My dreams, or should I say my nightmares, were interesting to say the least.

I can always tell when I'm dreaming something that has really happened, or that will happen in the future. I can sense it. Besides, most of my normal dreams are in my point of view, while when I dream about real events I'm always in somebody else's body.

This time, I was in the body of an Enchanter I had never seen before. Weirdly enough, the dream was detailed enough to tell me that we were in the past. And I don't mean the past as in ten, twenty years ago. I mean the past, the ancient past.

Judging by what the people said, the language they spoke was not English. Thankfully, my brain re-wired and I could understand it just as well. 

There were two people, in a dim lit room. From my understanding, I was the apprentice. The other person, tall and with golden brown skin, was a teacher. 

"Advi," my teacher said. He spoke my name with softness, as if just saying these words could hurt him. He cared about me like a father. "I do not understand the things you speak of. What are those pools of energy you speak of? Aren't you just referring to Angra Mainyu, the evil of the world, and Ahura Mazda, the force that will win the war between good and evil?"

"Teacher," Advi said. "These names you use may very well signify the forces I can sense, but I feel them in a way you don't. And my brother does too, when I asked him. You see, we have this belief that there are people in this world who are different from anyone else. They can sense these forces and perhaps... use them to do their bidding."

Even though I was in the dream, and in Advi's body, I noticed that I could do two things at the same time. Worse, I could be two people at the same time. I was Advi and I was listening to my master's words, but I was also Ryan. As Ryan, I tried to think about the books I have read. Thankfully, I had read a lot of them.

Gathering from their words I finally decided that Advi and his master were Zoroastrians. 

"I see that you do not believe me," Advi added. "But you know me. I would have never told you something I did not test myself, beforehand. My brother and the girl I've been spending time with lately, the one I mentioned the other day in passing, they both have this ability that I have. I truly believe there are as many of us as there are of them."

"Us? Them?" the teacher asked, becoming a shade lighter. He sat next to the fireplace, always lit in Zoroastrian houses to honor their gods.

"I've heard," Advi added. "Of people on other sides of the world dabbling with magic. But they are not like our magi. I believe some of our magi have the true magic in their hands, and others don't. Also, many common people have access to this force. I do not know how to explain it other than when you reach this energy, you can feel it. The Greeks call it the aether."

"Why don't these people just spread their information throughout the countries then?" the teacher asked. "How can you dare claim you can do more than the magi?"

"Well... Of some of them. The reason this isn't spreading is no one ever practiced it enough to form a set of rules, a handbook for it."

The teacher snorted. "You sound like you're losing your mind. Or worse. This all seems awfully convenient." He held up his hands. "At least find me proves."

"I will," Advi promised. "And you'll see why this is different from what the magi can do. Sometimes... I feel like I am not even a human being. When I reach into the air, and I connect to the forces of the universe, I feel something there. Something not everyone feels."

"But you told me your brother, and that girl, they can do it too," the teacher said, but he was losing his patience. "Why can't anyone do it?"

Advi seemed to be fidgeting now --- something I did too, under stress. "We have met her when we were running our tests. Many other people, instead, could not do it."

"What?" the teacher asked. "What tests have you gone around asking people to perform, Advi?"

I was sure Advi was about to reply something, but I'll never know what.

Just when he opened his mouth, I woke up.

I sat in the dark of my room for long, asking myself why did my powers show me Advi's past. He seemed to be the first person, in the Middle East at least, who was aware that he was an Enchanter.

Maybe I had some sort of connection to Advi. I definitely felt connected to him. We also had something in common --- a very strong sense of curiosity.

Some part of my brain knew that the dream was important, but I couldn't understand why. Just like some part of me knew it felt like a nightmare, but nothing terrible had happened. 

Without even noticing, I fell asleep again, and this time it wasn't a vision, but a real nightmare.

There was the scaly monster I'd seen before. I felt a thrill of rush as if I had to get something done, and soon. And when the monster got near to me, I knew that I had to kill him.

