Book 3. Chapter 56
The dream began in Alheadra, but not in the city below. Aberfa stood in front of enormous black gates rising incredibly high into the air, but still only the small basement floor of Arcaena’s massive citadel. He could see now that it was deceptively large; everything was in such large proportions that he hadn’t quite understood the size of it when he viewed it from far away.
His body’s mother was different tonight. She was pitch black, a walking, breathing void of light. She smiled. “You made the right decision. Now come and I will reveal all.”
“No tricks. I want the secret first. I’m not doing anything else until you give me what you promised.”
Her grin grew wider. “Yes of course! That is my desire as well.”
She turned and opened the massive gates as easily as flicking open her own front door and the dream shifted.
The world looked like it had all been scrawled by a pencil on paper, like they were living in the sketch that might soon become a children’s story book. The dark shape of Aberfa waved and a flower-covered plain grew up from the worn yellow page, reaching towards a fairy-tale castle in the distance. “Once upon a time, before there was a nation called Arcaena there was a nation named Edelor. The nation was peaceful and just and its champions were righteous. Wisest and strongest of all these champions was a man named Bouwen. He was fair of face, strong of arm, as well as kind and good. He did good wherever he went and struck down tyrant and monster alike.”
The world shifted quickly like the sudden flapping of pages, and Brin was treated to several scenes of a knight in shining armor striving against perilous foes, and just as many pages of him being celebrated wherever he went.
“I once told you that there was no such thing as evil Classes. Did you believe me when I told you that?”
“No,” Brin answered.