Dreaming is Free

As someone who has had the privilege of spending time in the Dream State, I no longer approach dreams in the same way most people do.

Of course, the main point of being a super hero is that I am quite unlike "most" people. Still, that is not what I am trying to say.

I know, for example, that all that we see or seem is but a dream within a dream. Besides being a famous riddle, it is also a hint to the truth of nature. Let me put it another way. Dreams can come true (it can happen to you, if you are young at heart). I am certain you have heard that statement before. But have you really thought about what it means? Is it nothing more than a "fluff" piece about only children can properly hold onto dreams?

Yes, and no.

You see, the biggest problem that happens to children is... they grow up. And in doing so they are "molded" by society to forget what they knew in their hearts as children: that Reality is not the opposite of Dream. It is the flip side of it. Are your dreams any more real to your waking self as your waking self is to your dreams? Ah, the conundrum.

What does all this have to do with what I wanted to say tonight? I am actually not quite certain of that myself! Truthfully, I simply wanted to share the fact that I have recently found myself "chased" in my dreams. Every night (or rather, every evening) for the last week I have awakened with the feeling of something clutching my chest. My limbs, tired and shaky, feel as though we had run a city marathon.

If I were to dismiss this as nothing more than a dream, the question would be: "Why have I been dreaming of being chased?". Never once did I ask myself if I was the one doing the chasing. It has always been that I have been chased. Of course, as I attempted to explain at the start of this post, as a hero who has been on the Other Side... I know more about Dreams than I can publicly share. Thus, the true question I ask myself is, "Who is after me?"

I can only imagine it to be the Ancient Evil. Thus, the dreams are portends of doom. Hence, it is time for me to launch the offensive. My secret weapon must be revealed, soon, before the situation gets out of hand.

I must take a moment and ponder. For that, I have need of coffee. French Vanilla!

Battle Prep.

There is a lot to be said for being creatures of habit. When it comes down to going out on our nightly patrols, The Mysterious Minute-Men just do what they have always been doing. We split up, we head out, we patrol. When we encounter any evil-doers, we dispatch them. Naturally.

It is what we do, as heroes. It is as natural to us as breathing. Or drinking coffee. There is no real "preparation" routine that we go through. Just as normal citizens head out to work every morning, so too do we head out to do our "work".

But what of those unexpected villains, you might ask. And I know that you do, for those unexpected villains are indeed... unexpected. Well, we really have no choice but to trust our instincts, try some battle strategy, and find a solution that works.

There is, however, some preparation that we must go through whenever we expect to go up against a specific criminal. When we know that a villain is at large, we must review all we know of them in order to hone our senses. And, alas, when we learn of some extremely evil villain... an Ancient Evil... then our very survival depends on being as well prepared as possible.

Ancient Evils do not get to be Ancient by easily being defeated. No, they most often are simply beaten for a time. The best one can hope for is such a victory. Failure... defeat... would be disasterous. Fatal. Brutal.

Such is the ... "stench" of the Ancient Evil that has begun to poison our air recently that I retreated into my lair and studied, reviewed, planned, and made myself as ready as possible. After a full and intense day... a strategy was formed.

The strategy will be revealed... soon. For now, it must be properly shared and digested by all who possibly will be implicated in the coming battle. A group review will soon follow and then... once more into the breach!

An Ancient Evil

The streets were deserted tonight. Void of any living beings, the stillness in the air was definitely supernatural.

Taking a deep breath and allowing my mind to access that part of me that still has ties to the other side, I could sense the power keeping everyone away.

An Ancient Evil was loose.

A being so ugly, so malevolent, so impure, as to defy description. And still... I recognized it. I had... "smelled" its like before.

There had been a time... long ago... when this creature had more substance than it does today. That was before I had managed to banish it.

Tonight, it was letting me know that my city and my life was once more in its sights.

Preparation is required. Time to regroup, study my options, and build a strategy.

Tomorrow... or very soon... the games will begin. Again.