It was past three in the morning, but the guy was totally awake. The smoked blown by Yala was sweet and engaging, almost anesthetizing. As conscious as he was, being close to such a powerful entity was equal to be wrapped and filled by its aura and on the border of asking himself if everything wasn’t anything more than a dream. He asked himself if she knew exactly how he felt and, at some moments hesitated, afraid that she would be able to read his thoughts. 

- Any problem? - She swallowed her smoke and blew it to the ceiling.

- Actually, I don’t know where to start. I have lucid dreams since I was four years old, and some of them I remember like they have occurred a while ago. There was so much stuff since then, searches for understanding, lonely journeys believing that only me was living these things.

- Typical of humans, to believe that you’re the only ones. But don’t blame yourself for this, it’s kinda in your nature to think like that. Continue. I’m almost curious.

  Timorous of what she could think about such intimate feelings and experiences, the young man started speaking calmly, picking each word with a lot of attention.

- I realized that there are different kinds of dreams. Some of them are just emotional mess, others are daydreams of obscure desires, but there is a very specific kind, too real to be just a dream. It’s about this one that I want to talk about, dreams that question reality.

- I also have dreams like these - said the young attendant, readily, but was soon silent again, when Yala and the guy stared at her, waiting for her to tell more about it. Once she leaned back again on her chair, shy, he continued:

- In my dreams, I learned how to fly. I remember when I was about ten years old and needed to run to get the impulse to make long jumps. As I got older, I realized that it wasn’t necessary to run, I just.. flew, from wherever I was.

- Hum… - Yala inhaled the rest of her cigarette and started to prepare another one. She didn’t look excited with that experience. The guy felt challenged.

- There is this dream, between my fifteen and eighteen years old… I remember being late when I arrived at the headquarters of the resistance. There were many captains reunited, discussing strategies to keep the enemies from defeating us. When they perceived my arriving, they went mute, waiting for me to solve something. I affirmed that I could handle everything, that they shouldn’t worry. - The Daughter of Movement leaned back in her seat, seeming interested. - I flew across the wall that surrounded the camp and landed with violence among some war tanks. I created an invisible force camp to protect myself from eventual fires and knocked them down through brusque movements with my arms. After that, I can’t remember a lot, only that we conquered some space and won that battle.

 The witch was already on her second cigarette and sometimes looked a little bored, sometimes interested. To whom lived a thousand years, a really captivating story was needed to call her attention and, now, the young man asked himself if he had something to match the millennial creature in front of him. But before trying, he was interrupted by the elder’s ancient and striking voice.

- Can you tell me if there were other dreams in places and situations like those, that you just told me? - She stared at the street through the blurry glass, as if she could see something that no one else could.

- Uhh… yes. Quite a lot, actually. In some, I even saved dear people, from this world. Why? - While he spoke, the man wouldn’t take his eyes from Yala. He thought to himself that a few minutes ago she seemed so vulnerable speaking about her past and, now, showed the same strength from when they first started that conversation.

- Because this actually happened. - the witch broke the silence. - But it wasn’t you, but an equivalent of you. It’s normal for this to happen to some souls. Many of those doubles travel through dimensions, some conscient and some, like you, in an involuntary way without any control. Maybe there’s one of them at this very moment in your head, dreaming about this. Complex? Very. There are some researchers in your world with some knowledge about the theme, but still very shallow and with little collected evidence. I could even contribute with them, but I learned not to interfere that much in this reality.

  Knowing that a lot of what he had dreamed was true brought an avalanche of feelings to him, especially when a creature from the Kingdom of Dreams confirmed all of that he believed was pure daydreaming from a tired mind.

- I only suspected, but now you give me certainty of something that ressignifies my whole life.

  Yala smiled, in response:

- Existing is changing all the time, after all. But continue, because I’m starting to get interested and I presume that so does our friend - she said, pointing at the waitress, that remained in silence and attentive.

