065. When I Dream

Sophia and Braum enter the dreams of Talus.

### Play of the Game:

Scott as Braum, for not being able to hold the world together... but at least holding on to Talus.

***"Sometimes I wish I lost more often… you learn something every time you lose."***

Sophia and Braum prepare to enter Talus' dreams, figuring that, dangerous or no, they may be able to find additional links to his previous self, and the source of his Dauntain curse. The two enter his dreams, and find themselves in The Spark, outside the satyr's office. Inside, Kay is chewing him out: "I have to go in whether they know it or not… I told you in confidence and you betray me like this!" Holding Braum back from trying to attack dream-Talus, they follow the pair to the Exhaust, where a surprise party for Kay had been set up. All of the denizens of the Spark from time past are there, along with Baya and Ramzia. As the celebrants leave to continue the party, Talus volunteers to stay behind, telling Braum and Sophia that he was sad that Kay never returned from the mission. He seems sincere, but then the scene morphs to the marriage of Talus and Zistor. It seems Kay put them up to it initially, thinking that they should sanctify their love for mortals as well as Kithain. Talus tells Sophia and Braum that this wedding was all a lie: how could Zistor possibly know what he was getting into if he didn't even know Talus' secrets?

Later, they discover Kay and Talus, thick as thieves, gossiping about their respective lovers. Sophia, hoping to draw Talus towards his past, conjures up the dream tree from Braum's mind, complete with the shadowy figures. The satyr is furious at her for creating it, saying that he only wants to move forward, away from his past; "You don't want to be free!" Sophia hisses, to which Talus replies that no, he doesn't. As Talus stands next to the shadowy figure on the branch representing his previous self, he acknowledges just how much power he has, as his brand begins to glow. He asks the figure what could have been so important that he traded for all this power: love? The figure suddenly grasps Talus' hand, his own brand searing as his forehead begins to bleed. He knocks Talus down to the ground, where the earth begins to open, light spilling out. Braum tries to hold the earth together, succeeding only at saving Talus, pulling him out of the pit. As Sophia calls out the figure for having chosen to make a deal with the devil, the figure turns it back on her, blaming her for his death, as well as the death of his daughter….

Sophia, Braum, and Talus suddenly find themselves in a different space: concrete walls stained with every possible combination of colours, and a roof open to the blue sky. Talus tells them that it is his music room, the place where he comes to create. When Sophia asks him to sing, Talus says that the location is too safe, and that music is meant to be dangerous. When the sidhe urges him on, he tells her in no uncertain terms that his curse is to draw in Glamour from the world around him when he starts to create it. As he plays his flute, Sophia and Braum find themselves getting burned, Braum's seeming disappearing entirely; Sophia's harp Mab begins to get sucked in as well, and she plays desperately as the lizard screams. Braum, summoning the last of his strength, draws Whisper and smashes it into Talus' sigil, destroying it utterly. The dream collapses around them as they fall unconscious.

Shortly after they awaken, noting that Mab has lost her tail, but otherwise the dream has restored them. They are approached by the tall hooded figure from the Far Dreaming, who confirms that the brand cannot simply be destroyed. Sophia unleashes Spring on the broken satyr, who starts to heal as he wraps her in a hug. He resolves to stop running, and Sophia and Braum realize that their adventure in his dreams may have affected him more than they thought.