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Description
Instead of the darkness he had entered in his last dream, Inlé found himself once more surrounded by the goddesses of magic.

"Inlé!" the goddess in orange called. "Welcome back. We just finished the dance. Would you care for some food?"

Unfazed, Inlé answered with a shallow bow--a deep nod. "Yes, Lady, that would be very nice right now."

The feast was similar to that he had dined upon previously. The women ate with vigor, singing and laughing as they did.

"And how long will you stay tonight?" the orange goddess teased.

"I pray long enough to hear your name," Inlé answered. "And, perhaps, some advice."

"Well," she laughed, "I may be able to give you some small bit of advice. And, perhaps, my name," she giggled after a slight pause.

Over the meal, Inlé recounted his tale from when last he had seen the goddesses to the present. At first, only two listened. But by the end of his tale, which was oft interrupted, and repeated even more, all the goddesses listened and laughed, enjoying the story despite the stark monotone of its presentation. Questions were asked, demanding Inlé to remember further every occurrence, explaining everything twice and re-explaining it thrice more.

But once the goddesses had finished, Inlé was surprised--though none would notice--to find that they had pulled more descriptive information from him than he would have thought possible. Most then, having finished their meal, began clearing the feast away. The gold and silver pair began spinning a spell that, after a short while, began a magical re-enactment of the stories Inlé had told drifting over the fire, his voice softly rising from the crackling wood.

The orange goddess pulled Inlé away from the group, and they sat again on the side of the hill, stargazing. "Hmm," she began, "so he looks and sounds like you but you've only seen him in your dreams. But he sent you a note during school. Strange."

"It is," Inlé agreed. "Have you any advice?"

"Hmm," the goddess mused, "well be careful. Obviously." She thought for long moments, until an idea flickered into being.

"Ah! Take this!" She pulled a small something from some unseen fold, and placed it gently in his hand. In the way of dreams, this one little thing--the one thing Inlé tried to focus on--was beyond his ability to comprehend. He held it lightly as the goddess continued, "It should help, at least a little. I don't know how well, but that depends on what it is that you've come in contact with."

"Thank you, Lady."

"Ugh," the goddess groaned.

Unnoticing or uncaring, Inlé slid the item up his sleeve. "Well, Lady, thank you for this. Will it still be manifest when I wake?"

"Yes, of course," she answered.

"Then," Inlé said, "thank you again, Lady."

"I do have a name, you know," the goddess said, slightly perturbed.

"You do, Lady," Inlé vexingly agreed. "But, Lady," he jabbed, "I have not been made privy to it as of yet."

The goddess laughed lightly. "Oh, right."

"Does this mean, Lady," Inlé pressed, "that I will learn your name now?"

The goddess smiled, "Well, my name is"--she grinned as she noticed Inlé beginning to fade, beginning to wake from his dream--"a secret!"

Inlé, recognizing his changing state of consciousness, fought against waking as he slid up a dark tunnel further and further from the bright dream. At the end of the tunnel, he saw the goddess in orange smiling at him. She flashed him a peace sign and called to him, her voice echoing through the tunnel, "Heart!"

The last word echoing through his head, consciousness enveloped Inlé, and he opened his eyes to the new day.

Description
Instead of the darkness he had entered in his last dream, Inlé found himself once more surrounded by the goddesses of magic.

"Inlé!" the goddess in orange called. "Welcome back. We just finished the dance. Would you care for some food?"

Unfazed, Inlé answered with a shallow bow--a deep nod. "Yes, Lady, that would be very nice right now."

The feast was similar to that he had dined upon previously. The women ate with vigor, singing and laughing as they did.

"And how long will you stay tonight?" the orange goddess teased.

"I pray long enough to hear your name," Inlé answered. "And, perhaps, some advice."

"Well," she laughed, "I may be able to give you some small bit of advice. And, perhaps, my name," she giggled after a slight pause.

Over the meal, Inlé recounted his tale from when last he had seen the goddesses to the present. At first, only two listened. But by the end of his tale, which was oft interrupted, and repeated even more, all the goddesses listened and laughed, enjoying the story despite the stark monotone of its presentation. Questions were asked, demanding Inlé to remember further every occurrence, explaining everything twice and re-explaining it thrice more.

But once the goddesses had finished, Inlé was surprised--though none would notice--to find that they had pulled more descriptive information from him than he would have thought possible. Most then, having finished their meal, began clearing the feast away. The gold and silver pair began spinning a spell that, after a short while, began a magical re-enactment of the stories Inlé had told drifting over the fire, his voice softly rising from the crackling wood.

The orange goddess pulled Inlé away from the group, and they sat again on the side of the hill, stargazing. "Hmm," she began, "so he looks and sounds like you but you've only seen him in your dreams. But he sent you a note during school. Strange."

"It is," Inlé agreed. "Have you any advice?"

"Hmm," the goddess mused, "well be careful. Obviously." She thought for long moments, until an idea flickered into being.

"Ah! Take this!" She pulled a small something from some unseen fold, and placed it gently in his hand. In the way of dreams, this one little thing--the one thing Inlé tried to focus on--was beyond his ability to comprehend. He held it lightly as the goddess continued, "It should help, at least a little. I don't know how well, but that depends on what it is that you've come in contact with."

"Thank you, Lady."

"Ugh," the goddess groaned.

Unnoticing or uncaring, Inlé slid the item up his sleeve. "Well, Lady, thank you for this. Will it still be manifest when I wake?"

"Yes, of course," she answered.

"Then," Inlé said, "thank you again, Lady."

"I do have a name, you know," the goddess said, slightly perturbed.

"You do, Lady," Inlé vexingly agreed. "But, Lady," he jabbed, "I have not been made privy to it as of yet."

The goddess laughed lightly. "Oh, right."

"Does this mean, Lady," Inlé pressed, "that I will learn your name now?"

The goddess smiled, "Well, my name is"--she grinned as she noticed Inlé beginning to fade, beginning to wake from his dream--"a secret!"

Inlé, recognizing his changing state of consciousness, fought against waking as he slid up a dark tunnel further and further from the bright dream. At the end of the tunnel, he saw the goddess in orange smiling at him. She flashed him a peace sign and called to him, her voice echoing through the tunnel, "Heart!"

The last word echoing through his head, consciousness enveloped Inlé, and he opened his eyes to the new day.