FSE

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It was morning again and our rabbit awoke, no nightmares this time again. Good. He laid in a bed for a while, he was thinking about what ever happened in that hidey hole yesterday. At that time, he felt like not in control, like puppet on strings or something and didn't even feel any guilt by such action he committed…yeah. He sighed, he needed to keep his mind off it and going to the authorities is a no go for the rabbit. Johnny decided to throw it all behind him..for now. He had things to do.

He sat up and scratched his face a bit and flicked his ears about and got out his bed and started his morning ritual. He put on at least a shirt and made some tea, he fished that toaster he bought from Riff, that laid-back jazzy borzoi, from his backpack and plugged it in and put some toast bread from the cupboard in that device. It was easy to follow instruction how to turn it on and well how to toast the toast. At first, he reached for the butter in the fridge but then half-way changed his mind and reached for the strawberry jam, he bought it from one of the corner vendors that some local farmers on the outskirts sold off to that vendor, like a small crate of it, and once the toast popped from the top of the toaster he grabbed and spread it across the crusty top and took a bite of it. Rabbit chuckled; this was some preem gourmet stuff. “Sweet and crunchy, definitely a good start to the day.": he said to himself.

After the breakfast he started to think, he needed some form of plan but mainly he had to do some research. How does one even come contact with a celestial being? He decided to browse the web and found…nothing. Sure, there were general info about the ways people could have done it. Sacrificing beasts at stone altars, painting themselves in tattoos and going into deep meditations, standing out in a reef for days until the critters and vermin and such start to get used to your presence. There were a ton and none of them seemed suitable to what Johnny wanted to accomplish. He needed a narrower source of information, something more concrete, he leaned back in his chair and started to think again. Then he got an idea, he reached for his bag and started searching for his wallet. He found it and started to look through it, he was looking for a specific card.

Bingo, he found his library card. He got it a while back, to borrow some comic books and audio books and such. The though came through his mind that it would be better to look for something there that could help him in contacting the gods. Some kind of tome or a book on “Old Religion" as the scholars call it.

He dressed up, nothing fancy just something casual and headed out. He decided to go on foot since the library isn't that far, it was a refurbished Old Chateau which served back in the days as a hunting hut but now it serves as a Local Mayor Office of the district and as a Library. Nothing really happened on John´s way there, just general waiting for the green light to cross the crossing, that type of thing.

Once he entered the Chateau he walked through a small yard and got into the elevator, punched in the floor where the library was at and just stared at the small display that showed the number of the floor. First, Second, Third…that was his stop. Rabbit stepped out into the hallway and made his way to an old rustic wooden door. He grabbed the door handle, still medieval looking to match with the door, pressed it downward and pushed. And there it was, The Library. He spent a lot of time here, reading mostly fantasy and comic books. Anyway, he walked to the desk, a stork in a waist coat with a striped undershirt wearing half-moon glasses with string of beads attached to them resting around his neck.

Johnny asked him: “Excuse me, do you have any books documenting the “Old Religion". Stork lifted his head away from the computer and gave Johnny a weird look: “Uhh, yes, I am sure we have some. Just give me a second here." He sounded monotone and focused, stork turned back to the computer screen and said: “In the meantime go and browse, I will call you back here when I find some. Oh, almost forgot. Your library card, please."

Johnny reached into his coat that he put on and pulled out his wallet and then his library card and handed it to the stork then the stork waved him away and rabbit went to browse if they had anything new. He went to the comic book section and ran his finger over the backs of some, looking for something that would catch his eye. And caught his eye indeed, a comic that he read at one point and was very fond off. But that was like few years ago. He pulled the comic out of the shelf to examine it and to reminiscent about it.

The name of the comic was “Story of Sisterhood" it was about this fennec named Freya who was chased from her village due to her unstable magic. She finds herself in one cold night at a doorstep of a temple known as Temple of the Sisterhood of Shades where a pale dragoness named Aria takes her in and teaches her how to get that magic under control and go unto adventures with her future wife a tribal ferret named Anne. While the premise was sound Johnny stopped reading it because it became…personal. He stopped reading after one particular issue.

That one issue of the that comic that “touched" him. It was a one-off type of issue that could be categorized as “filler" nothing much happened in it, but it introduced a new character. A wanderer by the name of Andrew. He was hired by Aria, the silver scaled dragon Head Priestess of the Temple and hired as a healer, but he kept putting everyone on edge in the temple, because he was only male there and…that he looked all…wrong.

He was way too tall for a rabbit, almost tall as Aria, then he just looked just…off. Eyes of a killer, eerie dark fur and the way…he spoke. With this monotone voice that smelled of distain and just weird intent. So, he was hired for his healing skills, cooking and just became generally a groundskeeper of the temple. But due to his presence one stoat girl named Rox got into a fight with him, the whole temple gathered to see it. Everyone expected this to be a one-sided fight in favour of Roxane here since she was the teacher of combat and could be considered a right-hand of Aria but…Andrew overpowered her.

He managed to somehow outflank her and paralyze her waist down and dislocate her arm, defeating her. Then show and prove his healing skills he healed her and helped to recover and…so on and so on. But to make it short, it was the later part in the story that…gave Johnny something like a “panic attack". He just threw the book across the room and just started to rock back and forth in a foetal position, breathing heavily.

He of course discussed this with one of the therapists, but nothing really came out of that session. So that very Comic Issue that gave him that episode he held in his paws, he turned it around and just flipped and skimmed through few of pages. It didn't affect him now; it was just a memory that he got over…in a way at least. “It's just a piece of fiction, nothing more." he mumbled to himself. The crane at the desk called him over, the rabbit got his library card back and crane turned over the computer monitor towards so he could see the options.

There were few books the crane has found; one was a biography of a well-known pagan priest. Second a history recollection of pagan cults throughout the kingdom. But the third sounded like the one he was looking for, titled: “History of Cult of Gaiga of Lenbrough Province". He decided that he will take that one and asked the crane where he could find it. The crane told the rabbit that he will find it, in the back of the library in the “Miscellaneous History" section. Figures, then again, such book would only appear there. Not a book about major history or any that would fit in any other category. Perfect place for it.

Johnny made his way to the shelf that had the said novel, it was slot in the shelf with a mark saying: “#". It was used to mark books with way many authors, like collections of stories and such. Rabbit slid his fingers across the line of books until he found the one he was searching for. And there it was, he picked it up and examined it. It was old but not ancient, it sported some wear and tear and he could see the pages were more yellowish. A sign of old age in books. He opened it, just to skim it a bit before borrowing it. First few pages listed the authors of the book. Journalists, writers, eye-witnesses, diary entries and of course the one who compiled it all. It is written that his name was: “James Mosstone". Fitting name for someone who would be interested in a Nature Cult.

Rabbit started to make his way towards the librarian's desk, in the meantime he turned his gaze back into reading the snippet of the book: “Gaia, The Goddess of Nature while being one of the many titles she bares, is one of the oldest deities for in the earliest historical records it says of tribes worshipping a god or a goddess through pagan means. Be it through sacrificing the hunted beasts or leaving gifts upon the pedestals and the feet of their statues or idols. There are also records or their high-ranking religious figures such as priests and shamans being able to enter a “deep meditative state" which allowed them to speak to the deity directly and enter their “realm." This stood out to Johnny, he decided to roll it about in his head. Generally, thinking about it while his nose still buried in the book. But before he could finish the thought, WHAM! he bumped into someone.

Rabbit fell flat on his back, he then sat up to look at the one he bumped into. But then he froze, what he saw was a tall female alligator. She looked old, almost ancient. The cracks on her scales and unpeeled skin decorated her body, she was wearing a dark cult garb dotted with star formations and signs. “Are you okay, little one?" she said, her voice matched her appearance. But what froze him was that she looked...familiar somehow. He felt like she is missing a white coat and long dark braided hair with golden rings, also looking a lot younger.

“He will be fine." a soft voice spoke breaking the rabbit out of his trance, from behind the lady emerged a black furred feline. He was younger than Johnny and had an aura of mischief, he was dressed in same garb like the alligator. “I am sure none of us got hurt, right?" the feline asked. “I am fine, thanks." Replied Johnny. The black furred feline helped the rabbit back on his feet. Rabbit thanked him and the cat said that it was no problem. “Who are you two, anyway?"

