digibutter.nerr

[MsDevin92]

Yes, this is what happens when Devin writes a NiGHTS fanfic. :3
And thankfully, my Microsoft Office started working again, so I can update it once more.
Enjoy lol? <3

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Prologue: Twin Dreamers

Aspen hummed a rock song to himself as he stepped out of the front doors of the Sableton Animal Shelter, waving goodbye to Sunny, the clerk behind the desk, and the assortment of yipping and purring animals within.

He tucked one hand in the pocket of his beaten brown jeans, keeping a hold on his backpack strap with the other, and began his walk home. On his way back from the shelter every day, he passed the Sableton Mall. He stopped on the sidewalk and looked up at the shopping structure. Music store, food court, maybe some new sneakers…They all appealed to him, but he rarely set foot inside. As much as Aspen enjoyed hanging out at the mall, he never did well with the crowds.

…And speaking of crowds…

He didn’t even see them coming. One second, he was standing there on the sidewalk; the next, he was surrounded by about seven kids. He stifled a groan, recognizing them all too well. These were the same jerks who usually gave him trouble. They pounced on him whenever they got the chance, so it only figured that they’d ganged up on him once again now.

“What’s up, dog?” one of them taunted, pulling him over by the collar of his shirt and poking tauntingly at the paw print of his shelter uniform T-shirt. “Going home for your kibbles?”

Aspen shoved him away, although the boy and two others pounced on him and grabbed his arms. The others pulled off his backpack and emptied its contents on the ground, kicking them about.

“Get off of me!” Aspen snapped. His parents had always told him to avoid violence, but he couldn’t stop himself before he kicked one of the guys holding him. The guy hopped back, holding his shin, and Aspen wriggled away from the other two.

Thankfully, a mall security guard happened to look out the door and saw the beginnings of the fight. A warning glare and gesture from him was enough to send the bullies running- although not before they’d spat on the head of Aspen as he knelt down to retrieve his things.

“Later, sap-head!”

“Loser!”

“Wuss!”

Aspen sighed. Just another regular day…

The other kids streaming out of the mall didn’t stop and offer to help. Most of them either walked right by, or stopped and pointed, laughing.

Looking up as he finally reclaimed his last book, Aspen couldn’t help but notice one of the girls in the crowd. She was a slender and basically stunning beauty, dressed from head to toe in baby blue, with her light brown hair hanging down to her back. He felt his cheeks go slightly red, although he knew a girl like that would never go for the school outcast- him.

Something shifted in the crowd behind the blue-clad beauty. His eyes were immediately drawn to the movement.

It was another girl, this one pale and dressed in purple, with her dark hair hanging in a thick braid down her back. She didn’t look back at him, however, and she was only in his sights for a moment before she disappeared into the crowd.

---

Her art folder under one arm, Lydia made her way down the sidewalk from the Sableton Community shelter, her face blank and eyes tired- drained by despair. She shuffled through the crowds like a zombie, paying no mind when she was jostled, bumped, or even full-out pushed by the kids fleeing the mall security guard.

She continued to walk, down and across streets until she reached her house. Letting herself in with the key in her pocket, she locked the door behind her and made her way upstairs.

Her bedroom door was wide open, the various shades of purple adorning the décor bursting out. Every possible inch of the wall was covered in tacked-up drawings, and even more of them sat in heaps on the desk, along with pencils, paintbrushes, and more.

Lydia flung the folder on the desk besides the stacks of drawings, causing several papers to spill out. She then turned and faced the wall.
She began to take the drawings down.

One-by-one, she unpinned and removed them. There were dozens, and the job took hours. Not that she seemed to mind or care, however. The only change on her desolate face was the presence of a few tears, streaming weakly and silently from her cheeks.

Taking the stack of removed papers in her hands, she scooped them into one large pile along with the contents of her folder and the ones on her desk. With her foot, she opened the closet door, and dropped the entire stack to the floor inside, slamming the door shut as hard as she could.

Turning around, she flung herself on the bed just as she erupted into full-fledged tears. Eventually, she cried herself into a restless sleep…

The sound of the papers shifting in her closest haunted her dreams…

---

It had taken Aspen a while to reach home. He’d been on foot, after all, and he hadn’t taken his bike out since the day he’d exited the shelter to find it covered in spray paint and spit wads.

He dropped his backpack, which was now beaten and dusty, into the coat closet, and headed into the bathroom to wash whatever remaining spit there was out of his hair. Disgusting, he though, making a face as he did. Why wouldn’t these guys give him a break?

Because he was too different, he knew. To them, different meant weird. Weirdo. Freak.

With an exasperated sigh, he trudged upstairs. It was late, and he was tired. Dropping onto his bed, frustrated, it wasn’t long until he drifted off.

The derisive laughter of the bullies still rang in his ears…

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter One: Into the Dream World

Lydia was painting.

She dabbed the brush in a spot of lavender paint on her palette, and then reached down. A flower was at her foot, but a very strange flower- it was pale and colorless, almost like a pencil sketch.

When she touched the paintbrush to it, the flower came alive with the lovely, pale shade of purple. She ran her thumb across the bloom, and found that she couldn’t feel wet paint- only the feeling of a silken petal against her skin.

Filled with an unbelievable happiness, as if she were glowing like the sun with joy, she dipped the paintbrush in the green paint, and began to paint the stem and leaves, as well. Soon, she was done.

She rose and looked all around her. An impossibly beautiful landscape, like something out of a fairy tale, surrounded her. Mountains in the distance, rolling hills, rivers with waterfalls that threw rainbows out in the clear air, birds darting across the bright blue sky…

She had drawn it all, she realized. She’d made something beautiful.

A breeze whistled by her. Instead of leaves, it carried pieces of paper. They were her drawings, all of them, twirling about her in a playful circle before dancing off across the horizon…

And then they burst into flames.

Lydia gasped. She could barely comprehend how it had happened, but- they were burning! And as the wind, now a dreadful, icy cold gale, carried them about, they set fire to everything they touched. The fields burned. The flowers burned. The trees burned. It was all burning, all being destroyed.

Her dream was being eaten away.

The scene abruptly darkened, as if some force had sucked all the light and warmth out of the world. The flames darkened as well, and the remnants of her happy world crumbled in black fire, leaving behind only a barren, smoky waste.

Her happiness vanished, as well, replaced by only an agonizing sadness. She crumpled to her knees and buried her face in her hands, breaking down into tears.

Through her sobs, she barely heard the growling sound until it was close- right above her head. Trembling slightly, she lifted her head and looked up.

A hideous creature had appeared before her. It had almost no form to speak of, instead being a shadowy blob, wavering like smoke, thin and ghostly as a shadow. But its eyes and malicious grin burned a bright, evil red.

She took a step back, but the cold wind started up again. Wherever it touched the wasteland, more of the shadows arose, until there were dozens of them. They began to swirl around her in a tornado, walls of red eyes and demonic grins on all sides of her.

Lydia cowered and shrank back. She wanted to get away, but there was nowhere to run to. She was trapped in the center. Any second, these things would consume her-

She had to get out.

With a rushing burst of determination, she darted forward, diving between an opening in the whirl of shadows. She heard them pursuing her, moaning and howling angrily, but she kept running.

She continued to run. It looked like the wasteland would never end, and that the shadows would soon catch and devour her- but then they were fading, their wails growing fainter, and the darkness was suddenly illuminated by a brilliant light…

She reached for it…

---

The laughter still remained as Aspen opened his eyes once again.

He blinked, confused. He was standing in the middle of the Sableton mall. But it was eerily silent and empty. The air was still, as if time had frozen.

Now, while isolation wasn’t that new to him, this was just plain freaky. Extremely unnerved, he turned in a circle, looking for the exit.

It happened so fast, just like the last encounter. One second, he was alone- the next second, they were there, surrounding him.

He didn’t exactly know who they were. They looked like the guys who usually ganged up on him, but…at the same time, they didn’t.

Something about them was just wrong. Part of him even felt that they were not fully human.

“Who- Wha-” he began.

