After hearing the words of the Nightmare Spell that had brought them to this place, they sat down in their assigned seats, waiting for the display of the destinies that awaited them. Although it was intriguing to see their future, it filled their hearts with fear, as they had no idea what would be revealed. The room was filled with tension, a fear that their secrets, their fears, and thoughts would be exposed.
The one who feared the most was none other than Sunny.
As he waited for the show to begin, Sunny had many thoughts running through his mind at that moment.
'I'm sure nothing will happen. I'm just a nobody in this room; there's no reason for anything about me to be shown.' Sunny tried to convince himself that nothing would happen to him as he prayed to the gods.
Sunny looked at his destined attribute as he pleaded, 'Please, please, just this once, let nothing happen.'
"Are you okay, Sunny? You look a bit pale," Cassie asked.
Sunny raised an eyebrow and responded with a sarcastic tone:
"Seriously?"
Cassie blushed, embarrassed, murmuring, "I mean... more than usual!"
"Sorry, I'm just a bit nervous," Sunny admitted.
"There's no need to be so nervous," Nephis spoke for the first time since they had entered the room.
"Uh," Sunny scoffed. "Really? You of all people saying that? You don't look so calm yourself. Are you saying you have nothing to hide?"
"Tsk." Nephis turned her face toward the great clans, her gaze briefly stopping on Seishan, then on Morgan.
Morgan, feeling a gaze on her, turned to face Nephis. The exchange lasted only a second before she turned back to the screen.
Morgan, noticing this, smiled and turned to face the screen again.
The screen finally began to show images.
A frail-looking young man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes was sitting on a rusty bench across from the police station. He was cradling a cup of coffee in his hands — not the cheap synthetic type slum rats like him had access to, but the real deal. This cup of plant-based coffee, usually available only to higher rank citizens, had cost most of his savings. But on this particular day, Sunny decided to pamper himself.
The people in the room turned to look at the person on the screen, who at that moment was frozen.
"Damn," Sunny exclaimed. "No, this can't be happening. This is a joke, right? Please let it be just that. If they find out about me, about my Aspect, I'll lose my freedom. I don't want to be anyone's slave!" His mind was flooded with negative thoughts all at once. His heart was pounding so fast it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest, and his hands were trembling.
Sunny felt like he was being suffocated; he couldn't breathe properly. To Sunny, that moment was like staring into the abyss. His heart was racing so fast it seemed like it wanted to escape from his chest, and his hands were shaking uncontrollably. The thought that his deepest secret could be exposed was terrifying, a direct threat to his freedom and safety.
He felt a cold hand on his face. "Sunny, calm down," Nephis said, with a calmness that contrasted with the internal chaos Sunny was experiencing. Her words were like a balm, bringing a calmness he didn't realize he so desperately needed. His heart began to slow, and his irregular breathing gradually stabilized. Sunny found himself responding to her almost automatically, unable to resist Nephis's calming influence.
Sunny calmed down enough, turned to her, and thanked her.
"Thanks, Nephis."
"Uh," she nodded as she turned her attention back to the screen.
Sunny looked around the room and realized that most of them had stopped looking at him and had turned their attention back to the screen. He breathed a little easier because of that.
"Are you okay, Sunny?"
"Yes, just a little tense," he replied, trying to appear calmer than he actually felt.
"That's good," Cassie smiled gently before turning her attention back to the screen.
Effie, always the provocateur, didn't miss the chance to tease Sunny. "Looks like someone over there is feeling shaken," she said with a wicked smile.
Sunny felt irritation building up. "What are you talking about?" he retorted, his tone sharp.
"Oops, maybe I went a little too far," Effie responded, still smiling but now looking a bit uncomfortable.
Kai intervened gently, trying to ease the tension. "Maybe it's better not to provoke him, Effie. He seems to be having a tough time."
Kai's remark only made Sunny feel more irritated. 'What is he implying? I'm perfectly fine,' he thought, even though he knew he had been on the verge of a panic attack just moments before.
"Of course I wasn't fine. I thought I was going to die," Sunny admitted, his tone more controlled but still tense.
"Oh, is this your first Nightmare?" Nephis asked.
