Chapter 2

"My accesskey? What do you mean by that?" I asked.

Their robotics voice replies. "You're totally new to this, aren't you? I'm a broker, a person that deals in information, so what else do you need?" They reply.

"I need to get some things or to be more precise, Chemicals. Most of them, others I can get from any drugstore, but the one I most need is bromine." I say.

"Bromine you say? Hmmm… There's gonna be a hit on some chemical supply trucks tomorrow morning, so that should decrease the price of some chemical solutions. I should be able to get some bromine for a cheap price for you, anything else?"

"Yes, The Nightmare flower," I say. "Are you out of your fucking mind?! Do you know how hard it is to get that shit? Not even the government has easy access to it!" They yell in my ear. "I know how hard it is to get but I need it, mainly the flower that grows on top of it." I bargain.

"The flower? I can tell you that the medicine uses the leaves of the said plant but I never heard that there was a use for the flower part of it. What are you making, some new drug?" they ask.

"...." I don't reply or to be precise I start to doubt my capabilities.

"So I'm right? Being your first broker means that I'll be the one that will first spread the word of the new product, I can already see the money coming in ah."

'What's wrong with them?' "Just get me the things that I need and we will have a deal," I answered. "Deal, but you'll need a lab won't cha?" "Yes, I already had some plans to use the old water treatment building." "Ehh you're quite smart aren't ya?"

"Thank you, but the cost, I'm quite worried about the cost." Who knows how expensive it will turn out? I mean they could even decide to just run off with my money."Nah, no need to worry about that. I'll fill you in later on the price, but this info is just.. take it as.. a welcome gift, yeah! A welcome gift for you choosing my services."

Surprised by the generosity, I don't know what to say. "Thanks? I guess? So I will use the old water treatment facility, and where will you deposit the goods? "I will call you when they arrive, so keep that brick thing around yourself m-kay?" The more I listen to them, the more I'm confused, but the fact that I have to carry this heavy brick with me all the time makes me angry. "This giant piece of shit brick?? Even a normal building brick is lighter than this thing." "That's your problem, just suck it up and wear a belt so your pants won't fall peace!"

*Beep Beep*

As they cut the line, I'm left sitting there. Wondering if it really was a good idea to get involved in the black market business.

"Sigh, what now Millie? Should I go prepare the lab?" Saying that to the blank space, I smile. "What's this smell!?" Smelling something bad. I look for the source to no avail. Taking a sniff of my clothing, I realize that I haven't changed clothes since I visited Millie's Grave.

I should take a shower, but is it worth it? I'm going into an old dirty building anyways, wouldn't that just be a waste, taking a shower now?' Forgetting about it,

I decide to head out in the clothes that I'm wearing.

After an hour of walking, I ran into a fence surrounding the old water treatment. Climbing over the fence, I fall into some slippery mud. Slipping, I fall face-first into it. "Disgusting'" Standing up, I somewhat clean my face with my sleeves. Walking to a window, I tried to pull it open with no success. "That's not gonna work." Taking the brick-like phone I bash it against the window shattering it. "Works like any other brick."

Climbing through, I see a large open area. "I'm glad that this location is on the outskirts of the city."

Walking through corridors, I hear that weird brick-like phone vibrate. Picking it up I hear. "Oi, You saw the news? No? Okay, It was a success!" Confused by them again I ask.

"What was successful?" Talking to me like I'm retarded, they say "The hit on the Chemical trucks was a success, I was able to secure 200 ml of Bromine and some lab sets for the lab you're building." "and the flowers?" "I managed to get 2 for you." Smiling, I reply. "That's plenty, where will I be able to take the goods?" "Tell me an address and I will get them there." "Then, can you get them here?" I asked.

"To the water treatment Facility? sure I don't see the problem. I'll send one of my drones with a box again, but if I were you I would get some rest in the meantime." saying that they hang up. Even though they say I should rest I don't feel tired. I continue Exploring the facility. Walking up the stairs to the second floor I enter a former office. An old wooden floor creaked under weight. Large foggy windows show the dust in the air. Whipping away at the dust on a sofa,

I sit down. 'Maybe I should rest after all today was a long day' closing my eyes I can feel my mind starting to wander off.

.....

"Oi, you good?" Opening my eyes I see Millie Smiling at me.