One of them chuckled, and the laughter soon spread around to his cohorts. The low, malicious sound sent cold chills of dread throughout Aspen’s now-shaking body.

“Heads up, loser!” one of them cried, his voice twisted. And the entire group lunged at him.

In midair, they changed. Their features, save their eyes and bloodthirsty grins, melted into blackness, which then exploded in smoggy clouds. The scene darkened, illuminated by only the evil red glow of their demonic faces.

If he hadn’t thrown himself forward, ducking under one as it pounced, he would’ve been completely swarmed. Losing his footing from shock, he stumbled and rolled to the ground, just barely managing to get back on his feet.

The shadows whirled in a tight funnel before swirling out into a wide cloud again, facing him hungrily. With a unanimous howl, they all shot forward.

At first, he was frozen in fear. But then-

Run!

With the thought, his muscles snapped back to life and action. He turned and ran, as fast as he could, through the cold, empty void of darkness the world had become. He felt those evil red eyes on his back as he ran, bearing down on him…

He would’ve been lost if not for the light. It shone brightly from ahead of him, and when so much as a thin sliver of it touched the shadows, they shrieked and shrank away.

He had to get to it. He ran and ran and ran. The warm embrace of the light calmed him, and he threw out his arms…

----

The grass spread out in all directions around her, as far as the eye could see. It was waist-high, paper-thin, and shook in rippling waves in the gentle breeze, its tips touched gold with the sunlight.

Off in the distance, she could see a chain of mountains, sepia stone against white peaks encircled by clouds. A few trees stood here and there across the grassy plain, and as her knees gave way beneath her, she found herself leaning against a large, blocky boulder.

Lydia’s eyes widened.

---

The first sound he was aware of was the leaves. They shifted all around him, a beautiful shade of emerald green- in the trees, on the bushes, swirling around and past him. Dappled golden sunlight fell in beams through the canopy of the forest, and he could hear water running somewhere nearby.

Aspen barely stifled a gasp.

---

“Where am I?!”

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Two: Waking in a Dream

Lydia stared silently across the endless gold fields of mountain grass. It wasn’t until the inside of her mouth began to feel dry that she realized it was hanging open.

She slowly picked herself up off of the ground, using the rock as a support. She did a double-take of her surroundings. Grassy plains and mountains. No sign of burning wastes. A clear blue sky, smoky white clouds. No shadowy monsters with evil red eyes.

The rock was warm from the sun, rough and dry against her hand. She realized she was filled with a bone-chilling cold from her encounter- if it had even been real- and leaned against it. Then again…No matter how calming this place was in comparison to the nightmarish void she had just escaped, it was just as hard to believe. Where was this place, and how had she gotten here?

And that’s when she heard the singing.

It came drifting to her across the plains. It sounded almost like children singing, the voices light, high-pitched, and melodic. The rock was warm, but the singing served to completely melt the cold of her encounter with the beasts away. It rose and fell on the wind, light and yet strong, the voices singing it filled with pure, unbridled joy…

She could see a few dots now, moving in circles on the horizon. Curious, she climbed up on the rock, not only to get a better look, but so that her voice could carry better as she called out to them.
“HEY! Is someone over there?!”

The singing grew faint and soon stopped. The figures paused. For a moment, Lydia simply stared…but then felt a small tremble of relief as they began to move towards her.

They were very small- probably children, as she had assumed- but at least whoever they were, she knew they would be able to find help for her. She actually raised an arm and started to wave- but froze solid once she got a good look at the approaching shapes.

They were…pixies. Or even something like angels. They were small and cute like children, or even cartoon drawings she had done in her notebook. Their round, large eyes shone in all the colors of the rainbow, and they had innocent smiles with rosy cheeks. Their heads and ears, however, were slightly pointed, and small gold rings floated over them. They even had what appeared to be small wings.

They burst into song again once they were close enough. It was a language she couldn’t understand, she realized through her shock, but they wound down once more once they noticed the stunned look on her face.

Eventually, one opened its mouth- and spoke.

“Hello?”

Lydia toppled clean off of the rock, hitting the grassy, dusty ground. The last sight her eyes registered before everything went black once again, before the angels rushed over to her and surrounded her with concerned cries, was that endless blue sky…

…And…a few figures flying off, into the distance…

---

It took Aspen quite a while to get his bearings, considering what had just happened to him. It was unbelievable, obviously- but that didn’t stop him from being shocked and horrified.

He looked around wildly several times. At least those bullies- monsters- whatever they had been- were gone now. He was still almost near-painfully confused as to how he’d ended up in this forest, wherever it was. …And, strangest of all, he got a feeling of familiarity from this place…

He took a cautious step forward and leaned against a tree; he had been shaking a bit. Nothing about the grass or trees seemed especially odd. Just then, his slight shake turned into a full-fledged convulsion of shock as the collective surge of what had transpired caught up with him. It slammed into him like an incoming train, causing his legs to buckle. He went to his knees in the grass.

From where he was now kneeling on the ground, trying to quell the trembling in his hands, he was able to get somewhat of a better look about the place. Again, nothing out of the ordinary- some sparrows, a squirrel, a blue jay-

…And…a big owl.

He scrambled away until his back met a tree trunk, alarmed. An owl out in the bright daytime like this was already strange, but this thing looked to be about a good foot or two taller than any owl should usually be. Throw in the fact that it was wearing glasses, a shirt and a jacket, and looking right at him as it began to fly over- he was shaken, to say in the least.

“G-G-” he choked out. “Get back! I-I’m warning you!”

That’s when the bird talked.

“What?” it chirped, seeming unsettled and slightly offended. “What do you take me for, dear boy? A Nightmaren?”

“…”

It was too much for Aspen. The ground swung up to meet him as he fainted.

---

Nightmare.

A realm of complete and utter horror. It true form was nothing but empty blackness alive with writhing malevolence and evil for eternity, but where it had merged with and tainted Nightopia, it had formed just that: a tainted place. Eerie spires and twisted landmasses jutted out here and there against a sky swirling with blood-red, acid-green, icy blue…Sickening, lurid, neon-bright colors swirled in clouds against the place, with gaping patches of blackness here and there, sucking away the light.

The figures that Lydia had seen flying from the mountains were birds. Warped, monstrous birds, but birds nonetheless. They flew on and on through the chaos and then into the darkness, letting loose hoarse, ragged cries of triumph.

As they did, an eye opened in the blackness. And then another, and another, and yet another still…

The monsters cawed as they swooped about.

“…”

The eyes gleamed evilly.

“Dreamers…
Summon forth all the Nightmaren…Bring them to me at once.”

---

“I say, child! Get a hold of yourself, for Nightopia’s sakes!”

As Aspen awakened, the first thing he was aware of was the talking owl flying right beside him. It flapped one feathered wing in his face, trying to get him to come to. As he was already swimming out of the dark cave of unconsciousness, however, the only thing the frantic gesturing was really doing was giving him a noseful of feathers, smelling strongly of parchment and earth, that made him want to sneeze.

“Wh-Wh-” he stammered.

“Ah, good boy. I was worried you’d be out of it for quite a while, the way you keeled over like that. I’m terribly sorry, would you like some space to regain your bearings? I can gladly oblige.”

So saying, it flew over and perched in a bush nearby. Aspen stared at it. He liked animals and all, but…this was too much.

“Who are you?” he finally asked, his voice emerging as little more than a choked wheeze.

“What?” The owl blinked, then clicked his beak in self-disapproval. “Dear me, I completely let it slip my lid! Where are my manners? Deeply sorry. I’m Owl.”

“…Owl?”

“Yes, quite.”

…Well, points for originality, he thought, his mind still rather numb. “And…Owl…Where am I?”

“Well, for starters, you’re in the forest,” Owl explained. “The Evergreen Forest, to be exact. A very nice dreamscape, nestled comfortably in the world of Nightopia.”

“Dreamscape? Nightopia?” Aspen repeated, blinking.

The word ‘dream’ lingered in his mind, and a strange tingle of relief filled him. “Oh…You mean this is all just a dream.”

“Of course it is, my boy,” said Owl, looking wisely at him. “Whatever did you think it was?”

