Just as Abner put away the diary page containing Mental Pollution, his Spirituality stirred. It was not warning him of danger; he had sensed a disturbance in the River of Fate!
And it was no minor disturbance. Fate was rapidly veering toward a particular tributary.
"Not my fate or Xio's... Is it Mr. Michel's?" A quick check let Abner identify the source. After all, the disturbance's "source" was in his hand!
"The diary had already contaminated Professor Michel. Is his fate changing because I took it away?
"But this change... seems to be taking a turn for the worse!"
Abner did not know Professor Michel, but he could not ignore a crisis caused by his own actions. That was one of his principles.
After a moment's thought, Abner asked Xio to wait outside, then used Flash to return to Professor Michel's bedroom.
Xio knew something had happened. She said nothing more, but prepared to support him at any moment and recited the Fool's Honorific Name, asking that great existence to watch over Abner.
The moment Abner entered the bedroom, he saw that Mr. Michel was pale, his pajamas soaked with sweat. His face was contorted, and he kept muttering under his breath... He was clearly having a nightmare.
Did taking Roselle's Diary send him into some nightmare?
Frowning, Abner performed a quick Prophecy. Mr. Michel's Fate Tributary held plenty of dangers, but the odds of an extreme outcome were low. Somewhat relieved, Abner wasted no more time. He simulated a Dreamwalker's ability, transformed into a Dream Elf, and entered the Sea of Collective Subconscious.
With Mr. Michel's mind and aura to guide him, Abner soon found his location.
Before him stood a silent town shrouded in darkness. There were no lights or sounds, and even the air was bitterly cold.