"Millie? What are you doing here?" Surprised to see her, I looked around. "What am I doing here? aren't you by chance the one that wants me here? After all, you're dreaming." Moving her long white hair she Replied. "What are you talking about? I'm not asleep at the moment?" Saying that I point at my surroundings of the old dusted office. "No, No, You are dreaming. This is just the way you imagine the dream world! I mean look around, is it really the Office?" Looking around more closely, I can see small things out of place, like wrong handles on the cabinet door or that the glass is not seen through, it's more like a picture of the outside.

"I see, so I'm sleeping…" Even though I knew that the Millie I'm seeing in front of me is not real. I wanted to hope for a second that she was alive.

"Yop, your brain is still trying to rest after all, so it doesn't show you that many details," she states. "Like pictures instead of functioning windows." I give an example. "Exactly, dreams are just your brain's recreation of the real world, not a copy." Nodding my head, I say. "I see, so? What brings you here Millie?" Looking at me she asks. "What brings me here? you seem to be doing pretty fine for seeing a dead sister in your dreams. Most people would be shocked or scared. After all you-" "Let's forget about that." Cutting her off, I stare straight. "I mean, I still didn't comprehend the fact that you died, so I just kinda don't pay too much attention to it." Saying that Millie understands that I want to change the theme, so she just smiles. "Huh, I see, so our Ren is now a big boy that's not afraid of seeing his dead sister talk to him."

"DON'T CALL ME A BIG BOY EVER AGAIN!"

Yelling at her, Millie starts laughing Like there's no tomorrow Looking at her, I can't help but chuckle too. "haha Dreaming is beautiful." "Right? being all gloomy and lonely sucks? so I will be waiting here for you" Surprised by the statement, I ask.

"what do you mean waiting?" Surprised by her words, I asked.

"Brother, all good dreams must come to an End no matter how beautiful they are."

"What? NO, I don't want it to end! It's been just a few minutes!"

As I look around, I can see the walls and cabinets slowly disappearing into the light

"Millie!" Running to try and catch her before she disappears I extend my hand trying to catch her she disappears into the light.

….

"NOOOOO!"

Waking up, I frantically look around the room for Millie only to slowly realize that I'm not dreaming anymore.

"It was beautiful." Remembering Millie's laugh, I Strengthen my resolve to make that substance. Maybe by using the drug I will be able to see Millie more often. Getting up I receive a message from Rat that all the goods have been delivered to the facility. Leaving through the backdoor. I open a dumpster filled with cardboard boxes. Smiling widely I take the boxes inside.

Starting to assemble my small lab I take out the ingredients.

"Looks good." Pulling out my notepad I look over the theories. I immediately noticed 3 mistakes that I made in the past.

'If I do this, I will die!' looking at the numbers they're so high that even an elephant would experience organ failures.

*Ring Ring*

Hearing the small brick-like thing vibrate I answer.

"Rat?" I ask. "Of course, it's me, who else would it be?" They sarcastically say. "Ready to cook?."

'No, but I can't say that, 'cause that would be too weird' Putting on my gas mask. I check if the gas mask is tightly set on my face, and I reply. "I should be able to start." Taking the brick phone I connect it to a camera and a speaker.

"So tell me what is this wonder drug that you are gonna make?" Hearing them ask, I instead ask back. "Before I tell you I want to know a few things." "Okay, what are those things?" "First, why are you so cooperative toward me?" 'It doesn't make sense for someone so knowledgeable and capable as you, to work with me.

"...."

"Can't answer?"

"No, the reason is simple. You're the first cook I have and I always wanted to make some drugs. Without the need to buy them from others. You might not know it yet, but the drug industry is pretty tight and I always want to find an edge against my competition."

Understanding where they come from, I ask another question "I see…So what should I call you?" "What should you call me?" as if they didn't understand my question I speak

"Did I say something else?." " I guess you didn't. You can call me Niab. After all, I hope for a long prosperous relationship so it doesn't make sense to use that weird nickname." "Niab? Sounds good." After trying it a few times in my head, I came to the conclusion that it sounds pretty good.

"Anything else to ask Mr.Raven?" "No, let's just start cooking." Saying that I pull out a weird purple-looking Flower. Cutting the small flower up, I put the cut-up parts into a grinder. "What are you doing?" "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm grinding the flower." "Yeah, but why?" I keep forgetting that not everyone just goes with what I do. "Nightmare flower doesn't have many uses other than causing Nightmares. Which is why I'm trying to extract the liquid from the pellets. As only the pollen causes nightmares while the pellets cause a dreaming state of the mind." I say.