"Yes, and I didn't want anyone to know what happened there," Sunny replied.
"What, don't tell me you killed a Tyrant in your first Nightmare?" Effie teased him.
'Shit,' Sunny thought, feeling his defect kick in, and he responded:
"Yes."
"Pff… Right, idiot, sure."
Sunny grimaced; he didn't know whether to feel angry or relieved that she didn't believe he was capable. Turning, he looked at Kai. He had a strange expression on his face as he looked at him. Sunny raised an eyebrow before turning back to the screen.
After all, his life was coming to an end.
Everyone in the room already knew that the young man's first Nightmare would be shown, but the reason why was still a mystery. After all, Sunny didn't seem to hold the same significance as Nephis, from the Immortal Flame Clan. She, on the other hand, was seen as a figure of intriguing potential to observe.
"I don't understand why we're still here, especially to watch someone like him," Seishan muttered with a tone of disdain.
"Who knows, maybe he'll be important in the future," Morgan suggested with a neutral expression, leaving open the possibility of something unexpected.
Sunny felt a knot of anxiety form in his stomach. It was an overwhelming sensation to think that his fate was being revealed so publicly. His secret, if discovered, could cost him his freedom and even his life. He didn't have the status or protection of the major clans present in the room. Fear mixed with anxiety as he tried to understand why all of this was happening to him.
"Why, why, why, why me? Why me? Why me? WHY ME!" His thoughts echoed in his mind, repeating like a silent mantra of despair.
"Sunny." A soft voice interrupted his whirlwind of thoughts. He looked at Cassie, whose gentle blue eyes were fixed on his hand. He then realized that he had been clenching his hand so tightly that his knuckles were marked and bleeding.
"Oh." He released his hand, watching in surprise as the blood trickled down. "Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" she asked softly, a small smile on her lips. She quickly took a piece of cloth from her backpack and began tending to the wound.
"Thank you," Sunny murmured, feeling a mix of gratitude and embarrassment.
"You're welcome. I can't do much, but at least I can do this," she replied, focused on carefully wrapping his hand.
Sunny nodded, a gesture of appreciation and a silent request for her not to worry.
"Don't worry about it," he finally said, trying to convey that he was fine, despite everything.
Enjoying the warmth of the luxurious drink, he raised the cup and savored the aroma. Then, tentatively, he took a small sip… and immediately grimaced.
"Ah! So bitter!"
"Pff—What are you, a princess?" Effie mocked.
He heard Cassie giggle beside him. "Is that for real?"
"Sorry, Sunny, I just thought with your personality, you'd love coffee."
"What do you mean by that?" Unfortunately, Sunny got no answer, as she had already turned her attention back to the screen.
Giving the cup of coffee an intense look, Sunny sighed and forced himself to drink some more. Bitter or not, he was determined to get his money's worth — taste buds be damned.
"I should have bought a piece of real meat instead. Who knew actual coffee is so disgusting? Well. It's going to keep me awake, at least."
"You should get used to it, Sunny, because you'll need it a lot in the future," Master Jet said.
"Why will I need that?" He was confused by her words.
"Just trust me," she replied.
Sunny grimaced at her words. Why be so evasive about it? he wondered.
"Yeah, I agree with what you said. You should have bought meat, idiot," Effie mocked Sunny for his decision to buy coffee.
"Seriously, why are you calling me an idiot?" he asked, feeling irritated by her tone.
"Because you look like an idiot," Effie said dismissively.
"You..." Sunny wanted to strangle her. She seemed to think that just because she was a woman, he wouldn't hit her.
"Ah." Sighing, he turned his attention back to the screen. It didn't make sense to argue in the room, especially since they were all placed together, which meant they were probably connected in some way in the future.
He stared into the distance, dozing off, and then slapped himself in the face to wake up.
"Pff."
Sunny turned to Cassie, raising an eyebrow. "Seriously, you found that funny?"
"Sorry." Cassie apologized, though she didn't seem very sincere, as she was still smiling, though now it was more subdued.
"Hey, she's right, it's really funny how you look like an idiot," Effie said, as always, mocking him.
"Tsk, just because she's pretty she thinks I won't hit her," Sunny thought, feeling quite irritated by all the teasing.