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Three: Forest NiGHTS

“…Wait…What?”

Aspen stared at Owl. His dream was…confirming he was dreaming? Things only seemed to be getting weirder. Maybe the Caesar-chicken salad he’d had for lunch that day had been bad. After all, you could never trust public school food.

“This…This is a dream, right?”

“In a way, yes,” Owl said, adjusting his spectacles with one wing. “This is a place linked to the waking world, the dream realm- or, as it’s more often called by its denizens, Nightopia.”

Aspen was silent. The bird seemed to take it as a cue to continue, as if used to this situation, and went on.

“I am what one would call a Nightopian, a creature of Nightopia. This world and I are, in essence, a dream, as they are comprised of dream energy.”

“…Dream energy…?”

“Yes. Very vital thing, that, dream energy- Ideya. Visitors like you- humans, mortals, dreamers- all possess Ideya, which is the core power that gave birth to Nightopia.”

“U-Uh-huh,” he stammered. “And…why am I here?”

“Well, you’re dreaming, dear boy! I thought that would be obvious.” Owl chuckled. “I do believe I never learned your name, however. If I may, you would be…?”

“Aspen.”

“Oh-ho. Not so surprising that I’d find you in a forest, then.” Another small laugh. “So, Aspen…Any questions, I suppose?”

Aspen opened his mouth to speak, but it was then that a faint cracking noise echoed in the distance. It sounded as if a fairly large branch had been broken- and by a very large something.

Owl’s hazel-gold eyes flickered, pupils dilating in alarm. He turned his head nearly completely around and looked off in the direction of the sound, his body tensing and feathers ruffling.

“Bother.” Aspen could tell he was trying to fake composure- he was doing badly at it; his voice was higher-pitched and growing very thin, a slight quaver now to his usually pleasant, chattering tones. “It’s too much to ask for them to go a single night without plaguing anybody’s dreams, now, isn’t it?”

“Wha- ‘Them’? Who do you mean? What’s going on?”

Owl looked back at him, flapping from his perch and swooping over to his side.

“Them. The Nightmaren. And there’s a lot to explain, but no time to explain it. We’ll get much more done and much more distance between ourselves and them if we start running now. So sorry to rush you, but hurry up, on your feet, child. We’ve got to get out of here, and luckily, NiGHTS isn’t so far away.”

---

Once again, things had snowballed into a confused frenzy. Aspen was now running through the forests and foliage, weaving around trees and bounding over roots and rocks, with Owl flying at his side.

The sounds were growing closer, and louder. Every now and then, an especially sharp one would go off nearby, and Owl would hurry Aspen ahead, the look of fear in his eyes becoming more and more pronounced each time.

“Nightmaren? What the heck are they?” Aspen panted.

The answer was as obvious as a smack to the face (which he had just received from a bramble he didn’t duck in time). “…You mean- nightmares?!”

“Exactly,” Owl replied, flying on. “The Nightmaren are the denizens of the realm parallel to ours- Nightmare, the place of terror that taints dreams. They steal Ideya, the power of which determines the power of beings spawned from it, at the mastermind order of their lord, Wizeman the Wicked.”

“Wizeman? And he’s trying to make all the Nightmaren stronger by stealing Ideya?”

Aspen felt the color drain from his face.

“B-But that means- if I have it- they’re after me?!”

“Unfortunately, dear boy, and- WATCH OUT!”

He barely moved in time. A long, spindly leg with a sharp hoof swiped at him from overhead, causing him to duck away. Turning his head to look over his shoulder as he ran, he saw what had attacked him.

It was all he could do not to have a heart attack.

At first, before his eyes were completely focused on it, it appeared to be one of the same Nightmaren that had first come after him- a shadowy mass of fog and red eyes. But its shape had changed into a ghostly, wraithlike thing that looked somewhat like a horse, threaded with icy blue veins that coursed as if channeling electricity. Eerie black flames formed its mane and tails, and its eyes were a flat, lightless shade of eggshell white. Whenever it hit the shadows, though, its form appeared to revert to the smoggy monster…

He only saw it for a few seconds, however, before it disappeared back into the undergrowth, having sprang across the path in an attempt to strike him. But it wasn’t the last he saw of it: it quickly turned upon hitting the ground and continued the chase, with five or six more following behind it.

Aspen turned back to Owl, eyes wide.

“A-Are those some of them?!” he gasped, trying to force the things’ horrible visages out of his mind.

“Some of them. They’re one of Wizeman’s new types of Nightmaren,” Owl said, hurrying him along. “Those horse-like beasts; they are called Nightmares!”

“…” Aspen blinked. “This Wizeman guy must have the worst sense of humor in the world, ‘cuz that’s a horrible pun.”

Owl chuckled, looking to and fro at the Nightmares closing in. “Sounds like something NiGHTS would say…”

“NiGHTS?” he repeated. “Who is NiGHTS?”

“A friend. A very good friend. NiGHTS is one of the strongest fighters against Wizeman’s attempts to dominate Nightopia and the waking world. I’m taking you to him now. He’ll protect you, and fight off these wretched Nightmaren!”

The Nightmares were growing closer. One of them let loose a screeching cry, like clawed fingernails against glass, that sent goosebumps across Aspen’s flesh. Three were right on their tail, so close that, if one had reached out and snapped at him, it would’ve gotten a mouthful of his shirt.

And then another one lunged.

If Owl hadn’t flown into him then, causing him to stumble and fall to the side, it surely would’ve bowled him to the ground. It wasn’t exactly the most painless method of escape, however; not only did the feathery mass striking him in the shoulder sting a bit, but he ended up hitting the dirt and going into a wild somersault down a nearby hill, through bushes and brambles, until he finally hit a log at the bottom of a small valley and came to a stop.

“U-Ugh…” he groaned, holding his head and looking up blearily.

Owl, swooping down from beside him, helped him to his feet.

“So sorry about that. The Nightmares aren’t exceptionally powerful, but they’re excellent capture units. If they get a hold on you, then there’ll be no way to save you when the real heavy-hitters come!”

The screeching cry sounded again. The Nightmares were galloping down the hill towards them. Aspen rose and broke into another run, Owl once more at his side.

---

They soon emerged into a clearing. It was a quiet, cozy-looking place, with patches of honey-colored plants among the grass and a multitude of multicolored birds roosting in the trees. A few squirrels and rabbits hopped here and there, and he could even see a deer in the dappled light across the way. There were some strange creatures that looked like pixies, as well…

In the middle of the clearing was a rock. And standing on the rock was truly the most whimsical-looking figure Aspen had ever seen.

He was tall, lithe, and slim, dressed head-to-toe in a vibrant shade of purple, with twinkling traces of gold, snow-white, and magenta embroidered about. He was wearing what appeared to be a jester’s costume, with flare-bottomed leggings with elfishly-pointed toes, zig-zagging patterns on his sleeves, white buttons at his waist, a gold ruff at his high purple collar, and a pink vest decorated with small stars. He wore sleek white gloves over his spidery, long-fingered hands, and he wore a jaunty, striped purple jester’s cap fitting over his head. A large red diamond sparkled on his chest.

The figure was standing on one tip-toed foot- no, floating, he realized- with his hands positioned in a way that suggested he might be playing a flute. And, indeed, while there was no instrument in sight, Aspen could hear the music, wafting about him like a sweet breeze.

“NiGHTS…” Owl called.

The music wound to a stop, and the animals and pixies looked over at them curiously.

NiGHTS lifted his head and opened his catlike eyes. They were a strange, enchanting, violet-blue color that shifted with patterns of warm light. His lips curled into a gentle, slightly mischievous smile.

“Well, well, well,” he said. “If it isn’t my birdie buddy yet again! How’s tricks?”

“NiGHTS, there’s no time for this. There are-”

The screeches from the Nightmares sounded just behind them. The pixie-creatures retreated slightly, as did most of the other animals.

NiGHTS’s smile turned into a full grin.

“Looks like you brought some fun!” he laughed, straightening up and putting his hands confidently on his hips. “I was waiting for a break in all this quiet…I haven’t kicked some Maren tail in so long, I felt my fighting instincts going numb!”

