The Fifth Dream City was entirely different from Eidolith.
While the City of Memories was a realm of crystal and blue light, the Fifth Dream City was composed of ever-changing structures—floating, twisted towers that grew and faded, just as dreams themselves do. The air here was heavier, saturated with faint colors and sounds, like whispers unseen by the eye but perceptible to the heart.
Alyana stood on the reception platform of the Dawn Ship, gazing in awe at the city rippling before her. Her journey had begun three days ago, when she left Eidolith, heading toward the first station in her perilous quest: the search for the Guardian of the Second City.
"You seem amazed, Lady of Memories," said a slender young man dressed in a loose robe of gradient colors. His name was Lemon, the guide assigned to greet her in the city. "Is this your first visit to the Fifth City?"
"Yes," Alyana admitted, adjusting her bag on her shoulder. "I've always heard about it, but... traveling between cities wasn't possible before the Great Remembrance, as you know."
Lemon nodded. "Our city is the only one whose reality depends on the collective dreams of its inhabitants. It changes daily, reshaping itself according to what we dream."
He led her across a bridge that seemed to be made of solid mist, trembling slightly with every step.
"Does the Dream Council know about my mission here?" Alyana asked.
She noticed Lemon hesitate. "Only the head of the council. We haven't informed the other members yet. Some... factions here aren't entirely enthusiastic about cooperating with Eidolith."
Alyana understood. The seven cities, despite being freed from the Forgetting System, still harbored old disputes and tensions, their roots stretching back to a time before the system itself.
"Who is the guardian here?" she asked. "Do you know them?"
"No one knows for sure," Lemon replied, his voice lowering. "But there are rumors about the Dream Interpreter... someone who can see future dreams and possesses a crystal similar to the one you carry."
They entered the city through a shape-shifting gate, its edges glowing with a warm orange light. The streets were bustling with people from all the cities, dressed in diverse clothing and exhibiting varied appearances. Some looked entirely human, while others bore strange transformations: glowing eyes, skin reflecting light like mirrors, limbs altered into unusual materials.
"The effect of constant exposure to shared dreams," Lemon explained when he noticed Alyana's curious gaze. "In the Dream City, we gradually change according to what we dream. Some choose the change; for others, it happens unintentionally."
"And you?" Alyana asked, observing that Lemon's eyes shifted colors from time to time.
He smiled. "My eyes reflect the dreams of those around me. Useful for my work as a guide."
Lemon led her through winding streets, alleys that appeared and disappeared, and plazas whose shapes transformed. Finally, they arrived at a large building resembling a circular palace, constructed from a material that looked like rippling glass, reflecting the ever-changing colors of the sky.
"The Grand Hall of Dreams," Lemon announced. "The headquarters of the city council and the place where the great dreamers gather each night to shape the city."
At the entrance of the hall, they were greeted by a tall woman with long silver hair that moved as if alive. On her forehead was a small tattoo resembling an open eye.
"I am Iris, advisor to the Head of the Dream Council," she introduced herself in a melodic voice. "We've been expecting you, Keeper of Memories."
"Thank you for welcoming me," Alyana replied politely, though she was slightly unsettled by the fact that her arrival had been anticipated. She hadn't informed anyone in the Fifth City of her exact arrival time.
"The dreams told us," Iris said, as if reading her thoughts. "We see much before it happens."
Iris led them through winding corridors, their walls constantly changing, displaying scenes like snapshots from various dreams. Alyana heard faint sounds emanating from the walls themselves—whispers, laughter, and at times, soft crying.
"The city records the dreams of everyone who lives here," Iris explained. "They're stored in the walls themselves, interacting with one another, creating a new reality each day."
They reached a large circular hall, its ceiling a dome of transparent crystal reflecting the city's shifting sky. At the center of the hall sat an elderly man on a high chair, surrounded by a circle of floating water that formed ever-changing images.
"This is Rebion, Head of the Dream Council," Iris introduced.
The elderly man rose slowly, his staff gleaming with multicolored gemstones. His eyes were ordinary brown, but around his pupils was a faintly glowing golden ring.
"Keeper of Memories," he greeted her in a calm, deep voice. "I saw your arrival in my dreams weeks ago. I wondered when the vision would come true."
"Honored sir," Alyana responded respectfully. "I've come seeking the guardian of the Fifth City. I've come searching for the one who holds the Shadow Cairn Crystal."
Rebion smiled a mysterious smile. "Yes, I anticipated your arrival for that reason. The crystal you speak of... it has caused much unrest in our city."
He gestured with his staff, and the floating water before him formed the image of a young woman holding a glowing crystal, its orange radiance distinct from the blue hue of Alyana's crystal.
"The bearer of the second crystal is Nayari. The crystal appeared to her on the same day the Great Remembrance occurred, falling from the sky directly into her hands."
"Where is she now?" Alyana asked eagerly.
Rebion and Iris exchanged uneasy glances.
"That's the complication," Rebion sighed. "Nayari is not in a stable state. The crystal has granted her extraordinary abilities, such as seeing the future through dreams and altering reality using the power of imagination."
"And that's a bad thing?" Alyana asked cautiously.
