Just after Envoy finishes the last of her soup, sitting alone at a table, a serpent forms itself from a column of water beside her, and asks, "Would you like to pay cash, or add this to your bill, Mage Envoy?"

"If I add it to my bill," Envoy asks, "will it just be deducted from my Guild account?"

The serpent bobs its head. "Just so, Mage."

Envoy smiles, "Please add it to my bill then."

The water snake bobs again, then melts back into the stream, leaving the Exile alone. As the waiter withdraws, Envoy notices Yffryn looking at her from her shared table with the massive Naga, and the fox'taur smiles at her as she catches her eye.

The Aeolun returns the smile, and walks over to the Dream Mages' booth. "Good day, Mage Yffryn. I hope that I am not intruding?"

Yffryn's smile broadens. "Not at all, Mage Envoy," she says pleasantly. "In fact, Dean Ssrithiri has been eager to meet you. Dean, this is Mage Envoy of the Sphere of Earth, the Exile Mystico rescued from dreams several days ago. Envoy, this is Mage Ssrithiri of Nightmares, Dean of the Sphere of Dreams."

Envoy bows formally to large Naga. "It is an honor to meet you, Dean Ssrithiri. I hope I can be of some help to you and your school."

"Asss do I, Mage Envoy," the Naga replies. He raises on his coils and bows to her, taking her hand briefly. Even with half his length still coiled loosely beneath him, the serpent towers over her, his hand engulfing her own when he takes it. "I have been most anxious to meet you," he continues, his Rephidim Standard almost flawless. "I apologize for the delay – I have been bussy with a ritual until today."

"I hope it went well," Envoy says, still smiling. "What is it you wanted to see me about?" she asks politely.

"It did, thank you," Ssrithiri replies, shifting his coils to one side to clear a path to the seat opposite Yffryn. "I gather that you have – at least until a few weeks ago – been entering a magically-created dream realm on a regular basis in safety? I am deeply interested in the subject, as you might imagine – given how dangerous enchanted dreams have been for the last five years."

Envoy takes the open seat, and nods. "Yes, without the aid of magic. Before that, I could only enter such a realm with the assistance of Dream Magic."

"The same realm?" He glances to Yffryn. "That is to say, the one dominated by … what was it … Babelite mythological figures? How long have you been dreaming of these, ah, deities?"

"Well, no, not the same realm," Envoy admits. "Originally I entered the realm of Morpheus, which seemed to mirror the physical state of that world. I did not encounter the realm of the Sisters until after the … binding … of Morpheus by the Babelite Mages. This coincided with the first of the large-scale dream attacks against Rephidim forces during the last war."

"Actually, the first realm I encountered was not that of the Sisters, but a smaller … practice realm, I suppose," the Earth Mage adds. "Mystico was held captive in it."

The snake nods, listening intently. His forked tongue flicks out. "Now, this involvement of Babelite mages – do you know whom? Where did you come by this information? From Morpheus, in dreams?"

Envoy considers her answer, unsure of how much she should divulge regarding her relationship with Morpheus. "It was explained by another dreamer, an Eeee, whom I encountered there. I do not have any information about the identity of the mages, only that the ritual is still being carried out. The original casters may have been wiped out by the Boomer."

"Ah." He sinks back, looking disappointed. "We have had similar reports from rescued mages – a sense that Babelite mages might be behind it, but no hints on who, specifically, or where." The Naga's nostrils flare. "In my more paranoid moments, I think the whole thing might be a red herring, intended to disguise the true nature of the trap. But the trap did diminish in power dramatically at the time of the Boomer, so the connection makes sense."

Envoy nods. "It was a full four years after the destruction in Babel before I began to enter those dreams again."

Ssrithiri nods again, shifting his coils with a rippling motion. "On the nature of these realms … you said that the creators of these dreams sought to control, ah, simulacrums of the Seven Sisters? And you believe that if the Sisters become more real, they will escape the control of their creators?"

"I believe it will be something the mages hadn't planned for," Envoy says. "If the individual realms become more real, then they will depend on the power of Morpheus less. The mages can control Morpheus, but I haven't seen any evidence that they control the Sisters themselves. All but one of them are unaware that their realms were created by Mages."

"All but one of … the Sisters?" The snake tilts his head. "Which one?"

Envoy blinks, and says, "Barada, of course. Who else would know such a secret?"

The Naga looks blank for a moment, than chuckles and nods. "Ah, I see. Very curious. Now – did you say that you were playing some role in, ah, enhancing the dream realms?"

The Aeolun scratches her cheek, then says, "Indirectly, yes. By observing them in a lucid state, and by following the local rules and challenges, a person can make the realms a bit more real."

