lucid

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14.4.2011

Anger Management (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

Spinning, swiping, with ferocious animosity and honed skill, I cut down the fell beasts, these dark, grotesque hell-dogs, as they swarm violently around me, snapping their maws in an attempt to devour me, but I finish the lot of them off with a tremendous, black Getsuga, tinged with a red fury, absorbing their power into my own; as they disintegrated into nothingness, I thought, Time to abuse it. . .

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15.1.2011

3 Lucids 1 Sentence (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

Plagued by a shadowy dog, black as the deepest night, yellow eyes alight with a fiendish glow, I worked to release the many seals (set upon me to reduce my powers to a mere glimmer of what I possess) in order to fight back and reclaim my territory, my soul, myself.

16.1.2011

The Center (DEILD)

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Dream: Birds in Flight

★★☆☆☆

An interesting game, this is. Flight, life, through the perspective of a small bird. But it seems there is more to this game than meets the eye as soon I am met with a group of individuals, all derived from the game world. They're on a quest, a mission to find the center of everything, the hub of the multiverse. I follow them, cloaking myself with Invisibility, but my attempt to conceal my lurking fails as one of the group members bumps into me. Moving ahead, through an underpass, I try to make it look like nothing happened, but they're wise to my scheme, and from the underpass come scores of groups, each similar, but different, decoys to allow the escape of the original. *My frustration wakens me. . .

DEILD: The Hub

★★★☆☆

I slip back into the thick of things, appearing, floating, above a bridge, the group from before ahead of me.

“How did he find us?!” shouts one of the four, exasperated at my appearance.

“It's called a WILD, bitch,” the expletive flows off my tongue.

Flying ahead, I realize the hub must be close, and sure enough, seated in a cold rock face, I find it. It's a. . . USB hub? This is silly. There has to be more to it than this. Even an ethernet hub would be better. Hmm, I bet I could change it, change one of the ports, make it possible to easily move throughout dimensions. So I do. But the results are more than I expected. . .

Inside the hub, I find a frog-like, almost slug-like being. It seems he takes requests, sending clients capable of coming to him through time and space, or bringing objects to them. He does it all through portals, which he creates and facilitates for the masses. I ask to return to Earth, to where I came from, and I'm treated to a vivid display of swirling dimensions and the vastness of my universe as I'm thrown through the portal, back to Earth, into the vast oceans of the past.

I'm a small amphibian, it seems, in the early days of life. A fish is about to eat me, and I have no way to defend myself. Acting quickly, I make a request to return to the hub, using a GUI I manage to prompt. Just like that, I'm whisked away to the hall from before, the foyer at the center of everything.
I decide starting a new life here might prove interesting. . .

DILD: Prey

★★★☆☆

A chill permeates the room. They know what's coming, the people around me, and they're afraid. Crying and fear erupts around me as everyone starts to run. I lie still, on the floor, confused, yet calm. It forms to my right, a monster, a creature of nightmares, taught tan skin stretched across a huge, dog-like body. Hundreds of teeth, sharp and pointed, line its gaping maw. Death is on the agenda tonight, as it bounds at my unmoving body.

Why has everyone gone? Why don't I care? Oh yes, that's why. . .

With vigor I stand, and with quiet dignity I deliver a world-shattering kick into the gut of my would-be reaper. Death greets the beast before it can finish its tumbling flight, well before it hits the ground.

9.1.2011

Prince (DILD)

★★★★☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Blurs. Orange and dark, everything fades: out of existence, into existence. This room is my prison, and my mind, my thoughts, my will, they lay suppressed, fighting for air, life, and the ability to soar. A callous laugh rings about me; my soul is his, he says, my struggle futile. . .

I disagree.

This dream, this state, I will overcome it!

A flash.

Light greets my eyes as I rise above the strength of my captor, as I rise into lucidity.

I've been here before.

A Demon Lord smiles at me blackly, ethereal, flowing, seated on his throne, behind his servants, their detailed malevolence and dark beauty equally as vivid as the one they serve. I cannot best him, he informs me, for I am nothing.

