For dinner tonight, the cook's fried vegetables and cabbage rolls with some lightly breaded chicken. While a sat there enjoying my fried veggies, I listened to Mother and Father talking about the recent rumors of an invader on some island nations near the mainland.

"They're not rumors multiple witnesses claim to have seen people walking out of rips in the air and that they can see buildings and people on the other side.

"On the Demons continent, Queen Tethrasta contacted the invaders there. Apparently, those people don't want to fight, study the Magic of our world. They even offered to build an academy so we could exchange students for learning from them." Said Father with a troubled look on his face.

"What are they teaching at the academy, Father?" asked Amy.

"Magic, they're, according to Darnath's ambassador, powerful mages, that use spells we have never seen. In fact, we chose your friend Katlyn to become an exchange student for a year. It's strange though they don't appear to have the world system, nor can they access it."

Jerking my head up, I ask excitedly. "How do they use spells without the system? In fact, I want to know how they can learn spells without it. Imagine being able to choose your own spells rather than whatever the system grants you. That would be awesome."

With a frown, father says, "there is nothing wrong with the system. It grants abilities and spells according to your needs."

"But wouldn't be getting a defensive spell rather than freeze for my second make more sense?"

Scowling Father rebukes me. "If you practiced more with controlling the elements you have received, you could easily use that freeze spell as a defense." With a wave, he created an ice wall surrounding the entire room.

"What spell was that," I ask with expectation.

"That was the worthless freeze spell you were talking about. I just pushed more mana into it a directed it the way I wanted." with another wave, he dismissed the ice as if it never existed. "Remember, don't rely solely on the system, or it will become a crutch. Think and experiment on your own. That goes for you, as well, Amy."

"Okay, that is enough lecturing at the dinner table takes the girls to your study after dinner," said Mother with a sigh. Then she turned to Father, "what is happening on The Crag? I heard they got hit hard and fast, losing some land to the invaders."

With a nod, father explained. "Apparently, when the invaders arrived there, it was in mass, and Gnarlack couldn't push them back before they had taken a foothold. These people aren't like the ones on Drascus. They are there to conquer. We offered to send reinforcements, but Gnarlack asked us to hold off, for now, he worries we might get hit hard in another location. He has the invaders pinned down in the ravine where they arrived for now. While he gathers troops from both the Kobolds and the dark elves that live on his continent."

"What about the human lords on The Crag?" asked Mother.

"They're busy patrolling in case the invaders can tear open another gateway. So far, they haven't, which could either mean they can't or possibly haven't thought about it yet."

"What about Uncle Fenis? Is he fighting invaders too?" I ask worriedly.

Father sighed, "I have received no reports on Eleneer or the Dwarven continent. However, as one is an ancient forest and the other is a mass of mountains and cliffs, it would be rather simple to hide. As for here on Veridian, there have been a few sightings of strange men scouting around, but nothing substantial."

Listening to father, I didn't realize I had finished all my vegetables, so I began eating them off Amy's plate. When she noticed, she started on my chicken.

When Mother noticed this, she raised an eyebrow, "Why don't the two of you switch plates? Wouldn't that be easier than reaching around each other?"

Amy and I paused, thinking about that, and in unison told her, "it's more interesting this way," making Father chuckle.

After dinner, as Amy and I were heading back to our rooms for the night. Father stopped us "don't forget to Meditate before bed, Nalle. you have been neglecting that a lot recently."

Glaring at Amy, who was pretending to wipe the dust off her skirt. Father continued, "also, don't practice Elemental control in the house."

When he said that, Mother snorted behind him, "your one to talk encasing us in an ice wall while we were eating."

At the remark, Father huffed. "That was a demonstration for the girls on elemental control."

As Mother walked away, we could hear her say, "more like showing off to your daughters." They continued like that till they were out of earshot, making Amy and I giggle.

Entering our room, we walked to the closet, stripped out of our dresses, and sat cross-legged on the floor to meditate. When I opened my eyes, I noticed Amy with her head on my lap reading one of her novels lent to her by Sally. (not sure where Sally gets these) About some weird humans with superpowers or something. "How long was I in a trance?" I ask, looking down at her.

Amy jerked her head slightly in surprise. "Ah, your back. It's been about two hours lets go take a bath then go to bed," she says while pulling me up. Difficult, as one of my legs is asleep already.

Jumping into the bath, I look around and see Yuri already has our pajamas laid out and is getting things around for bed. Feeling somewhat lazy, I ask Yuri to wash my hair tonight.

