There was a red light, flitting about. As I stepped into the clearing, it buzzed around me quickly, warm and safe, and I could hear a voice saying, Gods, this is so lame. Sam, if you die, I will never forgive you, and when I wake up again in a hundred years, I will find your grave and then chew on your bones.
The blue lights were bright and kind as they settled on either shoulder. The one on the left said, You’re dreaming, Sam. You’re dreaming, except this is as real as it will ever get. Whatever happens here will be in the real world. You can get hurt here, Sam. You can die here.
The light on the right said, But you better not let that happen. Leslie will be sorely disappointed if it does. She has grown rather fond of you, in case you couldn’t tell.
You old dyke, the left light said sweetly. You love him just as much as I do. He belongs to us. We belong to him. It is the way of things.
The black light, so dark it seemed to swallow up all other light around it, buzzed round my face. Look at me! it said gleefully. I’m here too! Kevin’s here to save the daaaaaayyyyy! He pressed against my nose, vibrating lightly and causing me to sneeze. I heard him laugh about it, and I didn’t think it was possible to love him more than I did right then.
But these lights fell silent as the final light approached.
He was the brightest of all of them. The white.
He said, Sam of Dragons.
“GW.”
I told you not to call me that.
“Yes, well. That’s probably not going to change, dude. If I’m being honest.”
You’re near.
“To?”
The end. But I fear that it won’t be as simple as you think. Your heart is conflicted. Your soul is fractured.
I swallowed thickly. “I did what I had to. I know you didn’t like the plan, but it still—”
What’s done is done. And I can’t fault you for that. But this is as close as you’ll ever be to losing yourself to the Dark. You have tasted the power. You must let it go.
“I’m not going to—”
He’s here, Leslie said. We brought him here too.
“Who?”
Myrin, Pat said. He is in the dream.
“What about Ryan?” I demanded. “He’s—”
He’s safe, Kevin whispered. For now. But it won’t last long. Myrin is strong, Sam. Stronger than we expected.
So you need to kick his ass, Zero said. Because I’m getting really sick and tired of all you old people fighting over stupid stuff.
“Did you make this?” I asked him quietly. “The forest? It’s… familiar.”
Yeah, Zero said, sounding strangely proud. Pat and Leslie made the dream. I made the forest. Kevin will be your conduit, and the Great White is holding us all together.
We get one shot at this, Kevin said. So, no pressure or anything.
“Asshole,” I muttered.
Dragons, GW snapped. You know what to do. It’s time to fulfill your destinies. The Dark wizard will awaken soon, and we must—
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Kevin said. We know what to do. We’re not idiots.
I wouldn’t go that far, GW muttered.