“I’ll take the rest of these Nightopians back to the city, where it’s safe,” Owl said, heading towards the creatures. They began to follow him, heading out of the clearing…and leaving Aspen behind!

“Hey! D-Don’t just leave me with those- things!” he cried.

“We aren’t,” NiGHTS said. He levitated down from the rock and swept Aspen an acrobatic bow, extending one hand with another bright, warm grin.

“We’re going to stop these monsters- together.”

Aspen simply stood there, uneasy. NiGHTS gazed back at him, his features softening in concern and determination.

“We can stop them, Aspen,” he murmured. “Believe in me."

“…”

Aspen reached out and took his hand.

---

After a while, Lydia had come to. The angel-creatures surrounded her as she did, and, although she still had no clue of what was going on, she found their presence strangely calming.

“U-Um…” Her mind was still a bit fuzzy. She was sure they’d been speaking a different language, but she was also sure she’d heard at least one of them say something at least remotely human. “…Hello?”

They responded with a chorus of enthusiastic, “Hello!”s, and even a few, “You okay?”s.

“I-I’m fine,” she stammered. “Wh-Where am I?”

“Canvas Valley!” one chirped.

“Nightopia!” another sang.

She simply stared, obviously having no clue where ‘Canvas Valley’ and ‘Nightopia’ were. “U-Um…Y-”

Her next words were cut off by the creatures’ cries as they backed away from her. She frowned slightly, wondering why they were acting…almost frightened.

And then she realized that a shadow was being cast from behind her, across the grass…and that their gazes were not on her, but instead past and above her.

The second the realization crossed her mind, a hand laid itself on her shoulder, causing her skin to ripple with a chill of fear. Looking out of the corner of her eye, she could see it was a pale hand with a red-and-black gauntlet, and long, sulfur-yellow claws.

A rough, yet icy-smooth voice spoke from beside her, lips moving against her ear.

“Hello there, my dear Visitor.”

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Four: Of Dualization and Danger

Aspen was standing there, looking ahead at the trees. He could hear the Nightmares moving closer, and-

…Wait a minute- what had just happened?! And where was NiGHTS?!

As if reading his mind- which he got the eerie feeling that was exactly what was happening- he heard the jester’s voice reply. “I’m right here, Aspen.”

“Wh-Where did you go?” he gasped. “And- did I even tell you my name?”

A chuckle. “Sorry about that. As for where I am…Well, look down.”

He did look down, lifting his hands and staring at his feet.

…His white-glovered, spidery-fingered hands. His purple-legging-swathed, pointy-toed feet.

Like everything else that had happened, it seemed impossible, but-

“I-I’m in your body?!”

“Close.” For a brief second, the light seemed to bend around him, and he could see his old features again, if just for a second. “We’ve dualized.”

“Dual-what?”

“It’s a special property Visitors and Nightopians- or sometimes even Nightmaren- are capable of. We’re made of Ideya here, and Visitors possess Ideya, as well. By fusing our energy together, we can share abilities.”

“Abilities?” His hands were NiGHTS’s again, and he felt them tensing in preparation for the inevitable fight with the incoming Nightmaren. Fittingly, NiGHTS had just as much control over their fused energies or whatever as Aspen did. “I’m not sure about you, but…What can I even do against these guys?”

The crystal on his chest suddenly twinkled a subtle, yet deep shade of red.

“You’d be surprised,” NiGHTS murmured, closing his eyes. “…I know you’re scared, Aspen. But please- trust in me.”

The Nightmares were coming, their eerie white eyes and black manes clearly visible against the green forest surrounding them.

And yet…As he opened his eyes once again and lifted his arms, he felt…ready. Like he could fight. Brave.

“Okay, NiGHTS. I trust you. I trust…us.”

A surge of confidence filled him, and he spun, rising into the air.

“Now,” NiGHTS laughed, “let’s do this!”

---

Back in Nightmare…

A sizeable crowd of Nightmaren had gathered to watch the transpiring events from their own realm. The Nightmare master himself was seated in a throne in the center of the chamber. Two of his hands floated before him, while the other four floated around him, facing the assembled henchmen. Excited chatter in twisted voices rumbled like an undercurrent in the cold air.

Most, if not all, of the highest-ranking Nightmaren were present. Gulpo and Girania oozed out of the shadows beneath, watching hungrily. Gillwing was hissing softly, wrapped around a spire, and the three Cerberus loomed nearby, sometimes exchanging dark looks with Clawz, who was slinking about in the shadows.

Puffy had a frilly pink fan in one hand, and a pair of opera spectacles in the other- although she was constantly switching the focus of her attention between the happenings reflected in Wizeman’s eyes and her (not)-so-secret crush, Donbalon, who was giggling merrily as he bobbed over the heads of the minions. Chameleon was reappearing here and there, much to the irritation of Jackle, who was overseeing the affair while shuffling a handful of his razor-edged cards. Queen Bella hung from a tether of silk somewhere in the shadows, occasionally shaking her leg to flick off one of Bomamba’s curiously prowling cats.

A considerably negative uproar had arisen when NiGHTS fused with the first Visitor- boos, hisses, and groans.

“Leave it to that goody-two-shoes traitor…”

“The Nightmares won’t stand a chance against NiGHTS; they’re just scout and low-level capture Maren!”

“Let us at him! We’ll rip that two-faced hero to shreds!”

A dark look from the many eyes of Wizeman silenced any low-ranked monsters who had spoken. Jackle, however, floated forward, collecting his cards with one hand and thoughtfully stroking his unseen chin with the other.

“The scrubs do have a point, though, Master. We must be rubbin’ off on ‘em, huh?” A sharp-toothed grin and wicked laugh before he continued. “Why not just send some of us out there to snatch up the dreamers? Evergreen Forest might be close to Canvas Valley, but if we move out now, we could snatch up that second dreamer before NiGHTS gets to ‘em, and then we could take him out, as well!”

“Jackle actually DOES seem to have a POINT, Master Wizeman,” Puffy chimed in melodically.

“Now, now, my Maren,” Wizeman said, his eyes momentarily closing. “There’s no need to be so hasty. While the time will come when we rent that rebellious NiGHTS apart for his crimes…”

His eyes opened once more, each one now displaying a second scene.

“There is still a chance that things might play out…in our favor. Hmm-hmm-hmm-hahaha…”

---

For a second, it was as if the chill had frozen her. Another shiver ran through her, but this one snapped her to her senses, and she rose, stepping away from and turning to face the figure.

It was…a jester of some sort. His skin was very pale, with an unhealthy, almost dead-looking bluish tint to it. He was wearing a white body suit, with a black top, gloves, and leggings. Over this, he wore red, black-detailed armor on his chest, belt, arms, and boots. The entire outfit was rimmed with gold, which matched his claws. His eyes were almost catlike, and a truly fascinating color- like cracked white ice over pale blue water- rimmed with black mime’s makeup. He wore a black-and-red striped jester’s cap atop his head.

He placed one clawed hand over his chest and swept her a bow, never taking his eyes off of her.

The pixie-angel creatures had withdrawn, hiding on the other side of the rock and peeking out with eyes wide in fear. And yet…she barely noticed it. She felt numbed. Some sort of force, cold and hard as icy stone, had locked her in place with vice-like intensity.

“Wh-Who are you?” she managed to choke out.

The jester lifted his head.

“Reala,” he replied fluidly, and she could see the points of sharp teeth against those death-colored lips. “And allow me to be the first to extend a formal welcome to you…”

The teeth were suddenly twisted into a full-fledged grin. “…Into the nightmare.”

---

Screeches ringing and hooves flying, the Nightmares burst into the clearing. They landed, still a run, and circled about the place, whinnying sharply.

Again, Aspen’s muscles tensed in apprehension, but a soothing sort of feeling- they were even sharing feelings now, he realized- from NiGHTS served to calm him down. In fact, the Nightmares were the scared ones now. They had all faltered at the sight of the jester.

Part of him wondered how the lithe, sprightly NiGHTS was going to fight these things- and that was when they took off into the air.

