Liriel took a deep breath, then exhaled a faint cloud of white mist.
She seemed to be sensing something. After a long silence, she continued, "Although I can't call on my power right now, and I've lost my ability to sense the Dream Core, I'm a dream witch. My perception of Dream Power is keen."
"The Interrogation Labyrinth has a faint trace of Dream Power in the air, but it's far too thin..."
"Dream Power in the Deep-Domain Hollow would never be this thin."
The Deep-Domain Hollow was a forbidden region of the Dream Realm. Its Dream Power could be said to be the most concentrated anywhere.
And the Deep Dream Civilization lay in the hollow's depths. If this place was the Deep Dream Civilization, how could its Dream Power be so faint?
"There's another reason," Liriel said. "We most likely came to the Interrogation Labyrinth because of the traces of the Strange Dream left on you."
"You went into the Strange Dream before, then woke up and returned. If the Strange Dream really was the Deep Dream Civilization, how could you possibly have made it back?"
As far as Liriel knew, the Deep Dream Civilization had never had any contact with the outside world.
If the Strange Dream was the Deep Dream Civilization, it seemed impossible that the Decayer could have gone there and returned.
And now the Decayer had brought her in as well.
Could the Deep Dream Civilization really be entered so easily? She doubted it.
Liriel's analysis was clear and persuasive. The Decayer had no idea what to say. Agreeing with her seemed wrong, but disagreeing seemed wrong too.
After a moment's silence, the Decayer said quietly, "If this isn't the Deep Dream Civilization, why is it so stable, just like reality?"
Liriel sighed.
"That's exactly