“Oh, two us? We are from a small local order here to pick up some tomes. I take it you are here to pick up some literature as well?" John looked down at the book he was carrying: “Yeah, something like that. It´s more of research."

But then…he felt a sense of unease, like shiver down his spine and the hair on the back of his neck stood up. He felt a soft popping sound in his ears for a second. Rabbit shook his head awake and clutched his head as if he had a headache.

“Are you okay, sir?" asked feline. “You look a bit pale in the eyes, young one.": asked the alligator lady. “Yeah, I am fine." Johnny started to stare into nothing, he was thinking that alligator lady, he either started to imagine a sound or hallucinating a clicking of heels. Suddenly felt someone pulling on tail of his coat, it was that cat. “Are you okay?" he asked. Rabbit calmy nodded at the cat: “Yeah, I am fine it´s just…" The cat offered help: “Do you want me to get some water?" “Nah," said the rabbit: “I have been lately a bit sick or something. Head dizziness and such. It´s a long story. What´s your name son?"

The black furred feline introduced himself: “Oh, my name is Ellias Canus. I am here to escort high priestess of my cult to return and pick up some old dusty tomes." Then Johnny introduced himself: “Name´s Johnny Temple I am a courier, I am here to-" he paused for a second, looking for right words and chuckled: “I guess to seek a divine help?" Ellias´s eyes slid on the tome the rabbit was holding then back at the rabbit. “I see. When was the last time you took a walk in the nature?" Johnny looked at the cat all puzzled and then shrugged. “Hmm, okay. “: said Ellias: “I am asking because I believe you spend too long in the city, its not good for the mind. The nearby local forest has some great hiking trails. It´s generally good for your health or maybe you just need a break from all the concrete." Johnny nodded and thanked Ellias for the advice. Johnny waved goodbye to the cat and the cat went back to the priestess.

Ellias was right, sure walks there and there were good for Johnny but they never really scratched that itch that he needed. Yes, a good hike in the woods will do him good. Fresh air will do good for the body in general after all and it's been a while since he saw genuine untamed greenness outside the city. Such thoughts came to Johnny as he placed the tome on the librarian´s desk. The stork simply labelled it booked on his computer and the rabbit went home. On his way to his apartment, he tried to understand why he felt so…off when he stumbled into the alligator. He never had any problems with reptilian folk except the crocodiles and gator for some reason, he tried to look back into his past if there was a core reason on why he felt like that but…nothing. He figured nothing, maybe it's the pills, some kind of withdrawn effect maybe? “Oh well, nothing to worry about probably. Maybe I am just hungry." He thought to himself.

Johnny went home and made himself a lunch. It was one of those type of lunches what he described as: “Whatever the household gave." Or in this case The Apartment. After the said lunch he booted up his old laptop, he bought it from Riff for a great price, and opened the Tome and started to cross reference several things from it and what he found on the net. His first step was to get a general knowledge of this “Old Religion", what it is and what are its beliefs.

The Cult of Gaia consists of druids, green thumbs and general nature lovers such as zoologists and scholars of flora and fauna. In other words, a religious order comprised of members who have interest of nature. The “Old Religion" part of it is that they practice their religion mostly out in the green, among forests, meadows and fields alike. Unlike the more “modernized" religions, due to reforms of their own, like practicing their religion in temples and indoors for example.

It´s beliefs are is that of respecting nature for it can lash out against the ones who want to harm it, reincarnation and similar general beliefs and, this is what Johnny was looking for, guidance for the lost and sick. With her help he could finally find something about those nightmares. But the cult was also worshiping beings called as “The Fae Folk", creatures of the Fairy Realm of sort. Johnny made some notes about them, he felt these could be useful. But now as flipped through the pages of the tomes he was looking for the location of the worship of Gaia, according to the writings it is said that the strongest connection to her would be in the very place where it all officially began. Sure, the tome says that in the Times of Tribes there were several smaller groups who started worshiping her but the text claims that it started at stone temple deep withing the local woods, covered by moss and vines by now. Johnny made a note of that, thankfully the tome had an illustration of a map to that place.

After flipping and skimming through the tome few times he decided to call it quits and plan it out, it was already a night out and decided to hit the sack, as Johnny was getting to go to bed, he started to plan out the next day. Quickly going to the shops and getting all the necessary supplies for the hike plus few miscellaneous things.

Morning was here, again no nightmares. Lucky again. During the breakfast rabbit was looking in his closet for a rucksack, he bought from Riff, the borzoi was just giving it away. Now he went out for a shopping trip but then he remembered something, something that he should discuss with his neighbour Trevor. Before going shopping Johnny decided to pay him a visit. The hyena was home thankfully and both of them decided to have a chat.

“So, you are actually planning to go there?" asked Trevor, Johnny nodded. Rabbit felt this would be a good decision over all, but he also felt that it will be a point of no return. Once he would find out why he has those nightmares he would find…something else. He wasn't sure what but still, he sensed that there was always a part missing. “Listen", said Johnny “you mentioned that you and your boyfriend needed a place of your own to live, right? You said that you currently with this guy, right?" Trevor nodded. “Okay" continued rabbit “if I were to need to move like let's say out of Capital or somewhere, would it be okay if I handed over you the keys? I will inform the admin of the building and all that."

Trevor smiled and cackled like a true hyena: “Thanks buddy, but are you sure? Shouldn't we cross that bridge once we get there? I mean, you still have some time, right?" “Yeah, I do, but just in case I wanted to let you know." Answered Johnny. Then they chatted for a bit and then Johnny bid Trevor farewell. After a quick shopping trip, he used his laptop to look for a train or trains that would take him outside of The Capital and closest to the location of the temple.

Rabbit found one now it was time to pack, everything fit well into the rucksack with no problem and only thing that Johnny had to do is to improvise bit with the clothes. He found in a closet some heavy boots that he mainly wore during winter but also sometimes during more rougher weathers and then he chose a simple coat, the weather channel said it would be somewhat sunny with cloudy weather. So, all good. Johnny then started to pack his rucksack, basic stuff for a hike. Food, water and etcetera but then he started pack the more obscure stuff, things that were mentioned in the tome alongside the tome itself and the notebook in one of the side bags. Johnny didn't consider himself a sceptic, the tome had actual legitimate sources cited and to mention there was no way you could throw out the possibility of existence of the fae folk. He felt he should have some kind of rosary on him in case to ward them off, problem was he had nothing of the sort. Only luck could be useful, but he was prepared and decided to place his trust on the texts in the tome instead.

The train station where the said that would take him to the countryside near the woods wasn't that far, close enough of the walking distance. Leo Empire saw this way of transportation as the future of it, once the steam powered machinery came to be and with it The Crown saw it as a great investment and well here it was. Once the steam became more of an old novelty, then came diesel and finally electric trains. The train that came, and Johnny boarded, was a simple town to town variety. Outside the walls of Lenbrough there were series of Cities and Town connected with lesser railways intended for communing and for such purpose such trains were manufactured. Johnny sat down at his seat and patiently waited, but he started to sense something.

His scalp started to feel weird and the hair on back of his neck started to stand up, his whiskers started to feel a different pressure. Something was going to happen.

The train entered the tunnel and all came black for a bit, but then as the light automatically turned on, they were…dark blue instead of yellowish colour. Every other passenger that was there disappeared and the smell was…wet and fish like. Johnny felt unsettling presence of something…or rather someone. He peaked into hallway out of his compartment, he looked to his right and saw nothing but to his right…someone was standing all way to the end of the cart. It looked like a marine-animal, shark? Orca maybe? It was a weird sight; it was rare to see marine life so far from the oceanic shores and the get up it wore made this whole deal even more…unnerving. They were wearing some kind of cloak coat combo but what caught Johnny´s eye was the odd sigil or a symbol on the back of its clothes. It felt familiar, like he saw it before. Then figure in question slowly turned around, revealing its visage. The only thing the rabbit could see was their pale teeth, but then a flash of bright light washed over the rabbit and he shut his eyes. The train emerged from the tunnel.

Everything was back to normal, no eerie dark blue light or…any sign of the figure that was there. Johnny remembered that it was the same fish like smell in the middle of the and noticing almost a figure like shape in the corner of his vision. He wondered: “Is it the same person?" Now he really wished he had on him some ward or something.