They were flying. He was flying. It felt so surreal, but it was true.

“Wha-” he began. “We’re flying?!”

A laugh from NiGHTS. “You bet we are! Now, hang on, Aspen- things are about to get a little crazy around here!”

With that, they barreled forward, right towards one of the Nightmares who had charged at them. Aspen’s muscles locked and wanted to recoil, but NiGHTS threw his arms out and went into a midair spin. His outstretched arms struck the creature right upside its ghostly head, and it recoiled, staggering to the side.

It had been an almost thrilling sensation at first, being part or whatever of this dream- but now he felt sickened and scared. He couldn’t shake the fear that his body was being manipulated. Like…Like NiGHTS had absorbed him and turned him into a puppet somehow.

A ripple of sadness touched him. He thought it was his own at first, but…Then he realized, it must’ve been NiGHTS.

“…”

The second Nightmare was charging straight at them. Fear once more dominated his being.

N-NiGHTS- he thought, panicking.

We’re in this together, Aspen.

Y-

I said you’d be surprised by what you can do, NiGHTS whispered mentally, closing his eyes. And I meant it. Here…with this power…You can do anything. And that means you can fight these guys on your own. You’re just as much in control as I am.

The Nightmare was coming closer.

NiGHTS, that thing is gonna hit us! Move! Attack it! Do SOMETHING!

I’m not the only one who can stop it, Aspen! YOU do something! Fight it! Now!

But-

The Nightmare lunged at him. His eyes snapped open, and he threw his hands out to stop it reflexively, and was shocked when a burst of silver light built up in NiGHTS hands. For another brief second, it flickered, and they were his own hands, holding a shimmering green star of power-

And then it launched, nailing the horrid thing right in the chest and causing it to go toppling away from him, giving off a dying scream and dissolving in dark flames as it did.

He was absolutely stunned. NiGHTS, however, simply smiled.

In a slightly sing-songing voice, like a child proud of themselves, he murmured, “Told ya so.”

---

Between NiGHTS and Aspen’s combined power, it wasn’t long until they’d taken care of all the Nightmares.

“Splendid show, if I do say so myself,” NiGHTS said, grinning. “Now that those party-killers are gone, you can have one heck of a time here in Nightopia! Why, I should show you the Aquatic Garden, or Spring Valley, or-”

“NiGHTS!”

Owl had come flapping back, looking nothing short of terrified. He was shedding feathers everywhere as he flapped, his glasses askew and his flight pattern erratic. Aspen was going to assume he and the- Nightopians, had the bird called them? - had been attacked while escaping, but that didn’t seem to be the case. The animals and pixie-things had returned, all in apparently perfect help, but looking quite shaken.

“What happened, Owl?” NiGHTS asked, obviously perplexed. “I thought you were taking them through Mystic Forest and into Spring Valley.”

“I didn’t want to risk it, what with the talk of Nightmaren attacks up there lately,” Owl replied. “So we decided to take the other route, through Canvas Valley.”

“Understandable.” A puzzled frown etched itself on to the jester’s face. “And…?”

One of the Nightopians whimpered. Owl swallowed hard.

“There’s another Visitor up there, NiGHTS. And she’s not alone. Reala is in the Valley.”

The creatures shuddered in unison at the name. NiGHTS’s frown deepened, his hands tightening into fists at his hips.

“…Who’s Reala?” Aspen finally said, confused. Although, part of him added mentally, I’m not entirely sure I want to know…

NiGHTS gave a small grin, although it looked a bit…forced. “Reala is…an old friend of mine.”

“A friend?” Owl scoffed incredulously. “He’s anything but. Reala’s one of the most cunning, cruelest, powerful, high-ranked Nightmaren in the dream world- next to Wizeman himself, of course. He and NiGHTS have been at it for practically eternity.”

“And it looks like we’ll be picking up where we last left off,” NiGHTS added. “Because there’s no way in Nightopia that I’m letting him take that dreamer away. You can count on it.”

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Five: Captured!

Aspen found himself growing slightly nauseous as NiGHTS shot through the sky, as fast and streamlined as a purple bullet. He hurtled over miles of forest below, rivers winding through the trees here and there. The sky was a full, clear blue, and seemed to have an otherworldly sparkle to it…

Soon, he noticed that the landscape was changing. They were flying over fields and plains, all a glorious, harvest gold, with bursts of rainbow-colored wildflowers here and there. In the center of it was a large mountain, with a wall of rocks forming a palette-shaped valley within it. As a matter of fact, throw in the top of the mountain, its peak like a splotch of paint atop a brush, and the entire place looked to have been hand-crafted by an artist. He could see why it was called Canvas Valley.

NiGHTS suddenly went into a steep downwards dive. Aspen barely resisted the urge to yell out. As they swooped in closer, he could see a group of figures within the valley…

---

The angel-creature grabbed her hand with a wail, shocking Lydia back down to earth.

She blinked rapidly, both to clear the fog from her head and adjust her blurry vision. It was as if she’d zoned out of her own mind for a while…

As things cleared, she got her first full look at the current situation. Reala had one clawed hand extended, fingers fanned and curled in a beckoning gesture. And her own hand was hovering inches away from it.

She withdrew and stepped back from him, frowning. A similar expression flickered across his face, the charming smile melting away.

The creature holding her hand beamed at her, then tugged, signaling it wanted her to keep moving away. The others started to head towards her and cluster around her protectively- but were sent scattering and screaming when the red-and-black-clad jester struck out viciously with his already extended hand, clawing the one holding her hand across the face. It sank down, covering the bright red marks and shrieking in pain.

“H-Hey!” Lydia gasped. She found her horror suddenly replaced by a rush of anger, and lifted her hand as if to smack Reala. “Leave them alone!”

He caught her wrist- and gave her arm a hard twist to the side. A burning bolt of pain coursed up and down her muscles, and she crumpled to her knees with a breathless gasp.

“I don’t think you’re the one in charge here, kid,” he scoffed roughly. His face twisted into another grin. “Now…Let’s go.”

He started to rise into the air, pulling Lydia by her twisted arm with him. The instant her legs were off the ground, she began to kick and thrash wildly, but to no avail.

He laughed. The sound reverberated in the air around her, and she whimpered, screwing her eyes shut tightly-

And then-

“Hey, Reala! Heads up!”

---

There was a blur of purple, a startled shout from Reala, and the sound of two somethings colliding sharply. With that, Lydia was dropped to the ground. The creatures that had not been tending to the injured one rushed over to her once more.

She lifted her head and groaned. Her vision was bleary at first from the collision with the earth, but she soon managed to make out what was happening.

Reala was now crouched a few feet away, his clawed hands raised threateningly. Another jester, this one a lithe and whimsical-looking woman in purple, stood before him, floating a few inches off of the ground with her fists on her hips.

She blinked at the next event, certain she hadn’t seen it right. The purple-clad jester closed her eyes, and…a boy in green clothes seemed to melt out of her body. She whispered something to him, nodding, and the boy came over to Lydia.

“You okay?”

“Wh-What’s going on?” Lydia asked, sitting up and holding her now-sore arm.

“I still barely get any of it,” he mumbled, half-to-himself. “But one thing’s for sure: a fight. Let’s get out of here.”

He was right. The purple jester had launched herself at Reala, and they had their hands locked, grappling in midair. Reala aimed a kick at his opponent’s side, but she flew up and then behind him, pulling his arms to sling him about in the air.

Lydia shakily got to her feet and then followed the boy as he ran off, with the creatures right beside them. They could hear the battle taking place, and it was apparently getting increasingly furious; there were pained cries from both contesters and sounds of rage and determination, the sounds of blows being thrown and landing, and the whoosh of air as they took off, swiping and swooping at each other.

One of the creatures darted ahead of them, heading straight for the rock wall that ran along part of the valley. The ground dipped slightly here, although it was practically impossible to see due to the tall grass and the shadow of the cliff being cast along the ground. In fact, if the other creatures hadn’t pulled apart the grass for them to continue without stumbling, they probably would’ve slid right down the slope.

