Mark Quarter was a fine and elegant British student. Two years before, he has moved to the south of Dublin. Mark always loved Ireland so that was a perfect occasion for him to continue his study. Most of the time, he was at John Phillipe Holand's college even during his holiday he was spending his time at the library.
During a warm night of August, Mark Quarter saw something in his dreams. In a cold dark stony room an old man dead body was lying on the floor. Next to him there was some broken glasses and a blue liquid spread on the floor. Mark was curious, maybe too much... He wanted to know more about these visions, it was not the first time he had one but it was special. He felt that he was concerned by the old man. He pushed his limits to explore the room. There was no light, no window. Two doors, one locked, one opened. By the different elements in the room Mark deduced that the old man was certainly a chemist. Something got his attention ; the blue liquid. He approached from the spill... When suddenly something came out of the door ! Something black or brown he couldn't see, it happened too fast and was pulled out of his dream.
He woke up with a headache. This time he was sure that this vision, compared to the others, would really happen.
Every morning the British student used to walk along the many pathes of Dublin. He liked to see the faces of the people he encountered, trying to know what they were thinking of.
With the time, he forgot about it, but all his vision of life changed the day of Halloween, when demons and monsters leave their places to finally rest in peace. That day the temperature was warm enough to wear just a t-shirt, which was quite unusual for the time of the year in that place. But, suddenly, a big storm started to hit the eccentric city of Dublin. Eventually, the storm began to strengthen. Everything was normal until he fell asleep.
A dream appeared in the student's mind, he saw the room again, but this time both of the doors were open. In this case, the second door leaded to a garden where some strange people were apparently fighting for something. They were competing in a way, for the blue substance he saw in his first dream. One of the gangs had a strange crystal bottle full of that blue liquid they were fighting for. In a time of a second Mark realized that one of the criminals was carrying a gun and aiming towards him. He shouted. But, the storm drowned out his scream so no one heard it.
He kept thinking about it for many days, he couldn't sleep without thinking about that weapon in front of his face. Even if it was not real it seemed so... After thinking about this he used to fall asleep and have dreams about crazy things,crazier and crazier by the time... which was making him mad, he was terrorized by the feeling of dreaming once about a classical story his grandma used to read him, which was about two boys lost in a forest who found a castle. It was similar in a way to his dream...
Everything he thought about had a mild similarity with the dream he had on the 31st of October, which made him paranoid and he left out his studies in order to solve this mystery that had happened, in his mind. That was so real, but he wanted to discover every single thing about the mystery of the blue bottle and the properties of this strange substance.
He searched for information about the castle in the college library and on the web. The Manor was on the top of a hill, at the south of Dublin, about 35 miles further. He woke up early to reach the manor before the night. He prepared his bag with sandwiches and strawberry syrup. He was outside at 05:30 am. The first part of his walk was in the city. He saw some friends but he avoided them : he couldn't explain that he was looking for a castle to save a man that he saw in his dreams. The second part was more tiring because it was out of the city, in a muddy path. He, once, wanted to give up but he has done the major part of the way. He finally reached the castle earlier that he thought. He forgot his watch, but he noticed that the sun was high in the sky. The huge manor seemed wealthy, grey with nuances of black and even red. Mark was hesitant : should he go knock on the door or penetrate silently ? He jumped out of fear when he heard a voice behind him. It was a blond girl with a blue dress, who was about thirty year.
"What are you doing here ? Are you a thief ? "
Mark found that she really looked like the old man he saw in his dreams. Maybe his daughter.
"No, I just... I think something wrong happened in this building"
Mark explained that he heard a gunshot, otherwise she would have took him for a fool. She didn't want to call the police because they were far from the city and she had powers. Indeed, she explained that she could create teleportation portals. Her name was Jane Wicky and she was actually Dr Cumberbach's daughter, the chemist who lived there. She asked Mark to stay behind her and to not make any noises, then they entered the massive wood door.
They were facing a stony wall. After a few seconds, Jane showed the right path. They heard nothing except the fountain in the courtyard. Jane didn't seem to know the right way, a few moment before she explained to Mark that she hadn't seen her father since he moved to the Manor. Jane stopped immediately ! Someone was moving in the corner of the wall. His pace was slow and heavy. His shadow was reflecting on the opposite wall... He was carrying a gun ! They were lucky because he went away. Mark moved to the corner, he tried to run to the other corner but ... He didn't reach it, the only thing he succed was to be pointed by a gun. A tall and fat guy was in front of Mark, he was smiling. Behind him there was every member of the gang he saw in his dream. He also saw the blue liquid in the back. He realized that he will probably die here, from this pig in front of him. The fat man pulled the trigger and Mark closed his eyes. He thought that his life was short but full of happiness even if he wished he never had this power... Well that doesn't matter anymore he's no longer in this world...
"- Mark... MARK Wake up for god sake ! We don't have the time we have to leave NOW !
- What ? I'm not dead ?
- Of course not dumbass, said an old man.
- Who are you ?! asked Mark.
- I'm your father, John.
- Who's John ? Is it normal that you're glowing ?
- HAVE YOU EVER SEEN A GLOWING MAN ?
- Dad shush they're close, whispered Jane.
- It's your dad ??
- Later. We need to leave now !
- Wait ! I need my formule. This clandestine organisation stole it from me. And then, they shot me. Without it I will stay as a GHOST FOREVER !
- SHUSH DAD. They're behind the door !
- John go get it ! NOW, you nutshell !
- MY NAME IS MARK !
- SHUT UP ! BOTH OF YOU !
- Go now little man ! We're counting on you !
- I'M NOT...
- Pass my portal, get the liquid and we're out, breaked up Jane."
Mark passed the portal and landed behind a man. He held his breath and he saw the blue liquid on the ground. He knelt down slowly without a sound and get the flask. Then he turned back and landed near of his companions. He looked the Doctor and asked :
"- If you're a ghost, can you passed through walls ?
- Yes I can, why ?
- I had to risk my life whereas you could go and pick that bottle without any fear ?
- Yes that almost that. You're right. Now throw the bottle on me and then I will turn to human form !
- You're sure ?
- Yes DO IT !
- Dad shush !!!"
Mark picked the bottle and throw it on the doctor Cumberbach ! But it passed through him, broke the window behind and finally, it exploded outside...
The doctor looked his daughter then Mark and said :
"- WHY DID YOU DO THAT ?? YOU IDIOT ! ARE YOU CRAZY IN YOUR LITTLE MIND ??? I'M GONNA STAY LIKE ... THIS EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE !
- You said to throw it on you ! I did what you asked, sir !
- Well, err... This is not the question go get the liquid now !
- They're coming ! They heard everything, well done guys. We're all gonna die here !
- Make us a portal now !
- Where ? asked Jane.
- SOMEWHERE !
The gang was shouting on the door. Jane made some mouvement with her hand and created a portal quickly, she pushed her dad and Mark through it. The ground was on fire. The three humans were facing a dragon. Doctor Cumberbach hid his head with his hands and exhale...