"Fascinating." The Naga's eyes narrow in contemplation and he falls silent for a moment. Yffryn flashes an encouraging smile to the Exile while her Dean thinks. At length, he says, "It seems to me that we of the Sphere of Dream should be able to assist you in some fashion through these, ah, challenges? you said. It is certainly in our best interests to do so."

Envoy considers this. "Only if it doesn't count as cheating by the rules of a realm. Otherwise it wouldn't help at all."

"Ah … perhaps. Do you understand what thesse rules are, Mage Envoy?" Ssrithiri asks.

"Well… ," Envoy says, looking uncertain. "Not really. There is no injunction against the use of dream artifacts, but there are no short-cuts or loopholes. Although frankly, a way to know the passage of time in the physical world would be very handy. You just don't feel time passing … or at least not with any sort of urgency."

"Perhapss we could supply you with artifacts. It's well within our normal purview of abilities." The Naga shifts, looking eager. "I find this most promising, Mage Envoy. We have had no mages – nor even laymen – who have been able to enter this realm lucidly and safely. It is my hope that we can use you as a kind of focus through which to exercise our power and learn more in relative safety. We must study this further." Yffryn nods beside him, still unaccustomedly quiet.

"Like some sort of proxy?" Envoy asks, wondering about the 'exercise our power' part.

"Yes. If we cannot safely usse our abilities, perhaps you may usse them for us," the Dean concurs.

"What about scrying?" Envoy asks. "I've heard that you are adept at this as well as Dream, so could you somehow scry into a dream, if you had some sort of focus?"

Ssrithiri nods again. "Yes, the Dream and Scrying Spheres are often complimentary – one reason I studied both. I may well be able to put my skill there to use, as well. It iss very exciting, to have a new lead to pursue after so long being stymied."

Yffryn at last breaks in, "Did I mishear you earlier, Envoy, or did you say that the poodle you were with earlier was Elise de Bellefeuille, another person who had helped you in dreams?"

Envoy smiles, and suggests, "Then perhaps that would be the best starting point. A passive artifact that you can use as a scrying focus. It should be simpler than a more … intrusive sort of magic. And safer, as the mages behind the realms shouldn't be able to trace it back to you."

The Dean considers this for some time, then nods. "Indeed. It would let me see as you do, and should not jeopardize you. A good starting place."

Nodding, Envoy asks, "When would you like to begin? Do I need to do anything to help create this artifact?"

After a few more moments, "A lock from your hair should be sufficient. I will use it to bind the item to you, so that it will stay with you when you dream. Is there any appearance you would like this object to take in dreams? A pocket watch, perhaps?" He smiles.

Yffryn looks between the two, and coughs noticeably.

"A … watch?" Envoy asks, then looks to Yffryn. "Do you have a suggestion, Yffryn?"

The fox'taur smiles brightly. "I just thought that if your friend from Rephidim was another of those who've entered the dream realm safely, then we could use her cooperation, too."

Envoy blinks. "Oh, yes … once she has recovered from her ordeal. Her voyage here with the Ambassador was not uneventful, and she probably isn't up to the effort just yet."

Blinking again, the Aeolun presses a hand to her stomach. "Oh dear … I think those wiggly things weren't illusory after all."

Yffryn's mouth makes an "O" and then she looks concerned. "Are you not feeling well?" The Naga looks suddenly worried as well. "What did you eat?"

"The Surprise Special," Envoy says. "It had a carnivorous plant in it."

The two mages exchange looks. "No one's ever died from eating the daily special yet," Yffryn says. The statement is not entirely comforting, especially as the two people – and in fact, the whole room – takes on a sudden purple tint.

Envoy blinks her eyes several times. "Has something happened to the lighting in here?" she asks, hoping the plant wasn't also parasitic.

Between each blink, the room takes on a different color. "Ah … no," Ssrithiri tells her. "Perhaps we'd better take you to see a life mage. The special may not have been tailored correctly for an Exile's digestion."

The Exile in question nods, and wonders if the flavor-shifting will also extend to her other senses as well.

"This is very interesting. I've never been ill before," she says, not sounding very alarmed.

A little silver butterfly-winged serpent appears suddenly in front of her face, its little eyes staring intently at hers, while Ssrithiri offers the Exile his hand to help her up, and Yffryn unfolds herself from the booth.

Envoy blinks, and takes the offered hand. She also tries to focus on the flying apparition to tell if it is an hallucination or the result of magic.