There was a small cave at the end, a pit of rock and earth lined with grass- a sort of hideout, Lydia assumed, for things like this. The creatures ushered them inside, then fluttered in behind them, letting the grass conceal the entrance once more.

The injured creature was crouching right next to Lydia, and she was alarmed when she looked over and noticed the slashes Reala had left on its face were almost gone, reduced to three small, pale red lines. Then she noticed that its lips were moving; it was singing under its breath, and as it did, the cuts healed. The others joined in, and soon they were completely gone.

“I guess these Nightopian things can heal, then,” the boy breathed beside her, looking equally surprised.

As soon as he had said that, one of them put its hand on Lydia’s arm and began to hum a soft tune. She gasped, and then gave a relieved breath as she felt the twisted muscles in her arm loosening, the pain melting away.

Another Nightopian gasped, pointing out of the cave. Through the blades of grass, they could get a glimpse of the fight.

It was growing increasingly vicious. NiGHTS and Reala were flying tight, fast, complicated-looking patterns in the air around each other. A glittering tail of silvery-white light, like woven moonbeams, shimmered around NiGHTS as she flew; Reala was encased in an evil-looking aura the color of his yellowed claws. They looped about each other, trapping their opponent in tight rings of the light and aura, did flipping kicks and spinning uppercuts in the air…

Lydia stifled a gasp as she saw Reala grab NiGHTS by her forearms and roughly twist them behind her back. She tried to kick and struggle away, but he put his foot against the back of one leg and pushed. She was forced to her knees, lest chance him snapping the lithe limb like a twig.

Reala laughed yet again. “Some things never change, do they, NiGHTS? Still a weakling, and still susceptible to the same old tricks.”

“And you’re still a cruel, violent, pathetic-” NiGHTS snapped, which only earned another twist of her arms. “A-Aah!”

“Why, thank you,” Reala chuckled. “Now…”

A series of shadows fell over them.

“Ah…Just in time.”

The eyes of the watching group widened as five massive birds descended in a circle around the valley. They had long legs with sharp talons, hooked beaks, and almost bladelike feathers. Their eyes were sharp and beady, and they let loose horrible, hoarse caws. Sitting upon the back of each bird was what looked to be a small, sharp-toothed, gremlin-esque creature, holding black coils in their clawed hands.

The Nightopians worriedly pulled the kids back as the red eyes of the gremlins flashed all about. A cold block of dread settled in Lydia’s stomach as she realized…

“Now, my poor, foolish NiGHTS…Where are those Visitors?”

…The monsters had come for them.

NiGHTS was silent, glaring defiantly up at the blue sky.

Reala scoffed, then moved his crushing grip to the other jester’s throat, lifting her over his head. She gasped and clutched at his hand, but her spidery fingers were no match for his vicelike hold, and he flexed his claws threateningly.

“I’m going to ask you again, and if I don’t get an answer, there will be consequences. Where are the Visitors, NiGHTS?!”

NiGHTS made a face, and then spat at him.

A vein twitched in Reala’s temple. He lifted his other hand and wiped the spittle from where it had hit his cheek.

He paused, then looked around at the gremlins. They shook their heads.

“Well…It seems that, thanks to your interference, the Visitors have gotten away. Master Wizeman certainly won’t be happy with this.”

The Nightopians shuddered violently. NiGHTS looked torn- smug, yet anxious.

“…I guess I’ll just have to bring another prisoner in their place, then.”

At that, the gremlin riders tossed the cords they were holding. They lashed around NiGHTS’s wrists tightly, and, as the gremlins cruelly pulled, stretched her arms out and upwards. The kids heard her pained hisses of breath, although she refused to cry out.

The fifth hadn’t been holding a cord, and instead urged its mount to Reala’s side. The dark-clad jester turned to the fifth gremlin as the other four’s birds began to flap their wings, cawing.

“We’re taking this rebel back to Master Wizeman for some duly-deserved punishment. But those Visitors couldn’t have gotten far, even with the Nightopians helping them. Call in a search group, hunt them down, and find them. We can’t let those precious Ideya slip away.”

The gremlin saluted. Reala smirked, then took off. The birds followed, pulling NiGHTS into the air.

The hands of the boy beside her shook, as if he wanted to close them into fists and leap out fighting, but he could only sit there and gape in horror, as could she.

Soon, they were gone. Not even small shadows in the sky remained. Just…gone.

Lydia felt inexplicably sorrowful, as if a heavy weight had been dropped on her, pinning her in place. She leaned against the cavern wall and held herself tightly, resting her forehead against the rock and soil.

The boy did the same. They didn’t really talk much, (although they learned each other’s names- his was Aspen) as they were unsure of what to do or where to go. Was it even safe outside?

The answer came soon enough- no.

There was a number of strange sounds from outside the cavern now- snarls and gurgles and…something that sounded oddly like a sheep. Lydia was sure it was the search group Reala had mentioned, although the Nightopians wouldn’t let the two kids near the exit to see. The angel-like pixies stayed huddled around the children the entire time, and while they didn’t sing for fear of getting caught, their warmth kept the two calm and even slightly cheerful.

Lydia wasn’t sure how long they sat there, but eventually it grew dark. The sounds of the monsters outside persisted. Part of her wondered if she would get tired here, if she would fall asleep, but…What was even going on? Was this a dream? A nightmare?

She was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she barely noticed the sounds of the monsters nearby eventually fading away. The Nightopians shifted excitedly at this, although none of them dared to enter.

And then a light was shone through the blades of grass masking their entrance.

Aspen gasped, and so did she and the Nightopians, but the little creatures immediately began singing gleefully and darted out, gesturing for the kids to follow.

Out of the cavern, they saw an owl flying before them, along with several animals and Nightopians of varying appearance. The one shining the light was a large firefly with stars on its antenna.

“I’m glad you managed to make it to this cavern,” Owl said. “It’s a very good hidey-hole. Most of the Nightopians hide out here when the Nightmaren attack.”

“Thanks for finding us, Owl,” Aspen replied.

“Owl?” Lydia repeated.

“Yes, the Dream Guide,” they both answered, before exchanging confusedly surprised looks.

“Well, yes, that is about it,” the bird said, turning to her with a slight hoot. “I’m a friend of NiGHTS, and-”

He paused, his already large eyes widening. “Hoo! Where is NiGHTS?!”

The Nightopians who had bee with the two kids began to wail. Aspen looked down, and Lydia put a hand over her eyes in pain. Owl looked between them, then up into the sky.

“…Oh, gracious, no…NiGHTS has been captured!”

[MsDevin92]

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Six: The Dream Gate

“Where are we?”

That was the question that left both teens’ lips as they became fully aware of the new setting around them. They were now in a plaza with a massive fountain at the center. Surrounding the circular plaza was a series of small staircases, although they couldn’t see why they were there…

At least, until they saw the doors.

“Hey, is that-” Lydia began, her eyes widening at the mountain and paintbrush depicted in the window above the doorway.

“Yes,” said Owl, fluttering around them. “It’s the doorway to Canvas Valley. All sections of Nightopia are reflected here, at the Dream Gate.”

“But…wait.” Aspen looked confused. “I see a forest…The doorway to the woods, right?”

“Ah. I was wondering when that would come up.” Looking strangely pleased, Owl perched on the arm of one of the statues lining the plaza pathways. “You see, Nightopia is a world comprised of the dreams reflected in your heart. For each person, it is different.”

“Nightopia?” Lydia echoed. “Dreams in my heart? What’s going on here?”

“You’re asleep.”

She blinked.

“You mean I’m…dreaming?”

“Quite.”

“None of this is real, then?” She thought she would’ve been relieved, to write Reala and those monstrous sounds in the night off as a mere dream, but…she also felt oddly distressed.

“Hoo!” Owl’s feathers puffed up in shock at the idea. “Why, of COURSE not! This is all very real! It’s just a dream.”

“You know…you said that to me, too,” Aspen spoke up, “and I still don’t get it. How can it be real if we’re dreaming?”