Johnny´s train stopped at the station and head out, he checked his crudely drawn map he made and started to look for the correct hike trail, the temple was close to the hiking trail Green Line and it wasn't that far from the train stop. As he was hiking through the forest, he started to relax a little. Rabbit enjoyed the rustle of the leaves and creaking of the trees in the gentle wind and the gentle chipper of the winged beasts that flew above him, he finally felt oddly…safe and at peace. Plus, he felt clear headed and decided that the moment of bliss has passed and started to focus on the task, he moved forward deeper into the forest.

Once he found himself at the corner of the Green Line trail, he checked the map for directions and stepped off the trail, the tome mentioned a certain type of tree that looked…mangled and possibly shaped by un-natural means. It mentioned also that it served as a guide post of sort and the “signage" of it was described in the tome. Every specially mangled or shaped branch a direction for a location in the forest, Johnny checked the tome for the right branch to follow and found it but before he headed in the direction the tree was pointing, he had to do one thing.

He pulled out of his rucksack a stick of butter and started to smear it on the tree. While odd, it was actually a message and food for the guardian spirits. The tome had several pages on the fae folk, spirits and fay-like. One of the was the Branch Sentry, a golem spirit which roamed the area and it knew how to blend in with its surrounding and generate no sound at all. One could simply stare into the nothingness of the forest and not be aware that you are gazing right at it, in fact it almost like a suit of armour that the fay wore to protect its realm or area from intruders, but it was enchanted someway for one of the pages in the tome is a witness testimony of a ring keeper who was making rounds and in blink of an eye he suddenly found himself in a meadow where he started making the said rounds, like if he was just suddenly transported. And the reason why rabbit used a stick of butter it was a nutrient that they craved, in the past the locals would leave a buckets and bowls of their harvest to appease the spirits and the next day the offerings would be gone, it was theorized in the tome that these Sentries use the fat to lubricate the joints on these armours or as a snack.

Anyway, the “message" in question that Johnny drew was a symbol. It meant “friend" or an “ally". It was simply to let them know that he means no harm and simply wants to pass through and forward he went. Once he went deeper in the woods rabbit started to notice how more overgrown it was, there thick ivy vines and stones covered in several layers of moss and very large trees. “They must have circles almost reaching triple digits" he thought to himself: “they must be beyond ancient". He then took notice of some standing stones and undereatn the moss he noticed crude carvings on some of the stones, he saw them in the book and decided to cross reference them. They were an old alphabet, it seemed that this area was once a tribal village, way before the first stones that were laid that would later become Lenbrough.

Carvings in the stones were markers for locations and guideposts, pointing for example food silos and warrior´s hall. He was looking for one that said “Temple" and eventually found it and went in that direction. Rabbit encountered several collapsed stone structures covered in vines and moss, buildings of the pagan village, he felt he must be close and just a bit forward there it was, The Temple of Gaia still standing. At least to some degree, part of it was in weathered condition. Bunny quickly checked the black and white photo that was in the tome to make sure that it was THE temple and it was, it had the symbol and everything. In the photo also was a gathering of the cult members in their traditional robes and few more photos of other in suits with cape mantles bearing pagan symbols.

Johnny made his way to the massive doorway to it but he entered he was looking for a stone bowl, reason being that the tome mentioned that there are “critters" around temple that were somewhat of the guardians. The tome made mentions of appeasing them just in case, so they would leave the visitors alone. They were nicknamed “gnomes" for their pointy hats, made of leaf and small tree bark, the creatures in question are a size of tin can. The tome had some “photographs" and sketches of them. The photographs in question were very blurry due to them moving so quickly, the way they managed to capture them on film is that they used sort of a “trap camera" the results were of varying quality from somewhat okay to just a blurry mess, not to mention when using flash photography on them the reflection of the flash in their every made them look creepy. With their large beards and reflective dotlike eyes.

Johnny found the bowl it was marked with some odd writings, gnomish text maybe? He took out a cluster of grapes from his rucksack and put them in the bowl. Then as the text tome said, rabbit set it on the ground and turned around, facing backwards away from the bowl, and took few steps away from it. He then felt an odd pressure thanks to his whiskers and then he heard a woosh, like that of a wind or a strong draft, and then a sound of the bowl being tipped over. Bunny turned around and found the bowl tipped over and completely empty, no seeds or anything. Johnny had several ideas on what happened, it could be that the gnomes used some kind of sense dulling magic to make such a quick manoeuvre or maybe it was something that they could do naturally. He then entered the temple itself and saw how the time wasn't kind to it.

A good quarter of it was partly collapsed in and there was moss and ivy that must have been growing here for some time, he had no idea how. Probably centuries. Bunny then noticed drawings on the walls, at first, he expected it be some hooligan graffiti but no. It was actually describing rituals and history of the village. Series of pictograms and symbols laid on the walls, depicting gathering and the first founding of the Temple of Gaia. With a central figure being a tall buck with head piece similar to that of flower crown, with leaved and pine branches while wearing a green robe. “Wait, so is it her or him?" Johnny thought, at least he knew now how the god would look like if whoever they are would appear to him. The rest of the drawings on the wall continued until the village mass migrated and left it. Rabbit was now looking for the one that depicted a ritual that would allow him to get into contact with her, there was one for a great harvest, followed by a blessing of health and finally the one he was looking for.

Rabbit opened the tome, cross-referencing it with the pictograms and symbols on the wall, the ritual was called: “Rite of a Call". Tome referred to it as “Rite of a Celestial Call" and described it a “meditative" and “offering" oriented rite. Johnny started to follow the instructions laid in the book, he started first looking for some form of an altar. He stepped over some rubble, looking to the centre of the end of the temple. “There." He thought to himself and went forward. What he saw was a stone table with deep runic carvings and there in centre was Gaia´s symbol and behind the table was larger version of it carved from wood but now it was rotten and collapsed, few ropes were hanging of it. It was once suspended in the air but as the temple was more overgrown and the humidity set in it fell apart.

Johnny, as written in the tome, placed several fruits as offering from his backpack on the runic symbols then in the carvings he stuffed them with some minor herbs he bought. The tome claimed that these carvings were “magical" and that the herbs within them would catch of “fire". He checked in the tome what he would have to do is to “meditate". As he read the text he scratched his head a bit. “Okay, this is interesting." He thought to himself. He found a good spot in front of the altar and carved a symbol illustrated in the tome, he set his rucksack next to the spot and suddenly the herbs caught fire. The fire for a second burned bright red but then it changed in bright green, Johnny was a bit curious and decided to stick a finger into the fire. At first, he just did some light poking and then he held it there for solid few seconds…. nothing.

His fur didn't caught fire or felt any pain or any signs of burns. “Does this mean something? Am I pure? Deserving of her presence?" he thought, he felt unsure. Is it really a good idea to contact her after all. He shook his head: “No, I came this far. It would be all for nothing. Can't hurt to ask at least." He sat down at the marked spot, cross-legged and closed his eyes and started to focus. The tome mentioned how to get into the “meditative" stave the “offering" part was done.

Bunny started to heighten his senses on the sounds of a water drops hitting the stone floors, rustling of ivy leaves the creak of tall trees outside the temple, the buzz of insects and chirping of the winged beasts and the very soil underneath him how it ever so rarely shifted and breathe. He felt an odd fading sensation of his entire body as it became gradually “limp". First his toes, legs and his waist and then his entire arms and his lop ears and then finally his whiskers felt distant. The last thing he felt were how his fur on back the neck stood up and then CLICK.

He was awoken by an…unlocking door? Something felt wrong, Johnny felt a bit light-headed and sleepy. He stood and looked at his arms…they were translucent. In fact, he was entirely translucent. He looked below himself and saw…himself. Cross-legged and sitting on the floor. “Am I having some out of body experience? Am I a soul that separated it´s bond from the mortal body?" he though, and that very through echoed like whisper in a tunnel. But then he remembered the clicking sound. He looked around and noticed behind the altar an ornate door.

Johnny “walked" over to it, the motion of walking and movement as a whole felt weird. Like he didn't feel any solid surface underneath him to walk or lean his weight into, it just felt…like underwater minus the water. The door itself was old looking, like some inner door of a chateau, with an ornate iron handle and fancy carving in the frame and in the door itself. Rabbit took a deep breath and laid his paw upon the door handle and pressed it downward, and pushed it inward. It led…into the void. He saw nothing but pitch black, hesitant he stepped into the blackness and then with loud bang the door shut itself.

