"Gathering"

The sunlight around Nina finally faded away. Uneasily, she walked up to Taran El, seeming to still be confirming whether this elf scholar had truly "awakened" from his muddled phantom state. After looking him over several times, she finally asked tentatively, "Mr. El, are you really awake?"

Taran El ignored her. He merely frowned slightly, looking rather unwell.

For a moment, Nina suspected that the fireball explosion had been a little too powerful and the Grand Scholar's ears had not yet recovered.

But a few seconds later, Taran El suddenly reacted. He waved frantically at Nina, then rushed to the side, bent over, and began dry-heaving violently.

Nina jumped in fright, but she had no idea what to do. She could only step forward and pat the Grand Scholar on the back. Once he had finally recovered a little, she spoke with both nervousness and embarrassment. "Sorry, did I blow you senseless...?"

"No... that's not why," Taran El said, gasping heavily as he waved his hand hard. Nina's concerned question seemed to nearly make him choke again. After gasping for almost half a minute, the elf scholar finally straightened up and explained with a pained expression, "It may be the medicine."

Nina froze. "Medicine? What medicine?"

"The medicine that allowed me to 'awaken' in this dream." Taran El caught his breath and thumped his chest with a fist as he spoke. "Am I the only one awake? Have you seen anyone else?"

Morris was walking over from nearby. Hearing that, he frowned instinctively. "There are others? What exactly is going on?"

Taran El glanced at Morris, then instinctively looked around at the bizarre, unfamiliar surroundings. He was clearly still somewhat dazed, but he explained seriously nonetheless. "Truth Keeper Ted Riel organized a team. I joined as an accompanying consultant—we assembled