Deo may be his homeland, but Giels doesn’t know quite where he belongs anymore. Once certain of his future as Lead Storyteller, time with his friends in the Underworld has caused him to question everything. His relationship with his girlfriend is uncertain, the message on his recorder is a mystery, a dear friend is still missing, and Giels can’t shake his unease that he and his companions may never make it home. But this story isn’t only about Giels and a journey with his friends. The Council of Seven Elders is suffering from a crisis of doubt back in Deo. Giels’ father, Lead Elder Danis Deo, is torn between responsibility toward his people and love for his son, and leadership could be reshaped based on his response to some dramatic events. Hasty decisions are made to mount a rescue effort, but not everyone is on board. A Champion named Sansar acts as the host for Giels’ group while in the Underground, yet his motives remain unclear, possibly dangerous. And a more concerning development is one that Giels, his father, and the people as a whole are unaware of. The goddess and the secrets of the mysterious Terminal are only beginning to uncloud, the ramifications of which will shake the foundations of life beyond the mortal realm.
Is ignorance bliss? Can it ever really be if you realize something else might be out there? Or is unlocking knowledge simply a trap disguised as enlightenment? It is these complexities that Giels and his companions are burdened with in Dreams Never End. Episode 3 in The Feigned Moon of Entiria series takes on a more ominous tone as the broader narrative circles around new perspectives and adjusted realities. The timing of the story’s major plot points is uneven, contributing to the dilated atmosphere in the Underworld where most of the creeping suspense takes shape. Here, everything feels dreamy, ambiguous, and unpredictable, including the erratic passage of time and the thought processes of the eight friends. Though Danis, Giels, and the impassioned Champion Sansar meet their potential, it is difficult to find a distinct voice for the many secondary characters or appreciate their unique roles in the story. It takes some time for the true conflict to emerge, but ideas such as the Secret Knowledge and original sin are familiar enough to give readers an immediate sense of the core beliefs that are being challenged. An inward-focused tale about finding the courage to forge an unknown path, Dreams Never End is an off-kilter adventure of personal discovery.
