Path of Exile Talent Competition

The echo of her footsteps was frighteningly loud, as something would amplify it without limit. Even if she couldn't see walls, echo ensured her they existed. At first she thought area was small, but she couldn't be more wrong. As soon as light appeared in room, her breath was taken away. Pearly columns stretched high into pitch black ceiling, shrouded by ever ending shadows. Darkness dissipated, showing small bridge-like structure leading to some kind of machinery on large platform. Beyond that – only shadows waited within chasm so deep, neither light nor eyes could pierce it to the bottom. And darkness was dense as curtains. She unconsciously stretched her hand to grasp it – if felt so close and material to her, she was allured by it and almost felt from bridge into the chasm.

And then she heard a rustle. Swift as a beast she jumped away from sound, closer to the mystery machinery, quickly aiming with bow at it's source. The tip of arrow was covering in frost along with quiet crackling noise. She was tempted to shoot, but she knew there was someone... something not entirely hostile.

“Who?!” she asked cautiously. “Is it you, Gemling Queen?”

“Hello there. Can you... can you lower the bow? It's kind of upsetting.”

She was quite surprised by gentle, feminine voice. After a while she decided to slightly relax. From small shadow emerged woman with raised hands. She was quite young, yet still older than huntress. From her sad, silvery eyes one could see she had her share of misfortune, but was it any different for other people in Wraeclast? On this cursed land one won't find any peace even after dead.

“Who are you?” she asked again.

“How impatient. I'm Zana. I guess it's pleasure to meet someone... human-like.” Zana curled her rosy lips. “And who is this brave warrior who almost shot innocent woman?”

“This brave warrior still can shot your dirty mouth. They call my Ranger, my real name is... no longer any concern to you” angrily said huntress.

“How scary” laughed Zana. “Good, it's good you are so lively in this broken land. Sorry, I couldn't resist seeing you so cautious. It's rare to see people other than Blackguard around here.”

Ranger raised her brows and helplessly shook her head. What was her deal?

“They are hiding in city of Sarn, or at least in something that left from it.”

“What a bunch of scaredy-cats!” Zana mocked them, while loudly laughing.

“Not everyone can be as brave as you. But anyway, was is this place?”

“A kind of laboratory, I guess. I spent here fair amount of time, yet I still have to grasp every aspect of this complex machinery” said Zana, while smiling bitterly. “Well, you can say... it's a place, where boundaries between real world and dreams are intentionally blurred.”

“Is it... is it man-made?” asked huntress, pointing at strange device.

“If not humans made this, then who? Gods?” Zana sighed quietly and went pass Ranger through the bridge. “Once you are aware what this can do, you start to see... things.”

“Things? I saw many things in my life. Well, back in Oriath many people saw things” Ranger said sarcastically.

“Well, those are different kind of things, you see. Fragments of dream. They can look like ordinary stone or old plate, but they carry dream, memories, part of soul. This machine makes them more real, more lifelike. More... material.”

“So another miracle of thaumaturgy, what a surprise.”

“...right, it seems you are very simple person” sighed Zana.

“Simple is good. Everybody will tell you that. Simple problems require simple solutions. Usually one arrow at the time.”

“You do look like a huntress, I guess that is to be expected. Though you use gems, it seems you hate thaumaturgy. Isn't it ironic?”

“I don't particularly hate thaumaturgy. I hate people behind it. They are source of all those complicated problems.” Ranger looked curiously at strange machine. “So what exacly can this do?”

“Already told you. You put a fragment of memory or a dream and it makes it more real. Come, I will show you.”

“Huh, a fragment of dream. I think I will pass. I've seen too much nightmares to remember what is a dream.”

“More the reason! But you should brace yourself. Even if it's dream, it's more real than you think. You can die, but you can find there happiness or treasures. But I guess gold, baubles and trinkets hold no value here. If we were on Oriath, even the God would envy us if we were collect treasures from dreamlands!” Zana laughed. “I will come with you, don't worry. If there happen to be corruption, I will find it and purify, so you could enjoy your dream for long, long time.”

Ranger found herself quite uncomfortable after Zana's speech. It was absurd! She wanted to make dreams true, but it would also make all nightmares real as well. She didn't believed in anything any more, only in herself. She saw horrors beyond one's comprehension, and that made her unable to dream. She was broken by those she trusted, exiled into land of nightmares. What if her fears, her nightmares, her visions were made into reality? She trembled, overwhelmed by imaginary terror.

“I-it sounds quite shady, so no.”

“Oh, really? I don't think it's shady. I'm sure you are just afraid of what you can find there, in your dreams.”

“N-no. You are just crazy lunatic, no better than Piety...”

Zana just laughed, covering her eyes.

“It's first time someone compared me to this whore. Well, then let be it. I'm just as bad as Piety. But...” Zana showed Ranger small amulet made from canine tooth. “I'm here to fix corruption before it spread any further.”

Ranger's eyes were wide open. She patted her chest only to discover her amulet was indeed gone and in Zana's hand!

“What...! Give it back!” she angrily yelled, aiming with her bow.

Yet Zana just turned her back to Ranger while operating strange device. Suddenly everything started to move. Many gears were working almost silently, large rings with little planets rotated around big globe. Ranger could only watch it startled, unable to comprehend what was happening. She heard loud cracking, when space was ruptured and torn away, showing something... something familiar. Through the crack she could see beautiful forest, which felt so nostalgic.

“W-what... is this?” she asked.

“Come, Ranger. This is your dream!” Zana came closer and stood near her, watching mysterious portal. “It looks good. Nothing like nightmare, right?”

“No, nothing like it...”

“Then let's go. You deserve it. You did well until now. It's time for someone to help you, dear huntress.”

For Ranger Zana's whispers sounded like devil's sweet talk. It was irresistible. She was charmed by it. She made step by step, coming closer and closer. Now she could hear bird's chirping. Even the sun was more beautiful compared to Wraeclast's. She stopped before portal, slightly hesitating, but Zana didn't plan to wait. She pushed Ranger into portal, as to force her to make decision.

“Let me see what is your dream, my little Ranger” said Zana, while smiling warmly.

Ranger could only turn around with astonishment on her face while falling into portal. And then...

Everything changed. She was no longer in weird laboratory. She was in familiar forest. And she felt a little smaller than she should remember.

“This was really good, my little sunshine!” someone said. She looked at the face of her father, who beamed with pride. “You will be splendid hunter in future!”

Ranger looked in her hand, where she found rather large pheasant. She smiled like only happy child could smile.

And engulfed in her dream for the first time in long years, she had forgotten for a moment about all those complicated things in Wreaclast.