"Well, you don't know what we can find Why don't you come with me little girl On a magic carpet ride You don't know what we can see Why don't you tell your dreams to me Fantasy will set you free Close your eyes girl Look inside girl Let the sound take you away" Steppenwolf " Magic Carpet Ride

From the beginning she knew she was special. Not special in the sense that her parents told her she could accomplish anything but in another type of a way. It all started with night terrors. Dreaming and sensing things that no child should be exposed to. Her parents did what they could to help. They thought she might out grow it. That it was simply a phase. All kids went through it, right' They were wrong.

She was losing sleep and not eating properly. There was always the feeling of someone or something watching her. Breathing down her neck. Something with teeth. The nightmares continued when she was asleep and now she was seeing things during the day. Her parents took her to a doctor. At first treatment, therapy, and medicine helped. She was able to finally regain a slight sense of control. Finally she was able to sleep through the night and not wake up in a cold sweat and screaming. The medicine did dull her senses and she felt like she was in a bit of a fog. But it was a small price to pay for peace. Unfortunately that peace was only temporary.

By the time she had gone through puberty everything stopped working for her. The medicine had no affect on her no matter how much they increased her dosage. The calming exercises seemed to no longer work and her therapy wasn't going well. It was then, after fearing the worst, her parents told her about her relative. Her family originally came to America from England. She learned her dead relative Gordon Ives had a wife and a daughter. The daughter, from old family records, seemed to have the same gifts that Valerie did. Her family loved to research and thought the abilities were passed down by all the women in the family. It turned out that wasn't true. It seems all the men were dormant carriers and only the women showed signs of these gifts.

Gordon had a brother you see. That's how Valerie was related. It wasn't always present in all the women of the Ives family. Through the years only a few showed some signs but none like what Valerie was displaying. She was happy to have answers but it formulated the question of "what now?" How to take control of this and get some of her life back" And so the family began their research. Finding out everything about their family name and the best way to address Valerie's situation.

In today's world there is so much information out there one is overwhelmed on where to start. But they did find a starting point. As soon as she had turned eighteen they finally found out she was being pestered and tortured by evil spirits. Valerie had read her relative had a totem to block and ward evil. She wondered if one would work for her as well" As her totem she chose the sea horse and with her parents blessing she got the creature inked onto her. During the painful process she chanted an incantation she had made like a mantra asking for the ink to protect her from negative energies. Surprisingly it worked.

She would obtain more ink pieces. Some of them held special meaning for protection or to help with her abilities. Others were just because she wanted them and they held other special meanings. She dived into her research with physical and e-books on everything she could find about the occult, paranormal, supernatural, and witchcraft.

After learning a few forms of divination and how to hone her clairvoyance so it wouldn't drive her crazy she wanted to know more. Soaking up all the knowledge she could handle. During this time she developed an unhealthy smoking habit and moved out of her parents. With only her clothes, books, and smokes she set on her way.

She would stop at libraries and bookstores always trying to find out more. That's how she made her mistake and ended up where she was now. It was an old bookstore and the books were way in the back. She didn't mind though. Valerie had come to enjoy the smell of old musty books. This was new territory she was discovering. Pulling out a well worn simply black leather bound book she returned to the table she had claimed. The book was in Latin which she could read, write, and speak. It was getting late and people were leaving but she stayed and the librarian saw no problem with it.

Her pretty blues were getting heavy with sleepiness. Her lips mouthing the words she began to whisper them in order to keep herself awake. What a dumb mistake to make while you were tired, she would realize later. Her eyes growing heavier she finished the spell with a sigh and fell asleep. She didn't know how much time had passed but she woke with a start. The first thing she noticed was that she was outside, that it was significantly colder, and there were strange people around, "What the Hell?"

A sign told her she was in a place called Rhy'Din and another sign told her where the Red Dragon Inn was. She could use a drink. So, that's where she went. She realized she wasn't in Kansas anymore. Just where did that crazy twister take her now" Welcome to Rhy'Din.

"Wooo hooo witchy woman see how High she flies Woo hoo witchy woman she got The moon in her eye" Eagles - Witchy Woman

Translating was rough business. She had never done it before but it sure was exhausting. After getting a few hours of sleep she escaped the confines of her room for the reward of coffee. Valerie had translated about a quarter of the book. She felt like she deserved it. But not one to leave things alone Valerie took her work with her. With freshly brewed coffee in a clean mug and a lit cigarette she resumed her work.

She wasn't working for long before someone else decided to join her. It was the same man from the Teas'n Tomes. Meeting new people was always fun. He inquired about her progress and she revealed how she took it upon herself to do the translating. They spoke for a while about the weather among other things such as where she was from. In talking with him she realized how much she missed her home even though she blended in more here. Valerie revealed her fears about staying here. That even though she did blend in she was afraid for her safety for a variety of reasons.

Coffee drank and her cigarette long since put out sleep called to her once more. She said her goodbye and went back to her room. There was barely enough time to put down her books and throw herself on the bed before sleep sucked her under. Hours later she awoke feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. It was then she remembered a part of her conversation. Protection. While it was good and well she was trying to find a way home she needed to protect herself while she was here.

