As dawn breaks over the waking world, Soren rises from the Dreaming -- still carrying the sorrow of a soul he tried to help, and the quiet, steady love he holds for Velune. In the warmth of morning light and shared coffee, the two find a fragile peace... until Velune opens the door to a past she's never told -- a story of trauma, loss, and the light that first saved her.

As the truth of her origin as a Dreamwalker unfolds, Soren learns the weight of what she carries -- and vows to share the burden. Together, they begin to face the deepening shadows of the Dreamworld, bound by light, grief, and a love neither of them can afford to lose.

"Even in the darkest dreams, I will walk beside you -- not to lead, but to stand with you in the silence."


Soren awoke from the Dreamworld, the echoes of others' pain still clinging to him. His light was still young, but the weight of what it meant to be a Dreamwalker had already begun to take root deep within his chest.


As he sat up in bed, his eyes struggled to adjust to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. The fatigue from the previous night's endeavours clung to his body like a heavy shroud, his mind burdened by the demands of the Dreamworld. Yet beneath his fatigue, something in him stirred -- a warmth sparked by memory, by the quiet joy of having held her.


For the first time since their paths had intertwined, Velune had allowed herself to be truly vulnerable in his presence, finding solace in the quiet safety of his arms. The memory of the way she curled into him filled his senses. Her lavender scent, mingled with the faint aroma of last night, warmed him -- chasing away the lingering shadows of the dream. Soren rose from the bed, eyes drifting to the figure beside him, and a soft smile tugged at the corners of his lips. Velune lay nestled among the soft folds of the blankets, her pale fur shimmering with the glow of the morning light. The rise and fall of her chest was slow and even, her face a picture of serenity as she drifted in the realm of dreams.


His dreamwalking rarely lasted past dawn; by five, he was usually flickering back into the waking world. Unlike him, Velune's dreamwalking was always different. She was a Wayfarer, a guide for souls, a beacon that renews the light of dreamers. As Soren gazed upon Velune's peaceful form, a wave of tenderness washed over him, mingled with a profound sense of awe. The weight of her responsibilities as a Wayfarer was not lost on him, nor was the quiet strength she carried, even in her most vulnerable moments.


Careful not to disturb her slumber, Soren gently tucked the blankets around her, his fingers brushing against the soft fabric with a reverence that bordered on devotion and left her in peace. He wasn't sure what might happen if a Dreamwalker was woken too soon, but instinct told him to let her sleep.


He rose to his feet and stretched wide, releasing the stiffness of his body. Soren quietly left the bedroom and made his way to the kitchen. He knew Velune adored her coffee, particular about every detail -- and Soren knew exactly how she liked it. The aroma of freshly ground beans filled the air as Soren set about preparing the coffee, his movements precise and methodical.


As the rich, dark liquid began to brew, he couldn't help but reflect on the events that had led him to this moment. His life had been forever changed the night his light had awakened. He had questions, but she had disappeared before he could ask. He'd spent time working through his abilities, and though he wasn't yet an expert, he understood how his light moved -- how it interacted with hers. He needed to learn more about the Dreamworld, and he could only do that with her help. Today, they would talk; today, he would begin to understand what he was -- and what his purpose might be.


As the first rays of sunlight crept through the kitchen window, Soren found himself lost in thought, his gaze fixed on the slow dance of steam rising from his coffee cup. The rich aroma filled his senses, grounding him in the present. Yet his mind wandered through the labyrinth of memories that had led him here.


He ed the first time he had seen Velune in the coffee shop. She was distant, strange, as if her gaze ed through him, lost in another world. At first, he thought she was being rude, but as he talked with her, he realised that this was who she was: awkward, goofy, and ionate--and it captivated him. He never saw her uniqueness as a flaw -- it was part of what made her, her.

He sipped from his mug, staring out the window into the street, watching cars drift past in silence, thoughts quietly circling. He was always the kind to think a lot first thing in the morning. The soft, golden light of dawn painted the kitchen in warm hues, casting long shadows across the floor. Soren's thoughts drifted to the night he had been pulled into the dreamworld, the night his life had been irrevocably altered. The memories were still vivid, the sensations of falling through layers of dreams, the blinding light that had surged through him, and the moment he had opened his eyes to find himself forever changed. Left to find himself in the dream world, he discovered his abilities and found the strength of his light. He was a protector, a bearer of the Heartfire light. His power made sense, but not his purpose.