“What, does no one know of the concept of ‘dreams come true’ anymore?” Owl muttered, half to himself. “Well, maybe if I go through this slowly, you’ll understand. You are currently in an alternate world, called the Night Dimension. The Night Dimension is home to the two realms - Nightopia and Nightmare - and is only accessible to Visitors when they’re asleep. It may seem unbelievable, but believe me, this world is as real as real can be.”

“…Okay,” Lydia said, although she really wasn’t sure she believed it. “But what about the heart thing?”

“Dreams are different things for every person. They reflect you- your desires, your memories, your thoughts…Didn’t either of those places seem familiar to you, children?”

Lydia had to pause and think for a long time, but then…

“…It’s…a sculpture I made!”

Yes, she remembered! Around the start of middle school, each student in her art class had been tasked to create a piece of art that was a combination of scenery and creativity. And Lydia had made the valley, with the canvas-and-paintbrush shaped mountain at the center. She remembered it, every last detail, spending hours carving the tiny images of circular flowerbeds for the ‘paint’ on the canvas, of the strokes of grass for the brush…

“Jolly good.” Owl hooted, laughing. “And what of you, Aspen?”

“The state nature preserve,” he replied almost immediately. “My grandma took me there all the time…And heck, could she rock-climb.”

They all laughed a little at that. It felt good, light-hearted in the face of such bleak happenings.

“Back on track, though,” Owl said, shifting his wings and readjusting his spectacles, “a dream is different for each Visitor.”

“And what about you? The Nightopians?”

“We can pass between the dreamscapes. Nightopia IS our home, after all! And this place, the Dream Gate, is what connects them. The main street of the Night Dimension, if you will.”

“…Wait…” Aspen said slowly. “If the Dream Gate is the hub, why did we end up in other places?”

Owl lowered his eyes, and simply pointed with one wing.

Aspen and Lydia turned and looked. At the end of the plaza was a walkway and gate, but…a patch of black, thorny vines as thick as steel beams had grown over it.

“What the- ?!”

“Nightmare,” the Dream Guide explained heavily. “The Nightmaren attacked the Dream Gate. Visitors are already in danger of having their Ideya stolen while in the Night Dimension, but because of the attack, it’s harder for them to access the hub, thus leaving them at the possible mercy of the Nightmaren longer. We can’t get to them as quickly. There’s safe places, of course, like the cavern in Canvas Valley, but…It’s chaotic, that’s what it is. So many lost Visitors.”

There was silence for a long time at that.

“…So…what do we do now?” Aspen spoke up.

“Well, I suppose the safest thing would be for you to go to Nightopia City,” Owl said. “The path around the hill to the north of the Dream Gate leads to the city, which is our home in the land of dreams. But…I’m afraid what you need to do might not be the safest thing.”

It didn’t take long for them to figure out what he meant.

“…You want us to go save NiGHTS?!” they gasped in unison. However, this time, they were too alarmed to exchange confused looks.

“Exactly. Reala’s monsters are going to take NiGHTS into the world of Nightmare. And once he’s there…Hoo! I don’t want to think! And you two are his only hope for escape.”

“We can’t do that!”

“We’d have to fight those monsters!”

“Visitors, listen! I could never send you into a situation that’s entirely hopeless,” Owl said. “Despite what you believe now, you can help NiGHTS escape before he is taken into Nightmare.”

“How?” Aspen said. “We saw what Reala could do. He could fly. He could fight! We can’t do that! Not unless we dualize with another dream or something…”

“Dualize?” Lydia asked blankly.

“There’s time for that later,” Owl said. “Listen. You will be dualizing with a dream, but it will be NiGHTS again. You see, when the Nightmaren capture Nightopians or Ideya, they store them in things called ‘Ideya Captures’ or ‘Ideya Palaces’, which are designed to hold beings comprised of pure Ideya. But you are Visitors. Although you have traces of Ideya in your hearts, you are from the waking world. The Capture cannot effect you, you see! You’ll be able to walk right into the cage, and once NiGHTS dualizes with you, he’ll be able to fly back out!”

He led them over to the door. “Now, Lydia, just open the realm of Canvas Valley, and we’ll be able to prevent a tragedy from happening!”

She stood there for several minutes, feeling her face drain of color and her fingers begin to quiver. Could she do this? Go through that door again, face those monsters?

Owl was sitting on the arch of the doorway, looking down at her. He looked…so pained. So sad. She wanted to write it off as make-believe, but…She couldn’t.

Her hand placed itself against the wood. She felt her muscles move as if time had slowed to a near-halt, her arm pushing the door open. A beauteous light streamed out through the opening, and her body felt suddenly as light as air…

---

“Jolly good! You’ve done it!”

“H-Huh?”

Lydia staggered slightly, having lost her bearings in that moment of floaty feeling. But sure enough, she had opened the door. They were standing in the rolling gold fields of Canvas Valley, the plateau a large dot off in the distance. She turned around to look, and behind her was the door.

“NiGHTS is still here?” Aspen said, blinking. “I’m sorry, but why haven’t they taken him farther?”

“Nightmaren are foreign to the world of dreams. Just as it’s a trying ordeal for a Nightopian to enter Nightmare, it’s hard for the Nightmaren to cross freely between the realms of Nightopia. They need more power to do so, which is one of the reasons why they steal Ideya. We’ve still got time before NiGHTS is carried off. So, let’s get to it!”

He flew off, towards the rock formations in the distance. The kids ran after him.

“Do you see?” the Dream Guide chirped, pointing as they got closer. “Look, up there!”

Lydia strained her eyes, looking. She could see a shape at the top of the plateau, and three dots circling around it…

“NiGHTS? And…the Nightmaren…”

“Yes. Reala and the others must be going for their escort source. Those Goodles and their mounts up there have the key that will completely destroy any lingering effects of the Capture on NiGHTS. You’ll have to chase them down for it.”

Aspen stared at the rock wall before them. They were now just a few yards from the plateau. “…How are we gonna get up there? Not even my grandma could climb that.”

“There are more caverns in the rock,” Lydia blurted, almost immediately.

Aspen blinked. “How did you…?”

“It’s my sculpture,” she explained, feeling an alien surge of joy. She smiled a bit. “One of the places I’ve always wanted to see in the world is Ayers Rock, in Australia. Just a picture of the place is…Ah, it’s the most beautiful, open thing ever. And it’s full of caves, with Aboriginal art inside. Did you know that?”

“That is amazing.”

“I’ve been about a few times, so…” Owl zipped about for a while, before pushing aside another curtain of grass, revealing a cavern. “Here we are! Quickly, children!”

Aspen and Lydia followed, ducking down slightly so they didn’t hit their heads on the sloping cavern roof. As soon as they were inside, they both gasped.

The tunnel opened up beyond them in a wide, yawning path. The rock looked normal at first- tan, flecks of white and gray- but was then suddenly strewn with magnificent colors, rainbows of shimmering light...Clumps of stones and precious jewels were dotted amongst the stalagmites and stalactites.

“I…” Lydia murmured, at a loss for words, as they began to walk again. She hadn’t sculpted this…

“This is a further reflection of your inner self, Lydia,” Owl said sagely (although his gathered demeanor was ruined by him nearly flying into a rocky pillar). “Open to the world on the outside in all your beauty- but the same and true treasures exist on the inside, with your creative mind.”

“You must be a great artist,” Aspen noted, turning his head, eyes roving, to get a better look about.

Lydia froze. Her head spun, spots of light flickering before her eyes, like…like…the lights at the expo…

“…”

“Hoo? What’s this?” Owl said, uneasy. He could see the end of the cavern ahead, but…the cave had darkened, losing most of its color.

“It’s probably the Nightmaren or something,” Aspen said, cautiously approaching the exit. “But once we get to NiGHTS…” He turned his head. “Um, you coming?”

“H- Wh-” Lydia jumped slightly, and glanced back and forth between the cavern walls and her feet. “…Yeah.”

She followed him out of the cave, into the sunlight, to leave her doubts stuck in the crevices of the rock.

At least, she hoped.

---

NiGHTS: Requiem of Dreams
Chapter Seven: Darkness on the Horizon

The Ideya Capture was easy to see. It was a multi-faceted cage of what looked like gold, interlocking misty panes of a glass-like substance. It would’ve been pretty, almost like some sort of strange snow globe, but the metal was fashioned in sharp prongs like a series of claws, and its numerous chains rattled eerily in the breeze.

