When Sam had entered the field of flowers she was met with a bright light. Alternatively, as they stepped through the portal she and the Author were met with a blinding darkness. Immediately, her heart leaped out of her chest, and longed to escape back to the warm, sunny field. She checked herself because alas there was no turning back.

The Author noticed a hardly noticeable light coming from her pants pocket.

“What is that?” He asked.

She pulled out the object and cradled it in her hands. A tear streaked across her cheek.

“It’s Earl Grey’s horn. He gave it to me so I could enter the field of flowers. I wonder how he’s doing now.” Her thoughts trailed on.

The Author put his arm over her shoulder.

“He was a good friend. We must stop the Nightmares so that his sacrifice will not be in vain.”

Same nodded.

“There is one comfort at least,” he said. “As a normal horse, the Nightmares will pay no attention to him.”

Earl Grey’s safety put her mind more at ease. The two of them pushed through the dark woods, running into roots and sticky webs, despite the faint light of the horn. There was a problem though; the light began to pulse and dim, like small breaths until the light was all but extinguished.

Sam froze in place. Her heartbeat and breathing quickened. They heard a soft crackling noise and they watched as the horn crumbled into a pile of small diamonds. She put them in her pocket and hung her head.

The Author rustled around in his coat, murmuring to himself. He let out an ah! when his hand grasped the object he was looking for. He pulled out a glass jar, that shone with a glow that looked like hundreds of tiny stars were smushed inside the jar. He cracked open the lid of the jar and out flew a swarm of fireflies.

The fireflies flew above them, lining the trees like fairy lights. The Author held Sam’s hand as he guided her over roots and through the woods.

The duo was led to a group of rocks in a semi-circle. The fireflies landed on the rocks in the shape of an arch, revealing a small entranceway. The Author pulled at his pants and pulled them at the knees and dropped to a crouching position. Sam followed suit and they started through the entranceway.

They crawled through the crevice and it grew larger and large – wait, it was they that were shrinking! The jagged ends of the fissure began appearing higher and higher. Soon, they were able to stand without issue.

They reached the end of the crevice and walked out. They had arrived in what seemed like a room with deep, dark walls of fog. At the center of the “room”, there was a small pool. The fireflies came in behind them and flew up into the fog and seemed to set still like they were caught in a web, but still twinkled like stars.

The duo walked to the edge of the pool.

“Follow my lead.” The Author said.

He placed one foot in the pool, just below the surface. He placed his second foot in and he stood straight up, as though the pool was shallow. He walked in a circle and as he did he began to descend, like walking down an invisible staircase.

Sam was apprehensive to follow, but she knew this wasn’t the strangest thing she had seen in the dream world. She stepped in and followed the Author.

The water was cool and refreshing. She bounced down the stairs like she had seen in her classes when they showed videos of astronauts walking on the moon. Her lungs began to sting, but it was not overwhelming like other times she had been underwater in pools.

When she reached the bottom, the Author was there with his arm outstretched. In his hand, was a small, rainbow fish scale. She grabbed it and instantly her lungs felt better. She could breathe naturally, that is as natural as you can underwater.

The Author started forward and Sam followed. Streaks of light glittered as their hands cut through the water. The light would linger for about a minute then would sparkle into nothingness.

Soon they were out of the small chamber that housed the pool and found themselves in open waters. Light splashed all around them as fish and eels and other sea creatures raced through the water. Bright green kelp lined the ground like a field of grass.

Kelp below them split into a lined path with phosphorescent anemones. The path led them to a silver and gold gate; the inverse twin of the one that Sam passed through on her first trip to the dream world.

From out of nowhere two merpeople appeared. One was a male with dark hair and had teal scales on his tail. The other was a female is blond hair and had periwinkle scales on her tail. Both of them had olive skin and wielded icy, blue stares and gray tridents that were directed at the Author and Sam.

The female’s icy stare was melted by the warmth of recognition.

“Author! It has been some time since you’ve visited these depths.”

“Yes, Shasta, it has. I do wish that my visit came with greater tidings.”

He turned to the merman.

“Naman! You’ve grown! You were just a merling last I visited. I recall you had dreamed of becoming a Royal Guard; now look at you!”