"So the liquid is the drug? I mean so far it seems like any other drug that already exists. Anyways, do you drink it or smoke it ?" They ask. "Well to be more precise, I'm grinding it into a smooth paste that I will mix with bromine," I state. Pouring the liquid through a filter. I start the distillation. As the gas runs through the pipes I can't help but smile. Maybe it will work! "What are you smiling for? it's creepy." "Sorry, I'm just happy." Apologizing to Niab, I take the distilled liquid.

"I mean sure I guess, but why did you make this drug?"

"Do you know what it is going to do?" I try to change the theme of the conversation Immediately. "No?" "Simple, it's going to allow you to dream about your dear ones."

"That's it?!" 'I can hear their disappointment all the way from here' Sighing I continue "You don't understand it do you?"

"What is there to understand you are just making someone sleepy with it!!" Shaking my head I ask "Calm down, let me explain.

How many people are suffering from the loss of their loved ones?" Clearly thinking about it, they reply. "Ehm.... A lot of people?"

"67% of today's population is suffering a loss of someone dear to them" I am correct. "So?" "What are dreams? Niab?" "Ehmm, a place where the brain creates things?"

"Kinda, dreams are a place where anything your brain can comprehend can happen even talking with your lost ones," I say.

"What are you getting at?" Clearly agitated by my lack of answers, I reply. "Simply these drugs will force someone into a dream-like state where they will be able to talk to their dead loved ones."

Suddenly lightening up like a light bulb they speak. "Wait so a mom with a dead kid could dream of a normal life with her kid with this drug?!" "I… guess?" Why of all things you decide to compare it to a mom with a dead kid?

"That's amazing these days so many people are depressed because their loved ones have died. I can already see people buying them like crazy!" Stopping her, I say. "Hold your horses Niab. I don't even know if it will work." Taking the liquid I suck it into a needle.

"Now time to test it" "on what?" Smiling, I reply. "The rats! there's plenty of them here. I already caught them."

Walking over to a small cage, I pull out a rat. Stabbing the needle into it. The rat started to shake in my hand and blue veins appeared on its body. "Is it okay?" Niab asks. "Of course it's not, it's not moving, not to mention the blue veins on its body definitely don't seem normal."

throwing the rat into a small bin I take a new syringe...….. After a few tests, I came to a conclusion. "So the ratio is 250mg to 0.05 ml of dream substance. Which means that it's 0.20 ml for 1 kg." 'I weigh around 60 kg so that means for 1 adult person the stable dose would be around 12 ml'

"Okay, this one is going to be interesting" I take around 11 ml of the blue-looking substance. "This looks good enough." Taking the needle I jab it into my arm

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING YOU CRAZY FUCK?!" Niab Yells.

A burning sensation flows through my arm. Screaming out in pain. I look at my forearm and see my veins bulge up while turning blue. The last thing I can see before collapsing is my neck's reflection with blue veins.

….

"Where am I?" Being in a dark place I feel like I'm being watched. I'm aware that I'm dreaming. That's a bad sign

"Is it now?" "Who?!" turning around I get punched by something. "agh!" Looking up I see Millie looking at me angrily.

"Millie? What are you doing here?" "What do you think I'm doing here?! I'm here to get even!" Seeing Millie angry at me I try to protect myself but no words come out of my mouth "What not gonna say something? You let me die! you failed!

"No Millie I-" "NO Brother! you failed, you let everyone down! you didn't live up to the expectation of others!"

"No-"

"What to my knowledge you don't even live with the rest of the family because you failed! And now you live alone in an empty apartment!" "Sister I tried and I'm still trying I-"

"WHO CARES?! I'm no longer here! you did this!"

"...."

"So I'm right? everyone hates you, You can't depend on anyone!" I don't know what to say. I feel like she's right.

"RAVEN NORDSTORM my older brother! you were kicked out of the family and stripped of your right as a Nordstorm! for-"

"SO WHAT?! So what if I was Kicked from the family and now live alone just trying to survive!." having enough of it I Decide to fight back

"Nothing! You promised that you would protect the family but you can't even do that so what makes you think you can create a DRUG? to help you with the grief that you're feeling?!" Saying that she puts her hand around my neck and says.