He poured himself some more coffee, letting the caffeine lift his heavy burdens from last night's walk. He'd been pulled into a sorrowful dream -- a woman mourning the loss of her husband in a sudden car crash, her heart shattered and adrift. Though not a skilled Dreamwalker, he knew what Velune would do--comfort this woman. His light burned bright in her presence, searing away the deep blue of the dreaming.


No words ed his lips. His light simply burned away the sorrow, illuminating the life they had shared -- a signal, a reminder of the bond still echoing within her. As the sun climbed higher into the sky, Soren felt a gentle presence stir within the house, almost as if someone had just walked through the door. He knew this sense; it felt like Velune. He took one last sip of his coffee and set the mug down, the ceramic clinking softly against the wood.


He poured one last cup of coffee, this time in a white ceramic mug with a cat reading a book -- her favourite. He finished preparing the cup and wandered back to the bedroom, where he heard her stir. The door creaked open with a gentle push, spilling soft morning light across the bedroom floor. Soren paused in the doorway, his eyes adjusting to the dimness, tracing the familiar shape of Velune beneath the tangled sheets. She stirred, a soft sigh escaping her lips as she turned towards the warmth of the sun.


"Good morning," Soren murmured, his voice low and soothing. He crossed the room, settling on the edge of the bed beside her. She let out a gentle groan. "What time is it?" A soft smile tugged at Soren's lips as he watched Velune stir from her slumber. "It's just past dawn," he answered, his voice quiet in the stillness of the room. He set the warm mug of coffee on the nightstand beside her, the aroma of the rich brew wafting through the air.


Velune blinked slowly, her soft green eyes adjusting to the filtered sunlight that spilt across the rumpled sheets. "How was the Dreaming?" he asked quietly.


"It was... difficult," she whispered, eyes still adjusting.


"Do you want to talk about it?" Soren asked.


"I..." She faltered, eyes meeting his. "Okay..." She sat up and reached for the nightstand, fingers curling around her favourite mug. Without hesitation, she took a sip. As the warm liquid met her lips, Velune's eyes fluttered closed for a moment, savouring the familiar comfort of her favourite blend. The steam curled around her face, a soothing tendril of normalcy amidst the chaos of her thoughts. She held the mug close, absorbing its warmth, before setting it back down on the nightstand with a soft clink.


Soren watched her patiently, his steady presence a silent offer of . She gathered herself, her breath rising with the soft fur of her chest beneath the thin fabric of her shirt. "The Dreaming was... fractured last night," she began, her voice barely above a whisper. "The corridors kept shifting, and the doors wouldn't stay open. It felt like the Veil itself was resisting me."


Soren's brow furrowed with concern, but he remained silent, allowing her space to find her words. Velune's gaze drifted to the window, where the early morning light painted the sky in soft brushstrokes of pink and gold. "I could feel the weight of something watching me," she continued, a slight tremor in her voice. "Like something was waiting..."


As she spoke, Loomi's presence flickered within her chest, a gentle warmth that only Velune could perceive. Soren reached out, his strong hand coming to rest on Velune's shoulder. The touch was light, a silent reminder that he was there, anchoring her in the present. His deep green eyes, steady and unwavering, held her gaze. "You're not alone in this, Loony," he said softly, his voice a low, comforting rumble. "Whatever comes, we'll figure it out together." Velune felt the warmth of Soren's touch seep through the thin fabric of her shirt, a soothing balm to the anxiety gnawing at her since she awoke. His words, a promise spoken with such unwavering certainty, wrapped around her like a protective embrace.


She leaned into his touch, her slender frame seeking the solace of his presence. "What was it like for you last night?" She asked softly.


He paused. He wasn't sure if he should share the tragedy of the dreamer he'd helped.


"It was... I guess... it was blue. Heavy. Cold," he said. He removed his hand from her shoulder. "It was the first negative emotion I've encountered since I became this."


"It doesn't get easier. These emotions... they're powerful for a reason. It's why the Hollowbound are drawn to them." She looked down into her coffee mug, watching the liquid drift from side to side. "I wish you didn't have to see that, to feel the raw emotions of souls..."