He was now in a complete pitch blackness, but everything felt “solid". Johnny felt the solid floor below him and the feel of weightlessness was gone. There was a sound of a light switch being flicked and suddenly a bright light has blinded him, rabbit was now in a room. There were shelfs with books and flower pots with decorative greenery, and there was just a solid of earthy brown and green tones all over the room. One way to describe it would be “Nature" themed and yet with a modern edge, a round coffee table carved from wood and two green armchairs were next to it and on the right of them was a large sofa and few pillows both of them had nature-based broidery designs like of fern or leaves.

Rabbit then noticed on the end of a room a large desk with a large comfy office chair with wheels and someone with horns was sitting on it with its back turned to him. “Gabh suidheachan.": a gentle almost motherly voice spoke. “Excuse me?" he relied. There was a moment of silence before the voice spoke again: “I see. Have a seat, please."

Johnny was at first startled by this conversation, but then it felt welcoming. Such words were said before to him at many therapist sessions, “I guess I have nothing to fear then.": he determined and so he sat down in the armchair across the speaker. “So," the voice spoke again “may I know your name?" “It´s Johnny Temple.": he answered. “I see.": the voice said.

Then the armchair spun and who was sitting in it was a tall doe bearing buck antlers. She was wearing teal jeans and a grass green sweater plus glasses and a decorative necklace made of squares with pagan symbols on them; her hair was done in an over shoulder ponytail. “Johnny Temple, then." She said and then stood up and took a seat in the armchair across Johnny. Rabbit had questions, many questions. “If may I ask about…" started Johnny but then was cut off by the doe: “Yes, my name is Gaia. I am the Goddess of Life and no I am not a “fake".

“Okay," said the rabbit: “I just wondered about the whole..." he then pointed all over the room in an inquisitive manner. “Oh, the design being in contrast to pagan style of the temple? Were you expecting wooden carved idols about and large pieces of fabric with symbology of Old Religion? “: asked Gaia with a smile. Bunny nodded to the both questions then the goddess continue: “Simply put, I feel that a more modern look would be more suited with your ill. I take it your problem stims from a mental wellbeing but also a “loss in direction" of your life or even questioning it. So, I felt this look would work. And with that lets note your reaction to such change, like in a psychotherapist visits you attended. Okay?"

“Sure," said Johnny: “let's start. But…" “Yes?" asked Gaia. “Where ARE we? Some place?" asked the rabbit. “Well," Gaia started to explain: “we are currently in my realm. As in the realm of Gaia. Each god has its own and this" she spread her arms showing the room" is mine and if you are wondering what is outside, it is lush meadows and forests with cottage there and there for myself. A realm of my own making." Johnny nodded at that, sounded simple really to him. Each god having its own realm to build and form according to its needs and wants. “May I have another question?" asked Johnny. “Of course." she replied.

Johnny started: “So, if you are a doe…" he wanted to word it nicely but, couldn't find the right words so decided to lightly point upwards towards his own head. The doe looked upward and smiled: “Ah yes, I understand the question. Would you like a short explanation?" Rabbit nodded. “Very well, when the first tribes started to form many perceived me in my sightings as a buck but as the Times of Tribes moved forward, they started to perceive me as a doe so I decided to accept this new form that my worshippers saw me but I decided to keep the horns. Does that satisfy you curiosity, young one?" Bunny nodded again. “Splendid, but now, back to the session, shall we?" asked Gaia with a smile and then asked again: “What is it that bothers you?"

The session went on, few questions there and there answered and such but then came the main issue that Johnny came to solved. He explained them to her; it went on for a bit with back and forth. She wrote down several notes on her notepad and asked: “What is your main takeaway from these dreams? These dreams where you meet and converse with these folk? While you have written them down in your journal you write them in, what would be your conclusion for now to me?" Johnny went silent and looked down at his hand paws, he remembers them sometimes mainly bandaged with boxing tape in his dreams and that odd dream with the TV Head person recalling details of previous dreams and his conclusion was: “They are…not mine." This stunned the doe, she tapped her lips with her pen and also scratched one of her ears, it puzzled her.

She was now lost too, sure while explanation could be that someone is projecting their dreams to him but he has no background that would suggest him being something special like that. No mage, not a medium, just a blank. She started: “Hm, let's put a pin in that. Have you ever done the Ink Blot test?" “Yes," answered Johnny: “but they are all the same. I went to a good number of therapist and they are always the same images." Gaia then told him: “Theirs maybe, but these are my own." She handed him a singular card that was blank. “Turn it around." She told him and he did so. It was a magical card; each time he turned it around it had a different blot on it. He was surprised: “Fascinating." Gaia encouraged him to continue and he did, telling her what each blot looked like to him.

Nothing concrete though; it was all over the place. Each didn't have anything that jumped out for Gaia and so she was left clueless. “What does this one look to you?" she asked and he answered with: “Looks like a bed from a like…a bird´s eye view." “I see." And after a while she said: “Hm, I am nothing getting much here. I suppose one more wouldn´t hurt. Turn it around again." And she snapped her fingers. Johnny turned it around and then…"Ah!" he yelped and dropped the card on the coffee table and huddled himself in the armchair.

“Oh, was that too much?" asked the doe with concern: “I hope I didn't go too far." “No." said the rabbit, he was breathing heavily. “It just" he continued “I didn't expect to see you…I just wasn't expecting…that type of picture." The picture in question was…saucy. It was a illustration of Gaia in the nude, laying on top of a fur fabric in a green grove basking in a sunlight with two pieces of soft jade-coloured fabric covering her breasts and her lady bits. “It was merely a test you see, I just wanted to know how you would react.": explained Gaia. “Yeah, sorry.": said John “I should have just turned the card around and just calmly put it face down on the table. I didn't mean t-“ “That´s fine.": interrupted Gaia.

“It was meant to be a test." she continued. “You see I felt that…your mental health issues could be connected to your sexual health. Maybe you had something going that could be connected or provoke those “dreams". Such as not being to let go of a relationship or a messy break up that could trigger them. Was there something like that?" Johnny shrugged: "I dunno, there was one wolf girl I fell in love with but…things didn't work out."

Gaia got curious and asked: “Anything in particular?" Johnny answered: “I guess we weren't meant to be. She is a model, I am courier. Eh, just didn't work out." Gaia asked again: “Was it bad?" Johnny shook his head: “No, no bad blood between us. We went our separate ways mutually I suppose and that was it. Still remember her number, might call her and apologize for…whatever I might have done." “I see.": said Gaia and noted it down.

“Tell me Johnny," she asked: “are you by any means skittish to…nudity?" “Huh? No, not really." he answered. “Its just that-“ he stopped and glanced at Gaia. “Go on." she said. John sighed: “I suppose you could say I stopped having “urges", urges to hook up with girls and a need to do it. I don't know why, I am a rabbit after all and we have a tendency to seek mates so…again I don't know what caused this. I guess I just…weirdly matured. Does that classify as an answer, miss?" “Yes, it does." the doe said and made some notes.

Some time has passed in the meanwhile there were more questions from the Goddess and Johnny answered them the best he could in the end a conclusion was made: “Well, you gave me a lot to work with I came to a conclusion, I believe that some of my…other colleagues will help." She then started to move hands in a motion like she was casting a spell, she in the end conjured an envelope. “This is a letter to a shop keep who resides in an Arcane District, you have heard of it, no?" Johnny nodded, he went there couple times to do some courier work, usually some delivery of ingredients for potions and medicine. Gaia handed him the envelope and he put it in his coat he had on.

“Question if I may?" asked Johnny: “How do I get it out of here? The envelope I mean. Aren't I some kind of non-physical soul projection?" Gaia started to explain: “Well, to be exact you are physically here, and if I were to give you a physical item here you will have it once you awake from the mediative state, I did this with several of my champions before. Granting them an item to aid them in their quest." Johnny said: “I see…what time is it?" Gaia pulled out of the pocket of her jeans a pocket watch and said: “About five past mid-day."

“Oh," said bunny: “I better get going. In few hours trains are not gonna go an I-“ “You may leave.": said Gaia and added: “Once you find the shop that will help you tell them that I sent you. They will know." “Thanks.": said Johnny, he got up from the armchair and before he opened the door to leave, he asked Gaia: “How did you…get that picture?"

