Come on Ghelly, show yourself already! I scramble over another pile of rocks, searching frantically. I appear to be alone once again, but not everything here is as it seems. Like, the landscape looks peaceful, yeah? But actually, everything here just wants to kill you. I could've stayed in Malor for that. Though, back home I didn't have flowers gnawing at my ankles. So that's certainly...something

I continue to creep across the rocks. In the distance, a cave comes into view. Even though I'm a good distance away, I can feel the hot breeze escaping its mouth. I was looking for an eternal heat source, right? So of course the power source is in a cave. In the sanctimonious wisdom of elder mages and guardians, they always put the dangerous thing in a cave or temple at the top of a mountain. Like, how difficult is it to have a box with a key, you know? Or a magical identity scanner? Then, you could just keep it in a safe room where nobody would ever find it, preferably in a room with some air conditioning. It'd save everybody a lot of pain and hassle.

At this point, I've been searching for about a week, and I'm starting to smell. Well, actually, I reek. But I'm already used to it. The cuisine of the Dream Realm basically consists of unappetizing crunchy or squishy things you find after hours of searching. It's never really worth it.

My clothes are practically rags: torn in several places and covered in dirt. I think I'm developing that "crazed castaway" look.

I stop, sipping from a flask I made out of the corpses of killer plants. I doubt Ghelly is still alive here. If I'm in this state, imagine what the Dream Realm has done to the poor kid. I should never have brought him! What was I thinking? An amateur like him wouldn't last long in this place. Honestly, he should stay an amateur; he shouldn't have to get used to things like this.

My hands find purchase on the rocks of their own accord. I've been doing this for so long, I wonder if my muscles know how to do anything else—even if I tried. My heart races faster, blood pulsing like lava under my skin. As usual, I wasn't thinking. I just decided to take the kid with me because I thought it'd be fun. When will I learn my jobs aren't fun? They're dangerous. I keep telling people I'm not an assassin, but who am I kidding? Assassination, thievery, coercion; it's all my business. Doesn't Ghelly deserve better than that? Growing up alone in Malor is hard enough. Yet here I am, dragging him along to some place even worse.

Sure, maybe he wanted to come. My hand slips on the rock and I jam the butt of my spear into the loose rock behind me. I dig my toes in, my calves burning, and climb higher. Yeah, he seemed excited. But it's kinda hard for a corpse to get excited, and that might be all that's left of Ghelly. Of course, if I ever get back to Malor, Ghelly will look the same. He'll just never wake up.

I lift my mask up and wipe the dust and moisture away from my eyes, sniffing. I'll just watch him grow old, knowing he won't come back. But I'll hope. I'll hope that one day, he'll maybe open his eyes again. I'll say, what if? What if I never brought him with me? What if I never picked him up off the street? What if...

I shake my head. The only thing I can be sure about is: I'm not going back empty-handed. This journey needs to mean something, it has to. I'm getting this power source.

My arms tremble as I pull myself up to the top of the mountain. The entrance of the cave is mere feet away. And...yep, as predicted. There's a dragon guarding it.

The giant lizard breathes deep during its sleep, small puffs of fire flying from its nostrils as its huge body ripples with every inhalation. Scales and muscles shimmer like a tidal wave when it exhales. I quietly creep around the dragon, holding my breath. I'm glad it stinks in here, or my scent might just wake it up. I gingerly step over the dragon's serpentine tail, dipping into an alcove. I take the stone steps leading up and spot a tiny orange crystal on an altar. That's what I came here for. That's the reason Ghelly's probably long dead.

My eyes survey the room, scanning for traps. All clear. I scamper across the room and pluck the crystal from the altar. I race down the stairs and get to the mouth of the cave in record time. At times, I can put sprinters to shame—like when my life is in danger. Then I hear a growl. Shit.

The dragon looks down at me, and...is it...smiling? An orange crystal, just like the one in my hand, glows brightly. It hangs from a metal chain around the dragon's neck. There are two parts to the crystal? Or is this one just a decoy? Whoever was in charge of defending this eternal power source took their job very seriously. Smoke curls from the dragon's nostrils, and it leans its head back. Time to go.

I scamper down the rocks, barely avoiding a jet of flame. An ear-piercing screech shakes the sky, and partially deafens me. I race down the slippery slope of rocks and earth as fast as I can without tumbling. The dragon shakes its body above me, tracking me with amber eyes. My feet hit stable ground and I take off sprinting. I turn back to see the dragon take a leap out of the cave, and land with a thunderous boom at the base of the cliff. No fair!

I dodge another jet of flame, weaving through the jungle. I take several sharp turns, but it doesn't seem to matter; the dragon just crushes everything under its immense weight, gaining on me.

Without thinking, I've retraced my steps to where I first woke up a week ago. The hole is still there. At least I have a grave ready. One of the dragon's paws comes down to crush me like the hand of the gods. Maybe I deserve this. For putting Ghelly in danger, for sacrificing his life. For being willing to sacrifice the life of everyone I know to get the job done. Has it been worth it?