought quickly and activated her telekinesis to float back down to the ground. She collapsed with exhaustion with a hoard of Nightopians gathered around her.
"Everyone out of the way!" Nightmaria commanded as she flew right up the young princess. The Nightopians all dispersed letting her pass as soon as they heard her, with a select few stayed with the young princess. They babbled a bit for her to look up, which she did. Cumula and Pidge flew right to her joining Nightmaria who placed her hand on the girl's shoulder. Crystal looked up at the trio and the group of Nightopians breathing a sigh of relief. Nightmaria unclasped her cape and wrapped it around her as if she were out in the cold for too long. Bela and Stella emerged from Crystal's satchel and approached Cumula and Pidge who greeted them with their respective bleat and caw. Luminaire was impressed by their sudden appearance while saying, "Hey. A pair of Screechers. Hello, you two." Bela and Stella greeted her in chirps and clicks in return while Owl and Seraphinite approached the young princess.
"Hoo, thank goodness you're all right," said Owl relieved. "Escaping Nightmare is quite difficult, especially when the visitor's heart is weakened from losing the Ideya they once possessed."
"How was trip number two to Nightmare?" asked Seraphinite trying to lighten the mood.
"Darkest place ever," replied Crystal, who by that point had risen from the ground. The Nightopians all clamored in agreement with some of them showing signs of fear.
"Well, you're safe now, my child," replied Nightmaria replied. "Any longer and your Ideya of Courage would have lost its' light completely, let alone having your body stripped of your soul." Crystal sighed slightly as if she were relieved to hear that she had not lost the final fragment of her heart, but also shuddered at the mere thought of being trapped in her coma forever. Nightmaria added, "Right now, we need to restore your strength for the rescue ahead. Only fools enter the battle exhausted."
"All right," replied Crystal understanding what she meant. She was too exhausted to protest as Owl, Nightmaria, Luminaire, Seraphinite, her four Nightmaren pets, and the Nightopians all lead her to the door to the resistance headquarters. They entered and are greeted by Morganite, Rhodonite, and Hikaru. The latter flew up to Crystal the moment they entered.
"Great almighty Morpheus, are you all right?" she asked her frantically. "I can't believe our former superior just did that!"
"Toss me into the Nightmare Realm?" asked Crystal. "Yeah. He's been stalking me the whole time." Rhodonite and Morganite looked somberly at the ground upon hearing her words. Luminaire glared at the image of Reala in the portrait above with what appeared to be the words, "Do not engage unless confronted" written in what appeared to be a red marker.
"Typical Nightmaren," chimed Lumière, "always stalking the prey before the capture." He entered the area while twirling his hat on the bottom part of his cane. "I've seen him do this plenty of times while I was still part of the army. When I got tired of him using me for the distraction, I had to pull my best trick yet to escape. Of course, I had to leave my persona behind to pull it off even though it eventually came back to me in the end." He bounced his hat off the cane as it spat out a hand-sized orb before landing on his head. He held the orb to a worn-out Crystal as it blinked slowly, indicating her Dark Ideya about to strike. He nodded with a smile before putting the orb away and calling to an ally behind him, "Dr. Fergali, you have a returning patient." Dr. Fergali, having heard of Crystal's plight, came from behind the flying magician and scanned her rather quickly.
"Her Dark Ideya is about to take hold," he told the others. "I will need her in my office. Quickly." Crystal nodded as if giving consent for the operation. She was already in the hospital in the real world, so felt that it was no point in arguing with the doctor. The princess, Owl, Nightmaria, Lumière, Luminaire, Hikaru, Rhodonite, Morganite, and her four Nightmaren pets all headed in the direction of Dr. Fergali's office in hopes of helping her back on her feet.
Meanwhile, back in Nightmare, Reala had seen the entire battle between Crystal and King Rhett and was quite impressed with their bout despite the latter losing to the former. He was watching her being taken to Dr. Fergali's office through the torchlight with a smirk as she agreed to his suggestion. He knew she would be exhausted from the battle, and from wandering the realm he had placed her in. As he changed the image, a mechanical sound is heard behind him as the same gigantic mechanical scorpion is shown right behind him, its chamber glowing in the darkness. He looked over at the creature as King Rhett himself entered the area.
"Detecting Dark Ideya," the creature spoke. It sounded exactly like Nights. However, it seemed to be a mechanized voice as if it was speaking like a computer. "Detecting Red Ideya."
"Have a little patience, Scorpinoir," Reala told it. "It won't be long before their reunion comes to pass." King Rhett was looking into the torchlight which now showed Crystal being treated for her Dark Ideya.