“Oh, the one with the jade-fabric?": she asked with a smile. “Well, I commissioned a painter. I myself was the model." “I got that,": said Johnny: “but why?" Gaia explained: “To put it simply I lost a bet. One god dared me, I lost and this was it." “Huh," said Johnny: “they must be…quite odd." “Oh, believe me they are quite odd in their own way": said Gaia: “now off you go. Don't wanna see you freeze now do I?" They both waved each other goodbye and parted ways. Rabbit stepped through the door into the void then he woke up in his body. He felt a bit woozy, like his entire body fell asleep a bit itchy and like jelly too, he took a short rest and then go up. He rustled in his coat for the envelope, he just wanted to make sure, yep there it was. Johnny decided to examine it later. He quickly gathered his things and quickly took a peak outside, it was sundown. It was time to head home. He retraced his steps through the woods and back to the trains stop.

As he rode the train home, he remembered that odd orca figure, he peaked out of his compartment just to check. Nothing, he could really use some type of ward to keep him safe. Once he got home, he put away his things and went to bed, although before it he dreaded if he is gonna have one of those nightmares again, he dreaded it. They are not his own, he looked at the dream journal he had on the bed post and sighed. He went to bed and fell asleep.

He dreamed again, he felt how tall cold shadows enveloped him in a forest. Johnny wasn't himself again, he was someone else. This dream was nothing new, he knew this dream. Rabbit held in his paws a bag, soaked in red, with a foul stench and two pointy things protruding from it. Johnny was then in a presence of some hooded figure; he was some kind of ally. The robe made them completely, indescribable. No idea what species it was. “You got him?": asked the hooded figure, the voice itself was masculine and mature. Johnny presented the bag. “What a fool.": said the Hooded One. “I will never understand him,": he continued: “even this plan feels too complex to work. What is he trying to do?" Johnny shrugged, the hooded one bid his farewell and left. Rabbit felt like…whatever was in that bag obviously belonged to someone, but that someone was satisfied with parting with that item. Sure, bunny had in his mind a grim conclusion what it was, but didn't want to acknowledge it.

Johnny woke up, he forcibly closed his eyes and then gently opened them again, he had a slight headache. Maybe he overslept. Then took a glance at that dream journal and thought to himself: “If they are not mine, then of who? Who do they belong to?" Johnny sighed, he just hoped that whatever that envelope is that it will lead to some kind of closure. Johnny then got up and did his regular morning ritual, breakfast, shower and all the rest. When he got dressed up in casual clothing, he decided to look at the envelope, it was bit faded and rusty type of look. It had nothing written on it, the only thing he could go off was “The Arcane Street". “I guess it´s time for a little jaunt.": he thought to himself. He put on his jacket and took with him several necessities, phone, wallet and that was it and headed out.

He decided to take a walk through the park where he usually went, just to clear his head a bit from that nightmare. Rabbit decided to sit down at one of the benches, he needed to think for a bit. His eyes gazed at that bust statue of Hugo Skinner, rabbit started to think about his theory of The Fake. Bunny started to cross-reference the theory with his conclusion of his dreams. “If they are not mine, then of whom? Some fake out there?": he though and he felt overwhelmed by such idea. Not being real and never being, he sank his face into his paws. A wave of dread covered his senses. “Are you alright, boy?": an elderly voice spoke next to him.

Rabbit raised his head and looked to his side and saw an elderly fox. He had very grey hair and quite a long bear, wearing a black long coat with a grey under suit vest and holding a plain looking cane. The fox must have been at least over seventy years old, an elderly age.

“I, uh." Johnny tried to speak. The elderly fox asked: “Having a bad day, youngling?" Rabbit stuttered: “What? Uhm, no it just that…I am going through a bit of…identity thingy." The elderly fox leaned back in the bench and said: “Ah, I understand. I think I know what you are going through." Rabbit flicked his ears in confusion: “Do you?" Fox nodded: “Yes, point of no return I take it? A great life decision, right?" Rabbit told him that he was correct.

“Well, let me tell you a quick story then lad.": started fox. “When I was much younger at your age, I given a choice and that was taking this position in business. It at first started looking a bit shady but then after a week of the work and I was surprised that it paid off. It was a huge risk, but I am in a very good position. So, I say to you as a quite an ancient person to take that risk. It may be go wrong but, then you don't have to worry about “ifs". You know which ones I mean." Rabbit took that letter that Gaia gave him and turned it in his hands, he rolled over what the fox said, he wanted to know the roots of it all and decided. “Yeah, you are right mister. I am gonna take that risk." Then he turned his head towards him and told him: “Thanks for the advice." Fox smiled: “Don't mention it youngling." Bunny got up and started to make his way towards the district. “Good luck out there, Mister Tempe." Bunny stopped dead in his tracks and quickly turned towards the bench…the old timer was gone. Johnny was now in a bit of a distress. “Wait, where did he? How did he? Ugh…": he mouthed. Was he talking to a ghost? He eyed the envelope again and took a deep breath and decided to go into the district anyway, there is no way that he is gonna call it a day now.

The Arcane District, special for its own architecture of colourful glassed panned windows and tall towers where magi and wizards study and practice their magic and research, that Gaia mentioned was just half a long walk away, it was street where majority of magi moved in and practiced their magic safely. Yes, there indeed are colleges, schools and universities where they study magic and practice it too but here is where they can “sell" their magic with permits from the government as products and services, mostly amulets, herbs and trinkets. That sort of stuff. Johnny recalled that it was called Magic Bazaar before it became an official street. It faced a bit trouble during the The Purges though.

He found himself in the middle of it, but there was a catch. The envelope was left blank, no address or name of the clinic of shop to go off. As he was spinning it around someone bumped into him and ignored him. “Watched it, bud!": it said in a husky voice. Johnny wanted to call it out but was stunned by who it was and was walking away from him but was stunned for a second. It was a female shark in tore up jeans, top and pink flak jacket with stitched in letters saying: “Furies." Now this was a picture, Furies are a gang of mostly female members not exactly known for anything highly specific. They knew how to fight and had quite a common history as any other gang, but why was she here? These gangs are native to the Poor District he was healed by the doctors. She is far from home and not to mention a marine life. How odd. The rabbit stared a bit at the back of her flak jacket, his gazed captured by many small knick-knacks stitched on the flak jacket and combination of fear and bewilderment but as much he was captured by his concentration it was quickly interrupted by being bumped into an another being.

“Ah apologizes." An orange cat wearing a sleeveless blue trench coat, a black undershirt and stylish tight pants. He also had some piercings in his right brow and chain necklace with some kind of symbol and stylish glasses. There was something weird with his arms, they looked shiny. “Sorry kid, didn't see you there." The cat said again, he spoke calmly and with some sort of “zing" in his voice like some kind of greaser. “Yeah, um…could you help me?" asked Johnny, leaping at the opportunity to ask a local for help. “Yeah sure, kiddo. What´s the problem? Oh, you aren't a local, right? I can see that; you don't have that aura.": said the cat to Johnny.

Rabbit then proceeded to explain the cat that he got this envelope but its blank. “So, could you help me?": asked Johnny. The cat swiped the envelope from him. “Hey what's the big idea, dude!": yelled the bunny and back the feline turned its back to him and after spinning and examining the envelope he chuckled: “Heh, that´s quite an old trick." Then he snapped hit fingers and blue flame sparked from his finger tips burning the envelope.

“What are you doing!?" yelled rabbit in rage and gave a light push to the cat in the back, the cat lightly flinched. “Oh, sorry, friend" the cat turned towards Johnny: “I felt since you are not a magic user I though you would struggle too long and felt that I could at least help a stranger in need." He then handed the envelope back to the rabbit. It had now a completely different colour, it had more natural aged colour and with an address this time. Johnny was completely puzzled by this, some form of…magic? He looked at it and said: “How?" The cat started to explain: “Well it was enchanted by a masking spell, old trick all things considered dating all the way to the ancient times when secret mail was exchanged, usually between magi of those times. Quite basic really." Then he stopped for a moment to realize something: “Ah apologizes where my manners." Feline extended his paw-hand and said: “My name is Michael Amberspark the Second of the Amberspark bloodline family, and you?"

Johnny extended his own arm to shake his: “My name is" but then he stopped once he felt that Michael´s paw-hand felt…cold, he then continued: “John Temple, I am courier." “Ah," exclaimed the cat: “are you making a delivery?" “Something like that.": said the rabbit, then he asked: “By the way what´s with the arms, Michae-?" “Call me Mike."

