I awoke the next morning in relief. I sat up, recollecting the events of the night before. I was still there, alive and in one piece. But was Nick..?

I pulled on a bath robe and flew out of the room, using my powers to move more speedily. My heart beat fast in fear. Nick was not in his bedroom. I rushed from room to room, searching for him.

I sped to a halt when I saw Nick curled up on the couch in the living room, a blanket coving his sleeping figure. I let out a sigh of relief and knelt beside him. I listened to the rhythm of his breathing. He looked so peaceful, so safe.

I'd been worried over nothing. With a smile, I walked into the kitchen to make myself a coffee.

I lay on the couch with my eyes closed, faking my sleep. As I heard footsteps walking away, getting fainted, I opened my eyes slightly. She had gone.

I went back to thinking over my extraordinary dream. I had been lying awake for the past hour, going over it again and again in my mind.

I could still picture the beautiful, strangely familiar lady. Images of her enchanting crystal-like eyes were dancing in my mind and my hands could practically feel her glossy, silky tresses that I'd ran my fingers through during our kiss.

Our kiss... I could almost taste her sweet lips as I lay there lost in my daydream.

But why did I have that dream? I was puzzled by everything. The softly flowing stream of glistening water, the vivid green trees blowing in the breeze. The beautiful woman that was so strongly familiar to me, yet in such distant memories. My mind tried to search for answers, but could not find any.

"Are you awake, Nicky?".

I sat up in a daze to see Jordayn sitting beside me, a perky smile on her face. She lifted her coffee cup to her lips and took a sip. "Sleep well?" she then asked.

"Yeah, I guess," I said vaguely, trying not to show I was annoyed at my daydream being interrupted.

She placed her hand on mine lightly. "I was worried about you, I thought..." she paused, her eyes washing over in concern. "...I thought you were in danger,".

"Danger? No, I was fine,". I turned away from her and rested my head on the plush arm of the couch. The attraction I'd had towards Jordayn had gone now. After my dream, she seemed insignificant. Sure, she was pretty, she was a nice girl. But she was nothing compared to the lady in the dream.

"Nick?".

I didn't answer, hoping she'd think I'd fallen back to sleep.

I was in luck, since a few seconds later she stood up and left, going back upstairs with her coffee.

My eyes softly closed and I drifted back into my slumber. To my pleasure, the visions slowly returned...

The alluring beauty appeared in front of me, a smile twisting on her lips. "Nickolas, come with me," she whispered in a mesmorizing voice. Her graceful, long fingers softly wrapped around mine as she led me across the exotic landscape.

We walked through long, luscious grass that felt soft on my bare feet. We passed tranquil lakes and rows of vivid green trees shading us from the brightly glowing sun. But none of these sights were as breathtaking as her.

She walked with her eyes wide open, looking up at the bright, cloudless sky. She licked her rosy pink lips, giving me the urge to kiss her right there and then. Her long, raven hair flow over her bare shoulders, shining in the sunlight. I could not take my eyes off her.

She stopped when we came to the most amazing flower-garden I'd ever seen. She sat herself under a weeping willow tree, motioning me to sit beside her.

"Where are we?" I asked, my head swivelling around to take in the view as I crouched next to her.

"This, Nickolas, is the Exotic Garden. We have been here many times before, but you would not remember,". She smiled and placed am arm around me.

"How have I been here before?" I asked in amazement. "I don't remember...".

"Hush,". She put a soft, delicate finger on my lips. "Let us enjoy the sunrise, then we shall take a walk to my home,".

We sat in a beautiful silence, listening to the faint sound of birds singing as we watched the skies. I smiled as I felt her soft skin against mine. I could sit like this forever. It was like being in heaven...

"Come, let's take another walk,".

I nodded and stood up, letting her lead me away from the Exotic Garden, towards a large castle in the distance. We slowly neared it, and after a while we were right in front of it.

Two smartly dressed men stood at the door, wearing all black. "Good morning, mistress,". They opened the large wooden doors to let us inside.

The lady led me up a winding staircase to the top of the castle. We walked onto the roof and sat on a wooden bench, looking out at the view. I could see for miles upon miles.

"Where are we?" I asked her. "And who are you?".

She turned to me with a sad look in her eyes. "This is the Isle of Destruction," she said softly, lowering her head. "It is a sad, lonely place,".

"But it's beautiful, everything seems perfect!" I exclaimed in shock.

"That is only because you are here, Nickolas," she continued. "Before you arrived, and when you leave, this place is cold, dark and evil. Trees twist up and die, rivers flow with poison, the blue skies become permanently black. It is a place of isolation, danger, hatred,".

I looked at her in astonishment. "So why do you live here? Why don't you leave and go someplace nice, somewhere happy..?".