"This is gonna hurt like a hell R A V E N."

"DON'T" trying to get out of her iron grasp, I fail. She just gently smiles at me.

*Crack* snapping my neck like a twig the world gets blurry and everything faiths into nothingness.

…..

"GAAH!" Taking a deep breath I feel my heart racing.

"OH MY GOD, YOU'RE ALIVE!" Hearing Niab yell, I feel a little bit more at ease. "Good I'm back."Feeling alive, taking in the air through the filters. I laugh "What are you laughing about? You were out for an hour! I sent my drones to your location to try and help! " "An hour? That long?" It felt like a few minutes there. "YEAH, I thought you were gonna die! Your veins suddenly became blue! and you looked like you were having a seizure!"

"It was that bad?" It had to look like I was about to die.

"Just look at your hands!" Seeing my hands I can't help but be shocked. Blue veins, going all the way from my forearms to my shoulders. "What did I do wrong?" Shaking my head I immediately throw away that way of thinking, I think. No, I did Nothing wrong. This was a learning experience. Now I'm a step closer to the final product.

"HEY!" Bring me out of my thoughts is Niabs Yelling "What?!" "Snap out of it! You looked like you were dead!"

I need to take a break. "Hey Niab, I will take a break for now and rethink the drug process." "What-" saying that I ended the call. Laying down on the cold wooden floor in the old facility I can't help but laugh "What the hell am I doing?"

"Why did I believe that dreaming was the key to me seeing you again? I'm a failure as an Older brother."

"I couldn't even help you." Letting it go, I start to think.

Maybe decreasing the Nightmare flowers volume in the mixture would help decrease the self-consciousness of the dreams. Standing up, pick up the flower and instead of using the entire of it, I take one pellet of it and start grinding it into a paste-like consistency. I repeat the process of turning it into a purple-looking substance. "good the total concentration of the flower is now ¼ of the original."Taking a syringe I start taking in the substance.

"If there is a GOD please help."

Stabbing the syringe into myself I feel it. The burning sensation through my arm. Looking at my forearm I see my veins turn blue. But instead of screaming in pain, I smile. Through the pain, I know that I'm moving forward.

Losing the strength in my legs I fell to the ground.

.....

While making my coffee I feel like something is wrong.

Is it the triangle handles? Pictures like Windows? I don't know.

Drinking my morning coffee I still can't get rid of the weird almost itching feeling

*Sip* nothing's better than a refreshing cup of coffee in the morning. *Knock Knock* hearing someone knock on my bedroom door I open it. "Hey Ren, are you ready to train?"

Behind the door is fully dressed out Millie, wanting to go out.

"ah, right today is our training session right?"

"Did you forget again?" Teasing me a little she pokes at me.

"haha yeah I did let me get my books and I will help you again."

"But hurry up! There aren't going to be any fresh oranges left!"

'I forgot that Millie likes to go all the way to orchards for fresh oranges' "yeah yeah, they will last you're a patron there, they know you will be coming so they always put some to the side for you."

"But still!" "Right Right." Leaving the room, we head out.

"Hey Ren, could you help me cast Ice magic Quicker?"

"Why do you always want to do Ice magic? I know that you have the Nordstorm control like mom but."

"But what? Is it wrong that I'm trying to become the best in my field? I want people to call me "THE QUEEN OF ICE." jumping on a small rock and pointing her finger in the sky.

"pfft." Not helping it I start laughing. "What's so funny? is It wrong to dream?" crossing her arms she looks at me.

"no no, It's just funny seeing you so determined to achieve something," I say. "Why is it funny!" "I mean…." I can't tell her that she looked so stupid."You mean?!" Trying to figure out a way out of this predicament I spot the Orchard

"Nothing, Look Millie, it's oranges!"

"Where?!" Running from me, she looks just like a child hearing an Ice Cream truck outside her house. "ah It's you guys." an Elderly lady holding a basket of oranges looks at us.

"You came at the right time here." Handing us a basket full of oranges.

"ah thank you, auntie." Taking the basket we head back

"Mmm they smell great, don't they?" Nodding my head, I reply.

"Yeah yeah, I still don't get why you love these so much"

"I'm sorry that your taste buds are inferior to mine!"

