Chapter 265: Where Will the Dream Go (Part 2) (Patreon)
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In DC World With Marvel Chat Group : Table of Content/Chapter List
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"I don't know how you ended up here," Morpheus's first sentence made Schiller frowned, but he could sense that Morpheus wasn't lying.
If someone like this conceptual entity didn't want to talk about it, no one could force them. Although it was annoying to have a clown barging into their home, it didn't reach the level of a threat. Since Morpheus chose to speak, it meant he was willing to share, so there was no need for further lies.
"But we found you the moment you arrived here."
"We? Who else besides you?"
"Destiny. No one in all the universes can escape the eyes of Destiny. The moment you arrived here, he discovered you."
Schiller frowned. He didn't expect there to be a concept of destiny here.
"Destiny" was the oldest and most unique entity in the Endless Family, and one could even say that he transcended the Endless Family itself, being the highest being in the entire DC multiverse.
Before the birth of the universe, it was already recorded in the first page of the Book of Destiny, which meant that Destiny surpassed everything in the universe.
In most cases, Destiny appeared as a man with a hood, without eyes, but observing everything. He held a Book of Souls in his hands, chained to his arm. However, in comics, it was also shown that he could take the book off his arm and give it to others.
"The Book of Souls," Morpheus mentioned a term.
"It is a book that records everything in this universe, past, present, future, everything tangible and intangible, everything that has appeared or will appear... is recorded in this book..."
"Except for you."
After Morpheus finished this conclusion, he stopped speaking, and Schiller remained silent, creating a moment of silence in the room.
After a while, Morpheus seemed to be lost in his memories. He said, "One day, Destiny came to find me. It was a rare occurrence, not many people come to me."
"He told me that he discovered a person, someone who wasn't recorded in the Book of Souls. We observed you together, but we found nothing."
"In the past, there have been beings from other universes coming to this universe, but as soon as they enter this universe, their names will be inscribed in the Book of Souls, and Destiny can write their stories in this book."
"But you appeared, and your name didn't. So Destiny found me, hoping that I could observe you from the realm of dreams and find out the reason for this."
"I can observe anyone's dreams in the Dreaming, and when I saw the magnificent structure in your dream, I was genuinely surprised." Morpheus's tone raised a bit.
"I have never seen such a building in anyone else's dream. I was intrigued, but it didn't serve any purpose because I didn't find the reason for your uniqueness here..."
"Destiny told me that a name that doesn't exist in the Book of Souls, a person without a story, can potentially have a significant impact on the coherence of the universe. He must complete your name and story."
"Destiny asked me to anchor your existence in the realm of dreams, and then he started to write down your name, but in that instant... you disappeared."
"Disappeared?" Schiller narrowed his eyes.
"Yes, at the moment Destiny was about to write, you vanished from this universe. Even I couldn't hold onto your dream."
"I can't describe exactly what happened because our perspectives are different, but the fact is, in an instant, you and your dream left here."
"What does 'Origin Wall' refer to?"
"Everything within the 'Origin Wall.'"
"I passed through the Origin Wall?"
"We don't know if you passed through the Origin Wall. We didn't see anything."
Schiller kept his eyes narrowed. It was hard to believe that a nearly supreme conceptual entity in the DC universe would tell him that he saw nothing.
"Believe it or not, that's the truth," Morpheus interlocked his somewhat thin fingers. He said, "When you returned, Destiny didn't take any further action. It seemed like he acquiesced to everything. I don't know what he's thinking..."
"Why did all of this happen while I was asleep?"
"I don't know," Morpheus shook his head. Then he speculated on another possibility.
"It might be related to my anchoring in your dreams. That's just my guess... I don't know where you went, but there was always a beacon left by me in the depths of your dreams."
Schiller understood Morpheus's speculation. The beacon in the dream was like a rope tied to Schiller. When he left this universe for Marvel, that rope ensured that he could return to this universe.
He knew that the phenomenon of crossing over was likely caused by the system, but he didn't ask Morpheus about it because he wasn't sure if Destiny and the Dream Lord observed the mysterious system.
Morpheus explained everything, yet it felt like nothing was explained. Schiller asked, "Why didn't Destiny try to write my name in the Book of Souls again?"
"I don't know. He didn't tell me. From start to finish, I only observed you in your dreams for a while and left a beacon in your deep dreams. If you want answers to those questions, you'll probably have to ask Destiny yourself."
