May Hawaii and the Dreamhunters

Minerva Pérez hung up the phone. The shouts of the crowd kept her from thinking clearly. No matter how much she pressed against the wall of the alley where they were, they kept pushing and shoving her as they passed. The turmoil in the jungle and the disturbing news of the group of fishermen isolated on the stone bridge had finally caused panic. The Triple Star soldiers were trying to lead an orderly evacuation… to no avail. Minerva and her companions had had to get off the Oniria Express before the train arrived at the station because the population had taken to the tracks in the hope of being the first to board the return train.

-They are already plunged into a nightmare,- Don Gregorio said.- Many have lost their lucidity and no longer even realize that they are dreaming… they will not be able to wake up voluntarily.
-It is dangerous,- said Valdés. Their lives in Vigil could be in danger if they die in their dreams.
-May has no cover – Minerva shouted to make herself heard in the crowd.

Minerva’s group continued to wander through Sotopeña until they reached the square, making their way through the tides of people going in the opposite direction. Once there, they found that the kabus had already entered the village. They were small and not very dangerous, with the usual forms of visceral animal nightmares: multi-headed snakes, wolves that entered and exited the walls as if they were immaterial, giant wasps…. Several crows, which instead of claws had hands, were pecking at the statue of Tiberius, some pieces of which were beginning to fall off. The statues of the triton and the mermaid were also invaded. A group of Triple Star soldiers, dressed as ancient Greek hoplites, kept the creatures at bay by using their skill with spears and with the manipulation of aerena, which they sometimes projected from their weapons or their shields to make the more aggressive kabus disappear.

-I was hoping that the local Cabildo could provide us with help, but with this situation? -said Valdés.

Half a cycle earlier, Minerva’s group was traveling comfortably on the Oniria Express preparing their plan of action. The compartment where they were traveling had the classic layout of early 20th century trains, with seats on both sides of the windows and an access door. The little Seeker was keeping an eye on a tablet through which she could watch the images from the autonomous security camera she had installed in front of the ziggurat the first time May and Blake entered it. Minerva invested almost all of her aerena in the maintenance of surveillance devices strategically distributed throughout the human settlements in Oniria. She narrated to her two companions what was happening as they talked. This is how he had seen the hasty arrival of May and the group of fishermen at the entrance of the ziggurat.

While Minerva occasionally spoke to May on the phone to get an update on the situation, Don Gregorio listened with his eyes closed and sitting in the lotus position on the seat of the train. He was an older man in his seventies, even younger than Minerva, wearing a green kung fu suit.
-If things are like this,- he said without opening his eyes, -I don’t think we can go up the river to get to the ziggurat.
-The Cabildo should be able to provide us with jeeps or motorcycles to cross the jungle quickly.

He was Valdés’ bet, the fifth member of the Dreamhunters’ group. He was a tall, muscular young man who contrasted with the size of his two compartment mates. He spoke with a strong Cuban accent. He and Don Gregorio had already teamed up before joining the Dreamhunters. Their skills complemented each other well.

-Let’s review what we know so far,- said Minerva. Marcus Blake entered the ziggurat eight cycles ago. My camera hasn’t picked up any other entries or exits until May’s group arrived.
-Why did Blake go to the ziggurat? -Valdés asked.
-He didn’t want to say, but according to him, it was a hunch. May and I have assumed it was related to the Patron Trident, but it could be anything else.
-Do you think it would be related to the Aegis failure?
-I think Marcus wouldn’t care if the Aegis failed as a result of his raids, so it’s possible.
-The Triple Star could charge him with treason against humanity,- Don Gregorio said calmly.
-But what could cause the Aegis to fail? -said Valdés.
-I can’t think of anything known. Returning to Marcus, I think it is clear that his “hunch” has not been in vain. What we don’t know is if he has awakened or if he is still in the Ziggurat.
-The only way he hasn’t woken up is if he is using an SSVIO. Does Marcus have access to one? -Don Gregorio had opened one eye to see Minerva’s reaction to the question.
-Not that I know of,- she answered without taking her eyes off her tablet.
-What is a “ssveio”? -Valdés asked.
-Life Support System for Oneiric Immersion or “Sistema de Soporte Vital para la Inmersión Onírica” in spanish,- answered Minerva. They are coma induction stretchers that allow a person to be kept alive while dreaming. It is an extreme practice that is unfortunately becoming fashionable.
-I had never heard of it.
-Because they are very expensive and hardly anyone has access to them. But Marcus is experienced enough to last about sixteen cycles without waking up.
-That long? That’s more than twice as long as an experienced oneironaut. That must be about sixteen hours of sleep, right?
-Yeah. -Marcus is a veteran. It’s entirely possible he’s still in there.
-And what about May?
-Apparently the jungle is reacting to the Aegis failure, so she and a group have had to take shelter in the ziggurat. For some reason, the kabus are not approaching the structure.
-But May hasn’t called for help yet.
-They have decided to go inside the ziggurat. I imagine she’s convinced her companions that it was safer inside than outside or something. Since they’ve gone in, I can’t communicate with her, so I figure whatever’s causing the Aegis to malfunction is coming out of there.
-Marcus is the key.
-If the jungle is crazy, we need to secure an escape route for May and Marcus when they get out of the ziggurat.

However, Valdés’ contacts in the Cabildo of Sotopeña were not going to be able to help them. The Triple Star soldiers were doing their best to evacuate the authorities to safety.

-Maybe we should evacuate too – said Minerva, who had never been so close to the kabus.

Her two companions did not seem unsettled by her hesitation. Not only did they not seem to be afraid, but Minerva bet they were eager to go deeper into the jungle. They looked this way and that looking for something to use to move faster.

-Let’s go to the Triple Star vehicle parking lot, maybe we can get something,- said Valdés.

They headed there in a hurry. The parking lot was a few streets down towards the river. It was a garage with a capacity for about twenty vehicles. The area was deserted. Oil stains and tire marks on the ground indicated that the vehicles had left in a hurry. There were only a couple of old cars that looked in poor condition. In any case, they were not suitable for crossing the jungle.

-We are at an impasse – said Valdés.
-Well… maybe we can resort to less conventional methods – said Don Gregorio. Let’s go visit a friend, see if we are lucky and he still has his business nearby. I don’t think he’s the type to be scared off by a few kabus.

Valdés and Minerva looked at each other puzzled, and let Don Gregorio go on his way quietly. But after crossing a couple of streets, Minerva, who was always looking at her tablet, stopped in her tracks.

-Someone is coming out!
-Is it May? -said Valdés as he walked over to look.

On Minerva’s tablet, where the ziggurat could be seen in full screen, a figure with a hat and whip was coming out. He was carrying something under his arm, wrapped in cloth. It looked quite heavy.

-Is it Marcus? -said Don Gregorio, narrowing his eyes because he could not see well.
-No… it’s not Marcus… nor May. Who is that guy?

Although he dressed like Marcus, the person who had come out of the ziggurat seemed to be much older. He had gray hair pulled back in a ponytail, and a beard. He stood very still for a few moments and suddenly dissolved into a reddish cloud.

-He jumped! -Minerva was surprised.
-From there? -said Don Gregorio.

Although the Jump technique made it possible to change the location of the oneironaut instantaneously, it was very difficult to perform if one was not near the influence of the statue of Tiberius. A jump from the ziggurat was, to say the least, risky. Either the dreamer who had done it was a daredevil, or an expert in the art. Perhaps better than May Hawaii.