"And it may be sooner than you think," he told him. Reala looked over at the image to see Crystal gasping for air as Hikaru was healing her mental state. The Red Ideya was shining through her hands and she was giving off a benevolent aura that seemed to shield her from the dark aura trying to enclose on the girl. The dark aura seemed to be losing its bout with the two objects of light.
"As you can see," stated King Rhett, "the Dark Ideya has already begun to subside, thanks to the combined efforts of her Ideya of Courage and her Shining Heart of Valor."
"She's resisting its power," Reala noted with a sly smile.
"Precisely." Reala turned to Scorpinoir once more and flew right to the chamber and pat it.
"Seems you'll be in for quite a feisty one, my pet," he told it as the doll within the chamber blushed slightly. Reala chuckled as his gaze went back to Crystal's image in the torchlight. She had just finished fighting the Dark Ideya at this point. Reala knew she would recover eventually, and his patience and determined spirit were going to pay off.
In Dr. Fergali's office, Crystal looked up to see the good doctor whipping up a green potion of sorts to help her with her health. She was surrounded by several members of the resistance, including Hikaru, Lumière, Owl, and Nightmaria. As she saw Dr. Fergali put the potion in a clean needle, she breathed in and held her breath knowing exactly what he was planning to do.
"No no no, don't do that. Don't do that," said Hikaru frantically waving her hands to get her to stop. Luminaire and Lumière started laughing at the young princess for her antics.
"What are you, a Balooga?" said Seraphinite teasing Crystal. "Spit that out." Crystal blew out her breath the moment she was told to. Lumière chuckled slightly.
"Your pain will increase if you hold your breath," Nightmaria scolded slightly. Crystal realized what she meant and relaxed before Dr. Fergali gave her a reassuring pat on her shoulder. She looked over at the potion and recognized what it was from its' coloration. She chuckled slightly.
"I see the good doctor's been doing his homework," she remarked rather pleased with his diligence. "That's our nation's elixir, isn't it?"
"That is correct, your highness," Dr. Fergali replied while applying the needle to her causing a slight pinch. "Thankfully it has been modified to increase your stamina in the dream world as well as your world." Crystal felt the effects taking place but didn't rise from her position just yet. She wanted to let it sink in before she took off back to the Quartz Palace where Nights, Rose, and Silvermoon were being held.
"Well thanks to Reala," she told her friends, "I practically failed the second trail. I lost the final quartz crystal to that despicable clown."
"It isn't your fault, dear," said Owl.
"It turns out the milky quartz you were about to take back was the real target," stated Hikaru. "The rest of quartz crystals were either decoys or spares. And I know that, by your logic, the milky quartz doesn't have much by way of power in the Waking World, but it's quite the opposite here in the Night Dimension."
"That explains why he attacked at the climax," Crystal noted.
"We've got more important matters on our hands!" Owl interrupted rather sternly and urgently. "The Goodles are already escorting Nights, Rose, and Silvermoon back to Nightmare! Wizeman the Wicked is more than likely to reset the three if they make it there!" Crystal realized that she had a mission to attend to, and after her healing process was completed in a matter of seconds, she got up from her position, even returning Nightmaria's cape in the process.
"Then this is no time to stand or float around like statues," she told her allies courageously. "I'm going back to the Quartz Palace. Specifically their last known location; the Alexandrite Canyon. This trial is not over yet. Pidge, Cumula, Bela, Stella, you're with me!" Her four Nightmaren pets all flew toward her and took their respective positions. Rhodonite and his siblings encouraged her while Hikaru breathed a sigh of relief, Lumière tipped his hat with a wink, and Nightmaria gave her nod of approval. Crystal began to move her hand in a circle to create her vortex, and as soon as it was made, she jumped in along with her band of Nightmaren allies causing the vortex to vanish. Nightmaria clasped a heart-shaped necklace around her neck as she did this.
"Good luck, Princess Crystal," she told her. She knew that she was ready for the rescue, and she was not willing to stand in the way of a Valkyrie's resolve. Crystal's fortune was about to turn for the better.
As they continued to fall through the vertical tunnel, Crystal held onto Cumula while the Shleep puffed its body to form a large cloud underneath her. Bela and Stella held on to her shoulders while Pidge dive-bombed for faster travel. It only took twenty seconds to reach their destination as the light below began to become brighter. As a burst of light emerged, they have finally arrived.
A vortex appeared near the entrance to the Alexandrite Canyon just in the nick of time. Crystal and the others jumped out of the portal and looked around while it closed behind them. They can see that the area was covered in 3rd Level Nightmarens all out on patrol. Crystal knew what to do thankfully as she brandished her Millennium Rod.