“Oh yeah, sorry. Mike, tell me. What´s with the…odd arms?" Johnny asked. “Ah yes these," Mike started to explain: “to make the long story short I had a magic related accident. One chanting word wrong and well, both hands were too damaged so that was an amputation. But thanks to the connection of my family, I was able get a surgery for these two. Would you believe that my family is financing cybernetics like these so similar magi like me can keep on practicing magic?" He chuckled and continued to explain: “Bit weird, isn't it? Oh, also. Check this out!"

With a click of his hands, the covers of his cybernetic hands opened and revealed magic circles and inscription underneath them. “See? Pretty handy, AND they light up when I cast spells. No need for fancy hand movements or chalk on the ground." Then with the click of his hand the covers closed again. Johnny was in awe to see such weird synthesis of technology and magic, he read in a magazine that these things wouldn't go together but now…now he was proven wrong “That is amazing!": Johnny exclaimed. “I know.": said Mike.

“But about the envelope" said Mike: “who is it addressed to?" “Well," John started to read the envelope: “Anabelle Ashleaf and the address is-“ “I know them," Mike interrupted Johnny: “its oveeeer-“ he scanned the shops with his finger and then: “THERE!" He pointed to one of the more vintage looking shops, it had a fresh coat of paint and it read: “Ashleaf´s Herbs and Remedies."

“Well, I better get going, thanks for the help, Mike.": said Johnny. “No problem" replied Mike: “and by the way, if you ever find yourself by Amberspark Estate feel free to stop by for a glass of cherry. I do enjoy a nice chat with people like you. Au revoir." And then the cat walked off, disappearing into the crowds.

Johnny never met a Noble Wizard; he was expecting them to be snobbish and call him a “commoner" or something else. He recalled his meeting with Alexander Prismshire, that noble unicorn. Bunny came to a conclusion that he must have some kind of odd charisma with nobility or does he have that “look" of a noble. Does he look like some kind of low born noble? He let that thought be, a thing to dwell on later. Now he had to make a pick up.

The Herbs and Remedies shop had a rundown feel to it, in the window display he saw bunch of vintage metal boxes with illustrations of herbs in use of brewing tea and then bunches of herbs hanging in the display too. “Sells what is on the box." Rabbit thought to himself. He entered the store and he heard a low tone jingle of chimes above him, signalling his entrance. He expected the shop owner to show up soon, but no one came. Johnny started to imagine who would own shop such at this, he conjured in his own imagination a caring loving dog lady with a colourful poncho with feathers in her hair. He decided to browse the goods to just pass time, the shop itself felt like an antique. Vintage posters advertising tea herbs, charms and wards labelling the walls plus all sorts of nicknacks on shelves like roseries and small bottles filled with amethysts and azurites serving as decorations and more small things like that.

Eventually he made his way to the desk, still no one at it. He scanned the desk for a bell and found it. He pressed and waited for a response and then: “Will be there soon! Just give me a minute!" a voice came somewhere from the back of the shop. Then the shopkeeper showed up, it was a white furred borzoi.

“Greetings." she said, her voice was monotone and without emotion, it was bland but in a good way. Maybe there way a tone of annoyance but not enough to make a difference that Johnny noticed. She was dressed in darker white clothes consisting of a pinstriped black suit vest, there was a gold chain hooked to one of the buttons and leading into her vest pocket, probably a pocket watch, then there was underneath the vest a white undershirt with black lines. Also, she wore fancy pinstriped black pants and some fancy white shoes with black tips and on her face were half-moon glasses with beaded string. Johnny noticed an odd point where the glasses connect, it was a magnet point for them to be taken apart. Entire look gave of a witchy vibe to the borzoi.

“Are you Misses Ashleaf?" asked rabbit. The borzoi frowned slightly and said: “It says on the sign, doesn't it?" she gestured towards the door and continued: "And it is miss, how may I help you?" Johnny felt like he struck a nerve there on accident, he said: “I am sorry, I have gotten this envelope and it apparently is meant to contain a recipe for my problem." And he handed it over, Ashleaf swiped it and looked it over. He eyes at first looked surprised but then she returned to her neutral look and her eyes zipped from the envelope and back to the rabbit few times. “Where did you get this?" she asked.

Johnny then explained to her how he got the envelope through Gaia, Ashleaf tsked and then looked at the envelope with a frown and then she pressed it against her forehead in annoyance and murmured something. To Johnny it sounded something like :"…of course." She took a deep breath and sighed: “Do you know what are you getting into?" there was a hint of anger in what she said. Johnny shook his head, Ashleaf shrugged. “You don't look like a pagan. Are you one?" Again, Johnny shook his head. Ashleaf produced a mail opener from beneath the counter and started to cut open the envelope, it the meantime she said: “Forsake the gods and their weird antics, if my name isn't Anna Ashleaf of the Arcane Coven, I suspect they are up to no good, again." She sighed again: “Oh well, customer is a customer and orders are orders, what else did she wrote?" She scanned the letter as she did, her expression kept changing from confused to distain and anger and then her eyes shifted towards the rabbit. “I see.": she murmured with understanding.

Anna went into the back, looking for the “prescription". Johnny raised his eyebrows in confusion, not sure what to make of this entire debacle. “Does she get customers like this all the time?" he wondered. He gazed again at the goods that were on sale and remembered something. The rosary. “Better safe then sorry.": he thought to himself again.

The borzoi returned and put on the counter a small metal box, it had illustrations of someone with their arms raised in a white cloth and behind them was a larger figure with scales clothed in purple robes, both of them were standing in a field of some kind of purple grass and in the background was an ancient pantheon building and the in background there was a nightly sky light up by stars.

Ashleaf then produced from underneath a counter a paper bag, opened up the metal box and used a wooden ladle to put several scoops of the herbs from the metal box into the paper bag. “This here is a special form of a tea blend." She said: “It will help you sleep and get in contact with this “colleague" she mentioned." She rolled her eyes and shook her head a bit. “So how do I use it?" asked the bunny. Anabelle explained it to him that he is meant to brew tea with these herbs and then drink during the “Witching Hour" aka Midnight and that it will put him in a “higher" sense of sleep.

She then slid the bag toward the bunny. Johnny examined the bag a bit and then asked: “Do you sell by any chance some wards?" Freya gave him a weird look and then shrugged and started to look underneath the counter: “You haunted or something?" she asked.

“Kind of…" he asked. “Can you give me any details? Any particular things it does?" borzoi asked. John scratched his head and then explained to Freya that it seems to be like “stalking" him and produces a fish smell. Freya peeked from underneath the counter and just gave him a confused look, then she put a small chest on the counter and opened it and started to rummage in it. She was mumbling: “Not this, nah no this either." Until she produced a small ward on a thing string. “There." She said and handed it over to the rabbit. The ward in question was an engraved blue crystal with a small metal cap with a small circle that the string went through. “Should work with your…whatever that “thing" is." She said, Johnny than thanked her for the charm and paid for it. The “prescription" of herbs wasn't paid for what Freya then said is that it will be “paid by the temple". “Alright." Though Johnny.

Rabbit went home; on his way he wondered why it has to be so specific. “Is it a ritual?": he thought to himself. Witching Hour or commonly known as midnight was mostly time when witch like magic was the stronger, so maybe it would allow him to see the dreams more up close and in detail in this “higher sense of sleep". Maybe like from a different perspective? He wasn't sure, there was only one way to find out.

When he got home, he decided to inspect the tea itself, so he opened the paper bag and…he couldn't really make heads or tails of it. It was just a mixture of tea herbs and none of them jumped out at him. “Eh, let´s just wait and see." He thought. Bun decided to take a small whiff of the herbs; they smelled pleasant. Smelled like a blooming meadow of herbs.

So, he brewed the tea close to midnight, used the tea ball he had and when he poured the on the hot water on the said teaball, as the vapours started to drift from the cup, he decided to waff some. Smelled like the ones from the bag just fresher. He decided to think for second before committing the “ritual".

And again, he felt he is getting to a point of no return, just what is he chasing. He knew that the nightmares were connected to something about his past but again all he could recall were his memories in the orphanage, he couldn't recall his parents. He looked at the teacup and a clock he had on the wall and thought: “Okay, I don't know what to expect but…I need to know." He grabbed the cup, blew on it to cool it down a bit and took a small sip and once he got accustomed to the temperature he drank the whole thing. He already started to feel a bit woozy after the cup and decided to lay on the sofa and drift away into the dreamland. Hoping that this will be at least a bearable experience he closed his eye and fell asleep.