"I am imprisoned here. I cannot tell you why. But one day, one day soon, I will be free,". Hope glistened in her eyes. She looked at me, her smile returning. She leaned forwards, until our lips met. We embraced, kissing passionately. I didn't want the kiss to end...

I sat in my bedroom, focusing my mental energy towards my home. Slowly, I materialized a large, glowing shape, which hovered in the air.

I crawled into the shape, which was the entrance to a virtual tunnel. I was returning to my home for a short visit...

I found myself back in my family's home. I saw my mother standing watering some plants. "Welcome, Jordayn," she said, turning towards me. "Are you back for good?".

I shook my head. "No, I am returning to Earth soon, I came back to learn more about Nick,".

My mother frowned. "Noel warned you, didn't you listen. He is a danger, it is too risky to stay with him,".

I sat down, putting my head in my hands. "I know, but...".

My mother sat beside me. "I'll tell you more about the leader and her story,". She took my hand. "The leader was caught by the Elders after they found out she was planning to marry Nick, a young Earthling she had secretly brought to our world. They placed her on the Isle of Destruction, where she still is to this day. Since she is of such a high order, she has stronger powers than most of us. She is able to live for several hundred years and remain young. She can perform a lot of magic that we don't have the power to,".

She paused, turning to look at me. "Anyways, Nick was sentenced to death, but because of the Rose of Immortality he had eaten, he was reborn, as the Nick you know. The leader's daughter Samantha Lynn stayed loyal to her mother and vowed to kill Nick so the leader can be freed, and when he is reborn, they can be reunited,".

"So Samantha Lynn kills Nick, the leader goes free and they're together again, right?".

"It's not that simple," my mother explained. "As it is forbidden for our people to be in love with Earthlings, the leader has to keep her and Nick's relationship top secret. I believe that once she is freed, she will take Nick to a hidden paradise where no-one will find them out,".

I nodded. "But how come Sammy hasn't already killed him? Why the wait?".

"They are hoping that he can become one of us, so there is no need to kill him. There are a few ways in which that can happen. One way is if she can get to him in his dreams and lure him into the Lake of Power,". My mother picked up a dusty old book and leafed through the pages. "I have been doing research on magic, and I have found this spell,".

I look at the page. On it was an illustration of a large, golden lake, surrounded by beautiful flowers and trees. "That's the lake of Power?".

My mom nodded. "Yes. This book says that if an Earthing swims in this lake in the moonlight for seven nights in a row, they shall become one of us. But if that pattern is broken and there is a night in which they do not swim in the lake, it becomes impossible for them to evolve to join our race,".

"How's she going to get Nick there?" I asked. "And how will she get there herself?".

"She can use dreams," my mother told me, closing the book. "The leader has great powers, she is able to bring Nick to her while he sleeps. He can join her on the Isle of Destruction in his dreams. The lake is on the isle, you see. When he is awaken from the dream, he returns back to Earth, to his physical body,".

"So if I keep him awake, and don't let him sleep for too long, he won't get to the lake," I said excitedly. "I can stop him from slipping away into dreams and going in the lake...".

"No, if you try and meddle, you will be harmed. Don't get involved, Jordayn,". My mother looked at me with concern-filled eyes and held my hand tighter. "The leader is dangerous. She will harm you. Let her take Nick, you can stay here with us. No harm will be done to you if you leave him now,".

"No, I can't leave him," I protested. "I love Nick, don't you realize?".

She nodded. "I know, darling. But you have to understand the danger you are putting yourself in. I don't want to see you hurt. And if the Elders discover that you love him, they will punish you like they punished the leader,".

My mother was making sense. It would be best for me if I left Nick and returned home for good. But I couldn't bare the thought of leaving him.

"I'll have to think this over," I said. "I'm going back now, I'll be in touch soon,".

I kissed my mother goodbye, then went back through the tunnel to Earth, not knowing how to handle my dilemma.

I stared into the eyes of the beautiful mystery lady. "Again," I begged when she pulled away from our embrace.

"Later," she whispered. "Return tonight, Nickolas. We shall go somewhere special. I'll be waiting...".

Suddenly, I felt my body moving backwards speedily, the beautiful woman and her paradise getting further and further away, plunging into a cold darkness. The next thing I knew, I was lying on the living room couch again.

"Aw, it was a dream again," I said to myself in disappointment. Frowning, I tossed my blanket aside and stood up.

Jordayn came bouncing down the stairs. "Good morning Nick," she said, her voice uneasy, her eyes not meeting mine.

"Morning," I replied halfheartedly as I climbed the stairs. I was bored, I did not know how I would bare the wait until the evening. I could not wait until bedtime... when I would see her again.

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>>>>>

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