Eory didn’t know what was happening. He couldn’t see, and his ghost dog, Gershom, had tossed him on top of his back and was taking him somwhere he didn't know. Eory held on for dear life. He was storing his magic, and still couldn’t see. He was entirely reliant upon his dog. 

He bumbled through the darkness, holding onto the ghostly dog’s ears tightly. His only senses left were his senses of touch and smell. His body felt cold, and the dog’s ears felt soft and fluffy in his hands. 

Eory was exhausted. He was exhausted from being kept captive, from being assaulted and hated… he nearly fell asleep, until he was jolted awake by being launched from Gershom’s back.

A cold wind tickled his face as he landed in what felt like a pile of leaves. Eory summoned black fire to his ears, eyes, and throat. He could see again, and he looked around cautiously. 

He was in a cave. A pitch black cave, and deeper in the cave, he heard something chitter. He spun around and saw something yellow disappearing deeper into the cavern. Eory paused. He sweated. For a moment, he was too frightened to pursue the chittering beast, but then, his body–his soul–told him he needed to. 

He dashed through the cave, leaving fear at the mouth of it. Gershom appeared at his side, barking joyfully. Eory nodded at him. Together, the pair sprinted through the cave, rounding corners as the fathomless darkness drew him deeper and deeper inside. He could no longer see the creature he was pursuing, but he could hear it. 

The chittering was loud in his sensitive ears, taunting him. 

Eory paused when the cave forked. 

Eory felt like he was floating and that he could barely control his own actions. The whole cave felt like a fevered dream he was floating through. 

He followed his instincts, admiring his surroundings despite the fact that they were dull and repetitive. Even a cave was something to be admired when he had spent his whole life locked away in prisons. 

And the freedom of running where he wanted when he wanted made him so buoyant that he thought he had escaped gravity itself and was flying away. 

After taking a few more forks, he cornered the yellow creature. 

It was an Antler. 

Eory had an instinct to turn back, as Antlers seemed to cause more trouble than anything. But somehow, he needed to know. He needed to know what this Antler could offer him–if the Antler had any warnings he needed to heed--why is was luring him.

Eory approached silently. As he came close, his vision became darker and darker. By the time he reached the Antler’s side, he had gone blind, deaf and dumb again. He felt something touch his arm, and afterwards he collapsed to the floor. 

His eyes fluttered open some time later. Except, Eory knew that he must be on the dream plains because he could see. He yawned and stretched. His surroundings were impossibly beautiful. The grass beneath him was incredibly soft and lucious, the sky was crystal blue, and the breeze felt soft and sweet on his skin. 

Across the plains, he could see the chittering, yellow demon. It stared at him with its four black eyes and its mischievous grin. Eory shouted, “How did you meet me here! Tock told me it was nearly impossible to contact someone you don’t know on the dream plains!”

The Antler merely motioned him toward him with a pointer finger. Eory sped up his pace, and a whispery voice hissed in his ear—becoming louder the closer he came.

“Skin…”

“Leave..”

Was all Eory could hear from afar. The rest was unintelligible.

When Eory arrived at the Antler’s side, the Antler placed a hand on his shoulder. 

Eory looked into its black eyes, and saw something so unspeakably awful that he could barely comprehend it. 

“You will leave your skin behind, and you will ascend to what you are truly meant to be.” the Antler touched his cheek. “You are quite special, you know? Your life will be quite sad and disastrous.” 

Eory looked at the Antler speechlessly. He had never heard of an Antler being so direct. “Please… help me. I want to see Terran again. What do I do without him?”

The Antler drew him into an embrace. “You are a sad creature. Sadder than any creature we have encountered. I am sick at heart for you. You will see your friend again before the end.” the Antler ran a clawed hand through his hair, and then released him. Eory fell to his knees, and then everything went black. 

He woke up, and still couldn't see. Eory still had tears in his eyes. He swallowed, then pushed himself to his feet. He felt Gershom licking his cheeks compassionately. Eory wrapped his arms around Gerhsom’s neck, and then climbed on the dog’s back. Eory let Gershom take him out of the cave. Eory couldn’t see, but he trusted his dog without fail. 

The air in the cave was stagnant, Eory thought it smelled faintly of mildew. He leaned his cheek upon his dog, finding that a smile was coming unbidden to his lips. To be free, to experience different smells like these was a privelege. Eventually, he felt a cool breeze kiss his cheeks, and smelled pinewood on the breeze. He knew he was outside.

He felt a rough hand dragging him down from the dog, and knew it must be Pollyanna. He reached deep down within himself. He found his reserve of magic inside his stomach, and spread it to his eyes, mouth, and ears. He saw Pollyanna looking at him with concern. 

“What the hell were you thinking? You scared me half to death!” Pollyanna exclaimed. 

Eory touched her cheek, making sure she was real. “I’m sorry, Pollyanna. I needed a moment to mourn Terran. I… I don’t know what to do without him.”

Pollyanna patted his head. “I know, Eory… I know. He was a good man.” 

Eory saw Eliita behind Pollyanna, standing next to Estelle. Eory smiled, approaching her nervously. 

“Eliita, I…” Eory began, taking a deep breath. 

Eliita held up a hand. She gave him a sincere smile and drew him into an embrace. Eory knew he was undeserving of the hug, but hugged her back, burying his face in her shoulder.