[img=http://i.imgur.com/UPINOf1.png]

[b][u]???[/b][/u]

Back in the laboratory he decided to give Trixie a few words of comfort, and she responded by reaching out to him. The four of them, Lucien included, remained around each other as if locked in a guardian circle of sorts… And just like that, Lute felt at peace.

At least for a few seconds before the following happened: Reanimated Dr. Dream. Landscape change. Dr. Dream turning into a monster. Moira picking him up and using him as a ninja star. Him falling on his face again. Lute had no time to bemoan his miserable fall as Estelle, who had only been recently saved by both Selan and Lucien, had already asked everyone for a plan of attack. 

All wind was knocked out of him when everything fell. Lute could feel himself shifting from the toes upward; he abhorred sudden drops like these, it made him lock up and cold beads of sweat dotted his forehead. When the freefall stopped Lute wobbled on his feet before forcing himself to remain upright. The virtuoso gripped Aria’s arm tightly before turning to his other, further off companions. “Miss Selan, Estelle, Lucien!” He just had to roll call because if he didn’t, he wouldn’t be able to-

After the tower began a slow but promising ascension, they all fell again and this time the descent was faster. Everything was a blur and Lute could hear metal banging against each other as cogs bumped against the sides of the tower. He kept switching his weight from one foot to another and it was only by pure luck that he hadn’t fallen on his bum yet; Lute could only hope that everyone else was at least still on their feet and not slipping off to be swallowed by the void below. He just kept swinging his sword in heavenward arcs to at least keep the majority of the falling pieces off of him, Aria and Estelle but some still dropped down on them. 

So busy was Lute with fending off the metal hail that he realized too late that a body came tumbling past him; at first Lute thought it was Aria, but the illusionist’s scarf whipped him in the face and he was reminded that she was just right beside him. “Wait, I can catch-,” He yelled and reached out to grab the hem of her robe. As his fingers closed over the smooth cloth an inch-thick clog crashed down from above on his wrist and the virtuoso reflexively let go; the disbelief and terror apparent on Lute’s face as Selan slid over the edge was apparent enough that the Dream Eater need not summon people or monsters to torment him with.