Page 44 of Dreamer (The Dream World Chronicles)

“Every Dreamer has a weaving assignment, as weaving provides dream dust, the source of all our power.” Angel leaned over my shoulder to point to a chart inWeaving for Wussesthat I’d propped open. “This chart outlines the value of dream dust as it’s used in our currency.”

“Why does magic need a source of power?” I asked. “I did magic long before I had dream dust.”

“Those who possess magic can always summon their powers, but dream dust is required to actuallyusethem,” Angel said. “Dream dust enhances a Dreamer’s abilities and allows them to perform more advanced magic than they could otherwise.”

Now that she mentioned it, I’d only been able to view dreams before; I hadn’t been able to capture any portion of a dream until I’d taken some of Mother’s dream dust.

Weaving turned out to be based almost entirely on stitchery, an area in which I wasn’t completely without skill. Mother had taught me needlework since I was young, but while I knew the stitches, the weaving itself was far more complicated than I could have ever imagined—one didn’t just sew a dream together like one would a patchwork quilt. I needed to learn which ones were used to create specific dream effects, the uses of different types of thread, and how to combine all these techniques to weave quickly and efficiently. There were multiple layers of details used to create even the simplest of dreams.

Though the entire subject of dream construction was fascinating, despite my needlework background I found the entire process slightly overwhelming, and had a difficult time remembering all the various stitches and what each was used for. Even with all my cramming, I had a difficult time retaining all the information. It was enough to get rather discouraged, though I had no other choice but to persevere. I spent hours practicing on fabric—for the dream flowers were too delicate and precious to be used on mere practice—stitching until my fingers ached.

In addition to mastering the stitches, I needed to understand the variety of flowers used to construct dreams. Iris frequently took me along when cultivating in order to tutor me in the different types of dream plants. The fields were full of flowers of different shapes and colors, and as we wandered the rows, Iris animatedly explained how each was used and how to combine them to weave realistic dreams.

“Details make the dream more vivid, which creates powerful emotions for the Mortal experiencing it, which in turn yields more dream dust.” She walked through the fields, pointing to the various sections of flowers. “While the fields contain any detail you might need, layering smaller ones to build your own from scratch allows you to make each as precise or dreamlike as you need them to be, which creates more powerful dreams.”

Iris encouraged me to spend a portion of my study hours in the Cultivating Fields to familiarize myself with the types of details grown there, but I found it much more effective to spend this time on Earth. Despite my long nights, I always managed to rise early enough to dream-watch, immersing myself in each unique dream, studying each to see if I could discern how they’d been created.

Despite my busy schedule, I still found time to explore the wonders of my new home. I never tired of seeing all the fantastic places, seeming straight out of a dream themselves. My favorite excursion had been a few days after my arrival, when Angel and Iris took me to Mirror Mirror to find my own style.

The shop was built entirely out of mirrors. Shelves laden with bundles of multicolored cloth hung from the ceiling, flashy outfits lined the curving rows of merchandise, and a section in the corner offered skin painting guaranteed to last a year without washing off.

Iris tsked as she flipped through patterns of make-it-yourself options. “So many fashion trends. What happened to the classic pieces that never go out of style?” She shot a dark look towards Angel, who rapidly flipped the pages ofBake-it-Yourself Fashionswith a religious fervor. “We’re here for Eden, not to update your own style.”

Angel scowled and reluctantly closed her fashion guide, but I saw her subtly sneak peeks at it whenever Iris wasn’t looking.

We spent an hour perusing the variety of styles on display, most of which were rather outlandish, ranging from a peacock topped with a hat full of feathers to a dazzling red ladybug ensemble, complete with eccentric accessories of wings and black dots.

Finally, in a section tucked away in a corner, I found the perfect style. A sense of rightness settled over me as I tried it on and admired myself in one of the wall-length mirrors. The satin dress—white except for a layer of lavender glitter—fell just past my knees, and the ribbons from the matching ballet slippers wove halfway up my legs. Silver star clips laced through my lilac ringlets, a light layer of sparkles coated my skin, and purple stars created a painted pattern across my cheeks and around my violet eyes. Just a touch of a Dreamer to help me fit into this magical world, but not too much so that I still felt like myself.

Iris smiled as I posed in front of the mirror. “It suits you.”

Stardust revolved around me with an appraising air before nodding her own approval. I beamed, feeling one step closer to belonging in my new home. All that remained was receiving a Weaving Assignment. I just hoped that when the time came, I’d be able to prove to the Council I could handle one.

* * *

The Council summonedme three weeks after my arrival. Head Dreamer Galaxy waited in the center of the chamber, the members of the Council perched on the floating benches behind him. I scanned the rows and stiffened when I noticed Head Nightmare Ember and Nightmare Darius amongst the others—Ember with a look like she took great delight in the thought of my upcoming failure, and Darius with one that might have been meant to be encouraging but just made me feel intimidated.

While the rest of the Council resumed their business, Galaxy motioned for me to join him in a tiny room just off the main chamber, which was empty save for a gold table laden with parchment. I shakily sat at the edge of my seat.

“Are you enjoying the Dream World?” he asked kindly.

I lit up. “I love it here.” If only I could earn my place so I’d never need to leave.

“Is it everything you imagined it would be?”

“It feels likes home.” Amidst all the glitter and marvel of the Dream World, thoughts of Mother’s disappearance and the reasons behind it were slowly becoming less frequent.

He surveyed my fidgeting before a hint of a smile cracked his stern expression. “I see you’ve found a style.”

“Every Dreamer has one, and I’m a Dreamer.”

“That is what we’re here to resolve,” Galaxy said. “I’ve prepared a portion of the final exam we give graduating students at the Academy to determine if your previous study is adequate enough to remain here. I believe this will be an accurate measurement of your abilities.”

It began with a written exam, which focused on weaving. I was required to identify specific dream flowers, write an essay about the difference between various stitches and their unique uses, and create a detailed dream blueprint. This was perhaps the easiest and most fun part, as it consisted of not only a detailed description of a dream, but also an explanation of the best use for each flower and the stitches used to construct it. I confidently chose a dream I’d watched only the morning before—an enchanting story where the Mortal soared through the sky as it changed between night and day. When my time was up, I’d filled several rolls of parchment with my detailed descriptions, which included several samples of details I could potentially use to bring it to life.

Next was an oral exam. Galaxy asked me specific details about the magical properties of dream dust and had me recite famous stories from Dreamer history. This was a struggle; in my brief training, I hadn’t bothered to read much history, so I butchered Galaxy’s request for me to explain the legends of the first Dreamers and the formation of the Dream World. However, I was able to confidently share the primary reasons behind the separation between Nightmares and Dreamers, and explain each world’s role in the Mortal World.

The exam concluded with the practical portion, where I was required to showcase my magical skills in front of the rest of the Council. I’d dreaded this part the most. I twisted and untwisted the fabric of my dress as I eyed the Council, who watched me with solemn expressions.

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