by Azrael Llywen

Psyche stared at Lachesis as he moved towards him. He tried backing-up but it was useless. Lachesis moved closer and closer to him until there was no space.

"Ever dreamed of becoming applauded and worshipped forever? The breathtaking addictive feeling in front of the stage taking you into another world? I know who you are past and as of today, Psyche. And I can take you there." She proposed.

"What are you talking about?" Psyche said confused.

"I’ll get straight to the point. What I’m offering you is fame and inspiration beyond your wildest belief, to discover things even you can’t imagine you could."

Psyche stared spell bided at Lachesis words.

"Do you want that shiny trinket?" Lachesis referred to the amulet.

"I think it’s pretty. Like nothing I’ve ever seen."

"Then you may have it along with the power it contains."

"Why? What does it do?"
"That dear boy is one of the most precious treasured secrets of the deities. It is called the orb of Seth. In the legends, it is said that Seth murdered his brother and former king Osiris in which he slew his body parts and kept a piece of his spirit in that orb. Then he used the orb to gain leadership all over his kingdom. That is why Osiris never regained his rain over his kingdom even if he was resurrected by his wife the Lady Isis. Instead, he became the ruler of the underworld until he regain his spirit back."

"You expect me to believe in that crap?" Psyche taunted her.

"No I expect you to use it. It is said whoever possesses the orb shall regain full control of his inner capabilities and brings idea to whenever he pleases. Use it and regain your rightful place Psyche."

"Even if this is true why are you giving this to me? There must be some kind of catch right?"

"I chose you because you had the potential all along. Your will made you do it. Your desire for apprehension and your hunger for recognition led you to me. You had anger and passion inside you. These two are gifts. That’s why you can sing what is in your heart. The orb can only enhance these things far greater than you expected. The orb can’t make your dreams for you. Nothing can. Ask for your other question, unfortunately there is a ‘catch’."

"I knew it!"
"You see I’m old and weary. I cannot sustain myself no longer and this appearance you see is only a mask that hides my withered ness. In order to avoid that, I shall use the orb to channel your stamina into me. It wouldn’t cost you anything at all and it will be enough to sustain my life. However, if you deliberately abused the power of the orb, it shall turn against you casing you to lost humane sanity and all your vitality shall be passed on unto me leaving me immortal for ions."

"But if it’s easier for you to let me use this thing to much, why do you warn me?"

"As I said ‘deliberately’. If you did break that rule without my warning, it wouldn’t be fair and it wouldn’t be worth anything. Even I am bounded by codes of ethics and rules of the ages. That I can’t deny."
"So I am to use this for Mescaline huh?"

With another blink from Psyche Lachesis and the dimension disappeared. Leaving him standing on the park alone with the mysterious Orb of Seth in his hands.

Psyche finally returned to the studio.

"Good morning everybody!" Psyche said cheerfully to the members.

"My, my! Here comes little miss sunshine! Aren’t we unusually cheerful today?" Sade teased. The incident that occurred yesterday passed by him already but still he didn’t forget.

"So I am! But I do have a good reason. Besides I’m not late at all am I?"

"Not at all Psyche-sempai!" Ravie said cheerfully back at him so relieved yesterday didn’t affect him at all. He sighed dreamily.

"Okay enough with the mushy stuff! Practice now, Make love later!" Sade exclaimed.

"Just as I was about to discuss with you guys. Look at this and let’s try it out. And if it doesn’t work, there’s plenty where that came from and 10 times better."

As Psyche said this, he all handed them a music sheet of his newly composed song. Dream studied it carefully and started humming the melody. After a few minutes of reviewing the song, Ravie gave the que and they Mescaline started playing the song. All of the members were astonished at the way they played. They felt as if they never played anything like this before and it all gave them a good feeling.

"Wow Psyche, that was awesome! How’d ya do it?" Ravie exclaimed delighted.

" Sleep, patience and a lot of ‘shaking-up’"

"Well whatever shook you up must’ve been one hell of an earthquake. I must admit, you really did it this time." Even Sade was impressed by the compositions. Psyche looked at Dream for his approval and to his astonishment, Dream actually smiled! A true genuine, ecstatic smile that he never saw before. At least not as he remembered it. And the best part about it is that it was only for him and he felt his heart sank nearly driving him to tears as he smiled back to him.

