Iramo felt a gentle breeze all around him, blowing constantly no matter which way he turned. Feeling the change in energy, Iramo was sure of two things. That each and every last thing that just happened was all inside his head. And not one moment of it was just a dream, every second of it the stakes, the risk, they were somehow real. Lost in thought, he begins to wonder how that could be.
"But if it wasn't just a dream, where did those monsters come from?"
"More importantly that would mean that wicked woman was telling the truth."
"How do they invade my mind though? It hasn't happened once until now."
"Unless – they can only find me when I'm sleeping."
"That's ridiculous though!"
"But it's the way I can think of that makes sense."
"So that would mean no matter where I go they will find me."
"Once I close my eyes I'm on my own against whatever beast awaits my arrival and from what I can tell, there's no way out until I'm the last one standing."
"Especially since I can't tell what's going on outside my body either."
Closing his eyes, Iramo tries as hard as he could to wake up but when he opens them he's still right where he was before.
"Well that didn't work."
"It's like I've been disconnected from my body entirely and trapped in what I'm guessing is inside my head."
"I thought once they were all defeated I'd wake up but it looks like it's not gonna be that easy. Hopefully Saranai can handle everything on the outside until I figure out how to escape my mind."
Oh well, can't change what's already happened."
"In the meantime, I might as well figure out what I can about myself while I'm here."
Recognizing the area around him, Iramo took the time to truly look around, realizing this space was the same one where he saw himself. The only thing that had changed was he's no longer there.
" It makes a whole lot more sense now why I – you attacked me."
"I bet one way or another you knew this would happen."
"That they would come for me."
Iramo clenches his fist in frustration, struggling to remember who he is.
"Come on! You've gotta give me something after all that."
I won't be greedy but just one memory, just a glimpse of who I really am would help."
"What do you say – me?"
Turning his head to the sound of falling lighting in the distance, Iramo sees a storm past the white cloud that seemed to go on forever. Seeming to get closer with each passing second.
"That's what I'm talking about!"
"Let's see what this storm b-"
Stopping dead in his tracks, Iramo felt fear course throughout his body as he saw a figure walking in the distance. Its face, covered by a hazy black mist forming a crooked smile.
"What the hell is that?"
"I can't handle another demon, especially not one so powerful."
The closer it got the more he felt its presence cripple him as if the air had been taken from his lungs. Causing panic with each moment as the warm, soft white clouds were turned black. Surrounding Iramo from all sides as he froze in fear.
"This can't be possible?"
"I'm back in my mind? Aren't I?"
"So why does it feel like I am the one with no control here."
Overcome by fear, Iramo could do nothing but await the inevitable. Watching, waiting, praying that the figure dawned in black robes would spare him.
"Please, Please, Please let this be friend not foe!"
Iramo gasps for air as he's lifted into the air. Surprised to see the figure before him with his hand crushing his throat. As its cold blooded voice reverberates throughout his head.
"You're weak."
"Far too weak."
Slamming Iramo to the ground, looking into his eyes as he struggles. Whispering one final message into his ear as he loses consciousness.
"And you will lose everything because of your weakness."
Applying so much pressure to his neck that ground beneath them split apart. Leading them both to a pit of darkness that awaited below.
Annoyed, the Man In The Mist releases him, letting him fall into the darkness as he looks down, Iramo looks up. Watching the figure cloaked in mist emanate a soft purple light from beyond the mist that shines into the dark. The Black mist spreads, masking the figure completely as it lifts its hand towards Iramo.
"Get out of my sight, you coward."
Engulfing him in a bright magenta flash, that tears apart his body, burning away his skin. Yelling out in pain, Iramo reached out to grab hold of something, anything only to find out the hard way, nothing and no one was around to save him.
Drifting through the void, Iramo couldn't shake the feeling that he'd been here before. Looking forward as he continued to fall, Iramo saw a light in the dark reach out and grab his hands, pulling him into the light.
"Are you ok?"
In the light, Iramo could only see the silhouette of a child sitting on top of a cloud.
"Don't let him discourage you, no matter what he or anybody else says you're destined for greatness."
"You can do anything you set your mind to so never give up on yourself, no matter what happens."
"Because giving up is the only way you'll ever lose."
Smiling beyond the light the child put their hands together as if they were praying.
"Now get back out there, I know you can do it … Iramo."
Separating both hands, the child releases a blinding light that cuts through the darkness. Transporting Iramo deeper into his mind, unlocking a memory buried deep inside him.