Need for Madness

The courtyard was silent, the stillness of the night lending it an eerie quality. At its center stood four men, their faces illuminated by the glow of a large fire.

Ithri glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the quiet expanse. 'This place has witnessed centuries pass,' he thought. 'Three hundred years ago, the Church's soldiers trained here. Now, its purpose has changed. Festivals and rituals have replaced drills, and its martial history is nothing more than a distant echo.'

A sharp sound broke his thoughts, Varin, signaling the group to focus.

Two guards in plain armor marched across the courtyard. One of them stopped, his hand clutched around the hilt of his sword as his gaze cut through the shadows, half-expecting them to move.

" We need to speak with the priest! It's about a dream issue! "

Varin spoke urgently, loud enough that the meaning of his words was instantly understandable.

Dreamcatchers were taboo to commoners. It was a subject reserved for nobles or the elite of the Church. To even speak of dreams in such a way could lead to dire punishments, sometimes worse.

Ithri's thoughts churned. ' Next time we meet, I need to know why he acted drunk. Why would you act so rashly, especially here? '

From the darkness stepped a figure. The firelight danced across his features, making shifting shapes. His voice was calm and smooth. " I am a Dream Servant. How may I serve you? " 

Dream Servants were devoted followers of Tiziri, the goddess of stars and dreams, trained to interpret visions and guide seekers.

Ithri has only a surface-level understanding of magic. When he learns about the Dream Servants and their unique abilities. He can confidently say they are runemasters.

Varin straightened, his expression composed. "I'm here to recommend my student, Ithri, for a Dreamcatcher."

The guards exchanged uneasy glances, their hands inching toward their weapons. But the Dream Servant raised a hand, his small smile disarming their tension.

" There is no cause for alarm," he said gently.

Varin shook his head, the steel fled from his voice. "My apologies. The door was open, so I let myself in."

Ithri watched. 'Smart people know when to play dumb. '

The Dream Servant chuckled, his voice low and warm. "It's quite all right," he replied, gesturing toward a doorway lit by flickering torches. "Come with me."

Ithri "Alone? 

" Don't be afraid, the church is open, nothing will happen to you. This is the promise of Tiziri, my brother. " The Dream Servant said.

' This is not what I expected.' Ithri scratched his head.

Ithri sighed and reluctantly followed the Dream Servant inside. 

"I'll just stay here," Varin said, waving him off. "Ithri, find me tomorrow."

Ithri half-turned and gave a half-wave. "Laters."

The Dream Servant led him under the towering arch of the cathedral, down into its shadowed depths.

"Um, can I know your name?" Ithri ventured as they walked. His tone was cautious, his steps measured. " Seems only fair, if we're going to talk about-

" I am Zahin " he returned, his face etching a slight smile. After a moment, he spoke again " I like you, Ithri. I will remember your name ."

This unnerved Ithri, but he didn't show it.

"It's unusual to speak of Dreamcatchers outside the ritual," Zahin said, his voice dropping to a serious, low pitch. "But in recent years, Akina has chosen to disregard such traditions. Let me explain."

Zahin paused before a resplendent portrait of Tiziri. The goddess's image was adorned with intricate details, her features glowing softly in the flickering torchlight.

The Dream Servant performed the ritual gesture. It is called the protection of the goddess Tiziri: laying his right hand over his heart before kissing his fingers in a reverential act.

Ithri mimicked the movement a second too late. 'Perfect. I look like an apostate. Just what I needed.'

Zahin said nothing but pulled the painting aside, revealing a hidden door behind it. A narrow ladder dropped down into darkness.

" Follow me " Zahin said as he started climbing down without any hesitation.

Ithri ducked through the frame, his hands wrapping around cold rungs as he descended.

" As I was saying, " Zahin said, his voice even, " Akina's leniency has changed things. Dreamcatchers were once reserved for the elite of the Church only the high clergy, and select kings. But now, with the right payment, they are available for anyone. "

Ithri closed his eyes briefly and thought 'This reeks of deceit. For money? A Dreamcatcher costs ten gold coins enough to buy a ship or land. But an institution this big? I doubt they need more income. So, I can say no.'

'My theory? It's not about money. They're after influence making people rely on Dream Servants more. The general rate is three in a thousand cursed with dream sickness. A real problem. Without a Dream Servant, it might cause sleep without waking and then death.'

' But the rumors… users of the dreamcatcher might get cursed too. One in twenty in a thousand? Maybe one in thirty? The percentages vary, but… oh my gods.' Ithri's mind raced in seconds.

Zahin's voice remained smooth as silk. "Why use them? Because they are far more than dream inducers. Through a Dreamcatcher, you can speak to others across lands across continents even without revealing your identity."

"Imagine the possibilities. A merchant who closes trade deals without ever leaving home. A ruler who negotiates peace or plots war without a single line in writing. All of it, untraceable."

Ithri feigned interest. " Amazing! "

Zahin's voice softened. "And how to use it? Hang the Dreamcatcher where only moonlight touches it. When you sleep, you'll enter a lucid dream fully aware and able to act within its limits."

They descended the ladder, stepping into a dark chamber, the silence suffocating. The air pressed against them, thick with secrets left unspoken.

Zahin turned to him, his face impossible to read, his eyes glinting faintly in the dim light. "And now, give me your blood. Not much just enough to seal the bond."

Ithri blinked, his breath catching. " Huh? "