As expected, Mescaline took the music industry by storm regaining their rightful place back to stardom. Literary every recording company was grasping at them. Their schedule was always full they could hardly do anything.

"God I’m poofed!" Ravie exclaimed as he stretched his limbs after another tiring photo shoot.

"Yeah! It’s pretty busy these days huh?" Psyche replied as he fixed their costumes.

"At least the fans adore us enough for us to make millions." Sade grinned.

They all laughed as they prepared to leave the studio but just as they were leaving, a girl appeared right in front of them.

"May I help you?" Dream inquired being nearest to her.

"Yes. I’m here to see Psyche. Is he in?" she said.

"Yeah I’m here what can I… What the!" Psyche exclaimed the moment he saw who the girl was.

"What’s the matter Psyche?" Ravie quickly got out of the dressing room with Sade behind him.

"What’s wrong?" Sade said but Psyche just stared at the girl blankly.

"Hello. You must be his band mates. I’m Linesy and I’m Psyche’s fiancé." She extended her arm to greet them but all she got where five stark blank faces.

Ignoring the confusion and shock of the five, Linesy continued on explaining her purpose.

"As I was saying, I’m Psyche’s bride to be and I was sent here by my parents to fetch you so that we can return home."

"No! I mean… you can’t. Not now, not ever!" Psyche protested.

"Still the stubborn old guy I used to know, aren’t you?"

"Yes Linesy. And like then I never needed you and I don’t need you now! Now please leave."

Psyche almost shoved Linesy outside the studio in rage and her persistence if staying.

"What was that all about? " Sade said still trying to recover from shock.

"Nothing. Something that I left long ago in the past and I wish it would just stay there."

"You never told us you had a girlfriend before. Aren’t you too young to have a wife?" Ravie said.
"I didn’t! What you saw was something I was desperately trying to forget and since there are a lot of them, I’ve never told you guys anything."
"Well that makes sense. Why bad break-up or can’t go into relationship with girls?" Sade inquired.

"More like a bad make up it seems. It all started with when I was around twelve. My parents introduced me to Linesy. Yeah she was a sweet girl at first. But like everyone else, she was all the same."

"Yeah in what way?" Sade asked.

"She was like my parents, and my relatives and like myself. They always mocked me. They never trusted me. They think every move I make was a blunder. I was no good for them, even for myself. I couldn’t take it anymore. All I had was my guitar. Whenever I strum it, it makes me believe what they’re saying isn’t true. At least that felt good. It was good timing when they made me enter dorm school. There I decided to make a band. I thought if I were with people who didn’t knew me so well, they wouldn’t make fun of me like everyone else. I was also hoping to be appreciated. Then I met Ravie, and Dream then you Sadie."

"But I thought you said you were already living on your own that time?"
"I was. I ran away after I formed Mescaline. I guess saving my allowance truly paid-off."

"So that’s the whole story. Why didn’t you tell us before?" Ravie said,

"Quite. Later guys." Psyche waved a hand at them and then headed out of the door.
"Why haven’t you told us before?" Dream murmured blocking him at the door.

"Boy you sure have a habit of showing up at the last minute bombarding me with questions."

"Luckily."

"Well you sure haven’t told me anything. None of us did. Now why should I?"

"Presumption on reading minds? You have too much faith on the band."

"It’s all I have left."

Psyche left sighing in frustration. He remembered having the orb of Seth in his hands. Sure it brought him fame and fortune along with the band but he felt it brought something much more than that.

It wasn’t long before when Psyche got diagnosed for insomnia. Almost every night he was haunted by the same dream about him being ruined. He didn’t get much sleep. If it weren’t for the sake of the orb, Mescaline would have gotten down a long time ago. But still he can’t take his mind off those illusions and it was destroying him ever so softly.

As he laid down his bed, Psyche desperately tried to get some sleep but to no avail. His fear of nightmares got the better of him. Suddenly his phone rang. And Psyche reached to answer it.

