Alice's chest heaved with labored breaths as she faced Night Terror, the sword in her hand feeling heavier by the second. Her team was behind her, fighting desperately against the relentless onslaught of Nightmares. But even their best efforts couldn't hold them off forever. The oppressive aura of Night Terror, the Queen of Nightmares, was suffocating, weighing down on them like an inescapable force.
Night Terror took slow, deliberate steps forward, her dark eyes locked on Alice. Each movement seemed to warp the dream world around her, like reality itself bent to her will. The Nightmares swarmed closer, their grotesque forms twisting in the shadows, eager to overwhelm the small team.
"I must say, Alice," Night Terror's voice was smooth, almost playful, "you've lasted longer than I expected. But you must realize by now… you're out of your depth."
Alice tightened her grip on Waking Hour. The sword's harmonic resonance had cut through the Nightmares with ease before, but now, faced with the overwhelming presence of Night Terror, its power seemed small and insignificant. Still, she stood her ground. She had to protect her team. She had to protect someone.
"We're not backing down," Alice said, her voice trembling with both fear and determination. "I don't care who you are, Night Terror. We're not letting you win."
Night Terror's lips curled into a cold smile. "Ah, such bold words. But tell me, little hero, how do you plan to fight me when you can barely stand?"
Before Alice could respond, the ground beneath her trembled, and a wave of dark energy erupted from Night Terror's hand. The force sent Alice skidding backward, her body slamming into the ground as she gasped for air. Pain shot through her limbs, and her vision blurred from the impact.
"Captain!" Maple shouted, her voice desperate as she tried to conjure a protective barrier, but a swarm of Nightmares overwhelmed her, crashing into her shield like a tidal wave. "No!"
The Dusk twins were faring no better. Ezra unleashed bursts of waking energy, trying to hold back the Nightmares, but they kept coming, relentless in their assault. Evie's dream manipulation faltered, her concentration broken by the sheer volume of enemies.
Alice struggled to push herself up, her heart pounding in her chest. The Nightmares were closing in, her team was falling apart, and Night Terror was toying with them, drawing out their inevitable defeat.
I can't let this happen… I can't let them die…
Her body screamed in protest, but Alice forced herself to stand, raising Waking Hour once more. The sword pulsed faintly, its resonance struggling to match the intensity of the battle. But it wasn't enough.
You have to do more, a voice echoed in Alice's mind. You have to go further.
Alice clenched her teeth, her determination flaring as she remembered the surge of power she'd felt during her first merge with her Sleep Totem. She had unlocked a power she didn't fully understand—a power that seemed to resonate with the very fabric of the dream world itself.
"Overclock…" Alice whispered to herself. "I can do it again. I have to."
With a deep breath, Alice closed her eyes, focusing on the connection with her Sleep Totem. She felt the clock hands ticking within her, the pulse of time itself running through her veins. And then, she pushed it further—forcing the resonance to spike beyond its normal limits.
A sudden burst of energy erupted from Alice's body, and her eyes snapped open, glowing with an intense light. Waking Hour hummed with newfound power, its blade shining brighter than ever before. The Nightmares recoiled as the harmonic resonance flared, cutting through them like a hot knife through butter.
Alice swung the sword in a wide arc, obliterating the Nightmares around her. The surge of power coursed through her veins like wildfire, and for a moment, she felt invincible.
But that moment didn't last.
As Alice pushed her abilities beyond their limits, she felt the strain on her body grow unbearable. Her muscles ached, her mind screamed in protest, and the power she'd unleashed began to tear at her from within. It was too much. She had overclocked her powers too far.
And Night Terror knew it.
"How fascinating," Night Terror said, her tone laced with amusement. "You're burning yourself out, Alice. Do you really think you can defeat me by pushing yourself past your breaking point?"
Alice gritted her teeth, her sword trembling in her hand. She knew Night Terror was right. She couldn't sustain this level of power for much longer. But she had no choice. If she didn't fight back, her team would fall.
But even as she tried to stand her ground, the power within her began to falter. Her vision blurred, her body growing heavier with each passing second.
Suddenly, Maple let out a cry as the Nightmares overwhelmed her barrier. The Dusk twins were thrown to the ground, their energy spent.
"No!" Alice shouted, trying to rush to their aid, but her legs buckled beneath her. The overclocking had drained her completely. She fell to her knees, gasping for breath, the energy in Waking Hour flickering out.
Night Terror's laughter echoed through the dreamscape, cold and mocking. "Did you really think you could win with raw power alone? How naive."
With a graceful motion, Night Terror raised her hand, and a shimmering object appeared in her grasp—the Drop of Time.
Alice's heart sank as she recognized it. The relic. The source of Night Terror's power over time.
"Let me show you the truth," Night Terror said, her eyes gleaming with malice. "You've been fighting with a power you don't even understand. Your Sleep Totem, your sword, everything you've done—it's all tied to time. And now… it belongs to me."
Before Alice could react, Night Terror thrust the Drop of Time toward her, and a wave of dark energy enveloped her body. The connection between Alice and her Sleep Totem snapped, the clock hands within her freezing in place.
Pain shot through Alice as the power was ripped from her, her strength fading away completely. Waking Hour vanished from her hand, leaving her defenseless.
"Time," Night Terror whispered, stepping closer to Alice. "The true nature of your power. And now… it's mine."
Alice gasped, her body paralyzed, her limbs heavy as if they were being weighed down by invisible chains. She tried to move, to fight back, but it was impossible. Time itself had stopped for her.
Night Terror smiled cruelly, her hand still outstretched as she manipulated the stolen power. "You played your part well, Alice. But now… you're no longer needed."
With a final wave of her hand, Night Terror's power surged through the Drop of Time, and Alice felt everything around her grind to a halt.
Her body froze, her thoughts slowed, and the world faded to black.
In that moment, Alice C. Gale was no more. She had been stopped, trapped in a moment of time.
And Night Terror stood victorious.