Ever since contacting Edward for his aid on his secret project, Alexander found himself plagued by increasingly haunting nightmares. Each recurring nightmare always being the same – elusive figures lurking within the shadows, silent observers casting an ethereal gaze upon him. Every attempt to draw near to these mysterious figures proved useless, as if the shadows themselves purposely distanced from him each time Alexander got closer.
Every time he walked into the labyrinth housing his portal, Alexander's mind played tricks on him, revealing those same mysterious shadow figures lingering at the corner of his eye. The delicate boundary of reality and nightmares being intertwined, leaving him trapped where the shadow figures persisted, either figments of imagination or real entities.
However, on this particular night, a subtle change occurred in his recurring dreams. With the usual sense of anxiety, Alexander hesitantly fell to sleep, waiting for the familiar nightmare that had become almost normal to him. Yet, to his surprise, Alexander found himself within a seemingly endless black void. Neither falling nor floating. The lack of gravity left him in an ethereal state, drifting within the void.
However, on this particular night, a subtle change occurred in his recurring dreams. With the usual sense of anxiety, Alexander hesitantly fell asleep, waiting for the familiar nightmare that had become almost normal to him. Yet, to his surprise, Alexander found himself within a seemingly endless black void—neither falling nor floating. The lack of gravity left him in an ethereal state, drifting within the void.
For Alexander, this was a welcome change. Finally, he found himself alone within his mind; the silhouettes, which were unwelcome guests, now lifted their watchful eyes.
After what seemed like an eternity inside the void, Alexander noticed a subtle transformation as a gentle purple hue began to emit in the distance. The moment he caught a glimpse of the distant purple glow, the sound of footsteps could be heard throughout the void, with each step seemingly drawing closer.
As Alexander looked closely at the ethereal glow of the purple light, he saw the familiar silhouettes—those shadow figures that stalked him in his previous nightmares. They appearance within the luminous hues, maintaining their mysterious presence.
One of the shadow figures detached itself from the rest and slowly approach toward Alexander within the endless void. The remaining silhouettes, staying behind in the purple hue, observing the encounter.
As the lone shadow figure drew closer, Alexander didn't enter in a state of panic; quite the opposite, he felt an unexpected sense of tranquility.
Soon, the shadow figure and Alexander stood face to face. A luminescent light enveloped the entity, casting its silhouette in radiant green energy that seemed to come from the very core of its being—the middle of its chest. This pulsating glow, similar of a heartbeat, pulsed with ethereal intensity. The rest of the energy branched out, resembling veins that intricately traced its shadowy form. Its face bore a wide red smile, and a singular green eye radiated a luminescent green glow.
"I believe this is our second time meeting, Alexander," spoke the shadow figure, now emitting an ethereal green hue that surrounded the area around them, breaking the silence.
"You're the Forbidden; this is very different from how last time we met, is this what my past dreams were, the Forbidden trying to contact me?"
"None of that matters, Alexander. I have a message for you; there are two groups of three people each, intent on stopping your efforts to create my portal."
Alexander's eyes widen, "What the? There's no way—no one should know about my portal unless Edward told the secret to someone," he exclaimed, a tone of disbelief in his voice.
The silhouette, which Alexander only knew as "Forbidden," began to laugh manically that echoed through the void. "Hah, I'm sorry about that. You see, to some extent, you could say it's my fault. I won't go into the specifics on why or how; however, you should know that they'll arrive in Legis in approximately three days," the Forbidden expressed, its laughter subsiding into a tone of amusement and seriousness.
"Three days? I'm not sure that's enough time, even if I have Edward start working on the portal."
"And that's why you're going to stop their efforts by any means necessary. Remember, Alexander, the promise I made, I'll bring true peace."
Alexander nodded in acknowledgement. "I understand; I'll stop them at all costs," he affirmed, his resolve echoing through the void.
"By any chance, could you show me those who now stand as my enemies?"
The green hue surrounding the Forbidden began to gradually form into images. On one side of the void, the faces of Eve, Vulcan, and Eliza emerged. On the other side, three more portraits materialized, depicting a girl with pink hair alongside two male companions.
"I'd like to leave you with some form of gift, but I'm afraid time is running out. If you have any questions, it's best for you to ask them now," the Forbidden said.
"I'd like to know your name."
The Forbidden's smile widened as it chuckled. "Name, Alexander? Names are a human concept; we don't have such foolish beliefs. Instead, we're merely called by our attributes. For example, one of the Forbidden over there is called 'Forbidden Power,' you could say it's the embodiment of power itself."
"Then what attribute are you?"
"My attribute? You'll find out in due time, Alexander," the Forbidden said, its smile now giving off an eerie aura.
"Hmm, would you look at that. I believe our time is up. Well, Alexander, you know your task—stop those six."
As the echoes of the Forbidden faded, Alexander woke up in sudden surge. The lingering conversation stuck to his mind, his body bathed in sweat.
Taking a moment to process what had happened in his dream, Alexander got up, stating with a sense of urgency in his voice, "I need to call Edward."
Having swiftly arranged a meeting, the two met once again. Edward was surprised to see Alexander so soon after their first encounter, yet he could tell from Alexander's expression that it was important.
"Mind telling me why I'm here, Alexander? I thought I was supposed to begin working on the portal in two days," Edward asked.
"There's been a change of plans. I need you to start working on the portal today," Alexander replied with a urgent tone.
"Yeah, I understand that much, but what I'm asking is why? Did something happen?"
"There are two groups of people coming to stop me from having this portal built."
Edward's eye slightly widened, "and how do you know about this?"
"I have a lot to explain, but to keep it brief, the Forbidden made contact with during my sleep, and they warned me about them," Alexander summarized.
"You know, Alexander, it's hard to tell whether you're going insane or not. Do you at least have some valid proof?"
"Yes, take a look at these papers and photos. These documents are the profiles of Eve, Vulcan, and Eliza. I did a background check, but I couldn't find much—only where they live," Alexander explained, presenting the gathered information to Edward.
"Hmm, interesting choices for opponents, Alexander. I sincerely hope you're not going insane. Nonetheless, I'll comply. I'll start working on the portal immediately, and the documents you've provided will stay with me. I'm going to do a background check on them myself."
"Fair enough, and one last thing, Edward," Alexander paused, his gaze intense. "Do you still have Metod?"
"Yes, I do. Why do you ask— oh, I see what you're planning..."