I prepared the Mudra for killing people as I tried not to look the monster in the eyes. Because those were Edgar's eyes.

And I was killing my best friend.

When I woke up, it was already morning.

I grabbed a cup of coffee in the kitchen and I went to the room where my friends and I had breakfast away from the prying eyes of the other students.

When I walked into the room and cleared my throat to speak, I noticed somebody else was there.

The girl standing in front of me, with light brown skin and teal highlights in her dark brown hair, was my only friend from before the Aether Realm.

"Risa!" I choked on my coffee. "I hope you're not here to solve a case."

When Risa first told me she would join the Aether Realm as a detective, I had my doubts the Senate would let her. Even though I still didn't know how a backwards politician like Thomas Johnston could accept to have a human living between us, I'd since found out that Risa's application had been accepted.

"Unpopular opinion," Raegan said. "Murder mystery can be fun."

A spark shone in Risa's eyes. "I've been dying to see you again."

"Is everything going well? Is it weird, to live amongst people with magic?" Jeff wanted to know. 

Risa shrugged. "Everyone has been kind to me so far, as for magic, even here in the Aether Realm, I don't believe it is the most important thing."

It was a bit arrogant, trying to explain to Jeff such simple matters. It's just that he had one a track mind and couldn't focus on anything that wasn't magic. Thankfully, Risa did not come off too strong. She was simply weighing out options, making her argument sound like the only true logic she believed in, but without discarding what others might say. 

"No offence," I said. "But would you mind telling us why you're here? I mean, I'm okay with that. But you show up uninvited to the Academy at 10 AM. I'd like to know why you are here."

"You have the makings of a detective," she said. "Why don't we work together? I remember your Sherlock Holmes hyperfixation back when we were younger."

"I have more important matters to take care of than being your apprentice."

"We'd get along greatly," she commented cheerfully, ignoring me. "We always did."

"We contacted her," Raegan pointed at Risa. "Yesterday evening, when you went to bed. We didn't think it wouldn't take us long to find her. Or for her to show up."

Risa was listening to the conversation calmly, as if it wasn't about her. She was wearing an oversized grey cardigan and she was sipping what looked like chai latte out of one of my favourite cups.

"Yeah, we asked the Senate," Jeff said. When he saw my expression, he was quick to add, "Don't worry! We didn't tell them what our concern was. Only that we needed to see Risa, that we knew she was working as a detective. They keep her under control, obviously."

"Being kept under control is not as hideous as one would think," Risa reassured me.

"Did you fill her in on everything?" I asked.

"Yes," Risa said. "It's just... I don't understand what one detective in apprenticeship phase can do versus the power of a rare, lost vision."

"Not much," I agreed.

"Still, I said I would help you, remember? I will. Just... tell me everything you know. Every little detail. It might take me some time --- I'm not great at what I do yet. But I'll do my best to collect data and understand what's going on."

"What will be going on," I added helpfully. "In the next future."

She frowned. I realized that I wasn't making it any easier for anyone, being bitter. 

"I'm sorry," I said. "I've been through a lot. In the last few days, and in the last few months."

"Don't say sorry to me," Risa reminded me. "I know about your life. You've been going through a lot in your seventeen years."

I cleared my throat. "Maybe I should tell you about my dream."

"Of course, you idiot!" Raegan exclaimed. "We've been waiting all morning to hear your dream!"

"You went to sleep at the same time as Ryan," Jeff said. "And you woke up half an hour ago."

"The worst thirty minutes of my whole life."

"The thing is... I can't understand why this dream might be able to help us."

I told all of it to my friends. I talked about Advi and his master, the Zoroastrians. I told them about the first people magic who were aware they were doing something different from what priests did at the time, and how, before Advi, it had seem mostly cases of people scattered throughout the world. I told them what Advi had said about the aether, even though we already knew those things.

