Chapter 2 - Dreams

Several days before the eerie events at school, Erik had been restless, unable to find solace in sleep. He tossed and turned, the unsettling news reports – that had been going on since then – lingering in his mind. When he finally drifted off he found himself in a dream unlike any he had ever experienced. Dream so clear that Erik can still remember it so fresh after he wakes up.He stood on a vast battlefield, the air filled with the acrid scent of smoke and blood. The sky above was a turbulent swirl of dark clouds, pierced by jagged streaks of lightning.The ground beneath his feet was stained with the crimson of fallen warriors that scattered like discarded dolls. The clash of steel and the anguished cries of the wounded filled the air, creating a symphony of destruction and despair.Erik looked down and realized he was clad in ancient armor, its weight both familiar and alien. A strange sensation.His hand gripped the hilt of a magnificent sword, its blade shimmering with a pale blue light. He knew this weapon instinctively—it was Gram. He knew the sword's name as if they had been together for so long.As he surveyed the battlefield, he saw fierce warriors locked in brutal combat. Some bore the likeness of men, while others were monstrous creatures, twisted by dark magic.Towering above them all was a massive dragon with scales glistening like black ice. Its eyes burned with fierce light, and its roar shook the very ground.Erik's heart pounded in his chest as memories flooded his mind. He remembered the tales of Sigurd, the hero who slew the dragon Fafnir. The scene and the dragon's appearance is what he had imagined when he read the story.He watched as the warriors fought valiantly. Their weapons clashing in a deadly dance. The ground trembled with the dragon's movement, its massive tail sweeping across the battlefield and crushing anything in its path. Suddenly, Eric see himself advanced toward the beast, his sword gleaming with strange power.Erik felt the raw power coursing through his veins as he battled the dragon. Each strike of Gram was met with a defiant roar from Fafnir. He pressed on, unyielding.The sky seemed to darken further as the battle reached its climax, the very fabric of reality straining under the weight of their conflict.---Erik awoke with a start and realized that his body drenched in sweat. The vividness of the dream left him breathless. His heart still racing as if he had truly been on that battlefield."Wha... What am I seeing..."He sat up in bed and shaking his head. It looks so real, as if its not a dream at all... But a memory.He looked out the window and see the snow-covered yard, Erik couldn't help but feel that the dream was connected to the strange events unfolding in the world.---The school cafeteria buzzed with the usual lunchtime chatter as Erik, Liam, and Mia found a quiet corner to sit.Liam's eyes were wide with excitement, and a wide grin spread across his face. He looked like he can't wait anymore to say something."I had a great dream last night," he said.Erik raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Let me guess, its about a Kpop girlroup?""Well, I hope it is, but its not. Listen, I dreamt I was on this massive battlefield, fighting these monstrous creatures. I had this insane strength and I feel like I could lift a whole car with one hand. And there were these warriors beside me, all of us going toe-to-toe with these beasts," Liam said, his eyes glinting.Erik felt a chill run down his spine. "What kind of creatures?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.Liam's grin grew wider when he see that Erik interested in his dream."They were like giant trolls and sea monsters. I remember facing this huge, slimy creature with multiple arms. It was like something straight out of the fantasy stories."Mia, who had been listening intently, suddenly spoke up."I had a dream too," she said. "I was in a battlefield as well, but it was different. I was leading a group of warriors and we were fighting against black monsters. I had wings and, I swear to god, I could feel this strange power coursing through me like it was real."Erik's eyes widened. "Wings?!"Mia nodded. "Yes, wings. Ain't that amazing? But its just a dream so..."Erik's mind raced as he listened to his friends' stories. The parallels to his own dream were uncanny. He remembered the details vividly: the blood-soaked battlefield, the roar of the dragon, and the weight of the magic sword in his hand."I had a dream too," Erik finally confessed, leaning in closer. "I was on a battlefield, fighting a dragon. I... And I could feel the power in my body as well."Liam's excitement turned into a thoughtful expression."This can't be a coincidence, right? I mean, we all dreaming similar dreams and at the same time. What does it mean?" Liam asked.Mia shrugged, dismissing the idea with a wave of her hand."It's probably just a coincidence. Or maybe it's the cold weather messing with our minds. You know how weird things get when it's this freezing."Liam nodded, his earlier excitement fading slightly."Yeah, you're probably right. Dreams can be strange, especially when we're stressed out. And this weather is definitely stressing everyone out."Erik remained silent, his mind churning with thoughts. The vividness of the dream, the details that matched the legends, and the strange feeling in his heart—it all seemed too real to be just a figment of his imagination.Suddenly, a voice cut through Erik's thoughts."It is not a dream, boy."He jerked his head up, looking around the cafeteria. He expected to see someone standing nearby but there was no one."Did you guys hear that?" he asked.Mia and Liam looked at him, puzzled."Hear what?" Mia asked, glancing around."Uhm, nothing." Erik realized that the one who heard it is only himself.---