Epel’s Dream

Malleus sends all of Sage’s Island to sleep in Book 7 so that they might enjoy “unending happiness,” and for Epel this seems to manifest as a dream world where he is extremely large, with wanting to become big, strong and tough being an integral part of Epel’s character.

Epel’s exaggerated appearance is explained by Silver: Epel lacks the imagination to visualize how his face would change in order to adapt to a larger body, so in his dream his face has remained the same despite the other changes he has undergone.

Idia confirms that Epel must have a weak imagination, which will possibly make him easier to awaken than strong characters like Lilia.

Another part of Epel’s dream is his freedom to speak in the dialect of his hometown, making it possible that, in the world of his dream, the violent interaction he had with Vil during his orientation did not happen, and thus Vil has never ordered him to speak more politely.

Epel is quick to take offense and start a fight with Sebek, and when Grim says that he is actually one of the shortest students in the first-year class Epel explains that he is actually the tallest student in the first-year class, and taller than Vil.

Epel nearly wakes up when Ortho asks when it was exactly that he became taller than Vil, but then darkness appears, taking on the forms of Vil and Rook to distract from the paradox and keep Epel asleep.

Dream-Rook compliments Epel’s physique and says that Epel has been asked to seriously consider transferring to Savanaclaw, which is another consistent character point for Epel.

Dream-Vil flatters Epel by saying that he is a true embodiment of the Fairest Queen’s spirit of tenacity, pleasing Epel extremely.

Grim reminds Epel of what he learned in Book 5 and of the VDC and how he and Deuce were excited about using the strengths they already have that are unique to them, waking up Epel.

The dream-versions of Rook and Vil promise to restore his muscled body to him and Epel says that they would never speak like that to him, as the strength and brawn and beauty that he wants is for him to decide and for him to claim for himself. 

Epel is surprised to be confronted with his own dream-version of himself, wondering how it was that he ever thought he looked cool.