Not long after closing his eyes Aestor started to feel a free fall into darkness.
When he opened them he was in an unknown place, it was similar to the surroundings of the nightmare tower but it felt like a foreign realm.
A long line of around a hundred kids were waiting outside the big black wooden door. The tower was made of white stone and it had a lot of windows but Aestor could never see throught any of them.
Aestor was looking for his two friends , but it wasn't an easy task when suddenly a deep female voice resonated in that place.
"Good night future generation of nightmare oneirans, my name is Elara and I'm the head of the Nightmare faction from Rosia, I'll guide you through this process. Please enter the tower one by one"
Aestor nervously waited next to the door until he saw Jaenna and Yeray. They looked as nervous as him.
"Thanks for waiting man. The time has come we should enter now"
"Let's promise we'll stick together in the future I don't want to lose a brother or my best friend. I've heard a lot stories of oneirans going insane for power"
Aestor looked at his two friends with a calm expresion.
"I promise we'll be friends even if we awaken the power of delusions"
He didn't want to lose the only people who had helped him for years and he was sure they'll be powerful. Maybe they could form a great team.
When the three friends crossed that wooden door they were astonished. White marble floor and silver decorations gave the entrance hall a graceful look. The dark blue and black agate walls made it unique. Aestor couldn't stop looking at every detail. Colored lights entered from the windows, and he heard a water flow close to him.
Adult oneirans were waiting inside reorganizing the newcomers.
Yeray looked at his confused friend
"It's inside that round room in the center Aestor, that's what our dad told us. The water flow of nightmares"
Aestor knew about the water flow of nightmares, he studied it in class, but this was his first time inside the Nightmare faction tower. He observed the big round room in the centre. The walls were filled with scriptures that he couldn't understand.
The deep female voice woke Aestor from his trance.
"You shall enter that room and follow the water flow of nightmares as it climbs the tower, you are oneirans so you should see the orbs tonight . They'll be rooms upstairs where you will feel more comfortable, that's where the orbes will react to your presence.
We'll be waiting for all of you in the highest floor to reveal your results. Good luck"
Aestor had a rough idea of what Elara had said, he wasn't the best student because he didn't have the motivation needed but still, the ceremony was studied every year so you had to be stupid to not understand at least the general steps.
He gave a last stare to his friends and entered the room after both of them.
"What?"
Nobody could have warned the boy about the beauty inside the room. There was a water flow filled with glowing orbs that were the only light in the room. Marble spiral stairs followed the orbs up.
Loneliness filled the room, he knew about it from his teachers. Once you enter the awakening flow you'll be alone.
"So this is it, this is the awakening ceremony. Where should I start?"
The water flow covered his feet and the orbs reacted flickering to his presence.
"Those are the nightmares people are experiencing right now... I feel like an intruder"
Aestor tried to touch one of the orbs but nothing happened.
"I guess I'll have to go upstairs let's see what the second floor has to offer"
The same thing happened to him in the second floor so he continued walking.
In the 9 floor everything changed, when Aestor appeared there the orbs reacted violently.
"I can see what's inside of those orbs! I can actually see those people's nightmares!"
This was the hardest part of the awakening, he needed to select an orb if possible the clearer orb to him. If he failed this step he could end up with a power he could barely use.
He sat in the middle of the stream and started focusing in each of the orbs.
After hours there Aestor saw how some orbs dissapeared but new ones appeared in front of his eyes. The awakening realm would close at 10 am and the time was coming. He needed to find the right orb soon.
A deep voice resonated in his mind.
"It's almost time for the awakeners that are still here, we hope you can awaken in this last 20 minutes"
Aestor started doubting his possibilities when suddenly he saw it, he clearly saw it. His rightful orb.
He extended his arm to catch the orb and a wave of cold ran through him. Images of a crying little girl clouded his senses. He needed time to process it but he didn't have it.
The door of the awakening realm opened for him.
"Everybody reunite in the last floor, we'll give you the awakening report"