"Every thread we follow pulls us closer to the truth—or into a trap we didn’t see coming."
The dreamscape shifted around them, its ethereal beauty giving way to a chaotic swirl of colors and sounds. The glowing threads Notty had been following pulsed faintly, leading them through a labyrinth of ever-changing paths. The ground beneath their feet felt like walking on velvet clouds, shifting and rippling with every step.
Ludikrousz glanced around, his brow furrowed. “Does everything in this place have to be so… disorienting? I feel like I’m walking through someone’s fever dream.”
“Technically, you are,” Notty replied, though her voice was distracted. Her eyes were fixed on the faintly glowing threads, her hands brushing against them like she was trying to sense their direction. “It’s all part of the dreamscape. It reflects our thoughts, emotions… maybe even our fears.”
“Well, that’s comforting,” he muttered. “Remind me again why we’re following glowing strings instead of, you know, running as far away from the shadow as possible?”
“Because this is the only clue we have,” she said, her voice tinged with frustration. “If you have a better idea, feel free to share.”
He held up his hands in mock surrender. “Far be it from me to question the great Dreamweaver. Lead the way.”
Notty shot him a glare but couldn’t help the small smile tugging at her lips. His sarcastic jabs, as grating as they could be, somehow grounded her in this surreal world.
The threads led them to a clearing, and as they stepped through the shimmering veil, their surroundings transformed. They were no longer in the nebulous void of the dreamscape but in what appeared to be a bustling marketplace. Stalls made of shifting fabrics and glowing crystals lined the area, each one manned by creatures as strange as the wares they peddled. The air was thick with the sound of bartering, laughter, and the occasional argument.
“What is this place?” Ludikrousz asked, his voice low with awe.
Notty’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. “I think it’s a market… but not like any market I’ve ever seen.”
A squat, toad-like creature waddled past them, its arms laden with jars of swirling, colorful light. It gave them a toothy grin before disappearing into the crowd. Nearby, a tall, willowy figure with translucent skin was haggling with a merchant over what looked like a bottle of liquid music, its notes swirling visibly inside.
“This is incredible,” Notty murmured, her hands brushing against a nearby stall’s shimmering fabrics. The textures felt like emotions—soft like nostalgia, rough like regret.
“Or insane,” Ludikrousz countered. “Let’s not forget we’re being hunted by an entity that probably knows we’re here.”
“Relax,” she said, though her own nerves were on edge. “Maybe we can find something useful. Information, a weapon… anything to give us an advantage.”
As they moved deeper into the market, a merchant with a head like a glowing orb and a body made entirely of threads stepped forward, blocking their path. “Ah, travelers!” it said, its voice melodic. “You’ve come far, haven’t you? Searching, seeking… but what is it you truly need?”
Notty hesitated. “We’re looking for guidance,” she said cautiously. “Something that can help us… find our way.”
The merchant tilted its head, its threads rippling with faint light. “Guidance, yes. But guidance comes at a cost. Are you willing to pay the price?”
“That depends on what you’re asking for,” Ludikrousz said, crossing his arms. “We’re not exactly swimming in dream coins, if that’s what you’re after.”
The merchant laughed, a sound like tinkling bells. “No coins here, mortal. We trade in emotions, memories, dreams… things of value.”
Notty’s stomach churned. She had a feeling this was coming, but it didn’t make the proposition any less unnerving. “What kind of memory are we talking about?” she asked.
The merchant’s glowing head brightened slightly, as if pleased by her question. “A cherished one, of course. Something bright and warm, something you hold close to your heart. That is the price of true guidance.”
Ludikrousz immediately stepped forward. “No deal,” he said sharply. “You’re not taking anything from her.”
Notty put a hand on his arm, her expression conflicted. “Ludikrousz, wait. If it helps us—”
“No,” he said firmly, his eyes locking with hers. “You’ve already lost so much, Notty. You’re not giving up more just because some glowing thread monster says so.”
The merchant made a sound that could have been a sigh. “So protective,” it said. “And yet, you misunderstand. This is no trick, no theft. The choice is hers to make.”
Notty hesitated, the weight of the decision pressing down on her. She thought of the memories that mattered most to her—the day she designed her first dress, the moment she realized she had magic, the rare times her family had shown her genuine kindness. Could she afford to lose one of those? Did she even have a choice?
“If it gets us closer to breaking the curse,” she said softly, “it’s worth it.”
“Notty—” Ludikrousz started, but she silenced him with a look.
She turned back to the merchant. “Fine. Take what you need.”
The merchant’s threads reached out, brushing against her temple. A warmth spread through her mind, followed by a gentle tug. She gasped as a memory surfaced—a warm summer day by the sea, her mother teaching her how to stitch a perfect hem. The laughter, the salt air, the feeling of being loved—it all shimmered before her eyes before fading into the merchant’s glowing threads.
“There,” it said, its voice tinged with satisfaction. “Your payment is received.”
Notty’s chest ached with the loss, but she squared her shoulders. “Now tell us what we need to know.”
The merchant waved a hand, and the air around them shimmered. Images appeared in the threads—paths twisting and converging, a glowing spindle at the center of it all. “The entity’s power lies within the Loom of Shadows,” it said. “A place where dreams and nightmares are spun into reality. To break its curse, you must reach the loom and weave your truth into its heart.”
“How do we get there?” Notty asked, her voice urgent.
The merchant pointed to a distant, shifting path. “Follow the silver threads. But beware—the closer you get, the more the shadow will seek to unravel you.”
As they left the stall, Ludikrousz walked in silence, his jaw tight. Finally, he stopped and turned to her. “You shouldn’t have done that.”
Notty met his gaze, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “We didn’t have a choice.”
“There’s always a choice,” he said, his voice low. “You just keep sacrificing pieces of yourself like it doesn’t matter. But it does, Notty. It matters to me.”
Her breath caught, the weight of his words hitting her harder than she expected. “Ludikrousz…”
Before she could respond, the air around them darkened, and the threads began to twist and writhe. A cold, hollow laugh echoed through the market, sending chills down her spine.
“It knows,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “The entity knows where we are.”
“Then we better move,” Ludikrousz said, grabbing her hand and pulling her forward as the shadows closed in around them.