"The problem is that Nayari cannot fully control her abilities," Iris interjected. "Her dreams sometimes turn into literal reality, surpassing the city's boundaries. And some of these dreams... are nightmares."
"Last week, she dreamed of an attack by terrifying creatures, and the next morning, those creatures appeared in the city's northern district," Rebion continued. "We had to enlist all the powerful dreamers to reshape reality and erase the creatures."
"Where is she now?" Alyana repeated, feeling a growing sense of concern.
"In the Tower of Deep Dreams," Rebion replied. "A safe place outside the city, heavily guarded, where her dreams cannot affect the shared reality of the city."
"You've isolated her," Alyana said, trying to suppress the note of reproach in her voice.
"For her protection and that of others," Iris affirmed. "Most of the time, she doesn't even realize the extent of her influence. The truth is, she fears herself—her own powers."
Alyana touched the crystal on her chest, which began to glow more brightly. "I must meet her. I can help her."
"We know," Rebion nodded. "That's why we allowed you into the city. But you must understand: reaching the Tower of Deep Dreams is neither an easy nor safe journey. It is a place where reality and dreams dangerously intertwine. Even the great dreamers avoid venturing there."
"I'll take the risk," Alyana said confidently.
"So, you'll need a guide," said Iris, then she looked at Lemon. "And he's ready to take the risk with you, as he told us."
Lemon appeared surprised, then quickly smiled. "Of course, I'll lead the Keeper of Memories to the tower."
Rebion nodded in agreement. "You'll depart at dawn. The night is unsafe in the Fifth City, especially since the Dream Disturbances began."
"What exactly do these Dream Disturbances cause?" Aliana asked.
"Things emerging from dreams into reality," Iris explained in a grim tone. "Fears taking form, desires becoming real in distorted ways. It's as if the fabric of reality itself has weakened."
"They started after the Great Remembrance," Rebion added. "But they've worsened in recent weeks. It's as if something is weakening the boundaries between worlds."
Aliana's eyes sparkled with sudden realization. "The Great Eclipse."
Rebion looked at her with interest. "You know about it?"
"It will happen in a month. And I think... I think it's connected to the Eighth City."
Rebion remained silent for a long moment before speaking again. "The Eighth City isn't just a myth, then."
"No, it's real. And it needs seven guardians to be complete. Nayari is one of them. I must find her and take her to Idolith before the eclipse."
"It will be a difficult task to convince her to leave the tower," Iris warned. "She's afraid of causing harm to others."
"I'll find a way," Aliana said, her crystal glowing as if it agreed with her.
As dawn broke, Aliana and Lemon departed through the city's eastern gate, riding a light carriage pulled by creatures resembling horses, but with shimmering rainbow-colored skin and small wings on their shoulders.
"Dream Horses," Lemon explained. "They move between reality and dreams, the safest means to reach the tower."
The scenery around the city was strange and ever-changing: forests where the trees shifted between green and purple, mountains that seemed to breathe, plains of silver grass swaying without wind. The farther they moved from the city, the stranger and less stable the landscapes became.
"The areas surrounding the Fifth City are directly influenced by the residents' dreams," Lemon said. "See that hill over there? It wasn't there yesterday. It appeared after someone dreamed of a mountain of green glass."
The journey was taking longer than Aliana had expected. The road itself seemed winding, occasionally changing direction, disappearing, and reappearing anew.
"The road is alive too, reacting to our expectations," Lemon explained. "The more focused we are on our destination, the straighter the path becomes."
After several hours, they reached a peculiar borderland: a vast plain of blue grass, at the center of which stood a towering black spire, twisted like frozen flames, its peak piercing a glowing circular cloud.
"The Tower of Deep Dreams," Lemon announced in a hushed voice.
Aliana felt the crystal on her chest glowing more intensely, as if it was responding to the tower's presence.
"Can you feel Nayari's crystal?" Lemon asked, noticing the reaction of her crystal.
"I think so," Aliana replied, placing her hand on the crystal. "It's... calling to me. As if it knows we're here."
At the edge of the blue plain, the carriage came to a halt. The horses refused to go any further, their wings fluttering anxiously.
"We'll have to continue on foot," Lemon said. "The horses fear the field of deep dreams."
They dismounted and began walking through the blue grass. It felt strange underfoot, slightly moving and emitting a faint musical hum with each step. As they drew closer to the tower, Aliana felt an increasing pressure in her head, accompanied by fleeting, strange images flashing through her mind.
"This is the effect of the dream field," Lemon warned. "You'll see images, memories, dreams that aren't yours. Try to focus on your goal, or you'll get lost in a mental maze."
The closer they got to the tower, the stronger the pressure became. Aliana began seeing strange shapes moving in the corners of her vision, appearing and disappearing like ghosts. Faint whispers, laughter, and muffled screams echoed around them.
Lemon was also struggling, his eyes changing color rapidly. "The deep dream is resisting," he said with difficulty. "It senses we're outsiders."
At last, they reached the base of the tower. It was larger than it had seemed from a distance, built from a glossy black material that reflected moving images on its surface, like liquid mirrors. The tower's door was tall, made of silver metal engraved with intricate symbols, and tightly sealed.
