Chapter 8
In Murphy's dream, Bellamy and Murphy are having a conversation while memories of him and his dad play out in the background.
"Why did you kill your mom? I know it's probably a touchy subject but I feel like a part of you didn't want her dead."
"I don't know if I believe that or not. Don't get me wrong, she was a good mother before but after my dad's execution she changed. They were dream walker and shadow warrior, the prefect match. Something snapped in her after his death and she became someone I no longer recognized. She was cruel and she used her power to invade my dreams where she morphed them into nightmares. One night I was already having nightmares and she made them worse which caused me to lose control. When I woke up she was surrounded by shadows. I started to pull them back but her words and hatred towards me kept replaying in my head so I made them stronger. She may have been my mother but she deserved what she got and I'm not sorry she's gone."
"Mother's shouldn't be like that towards their children no matter what they go through. Mine wasn't always present but she did the best she could and neither me or Octavia ever knew our fathers."
"Fathers? So she's your half sister, then? Same mother but different father, yeah?"
"Yeah. Anyways tell me more about this whole dream walker and shadow warrior connection thing. I honestly have no idea what I'm doing here and most of the time I'm going on a feeling."
"I'm not entirely sure I know what I'm doing either. It's been a long time since I've just sat in my dreams and talked to someone. Mbege could only maintain a few minutes after he was able to calm me down before he had to leave. He wasn't strong enough and I know he knew it but he never left my side. Maybe if he had he'd still be alive."
"He made a choice Murphy and I doubt he regrets it. You can't keep beating yourself up over something that was never your choice to begin with. I'm sure Mbege knew the risks he was taking."
"Why was my life more important than his?"
"I don't know. Maybe it was simply because he loved you or perhaps he knew something that no one else did. Roan cares for you, doesn't he?" Bellamy asks when silence falls between them.
"I guess. I've known him since I was 12 or 13. Mbege's mother was Ice Nation and before she died she made him promise that he'd find Roan who was the Prince of Azgeda at the time because he could help him understand what he was. There used to be legends that were taught about shadow warriors and dream walkers and apparently they used to be a big deal but when I was younger they never mentioned them."
"Do you know any of the legends?"
"I know some because of my parents and the rest came from a book that Roan gave Mbege. Ice Nation thought it wise to teach their children about all forms of elemental magic whether they possessed it or not and Roan being the Prince was taught more than the basics that everyone else was."
"Will you tell me about the ones you know?"
"Maybe later. It's almost dawn and we both need to wake up soon."
"You know you're a lot less of an ass in your dreams." Bellamy says as he bumps his shoulder against Murphy's.
"So I've been told." Murphy says with a smile as he gets up and walks away from Bellamy.
A few minutes later Bellamy slowly opens his eyes to find Lincoln asleep in a chair beside his bed. He gets up as quietly as possible so not to wake him and heads to the bathroom to get a good look at the damage done to his face. As he places a wet cloth on his lip to clean the blood away he hears footsteps behind him but doesn't turn around knowing it's either Lincoln, Murphy or Roan.
"Looks like you had a run in with another dream walker which explains the cabin being engulfed in shadows last night. I guess I owe you my life again since this makes the second time you've saved it." Roan says standing in the doorway.
"Yeah, guess so. Murphy says you were taught about dream walkers and shadow warriors, could you or would you maybe help me understand what I am?" Bellamy asks unsure.
"I've already helped one dream walker and he's dead, what makes you any different?"
"I'm not him and you seem to know something about me that no one else does. Not to mention the fact that Murphy needs a dream walker and I'm the only one you've got."
"I'll consider it on one condition, you let me help you with your fire magic."
"Why? What difference does it make if I can't use fire magic in an attack?" Bellamy questions.
"All magic is connected. If one is off then they're all off. You have no idea how strong you can be if all of you is in sync."
"Fine. Then help me be in sync." Bellamy says rolling his eyes like a bored child.
"After we eat. Can't do magic on an empty stomach." Bellamy nods and follows Roan out to the kitchen where the others are already waiting.
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While all of that was going on in Murphy's cabin, the rogue dream walker was waking up to find A.L.I.E. sitting beside the bed.
"Well? What the hell happened? You said you could find him, did you?" She snaps impatiently.
"Yes and no. It seems he has another dream walker whose stronger than the last and they kicked me out."
"You're fucking worthless! Dammit! The whole point of having you get rid of that pathetic excuse for a dream walker he had before was so it would be easier to get him on our side. And now apparently he has a stronger one. How? How the hell did you let this happen?"
"I'd be careful what you say to me if I were you. Remember who keeps your dreams in check and has allowed you to survive this long."
"Are you threatening me, Thelonious?" A.L.I.E. questions menacingly as shadows begin to snake from her fingers.
"Of course not, my dear, I was simply stating a fact. You need me."
"Check on our guests and make sure they're comfortable. Watch out for Lexa and Octavia, they almost got lose from that incompetent fool Ontari earlier."
"Anything else?"
"No. I don't think I need to remind you that time is running out. We have less than a month to transfer their power to me before it's too late."
"Relax, we'll get the others in time and you'll be unstoppable." Jaha reassures her.
"You better hope so because of I die you do too."
He nods and heads into the other room where The Elite were being kept. He orders Ontari to get some food for their guests and then walks up to the line of rooms that look almost like cells just with nicer furnishings. He smiles as their guests give him dirty looks, cuss him and call him every name under the sun. He pauses when he gets to Octavia's room and when she sees him she spits in his face and then slams the door. He smiles slightly as he remembers how defiant her father was when facing his own death and how alike the two actually are.