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Except … this was the same world, but I was no longer trapped in the ballroom.

Had the dream man been right?

I looked around. Directly behind me was a steep stone slope. To my left and right, a rocky shore of black rock stretched into the distance.

I scrambled to my feet, suddenly feeling very exposed … and alone. At least in the ballroom, there had been other people — and Jaiel …

Was he alright?My chest ached at the thought.

He'd better be!

A gust of wind lifted my hair, sending a shiver down my spine, and I rubbed my arms to try to warm myself up.

That man had said the ballroom would be destroyed, but I could still remember that night. So, what had he meant? Could memories of people truly die?

Gods, I hoped not.

Rain added to the wind — little taps on my skin, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked around.

"You can't help it, can you?" that strange, warped voice from the last dream said.

I spun to see the cloaked figure standing behind me.

"Can't help what?" I asked. "And what happened to the ballroom?"

"Making things complicated. But it doesn't matter. The ballroom is gone now," he said. "We must hurry if you want to see any of the remaining memories. Are you going to take my hand this time?"

I glared and shook my head. The last time I'd touched that hand, I'd been sent back to reality, and I really didn't want to go back there yet.

Or ever.

The dreams of the ballroom had been repetitive — predictable. They didn't come every night, but when they did, they were always the same.

At least until HE showed up! Now the dream was something completely unrecognizable, save for the dark waters and storm.

So, was he just a figment of myimagination, a new part of my dreams? Or — a shudder ran down my spine — was he a mage breaking into my mind?!

I'd heard horror stories of dreamwalkers as a child — powerful mind mages with the power to haunt your nightmares or control you.

But most mind mages had died out after the Fall …

Fear stiffened my spine, and I took several steps backward. Could this stranger be the mind mage from earlier? Could he be the one responsible for bonding all those people?

"Who are you?" I asked, wishing, not for the first time, that I had a dagger as I tried to study his korra. It didn't feel the same, but he was disguising it just like his voice, so I couldn't be sure. "Why should I trust you?"

The wind howled as the gusts grew stronger — cutting through my clothes, chilling me to the bone. My teeth began to chatter.

"Damnit." The man looked out towards the horizon and shook his head. "We don't have time for this! Another push it is." Stepping forward, he grabbed my hand.

"No!" This was my dream, and I wasnotgoing to be yanked around. I had enough of that in the real world!

With a quick rotation of my arm, my hand was free.

Gritting my teeth, I used both hands to shove him backwards with all my might.

He stumbled down the slope, falling into the dark water with a splash.

Fuck. I hadn't meant for that to happen! I just didn't want him dragging me somewhere.