And so it proceeds. Every morning for the next week we practice mastering the elements. It turns out I'm especially good with fire and air, but stone keeps resisting me. Every time I try to do something with stone it refuses for at least a minute before executing my will. It is a thorn in my eye, and it prevents me from executing the trials. Still, I work as hard as I can. Then the Dream Walker brings a surprise. 'We are not going to practice fire, air, water, stone, soil or metal today. Today we are going to practice water. This is also your test. This is because water, like fire, is two faced. It can be gentle, friendly and lifesaving, but also unforgiving, fierce and angry. Your test, to become a dream walker, is to get water under control within the hour. This includes getting it to rise above the surface of the training square. Try it.'

The moment he says this I lose my nerve. I already control fire. Fire and water do not combine, as a rule. If they make this my challenge it means they want to test me on the most cruel way possible. The dream walker sees it. 'Remember. A dream walker must be able to fight anywhere with anything. I never was any good at stone. Still it obeys me. If you manage to control water, something you have never done before, the rest of the dream walkers will obey me, and after me, you. Just try it.'

I try it. At first, nothing happens. It takes fifteen minutes before I manage to get my first shape out of the water. But after that it is like a switch is flicked. I make one thing after another out of the water. It doesn't take long for a crowd to form. When I'm nearing my one hour window, I try the hardest thing. I remember a myth from ancient Greece. The trident of Poseidon was used to control the water. Maybe it was made out of water. So I try it. I hold out my hand over the biggest puddle of water. All the water from the surrounding square moves to the puddle. People around me yelp from surprise when the water flies against their legs. The dream walker is surprised as well. But on the other hand, I'm to. Because the water does what I want. It forms a trident. Instead of liquid, it feels and behaves like a solid. The dream walker comes to me. 'Poseidon's trident. Impressive. A god weapon is not made easily. And never before within an hour. I myself have tried for a decade to make Athena's Aegis, and she is not part of the three brothers. Well done. Very well done.'

'Wait. This is the real thing? Not a cheap duplicate?'

'Yes. Legend says the cyclops made the real god weapons. But it was us. And after the gods where done fighting titans, the hung their weapons on the walls. And the weapons disappeared. They unmade themselves. Now one of the three weapons has remade itself for you. Or more accurately, you remade it, while it helped. And from now on, this weapon will help you wherever you need it. Oh, and one thing: you didn't lose control over fire and air. It is still very much part of you. Water has just added to your mastery. You are a special man, considering you control opposing elements. So, congratulations. You have become a dream walker.'

'So that means we are going to your cave, in the middle of nowhere?'