22. Grace

Everything felt different.

The usually stable, consistent dreamworld of the fourth level now seemed on the brink of collapse, mirroring Uhah's declining health.

I felt Tix's strong grip around my hand, pulling me forward as we faced the altered blueprint sprawled in front of us.

This wasn't like any of the other times we'd been here.

"Look out!" Tix shouted as a large chunk of debris plummeted from the abyss above, tearing through the blueprint like a meteor through the night sky.

Another fragment followed, then another, raining destruction upon the carefully drawn plans.

We ran.

It was like running through a shifting maze, with the rules of reality suspended.

"It's Uhah," Tix yelled over the cacophony. "His deteriorating condition is causing the blueprint to destabilize!"

Each tear in the blueprint was like a wound, reminding me of the fragility of life and the closeness of Uhah's impending end.

"We need to find a way to stabilize it," I said, my voice tinged with desperation.

"I don't think we can. Not this time," Tix replied, his face pale. "But we can find what we're looking for and get out."

We darted through the changing rooms, ducking under falling debris and vaulting over newly-formed obstacles.

Every so often, I would catch Tix's gaze, his eyes filled with determination, and it would give me the strength to keep going.

We came upon a vast hall, depicted in great detail on the blueprint.

As soon as we stepped into it, the ceiling began to crumble, giant fragments threatening to crush us.

We took shelter under a drawn archway, waiting for a momentary respite.

"This place is coming apart," I whispered, staring wide-eyed at the disintegrating hall. "Tix, what are we even looking for?"

He looked deep into my eyes, his face illuminated by the glow of the dreamworld. "I wish I knew, Grace. Something tells me that amidst this chaos lies our solution. Our ticket out."

We continued our frantic search, venturing into every room, every corridor, and every hidden nook the blueprint offered.

Some rooms held fleeting memories of Uhah's past — a child's laughter, the warmth of a hug, a cherished song.

Others were dark, filled with regrets and fears that tried to ensnare us.

Through it all, Tix and I remained a team, supporting each other, drawing strength from our bond.

Time felt distorted, minutes feeling like hours, and vice versa.

The cacophony of screams was nearly deafening.

Every hair on the back of my neck stood on end as my eyes darted, catching glimpses of sinister shadows dancing on the edges of the disintegrating blueprint.

I clutched Tix's hand tighter, feeling a jolt of electricity between us — our joint determination acting as a beacon amidst the encroaching darkness.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw them.

Fire demons, their malevolent eyes gleaming like burning embers, emerged from the shadows.

Their sharp, clawed fingers reached out, trying to snatch pieces of the plans and engulf them in flames.

The already unstable dreamworld was being further attacked, the odds stacked heavily against us.

Without a moment's hesitation, Tix summoned an ice sword — its shimmering, crystalline blade reflecting the eerie glow of the dreamworld.

I concentrated, and a gigantic water pistol materialized in my hands.

As absurd as it seemed in this surreal environment, its gushing water was potent against the fiery assailants.

"Ready to make a splash?" I quipped, aiming the pistol at the closest demon.

Tix chuckled, even in the dire situation.

We fought valiantly, drenching fire fiends and freezing others in place.

The air was a mix of steam from my water and icy mists from Tix's sword, creating a foggy atmosphere, making it even harder to discern friend from foe.

As much as we tried, it was evident that there were just too many of them, and our efforts were merely delaying the inevitable.

"Grace!" Tix shouted over the din. "We can't stay here. We need to move!"

I nodded, already spotting another group of demons sneaking up behind us.

Together, we began our retreat, running through the maze of corridors in the rapidly deteriorating blueprint, all while defending against the fiery onslaught.

Every few steps, a fire demon would leap out, and either Tix's icy blade or my gushing water pistol would have to fend it off.

It wasn't just the monsters we were up against; fragments of buildings kept plummeting, threatening to squash us at every turn.

Then, amidst the haze and chaos, I spotted it.