- Oh, of course. I only got a little confused, I’m sorry. - He took a sip from his tea, looking inside his mind for some situation that was interesting, but he could also continue what was already said. - There was this time that I met a friend in my dream. Here, in the Material World, she was hospitalized in a serious condition. But there...  she found herself in a wonderful room at a japanese castle, surrounded by people dressed in white that would fix her hair and her clothes. For some reason, I went all the way there to rescue my sister and, when I found my friend Yoshiko in that room, I asked if she wanted to go with me, because soon the castle would be destroyed and she would die if she stayed. - He paused and took a long breath. - She said that she was alright there, and told me to follow my way without hesitation. It was what I did. I flew with my sister through the first window that I could find and, already among the clouds, flying over the castle, I casted a powerful light bolt and… - His eyes watered. Containing the sobs, he concluded: - When I woke up, I got the news that she didn´t resist and…

- She was already too debilitated in this world and knew that continuing would mean to live with serious sequels, even if she resisted the treatment. Yoshiko was strong, boy. Don’t blame yourself. Now… - Yala leaned the cigarette towards the ashtray. - The ways in which the dimensions communicate are so unpredictable and complex that you could have seen her in that castle and, at the same time, she wouldn’t be there.

- How so? - The boy was intrigued by the theory.

  This time, it was the waitress who spoke:

- Ma’am, do you think it’s possible that this room where Yoshiko found herself was another dimension inside his dream?

- It’s a possibility. Anything  can be a portal to another world, once there is a connection with it. - She landed the cigarette on the ashtray and took a necklace from inside her shirt with a small amulet in different tones of blue. There was a black sun  drawn on it. - This is a rune made from on of my horns. It’s directly connected to the Web of Existence and someone with enough knowledge in magic could easily open a portal to anywhere. Nevertheless, let’s suppose that someone has an object from the dimension we are now.

- The Material World? - The guy asked. Yala confirmed with a nod.

- Though this person is not here but in any other world. This person could connect materially with this world, but only with this one.

- But what about this thing that you said, the doubles that visit other worlds through their minds? - Asked the young attendant.

- They can’t interfere in anything, only see through the eyes of their peers, almost as they watched a movie very often. In the case of you two, if there’s someone from another plane that is your double and he or she is dreaming, it’s possible that they’re watching all of this and, when they wake up, they’ll have the sensation of this being real, but once they’re different from your reality, they may take the dream as fanciful. Maybe they’ll even get intrigued, but their routines will make them forget about it. Now - she put her amulet back and started smoking again -, if they have anything from this world, they could be able to visit this dimension with their own body and, instead of being just expectators, he or she would travellers. 

- Knowing about this makes life more interesting, doesn’t it? - The waitress looked excited. - I’d like to travel through dimensions! More exciting than serving breakfast in the morning. - She smiled, bored, and turned to the guy: - Speak more about your dreams! Oh, wait a second. I’ll bring something for us to bite. - The guy waited until she moved away and turned to the witch:

- Yala, since the first time I dreamed about you… I felt it too real to be just a daydream. - She observed him calmly. - Thanks for calling me here and sharing your wisdom with me.

- Don’t thank me yet. Who can assure you that this ain’t a dream? - The witch blew a blue smoke, dense and sparkling. Her smile made each centimeter of the guy shake. He was too transparent with his emotions and she couldn’t do more than laugh with the situation. - Be at ease, it’s very real. Now, I’m gonna teach you a trick to whenever you’re sleeping: if you can control and change everything around you, then you are in the Kingdom of Dreams, dreaming in safety. But if you try to control anything and, suddenly, you lose your focus or things change, you can be sure you’re not dreaming.

- And why is that?

- It’s a protection mechanism to keep your sanity, let’s put in that way. It’s not every mortal that is ready for everything that is beyond this world. Many go crazy or fall in silence and exile because of the things they see and live, scared of the judgment of this apathetic and boring society of yours. 

- I hope you haven’t started to tell the story before I arrived! - Interrupted the waitress, depositing plates with cakes and snacks that, if they could express any emotion, it would surely be sadness. - It doesn’t look very great, but I can assure you that they’re good. - And sat down, ready to listen.