Soren tilted his head, watching the way the light caught in her fur -- soft, like moonlight on water. "I'm a big boy... I'm a part of this now, and I will learn to adapt." He reached for her, careful not to disturb the mug she held. His fingers brushed hers, light but deliberate. "I need to learn as much as I can, as quickly as I can. I know there are things hiding in the Dreaming... but I can't help if I don't understand what they are." Velune's eyes lifted from the mug, meeting Soren's gaze. In their soft green depths, a flicker of understanding ed, a silent acknowledgment of the weight they both carried. "I know." Her voice was a gentle sigh. "And I'm grateful -- for you, for standing beside me in this. It's just..." He reached out, his fingers brushing her cheek with the gentlest touch, anchoring her in the present. "Hey," he murmured, his voice low and soothing. "I'm here. You're not alone in this anymore."


Velune leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed for a brief moment as she absorbed the warmth of his presence. "I will share everything I can with you..." she whispered. The reality had sunk in -- she would need to teach him everything. Her story. The Dreamworld. The beings that lurked within the Dreaming -- everything. Velune's words hung in the air, a promise woven from the very essence of her being. She knew the path ahead would be fraught with challenges, but in that moment, with Soren's grounding presence beside her, a flicker of hope stirred.


Soren nodded, his gaze never leaving hers. "I'm ready," he said softly, his voice a steady anchor in the sea of unknowns that stretched before them. Velune placed the mug on the nightstand and flung the sheets aside. She walked to the cupboard, rummaging for something. Soren watched as she sifted through the cupboard, her movements intent. Her brow furrowed as she sifted through the cupboard, her slender fingers dancing over items in search of something specific. The soft morning light cast a gentle glow across her features, catching the faint lavender in her fur. Soren watched her closely, noting how even a simple task seemed imbued with quiet purpose. Finally, she found what she was searching for: an old shoebox.


She returned with the shoebox. "I think I should start at the beginning... my beginning..." She settled on the bed, the old shoebox cradled in her lap like a sacred relic. The mattress dipped slightly as Soren adjusted his position beside her, his presence a comforting weight in the quiet of the room. Velune took a deep breath, her fingers trembling faintly as she removed the lid.


"I was seven when I became a Dreamwalker... It wasn't meant to happen... I wasn't born to this. I wasn't destined for anything." She paused for a moment. "I was alone, neglected, abused... my dreamscape became one of darkness, a banquet for the Hollowbound." She pulled a faded page from the shoebox. "My parents were poor. Our house was falling apart, and my brother and I were always sick. But worse than the sickness... was them."

"They were addicts. And when they were around... they locked us in the basement. They beat us. Starved us." She trailed off. Velune's voice wavered, the memories of her past threatening to overwhelm her. She took a shaky breath, her fingers tracing the edges of the faded page in her hands. The paper, worn and brittle with age, held the weight of her history within its fragile form.


Soren listened intently, his heart aching for the pain she had endured. He remained silent, allowing her the space to share her story at her own pace. "I always received the worst beatings... My older brother... they liked him more, and I never knew why... I was different... but... they were my parents... I thought they loved me..." A tear rolled down her cheek. "The only time I was ever free from the pain... was when I dreamed... But the dreams were always dark. Until one day, a light flickered in my dreams, and suddenly, I could see a tint of green seep into the darkness." She paused, her eyes distant as if lost in the memory unfolding before her. "I the first time I saw Loomi. They appeared as a wisp of light, a gentle presence in the darkness of my dreams. I was so young, so broken, but they offered me a glimmer of hope."


Soren listened, heart heavy. He could see the pain etched into her features -- the shadows of her past still lingering behind her eyes. "That was the last night my dreams were dark. They came to illuminate my dreamscape. Night after night, for months, they returned. At first, just a warm presence... but in time, they whispered. We played. They became my only friend." Velune placed her hand over her chest, where her sigil lay. "They showed me what beauty looked like. They told me stories -- of distant lands, of heroes, of moments so full of love and wonder that I felt them as if I were there..." The room seemed to hold its breath as Velune's words filled the space between them. Soren could see the glimmer of those long-ago dreams reflected in her eyes, the memories woven into the very fabric of her being.


"They showed me what it meant to be loved," she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of that realisation. "They were the first being who truly saw me and accepted me as I was." Soren placed a hand gently on hers--not to interrupt, only to remind her he was there. Velune looked up, eyes glimmering with unshed tears. In that moment, he saw it -- the depth of her gratitude. The weight of what Loomi had meant. And he knew, without a shadow of doubt, he'd protect that bond. Whatever it took.


"For a long time, they were my only friend -- even if I could only see them in dreams. I loved them deeply." Her head dropped. "Then he came..." A figure wreathed in radiant light -- an Ascendant, walking between dreams. His presence rippled through their world, devouring light, casting long shadows across the place Velune and Loomi had built.


