"They are alive outside this dream, and they are merely unconscious within it." Well, probably. And while it doesn't really matter, it's far less disturbing for her if they're not dead, right?

"I've not had the pleasure of defeating him, myself, but I've gone against many of the members of his league." Although, if you started looking in pockets, you might see something similar to this (http://notsohorrible.livejournal.com/2027.html) in one of them. "Although, I did meet his messengers once, I believe . . . " And probably shot- or punched, as it were, the messenger.