Chương 7: Chapter 7: Dreams are my Reality, The Only Kind of Real Fantasy

<General POV - Ethan's House>

Ethan stood in his room, staring at the box he had just retrieved from his closet. He ran his fingers over its edges before flipping it open, revealing the Dreamstone nestled within. Its surface shimmered faintly, almost as if alive. He chuckled softly, muttering to himself, 'I guess I need to practice how to use this thing, huh?' His fingers brushed against the stone, and in an instant, the world around him shifted.

The familiar surroundings of The Dreaming unfolded before him. It was the same as he'd left it—vast, empty, and desolate, the remains of a great castle, yet nothing felt like home. 'I should change that,' he thought, determination settling in his chest.

He closed his eyes and focused. He concentrated all his energy, his mind working to mold and shape the endless landscape. Slowly, the ruined castle began to transform, its walls mending and rising higher, the jagged stones smoothing out into polished surfaces. It didn't become overly extravagant, but it exuded a timeless elegance, something simple yet grand. And inside, the warmth of a cozy home.

Ethan willed a library into existence within the main hall, rows of towering bookshelves materializing, filled with volumes from every era of human history. He marveled at the collection, his fingers brushing against the spines of books long lost to time. However, as he tried to summon specific knowledge, his brow furrowed. No matter how hard he focused, he couldn't summon a book detailing how to master Dream's powers.

"Come on..." he groaned, trying again to will the guidebook into his hands, but nothing appeared.

<General POV - TOAA's Domain>

From his own domain, Stan observed Ethan's efforts with a faint smile. "If you want to get stronger," he mused, his voice rumbling in the void, "do it your way, kid, not someone else's."

<Ethan's POV - The Dreaming>

Just as I was about to try again, I sneezed, the sound echoing through my now-renovated castle.

'Someone must be thinking of me,' I thought, chuckling to myself.

I turned my attention back to the grand hall with my eyes fixed on the space where I imagined something special. At the far end of the hall, a door began to take shape. It started as a vague outline but grew clearer with each passing second. My entire body tensed with the effort, beads of sweat forming on my forehead despite being in my astral form.

Finally, the door stood before me—solid, gleaming, and perfectly crafted. I had to wipe my brow from how much I sweat, feeling a surge of pride as I stepped toward the door. With a deep breath, I reached for the handle and opened it. Beyond the doorway was greeted an endless white space, just like what Morpheus and Stan had.

Relief flooded through him. "I did it," he whispered to himself.

As if on cue, Stan appeared beside him, a wide smile spreading across his face. "I don't know if it's talent or if you just used your luck, kid," Stan said with a playful wink, "but either way, congratulations."

And without letting me say anything right after, he disappeared again.

Stan's smile lingered in my mind even after he disappeared. "Quick visit, huh?" I muttered, still in awe of what I'd just created. I started to wonder if time moved differently here, like in a regular dream. Maybe I could practice for hours, and it would only be minutes in the real world.

That's when an idea hit me: 'Why not use that to my advantage?' With a grin, I focused on the endless white space in front of me, my mind racing with the possibilities. First, I thought about willing something familiar into existence. Something fun. A lightsaber popped into my hand with a satisfying hum.

I flicked it on, the white blade shimmering. Not bad. But I wasn't just going to play around—I had something to prove to myself. "Let's up the ante," I whispered, my grip tightening on the hilt.

I closed my eyes and imagined Obi-Wan Kenobi standing before me, master of Soresu, the form designed to protect and outlast opponents. If I could beat him, I'd be able to develop my own style. I took a deep breath and charged, lightsaber in hand, the sound of clashing energy filling the space.

At first, it was nearly impossible to break through his defense, but slowly, I started to get the hang of it. I remembered all the moves from the Star Wars media I'd seen—games, movies, animated shows. But now, it was real. I could feel my muscles adapting, the blade hitting its mark. After what felt like hours, I finally got a killing strike in.

"That's one for me," I said, wiping the sweat from my brow. But I wasn't done. I willed both Yoda and Count Dooku into existence. 'This will be a real test.'

Seconds later, I was obliterated.

"Okay, too much, too soon," I muttered, brushing off the failure. Maybe Obi-Wan was enough for now. I'd need more practice before I could take on a Jedi Master and a Sith Lord. Just as I was about to try again, my alarm went off. I blinked, suddenly yanked back into the real world.

The sound of the beeping filled my room. "I really need to throw that alarm out," I grumbled, scratching my head with one hand. The other... felt off. My fingers curled around something cold and metallic.

I glanced down.

"Wait a second," I whispered, my eyes widening. In my hand was the lightsaber. The actual lightsaber. It looked just like Stellan Gios' saber from the High Republic, except the blade was white, and the crossguard could fold back into the hilt. I switched it on out of sheer instinct. The white blade ignited with a familiar hum.

Without thinking, I grabbed a metal water bottle from my desk, tossed it into the air, and sliced clean through it. The bottle fell to the floor, perfectly cut in half, the edges melted from the heat.

"Whoa... it's a real lightsaber."

Then reality hit me. "Oh, crap... that was my only water bottle."

I facepalmed, realizing I'd have to buy a new one. But the implications of what just happened were bigger than a bottle. Could I bring anything back from The Dreaming? Could I imagine Force powers and wake up able to use them?

Then an idea struck. I remembered something about the Dreamstone—how if I used it right, I wouldn't even need to sleep to make my dreams come true. I grabbed the stone and focused as hard as I could.

Minutes passed, but nothing happened. Disappointed, I opened my eyes. Guess I'm not that good yet. I sighed, still holding the stone. A joke popped into my head: 'If I can't have the Force, maybe I can just be rich instead. Like Batman.'

That's when my phone rang.