Raking her fingers through her thick locks an in effort to tame her bed head she grabbed her notebook, pen, smokes, and coat as she was out of the door. It was time to head back to Teas'n Tomes so she could pick up some books about stones to protect herself with. Then she would head to the Marketplace to make her purchase. This was only the beginning and hopefully she wouldn't have to do more to protect herself.

"Shine on you crazy diamond. You were caught on the crossfire of childhood and stardom, Blown on the steel breeze. Come on you target for faraway laughter, Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine! You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon." Pink Floyd - Shine On You Crazy Diamond

Valerie had made a deal. She would make Alejandra a necklace in return for a shopping trip. Fair trade, right' She was no expert. Valerie had told the woman that. But still to make someone else happy she would do it. A favor for a new friend. A new friend who might not be sticking around as she was currently just visiting. All the same it made her feel good. A quick trip to the Marketplace for her purchase and she was good to go.

Upon returning to the Inn her new friend wasn't there. Oh well. All the better she supposed. After making a drink she sat down and concentrating she got the bare basics of the necklace down. But it looked raw and crude. It would need to be refined to look good. Making her way to her room she shut herself inside and shut out the world. Kicking off her shoes she sat down cross legged on her bed. Pulling out her project from her bag her lips would move as she would softly whisper an incantation for the necklace to protect her friend and not let anything bad happen to her, "Alejandra's a good friend all keep her close until the end, evil dwells within our world protect her from the unknown cold, this orb of light I send onto them will keep them safe until the end Alejandra is my close friend protect her until the very end."

The incantation and magic complete she looked over her work and smiled. Hopefully Alejandra would like it.

https://ak1.ostkcdn.com/images/products/5127311/55/435/Handmade-Multi-gemstone-Layers-Necklace-Thailand-P12974997.jpg

"Hold it....nobody said anything about three books. Like, like what am I supposed to do - take one book, or all books, or what?" Ash - Army of Darkness

Yeah, so it turns out just the one book wasn't enough. Turns out there were three. This was going to set her back. Back, keeping the ever positive attitude Val set about the tedious task. She was currently in the process of translating book number two. At Teas N Tomes she met a man who she asked if he could translate before something disrupted her.

The next time she ran into him, almost quite literally, was walking through the Marketplace. There were apologies and blushes but she came to find out his name is Kessler. Bonus points to the fact he was an academic like herself. Additionally he helped her translate! Things were just on the up and up for her!

Well call her old fashioned but many things pushed her buttons in the right ways. A man who knew his way around the academic world was one of them. Suffice to say she fell into his bed, in a manner of speaking, with no regrets. Even though things had been going smoothly the demons literally came to haunt her when she had misplaced her necklace. Thankfully, it had been found.

It had been a few days since she had seen him though. So the other night landed her at the bar. A few shots of whiskey, for the lightweight, and she vaguely remembered heading up the stairs with someone she said looked like the devil. Suffice to say her mission of translating these books was at a standstill. But, like she told Droet last night, it was something about this place, yeah' Something that just drew you in and made you want to enjoy it. So, she decided she would. One day she would finish her task but there was no reason to not have any fun in the meantime, right"

"We all are living in a dream, But life ain't what it seems Oh everything's a mess And all these sorrows I have seen They lead me to believe That everything's a mess" Imagine Dragons - Dream

Life never worked out the way you wanted. Especially when you can see the future in your dreams. Droet proved to be a great friend and Kessler was there for her in the ways she wanted and needed. Though there had been a distance between her and Droet since she told him that Kessler had her heart. She hoped that he was doing well without her as they hadn't spoken in some time.

In a way to show her affection for Kessler, as there was no label for what they were to each other, Valerie had made him a gift. They had met at a coffee shop not far from his home. Her care kit as she had called it. It had contained an e-reader with her own copy of her Book of Shadows, seeds and soil for plants not readily found within Rhy'Din, and perhaps the most important of all a multi-use bracelet she had crafted herself. There were protective sigils interwoven within the leather band. Enchanted and bless by the grunge witch herself. There were two beads to help buff any magic he cast and dispel any magic cast at him that could cause negative results. Another bead to help with his mental focus. Four beards the color of elements so he could easily call upon them for his magical use. Lastly a bead the color of her eyes that could be used as a panic button to summon her if he needed her aid.

It was the first time she had done such a thing for someone and she was over the moon that he liked it. But their date at the coffee shop was cut short as they were hungry, not for food, and rushed back to his place. It was passionate, rough, and exactly what they wanted and needed to hit the spot for each other. Exhausted she fell asleep in his arms.

Not a dream but not a nightmare. Another premonition. She was damned if she did and damned if she didn't. This one revealing that if she made it back Valerie would lose everyone she loved. In the end, they would win. Waking up and knowing her fate was sealed weighed heavily on her. Kessler seemed to know when bad dreams happened and in his arms she spoke of her fate. Making light of the situation she joked about how she would be around to pester him more.

She began to ask him questions trying to put a label or definition on what they were to each other. But such things were difficult when you were both sans clothing and pressed against each other. Once more they would consume their desire for each other. Her hunger for him almost never sated. Afterwards she continued her questions and finally asked if she could court him. As lame and corny as it was she didn't know what to call it and that was the only thing she could think of. He agreed and agreed to have her stay. She was happy and content. Valerie wouldn't think about what the future lay in store for them but only about the present and her time with him.