Rabbit felt some kind of fresh feeling on the entire back of his body and heard rustling of grass. He opened his eyes and stood up and scanned the field around him. He was standing in a what felt like an endless field of black tall grass, there were no trees in sight. Then he recognized how he felt, he felt again light. He realized that he is in the same state when he “detached" himself in Gaia´s temple plus the wind itself in this realm felt weirdly off. Not cold or rash, just eerily calm.

He decided to look around again, there were no markers or signposts to lead him, no road either. Only the dark sky above him light up by stars. “Which way do I go?" he wondered and he picked a random direction and went off, but then he heard something…or rather someone.

He jumped and started to twitch his rabbit ears looking for the source, it was a giggle. Johnny was startled; it sounded innocent but…this felt like a start of a horror movie. And then whatever it was giggled again and rabbit started to franticly look around and saw in a distance…a red ribbon? Before he cautiously approached it, whatever it was that was wearing the ribbon sporadically moved and continued to giggle and then it poked it´s head out. It was a white furred feline looking creature with pink eyes and toothy mischievous grin. Johnny realized that it must be native to this realm and that it must know what this realm is. “Hey! Who are you!?" yelled Johnny. The creature giggled again and ran off. John went in pursued it while just yelling at it, but then he tripped. “Ow!" yelled rabbit.

Lightly bruised he stood up looking for that…thing. Now he felt like a protagonist of some old fairy tale following some fae down a hole in the ground, the question is would it lead him to an odd colourful fairy realm? Instead, what he saw when the stoop was a “square temple" straight out of ancient times and it was surrounded by violet grass. No walls, only pillars and the roof and in the middle was a metallic fire bowl with the fire inside it. He entered it the said temple, still with his senses sharp in case that white feline would show up.

The inside of the temple had no markings, nothing was here but the fire pit. Rabbit decided to warm himself by the fire for a bit, even though it wasn't chilly. But then he suddenly he felt an odd pressure in his ears that came and went…he sensed someone. He briskly turned around and saw a tall figure wearing a decorated purple cloak at the edge of temple, entering it. It said: “Salvete puer." The voiced sounded somewhat mature and feminine but mainly somewhat familiar to Johnny, he heard it before. It continued: “Auxilium quaeras?" Rabbit replied with: “I don't understand."

The cloaked figure cocked its head to the side and then smiled: “Apologiae meae. I assumed you would know the ancient tongue. Do you seek aid?" Johnny replied: “Yes, but who are you?" The figure decided to remove it´s hood, revealing to be a female alligator, rabbit immediately had a knew jerk response and stepped in a panic backward “Yikes!" making a contact with the edge of the metallic firepit behind him. He was scared. “Do not be afraid, child. I mean no harm.": said the alligator. Rabbit took few deep breaths to calm down: “Okay…I am fine…I am sorry."

“It´s all good." She started to approach the rabbit: “I understand that being suddenly in a presence in a tall lizard can be distressing to your kind." “Yes, I understand but…you look familiar. Do I know you?": said the rabbit. The alligator chuckled a but and said: “Maybe you know me like this." She waved her arm in front of her face and she changed from a youth to elder. Rabbit now realized: “You are that Priestess from the Library." She smiled and nodded: “True, I sometimes tend to take on mortal forms and meddle among you. Just to ne in touch with my followers. Now you probably have even more questions on who I exactly am, no?"

John nodded and then the lizard started: “My name is Somna, mainly Goddess of Dreams and Star but also of many minor things and this": she gestured with open arms “is my realm of eternal night and dreaming state and you I take it entered this realm through ingesting the sacred mix, right?" Johnny assumed that she way referring to the tea mix he got from Ashleaf and said yes. “Ashleaf you say," Somna was perplexed, she suspected something: “who prescribed you the Midnight Blend?" Johnny then explained to her that it was Gaia who gave him the enchanted letter.

“Ah yes Gaia," Somna said: “me and her go way back. One could say we are the original founds of the Pagan Ways, either way, what is exactly that ill you then? If it is not something that Gaia can´t help with her miracles then what is it?" Rabbit took a deep breath and explained himself: “I have these…nightmares but feel more like memories. Like memories that I never had, of battles and great and some horrid deeds but…I believe that they are not mine but someone else's."

Somna cocked her head in interest, this a new case for her. Haven't heard anything like this before. “Fascinating, that is quite a unique case.": she said. “Hmmm, I might need a closer look." Johnny bunny ears perked up: “What do you mean?" The alligator reached into her clock to produce a staff, it was decorated with carvings and looked like it was made of two twigs tangled together like a braid, it was decorated on the top with a flawed violet gem. She said: “This staff was crafted and gifted to a talented artisan which I later on enchanted to have deeper look into dreams and I plan to use it on you."

Johnny had a question: “But don't I have to be asleep in order to dream?" Somna gently shook head: “Not all who can enter a dream must be asleep; some can simply drift off into their mind. Some call it day dreaming after all. Now," she touched the gem with her nails drawing a small ball of violet light into her palm of her claw and hovering it at the rabbit's head level “I must warn you that this is what I am about to do might be very uncomfortable experience. Know what you have seen in those dream memories were as you described as “horrid" will be seen and felt like they were real and with a great luck we may even uncover some that were forgotten in an instant or even rejected by your brain. Are you ready to proceed?"

Rabbit stared at the ball of light; he contemplated for a minute. He was going to see all of the dreams but only see, he is gonna feel them. Every cut, every emotion…everything. But then he would see some of them that he either instantly forgot and his mind rejected. He made a choice, with determination he glanced at Somna, he nodded: “I am ready." Rabbit closed his eyes and felt how the sphere. His knees hit the ground and he drifted away into his dreams.

Everything what he felt like he was stuck in a hurricane, it was like if a video tape was fast forwarded into ludicrous speed. Every impact felt like a swarm of sharp gravel hit him until it felt like pure white world of pain and hurt and emotions were changing from rage, sadness, joy etcetera at speed of a broken metronome. It all started to blend all together into a big muck of nightmare black, but suddenly it slowed into pieces that felt…off and yet similar…like that night he spent at the couch of Prismshire.

He was sitting down felt cold and pain around his wrists and ankles, a light blinded him. “He is no use of to us now…" he heard a voice; it was hard to decipher who was talking. He could only make out three figures. Some brawny figure in a military get up. Tall slender one in a lab coat, he saw a glimpse of green scales and some high heels. And one about his height, girl without a doubt but she was dressed like some sort of punk…and levitating lightly above the air.

The brawn finished talking and then turned to the slender tall one, it said: “No use indeed, he is not like the others. Not to mention, too young." Then the punk chipped in: “I say we ditch him in the middle of nowhere, let the nature have him." But the brawn interrupted them: “No, I know what to do with him." Then there were flashes, again how he held that hare and both of them were crying. He recalled this nightmare, they were gonna take her away and turn her into something horrible.

That…bear, who helped escape. He was him and remembered how he helped him try to escape, what was his name again? Michael? Johnny ended up with a dart in him that put him to sleep. The last thing he remembered was the cold floors and concrete, cold…so cold.

Then he felt warm, he was clothed but he felt woozy. A car door was opened to him and he was led by a hand to some wooden building, he could only make out a…someone with horns, he suddenly felt very weak and collapsed on his knees. Johnny felt an odd circular pressure around his neck and wrists and started to gain back his consciousness.

Johnny then woke up from the trance, he felt like he was gonna hurl. “Oh gods…" Somna, gently grabbed him by the chin to have a better look at him, to make sure he is alright then she said: “That was, utterly bizarre what I saw. You don't strike me as anything capable what you can do in those dreams, you truly must have the dreams of another and those last ones…oh my. I couldn't make anything of them. Are you okay?" Johnny stood up: “Besides feeling like I am gonna evacuate my meal from my stomach, I am…hurt." Somna took him to the stairs of the temple to sit down and recover, after a while they started to talk.

Somna said: “I am afraid that what I have seen won't be any of use to me, it is too much to go through." Rabbit hanged his ears in despair. “However," she said “there might be another way to get a closer look at the last ones." Johnny then perked his head and ears and looked at her: “Yeah?" he said. “Indeed," Somna said: “theres exists a technique that allows a closer look upon the dreams, I know of a Dreamweaver who possess such ability."