Uninterested, walking away, through the open courtyard, I spot my betrayer, a Monkey King who had led me to this place. But for what, I wonder. He seems stricken, upset I have seen his true colors. Is that regret in his eyes?

The Lord rises from his throne, following after me, through the throng of laughing demons, all in their higher forms. Are they laughing at me? Or at the incompetence of their Prince? I can't be sure, but his taunting is starting to annoy me.

The wind blows through the short, pale, snow-dipped grass as I turn around to face this Lord, Prince, whatever he might be. He sneers, and turns his back on me. He really knows how to push my buttons.

I raise my hand, but my mind can't make contact. Is my TK useless here? No, surely that can't be, not at my level of control. I try again, this time with two hands, remembering how powerful my TK has proven itself in the past. The Demon Lord seems horribly surprised when his head jerks violently to the side. But it's not enough; he's resisting. Pouring on the pressure, another 60 degrees, but still he stands. Again and again, I throttle and wind his neck on its axis, rotating it in circle after circle, but all I earn is a disgusting look of wonderment.

I decide to take a different approach, taking to the air, and raising my arms up above my head, letting loose a primal shout. A yellow, pulsing aura bursts from my body whilst my hair, now bright and golden, spikes downward, extending into an impressive, body-length mane. Above me, a yellow, glowing orb starts to grow. I feed it my rage, imbuing the ball with a dark red energy. Swirling now, yellow and red, it grows as I scream, as the Demon Lord approaches me, licking his lips.

In moments, I've grown my attack large enough to vaporize my foe in one fell swoop. So why does he look unconcerned? Is this really all I can do? He seems to think so, but I feel like I can make things more interesting. . .

“Chidori!”

Blue electricity shoots up my arm and fuses with the ball, coating it in a spiral of jagged cerulean lightning. The Demon Lord smile fades. He asks me what I've just done, but the only answer I give is cryptic, even to me. With a cry, I bring down my arms, hurling this orb of death at my enemy, who appears to me now as Frieza. To my surprise, he simply stands there as the blast hits his plated chest. Does he really think he can absorb that?

I watch as he finally realizes what the chidori fusion was designed to do: penetrate his defenses like a knife through taught paper. But by then, it's too late; his last ditch effort to evade the technique only saves a fourth of his body. Part of that fourth, still floating in the air, looks back at me, forever set in an expression of despair and confusion.

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9.12.2010

How I've Grown (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

High in the sky, in a city on the moon, I did battle with a monstrous beast whose height rivaled that of the tallest skyscraper; my cerulean colored blasts of energy, wide and strong, accented by tendrils of black, burned and enveloped my foe, forcing him to the ground with a thunderous roar.

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25.11.2010

Beaten (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

Standing defiantly in my poorly lit basement, I shield myself with all the blue, formless energy I can muster without Bankai, but the black, cloud-like entity's ferocious assault finds its way through my barrier, and I can't do anything as its dark, heavy energy (three times the strength of my own) buffets me, overwhelms me; soon we find ourselves in the court outside my house, but before I can do anything worthwhile I wake-up, shaken by the experience.

Written up due to similarities to this dream which occurred on the same night.

17.11.2010

Possessions (DILD)

★★☆☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Speeding down the road, I sit in the back seat of my mother's red Mazda 5, a box of newly purchased nick-knacks on the floor in front of me. Rummaging through them, I recall their origins. This small, black, flame-decalled hot-rod for instance, and this other model, were both made and painted by some of the best urban artisans in the craft. I watch apathetically as they slide across the floor to other side of the car.

That's when I notice the both side doors are slightly ajar.

They're going to fly open, I just know it. . .

WHOOOSH!

The front side-passenger door opens widely, while the rear door flies backwards, opening the cabin to the rushing, pulling, wind. In an instant, my box is gone, tossed to the side of the road by the currents of air. In the midst of this turmoil, the front door rips away from the car, tumbling wildly as it goes.