Upon saying this, the Dream Lord suddenly showed a peculiar expression and said, "No... I don't suggest you install a doorbell at his place. It's better not to do that."
"Since the beginning of universal existence, we each have our roles, and our work is not meaningless. The domains controlled by each member of the Endless Family are crucial to the universe, and Destiny is no exception."
"As I told you before, a name that doesn't exist in the Book of Souls can potentially harm the universe. He wanted to write your name in it; that was one of his tasks. But in the end, he gave up doing so. Although I don't know why, he must have his reasons."
"We are not interested in the existence of any individual. We don't care about how your lives unfold or what you have done in your respective lives..."
"When I first saw your dreams, I was somewhat surprised. You were the first human to astonish me. Before you, no matter how many dreams I experienced, I never had this feeling."
"Perhaps that is your uniqueness. Maybe you are special to every member of the Endless Family, but you haven't come into contact with the other members yet..."
"The other members?" Schiller recalled and said, "Let's not talk about the others for now. I should have encountered Desire, right?"
Morpheus shook his head and said, "Desire doesn't work at all."
"I once heard a story whispered in the winds of the Dreaming..." Morpheus' tone always carried a poetic beauty.
"Death is my sister. Each person she takes away every day in every century deepens her understanding of her responsibility..."
"It's not a wonderful feeling, to feel the inevitable fate of everything and everyone heading towards an end. It is the price she pays for her great power. Therefore, I often wonder, what price will I have to pay for my abilities?"
Schiller seemed captivated by his description. He always enjoyed topics related to philosophy and said, "I have always been curious about the perspective of higher-dimensional beings. I have been speculating about how you think and what conclusions you can draw."
Morpheus gave a peculiar expression and said, "Until today, you have made me understand that it is not I who create dreams, but dreams that create me."
"The doorbell you brought in made me feel that it is the price I have to pay to control the dream."
"He was too mad, utterly unreasonable. I tried many methods, but he always found a way to escape my control and turn my home into a mess."
Upon hearing Morpheus sigh lightly, Schiller said, "Perhaps it's not me controlling the dream, but the dream controlling me..."
As he sighed, the spinning Earth globe on the table gradually came to a halt. When Schiller woke up, the figure across from him had disappeared as if it had never been there.
Schiller stood up, walked to the back of the table, and picked up the Earth globe from the table. He spun it slowly with his hand and spoke into the air, "If a dream is too real, when you wake up, you will doubt if you are still dreaming."
"And perhaps, the price the Dream Lord has to pay is never knowing if they truly exist or... just a dream."
Schiller's sigh echoed in the room. Suddenly, Jack, who was lying on the single sofa, woke up. He rubbed his eyes, sat up from the sofa, and sat there with a wide grin on his face.
He gestured with his hands, seemingly trying to describe the incredibly joyful dream he just had. Suddenly, his hands froze in mid-air, as if experiencing a sudden drop back to reality, instantly causing him to become disheartened. His smile slowly faded and turned into a downturned expression.
He sat dejectedly on the sofa, covering his face with his hands and said, "I'm back to this boring reality again. Oh, my goodness..."
Schiller looked at the Earth globe that had stopped in his hand and said to Jack, "Your boring days are about to end. Batman should be back soon."
Jack moved slightly, lifted his face, and revealed his eyes through the gaps between his fingers. He looked at Schiller and said, "Should I prepare a big surprise to welcome him home?"
"It's up to you."
Schiller placed the Earth globe on the table and turned around, taking a book from the bookshelf.
Jack whistled and approached the table, then, just a second before Schiller turned around, he grabbed the Earth globe and held it in his arms.
He held the Earth globe as if embracing a dance partner and said to it, "Look! My precious... I love you so much. I can imagine how much joy you will bring me. Let's dance together, right now..."
In the twilight-lit Manor living room, Schiller sat quietly behind the table, reading a book, while Jack spun and danced around the living room with the Earth globe in his arms.
The light of the setting sun poured into the room as Jack circled round and round, his face filled with a blissful smile.
When he finally stopped, the Earth globe started spinning again, deepening the smile on Jack's face.
At that moment, Bruce's car raced down the road until a large signboard appeared in his field of view, which read, "Gotham ahead."
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Next Chapter>>Chapter 266 Where will the dream go (Part 2)