Another butterfly serpent flits into view next to the first, this one scarlet. "Don't do that! I think it sees us," it says, its voice high pitched and breathy, like a little girl whispering. The silver one says in a voice the twin to the first, "Don't be silly!"

Meanwhile, the Naga helps Envoy to her feet, only to have the Aeolun's knees buckle beneath her. Yffryn hurries to her other side. "Can you walk?"

"Apparently not," Envoy admits, trying to get back up. "Dean Ssrithiri, is there such a thing as a … Creen spirit?"

"It does see us!" the silver one squeals, and flits back while the red one circles, wings beating so fast they blur. "A what?" Ssrithiri's bemusement is clear, and he and Yffryn exchange glances again. Then the giant serpent scoops the Exile effortlessly into his arms, and slithers through the door with Envoy cradled in his arms like a small child, the fox'taur just behind him. "I told you!" the whispery little-girl voice comes from behind his bulk.

"I may be hallucinating," Envoy says. "Otherwise, there is an hitherto unknown plasmagnomic species inhabiting Caroban, which also speaks Rephidim Standard."

"Unless the Nagai have fairies, and just never told anyone… "

"Rephidim what?" one of the high-pitched voices says. The words sound reddish.

Envoy tries to raise herself enough to look over Ssrithiri's shoulder. "What sort of creatures are you?" she asks the strange critters. "Are you fairies?"

"I think you're hallucinating," Ssrithiri says, his voice alarmed. He picks up his pace, and the undulating of his coils, broad across the hallway, causes people to press themselves against the walls to get out of the way. "I'm sure if Nagai had fairies, someone would have told me."

Smiling, the Aeolun says, "Well, in that case I must have more imagination than I … imagined."

"Oh, good," the red one drifts into view. "It thinks it's imagining us." The silver lands on her horn. It has little arms, and braces itself with them against the base of Envoy's horn.

Envoy reaches up to try and grab the imaginary fairy-Naga.

The Exile's efforts result in a squeak from the silver-winged critter. It flattens against her muzzle, and Envoy ends up with a death-grip on her own ansible, which at least isn't trying to escape. Yet.

Envoy lets go and hmms. "Okay then, little fairies … prove to me that you are an hallucination."

The little sprites exchange glances. The red one makes a tiny shrug, and it dives towards Envoy's head, sinking into her right between her eyes, and vanishing while the Aeolun goes cross-eyed trying to track her. Red streaks explode across her vision, and the inside of her head tingles.

Envoy opens and closes her mouth, wondering how to address this turn of events. "These beings don't seem very hallucinatory. Could they be constructs of Mind Magic?"

"Mind mages do not fashion constructs," the Naga says, almost lecturing. "Their abilities to affect the real world are limited to telekinesis. A mind mage might make you think you saw constructs, however. I am not sure what Spheres prepared today's special."

"No mind-golems then?" Envoy asks, and tries to think about five dimensional fractals to dislodge whatever flew into her head.

Meanwhile, the silver one squeaks, "It's not working! Get out of there!" while Envoy seems to hear from the inside of her head, "Ewwww … it's sticky in here. Help!"

"It's stuck in my head now," the Aeolun reports to the mages. "Maybe the interface between my organic cortex and the imipolex plastic layer is causing it problems."

"Theoretically, one might animate a golem through the use of telekinesis, but it would not move 'naturally' as, say, an Earth or Water golem will. The mage would have to control each motion, like a puppeteer." The Naga shifts her for a moment in his arms to knock open a door. They have long since left Yffryn behind. "The life mages will know what to do about this, er, thing, I'm sure," although he doesn't sound very certain.

"At least it isn't interfering with my fraught prosthesis … my thought processes," Envoy mutters.

The silver one dives in after the red fairy, and silver starbursts flash over Envoy's vision. Squeaking and struggling noises echo in her mind. "Ouch! That bit's sharp! Eek! too many points. Ah!" Abruptly, both tumble out the back of her head, and her vision clears … briefly. "That's better," the little girl voice squeaks.

Envoy tries to turn her head to see the fairies again. "Why are you watching me, anyway?"

"Hey!" The red one looks indignant as it appears through Envoy's rapidly narrowing field of vision. "You're the one who was watching us!"

"What are you?" the Aeolun asks again, quietly, as she tries to focus her eyes.

The red makes another indignant squeak. "Of all the nerve!" while the silver flits closer.

"It doesn't look so good. I hope we didn't hurt it," The silver voice sounds even higher, and more strained, as if coming from a long way off. Purple flashes swim over Envoy's field of vision, and then the world goes black.

"Would serve it right, seeing us," Envoy hears another voice say, and then there is nothing.