But I'm more worried about my possessions. My mother has no intent on turning back, I know, as she trudges onward, ignoring the speed limit. I guilt her with this, before realizing:

”It's a good thing this is a dream. Now I can reverse time and close the doors before any of this even happens.” As I said it, I envisioned it in my mind's eye, oblivious to the fact my mother was turning around—until the g-force from turn hit me as the rubber tires screeched and burned, drifting with the weight of the car. “Or you could just turn around.” I say snarkily. . .

14.11.2010

Legion (WILD)

★★★★★

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

I barely notice the transition.

An RC confirms what I already know as I pick myself up, out of bed. I'm home, in my dark, cluttered room, which is odd because I know I'm really at school, in my just as cluttered dorm. Heading downstairs, I hear the sizzling of a frying pan, signaling someone is making breakfast.

“Looks who's up!” My father bellows playfully. “Have some breakfast!”

“I can't, there's a blanket covering my mouth,” I state as I spot the scrambled eggs, steak, and sausages, on the counter.

“You make no sense,” he mutters.

“I know,” I say, smiling back, not wanting to tell him he'd cease to exist upon my waking.

“Well at least help me with these candles—have you seen these? They're so cool!” He takes a lighter to a paper-covered candle in a glass jar. It immediately lights, pouring flame out the opening at the top.

“That's not gonna work,” I say, coldly snuffing the fire out with my mind before it really has a chance to get started.

“Huh, that's weird,” he says, trying to get the thing to light again. Feeling bad, I tell him to try again, this time using my power to bring the flame to life. “Thanks!” he said, “JTF can do this too, you know.”

That's because he a dreamer, like me. I think, walking back to the front door. Waving good bye, I step onto my porch into the waning twilight.

“Holy fuck.”

Before me, facing me, stands a legion, hundreds upon thousands, of small, black, spiky, shadow gremlins, flickering and growing with the shifting light. The shock of it all takes its toll and my vision starts to waver, the dream falling apart. . .

With a concentrated burst of sustained will, I thrust my attention toward the world around me, into every monster, every blade of grass, every dark fluffy cloud in the pale grey sky. I've stabilized, and I'm ready to defend my house, my court, myself.

I run at the creatures, launching myself up and over the lot of them, high in the air. A lone guitar plays an energizing solo as I tear my Katana from its place at my side, and swipe downward forcefully, shouting in raspy voice: “Getsuga Tenshou!” A bright flash erupts from my blade as a huge cyclical blast of blue energy pierces the sky below me, exploding into the legion of shadows, instantly vaporizing a chunk of them and the earth below their feet.

Another swipe fires out a second wave, smaller this time, not quite as devastating, but still very effective. At this point, I figure I've used up my reserves, so I switch it up, still arcing through the air, out of reach. Thrusting at the air in front of me, I start a volley of attacks, each faster than the last, until finally my blade glows hot white. I yell as my thrusts turn into a powerful beam of light that I direct at the ground, wiping out everything I pass it over. I sustain it for the remainder of my fall, dissolving countless creeps. Their numbers less than half, I drop to the ground.

“Bankai!”

A huge burst of energy flies out of me as I skillfully direct it into my blade, encasing it in blue, vibrating, serrated energy, so thick and violent the air around me buzzes audibly with its force. Without hesitation, the shadows attack. I can barely keep them off me, as I slash and cut through their numbers, my blade evaporating them with a mere touch. But each attack I make is more awkward than the last, for my opponents are all one foot tall.

There's too many, I think, jumping away, retreating. Maybe a Resurrection form will give me the tools I need to beat these guys. . . .

No, let them come. They can't hurt me; I'm not afraid.

So I stand there as they swarm me, taking me to the ground, entering my body, carrying me off, slowly down the street. I observe it all, in full control of everything, yet opting to endure the bubbling sensation at my core, the bulging of my skin and clothes, as I'm taken from my court by the few that can't fit inside me. They all look like small black balls of ash as they vainly attempt to bring me down, into a small pipe, leading only to darkness. . .