"Right right, where are we going this time, to the park again?"

"Of course! Where else can you enjoy the beautiful sun and some fresh oranges?"

Arriving at the park I pull out a large sheet on which we can sit

"So what is it about the magic that you want to learn?"

"Well our teacher wants us to do a presentation on magic and it's working but I know nothing." Seeing her down I pat her on the back. "Don't worry I will help. Tell me, do you want to shock them with your knowledge?" Nodding her head like crazy I speak.

"Magic comes in many forms. The basic ones are pure and impure. Pure magic is what we use to do miracles like creating fire, forming water in the air, and many others. These miracles come in the form of Elements such as Fire, Water, Air, Earth, Holy, and Dark. Dark magic was forbidden due to the damage that it inflicts upon its user's body.

But to use these Elements we need Control techniques. There are many types of Control techniques, from public to private to individual.

Public Techniques are free to be learned by the public, each Element has 100 publicly known techniques. Using these techniques one can cast the so-called spells or do magic as some say. From the 1st techniques that allow you to move the fire to the 100th techniques allowing you to create fire tsunamis."

"WoW." Seeing that Millie was impressed by this I continued.

"Those are the public Techniques, the Private techniques on the other hand are like the basic elements just more advanced.

like our family Ice Magic. It is not part of the basic Elements and we are the only ones known to be using the Ice Magic. While the Ortega family uses Nature like Wood and plants."

"Wait for a second brother! Isn't our Ice magic and Individual Control technique?"

Hearing Millie yell at me, I raise my hands."Calm down, I will explain. Use the first Control technique that you were taught and I'm going to use the first one I learned, Okay?" Extending my arm I create an Ice Spike on my palm.

Meanwhile, Millie creates and completely see-through Ice spike. "What? What's the difference? don't we both use the main family Control technique?" Seeing the clear confusion on her face I answer. "No, I use the Nordstorm ice magic Technique, I wasn't taught the main family technique, that's why my Ice spike is all foggy. not only that it's weaker in every way."

Seeing Millie Nod I pat her on the head 'She's such a sweet girl. "Now, the Individual Techniques are as the name implies Owned by individuals. Like you and mom, you two are the only people in the world with this technique. It's passed by words.

meaning that sometimes these techniques are lost to time.

For example, the Gravitilians Family. Their founder created a technique capable of controlling gravitational pull. sadly the family was killed off during the authoritarian-socialist war without passing the technique."

"That's so sad! How could someone just kill off an entire family!" Seeing Millie yell I speak "It is sad to take one's life, but that's the world we live in. We have to accept the sad reality for what it is. Taking one's life is never justifiable but still. When everyone around you is willing to kill you to achieve their goals. You have to be willing to kill them the moment they try to kill you."

Not hearing Millie's response I smile "Want to get some Ice cream while we go back home?"

Suddenly lighting up like a lightbulb she says "I want orange Ice scream!"

...….

Laying on the ground crying I ask myself "Why? Why am I crying like this?" I thought that I would never cry again since Millie's dead but now I'm crying. Rubbing my eyes with my sleeve I try to stop crying to no avail.

'Get yourself together Raven! It was just a beautiful dream!' Standing up I start taking notes on the experience I had.

"Almost perfect but not perfect, but not enough. I must work harder!" I start mixing new ingredients in new ratios.

Going from Nightmares to sweet dreams many times I come to the conclusion. "The volume of the flower has to be around 1.8%."

Feeling a burning pain in my wrist I sigh. "God, The veins it burns." Pulling up my sleeve I see my wrist veins completely blue. I overloaded my system and prayed that my kidneys wouldn't fail.

Putting my hand over the veins I can feel them pulsating.

"Agh!" "This is a small price to pay so just ignore it." Closing my eyes I focus on feeling the blood move through the veins.

'It should disappear when the amount of the substance decreases' But "I can't keep this up."

Holding my head I feel the veins through the skin bulge. "This isn't a solution! I'm just trying to fill in some of that emptiness."

"I mean am I sane?" "Did I go crazy?" "I'm talking to myself! FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!" bashing my fists against the table I feel my heart run. "Agh! I need to stop I nee-"

*ring ring* Brining me out of my rant is the sound of the phone ringing." Ah! Right, I was going to tell Niab that I succeeded." Picking up the phone I speak.

"I got it."