The candlelight flickered across the spines of forbidden books, casting dancing shadows on the library floor. Leo sat hunched over the stolen tome with Vellum beside him, both buried in silence—except for the occasional scratching of notes and the tense rhythm of Leo's breathing.
"What Rayleigh said," Leo muttered finally, "about that warrior who died during the war… it has to be the man from my dream. The one I saw wielding spells like second nature."
Vellum looked up from the page he was translating. "You think he's your past soul carrier?"
Leo nodded slowly. "He said we shared the same magical soul. I saw him fighting in that same battlefield… the one from the dream. He looked like he belonged there. Like that war was his home."
Vellum chewed the inside of his cheek. "If he really is part of your soul's lineage, then maybe he's the reason you can use ancient magic. But that still doesn't explain why now. Why is someone using the same magic again? Why attack the Guild's East Block with that kind of spell?"
Leo tapped the book's page. "Exactly. Which is why I need to talk to him."
Vellum blinked. "Wait—you want to go back into your dream?"
Leo's eyes didn't waver. "Yes. I need to know more. His face, his name, his intentions… if this warrior is a part of me, then I need to understand what he left behind. I need to ask him what he knows about this new attack."
Vellum leaned back in his chair, concern painting his features. "The last time you went in, it glitched. You got dragged through Ari's subconscious first. What if it happens again? What if this time, you get stuck?"
Leo gave a dry laugh. "Then I'll have great company in dream-hell."
Vellum wasn't amused. "Leo, this isn't a joke. These dream bridges aren't just bedtime stories. If your mind fractures in there, we might not be able to pull you out."
"I know," Leo said, more softly now. "But we're too deep into this. Someone used the same kind of magic that only I—or he—should know. If this soul was passed to me... then maybe his enemies came along too."
A beat of silence.
Vellum finally closed the book. "Alright. I'll prep the stabilizer glyphs this time. You focus on anchoring your consciousness. No extra stunts. You see him—you talk. Then you get out."
Leo smirked. "Yes, Mom."
"Don't push it."
---
Later that night, beneath the cold glow of starlight, Leo lay inside a protective circle inscribed with old glyphs and dream runes. Vellum whispered the activation phrase, and the Dream Bridge spell began to shimmer over Leo's forehead like an invisible chain, pulling his soul into the fold.
The world dissolved into static—
And Leo fell once again.
Into war.
---