(NARRATION) A gruff man with white hair and wrinkles tapped his fingers nervously on the counter.
His black eyes were locked onto the entrance of the police station like a hawk.
‘Where the hell is she?
It’s only a matter of time until they die.’ The officer thought darkly as he kept checking the security cameras that were observing the rooms containing the infected.
The first young boy with black hair and black eyes, named Sunless, was still sleeping and had managed to survive for about three hours, so it was safe to say that he would probably survive for long enough.
…the other three, however, were a different story.
The youth with red hair seemed somewhat capable of surviving for a long period of time.
Hell, maybe he’d finish the Nightmare.
Now, for the other two, the officer was concerned.
They were civilians and didn’t look capable of surviving for long.
Constantly looking back and forth between the monitor and the entrance, his eyes widened as he saw who entered through the door.
It was Master Jet!
But not just her—under her arms she was carrying two sleeping young men, while draped across her shoulders a sleeping lady with black hair rested comfortably.
“Wha…” the officer stammered while Master Jet didn’t seem too focused on him.
Instead, she turned her head to the side, and a moment later a boy with brown hair almost crashed into the door, but he managed to veer off his path and stood to the right of Master Jet, his breaths ragged and his body reeking of sweat.
Now even more confused, the officer looked at Master Jet.
The Soul Reaper, the most feared Master in the government…
was now acting like some sort of donkey.
“Uhhh…
what exactly…” Before he could finish his words, Master Jet spoke, her tone cool and collected.
“Prepare some rooms.
All four of these people are infected.
This one managed to stay awake, so prepare a room for him first.” She said simply and dropped the two youths in her hands, while she gently placed the young lady on the floor.
The officer still didn’t really react, however, a small chill ran down his spine as Master Jet looked at him.
“Hello?” Flinching and muttering a curse, the officer activated the broadcasting system and yelled into it.
“Attention!
Four Code Blacks in the lobby!
I repeat, FOUR CODE BLACKS!” (NATHANIEL) Sitting on a ‘nice’, bulky chair, I yawned as a pair of policemen restrained me and fastened some sturdy-looking belts around me.
They finished in a few moments, and as soon as they left the room, the beautiful Master Jet entered.
Her blue eyes swept over me and she sighed heavily.
“You comfortable?” she said, almost sarcastically.
However, it wasn’t the rude type, more like she was a little annoyed at my predicament and was sarcastically commenting on the way the police station handled everything.
“Oh, y’know…” A yawn came over me and I couldn’t even put a hand over my mouth due to the restraints.
“I’ve…
ahhhh…
sat in worse…” ‘After all, I did sit through one of the Kissing Booth movies my sister forced me to attend.’ he lampooned, Master Jet meanwhile showed a light smile and sat on a plastic chair opposite me.
“Well, alright then.
Now, do you know anything about the Nightmare Spell?” ‘More than you, definitely.’ I lampooned to relax myself but shook my head.
“Not a lot…
ahhhh…
I get sent to the Nightmare and I survive, right?” The previous adrenaline that had been coursing through my body slowly began to dissipate and the drowsiness started to return.
Master Jet nodded and sat cross-legged.
“That’s the gist of it, but I’ll give you a few tips.
Can you stay awake for a little longer?” My eyelids fluttered slightly, but I nodded slowly.
She nodded and then began.
“Listen carefully.
This will be very crucial for your chances of survival.
Once you fall asleep, you will be transported inside your First Nightmare.
Nightmares are trials created by the Spell.
Once inside, you will meet monsters and people.
Remember this—they are not real.
They’re just illusions conjured up to test you.” She waited for a bit and looked at me, i nodded at her words and she shifted slightly in her seat.
“A lot of things about the First Nightmare depend on luck.
Generally, it shouldn’t be overwhelmingly hard.
The situation you’re in, the tools you have at your disposal, and the creatures you have to defeat should be within the range of your abilities, at least.
After all, the Spell sets up trials, not executions.
You’re a bit disadvantaged due to…
well…
your circumstances.
But we…
we’re from the outskirts, so we’re plenty used to fighting against disadvantages.
Don’t give up on yourself just yet.” ‘I’m actually more of a tourist.
Just came to them recently.’ I chuckled slightly and Master Jet gave me a strange look of worry.
‘Ohhh…
she thinks I lost it.’ Well, nobody could blame her.
After all, I was a bloody mess.
She sighed and looked at me, my gaze turned to my blood-soaked clothes and I sighed heavily.