NiGHTS was sitting inside, his hands placed longingly against the glass, his eyes full of frustration and defiance. And sure enough, it was surrounded by a trio of the birds and their goblin riders, the monstrous plumage lurid and misplaced against the blue sky.

“Those things’ beaks will skewer us if they catch us trying to get to the cage…” Lydia murmured.

“But, it’s a dream. They can’t hurt us…” Aspen paled slightly, and looked over at Owl. “Right?”

All they got in reply was a look of hapless struggle from Owl, an uncomfortable silence that didn’t confirm anything except unease.

“Nonetheless, we’ll need a distraction so you can get close enough.” Owl tilted his head and ruffled his feathers. “So I’ll show these airborn ne’er-do-wells some real flying!”

And before either of them could stop him, he darted out, yelling to draw the attention of the Goodles. “I say! You ruffians think you’re so tough, do you, with all your Ideya-snatching? Try catching a clawful of my tail feathers, and then we’ll talk!”

“The Dream Guide!” one of the goblins snarled, urging its mount forward and into the air. The other two followed as Owl shot off in the opposite direction as fast as his wings could take him.

“They’re gone,” Lydia breathed. “I guess this is our chance…”

She and Aspen approached the chain leading up to the cage. “NiGHTS!” they called.

NiGHTS looked down at them. “Aspen! Lydia! Sorry to be a nag like old Owl over there, but would you mind getting me out of here? I can’t stand confined spaces, you know.” He grinned and chuckled.

“Where’s the lock on this thing?” Lydia wondered.

“This is the lock,” NiGHTS said, putting his hands on the glass, which rippled and flashed at his touch. “The aura is keeping my energy trapped inside. You can phase through to get me out, but unless we get the key to undo the spell from those Goodles, I’ll be pulled back in before long. And we don’t have time to waste; hurry!”

Aspen stood by to let Lydia approach the chain first- What a gentleman, she thought, nothing like the other guys at school. Thankfully, the chain was wide enough so that she could use the openings in the rings as handholds and footholds. She began to climb with relative ease, and Aspen followed her.

Just as NiGHTS and Owl had said, once they reached the top of the chain, there was another glass wall…and Lydia simply passed through, as if it were air. Aspen gasped as he came up behind her.

“This is surreal.”

“That’s what you may think,” NiGHTS said, touching down before them, “but it’s not nearly as fun being actually stuck inside. Now, let’s show those guys what happens when you mess with the best!”

“Are we going to dualize again, then?” Aspen asked.

“I still don’t know what that means…” Lydia pointed out.

NiGHTS opened her mouth, but it was then that they heard a sharp cry from the birds, and a yelp from Owl.

“Owl! Oh, we don’t have time…Quick, just take my hands!”

They did as she said, and each of them grabbed one of her hands.

“I don’t have enough power to dualize with each of you individually, so…Heh, hope it’s not cramped!”

“What does sh-” Lydia began, before she felt herself stretching her arms. She turned her head and nearly screamed when she saw her arm was gone, and NiGHTS’s was in its place. And to make things even stranger, as she looked, a sort of holographic second image appeared…

“Aspen? What the heck is- WAH!”

They were flying now, and NiGHTS was rocketing towards the shapes of the Goodles nearby. It took her a while to get used to the sensation. She’d never been good with moving fast; she got sick on car rides and hated roller coasters, although it wasn’t nearly so bad now. She supposed it was the fact that she was apparently fused with the jester and the other kid.

‘I barely comprehend it either, but somehow, we’re merged with NiGHTS,” Aspen’s voice responded, seemingly inside her mind- after all, NiGHTS’s mouth wasn’t moving.

The Goodles had surrounded Owl. One bird held his left wing in its beak, and the other had a firm hold of his right. The third was closing in, snapping its jaws hungrily…

“Hey, bird-brains!” NiGHTS yelled.

“I BEG your pardon?” Owl huffed, over the enraged shriek of the other birds as they turned to look.

“Whoops. Heh, no offense meant!”

Once the Goodles realized that NiGHTS had escaped, Aspen was pretty sure they would attack, but instead, they dropped Owl and flew off as fast as they could, leaving behind nothing but feathers and the neon-esque trails formed by their ill-mannered light.

“Come on, we’ve got to catch them!” NiGHTS said. Spinning like a top, he shot off after the first Goodle.

It didn’t take long for the jester to catch up to the bird, and once he had, he grabbed fistfuls of the creature’s plumage while ducking the swinging arms of its rider. Aspen and Lydia gasped as NiGHTS pulled hard, renting the monster in two…and reducing them to nothing but a pair of strange orbs, that hurtled from the sky before disappearing.

“Defeated Nightmaren simply fall apart into basic matter,” Owl said. “It cuts down on the clean-up, although they always tend to cause a mess either- L-LOOK OUT!”

The warning came too late, and the second Goodle, having dove down from above, locked its claws around NiGHTS’s legs. They all yelped as they were carried towards the side of the plateau. At this rate, they’d hit the rocks!

“We’re gonna get smashed!” Aspen yelled.

Owl tried attacking the Goodle, but all that resulted in was him nearly being shredded in two by its beak. However, the distraction gave NiGHTS enough time to twist around and grab the bird’s legs.

“Aspen, Lydia, pull!”

They did. The Goodle screamed as it fell into pieces. That left only the third one, which, upon realizing things were pretty much hopeless, flew off with a screech. Although fear quickened its flight, NiGHTS was obviously the more skilled aerial artist of the two. Once they had dispatched of it, a spark of greenish light appeared in NiGHTS’s hand.

“Now, to finish business here…”

The jester swooped over to the cage, and pressed her hands against the misty glass. The cage burst apart, diamond-like panes and splinters of gold clattering to the rocks before dissolving in an inky black cloud. She touched down, and let the two dreamers exit the dualization.

“Th-That was…” Lydia breathed, reeling from shock. She stumbled slightly.

“I’m still having trouble believing this dream isn’t just, well, a dream,” Aspen added.

“I can assure the two of you, this is all very real,” Owl said. “It’s part of your heart. For instance…Lydia.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

“Look at this place. Tell us what you feel,” NiGHTS encouraged.

Lydia paused, then looked out from atop the rock. “I feel…open. Like I’m turning into something huge and magnificent. This plateau…It’s the centerpoint of the valley, the treasure at its core. And then it just spreads out and on and grows and becomes so…”

She closed her eyes. “…Beautiful.”

Aspen watched her, silent and eyes misty for a moment…

…until, that is, the entire valley grew several shades darker.

“What the-” NiGHTS began.

“What’s going on?” Lydia opened her eyes.

“Are storms common around here, Owl?” Aspen asked.

The bird opened his beak to reply, but was cut short by a horrifyingly chilly whisper, so hoarse and thin that it sounded as if it would melt into the air at any second.

“No…But Nightmaren are.”

[Tails Doll]

It's too late for me to read...

[Silver~]

[Super Cyber Mario]

That was epic and amazing. It made me want to buy NiGHTS. Cookie'd

[MsDevin92]

[Medikoopa]

Not even half-way through and I love it. :3

So cool~

[MsDevin92]

[Black Yoshi]

I should go but NiGHTS with my birfdai money now. It was epic. :3

[MsDevin92]

[Flar3 Luigi]

THAT. WAS. AWSOME.

[Black Yoshi]

[MsDevin92]

Exuro: xD;

Also, I have to say two things on this fanfic.

1) I know that NiGHTS gender is allowed to be decided by the player, so I'll be referring to NiGHTS as either a boy or a girl, depending on which dreamer's point of view it is.

2) Reala is *crag* sexy.

That is all.

[Gold Prognosticus]

Epic story is epic.

I really should consider doing that NiGHTS RP that I planned when I got the game...

[Super Jetfire]

MUST. GET. WIZEMAN ALT!

I'm lovin' this. I envy your writing abilities.
I might play some NiGHTS music fer ya!