"How do we get inside?" Aliana asked, examining the door.
"The tower only opens for dreamers," Lemon replied. "Or for someone carrying an invitation from within."
Aliana touched her crystal, which was now almost hot to the touch. "I think I have the invitation."
She placed her hand on the silver door, and the crystal pressed against her chest. For a moment, nothing happened. Then the engravings on the door began to glow with a blue light, pulsating in sync with her crystal.
Slowly, the door creaked open with a metallic groan, revealing a pitch-black interior.
"I have to go on alone," Aliana said.
Lemon looked uneasy. "That's dangerous. The tower is a maze of dreams, and visitors can be lost in its illusions forever."
"But I'm not an ordinary visitor," Aliana smiled, gesturing to her glowing crystal. "And Nayari is waiting for me. I can feel her."
"Wait for me here. I'll return before sunset."
Aliana entered the tower, and the door slowly closed behind her. She found herself in a vast, dark hall, its ceiling so high it was almost invisible. The walls of the hall shimmered faintly, displaying ever-changing scenes, as if they were windows to other worlds.
Her crystal now shone brightly, casting a blue light that illuminated her path. She followed the light, which led her to a spiral staircase winding upward inside the tower.
With every step she climbed, Aliana felt the reality around her softening, becoming more fluid. The walls were no longer entirely solid, but rippling, displaying images and memories that weren't hers:
A little girl running through a field of glowing flowers... A woman weeping before a sea of molten glass... Cities crumbling and others rising from the ashes...
"Nayari's dreams," Aliana whispered to herself. "I'm seeing what she sees."
She continued climbing, through countless loops of the spiral staircase. Finally, she reached a wide circular chamber, its ceiling a dome of transparent crystal, reflecting the sky above the tower.
In the center of the room sat a young woman on a simple chair. She wore a plain white dress, her long black hair flowing around her as if alive. On her forehead was an orange crystal, glowing faintly, embedded in her skin as though it were part of her.
"Nayari?" Aliana called softly.
The girl opened her eyes, which were a deep orange color, glowing faintly. "I've been waiting for you," she said in a gentle voice. "I saw you in my dream."
"I came to help you," Aliana said, approaching her slowly. "I came to tell you about the Eighth City."
"The Eighth City," Nayari repeated the words, as if tasting them. "Yes, I've seen it too. A city built from both dreams and memories."
"You're one of its guardians," Aliana confirmed, stepping closer.
She noticed that Nayari appeared almost translucent, as though part of her wasn't fully present in this world. "But I cannot leave the tower," Nayari said sorrowfully. "My dreams are dangerous. They become reality. They harm others."
"It's not your dreams causing this," Aliana replied. "It's the approach of the Great Eclipse. The boundaries between worlds are thinning, and the crystal you carry is reacting to that."
Aliana raised her blue crystal, which glowed intensely in response to the orange crystal.
"The crystals are speaking," Nayari whispered in amazement.
"Seven crystals, seven cities," Aliana said. "Kairn of the Shadow left a crystal in each city, with a guardian. And when the seven crystals come together..."
"The eighth city will appear," Nayari completed, as though recalling a forgotten dream. "The gateway to the next cycle."
Nayari stood slowly, seeming to become more physical, more present in reality. "But I still can't control my power. How can I leave the tower without endangering others?"
"The crystals together are stronger." Aliana extended her hand. "Let's try."
Hesitantly, Nayari reached out to touch Aliana's crystal. As her fingers met the blue crystal, a dazzling light erupted—a blend of blue and orange—that filled the entire room.
Aliana felt knowledge flowing into her: images, thoughts, a new understanding:
The Great Eclipse... a gateway between cycles... the eighth city, fueled by memories and dreams together... Kairn of the Shadow's plan spanning thousands of years... but there are those who resist, who wish to prevent the completion of the circle...
When the light faded, Nayari stood firmly, her body more solid, her eyes glowing with newfound determination.
"I understand now," Nayari said, her voice stronger. "I know how to control the crystal."
"And I've learned more about the eighth city," Aliana said, awestruck by what she had seen. "We must gather the others. Five more guardians."
"And we must hurry," Nayari added anxiously. "I saw in my dream... someone is trying to stop the completion of the cycle. Someone who fears the eighth city."
"Who?"
"I couldn't see his face clearly, but he wears a white mask. He has the power to erase dreams as he erases memories."
Aliana shivered. "A Sentinel of the Ancient Keepers."
"Yes. And he knows about the crystals and the guardians. I saw him in my dream, hunting the crystal bearers."
"We need to leave now," Aliana said urgently. "Return to the City of Dreams and choose our next destination."
Nayari nodded and touched the crystal on her forehead. "I'll be able to control my powers now. The two crystals together have shown me how."
As they prepared to leave, Aliana gazed through the crystalline ceiling at the sky above, where the sun and moon seemed to slowly draw closer, preparing for the coming eclipse.
There wasn't much time left, and the mission had become far more dangerous than she had anticipated. For the enemies of the eighth city were also moving, racing against time.