"Maybe this dream is the first part of a set of prophetic dreams, all part of the same conversation between Advi and his teacher," Risa commented. "Like a TV show."

"It would make sense," Jeff said. "Maybe you'll have another dream just like this, but their conversation will shift on more important things."

"Like how to get rid of curses," Raegan said. "What? Isn't that the reason why we've been looking for the divination all along?"

"Except to see what would happen to Ryan or to Edgar, of course it was," Jeff said sourly.

"I think we're onto something," I exclaimed. "Maybe I should go to sleep again!"

Jeff reached for the sleeve of my pyjamas. "Stay. Patience has never been one of your strong suits."

I blushed a little. Jeff was right.

"Excuse me if I try one of my guesses," Risa said. "But it looks to me as if you're having second thoughts about the nature of your dream, Ryan. Am I right?"

I cursed my friend under my breath. I didn't like keeping secrets from Jeff and Raegan, but sometimes I had to hold back some things before I tried them out. Like Edgar said, I was reckless, and I didn't want them to follow each of my steps, even the faulty ones. Still, having someone as perceptive as Risa in the same room kept me honest at all times.

"I was thinking about Advi's master and what he said," I admitted. "It was a Zoroastrian concept, but one of the few I didn't already know. That they believed in two forces, good and evil. How do we know the aether isn't divided this way?"

"Do you really believe in black and white?" Raegan asked. "You struck me as a 'shade-of-grey' kind of guy."

"That's the issue," I pondered, a little puzzled. "I don't."

"Maybe you don't," Jeff snapped. "But we all have been raised to know what are the dangers of black magic. Real dangers. Just look what happened to my father! How else would you explain it?"

"A family curse that might have nothing to do with black magic," I said.

"I'm sorry, Ryan, but I'm with Jeff on this one," said Raegan. "I have always practised both white and black magic. I have never liked better one nor the other. But they balance the universe. Still, it's hard to keep balance inside ourselves, as I'm sure you'd agree. Only those who prefer black magic over white magic and stop practising the latter can become monsters and then die. It does not happen with white magic."

"My problem is, they make you believe every single spell on this Earth is white magic. While three or four spells that you could also possibly use to hurt somebody are black magic. What is the real difference? Because this doesn't make sense to me."

"The difference is in your heart, it's in your head," Jeff explained. "I've studied magic for years. It's true --- most of magic is white magic. Only a few spells are real black magic. But then there are some spells all of us do every day --- the basic spells... all of those spells are more grey than white. The real, vicious Typhons take the dark energy out of the universe to get all of their spells done, even those which are very easy."

"Basically, in the Aether there really are two cosmic forces of energy Enchanters can draw their power from," Raegan backed him up. "One good and one evil. Most of us are taught since birth to draw our energy from the good part, the normal one. Then there's hate, anguish, darkness. And some draw their powers from that part. To do black magic spells, the ones Vitaly taught us, you can only use that part of the energy."

"Two cosmic forces ---- one good, one evil," I muttered under my breath. "Just like I said, see? Like Angra Mainyu and Ahura Mazda."

"But Jeff," I added. "You take your energy from your sadness. Isn't that a bad thing?"

"It's not, because it counts as healing," he said. "If you're a Typhon you take your energy from the anguish of the world."

"Then, you're healing the world," I replied.

"Stop talking nonsense about black magic!" Jeff cried out. I realized I went too far. While I still believed that the family curse of the Winters shouldn't have necessarily to be connected to black magic, it didn't change the fact that Jeff saw it as the truth. 

"Guys..." Risa whispered. "I figured out something, while you were arguing."

"Good. Let's argue some more," Raegan said.

"No, I'm serious. You keep saying that you have to destroy the family curse. How do you know you haven't destroyed it yet?"

"What I mean is," she added, savouring our confused expression. "Neither Jeff nor Ryan got the curse, didn't they? So how do you know your family is still jinxed?"