"Tsk. What a rip-off."
Shaking his head and cursing, Sunny finished the coffee and stood up. Rich people living in this part of the city were rushing past the small park on their way to work, staring at him with strange expressions. Looking haggard in his cheap clothes and from the lack of sleep, unhealthily thin and pale, Sunny was indeed out of his place here. Also, everyone seemed so tall. Watching them with a bit of envy, he tossed the cup into a garbage bin.
Morgan watched with interest, intrigued by Sunny's story. She didn't have much experience with life on the fringes; her contacts were usually with people who enjoyed a comfortable and affluent life. However, she was familiar enough with the harshness of life for the less privileged. The dream world, where only the strongest, smartest, luckiest, and most intelligent survived, contrasted sharply with the real world she knew. Still, Sunny's story piqued her curiosity as it offered a glimpse into a reality completely different from her own.
"I guess that's what three full meals a day would do to you."
The cup missed the trash bin by a wide margin and fell to the floor. Sunny rolled his eyes in exasperation, walked over, picked it up, and carefully placed it in the trash. Then, with a slight smile, he crossed the street and entered the police station.
"Ah." Effie felt a bit guilty for mocking his height. He was quite short, but she hadn't imagined his conditions were so bad. Although she wasn't a princess herself, she still had some decent conditions, even if her body didn't. She was glad to be here, at least with her dream world body, instead of her real-world one.
"I didn't realize it was this bad, Sunny," Cassie said, feeling a bit sorry for him. "He's suffered in the real world, and things have just gotten worse for him now that he's become a Sleeper."
"No need to worry, it wasn't that bad. The dream world is even worse," Sunny commented, even though it wasn't entirely true. After all, the dream world was indeed much worse than life on the fringes.
Inside, a tired officer glanced at him briefly, frowning with evident disgust.
"Are you lost, kid?"
Sunny looked around curiously, observing reinforced armor plates on the walls and poorly hidden guard towers on the ceiling. The officer also seemed careless and grumpy. At least police stations were the same everywhere you went.
"Hey! I'm talking to you!"
Sunny cleared his throat.
"Oh, no."
He then scratched his head and added:
"As required by the Third Special Directive, I'm here to turn myself in as a bearer of the Nightmare Spell."
"Why are we here anyway? I thought it would show us someone more important, no offense kid," Beastmaster said, her calm speech and raspy voice, which was quite pleasant to hear, echoing in the room.
Sunny looked at her, fully agreeing: "No offense taken, on the contrary, I completely agree."
"We are here for a purpose. Don't be impatient. Besides, the very fact that the Nightmare Spell brought us here and is showing this kid means he has some importance," replied Saint Cor, with a penetrating gaze and a severe demeanor, showing his familiarity with exercising authority and taking responsibility.
"We should pay attention to what is being shown. The sooner we watch, the sooner we can leave. Let's end these discussions for now," suggested Madoc of Valor.
"I agree," Saint Cor concurred.
The officer's expression shifted instantly from irritated to cautious. He looked at the young man once again, this time with intense scrutiny.
"Are you sure you're infected? When did you start showing symptoms?"
Sunny shrugged.
"About a week ago?"
"Seriously, it took you a week to come to the station?" Jet asked.
"I thought I was going to die, so I decided to make the most of the time," he replied casually.
Master Jet shrugged; she was like that too.
"You thought you were going to die?" Nephis asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes."
Nephis frowned at his response.
The officer visibly paled.
"Shit."
Then, with a hasty gesture, he pressed a button on his terminal and shouted:
"Attention! Code Black at reception! I repeat! CODE BLACK!"
…
The Nightmare Spell first appeared in the world a few decades ago. Back then, the planet was just starting to recover from a series of devastating natural disasters and subsequent resource wars.
At first, the emergence of a new disease that caused millions of people to complain about constant fatigue and sleepiness did not attract a lot of attention. But when they started to fall into an unnatural slumber, with no sign of waking up even days later, governments finally panicked. Of course, by then it was already too late — not that an early response could have made any difference.
When the infected started dying in their sleep, their dead bodies turning into monsters, no one was ready. Nightmare Creatures quickly overwhelmed national militaries, plunging the world into complete chaos.