Velune's memories of that night were fractured, like shards of a broken mirror. She ed the fear, the way her heart raced as the Ascendant approached; His form consumed the light around him -- and yet reflected it with even greater intensity. A true radiance, almost unnatural in its purity. She ed Loomi stepping between them, their luminescent form flickering. She ed the searing pain as Loomi's light went out -- and the way the dreamscape seemed to hold its breath, as if the world itself had gone silent in mourning


In the aftermath, as the Ascendant departed and the shadows crept back in, Velune found herself alone. "Once a Luminary's light dies, their souls begin to fade rapidly. When they do, It burns hot -- like holding coals with your bare hands, heat that sears straight to the bone." She held out her hand, a mark gently showing through the fur. "I held Loomi for long after the Ascendant left. "I held on... hoping they were faking it somehow. That they were just hiding, like they'd come back if I waited long enough." Her voice fell quiet. The weight of it hung between them, aching and raw -- and Soren could feel every word.


"They started to burn hotter -- so hot it hurt to touch them. But I never let go. Not through the pain. Not through the tears. And then... they were gone. Just gone. No light. No body. Nothing." She placed her hand on her chest again and smiled. "And then I felt it... a hum within my chest. A warmth that was never there before... and it stayed." "The marks came slowly -- first the sigil on my chest, Loomi's truest mark. Then my palms: a crescent moon on the left, a circle on the right. It was like light rising from somewhere deep inside me, reaching the surface." Velune's eyes glistened with unshed tears as she recounted the night that had forever changed her life. The raw pain in her voice is palpable, each word heavy with the weight of her loss. Soren listens intently, his heart aching for her, wishing he could take away her pain.


As she described holding onto Loomi -- the searing heat, the desperate hope that they would survive -- Soren could almost feel the echoes of that pain in his own hands. "That night, I became a dreamwalker." she whispered. "I walked dreams for a long time, learning who I had become, and how to use my new abilities. With Loomi's guidance, I began to heal souls." She looked at the paper in her hands and flipped it over. An old newspaper article read, "Gas Leak Kills Three; One Survived." The weight of Velune's revelation hung in the air, a tangible ache that seemed to seep into the very walls around them. Soren's eyes traced the edges of the faded clipping, his heart heavy with the realization of just how much she had endured.


"The article... it's about your family, isn't it?" he asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper. Velune nodded, a single tear sliding down her cheek as she met his gaze.

"Yeah... it is." The silence that followed was heavy, filled with the unspoken weight of Velune's past. Soren's mind raced, trying to find the right words, any words, that might offer some semblance of comfort. But what words could possibly be enough? "I... I don't even know what to say," he itted finally, his voice rough with emotion. "I can't imagine what you've been through, Loony."


"Except... it wasn't a gas leak." She stopped, breathing in like the air itself was too heavy. " I hadn't learned how to use my abilities fully... I was still a child... I didn't understand what I was. But I had power. Real power. That night, I flickered into a dream corrupted by the Hollowbound. They were feeding on my mother and my father--even my brother. I knew that this was nothing like what I had seen before, but I wasn't even eight... I didn't realise the danger I was in. I stayed. I looked around. Curiosity got the better of me, and I wandered too far. Then it sensed me -- the Hollowbound It stood there... a waking shadow. A nightmare made real. Its darkness was more than black. Its presence was ice. And it wanted me" Velune's voice trembled as she recounted the memory, her eyes distant and haunted. Soren listens, his heart aching for the young girl she once was, faced with such terror and confusion.


"I the fear," she whispered. "It was all-consuming. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. The Hollowbound... it reached for me, and I knew -- I was going to die." She re-examined the newspaper article. " As the shadow crept closer, Loomi's light began to pulse. A wave of strength washed over me -- something I'd never felt before. The Hollowbounds' darkness retreated, dispersing and drifting away. I thought it was afraid of me, of Loomi... But I was wrong.It wasn't afraid. It had sensed something else -- real souls. Dreamers. And it wanted them. I followed it, and eventually, I saw what it was going for... My family..."


"How?" Soren asked.


She hesitated. "Me..." she breathed. "My waking body... it reacted. To the Hollowbound. To the Dreamworld. I don't know how, but everything around me was pulled in. My mother. My father. My brother. All of them -- into the dream, very much like when you were sucked into the dreamworld a few nights ago."


