Chapter Thirty Six

tar Scream and I are together in Keeper's Celebration Hall, the many glowing yellow clocks looking over us, their numbers blurred and unreadable. They seem to constantly remind me that time presses on, yet their dials are frozen in an almost timeless stasis. He they call Disciple relates his story with devotion as I record it to my book.

"GuardDog was a very close personal friend of mine, beyond that he was a mentor, and farther beyond that he was ruler of my house at that time. A house he and I both had a major hand in building and one that he had brought me into when I was a newly. At the time that Dream Strike was developing into a major weapon--actually being used by dreamers, the Union and the Gathering when at odds. RavenXR, a ruler of the Union, had already learned the art of Strike. GuardDog, a ruler of the Gathering, confronted him. The story of how the situation came to develop varies slightly depending on to whom you speak, but the important detail is that RavenXR struck guardDog from the city. I was a guardian of GoE and when discussions came up within the house I demanded the opportunity to get revenge.

"To learn strike you needed 5 pieces of the Codex of Immortal Dreams. I do not recall how many we has at GoE at that time but I want to say it was 8, which was more then enough to support one of us learning it. So, after discussing my request the rest of the leaders in GoE at that time agreed to my learning it. After learning the art, which required us to locate the Cowled One and give him 5 pieces of the CoID, we began our plans to strike RavenXR. The plans of course, never developed, as Raven was hard to find. He had become rather inactive and was an outlaw to most dreamers, nearly all houses having him as seek and collapse for his actions and even the Union was speaking out against him.

"The power of the art, for me, was very controlling. Perhaps it was from learning it under such vengeful circumstances, or perhaps it was just the nature of the art, but I changes tremendously after learning it. I was rude, power-hungry, and demanding. My loyalty to the Gathering did not sway at that time, but my treatment towards several of them worsened. Most specifically, ruler Munchkin. This led to my demotion from the Gathering. I was told that I would be demoted from guardian to initiate for my threats to dreamstrike not only Munchkin, but a number of others, if they did not comply with what I felt were the proper moves to improve the condition of the house. I personally do not recall making these demands. However, it was confirmed by a number of sources. So, I agree to accept a demotion to initiate.

"Since I did not have an ID, (I had destroyed it ages before this time frame because I had been a loyal member of GoE for several years and never thought I would need it), I allowed them to collapse me and use my essence to demote me. After being collapsed I was offered restore, I accepted, and my restoring was immediately followed by a chakram that collapsed me a second time. In shock I sat for several seconds, not even enough time to react, feeling them demote me not only to initiate but out of the house completely.

"I was furious. This only helped fuel the rage I already had building up. I tried to control myself, joining the city guard shortly after being forced from GoE and vowing to use my ability to ensure the safety of the city.

"The first time I used the art it was against a darkmare known as Grudash. He was a general of Tehthu, the most evil darkmare known to the city's history. The Kotoke leader Tehthu vowed to destroy me for my actions and had his entire army seeking me at all times, something I was proud of at that time. I'd sometimes hide in sanctuary while their army ran through the city crushing those who tried to fight them, looking for me. Tehthu was known to have dreamstrike as well. I was not going to allow him to make good on his word.

" I would eventually put myself on bad terms with the city guard as well. My issues with the Gathering had not been settled. I spent a short time trying to make amends with them and return but the house was divided on the issue which insulted me. I was a very proud dreamer with a huge ego. My powers often made me feel that I was above others. When the Gathering could not give me a straight forward answer after about a month on what they planned, I focused my war on them.The guard dismissed me for my actions against GoE and for openly threatening to strike a number of them.

"I felt wronged at the time. Refused to acknowledge that I was digging my own hole. I was in a serious state of denial about my own actions and myself. I still thought I was a good man, even though I was being told about bad things I was doing. Really, my rage was just getting the best of me without my even noticing. Without any ties to the city guard or the Gathering, I began to take a look at my options.