  Caught by surprise with her arriving, they helped themselves and, after tasting the food (it actually tasted good, despite the seared look), they returned with the conversation.

- Tell me more about your dream! - Said the young woman. - My grandma used to tell very good stories and the way you’re telling them reminds me of her… - The guy thanked her for the compliment and soon started speaking.

- One time, the wind blew, carrying my thoughts somewhere far away. I was flying, diving in an endless whiteness of clouds that were soft to the touch, without bothering about anything. - The guy showed more confidence and Yala felt that he was giving himself to the story. - Little by little they dissipated, revealing one of the most exuberant landscapes I have ever seen in my whole life.

- Which life? - Asked the witch.

- All of them, the ones I lived in my dreams and this one, now. - He ate a piece of cake before speaking again. - As I crossed the skies, flocks of birds followed me, singing unknown and engaging melodies. Just beneath me, there was a lake that lost itself in the horizon and, on its riversides, immense forests merged with the sky. But what really got my attention was a small island right in the middle of that lake. On it, there was a boat and a white marble pergola, with creepers flourishing in a red tone that held itself to the columns that sustained a flowery roof. I go down closer to the water surface, admiring my moving reflection. When I reach the little island, I find a woman with long dark hair, shrouded in white silk like clouds. She has her back to me, but is aware of my presence. The figure gets closer and without expressing anything, holds me by the hand on an invitation to fly with her. Until this day I don’t know whether she was accompanying me of guiding me.

- You found one of my sisters. But, differently from me, they are made of pure air, and because of that they look so delicate. I was always more intense, because I have fire in my essence.

- And air is fuel to fire. - Completed the young woman.

- Exactly. - Yala put out the cigarette and turned to the guy, in a solemn tone: - You are a curious creature, young man. You managed to visit a place that is forbidden to mortals… Few were able to do so and come back alive.

- What was that place?

- I told you: forbidden to mortals. - The witch stood up, spreading her arms and cracking her whole column while she stretched herself. - Ouuuch… being old in this universe brings too much damage to the body. - She straightened her clothes and stretched a little more, before sitting back again. - My time in this world is ending, and because of that, I contacted you. Your sensibility for other dimensions is exceptional and in each new story, the more you prove I’m right. You should dedicate your life to magic studies, boy, even though this society might be organized in such a way that all your time is consumed by other humans. - She shook her head, sorrowful. - Maybe I can help with that. - She said, while rolling another smoke.

- What do you suggest me to do?

- I accumulated much wealth in this world. - Yala created a small flame on the tip of her finger to light her cigarette. - I never liked that, but it was needed to walk among you without trammels. I would deliver it all to you, in case you want to compromise to dedicate yourself integrally in protecting your world.

  It wasn’t everyday that someone offered the chance to change your life forever, let alone asking in return something that demanded so much responsibility. The man was scared with the offer.

- Sorry, my intention was not to generate fear or throw a problem in your hands. And you can deny it, too… even because there are other people that already do that - she realized that she should have been a little more cautious with her proposal.

- What do you intend on doing when you leave this world? - The girl asked, curious, diverting the conversation, trying to ease the dense climate that had been generated.

- Finding the eight lost runes and returning to the Kingdom of Dreams. - Her tone denounced the tiredness of facing the consequences in order to pursue your wills. - Who knows what they’re doing with so much power.

- And how did you recover this rune that you carry with you?

- Nice you asked, little lady. - She put her cigarette in the ashtray and, again, took the rune from its hiding place, landing it on the table. - Put your hands upon mine and close your eyes.

- What are you gonna do? - Asked the young man, ceasing the silence in which he had reserved himself.

- I’m gonna take you to a brief tour through the Web. - And before they closed their eyes, she warned: - Probably, you are not going to perceive things like me, but I'd like to ask you, please, don’t get away from the road, children.

  And before they could say anything, they were wrapped by an iridescent fire hurricane, until diving in the most complete darkness.