07.11.2010

Enter Jim (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

I can do this. Running toward the red metal banister lining the platform between step, I make to jump over it, but screech to a halt in hesitation, fear. I can fly to the top. I know I can. Peering over the edge I see there are several flights of stairs above me and a seemingly endless drop below.

This is a dream, right. . ?

Right.

I leap off the edge, soaring out in a wide arc before falling, down, to a certain death. A burst of denial keeps me airborne, and I shoot up to the very top of this brightly lit, overly windowed building. A school, I think. There's a railed ledge at the top, spanning out over everything below, casting a thin shadow as it greedily eats up the hot light from the sun above. People—friends—look at me strangely, but I could care less. I'm gonna have some fun with this one.

Up and out, I climb, bursting through the glass ceiling only to find the building is alone, on a grey, mossy rock, in a void of white of nothing. Within moments of my discovery, scenery starts to form around the building. High snow-covered cliffs, white fluffy clouds, rushing rapids pouring over rough rocks, and a huge cerulean lake surrounding the school, snap into existence right before my eyes. Screw goals, screw DGs, screw deeper meaning, I'm free as a bird and I feel like spreading my wings.

Soaring across the landscape, I twist and dive about, skirting the top of the rapids, picking up speed. The exhilarating freedom of flight overwhelms my senses, and on a whim I decide I want to try and see Raven. Flying headfirst across the ground, I put my arms out in front of me and tear at the fabric of space and time, sending my world into blackness. . . .

A figure forms in my vision, blurry, indistinct. I wonder who, or what, it could be as I fly through the nether. Within seconds, new landscape begins coming into focus, slowly and in bursts, like the initial load of a large video game map. The figure becomes more defined; it's a boy, a young man around my age with deep brown hair and piercing eyes. I follow him as he jumps into a small clear-water pond. Treading in the water as I float above, he mouths something, but I can't hear him; all I get is a ethereal sense he's trying to communicate. Flustered, he tries again, and this time an echoing, almost synthesized, phrase escapes his lips: “Are you alive?”

Now it's my turn to be flustered: “Of course I am.” He grins at me before taking off, running further up into this new, colorful, mountainous, landscape. I keep up as best I can, until we come to the opening *large pipe built into the rocks. A waterslide.

“Prove it!” The boy leaps into the pipe and is swallowed by the dark. Dropping to the ground, I approach the pipe, and with only minor hesitation leap into it. Gravity takes over as my body falls through the twists and turns of the slide and its cold rushing water.. I let out a yell, to show my liveliness to this boy, but I feel silly. Suddenly, I stop, dead in my tracks.

Odd.

The plastic tube stuck firm against my exposed back, I try to restart my descent. With some luck, it works and the ride continues, but it doesn't last long. I'm trapped again, and this time I'm not getting out by traditional means. I spend the next few minutes traversing the piping, climbing strange obstacles, with no end in sight. At the rate I'm going, I'll never see the daylight again. But with some effort on my part, the next bend takes me into the light, onto a grassy ledge, where a figure stands, overlooking a vast rocky expanse. It's the boy from before, but he's not a boy anymore, he's an adult, and there he stands with the poise you'd expect of a politician or military leader.

I approach him, and our conversation begins. His name is Jim, and he's here to teach me. He says he'll be stalking me ferociously over the next few nights, tracking me, watching me. Furthermore, he wants to know what kind of car I typically drive.

“What kind of car I drive?”

“Yes, it's important we supply you with cars you're familiar with.”

“Erm, I typically don't do much driving in dreams.” I can't help thinking this conversation is getting weird. What do cars have to do with anything. . . ?

To be continued. . . . Maybe. . . .

26.10.2010

Dirty Deeds (DILD)

★★★★☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

I'm awake. Or, at least, I feel awake. In the sense that I'm completely aware of my body, lying beneath these two thin sheets of soft fabric, dark room closing in around me as I start to drift.