No one knew what the Spell was, what powers it possessed, and how to fight it.
In the end, it was the Awakened — those who survived the first trials of the Spell and came back alive — who put a stop to its rampage. Armed with miraculous abilities earned in their Nightmares, they restored peace and created a semblance of a new order.
Of course, it was only the first of the catastrophes brought upon by the Spell. But as far as Sunny was concerned, none of it had anything to do with him — not until a few days ago, that is, when he first started having trouble with staying awake.
"Why didn't any of this matter to you?" Kai was curious about Sunny; he found him interesting.
"Because for me, there was nothing—no family to help me. If this happened, it was basically my death sentence, so there was no point in thinking about it," Sunny commented. Sometimes, he couldn't believe he was still alive, that someone like him had survived the nightmare.
"I see," Kai replied, finding the whole situation sad. He was basically waiting for death there. "Ah." Sighing, he shook his head, feeling sorry for the situation.
For an average person, being chosen by the Spell was as much of a risk as an opportunity. Kids learned survival skills and fighting techniques in school, on the off chance of being infected. Well-to-do families hired private tutors to train their children in all sorts of martial arts. Those from the Awakened clans even had access to powerful legacies, wielding inherited Memories and Echoes in their first visit to the Dream Realm.
The richer your family was, the better your chances of surviving and becoming an Awakened were.
But for Sunny, who had no family to speak of and spent most of his time scrounging for food instead of going to school, being chosen by the Spell presented no opportunity at all. To him, it was basically a death sentence.
"Even for normal people or those from the great clans, the Spell is still a death sentence," said Master Jet. "It's sad to see children going through this."
"Unfortunately, this is now the norm. There's no escaping it," stated Saint Cor.
Morgan didn't understand what he had gone through; maybe that's why she was so interested in it. After all, she had everything from birth and couldn't say she knew what he had experienced. How can you understand the sufferings of someone who's been hungry without ever going through it yourself? It wasn't possible. So, being able to see someone's thoughts and feelings about these things was intriguing, and connecting with this kind of person could be quite beneficial to her.
Nephis didn't know how to feel about what was being shown. She was seeing a new side of Sunny that she never thought she would see. He, who always seemed to want to live as much as she did, had given up on life. She felt a bit of anger towards Sunny for giving up like that, but she couldn't blame him for it.
A few minutes later, Sunny was yawning while several policemen were busy putting him in restraints. Soon he was fastened into a bulky chair that looked like a weird mix between a hospital bed and a torture device. The room they were in was situated in the basement of the police station, with thick armored walls and a formidable-looking vault door. Other officers were standing near the walls, with automatic rifles in their hands and grim expressions on their faces.
Sunny did not particularly care about them. The only thing he could think about was how much he wanted to sleep.
"Yeah, it's terrible to feel that sleepy, but you're only like this because you waited too long," commented Master Jet.
"Seriously, I know, it's my fault," Sunny rolled his eyes. 'I took so long because I didn't want to die.'
"I remember it was the same for me too, I felt extremely sleepy and could only think about going to sleep," said Kai about when he was infected by the Nightmare Seed.
"Yes, same here. My parents were really worried," Cassie added.
A few minutes later, Sunny was yawning while several policemen were busy putting him in restraints. Soon he was fastened into a bulky chair that looked like a weird mix between a hospital bed and a torture device. The room they were in was situated in the basement of the police station, with thick armored walls and a formidable-looking vault door. Other officers were standing near the walls, with automatic rifles in their hands and grim expressions on their faces.
Sunny did not particularly care about them. The only thing he could think about was how much he wanted to sleep.
Finally, the vault door opened, and a gray-haired policeman walked in. He had a seasoned face and stern eyes, looking like someone who had seen a lot of terrible things in his life. After checking the restraints, the policeman glanced quickly on his wristwatch and then turned to Sunny:
"What's your name, kid?"
Sunny blinked a few times, trying to concentrate, then shifted uncomfortably.
"Sunless."
"Sunless, is that really your name? I thought you made it up to avoid telling your real one," Seishan asked.