Sam noticed when the Author spoke of Naman that he had the same look of pride in his eyes as when he was talking to her. She blushed.

“Quite the guard he has become, too,” Shasta said with pride. “He’s become Captain of the Guard.”

“That’s wonderful news! I could tell there was greatness in you.”

The pride and love shared between the three made Sam long for the warmth of her home. She longed to be at a breakfast table again with her mom and dad, and yes, even Isaac. She bit her lip, thinking about her parents looking of Isaac, and probably herself, worrying about when they would wake up. She didn’t mean to leave them like that, but if she could help the others wake up then it would all be worth it.

“Who is that by your side, Author?”

The question broke Sam from her thoughts.

“This is Samantha.” Again with the pride. “She is going with me to help stop the Nightmares. But first, we need to find my door. I believe the Queen should know something about it.”

“You are well informed. The door did indeed fall into our realm and the Queen has had its location hidden from everyone save for the Royal Guard.” Shasta said.

“Very well,” he smiled. “Let us be on our way.”

Shasta and Naman nodded to each other with understanding. They moved out of the way and opened the gate. Sam saw nothing but more water on the other side. Although, as with its twin, when they stepped through they felt an odd sensation and arrived at the foot of a bridge.

The magnificent bridge was made of iridescent seashells and stretched across a vast trench.; that from within a great bellow came.

The shells clacked from beneath their feet. When they had crossed the middle of the bridge, the shadow of a figure shot up in front of them. The bellow came again as they watched a gray and white whale twisted and arched over them and returned the trench below.

At the end of the bridge, they were met with a road made of fine, white sand. Along the path were metal poles that housed electric blue bio-luminescent algae that lit their way. They sank slightly as they traveled down the road.

The road led up to a wide, tow-tiered castle made of sea-stone. Flags on the spires bore the emblem of the Merfolk; that being two golden tridents that crossed with a wreath underneath. The flags moved along with the soft current of the water. A set of guards at the entrance bowed to them and waved them in through the open entranceway.

The room was lit by slow-moving jellyfish that hovered around the ceiling. The walls were lavender with white and gold trimmings. Multiple pillars lined the room. There were two staircases on the left and right sides of the room that met together to create a second floor. Just below where the staircases met, there was an elegant white throne that housed the largest Mermaid Sam had ever seen.

The queen had long red hair and her tail was covered in rainbow scales, much like the one that Sam and the Author held in their hands. She had large purple eyes and a smile that exuded warmth and welcome, rivaling Mrs. Wilde’s own; at least in Sam’s opinion.

“Ah, Author,” She said sweetly, almost like a song. “It has been some time since you’ve graced us with your presence.”

The Author bowed, “My apologies, your majesty.”

She smiled.

“I am under the assumption that you know why I am here?”

“Yes, the threat from the above world has reached our ears. Thankfully, those creatures have not been able to find their way down here.”

“That is great news indeed. I-”

He was cut off as a voice rang out from above the second floor.

“Sam!” The voice called.

The party looked up to see a young Mermaid with raven hair and a rainbow-scaled tail.

“Aster!” Sam cried, shocked to see the girl again.

They swam to each other and embraced. They swapped stories, so enthralled in catching up that they were oblivious to the audience of watchers on and their beaming smirks.

“You know each other?’ The Author cleared his throat. “Why am I not surprised?”

He and the queen chuckled. The girls’ cheeks turned red.

“It was because of Sam’s and Aster’s meeting that we were able to be warned about the creatures.” The queen told.

“Is that so?”

Sam blushed again.

“Sam is basically a hero, right mom?” Aster asked.

“The queen is your mom?! I didn’t know that I was friends with a princess!”

Sam tried to show off her best curtsy.

“It’s nice to meet you, your majesty.”

“The pleasure is mine.”

The Author cleared his throat again.

“I don’t mean to interrupt the joyous reunion, but I am afraid that time is of the essence. Could we be led to my door?”

The queen’s smile never fade as she agreed.

“Yes, of course. Aster, my dear, could you lead our friends there?”

“Yes, mom.” She bowed. “Follow me.”