Chapter 15: Dreamscape

Lera, Howard, Harley, and Monica looked up at the strange black clouds of Ki forming.

Compared to the bus they were riding in, the Ki Clouds had to be thousands of times larger. Like a small dot in the large storm, the bus sped quickly across a gravel road.

To the left and right of the bus, hundreds of zombies fought each other, tearing off limbs and heads as lightning bolts brazenly shattered the ground. Hundreds of lightning bolts flashed every second, covering up Harley's yawn as she stepped gently on the gas.

"This is bad," Harley said with a calm demeanor. "Ki Storms this size don't do much destruction, but they make the zombies go insane," Harley pressed down on the gas, crushing three zombies beneath her tires. She adjusted the bus's mirror, and looked back at Howard resting on Monica's shoulder. Smiling at the young couple, she turned the mirror over to see Una frowning at the bloodshed.

One zombie with a white shirt and tie on jumped into the air and grabbed two nearby skeletons before slamming them into the ground. It's blank eyes looked up at Una before it roared and slammed its fists into the ground. A second later, a large snake burst through the ground and swallowed it whole. Una, seeing this, held out her hand, sending a fire ball right into the snakes skull, causing its corpse to crash against the ground.

"Harley, do you see the end of the storm yet?"

"Nope, however, the shrine is up ahead," Harley yawned and pinched her cheeks. "Ugh, I think I'm starting to see things. Did you just see that?"

"See what," Una stood up. She had on a pair of short shorts and a tank top because of the sweltering heat. Looking out the window, she saw a massive mountain growing in the distance. Pulling out a pair of binoculars from her pocket, Una leaned into the sight in front of her through the glass, finding a small glowing light on top of the expanding mountain.

"I-I think we need be careful." Una handed Harley the binoculars and pressed gently on her shoulder. "I think a dreamscape is forming. It doesn't look like a peaceful one."

"What's a dreamscape?" Howard asked, smiling while holding Monica's hand while she blushed and also looked forward. They were seated together near the back of the bus, and for the last three hours hadn't stopped holding each other's hands. "It sounds like something made up."

"It's not made up. High density Ki Storms can change the very fabric of reality. A dreamscape is when a Ki Storm's frequency gets mixed in with the world of dreams. This can cause that reality to solidify in the real world, and even effect it." Harley spoke calmly yet at the same time a twinge of fear could be heard. "The more intense the dream, the more dangerous the dreamscape."

Howard scratched his head and shook it. Still not understanding the concept. "So wait. You are telling me that the mountain up ahead is a result of someone's dream."

"Yup, and we're stopping until its gone," Harley pointed over at a few broken buildings littering the side of the road. Many of them looked like they'd been dropped from the sky, multiple planks and screws could be seen scattered meters away in various broken states. "I'd rather not go up that mountain and get eaten by a ten handed snake, or a six eared fox."

"They are dangerous," Una added, shivering as she stared into the mountain beginning to spiral in the sky like a venomous snake. The mountain kept growing until it seemed to shatter the sky. A face could almost be seen on the surface, full of sadness and fury. "Our own abilities don't work as well in dreamscapes. Anyways, pull up there, Harley."

"Yes, Una. You feel nice today," Harley snickered and looked over at Una's chest. Feeling her eyes traveling up and down her skin, Una crossed her entire body. Walking to the back of the bus as they pulled up to a tipped over building.

"Anyways, Howard. The first shrine is after that mountain. The shrines got created by some of the first of our kind that got sent down here. Try your best when you get there, okay?"

"Sure, however, why do you want me to go?" Howard looked into Una's gorgeous eyes while gently playing with Monica's hand in his fist. He looked at her and then back at Una, trying to glance through their strange silence about this topic. "You-you still haven't told me what's at the shrine."

"It's a surprise for a reason," Harley yawned, and gently grabbed Una's shoulders. "Anyways, I think we're in luck. One of the buildings has a garage."

"You'll understand after we get to the shrine, sprout," Una grabbed Howard's hand and pulled him off the seat. "Anyways, with the storm happening, why don't we train again for a little while. If you hit me, I'll let you kiss me this time."

"You will not!" Monica said pulling Howard back in her direction, causing him to be stuck between two women. "He's mine! Go find another man!"

"Howard, can we share?" Una rubbed back his hair and laughed before letting go of his palm and walking off the bus. She turned back and winked at him before pointing at the bodega broken in half a few meters from them. "Heh, I'm kidding Monica! Anyways, Howard, we can think of a new reward. Now meet me by the bungalow and prepare to come at me with all you got."

"Wait, what do you mean new reward!" Monica looked at Howard as he laughed and leaned towards her face. "What? What is hit Howard? Do I have something on my face."

"Yes, my lips!" Howard smiled and kissed her gently against her chin. "Heh, that's for being so cute!"

"You-you're dismissed," Monica crossed her arms and pointed at the door. "I'm-I'm going to talk to Lera for a minute. Have fun training."