And i keep waking up at 3:17am. It carried more significance this time, though. What a horrible dream. It's a bit faded but i want to do my best to recount...

I was walking with a King of some kind. He was revered by most but hated by some sects (you know, the usual affair). I saw him as a mentor. I even saw myself as a possible successor. I was walking with him, at his side, kind of playing audience to whatever musings or teachings he would give me. The walk started on a city street in a modern age. It was a quiet street though; decently lit with no hustle or bustle to speak of. We walked into the past. It wasn't gradual or at all theatrical--but jarring. The streets became cobbled, the street lamps were small flames now. It was night for the entire walk up til now. There were a few beggars strewn about the darker crevices along our walk. I don't know their real role in this dream, so..moving on. The more the King spoke, the more i felt myself coveting his wealth, and power. But through conversation, i felt him almost preparing to give me this wealth and power, maybe i was wrong.

The cobblestone sloped steeply downward as the talking became more intense. As he and i reached the trough of the now unlit street, day began to break behind us. This was it, he lead me down this street so he could die, and so i could be reborn as King. He bade me something; i don't know if a farewell or a curse or what, but i now "knew how it felt to endure hardship." What? I didn't understand, but i knew that all i had to do was walk back up the cobblestone alley and into the sunlight. That was my task. Just at that moment, i realized i had been tricked. I had fallen afflicted with something. I felt painful boiling ulcers forming on my back..and these massive lumps of bone blistering through my skin. My legs fell under the immense weight of my now rapidly deforming body. I was determined to climb the street into the waxing dawn above. My muscled burned all over as i forced my way up the street. I could barely lift my feet and could feel my body shutting down from the inside out. I knew i would die before i reached the light. I could only hear my mind's voice telling me: "this is karma."

And i woke up. 3:17am. What is so important about this number. This is the 5th or 6th time i've awakened to this exact number. The dream itself scared the hell out of me, for some reason. I could barely get back to sleep.

Gah..for now i'll chalk this up to an over-active imagination and a cruel biological clock.