"Only because of the vision," I admitted. "But think about it. Ana confirmed it was about destroying the curse, and it hasn't unfolded yet. Also, it's about Edgar and he won't tell us what will happen, which means something major will happen. Therefore, the curse is still around."

"I appreciate the logic," she sighed. "But how can you think of chasing something that might not be there? My advice would be --- read about how to get rid of curses. Or try to dream about it. Maybe there's a spell that seals them in another dimension. But take it slow. How can you think of working on it if you don't even know it's still there?"

"I'm pretty sur neither Ryan nor Jeff want to take a chance in the very unlikely case one day they have children of their own," Raegan said helpfully.

Risa bit her lip, a nervous habit I seemed to remember from our school days. She left the cup on the table, where it settled with a satisified clang.

"I'll be around in case you want to add anything," she said as she was leaving. "But it might be better if I went to check up on the other students --- perhaps there are things they want to discuss, too. Don't worry, it goes without saying I will not tell your secret."

"I'm sorry about all the weird things I said," I apologized to Jeff and Raegan. Some of them still made sense to me, but I tried to ignore that. "Maybe I'm flawed. Maybe since I have the power of the darkness, I can't help but being attracted to the dark side."

"You have the power of the real darkness," Raegan said. "The shadows, the night. The lack of light."

"Since the power came from Set, it must be the same thing."

"While I understand why you would think that, it's also true that Enlighteners have the power of the light... and it's literally only light as an element, nothing more," Jeff reminded me.

"But there's duality in day and night just like there's duality in the cosmic forces. Maybe day and night are nothing else if a projection of those energies."

Jeff shook his head. "We can't start becoming philosophical all of a sudden," he said. "Many things about magic are still mysteries. Who knows? Maybe your theories about black magic are right. Just, don't tell them to anyone, okay?"

I knew that he really meant, 'don't tell them to anyone, not even to me'. I nodded, either way. 

Then, I understood the meaning of the dream.

"Two cosmic forces --- one good, one evil," I repeated. "Like Angra Mainyu and Ahura Mazda!"

"Are you sure you're all right?" Raegan frowned.

"I've never been better. I understand what the dream means! Advi's master was the one who was right, all along. The dark cosmic force really is the only thing that's evil in the world. That's how curses are formed --- that's where they come from."

"Um, as interesting as it sounds, how does it help us?" Jeff asked.

"I'm still trying to figure it out," I said, but I was getting some ideas.

In my mind, I was replaying the conversation I had with Jeff.

 If you're a Typhon,  you take your energy from the anguish of the world. 

Then, you're healing the world.

This logic was supposed to help me, or Edgar, get rid of the curse. But I still had trouble understanding how I was supposed to do that. 

"Call Edgar," I told my friends. "I want to meet him, this afternoon."

Jeff looked at me as if to say that I had really lost it.

"Edgar? You two were in a huge fight just yesterday..."

"I think I have a hunch on how to break the curse," I said, while an idea was starting to shape in my mind. "Since the vision is about him doing it, I'm sure he'll want to know all about it."

"We could um... try that," Raegan replied. 

"If he accepts," Jeff said. "And that's a big if, where would you like to meet him?"

"At Vitaly's house," I said. "I think he's currently crashing there, and besides, I haven't seen Vitaly for a couple of weeks. I'd love to know what they think about my hunch, or about some things we have discovered about the Summer family."

Raegan started writing a speed letter, but we were interrupted.

Ohda entered the room, panting. "Something happened," she said. "Downstairs."

"Wait a minute," Raegan said, totally disinterested. "I was doing something important."

Jeff looked like he was about to strangle her, and Raegan took the hint.

"What happened?" I asked. "Raegan, write to Edgar that something went down and he can join us here."

"The worst is over," Ohda said. "But I'd like it for you to help with the aftermath. While we were having breakfast, somebody made a mess of some of the rooms on the first floor."

"Who did this?" I asked.

"That's the problem. We don't know."