On the other end was my family's attorney, the same one who handled everything when my parents died. He sounded excited. "Ethan, I've been trying to reach you. I've got some great news—you have an inheritance waiting. Your parents set aside a large sum of money for you. It's about 1.5 million dollars."

I nearly dropped the phone. "Wait, what?"

He went on about how they'd prepared for my future, but I barely heard him. My eyes drifted to the Dreamstone in my hand.

'Did I do this?'

I mean, 1.5 million wasn't exactly Batman-level wealth, but it wasn't bad for a start.

The attorney said he'd come over to have me sign some papers, then hung up. My stomach growled as I processed everything that just happened. Before I could head to the kitchen to make some food, Luke burst through my front door.

"Hey! Mom and Dad said to come get you for breakfast!"

I agreed without hesitation. I wasn't in the mood to cook. As I got up, I realized I still had the lightsaber in my hand. Luke's eyes lit up.

"Is that a lightsaber?" he asked.

I nodded, but before he could say anything, I added, "Just the hilt. It's for display only." I quickly placed it in a glass cabinet and locked it.

Luke pouted, clearly disappointed. "I was gonna ask if I could borrow it and show my dad. He loves Star Wars."

<Luke's Commentary>

Luke looks disappointed at first, crossing his arms.

"I was gonna ask Ethan if I could borrow the lightsaber to show Dad. He'd totally freak out."

His expression changes, looking a little mischievous, but still adorable.

"And, if he said no, I was gonna borrow it anyway and put it back before he noticed. But now he's locked it up."

Luke sighs dramatically.

"Guess I'll have to play with it when he's not looking."

<Commentary End>

<Back to Ethan's POV>

We were now sitting in the Dunphy kitchen, having breakfast with the family. Claire glanced over at me, raising an eyebrow. "So, anything new with you?"

I set down my fork, remembering the concert. I figured it was a good time to bring it up. "Actually, yeah. I'm performing at a concert soon. Thought you guys might want to come."

"Wait, what?" Claire asked, her curiosity piqued. "Concert? What concert?"

I swallow the bite of toast I'm chewing before answering. "Yeah, a few promoters saw my performance from the talent show. They asked me to be an opening act for a big concert coming up. It's going to have some big names performing too. I figured it'd be cool if you guys came."

"You're performing at a real concert?" Alex says, trying to sound uninterested, but I can see the hint of awe in her expression. Haley even pauses from her texting long enough to give a quick glance.

"Yep. And not just that—Coldplay, OneRepublic, Maroon 5, Beyoncé... and Taylor Swift are all going to be there." I can't help but smile when I say Taylor's name, but I quickly cover it up by taking another bite of my eggs.

Phil leans forward, eyes wide with excitement. "Did you say Taylor Swift?" His voice is reverent, like I just announced the second coming of Elvis.

I nod, feeling the corner of my lips twitch. "Yeah, and Coldplay asked me to perform with them during one of their songs."

Phil lets out a long, impressed whistle. "Wow! That's... that's huge! Can we come? Of course, we'll come! Right, Claire?"

Claire glances over at me, smiling warmly. "Well, Ethan, I guess we'll have to make it a family affair. I'll ask the others, but I'm sure Mitch, Cam, Gloria, and Jay would love to see you perform live."

Luke, who's been unusually quiet until now, suddenly jumps in. "Wait, you're gonna perform with Coldplay? Do you need backup? I play a mean tambourine."

Phil starts to laugh, but then Luke adds, "Oh, and Dad, guess what—Ethan's got a lightsaber."

The words hang in the air for a second before Phil's eyes light up like a kid on Christmas morning. "A lightsaber? No way!" He leans closer, eyes practically sparkling with excitement. "Can I see it?"

I hesitate for a second, glancing at Claire, who's already shaking her head with a sigh. "Phil, let him eat his breakfast in peace."

But Phil's not backing down. "I just want to see it. Please? You know I'd never touch it—unless of course, you let me." He winks conspiratorially.

I finish my last bite and nod, smiling. "Sure. You can see it—just look though."

Phil's already on his feet, clearly thinking he just won the lottery.

<Phil's Commentary>

Phil leans in, grinning at the camera.

"A lightsaber? Are you kidding me? That's like... every kid's dream. Well, every big kid's dream, too. I promise I'll just look, but if I get a chance to... you know... activate it? I won't say no!"

<Phil's Commentary End>

<Ethan's POV... again>

Luke and Phil were so excited that after breakfast, they practically dragged me back to my place. As soon as we walked in, I saw Phil's eyes widen when he spotted the lightsaber hilt in its display case.

"Wow! It looks so real! And is that Stellan Gios' hilt?"

I blinked in surprise. I didn't expect Phil to know that, but I guess he's a serious fan too. I just nodded.

Phil's excitement only grew. "Can you take it out? Just to touch it, I promise!"

I hesitated. Sure, they'd done a lot for me these past few days, but handing over a real, functional lightsaber? That felt like a disaster waiting to happen. But then again, I couldn't say no to both Phil and Luke's pleading eyes. So, with a sigh, I pulled the hilt out of the cabinet.

I fiddled with the activation stud, trying to make sure it was stuck, but… well, I'm no tech genius. I handed it over to Phil, hoping for the best.

Phil cradled the lightsaber like it was made of glass. "It's so light! Hey Luke, look at me—I'm a Jedi now!" He grinned and struck a pose. "Luke, I am your father."

Luke laughed, but I could barely enjoy the joke. Something about this felt off.

And then it happened. Phil accidentally pressed the activation stud. A hum of white light filled the room as the blade shot out, cutting clean through my sofa.

All three of us stared at the sofa in shock, not saying a word. Slowly, both Phil and Luke turned their heads to look at me. My eyes were wide, my mouth slightly open—yep, full-on Shocked Miles meme mode.

*to be continued*