At the end of a long, narrowing corridor stood a door, distinct from any other we'd seen in this dreamworld.

It bore a vibrant red cross on its surface — a sign that seemed like a beacon in our darkened surroundings.

"There!" I shouted, pointing. "Tix, the door!"

His eyes followed my outstretched arm. "We need to get there. Now."

We bolted towards it, our breaths coming fast and ragged.

The fire demons sensed our intent, their screams growing louder, more frantic.

More and more of them poured into the corridor, like an unending tidal wave of flames and fury, while the falling debris seemed to target our path with increased precision.

The door was close now, so tantalizingly close.

With every step, it grew larger, its details becoming clearer — the chipped paint, the rusty handle, the cross seeming to pulse with a life of its own.

Tix, running just ahead of me, slashed at a particularly aggressive demon that lunged from the side, its flaming fingers inches from my face.

I responded by spraying another cluster that tried to block our path, the steam from the evaporating demons creating a misty barrier behind us.

Just a few more steps.

Another chunk of building material crashed down, narrowly missing Tix but blocking my path.

I skidded to a stop, my heart pounding.

I felt a searing heat behind me — the fire demons were closing in.

"Grace!" Tix reached out, his hand stretching through the debris, searching for mine.

Gritting my teeth, I took a leap of faith, diving through the small gap next to the fallen debris, reaching for his hand.

The warmth of his touch was an immediate comfort.

Together, we lunged for the door, the world around us a blur of reds, oranges, and shadows.

The screams of the fire demons combined with the roar of the collapsing blueprint, creating a cacophony that threatened to drown out everything.

We slammed our shoulders into the door, it burst open, and we fell through it.

* * *

With a thud,Tix and I tumbled into the next room.

My lungs ached for breath, my head spinning from the rapid escape and our sudden descent.

We'd finally reached the fifth stage of this dreamscape labyrinth.

"No more surprises, please," I muttered, rubbing my temple.

Tix was on his feet before I was, swiftly kicking the door shut behind us.

I could sense the lingering presence of the fire monsters just beyond the door, their heat and malevolence permeating the very air.

He spun around, nearly colliding into me, and our eyes met for a split second.

That brief glance spoke volumes.

Relief, confusion, fear.

All those emotions played out in a swift interplay.

My attention was quickly diverted.

This room, unlike the unstable disintegrating blueprints we'd navigated through, felt solid and real.

It was eerily silent except for the persistent knocking on the roof.

It sounded like giant fists pounding, desperate to get in.

The room seemed impenetrable, with walls built from a robust material I couldn't recognize.

And right at the center of this fortress-like room was a sight that took my breath away — a hospital bed.

Uhah was there, peacefully asleep, albeit with an occasional twitch or furrowed brow indicating a fitful dream.

I blinked in disbelief. "How can he be here? Isn't he in the real world?"

Tix, his gaze fixed on Uhah, responded softly. "In the twilight moments of life, we often see ourselves the clearest. This is his psyche, the essence of who he truly is, laid bare."

It was a poetic and profound thought, and it held my attention until I spotted the incongruous object next to Uhah's bed — a safe.

It wasn't just any safe; it was old, with marks of time and wear, hinting at countless secrets it might have protected over the years.

And yet, the entrance to the safe was peculiar.

It was a door, resembling one you'd find in a high-security facility, not on a private safe.

Tix seemed to realize it too. "I bet that's where Ikmal's plans are. Deep within Uhah's most protected memories."

I approached cautiously, my fingers grazing the door. "It's strange though. A door like this on a safe?"

Without answering, Tix, perhaps driven by curiosity or sheer determination, reached out to open the door.

"No!"

The warning tore from my throat, a gut feeling warning me of danger.

It was too late.

A brilliant white light spilled from the door, enveloping Tix, and the room echoed with a sound — a mix between a hiss and a sharp intake of breath.

As the glow faded, I realized with horror what had transpired.

He'd set off a trap.