"Yes, it's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mother had a poetic soul, you know," Sunny recalled saying the same words to the police officer. Even though he didn't want to admit it, his life used to be much easier.
But when has anything ever gone right for him? Death had always been close by. He never had the certainty that things would work out. It was always like that. No, that's not true.
Back when his parents were alive, even though they didn't have much, things weren't bad. For him, it felt like everything would be okay, that they would manage. He couldn't have been more wrong. Everything fell apart.
Cassie looked at him and said cheerfully:
"I think it suits you, Sunny. Don't you agree, Nephis?"
"Really, uh, thanks," Sunny replied, though it sounded more like a question.
Nephis nodded in agreement with Cassie's words.
Sunny felt his face flush slightly at their compliments. He couldn't remember the last time someone said something nice about him. He turned his head toward the screen to hide his embarrassment, but unfortunately, Effie was right beside him.
Pinching Sunny's cheeks, Effie teased:
"What's this, are you embarrassed?" Effie laughed as she spoke. Sunny pulled her hands off his cheeks, feeling both irritated and embarrassed.
"Pff."
"Why are you laughing, idiot?" Even Nephis had a small smile, amused by the situation.
The old policeman raised an eyebrow.
"Sunless? That's a strange name."
Sunny tried to shrug, but found himself unable to move.
"What's so strange about it? At least I have a name. Back in the outskirts, not everyone even gets one."
After another yawn, he added:
"It's because I was born during a solar eclipse. My mom had a poetic soul, you see."
That's why he got this weird-ass name and his little sister was called Rain… back when she still lived with them, at least. Whether it was the result of poetic imagination or simple laziness, he did not know.
Nephis turned her head to him and asked, "Do you have a sister?"
Nodding in agreement, he replied, "Yes, why?"
Cassie, playing with her hair, said teasingly, "Oh, it's just that we would never have guessed. You don't seem—"
Cassie didn't finish her sentence because it was a bit offensive, and she didn't want to hurt Sunny's feelings.
"I get what you mean. She and I don't have any contact anymore." After all, his sister was much better off without him. There was no need for him to interfere in her life.
The old policeman grunted.
"Do you want me to contact your family?"
Sunny simply shook his head.
"There's no one. Don't bother."
For a second, there was a dark look on the policeman's face. Then his expression turned serious.
"Alright, Sunless. How long can you stay awake?"
"Uh… not long."
The policeman sighed.
"Then we don't have time for the full procedure. Try to resist for as long as you can and listen to me very carefully. Okay?"
Not waiting for a response, he added:
"How much do you know about the Nightmare Spell?"
Sunny gave him a questioning look.
"As much as anyone, I guess? Who doesn't know about the Spell?"
"Not the fancy stuff you see in dramas and hear in the propaganda broadcasts. I mean how much do you really know?"
That was a hard question to answer.
"Don't I just go into the Dream Realm, kill a few monsters to complete the First Nightmare, receive magic powers and become an Awakened?"
Santo Cor shook his head at Sunny's words.
"A very common thought that most people have. This knowledge should be mandatory for everyone."
Sunny, feeling a bit irritated, replied to the Saint, "I didn't have that knowledge because I'm from the outskirts."
The Saint smiled and responded, unfazed by the irritation in Sunny's voice:
"I know, my boy. That's why I said it. People from the outskirts or those who are poorer have the right to know about the nightmare spell, just like anyone who received a good education does."
Sunny blinked, a little surprised by his response.
"Oh, yeah, I get it."
Morgan looked at him and spoke, somewhat surprised:
"It's surprising you survived with almost no knowledge of the nightmare. You must have been lucky to receive some kind of ability early on in the nightmare."
Sunny grimaced at her words.
"Unfortunately, I wasn't lucky enough to get a combat ability."
Morgan was a bit surprised:
"Really? Then how did you survive?" she asked, curious.
"I was lucky, but you'll see soon enough."
The old policeman shook his head.
"Listen carefully. Once you fall asleep, you will be transported inside your First Nightmare. Nightmares are trials created by the Spell. Once inside, you will meet monsters, sure, but you will also meet people. Remember: they are not real. They're just illusions conjured up to test you." Gét latest 𝒏ovel ch𝒂pters on n𝒐v(e)lbj/n(.)c/𝒐m
"How do you know?"
