[Maelstrom Vortex]

The package arrived. It was trimmed a bit in golden foil, no return address. When unwrapped the pendant within was made of silver, its eyes glowed green briefly as he touched it. It was a bit special to the other amulets in its own way. This amulet was meant for one considered to be like a father. The green glow seemed to stare into his soul, then slowly faded to normal silver.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Anthony stared at the pendant, almost in a trance, as if it were hypnotizing him. But he blinked and shook his head. No, that was ridiculous. Still, it was a nice gift. He absently slipped it over his head, letting the dragon drop below the collar of his shirt as he returned to the book he'd been reading.

Yes, he'd been caught in one of his rare moments of liesure, but soon, his eyes drooped, and when he could no longer concentrate on the page, he simply dog-eared the book, set it on the table next to himself, and relaxed into the chair, letting his eyes close...

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Subtle drifted off into a strange dream. In it he was on a landscape that resembled the downtown area outside of his offices. The landscape was devoid of color, only shape. He glowed a bright blue. Around him he saw the silhouettes of people walking by. The males held a smaller blue flame, the women, another shade. His fire was so bright though, that the glow consumed the capitol. Only occasionally did he see another glow, a different shade on the streets than the two.. and it was apparent by the features of the silhouette that the person was not a native of Australia.

[Subtleknifewielder]

He blinked, rubbing at his eyes, but the glows given off by every living being, including himself, did not go away.

This was beyond any experience he'd ever had in his dreams--usually they were either pleasant dreams he usually forgot, or twisted nightmares based on the actions of his past. This was altogether different.

Not even aware he'd made the decision, he moved toward the other glow, the one that did did not appear to belong in his city. Whatever logic held sway in the realm of dreams told him that this was either a deadly enemy...or a dear friend.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Remarkably when he touched them, he come to know a little of them, they were neither. It was simply an immigrant wondering the streets of his city, a nameless person to him handled only by his state's custom's office. There were many glows like his different from the others.. but they were far in the minority.. and each a different shade than the most prevalent shades of blue and reds.

[Subtleknifewielder]

Was this some sort of symbolism representing his role as the head of government? It would explain how he knew what he did about the person once he laid a hand on their shoulder.

Thinking for a moment, he shook his head. If he wanted to figure this out, it would be best to go to a place where he could take in as much as possible, to see as far as possible...which meant he wanted to go up.

He wasn't sure just how the laws of physics applied in this dream, but he had proven he could still move around normally, and so he hurried toward the nearest skyscraper, with the intent of going to the top.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

The same color coding applied for as far as he could see across his state. Everyone that was a citizen had one of two colors, all foreign nationals had another color. He glowed brighter than any other spirit, like a sun among candles. The capitol building in the distance also glowed the same color as he, although dimly.

[Subtleknifewielder]

He normally wasn't one to be superstitious, but this...this was so radically different from his normal experiences that he couldn't just dismiss it out of hand.

Out of the blue, a connection zapped into his mind. The only thing that he could think of that was different...was the pendant. One that reminded him in appearance of his dead friend.

He began looking more closely at the ones that didn't seem to belong, the foreigners, but none of the ones he could see presently seemed familiar to him.

"Maelstrom? Are you behind this?" he called out, almost desperately.

[Maelstrom Vortex]

Time in his dream seemed to pause. One of the green specs grew until it became larger than life and assumed the visage of the five-toed Dragon. "He is, yet I am, for he is no more, yet I remain. I am the state of Dragonisia.. it is time you became aware of your divine right to rule. The glowing green creature leaned low, a giant white cross burned white hot in the center of its forehead. You are the spirit of your people. Remember that by your actions they will be judged." The creature then faded from view, dispersed on some unseen wind as time resumed and the glows continued their procession on in the eternal march of living upon Bob.

[Subtleknifewielder]

He wanted to believe it, he really did. But he had always scorned the ideas of any religion. None really made sense--they always seemed to end up contradicting themselves.

But as he had reasoned before, this was so far outside his normal experiences he couldn't dismiss out of hand what the Dragon had told him. And yet, on the other hand, from the very nature of what made Anthony himself, he would always have a measure of doubt.

To be honest, he wasn't sure if he was comfortable with the idea of his rule being by divine right, considering the nature of how he had come into power.

he was still mulling it over when he woke.