Freedom Jumper-Chapter 169: Dreamwalking

Slowly, the wooden door creaked open under Elijah's touch, revealing a man and woman hurriedly dressing.

Elijah couldn't help but stifle a laugh, and chose to remain silent as he observed from the doorway.

'If she knew I was coming, then why put on a show like this?'

"Goodbye, my lady." The burly man, whose clothes were on backward, sauntered out of the room, brushing against Elijah's shoulder as he passed.

Elijah uttered a remark he might come to regret. "You have some lovely curves!"

"Oh yeah? How old are you... thirteen?"

Elijah opted not to engage with her rhetorical question and got straight to business. "So, why did you want to talk in private?"

Confused, Elijah thought this must be a regular occurrence. "How were you inside my head?"

"You know, it is customary to offer something before inquiring about a sensitive topic. How about we discuss what you observed on the rind first?" The woman didn't bother to put on more clothes, though she was covered, revealing a significant amount of cleavage.

'Surely, this woman is insane...' Elijah mused, then steeled himself for the difficult part, knowing he should not lie.

"There was a man likely controlling the beasts. Long brown hair, brown cloak, and a body that looks like it hasn't been cleaned in ages."

Quickly, she settled in front of her desk on the far left side of the room, beside a large bed. "And?"

"If you saw everything, then why ask me?"

"Because it helps; just like with dreams, not every memory is retained." She replied, taking a sip from a ceramic cup.

Elijah continued recounting the experience, emphasizing the wild runic device that had blinded him for more than ten seconds. The shape and material were etched into his mind purely from fear.

It was confirmed after the lady had pieced her own information together that this was a wanted man with a very special power.

"My name is Alista Dandelion, a Protector General. I mention this because I have been trying to capture the man you saw for quite some time. He is currently known as 'The Handler' due to his ability to control beasts. Unfortunately, his weakness remains unknown, but suspicions are centering on the notion of insanity. Something has fundamentally altered in him for him to betray our kingdom, and nothing could cause such a change without a horrific flaw..."

Alista Dandelion — Elijah mused at how graceful the name sounded. The dandelion was a thing of beauty, but likely held a different meaning in Kotun, where the name was technically in English.

As Alista pursued her thoughts, her fingers gliding across her soft face, Elijah broke the silence. "How did you enter my mind?"

"..." After a few seconds, she began to respond. "Dreamwalking. I prefer you only know that much, so don't inquire further..."

"However, I wanted to ask you about your abilities! You can fly! Tell me... How does it feel?"

Elijah was taken aback by this question. Part of him wanted to ask her to keep it secret, but the other part yearned to respond. "It's the closest I've ever come to true freedom. But please, don't share this. I wish for no one to know that I can fly."

"I'm surprised; the ability to fly is exceedingly rare, and anyone gifted with it is assured a prosperous life. Does it relate to your flaw?"

Elijah firmly shook his head and continued to explain that he simply didn't want everyone to know the full extent of his abilities. Truthfully, he had no recollection of any flaw.

Maybe Elijah did not possess a flaw at all...

"Okay, I will agree, but only if you assist me when the time comes." Alista leaned back in her chair, stretching her arms overhead.

All this time, Elijah had been standing in the same spot, but now he advanced toward the front of her desk. "What do you mean?"

"I want your help in capturing this individual. For too long, he has led us to believe the seeds have evolved... whoops, sorry, I forgot you likely know nothing of the seeds... The man is impossible to catch; the beasts he controls aid him in every aspect of his life. We need someone with the ability to fly, someone who can descend from the heavens to deliver a powerful and unexpected blow."

"Of course, if you decide to participate, you will be generously rewarded if it goes according to plan. However, this mission may not materialize for a few months, or even years. We have yet to find a proper way to locate him."

The mission intrigued him only slightly, as he recalled how easily the beast man had disabled him.

"Why don't you just recruit someone more powerful than me who can also fly?"

"Because the guilds and government are still unaware that this person exists. Just three fortnights ago, we were able to confirm that many previous events were orchestrated because of him. The Adventurers and Protectors are now doing everything they can to find The Handler to save their own skins..."

Bam! The ceramic cup was slammed onto the wooden table cluttered with various colored vials and a large map.

"And you agree with this?" Elijah was completely taken aback. "In the midst of a war that only seems to be escalating?!"

"No, but it's not my decision to make. You are playing a game controlled by individuals you have yet to even lay your eyes on. Please, continue with what you are doing, and I will have my people locate you when the time is right..."

"Also, I suggest you refrain from showing your animosity until you are strong enough to stand on your own. I'm afraid that even the strongest individuals in our kingdom have their own agendas and are not afraid to tear you apart if you oppose their ideas..."

What Alista had told him provided him with insight he desperately needed. The vigilante Elijah could easily become by going off on his own could lead to his demise. Thankfully, the charming woman he would remember forever had given him not just a new perspective, but knowledge that allowed him to connect more dots.

The agendas of those at the top conflicted with what the kingdom desired, which meant spies from other kingdoms could very well be in their midst. Or perhaps that was not the case at all, but rather individuals who sought the same outcome with different benefits — altering the course in the process.

Returning to the tent where half of his party rested, Elijah recounted how he had seen General Alista Dandelion with a man by accident.

Songa and Joffrey had yet to return, which was making everyone feel a bit on edge — including three academy students and Henry Axemen.

Finn quickly chimed in to explain how her flaw related to an "addiction."

Naturally, this sparked numerous conversations among Niko, Kithus, Ronny, Finn, Banks, and Elijah himself.

Phrases like "woman of the night," "scandalous," and "how insensible" were repeated.

Elijah chose not to press further and made his way to his bunk, dozing off into a deep slumber.

...

Inside a wooden bedroom and office on the second floor of the outpost hall lay Alista in her infamous purple robe.

With one leg propped up while lying on her side, she brushed her pearly white hair from her face and sighed.

"Another one... Hahahaha!"

Alista's lips curled into a broad smile, reveling in the possibilities that lay ahead...