"All of that would be true, if you weren't talking to a shadow."

The figure looked at him for the first time, smiling in amusement. She could have passed as Song's sister, but she was definitely not Song.

"Even so, you should tell her that this experiment is a waste of time. She ought to be strengthening her other spells." She erased the distance between them with a thought, leaning in close. "And if you want to be a very good boy, you won't mention me~"
The stranger in Song's dreamscape kissed him on the cheek, and with that she ended the dream.

~

Song was repeating his name, a hand on his shoulder as if trying to rouse him. If it took much longer, she'd have to dive back in and pull him out.