"In the dreamworld, a Hollowbound feeds on your light. It eats away at who you are -- until nothing's left. Just a husk. A shadow.



That's when they can fracture the veil... create rifts between worlds. They can't step into the waking world -- not fully. But they can touch it... and twist it." Velune stopped, her body quivering.


"And if a mortal soul enters the dreamworld unmarked... the Hollowbound can kill it.I don't just mean consuming their light. I mean -- tear them apart. I watched it butcher my family. It severed my brother's limbs. Flayed my father while my mother screamed. And then -- it ripped my mother in half and threw her torso at me." Velune's voice breaks, the weight of her grief and trauma settling over the room like a suffocating shroud. Soren remains still, his presence a quiet anchor, allowing her the space to feel without demand.


"It was my fault," she whispered, the words barely audible. "I brought them there. I didn't know... I didn't understand what I was. If I had been stronger, if I had been able to control it..." The echoes of her family's screams still haunted her -- a discordant symphony stitched into the fabric of her dreams. Velune's eyes glistened with unshed tears, the depth of her sorrow etched into the soft lines of her face.


his strong hands enfolding hers with a tenderness that softened even the strength he carried. "You were a child," he reminded her gently, his voice a soothing balm to her fractured heart. The weight of her words hung in the air, settling over them like dust from a crumbling world. Soren's heart shattered for her, for the immense burden she had carried all these years. He imagined her as a child, innocent and terrified, facing a horror no one should ever endure.


"How did you survive?" he asked gently, his voice a lifeline in the darkness.

Velune's eyes met his, a storm of emotion swirling within their depths. "Loomi."

The name lingered in the air -- a shimmering thread of light in the dark.


Velune's voice was soft, tinged with a reverence that bordered on awe. "They appeared when everything seemed lost -- a being of pure light and warmth. They stood between me and the Hollowbound, a shield of radiance against the dark." She wiped a tear away from her eye.

"Then... I woke up. Scared and alone, I went to find my brother. When I saw him, he was cold to the touch -- his eyes locked open, like they'd been glued that way. I shook him and shook him, but nothing happened. Panicked, I checked my mother's and father's room--they were the same. I didn't know what to do, so I ran outside. I went to our neighbours' house; I begged for help." The memory of that night washed over Velune, a tidal wave of despair and confusion. She could still feel the icy sting of the wind on her face as she ran barefoot and trembling to the neighbours' door, the pounding of her fists against the door echoed in her mind, a frantic rhythm of fear.


In the midst of her retelling, Velune's voice cracked, a fissure in the dam of her carefully constructed composure. "That is how I became a Dreamwalker. That is why I do what I do. And that is why, when you arrived in the dreaming... I was so scared. I couldn't lose you. I shouldn't have let you take the sword. It would have killed you..."


Soren pulled her into him, held her tight, and rested his head on hers. "It's ok, Loony, I survived."


She sobbed, "You wouldn't have if we hadn't found the rift..." Soren lifted his head off hers and pulled back.


"What do you mean?"


""It came for me... not you... because I started closing the rift.It was tied to the waking world. And it was afraid. Afraid of the rift being sealed. You almost died, and it was my fault. And now... every night, you'll face the same danger. Until..." Soren listened intently, his heart aching for the young fox before him. He could see the weight of her past pressing down on her shoulders, the guilt and fear that had been her constant companions for so long. But he also saw her strength, the unwavering determination that had carried her through the darkest of nights.


"Velune," he whispered, his voice a balm to her frayed nerves. "You are not responsible for the actions of the Hollowbound." He cupped her face, thumbs gently brushing away the tears trailing down her cheeks. "You did what you thought was right in the moment. You were trying to protect me, just as I would have done for you."


Velune leant into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed as she absorbed the warmth of his presence. In that moment, she felt seen and understood in a way she never had before. "I love you, Loony. So much. What happened to me has happened. And if there's no turning back, as you say, then you need to teach me how to walk with you. My Heartfire burns away the darkness, purifying it. But your light leads the way; you know the dreamworld far better than I do... Let me be your protector in this world and the dream world." Soren's words, spoken with such fierce tenderness, seemed to weave a spell around them both. In the soft glow of the lantern light, Velune could see the unwavering devotion in his eyes, the unshakable promise that he would stand by her side, no matter what the future held.


For a moment, the world fell away -- and only they remained, wrapped in the quiet hush of shared understanding.