Chapter 14: Within a Dream

Yavanna stood in the strange dimension, the spirits guiding her forward as she heightened her sensitivity to mana with another spell. The world around her shimmered faintly. With each step she took, the hallway stretched endlessly, the doorways of varied shades lining on either side, pulsating with an ethereal glow. Each door a fragment of memory.

The further in she walked the more the doors changed. The earlier ones were plain as if untouched by the weight of experience. Simple wooden panels with faint carvings, as if the memories within were still forming, lacking depth and complexity. But as she ventured further, the symbols grew intricate. Each doorway a masterpiece of ancient markings and evolving artistry. Some bore elegant patterns, others pulsed with runes interwoven with golden threads, scripts of a language even she could not fully decipher. And then there were the doors that exuded unease with fractured carvings, jagged edges, blackened by something unspoken. Memories sealed or decayed, their meanings now lost or deliberately buried.

This was nothing new to Yavanna. Every mind had its own architecture, its own method of storing time and emotion. Yet something about this place unsettled her. The spirits guiding her flitted around as their luminous forms dimming.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a door unlike the others. Chiseled from grey stone, its surface bore jaded textures, cracked but unbroken, the markings upon it dense with concentration. Mana coursed through the stone like veins, glowing faintly. Yavanna traced a finger along its surface, feeling resistance, as if the door itself questioned her presence.

She pressed forward.

The heavy stone shifted with a groan, revealing not a room, but a vast cavern. Jagged stalactites and stalagmites stretched like fangs from the ceiling and floor, the space cold, hollow, untouched by warmth. A faint white glow radiated from the far corner, and as she turned, she caught the sight of what she was searching for.

A portal.

Silver lines swirling in tight spirals, drawn together with concentrated force. The density of mana was overwhelming, coiling around its edges, drifting past her in waves. Yavanna narrowed her eyes, gathering her knowledge and intuition. This was a threshold, an entrance into something deeper. Perhaps… directly into the boy's raw, untouched memories.

Casting a spell of invisibility upon herself, she stepped forward, slipping through the threshold of time itself. The sensation was immediate gravity shifting, the weight of existence pressing against her as she emerged on the other side. The scene before her settled into clarity.

Yavanna emerged into the memory, the world assembling itself around her in fragmented waves. The air was thick with residual emotions as the spirits ranted with fear, confusion and panic. These impressions lingered like echoes, but she remained unaffected. She was only an observer.

The boy lay on the ground, unmoving at first, before his breathing turned shallow and uneven. A tremor ran through his limbs as he slowly stirred. His movements sluggish and unsteady. His eyes barely opened, and it appeared his mind was struggling to grasp his surroundings.

Something rested atop his chest. He stilled, staring at it. A moment passed before his fingers twitched, hesitant, reaching out. Then a sharp reaction. His body flinched, and he jerked his hand away. A visible unease settled over him.

Then panic took hold.

He shoved the creature off, sending it bouncing unnaturally across the ground. Yavanna's gaze followed its movement. A slime. Though it behaved strangely, slimes normally digest their prey, or whatever it is they could get their hands on, not to mention they tend to avoid beings larger than themselves, however it lingered despite being rejected.

The boy's eyes darted around, searching. His hands grasped a jagged rock. Without hesitation, he hurled it.

The slime reacted.

The rock rebounded unnaturally, sent flying back at him with precision. He barely had time to react before it struck, cutting into his hand. Blood welled from the wound as it dripped onto the ground.

The boy's breathing hitched. He wavered, his focus breaking as his thoughts grew erratic. His body trembled.

Then he collapsed.

Yavanna remained motionless, watching as the memory settled into stillness. The low hum of the creature persisted in the silence.

The memory faded like sand swept away by a gusting wind, dissolving into fragments before reforming into something new. The shifting haze settled, and once again, Yavanna found herself standing within the cave.

The stalactites loomed above, casting jagged shadows, while the air carried the quiet echoes of a place untouched by time. Silver-lined patterns pulsed faintly across the walls, steady and rhythmic, as if responding to the shifting of memories.

Yavanna exhaled, her mind already preparing for the next transition. The spirits stirred around her, restless yet patient, waiting for her next step.

She turned her gaze toward the portal, its edges still lined with concentrated mana. Another doorway awaited. Another piece of the boy's past yet to be unveiled.

With practiced ease, she took a step, allowing the next memory to take shape around her.

As Yavanna's interrogation drags on, Valen grew impatient and starts pacing. Estrilda reminded her of her packed schedule—teatime with an influential noblewoman, her daily scroll through the bustling market, and an afternoon of horse riding to maintain her combat form. Most importantly, she has the upcoming dungeon guild meeting, where the state of dungeon expeditions, mana discreptancies and resource allocations will be discussed. But Valen barely listens, her mind fixated on the boy. She wonders if Yavanna will find anything useful or if this is just another wasted effort.

"I should be out there doing something instead of wasting my time," she thinks, her fingers tapping rhythmically against her arm. She was about to speak to Estrilda when, just then, the boys head slams the table, as Yavanna came to her senses, gasping. Her eyes shook and her hands trembled as her grip on the staff tightened.

"Are you alright? Estrilda, sit her down!" Valen commands. But Estrilda was already moving, steadying the mage as she faltered.

"What happened? What did you see?" Valen asked with great curiosity.

Yavanna slowly composed herself before answering, "Nothing," she said with a rushed breath. "I just seemed to have made a grave error in my calculations."

Weird, Valen thought. This had not happened before. It was strange, but she did not press on the matter—there was something more important on her mind.

"So, what did you see?" she asked once again.

"Mostly nothing out of the ordinary," the mage replied. "However, there is no doubt that the boy has strange powers. I stumbled upon an area with intense mana. He certainly has surpassed his peers. Whatever the case, there is no doubt that the boy has great potential as a mage. If you allow me to guide him, I am sure he would be a great help to you in the future. In the meantime, I will make sure to observe him carefully."

As Yavanna suggests taking care of the boy to observe and teach him, Valen crosses her arms, contemplating the proposal. If the boy truly does not remember anything, then he might turn into a valuable asset—one that she could mold and control. The thought pleases her, and she allows a small smirk to form before quickly hiding it.

"Fine," Valen finally says. "But his actions will be your responsibility." Her gaze sharpens, her voice carrying a warning. "If anything goes wrong, you WILL be held accountable."

Yavanna meets her eyes, unflinching. With a slight bow, she replies, "As you wish, Your Highness."

Estrilda watches the exchange in silence. While she trusts Valen's judgment, she cannot shake the wariness creeping into her thoughts. The boy is a strange variable, unpredictable, and potentially dangerous. And yet, Yavanna, someone who rarely takes interest in anything outside her books, has willingly stepped forward to take him in. Why?

Valen turns to Estrilda, snapping her out of her thoughts. "Take the boy to Yavanna's room. Ensure he is properly secured... and change his peasant clothes."

Estrilda bows her head. "Yes, Your Highness."

Valen turns sharply on her heel and strides out of the chamber. There were more important matters to attend to; preparations for the upcoming dungeon guild meeting and maintaining control over the nobles who sought to challenge her authority. The boy would be dealt with in time, but for now, she had other battles to fight.