" I was still on good terms with DoL and their leadership offered me items in return for my ability. They were at war with other houses and had several targets for me. I agreed, as I knew it would help me with my efforts against the Gathering. Word spread of my hire and Rikku, a freesoul not fond of me or the Dreamers of Light, confronted me. He was very upset. Threatened me, claimed I was not man enough to use my art on a dreamer, and claimed that he would see to it that i was brought down. I chuckled at first; as I stated earlier I thought I was nearly unstoppable. However, he was very serious and continued to test my nerves. Eventually, I was insulted. This man, in my mind at that time, was beneath me. To me he was not half the warrior I was or even half the man I was. Yet, he stood in front of me spouting off and making challenges.

"So, I made him an offer.

"'We'll fight right now, right outside. If you can defeat me I'll let you have the item I drop and if I win I'll dreamstrike you from the city'".

"It was not a serious offer, I just wanted to scare him or shut him up. However, he thought it was a great idea. He reconfirmed his opinion that I would not use the art and was not man enough to collapse him. Outside we went. Threshold way, Upper Basin of Stars. Several gathered to witness. A crowd member randomed and the battle began. Back and forth for a while, chaks missing and neither of us seemingly threatened. I tried to see what he would do if I acted like I was out of items and just stopped. When I did, he hesitated and began to ask me what I was doing. I jumped on the opportunity and slung three shots of a fastest 40, collapsing him. As he turned to run inside, I made good on my word and struck him. I, personally, was pleased. He, more then any other I regret today. At that time though, I was incredibly happy. I even gloated at how I was able to outsmart him.

"Honestly though, looking back, he was only standing up for what he believed in. Trying to make a difference against a dreamer that was truly corrupted by their own self-admiration. DoL saw that my actions were getting major heat from the city after that and, just as everyone else had learned, broke all ties with me. Rikku's soul essence, that I had given DoL as a gift, was returned to his loved ones at the Order of the Sable Moon. DoL also public stated that they had nothing to do with Rikku or me to clear themselves of any heat after they gave Rikku's essence to OoSM.

"I started speaking to Elspet, ruler of the Keepers after that. Asked them if they would be interested in my services. Which, they for the most part were not. She spoke to me a number of times, but with my recent history with the city and the problems her and I had with each other in the past, she was reluctant. Patro, on the other hand, spoke to me about the faith. Discussed the Temple and the Shadow with me a great deal. I was less then interested but listened. I wanted my freedom from conviction. Hesperus, elder of the Temple at that time, also spoke to me. Eventually, I began to be more and more interested in learning of the Shadow. I was drawn to the Temple. Elspet and the other leaders at that time had me serve as a seeker, after finally agreeing to it, for about 6 months.

"The Shadow found me, saved me from myself, and gave my dreams true meaning. I used strike only twice as a Keeper and with good purpose. Once against Mace, who had been fighting KoES and forcing a war to continue between our house and DoL. When I struck him it came by order of Elspet and it ended the war. The second against Avrax, a kind kotoke and close friend. Tehthu had managed to get dreamstruck using a art known as Tehthu's Oblivion. However, Tehthu's soul essence was stolen and it was said that the soul essence could be used to allow his return. Avrax got hold of Tehthu's soul essence and drained it in order to protect us from his return. Unfortunately, it did not work as expected and Avrax began transforming into Tehthu right in front of us. As he struggled to fight off the loss of control over his avatar he demanded us to collapse him and for me to strike him. I refused at first... he pleaded as the pain tortured him. In shame, I accepted his request and did as I felt I had to.

"Also, as a Keeper, I assisted Serialkiller33 and company in defeated the Cowled One and removing the art of DreamStrike from the city.. So, I cannot say what it is that the Shadow did to change me, but I do know that the Shadow can do the same to anyone and when it does, you give your eternal loyalty to it. It truly saved me from self destruction."

"Thank you. It is a story more of my faith then it is of the art... but, it was an evil and a blessing in my dreams. Learning strike."