Vampire Nightlife

Was it arrogance? A belief in one's immortality? That he was some kind of Main Character in this world? Lukas didn't know what to say, maybe a part of himself believed that.

It wasn't feasible in his eyes to be suddenly thrown into the life of someone else and with capabilities beyond those of the ordinary–so he had to believe. He was not blind or intrinsically humble.

"Lukas…" Chaerin looked at him, with her brows furrowed together in worry.

He reached out and clasped her cheek, offering her with a smile. Because she had gotten with someone who was as crazy as him. Someone who had a gut feeling and refused to back down when he thought that he was right.

"Is it possible for the water to sleep as well?" Lukas chuckled.

It gained the odd looks of his three companions, but he had asked it to the Dream Eater within the stone and the Progenitor within the dagger–for they were most likely to have answers.

"Do not die so easily to a common water nymph." Drusilla spoke tersely.

"You said it yourself that the forest is more conscious than demihumans presume it to be." Rhea replied.

"Well, here I go." Lukas pulled himself up to his feet and everything seemed to sway in that moment. When he looked down the tree, he seemed so far high up and falling would hurt.

But then he leapt towards the other tree, grabbing the strong branch and lifting himself up. Lukas was far from the most athletic type, but because of the body that he was in now? Because of what he had become?

It was easy.

He did the next one and then the next. Far beyond the reach of the Everglade Circle's waters until he reached the closest one to the giant tree in the center of the lake. The distance was great.

Lukas wished that Alexei was around to throw him like a sack across towards the tree, but something occurred at the side.

Ursa, Theodore and Chaerin had gone down from the trees and stepped closer to the waters. And that was all the signal that the water nymph needed to spring itself up to action.

Similar to Ursa's childhood nightmare once, it happened again. There were gigantic water snakes that attacked them along with waves that crashed along the shores and tried to drag them in.

It was amazing how Ursa transformed into her colossal bear form, it was smaller still in the face of the body of water and yet Ursa swatted at the snakes as if they were nothing but mere flies.

Both Theodore and Chaerin didn't seem like they could do much, Ursa herself was a small stone in the face of the waters but they did not back down at all. Luring them as far away as they could from the water source.

Lukas couldn't take his eyes away from them for a second.

He hadn't trusted that they'd have faith in his plans–and they probably didn't, but they were willing to risk their lives so they could see him do what he wanted. And look and behold, their own plan was working.

A portion of the lake seemingly had left a drier portion for him to tread to–even if he couldn't make the jump, he'd at least have the chance to tread on dry ground and reach the small patch of dirt of the Heart of the Forest.

Down he went.

Lukas moved towards the giant tree as fast as he could, sparing only a single glance to check if the waters were distracted–and enraged as it was with the intruders. Lukas tried not to slip at some muddy spots and then realized that it had water too.

"Oh crap." Lukas cursed and didn't have to turn around to hear the sound of water rushing back into the lake. The waters would swallow him whole if he didn't get to the tree in time.

He scrambled up the aged tree in haste, not being able to fully show some respect to the ancient thing that was most likely around at the start of the forest. When he reached one of its lower branches, even the angry waters could no longer attack him–almost as if revering the tree itself.

Lukas didn't know if that was his mere imagination or simply a guess, but as he rested his back against the old tree, a wave of calmness overcame him. It made him drowsy, a bit exhausted even.

"Rhea…" Lukas called out.

No matter how much Lukas had actually twisted his words and didn't fulfill his promise to set her free right away, the Dream Eater was an unfortunate spectator of the situation all the same.

"What is it?" Rhea asked.

"We need to wake up the tree and maybe understand why it chose to hide itself." Lukas said as he placed a hand on the old wood. Whether it was the influence of the tree itself or the fact that it was asleep for so long, somehow it affected Lukas too.

"Haven't you learned how to enter dreams by yourself?" Rhea pointed out, with a fraction of bitterness in her words.

Lukas chuckled weakly and took out the dagger from his arm. He was supposed to have gained a power against mind attacks–the System indicated that, but who was he in the face of a being that probably existed for hundreds of years?

"I know, but nobody's better than entering the dreams of another person like you."

As he said those words, Lukas once again lightly scratched himself to keep himself from falling asleep. Chaerin and the others were far away and probably couldn't see what he was doing, but he chose to stay as obscure as possible.

"I'm not actually sure if I can enter the dreams of someone this strong as well." Rhea admitted. "I've mostly preyed on those with a weaker mind so…"

"Say less." Lukas said as he took out the crystal from his pocket. "You'll have your full power when you're freed right?"