It's a dream.

But I'm awake. . . I think.

My mind has a different idea as a hallucination—no—a dream, forms around me. Lowering onto the dock, directed by a crane as it teeters about, is a large shipping crate. Inside, dozens of harrowed, dissolute, half naked women sit, defeated, resigned to their fate. All of them are products to be bought and sold in a perverted underground market. Raven Knight and I don't quite
like that idea.

There's another crate, already on the ground; this one is filled with men and children, chained at the wrists. I notice they're being processed by a good number of goons. “Let's get to work then, shall we?”
Raven looks at me, almost surprised by my presence.

“Sure,” she nods quietly, witchblade already formed into a long ornate, claymore.

In a flash, I cover the ground between me and the first goon, tearing my white blade from its place at my side, slashing through his chest as I move past him, into the throng. He falls as I thrust, rip out, severing my next victim's head from his shoulders. Another flash and I begin a barrage of quick strikes, whirling slashes, cutting into my foe like a tender slab of meat. In under three seconds, I had already downed five of these despicable excuses for human beings. I'm getting ahead of myself, I think as I notice Raven watching me from where we stood moment ago. “You can take care of the rest, Raven. I'm gonna work on freeing these people.”

Tending to the men and children, I see Raven out of the corner of my eye just as a spiky tendril fires out of her witchblade, impaling one of the runners. Refocusing, I find the thick rusted chains binding these drugged victims aren't cutting as well or fast as I'd like. So, I conjure up some bolt cutters and get to work. Darting between the shambling bodies, I cut chain after chain, before finally handing it to one of the few men who seem to be in control of all his functions.

As he worked, I extend a bubble of green healing light around the entire group. It's just enough to break the stupor of the group, bringing them to their senses. Very soon, Raven is finished with her work, and joins me as everything slips away and I lose all visuals. . .

23.10.2010

Familiar Places (DEILD)

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID







It's 1:30PM. I make a mental note of it before I start my session.

WILD: Misfire

★★★☆☆

A WILD puts me back in my house, though I'm far from home. Outside, several people are partaking in odd sporting activities. A young girl, for instance, is trying to playful blast her older brother with a Kamehameha. Attempting to intercept her translucent beam with my own, fiery and blue, I screw up and partially fry her head. Everybody goes back inside as things suddenly get very dark. . .

DEILD: Creeper Teacher

★★★☆☆

After waking, a DEILD tosses me into my room, and I'm confronted with an overbearing teacher at the foot of my bed, telling me what I can and can't do. Turns out she's a demon that wants to drag me to hell. I show her what's what, making use of my Katana and Super Strength, tying her in literal knots. After lugging her downstairs, in an effort to take her into the hot infernos, I wake.

DEILD: Threads

★★★☆☆

Another DEILD and I'm by my front door. I just lie there, surprised by my fortune, but something disrupts my zen moment as me and my dog, who was nuzzling me, get violently dragged across the floor. For some reason, there's a network of criss crossing strings scattered about my house, leading out the front door, where anyone can pull them. I cut the threads at their source, making note of the birthday decorations around my house's glass outer-door. It's still dark outside, so I venture into my court, touching our flag as I do. Without warning, a dark red, tricked-out car tries to run me over, but I jump on the roof and hitch a ride.

Bored with the scene, still on the car, I start up a long range teleport and am soon thrust into a CoH club-like setting wherein I'm standing on a table, just like in the game. Reorienting myself, I discover this is a pumpkin smashing event a friend of mine is running. Not that interested, I leave, exiting into a dorm hallway. From there, I find Raven's room (because she obviously lives in this dorm), but it's occupied by a group of people playing Madden or some other football game, and I get escorted out by a half naked Aunt.

Making my way through the building, looking for a good design on a wall or pillar to facilitate a portal, I come across my family who is on a tour of the area. Deciding to join them, we quickly end up in a place where a bunch of old Sci-Fi memorabilia is being showcased. William Shatner is there, too, and so is a “Time Machine” I could probably use to port out of there. I convince him to give us a test run of the contraption, but things go horribly, horribly wrong and Shatner is soon sprawled on the ground with several limbs missing. . .