“Are they available?" asked Johnny, Somna smiled and nodded and then stood up and move revealing a black furred feline petting a smaller white one, Johnny immediately recognized it as the one he followed. “Wait a minute…": Johnny said. “You are not mistaken." said the black furred cat: “This little creature is my familiar." he then gestured to the white creature to leave and it frolicked away. “I am Ellias, you recognize me from the library and yes I am a Dreamweaver." Johnny indeed recognized him; he was wearing a cloak similar to Somna´s.

Ellias approached the rabbit who then asked: “So what am I suppose to do?" Ellias answered: “Well first I need you to kneel so that we are at the same head level." Johnny did as he asked and kneeled, then cat gently held the rabbit´s head and examined it. “Okay," said Ellias: “this is going to feel different to what my mistress did, but still uncomfortable. Are you ready?" Rabbit nodded. “Very well," said Ellias: “boop." Cat booped Johnny´s nose and begun to weave.

An odd numb like sensation came over Johnny, like if he was injected with some instant anaesthetic. All he could feel was his own heartbeat and…like his brain or at least a “ghost" version of it outside of his skull. He felt how the feline glided his paws gently across it…examining it. “Look at that, so many memories. Let's see what we can find." : mumbled Ellias, to Johnny how it felt how was the feline prodding his brain felt like was stabbed by syringes and yet he felt no pain. No sting, nothing.

The feline started to mumble again: “Was let go from the orphanage at legal age, raised by the caretakers at the said orphanage and before that…" He stopped; he was focused on something: “What is this memory line? Why is it going crazy?" He poked it and immediately was shocked by it. “Ow!" he yelped. “That can't be right."

Feline now carefully followed the memory line and…it was all jumbled up. Something was indeed not right. “That's weird." Said Ellias and tilt his head slightly, he then cupped his chin with his hand paw and shook his head. “I am afraid I won't be able to help you much in here." he spoke.

The feline then did some kind of weird hand gesture and Johnny started to feel conscious again. Rabbit groaned, like if he just woke from a horrible sleep, and said: “Well that was…better. I have bad experience with these…things." “Oh," replied Ellias: “do you? When did this happen?" The alligator lady approached the two and asked the feline: “So my disciple, what have you learned?"

“Oh, yes of course.": Ellias scratched his own ears and concluded: “Well…this is something I haven't met before. It seems like his memories are like protected by something…magical. That magical something is “aggressively defensive" like it doesn't want US to know. John were you ever hexed?" Rabbit shook his head: “No, I don't recall."

“If anything, else it might be magical, I believe if you seek some medical professionals skilled in magic, they should be able to help you with that weird “magical block". So…I am sorry that I couldn't help enough.": said Ellias, Johnny sighed and drooped his shoulders.

Ellias then looked up to the Alligator and she gave him a nod and then the feline decided to scuttle outside the temple alongside with his familiar walking behind him. “Hmm," she started: “this is quite puzzling, I apologize for not being able to help you." Bunny shook his head: “What is going? Just what in the name of gods is wrong with me?" and covered his face with his hands in despair. “I understand.": she said and patted the rabbits back: “I am sorry too that we weren't able to help you. However, there might be a silver lining to this."

Johnny looked at the Alligator and said: “What do you mean?" She replied: “Well, as a Goddess of the Dreams I also am of Astral Plains, in other words Stars. I have an ability to read future from the stars and I have also taught this ability to my worshipers and before your arrival to my realm I have decided to do some light reading of the said stars for they told me about your arrival and your future." Rabbit´s ears perked up: “What did they say?"

Alligator scratched her chin and pointed her staff upwards: “They claim that my next visitor, you, of these celestial planes will find at first a dead end but then that something beautiful will happen to them. So" she lifted rabbit´s head with one of her large fingers and said: “chin up boy for there are still good times ahead of you. So, smile for me." Johnny tried to do his best smile, or atleast force it. “There ya go boy; an effort is always good."

“Well, thanks for the nice words. But how do I wake up now?" asked the rabbit. The Alligator replied: “Let me handle that." She put her claw on top of rabbit's scalp and then John felt a calming sensation he felt like he was slowly gaining some kind of feeling and then that soft pressure of her claw slowly faded and then he opened his eyes.

He was in his room, awake. Laying on the couch, he turned his head towards the wall to check the clock. It was 1 AM and yet he felt fully rested. “What the hell am I suppose to do now?" He thought to himself, it all led to a dead end and he had little of choices. I guess he could look for a cleric later, probably schedule an appointment later this week.

He laid there on the couch before sitting upward trying to come up with something to do. Play some video game? Not in the mood. Watch TV? Eh nothing good on it this late. After like ten minutes he decided to reach into his small library for a short comic book…but then he put it back in. He wasn't in the mood to read. In the end John decided to go into the bathroom to just look at that pill bottle that Stuart Pines prescribed him. He stood in front of his mirror and opened it and decided to fill the basin with water to later wash his face, he felt his fur on his face could use trim or a short wash or something. He just wanted to feel a bit fresh.

He weighted the large pill bottle in his hand, it was bigger than its hand and weighted almost like a rock due to its thick exterior. Rabbit read the side-effects on it again, all those bloody downsides. He popped it open just to look inside, there just your average thin plastic pills with one side being orange and the other blue. Nothing special. John imagined himself putting one underneath his tongue to avoid the repulsive taste and then drowning it in a glass of water. He set the bottle on the side of the basin and was getting ready for the wash.

But suddenly felt a weird popping sound in his ears and started to feel dizzy and a slight headache. He felt like almost he was gonna fall over and decided to grab the edges of the basin and lean into them to stabilize and then he saw like two drops of blood fall from his nose and into the warm water in the basin. “What the…Is…that some kind side effect of the tea?": he though. But then he heard something, like a whisper. “Psst.": someone was trying to catch the rabbit's attention and John looked up and, in the mirror…he saw…someone.

It wasn't himself, well…it was a rabbit but he was wearing a black bandana on his head and some kind of black coat…those accessories looked awfully familiar. Johnny slowly and carefully reached with his own hand to touch his own face and the reflection mimicked it perfectly and then John blinked first his right eye and then his left eye and again the reflection mimicked it to a T. “What?": exclaimed John but then the rabbit in the reflection frowned and reached out and grabbed Johnny by the neck, it was a hard firm grip with intent to hold him in place. Johnny didn't move due to the shock of it, there was now a rabbit hand paw sticking out of his mirror holding him by his neck and then it let for a split second and grabbed top his head and smashed it into the basin. THUD! Johnny fell over on side clutching his head and rolling left and right and whinging and struggling against the trauma. “Ow, fuck! What the fuck!": he exclaimed quietly while holding his forehead, he didn't want to wake the whole house.

He scrambled to stand to quickly check the mirror…nothing. Just his own reflection. “What the hell was that? That hurt…": he though. Bunny looked into the basin, the pill bottle fell into the water, he fished it out and decided to make out the damage but…something caught his eye. The paper label on it peeled off a bit, showing a bright yellow label underneath it. Curiosity got better of the rabbit and decided to take it to the living room and slowly and carefully peel all of it.

Once he was finished, he started to read and what was written on the yellow label shook him to the core for it said: “These pills are to be reserved for the subject within the facility. In order to pacify them." He continued reading, it had coordinates and…a number kept appearing in his more…intense nightmares. Number “six" to be specific: “Laboratory zero-six." Shortened to “Lab-06".

Johnny was now fed up with this, if anything else that “place" that lab must have some answers to all this. Why would Pines give him these? Was he on it? The whole thing? Would he know why the nightmares actually were happening to him? He needed answers. Johnny stood up and make his way to his bed decided to pull up a box that he had underneath it, next to the porn mags. It had a fancy engraving on it and a name of a company.

Name of a firearm manufacturing company named Star, they were mostly known for Hunting Shotguns and Rifles but also made short small deal contracts with military too. Mainly pistols and just small arms in general. This particular box was gifted to him by some old timers at a gun range once, the fancied Johnny´s shooting skills and just decided to give him this “vintage" piece, even though some military personal still use it.

Johnny opened it, picked it up and examined it. It wasn't that long since he cleaned the pistol, name of it was Astra SI, “SI" standing for Standard Issue. Seven small caliber bullets in the magazine and just overall a standard as it goes sidearm. The reason he pulled it out is that he might get into…something rash. He needed to make a call and write something, just generally plan it out. “What the hell am I going to do?" he thought to himself.