"We're right back at the Alexandrite Canyon," Crystal spoke up to her allies. She spotted a second entryway next to the one she and Nights entered together when they began the trial while adding, "And aren't we lucky, there is a shortcut to the monolith. Let's head in that direction, and knock out some Level Three Nightmarens along the way." Crystal and the others began to head in the direction of the shortcut. While they made their way over, an Eel-like Nightmaren spotted them and slithered in their air toward the group electrifying itself as a defensive measure. The Eel-like Nightmaren began to strike at the princess who stood her ground and pummeled him with a Diamond Sabre. After dispatching it, she and her allies made their way past the disappearing Nightmaren toward the shortcut. As they ran in that direction, a familiar face had surfaced on a nearby quartz crystal. Her mother Queen Lorelei had been checking on her daughter's dreams and was intrigued by her entourage of Nightmaren pets. She was suspicious at first but then realized that they were helping her in the dream world. She smiled and disappeared from the image.
Crystal and her Nightmaren allies continued to traverse the shortcut straight to the monolith all the while taking down a few Nightmaren hoards along the way. Bela and Stella's combined efforts to confuse their enemies proved to be useful against them. Crystal continued to use her elemental prowess against them as she did, even using the spell Spiral Geyser against a Jack-o' Wisp along the way, instantly causing it to disappear. They continued their trek through the shortcut until she came across a trio of cages in the distance. Some familiar faces were trapped inside. Crystal used her foresight just to be sure. In the cage in the far back was Nights. The cage seven feet ahead of him contained Silvermoon. The final one contained Rose.
"There's our trio of captives!" she said rather excitedly as she deactivated her foresight. She ran right in the cages' direction in hopes of rescuing her trapped allies. "Hang in there guys. I'm coming." She continued her trek along with her Nightmaren entourage, even fighting through Nightmaren hoards along the way, as well as some solitary ones during this time. She managed to make her way to the same clearing that Reala had used his paraloop on to warp her away to Nightmare.
Nights was playing his invisible flute somberly as he waited for the inevitable. The Goodle above him at first paid no mind but was started to get a bit irritated by the sound he was making. Crystal was running toward the three cages when Rose spotted her. She motioned for her to look up, which she stopped and did.
"Crystal," she spoke. "Thank goodness you're all right."
"Rose, what's going on?" asked Crystal as the Goodle above the cage looked down at her mocking smirk.
"Those little pests up here," replied Rose as she tapped the ceiling of her cage, "are waiting for an escort. If you can get to Nights and…"
"And do the same as last time?" Crystal inquired.
"Something like that," she replied. "Nights told me you put the Goodle guarding him to sleep last time. I doubt a repeat performance is going to work now."
"So what do I do?"
"Head straight to Nights' cage and climb up the chain straight to him. You'll be able to dualize with him once you do." Crystal thought it over as Nightmaria's voice rang out in her mind. Most 2nd Level Nightmarens cannot be fooled by the same trick a second time. They can be quite unpredictable to humans, even when you expect the same result as the last. She took a moment to relax before responding once more.
"Okay," she told her. "I'll be right with you as soon as I can." Rose nodded before Crystal turned to the direction of Nights' flute in the distance. She could tell that he was feeling remorse about being unable to save her on time. The Goodle looked up at the fast-approaching princess before the Buzzare shrieked in mockery with him giggling menacingly. Nights stopped playing when he heard this and looked over at Crystal just in time to see her and her pets waving at him frantically. His eyes lit up as he flew to the side of the cage placing his hands on the clear walls. The young princess stopped to gasp for air before looking back up.
"Nights," she called up to him. "Sorry for the delay. Let's just say I got held up somewhere." The Goodle giggled again knowing what she was talking about.
"There's no time to waste," Crystal explained. "I've got just the ticket to get you out. No sleeping spell required." She held her hand out to show her Ideya of Courage which began to glow profusely. Nights nodded enthusiastically upon seeing it for the second time.
"Well hurry up then!" he told her telepathically. "Let's teach them a lesson they'll never forget!" Crystal nodded in response and began to climb the chain. She continued to climb up the chain, even though one of the Nightmarens who saw her do so tried to stop her. A Gao tried to zap her, but she absorbed the bolts of lightning due to her Lightning Rod ability. She continued up her climb, even batting away a few 3rd Level Nightmarens by either shield herself, zapping some, or even summoning thorns on herself as a way of poking them if they got too close. She made it to the main cage and climbed right in while Nights flew about like a bee trapped in a glass jar. Crystal outstretched her hand to him and he pressed his hand to hers causing them to dualize. The Goodle who saw the whole thing couldn't help but fly his Buzzare to the front of the cage and shaking the key in front of the duo.
