"For speech"
'For thoughts'
[Spell]
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As the Winter Solstice came, the chances of being infected rose significantly, all throughout the year people of the Outskirts would hope to be one to be taken by the Nightmare Spell to either ascend to a better life or die trying.
Nightmare Gates were much more present in those outer parts of the NQSC for the simple reason that there were much more people and contrasting this, significantly less assistance. The Obel Scale while a powerful tool could not close the gates by itself, as such the Government and the Clans had to choose wich Gates to close with the help of awakened cohorts
Not that everyone wanted to risk their lives for a chance to ascend.
So here in the Outskirts you could always see rows of people risking their lives near a Gate for the chance of putting themselves in danger, again. The uneducated guess of the slum people was of course that a gate had to plant nightmare seeds in people.
Even then, this was hopeless as Outskirt rats couldn't complete a Nightmare. Most of them at least. But this story isn't about one of them.
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The Gate shined with an eerie glow of unnamed colors, in front of it dressed in heavy clothing made of synthetic thermal cotton was a teen. His ebony skin was an uniqueness among those parts of the world and coupled with his easily recognisable identity, it would have have been normal for him to be assaulted by a crowd of people.
But today the young man moved in utmost secrecy, both from fear of his agency finding out and also to keep the most hardcore fans away, he didn't want a repeat of what happened three years ago after all.
'—!'
He almost stumbled when an unnatural tiredness seeped into his bones, hoping to claim him as one of the few that would participate into the Spell's games. He would gladly let it take him, unfortunately before that, he had calls to take and places to be.
Taking out his communicator he fiddled with it for a bit until a name popped up, pressing the call button he took his time to get back in the PTV while letting it ring, until someone picked up the phone.
"Baldr? How are you doing man, I haven't heard of you in a week! With Night out of the picture we'll have to rely on you in the position of lead singer you know that?"
Baldr chuckled, scratching his short black hair with a hand.
"About that... I might not be able to. Seems like I got infected by the Nightmare Spell."
"..."
The line was dead silent for a while, until the person on the other end of the phone finally shouted with indignation.
"So in the span of two year... We don't lose ONE. But TWO of our lead singers??!! For the Spell Sake! Can't you guys stop getting infected!"
Unfortunately Baldr didn't have a response, well he did. But he'd rather take that one to the grave. Instead he only offered an apologetic smile no one could see and spoke.
"I'm sorry Sir, but Gale will have to continue working on that solo project you announced without me..."
"Who will listen to us now??! Night is gone and we lost Day today! NDG stands for Night, Day & Gale! Not just Gale you know that?!"
A small pang of shame touched Baldr but he quickly dismissed it thinking that it did not matter, he had started this career on a whim to make some quick cash while copying songs of his old world.
Who knew a pretty face and a good voice could get you so far? The Idol World was where he met his best friend Kai and together they had rose to the very top of that world.
Now that he was gone, that didn't matter, until he came back at least. But relying on what he knew from a book didn't give Baldr any kind of respite and as such, he would much rather take the matter in his own hands.
He had arrived in this world with limited knowledge and a mind full of fear, having read only 300 chapters of what this world was seemingly inspired from, out of the 2100 existing one, he was sure that he would commit an error at some point that would derail the canon.
It wasn't until much later while interacting with Kai that he understood that it didn't matter. A book was a book and life was life, as such, he would live his to the fullest.
While deep in his thoughts he drove the PTV to the parking lot of the police station, one was allowed to drive at his age as long as they had a permit, times were long past where someone under the age of eighteen couldn't do as much as sit in the driver seat of a four wheeler.
"Hm? Another young man? We're not even that close to the Winter Solstice and there's already so many of you..."
Baldr chuckled, people his age had many other things to do than come to the police station, the only reason Sunny had to recite the Third Special Directive was because he looked like a child.
On the contrary, Baldr was the definition of a healthy young man.
"Sorry Officer..."
"—Parkinson but you don't need to remember it, I'd much rather you think about the survival lessons we desperately try to drill in you youngsters head."
"Ah yes then, as demanded by the Third Special Directive, I am here to surrender myself as carrier of the Nightmare Spell."
The officer clapped his hands as both he and Baldr laughed, he seemed extremly at ease, probably seeing as Baldr didn't show any signs of succumbing to the Nightmare Spell and the presence of a Master in the building.
"So no need to run things over with you heh? I still need to ask because else it'll be deducted from my paygrade.... wait."
While escorting him inside, the officer threw several glances at him each slowly showing the growing sense of recognition that was building up in his eyes.
"Wait! You're Day! From that one Boy Band thing, what was the name... NDG?"
Baldr simply responded with a nod from the looks of it, Parkinson himself wasn't a fan of his group but maybe his daughter or wife was... or son who knows.
"Well, while you're still here let me give you a piece of advice..." Parkinson continued talking even as he strapped Baldr to some kind of contraption meant to hold him.
"First, you did good coming in early, a lot of people think that resisting the Nightmare Spell is just a matter of will but really, once you're infected, you'll have to pass the trials, it's better to clock in early with no mental fatigue than let yourself challenge your First Nightmare with as much mental energy as a dry slug."
The bounds weren't made to hold Baldr for long if he died in the Nightmare, just long enough for Master Jet to come kill him if such a situation was to arise.
"Yeah so my advice is, be a coward, if the need doesn't arise, don't be a hero, don't sacrifice yourself and don't overestimate yourself. The people in there? They aren't real, only you are... Also could you sign this for my daughter?"
Finishing that grim speech with such a thing as an autograph made Baldr explode with a melodious laughter.
"So that's why you didn't bind my arms yet!"
"Gotta be smart son remember that in there."
The officer tapped his temple while Baldr took the time to sign the paper he had been given. He applied himself with all the care he could give since that might also be his last signature, but he very much doubted it.
"See you soon..."
With that he closed his eyes. It was time to face the music if he ever wanted to be the one to lead the dance.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell! Prepare for your First Trial...]
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Bit of a short chapter, there wasn't much to say befor the First Nightmare anyway.
My writing isn't all that and this is mostly for my own enjoyment, still, I hope y'all will appreciate and I won't burnout too soon or sum🙏🏾🙏🏾