"I am
the new what?" Fable found her voice finally.
"You're
the Dreamhunter who can help us go to meet Charmwill in the Dreamworld, and
hopefully find Loki's Fleece," Babushka said. "You're basically Loki
right now."
"I
don't understand," Shew said.
"The
spell Fable used to possess Loki's body in the last Dreamory left what
magicians like to call a 'mark' on Fable's soul," Babushka explained.
"Being in his body in the Dreamworld was an intense moment," she said
to Shew. "Fable's soul collected most of Loki's powers—Chanta, to be
precise. It won't be for long, so we have to act fast."
"That's
why I have been feeling weird all day." Fable rubbed her chin.
"So
Fable has the power to enter a Dreamworld now?" Shew asked.
"Definitely,"
Babushka said.
"But
Loki needed two bodies in the Dream Temple to enter the Dreamworld," Shew
said. "The Dreamer's and Dreamhunter's bodies."
"Then
we should use the same rituals Loki used and let Fable enter your body,"
Babushka said. "Your body will be the vessel to the Dreamworld, and Wilhelm
Carl Grimm will be the Incubator." Babushka stopped to think about
something. "However, Shew won't be able to do anything in this Dreamory,
unlike in the past."
"But
why?" Shew said. "Each Dreamory, I was able to act in it the same way
the Dreamhunter did."
"That
was when Loki, a true Dreamhunter, entered the Dreamworld," Babushka
explained. "Fable only has part of Loki's power passed to her. As for you,
you will be nothing more than a Sleeping Beauty used as a vessel to the
past."
"You
mean the Shew I will meet in the Dreamworld will not be the same Shew?"
Fable worried. At least Shew beside her would make this a bit easier. She
couldn't believe she had such a sudden responsibility weighing on her tiny
shoulders.
"Regretfully,
no," Babushka said. "The Shew you will meet will not recognize you
came from the Waking World."
Shew gave
Fable a sympathetic look. "You don't have to do this if you can't."
"How
so?" Fable sighed. "Do you think I can stop myself from helping
Loki's resurrection?"
"Deal,"
Babushka chirped. "You saw Loki do the Dream Temple ritual, right?"
she asked Fable, who nodded. "I know you won't have a Fleece, but you will
be doing a much-appreciated job, Fable." It was obvious Babushka didn't
want to mention that, without a Fleece, Fable had no safe way back. She couldn't
ask for help if something happened to her in the Dreamworld. She was going to
be all alone there.
Fable said
nothing. She grabbed a bowl of breadcrumbs and began nibbling. It was the only
way to calm herself down. "Did Loki love
breadcrumbs?" Fable found the courage to finally ask.
"Not
that I know of," Babushka said. "Why?"
"Because
among all the weird things today, I have been craving breadcrumbs all
day."
Babushka
slowly turned her head to Shew. Both, although not entirely on the same page,
exchanged looks Fable couldn't decipher. She felt they knew something about her
she didn't know, but they weren't telling.
"What
is it?" Fable said.
"Nothing,
dear." Babushka patted her and then hugged her to calm her down. "You
must just be hungry and agitated because of the noble mission you're about to
do."
"Really?"
Fable began shivering. She knew Babushka was lying. Something else, other than
having Dreamhunter powers, wasn't right. Somehow, Fable was afraid to know.
"Really,"
Babushka said. "Now go prepare yourself while Shew and I prepare the Dream
Temple in the cellar."
Fable
nodded and ran to her room, still clinging to her breadcrumbs. Although she'd
agreed to do this, it scared the life out of her. Who was she to enter the
Dreamworld?
17
Out on the
porch, while Fable was getting ready, Babushka and Shew were talking.
"Why
didn't you tell her?" Shew asked.
"You
know?" Babushka said.
"Of
course I know," Shew said. "I figured it out in the last Dreamory. I'm
surprised that you know."
"Loki
told me," Babushka said. "I am surprised Axel and Fable don't know. I
mean, everything about them screams