"Your power's not going to last very long without the key!" he taunted. "Catch me if you can!" He took off after putting the key away. Nights and Crystal exit the cage soon after to give chase.
"Thanks for running your grinning mouth, you stupid Goodle," said Crystal slightly amused. Nights gave a silent laugh upon hearing her say this.
"They're not very bright for being Reala's henchmen," he told her through telepathy.
"In any case, let's get that key and disable that cage," she replied. They flew after the Buzzare at a speed that could be the equivalent of a fighter jet. As they give chase, they also dealt with some 3rd Level Nightmarens that were getting in the way of the chase. They kept speeding up and even went through a few rings and blue chips, collecting them in the process. They eventually caught up with the Goodle and Buzzare duo and Nights touch-dashed him away grabbing the key in the process.
"All right, let's head back to the cage," Crystal instructed. "Shall we reverse course?"
"No need," Nights chimed through telepathy. "The best way to go back is to go around the world."
"Move from one area and still come back to it," she noted. "Gotcha." They flew past several pillars of jasper, smokey quartz, and lavender quartz until they finally reach Nights' cage. Once they place the key on the side, both items disintegrated in a matter of seconds.
"One cage down, two to go," Crystal noted. "Silverwolf is up next."
"Silvermoon," Nights corrected her through telepathy while winking.
"My apologies," she replied slightly embarrassed. They see the green Buzzare just up ahead and gave chase as it began to fly away its' rider the Goodle laughing wickedly at the duo. Nights continued to fly through the area while chasing down the bird and rider duo. They went past some floating pearl-like orbs, some 3rd Level Nightmarens they had to either Paraloop, Touch-Loop, or Drill Dash into, and some gems they activated in their spare time. They eventually keep up with the second Goodle and Touch-Dash it as well as the Buzzare away but not before snatching the key to Silvermoon's cage.
"Great job partner!" Crystal spoke up ecstatic about their achievement. "Let's head on over to Silvermoon and bust him out!" Nights nodded and flew off to the cage while dodging some 3rd Level Nightmarens along the way. After flying through a cave that contained crystals as far as the eye can see. Red, yellow, green, blue, and purple crystals lined the walls and ceilings of the cave. Nights Drill-Dashed into some of the growing ones causing them to break. Crystal didn't mind as they can easily be replaced. When they made it out of the cave, they flew right over to a waiting Silvermoon who was still in his cage. His patience was like that of a saint and he beamed in their direction as they flew towards him with the key in hand. After using it to destroy the cage, thus freeing him from captivity, he bowed to them as a form of gratitude before flying back to the resistance headquarters.
"Morpheus bless you, Nights and Crystal," he told them through telepathy as they took off after the final Goodle and Buzzare duo. "Rose is next to be freed from her Nightmare Capture. After you do so, the rest of this trial is yours to complete."
"Roger that," Crystal replied. "Hang in there, Rose. We're coming." Nights continued to fly after the final Goodle and Buzzare duo, this time going through another cave that seemed to double as a mining area of sorts. Crystal, as enamored as she was with the gemstones lining up the place, maintained her focus as she and Nights continued to chase the bird and rider while weaving through huge crystal quartz of all colors to catch up to it. She noticed that there were mirrors in the area as well, and she used this, as well as her foresight, to guide Nights through the cave. They eventually find the exit and they catch up to the final Goodle grabbing him. They snatched the final key before Tap-Dashing it and its' Buzzare companion away.
"That was the last key, Nights," Crystal chimed in. "And lucky us, Rose is just up ahead!"
"Perfect timing, too!" Nights' voice rang out in her mind. The duo flew straight toward the cage and even dodged some 3rd Level Nightmarens along the way. After they reach her cage, Rose waved enthusiastically to them. They used the key to disable her cage and she twirled around like a ballerina before curtsying to them. She then took off to the resistance headquarters.
"Thank you so much, you two!" she piped up through telepathy as they took off to land somewhere. "The 2nd Level Nightmaren you need to fight is just up ahead to where you're going! Good luck and kick that thing's butt!"
"Will do!" Nights chimed back telepathically. The two flew off in the direction of Crystal's next trail Nightmaren. They knew it would come eventually, and they were right. As they took off, a familiar face was shown in the crystal quartz they had flown past. Crystal's godfather Atem, whose hair is now longer and required to be in a low ponytail, was watching the duo with a satisfied smile. As they disappeared from view, he nodded in their direction as if giving his blessing to Nights to protect her while she slept. He disappears from the quartz crystal soon after.
To be continued…