DEILD: Second Life

★☆☆☆☆

Shatner is still here, along with C3PO, both limbless, comforting each other before their inevitable demise, as a group of “fans” looks on in awe. Reluctantly taking matters into my own hands, I heal them both with green energy, from said hands. Shatner is so overjoyed by my act of kindness that he takes me on a romp through the resort to a table where hundreds of sweets and pastries are laid out for my consumption. I spend the rest of the dream shoving as many delightful snacks into my mouth as I can muster.

DEILD: Sharks? I'll Pass, Thanks

★★★☆☆

The next one takes me into the back of some kinda Pizza Hut style restaurant. I break the large glass windows lining the walls to get outside, and quickly run into a blue haired girl that interests me. She's trying to avoid me, but I keep up with her using various travel powers. Noticing my abilities, as we walk along a busy boardwalk, she strikes up a conversation which is rudely interrupted by two heavy-set brothers. They have a bone to pick with me.

I try not to fight them, I really do, but when they start to pick me up, in order to throw me into the shark infested water, I protest, utterly decimating them with my fists and feet. The final blows, which send them spiraling into the air, I follow with a large energy blast to make sure they won't bother us again. They don't, but neither do I get much time to chat with the girl. . .

DEILD: Pocket Sized Adventures

★★☆☆☆

Pizza Hut again. Grabbing some grease laden pizza on my way out, I realize I'm in the same environment as last time. Maybe that girl is still hanging around. Exploring the green, partially industrialized, area, I eventually come across a different girl, much younger than the first, who wonders why I don't have a Pokemon adventure with my lucids. Letting her know I think it's an excellent idea, I toss out a Squirtle, my very first Pokemon.

I contemplate doing everything from Squirtle's perspective, as I switch between his and mine, but decide against it. One of the girl's friends comes over and shows us her Fearow, which she uses to fly us all to a town hidden amongst the trees, of which I can't recall the name. Not that it matters; I wake up before we can land.

Rubbing my temples, I look at the clock: 2:58PM.

I need food. . .

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1.10.2010

All in an Afternoon Nap (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

I evaded the Empire, joined the circus, and killed the source of all my fear; bits of black, rancid food, soaked in bile, showered down my body as I rent the thing in two.

29.09.2010

Septemeber Basic ToTM Completion (DILD)

★★☆☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Two people of questionable intent and origin accosted me after I went lucid. Here to ensure I kept my end of the bargain (which I made in my last lucid with some dude while everything was destabilizing), they began their tests. For my first "lesson," they escorted me to an elevator, and the woman stepped inside. Then they took my body away.

Left with nothing but a single perspective and my consciousness, my first task was to maneuver my way in front of the elevator with no legs, no feet, no physical self whatsoever. Great. Using miniature jumps in perspective, similar to teleportation, I was eventually able to work my way into position. The woman inside smiled as the elevator doors closed in front of me. Erm, I thought, as I easily opened them with a burst of will, wiping the smile from her face. My body was returned to me.

With all of us now inside, the man in their pair informed me my next test will be one on movement. As the elevator rose up, my sense of gravity in relation to the floor started gyrating. It threw me off balance for a moment, but I quickly positioned myself in the center of the elevator and began methodically twirling about, adjusting my footing as the spinning continued. The suited pair, standing off in the leftmost rear corner, was not amused. "What?" I state, "This is normal elevator behavior for me."

The elevator doors opened, and we made our way out into some kind of. . . social gathering? Well-dressed adults sat at benches and tables, while equally well-dressed children frolicked about the well-lit skylight room. Sure enough, they had another task lined up for me. . .

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15.09.2010

I Like What You've Done With the Place (DILD)

★★★☆☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

Originally Posted by Mzzkc

I had a pleasant visit to Hell (it felt really homey) wherein I got into a quick spar with Hollow-Controlled Ichigo; it turns out you can chop up your opponent's blade if you swing yours really, really hard.