Amy, already scrubbing her own hair. Sticks her tongue at me. Yuri looks around, sighs, and begins taking her own clothes off to get in the tub. This might seem strange to anyone who might see, but as all three of us grew up together, it's hardly the first time we have bathed together. Besides, this way she won't have to take a bath later, after Amy and I are in bed.

While Yuri was humming to herself washing my hair, Mother walked in and raised a brow at me sitting in front of Yuri. However, as Yuri seemed to enjoy washing my hair, she let it go instead of walking over to the shelf and picking up a jar of scented oils. Then walking behind Amy, she started rubbing it into her hair and scalp, making Amy moan in pleasure. Eliciting a light smack on her head from Mother.

After rinsing my hair, Yuri quickly finished cleaning herself, then hopped out and got dressed before taking the oil from Mother to do the same to mine. However, as soon as Mother finished with Amy, she walked behind Yuri with a smile. Untied her dress to get it away from the oil and rubbed some into her hair as well.

Suddenly Amy, who had been in a light trance on the edge of the bath, jerked straight up. "What are you doing here, Mother?"

"I'm spending the night with the two of you to see if there is an outside influence involved in these nightmares. Don't worry at my level; I don't sleep unless I want to."

"What about Father," I ask "won't he be lonely all alone?"

Mother just snorted, "We got married over a millennium ago. I think we can spend some time alone without it troubling us too much. Besides, he is spending his nights trying to complete the dungeon, hoping he can ask it some questions regarding its focus on the both of you."

Amy said with a troubled face. "I thought you both enjoyed diving together?"

"We do, and I went with him yesterday, but I wanted to see if I could learn something from this end and decided on a girl's night," replied Mother

"Isn't every night a girls' night here? The only guy that has ever stepped foot in this room, as far as I know, is Father," I say, confused.

Amy responds by sending a wave in my direction, splashing my face, Also soaking Mother and Yuri behind me. "Oops, sorry, Mom, Yuri, it was an accident."

Mother stomps out of the room, dragging Yuri with her. "Let them dry and dress on their own for a change," she says crossly, but I Can see a slight upturn on the corner of her lips.

A couple of minutes later, Amy and I walk out of the bathing room to see them both in their pajamas, sitting on my bed chatting. their nightclothes left practically no skin showing at all. (don't they get hot in all that?)

Amy and I walked out in a thin silk top and panties and jumped onto the bed behind them, both crawling under our sheet. Amy fell asleep almost immediately, but I wasn't sleepy at all, so Mother and I stayed up chatting for a couple of hours.

Yuri tried to stay awake, but she fell asleep practically in Mother's lap right after Amy, making us both laugh lightly. Yuri is almost a sister. She is a half wood elf and human girl we found scavenging in a trashcan when Amy and I were little girls. Since then, we have been practically inseparable unless it is fighting or dungeon stuff she is not interested in either, only taking care of us.

I'm not entirely sure how long we talked, but eventually, I succumbed to slumber myself.

During the night, Aleana noticed both girls' faces twitching. Frowning, she reached a hand out over their heads and watched the scattered scenes in their minds. Amy's were just as she said, but Nalle's were utterly frightening. They started with her mind-shattering like glass and continued with more tormented feelings. It was like waves crashing against a cliff.

Eventually, the pain ended, only to be replaced with a more abstract feeling of eternal darkness, unaware of anything around or inside.

With tears flowing down her cheeks, Aleana tried to stop the dreams. She could do nothing. So she lay down and wrapped her daughter in her arms for the rest of the night.

A little before the break of dawn, she felt Freeden's presence outside the door, so she waved her arm, opening the door for him as she didn't want to wake the girls.

When Freeden walked inside, he took one look at the tear-stained cheeks of his wife and sighed, then mentally asked. "Is it that bad?"

Aleana shook her head as more tears fell. "It's far worse than she let on. It is terrifying to watch her dreams even for someone as old as myself."

"What do you think is the cause?" He asked with concern all over his face.

"If I had to guess their memories from previous lives forcing themselves to the forefront of their minds. At least that's what they feel like for Amy. Nalle's, I sincerely hope that is not what is happening. No one should suffer like that. As for her strange episodes of déjà vu, I do not understand. I can't see that either of their dreams connect in any way."

With a nod, Freeden turned and left the room. Aleana could sense him walking toward his study, shoulders slumped.