‘The only clothing I have now is this.
Hopefully the tracksuit I get will be nice…
well, if I survive.’ As I turned to Master Jet, I was surprised as she got closer to me, and somehow she had managed to produce a piece of cloth from her armor, she then gently cleaned my bleeding forehead.
I could feel my ears redden slightly, but even if I was embarrassed, I couldn’t really look away.
Her icy blue eyes were just too damn captivating!
Her hands moved gently and the piece of cloth soaked in some blood.
“Look, I know it might look hopeless, but try your best.
You have friends waiting, don’t you?
If you’re in a situation where all looks hopeless, be sure to remember them.
Believe me, if I had been in your situation, I would’ve probably done better in my Nightmare.” She smiled somberly, almost nostalgically.
“But above all else, do your best.
Also, make sure to summon your Runes.
They’ll show you what you’re working with.” My eyelids continued to struggle, but I just responded with a small smile and nod, and as I did, I closed my eyes.
With that, I finally slipped into a deep slumber and everything became black.
Then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang softly, as if it were comforting me.
[Aspirant!
Welcome to the Nightmare Spell.
Prepare for your First Trial…] (NARRATION) Nathaniel dreamt of a vast empire, the castle at its center making the buildings around it seem insignificant and lesser.
Its banners were long and flowed proudly in the roaring wind.
Many civilians moved through the streets of the vast and gigantic empire, each of them carrying a strange sense of safety.
Plains of green grass spread outside the vast walls of the empire.
Suddenly, the wind that caused the banners of the Empire to flow ceased, and the grass stopped rustling.
Night came suddenly and abruptly.
Close to the empire, a large lake that seemed to mirror the sky glowed slightly.
From its depths, many harrowing beings that seemed to take the shapes of beasts and people alike emerged, swallowing the vast and beautiful plains.
As they ravaged the lands, many warriors jumped down from the walls and a brutal battle took place.
Blood was spilled from both sides, and the war between the people of the Empire and the Others raged on, continuing to swallow the land.
Then, in the night’s sky, a majestic silver dragon descended.
The people under its rule seemed invigorated and let out war cries that swallowed the roars and wails of the Others.
In an instant, time seemed to flow quickly and the battle continued to occur in a vicious and bloody cycle that ravaged the lands around them.
In every finale of the battle, the mighty silver dragon descended and sent its will across its people, bringing about prosperity and victory.
The same instant that these images surfaced in his mind, Nathaniel opened his eyes with a fright.
[Aspirant!
Welcome to the Nightmare Spell.
Prepare for your First Trial…] The Nightmare Spell spoke into his ears softly.
His eyes began to readjust to the light and he looked around himself in bewilderment.
‘What the?’ While he looked around, he noticed the beautiful hallway that he was in.
The hallway was grand and made of beautifully carved ivory marble.
The towering pillars that lined the corridor stretched high into the ceiling, each one carved from flawless ivory marble and wrapped in intricate reliefs depicting a majestic dragon soaring through clouds, armies kneeling before large figures, and endless fields of blooming flowers.
Veins of silver shimmered beneath the polished stone, glowing faintly as though moonlight had been trapped within the marble itself.
Between every pillar stood enormous arched windows fashioned from crystal-clear glass.
Beyond them, Nathaniel could glimpse distant mountain peaks bathed in golden sunlight and a large river that glittered beneath the shining sun.
The floor beneath him was spotless and clean, each polished tile on the floor bore elegant geometric engravings filled with silver and sapphire inlays that traced intricate patterns across the length of the corridor.
Long banners of white and silver silk hung between the pillars, embroidered with a majestic dragon whose scales seemed to ripple whenever the breeze passed through the hall.
The air itself was pleasantly cool, carrying the faint scent of blooming lilies and fresh rain.
It was breathtaking.
Not merely because of its beauty, but because of its impossible scale.
‘Wow…’ Nathaniel wasn’t really much of an architect, but even his inexperienced mind could understand just how impossible it would be for someone to build something as grand as this.
While he looked around, he felt something cold against his neck.
He touched it lightly and then looked at what he was currently wearing.
He wore loose maroon robes woven from surprisingly fine fabric.
The garment hung from one shoulder, exposing part of his collarbone and forearm, while a broad sash of darker cloth was tied around his waist.
Looking to the side, he saw that the sleeves were wide and flowed with his every movement.
Though the robe itself lacked any embroidery or symbols of status, it still looked fit for some sort of noble.