"Yeah, who’s this?"

"It’s me."

"Oh, it’s you Dream. What’s up?"

"Nothing much. Just had a hunch you couldn’t sleep and won’t."
"That hunch was right."

"Wanna go down to the pub? I have trouble sleeping myself and maybe we can discuss about that new song."
"Okay. Meet you there around 10:30"

Both boys hang-up and Psyche got up and dressed for his destination. He got his wallet and car keys and headed for the bar where he and Dream are going to meet. He got there and parked his car along side of the entrance. There he saw Dream waiting for him while smoking his cigarette. He got out of the car to face him.

"What took you Psyche?"

"A long shower. What do you have in mind?"

"A few drinks, lights and maybe a walk in the alley or two."

"Okay."

The two came in the bar and had a few alcoholics and more cigarettes.

"So Dream, what’s the busy nights?"

"What’s yours?"
"What do you mean? You were obviously the one who invited me here and you hardly do that. Ever."

"Curiosity got the better of me. Now spill it."

"What are you talking about?!"

"I know you hide a lot of things but this one’s different. Don’t you think I don’t know that? Something doesn’t smell right and you stink of it. I’m not dense you know. I know stuff. Stuff you don’t know about me at all."
"But how can I tell you about myself if you don’t tell me anything about yours?"

"Because there’s nothing to tell. I only count the past if it has something to do with either the present or the future. But it doesn’t count to me now. Besides, one of us got to start sometime."

"Time is relative Dream. You can’t have it unless one is lost and that makes your lifetime experience. Anyway you’re so good at this mind reading biz. , Aren’t you?"

"Let’s just say I don’t believe in miracles. I’ve never acquired the skill to teach myself. I think everything happens for a bitter reason and we always end up paying in the end. I suspect you’re just gonna have to pay a little too much."

"Yeah? Well I think I’m starting to get to know you Dream. You never told me what you think about me before. It’s getting pretty late. Want to head to my place?"
"Sure."
"My car yours?"
"Yours. Mine is probably being towed-up anyway."

The boys drove to Psyche’s apartment and plan to spend the rest of the night there. They took off their clothes and arranged their stuff.

"So Dream which do you prefer the bed, the couch, what?"
"Anywhere"

"Hmm…where’s that?"

"…" Psyche giggled at Dreams lack of expression.

"Just kidding! You take the bed. I can’t sleep anyway."
The two settled down and Psyche decided he would sleep on the floor. So he laid his extra mattress and lied there.

"Hey Dream?"

"Hmm…"

" Thanks a lot."

"For what?"

"For everything."

A moment of silence surrounded the apartment. Psyche thought Dream was asleep.

"Are you comfortable there?" Dream asked.

"Not really. Aren’t you?"
"What do you mean?"
"You always seem so alone and silent. I mean aren’t you lonely or anything? Don’t you find it hard? I do all the time. It’s strange, isn’t it? And you always seem to know what other people think. How do you do it?"

"Psyche everybody’s lonely. But people aren’t alone. That makes it even harder. So people conjure up illusions that they are being loved."
"I sure would like to have that! Umm…this is kind of awkward but…can I sleep with you? I know it sounds stupid and all but…"
"Sure."

Psyche’s face enlightened as he hesitantly climbed up to the bed. Slowly, Dream helped him up. He put his face near Dream’s chest hearing him breath. He didn’t realize that tears flown from his eyes. He was watching Dream sleep. He felt envy and awe at the same time. He questioned himself how cans such an intellect like him seemed so innocent and childlike when unconscious? He wished to be the same. He felt intimate with Dream but a pang of hurt hovered in his heart. He felt sad and happy at the same time. But most of all, he felt regret.

‘I’m so sorry Dream. I didn’t mean too. You were so good to me. I don’t care what other people think about us. I guess it’s better that way. Maybe they’ll leave us alone. As you said, People need illusions that they are being loved. And I am just another person who needs to be loved.’

With that thought in Psyche’s head, he went deeper into Dream and seemed to be floating in a stream of unconscious bliss with sighs of content.

to be continued...

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