The policeman just stared at him.
"I mean, no one understands what the Spell is and how it works, right? So how do you know that they're not real?"
"You might have to kill them, kid. So do yourself a favor and just think about them as illusions."
"Oh."
Kai sighed, remembering his first nightmare: "Unfortunately, he's right."
Cassie looked at him and responded, "Yes, but it was the only solution for us to l
Sunny looked at them and said, "I don't see anything wrong with what we did. It was kill or be killed, and I prefer to live rather than them. It's the law of the strongest; there's no reason to feel bad."
Nephis agreed with Sunny's perspective: "He's correct. That's how things work in our world. It was
Kai replied with a small smile, "I know, I just don't like how things are now. It's a bit sad, don't you think?"
No one disagreed with Kai because it was true. It wa
The old policeman waited for a second, then nodded and continued.
"A lot of things about the First Nightmare depend on luck. Generally, it shouldn't be overwhelmingly hard. The situation you're in, the tools you have at your disposal and the creatures you have to defeat should be within the range of your abilities, at least. After all, the Spell sets up trials, not executions. You're a bit disadvantaged due to… well… your circumstances. But kids from the outskirts are tough. Don't give up on yourself just yet."
"Uh-uh."
Sunny was getting more and more sleepy. It was becoming hard to follow the conversation.
"About those "magic powers" you mentioned… you will indeed receive them if you survive until the end of the Nightmare. What those powers will be, exactly, depends on your natural affinity as well what you do during the trial. But some of it will be at your disposal right from the start…"
The voice of the old policeman sounded more and more distant. Sunny's eyelids were so heavy that he was struggling to keep his eyes open.
"Remember: the first thing you must do once inside the Nightmare is to check your Attributes and your Aspect. If you get a combat-oriented Aspect, something like a Swordsman or an Archer, things will be easier. If it is reinforced by a physical Attribute, then that's even better. Combat Aspects are the most common, so the probability of receiving one is high."
The armored room was growing dimmer.
"If you're unlucky and your Aspect has nothing to do with combat, don't despair. Sorcery and utility Aspects are useful in their own ways, you'll just have to be smart about it. There are really no useless Aspects. Well, almost. So just do anything in your power to survive."
"If you survive, you will be halfway to becoming an Awakened. But if you die, you'll open a gate for a Nightmare Creature to appear in the real world. Which means that my colleagues and I will have to deal with it. So… please don't die, Sunless."
Already half-asleep, Sunny felt a bit touched by the policeman's words.
Sunny clicked his tongue upon hearing that again, now more awake.
'That bastard. I thought he was genuinely concerned about me.'
"Or, at least, try to not die right away. The nearest Awakened won't be able to get here for a few hours, so we would really appreciate it if you don't make us fight that thing ourselves…"
'What?'
Effie laughed as she teased, "Wow, what concern he has for you. After that 'don't die' speech, he follows up with a 'at least not immediately.'"
Kai and Cassie chuckled softly, unlike Effie, who was laughing heartily.
'Why are they even with me, just to make fun of me?' Sunny complained to himself with a grimace.
'Well, at least Nephis isn't laughing at me too.' Sunny glanced at Nephis, but she had her hand over her mouth, as if hiding a smile.
'Tsk, never mind, even she's laughing.'
With that last thought, Sunny finally slipped into a deep slumber.
Everything became black.
And then, in the darkness, a faintly familiar voice rang:
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
In the darkest corner of the room, forgotten and almost camouflaged by the shadows, lay a small fragment of a broken mirror. Its stained and uneven surface captured fragmented reflections of the surrounding environment. In one of these distorted pieces, a male figure was visible, silently observing with a faint smile on his lips. His eyes seemed fixed on Morgan Of Valor, whose imposing presence contrasted with the almost mysterious serenity of the man in the mirror.
Morgan, absorbed in her own thoughts, was unaware of the perceptive eyes studying her through the broken mirror. It was as if that fragment was more than just a shattered object; it was a window into an unspoken past or an imminent future.
As the surroundings continued with their dynamic of whispered conversations and latent tensions, the man in the mirror maintained his enigmatic smile.