'Oh?' Elara tilted her head to one side. 'Do tell me you didn't enter the dream again, for that? For something that just isn't possible?'
Arin chuckled. 'How could I know that for certain?' he asked. 'And even if I did, how could I just leave you to - to die? Just like that, without trying to do anything at all?'
'Hmm...' the young lady narrowed her eyes in thought. 'That does make sense. Despite appearances, you are a kind person after all.'
'…'
'Well, to answer your first question, allow me to assure you that it isn't possible. It just isn't,' Elara said with a small sigh.
'From the day I first became aware that something was wrong, I have been slowly realizing more and more about the nature of this... thing.'
'It has been a long, confusing, and rather painful journey for me. I have had more moments of madness than I can count. What you witnessed the last time we met was just one among many.'
A look of embarrassment flashed across the girl's face, and she hurried to quickly add, 'I'd appreciate if you could wipe that moment from your memories.'
Arin laughed. 'Sure, whatever.'
'Hmm. In any case, things are clearer to me now, than ever before. It... the distortion... is one with me. It isn't me. It is its own… being? And yet, we are one. In the sense that one cannot exist without the other.'
'I wish I had the words to explain things better, sir Rin. Just know that I cannot be saved. You must firmly establish that reality in your mind.'
'The most difficult part of it all has been the realization that I've been hurting people. I can do nothing about the distortion, but even before… My poor, dear father…'
Arin noticed the girl's downcast appearance. 'I don't think you know just how many people adore you, and care for you, and continue to do so even after… well… after everything,' he said.
Even to the point of causing and covering up multiple deaths.
…well, Elara didn't need to know that part.
'Oh, but I do!' exclaimed the girl. A playful grin slowly crept into her expression, and she continued, 'How could they not, given that I've been such a lovely person for most of my life?'
'But that's just the thing, sir Rin. I do not wish to cause any more suffering than I already have. This isn't the way I would have chosen. But since the right to make a decision has been taken from me…'
'…all I can say is that I've made my peace.'
…
…
Arin sat alone in the clearing. The ground that his dragon had warmed up had long-since gone cold again.
He and Elara had spent what had felt like hours, just talking; about important things at first, and then, even insignificant things.
In reality, their conversation probably hadn't lasted much more than ten minutes.
He had refrained from telling her the whole truth of his situation. It was better if she kept believing everything to be under control.
In any case, there was nothing she could do about it.
Whatever had happened, was his job to fix.
Afterwards, Arin had offered to have his dragon return her back to Silvershade. The girl had jumped at the opportunity, exclaiming it was something she'd always wanted to try.
What neither of them had said out loud, was that it was kinder for her to get to be in her beloved village - a familiar environment - one last time.
Besides, he could hardly leave her stranded alone in the middle of the woods when he left!
Arin fiddled with the bracelet on his hand as he waited for his dragon to return.
He couldn't help but fret.
Only when he left the distortion, would he know the extent of just how deep the shit he was in was.
The worst-case scenario was that the distortion had re-activated while they were all still in Silvershade, allowing it to therefore pull in not just its previous victims, but also a number of new ones.
He'd try re-entering the dream, to get everyone out again, of course. However, he had a pretty strong feeling that that just wouldn't work anymore.
…And if that was indeed the case, all Arin could then do was give up and call for the real white-haired tower master's help.
…
The best-case was that he had successfully managed to carry Elara far away enough from any civilization before the distortion took effect again.
And if that was the case…
He'd have to do what he'd been putting off this whole time, without risking wasting any more time.
He'd have to put an end to it all.
…
The distant flapping of large wings shook him out of his mulling, and Arin lifted his head. After just about a minute, he could see the silvery form of his dragon make its descent from the sky.
After the creature had landed, he walked up to it and asked, 'All good?'
Of course, it would be. Within this dream, there was no need to ask.
As expected, his dragon blinked in affirmation.
Elara had been safely returned to Silvershade.
Arin shut his eyes, and turned around to lean against the warm side of the creature. He then raised his hand, and opened his fist to reveal -
- what else, but the now-familiar form of a needleworm beetle.
'Anytime now…' he said, keeping his eyelids sealed.
The obedient little beetle obliged.
…
…
…
When Arin finally awoke to the real world, he realized that, despite all his thinking, he hadn't considered the scenario he was faced with at all.
'What…?'