On his feet were simple leather sandals that exposed his trimmed nails and clean feet.
Then he moved a hand back to his neck and examined what was there.
He felt something cold and metallic, traced his fingers around it, and his face fell.
‘A…
a collar!?’ Specifically, it was a simple bronze collar.
“What the hell!” He grasped the collar tightly and tried to search around for a mechanism or keyhole that could open it.
To his dismay, there was nothing of the sort, a bead of sweat rolled down his forehead as he began to think about what to do.
‘I’m in a castle, clearly…
Bastion?
Yeah, it’s definetly Bastion before Valor took over.
So…
I’m a slave?
Seriously, what is my luck?’ As he was lost in thought, he decided not to dwell on it for the moment and sighed.
Then he thought about summoning his Runes.
As soon as he focused, shimmering runes appeared in the air before him.
Although he did not know this ancient alphabet, the meaning behind it was somehow clear.
While he read the first part of the Runes, his face darkened instantly.
Name: Connor Focusing on the name, he balled his fists in frustration.
He knew, of course, why it didn’t display his real name.
No…
he knew why it didn’t display the name given to him by his…
adoptive parents.
Nathaniel Sallow—that was the name given to him by Mr.
and Mrs.
Sallow.
So the name Connor…
that was clearly given to him by his birth parents.
‘Didn’t even have the courtesy to give me a last name…
heartless bastards.’ While he would’ve loved nothing more than to curse and say the most horrible things, he didn’t have the liberty to do so.
Sighing heavily and bottling up his emotions, he dismissed the name for now and focused on the rest of the runes: True Name: — Rank: Aspirant.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Memories: — Echoes: — Attributes: [Fated], [Mark of Divinity], [Vessel].
Aspect: [Child of Mysteries].
Aspect Description: [A child that is yet to truly call upon the powers that be.
In this state, a mere coward that has no ability to fight, only to flee.] “…” As he looked at the Runes, he sighed heavily.
Putting a hand over his mouth, he entertained the thought of screaming and maybe just jumping out a window to end his suffering right away.
‘Now, now, let’s calm down…’ He decided to just stay where he was and meditate inwardly, calmly focusing on not losing his shit and pulling a Thunder McQueen.
After a few more moments of thinking, he sighed heavily and checked his Attributes.
[Fated] Attribute Description: “The strings of fate wrap tightly around you.
Unlikely events, both good and bad, are drawn by your presence.
There are those who are blessed, and there are those who are cursed…
but rarely both.” [Mark of Divinity] Attribute Description: “You bear a faint scent of divinity, as though someone briefly touched you.” [Vessel] Attribute Description: “A Great One beyond the known has decided you worthy to become ‘His’ Vessel.” “Ugh, it just keeps getting worse.” He couldn’t help but mutter aloud.
He bit one of his nails and began to chew nervously, then checked the [Fated] attribute once more, trying to gaslight himself into believing that it wasn’t real.
But the dastardly attribute remained perfectly in place, refusing to fuck off and go bother Sunny instead.
After deciding to face reality, he thought back to the [Mark of Divinity] attribute, the one that Sunny had, his attribute seemed much different from his own.
While Sunny’s had said, “…a long time ago,” his was clearly recent.
Then, of course, the last attribute spoke for itself, he was clearly a vessel for CW.
However, what that attribute granted him was unknown for now.
While pondering such things, his head perked up as he heard footsteps behind him.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw a man slightly taller than him approaching.
The man seemed to wear the same clothes as him, however the robes he wore were a bit more luxurious and bore a sigil of a dragon.
Around his neck was a collar as well—his was a beautiful, flawless golden color.
His face, meanwhile, was simply gorgeous and perfect, as if it were sculpted from pristine quartz.
His hair was short and well-kept, a pale brown with slight specks of grey.
His eyes were a captivating olive color, and the presence he exuded was… terrifying.
It felt as if Nathaniel was facing a walking, talking disaster.
He felt that the man before him held a power that, if unleashed, could destroy the entire castle.
“You.” As soon as the man spoke, Nathaniel felt chills run down his spine, far worse than anything even Master Jet had ever inspired.
“Ahh, yes sir?” Nathaniel nearly choked on his words as he felt the beautiful stranger look him up and down.
Then the man focused on his chest, almost as if he had started peeling parts of him away to reveal what lay beneath.
He put a finger on his chin and tilted his head curiously.