06.09.2010

I Just Wanted a Drink. . . (DEILD)

★★★★☆

NON-DREAM DREAM LUCID

As I fall asleep, I hold onto the waking world using the annoying pop music blaring through my closed window. Stupid freshman events. . .

A forest. I need to form a forest. . .

Blackness surrounds me as I make the transition.

Green leaves swirl about my vision as I spin and fall into the dream. When everything solidifies, I find myself in a location filled with buildings like the ones you'd find on any college campus. Not enough trees. The tavern and the town are in the middle of the woods. Not satisfied with my surroundings I quickly level most of the buildings around me with a thought, and push the remains underground, replacing the plots with dirt and grass. In a similar fashion, I pull hundreds of trees from beneath the ground to the surface, shooting mounds of dirt high into the air.

Better, I think, This place still needs a river. Still using nothing but the power of my will, I bevel a long stretch of winding earth, snaking it around trees and near the few remaining buildings. As soon as I finish with that, I pull enough water up to create a decent sized river, and set everything in motion. That's good enough for me.

Walking through my creation, I try to recall Nomad's tasks. I can only remember the one about the Hoppy Brains Tavern, so I figure I'll start there. After walking a good distance I come across a very upscale building, with a fancy HB crafted in the open metal gate and metal sign hanging over the door. While my logical self told me this was not the place, something deeper--perhaps my character--was telling me this is where I needed to be.

In front of the door was a female hostess in a simple, white, long-sleeve shirt and black slacks. She stops me, asking if I had made a reservation. I do what my character would do and tell her the truth. Disappointed I wouldn't be getting that drink, I head off the property as the dream starts to collapse around me. . .

DEILD.

Back in the forest I had created, I find myself next to a large lake. Someone behind me gets my attention. Turning, I draw my blade from my side. Sure enough, it's another Shinigami, but his robes, although of traditional make, are white--definitely not standard uniform. He grins broadly, in an almost friendly manner, Zanpaktou in hand. In a flash, we cover the distance between us, crossing blades. My view cuts out, showing the two of us, and the glaring disparity between our uniforms. Sharp metal sparks brightly as the two of us clash. Our movements are so precise and coordinated, that neither of us can get an edge. To the untrained eye, we appear to be equals. . .

Standing on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the lake, Nomad is chastising me for the fight. He tells me that it's hard to look those we wish to kill in the eyes, "It's better to tear the baby from its mother's arms and immediately throw it off the edge of the cliff than it is to look at its face first." I think back to the fight with the mysterious stranger. I certainly didn't mean to kill him. Our fight, if you can even call it that, was more a friendly hello than anything else. Perhaps this was a person my character knew long ago. He definitely felt familiar. . .

"There are lessons you need to be taught." Nomad states bluntly.

"Who's going to teach me?"

"You'll find out," he says as he strikes me, hard, launching me from the cliff. Dropping through the air, I resist the instinct to fly, and instead prepare for whatever lies beneath the surface.

Crashing into the still waters, I can't help thinking about sharks, so what do I have the pleasure of facing down in this murky water as soon as the bubbles clear? Why, a twenty foot great white of course. Staying cool under pressure, I tear my blade from my side and sever its head from its body in one fell motion. Blood permeates through the water as the dead shark sinks out of sight; I sheathe my sword and rise to the surface.

A short while later, two mermaids approach me, and grab my arms. I don't struggle, assuming they're here to take me to my teacher. We reach the center of the lake, and from the depths, rises King Triton, only about 100 times larger, and with a more monstrous body.

His lesson consists of holding me underwater for long periods of time. I cheat and breathe normally, staying calm the whole time. Afterwards, there's a feast at a rather large, golden, banquet table.

Spock gets moody around a couple of girls, and storms off, leaving them for Captain Kirk to woo. Picard was there, too, but not really doing anything interesting.