Then Nathaniel was shaken as he saw the man smile, it was a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes and didn’t seem all that friendly.
“Oh, how interesting.” he said, and from the corner of Nathaniel’s vision, he noticed the shadows that had once been almost impossible to see had grown… deeper.
‘Does he have an affinity to shadows?
No, that’s not important.
The man before me is clearly a Saint, and a powerful one at that.’ “Sir?” Nathaniel said in a soft tone, trying his best to retain his poker face.
The man, meanwhile, seemed more amused.
Then his ears perked up and he looked behind Nathaniel, he released a small “tsk” and scoffed.
“Seems they’ve had their fill…” he spoke in a mild-tempered tone.
He then looked down at the confused Nathaniel and walked past him.
“Follow me.” The command sent ripples through the air, and Nathaniel instantly obeyed.
Clearly, the strange man had taken an interest in him.
Whether that was a good or bad thing, Nathaniel didn’t know, but he was sure he would find out.
As they walked, Nathaniel tried to find the courage to ask something, but he was too afraid to speak.
‘Well, maybe I should ask what to call him.’ Before he could gather the courage, they stopped abruptly.
Nathaniel couldn’t help but open his mouth in awe.
“Wow,” he silently exclaimed, looking at the grand interior of the vast open space.
The enormous hall opened into a vast domed chamber, so immense that it felt more like standing beneath the open sky than inside a building.
Towering ivory pillars ringed the chamber, their polished surfaces carved with elegant dragons coiling around flowering trees and armored warriors bowing in reverence.
High above, the ceiling gave way to a colossal mosaic window that crowned the entire dome.
Countless pieces of colored crystal caught the sunlight pouring through it, bathing the chamber in shimmering reds, blues, golds, and silvers.
The mosaic itself depicted an awe-inspiring silver dragon descending from the heavens, its wings spread wide enough to eclipse the sky.
Beneath it, countless figures—soldiers, nobles, craftsmen, and ordinary people alike—knelt in unified reverence, their heads lowered before the majestic creature.
Rays of golden light radiated from behind the dragon, making it appear less like a beast and more like a divine guardian watching over its people.
As he looked on in awe, his eyes fell upon the people in the dome.
Many of them were armored in silver armor gilded with red and gold metals.
Many had their armor bloodied, and some pieces were torn and shattered.
The wounded lay on the ground, arranged in neat rows.
It seemed that he and the stranger had just walked into some sort of ritual.
The figures moved continuously, while the ones on the ground remained still.
As Nathaniel watched, he grew more and more confused as the soldiers who weren’t terribly wounded stood over the prone figures.
‘A ritual, or something?’ he thought.
Then he heard the Stranger’s voice.
“Watch carefully now.” Nathaniel raised a brow and looked at the scene before him.
The standing soldiers raised their weapons high into the air and began to chant in unison: “Praise the God Emperor!” “Praise the God Emperor!” “Praise the God Emperor!” “Praise the God Emperor!” “Praise the God Emperor!” As they said those chants, Nathaniel felt nauseous at the realization of what was happening.
Before he could react properly, the soldiers gripped their weapons tighter and let them fall.
Each blade stabbed into the necks of the soldiers below, causing blood to spurt out like geysers of gore.
Some of the soldiers stirred in their final moments and tried to pry the swords out, but that only caused the others to push them deeper.
As the blood flowed across the floor, the soldiers began to chant once more in unison: “Glory!” “Glory!” “Glory!!” “GLORY!!!” “GLO…” As the chorus continued, cold sweat dripped down Nathaniel’s forehead as he turned to the stranger in horror.
The stranger looked at him with dark fascination and smiled devilishly.
Nathaniel swallowed hard and forced himself to ask the question he dreaded the answer to, “Are you… of the Nine?” As Nathaniel stammered, the stranger seemed surprised, then smiled in satisfaction.
“I knew it… you are Fated as well.
Ah, how truly treacherous Fate is.” He looked away from the frightened Aspirant and back at the chanting soldiers.
“I am, as it happens to be…” He then glanced to the side and focused on Nathaniel with keen interest.
“You may address me as Eurys.
Pleasure to meet thee, Child of Weaver.” ________________ Author’s Note: What a Twist!
So yup, Nathaniel is finally in the Nightmare, he’ll be in there for two more chapters, Next chap is on Sunday since it’s gonna be like 4k words long, the one after that will be even longer.
So give me your opinions and theories!
Make sure to leave some comments to encourage me to write.
Have a great day!