*Rumble*... *Rumble*... . The sound of thunder rolled across the sky, and with it, rain began to pour.

The door creaked open, revealing a figure whose face remained obscured by shadow. A gentle, calm voice filled the room, resonating with warmth and comfort.

"My child, why have you not fallen asleep yet?"

A child's voice replied, quivering with fear.

"Mom, I don't know. Whenever I try to sleep, I see you disappearing in front of my eyes. It feels like someone is taking you away from me."

The gentle voice soothed him. "My child, do not be afraid. I am with you."

"Mom, can you stay by my side forever?"

"My child, I will always be by your side."

"Okay then, let's be together forever like a family."

Silence enveloped the room, broken only by the relentless pouring of rain.

...plink…plink…plink…

"Mom, why are you not saying anything? Where are you going? Mom! Mom, you said you would not leave me! Mom!"

A person jolted awake, screaming, "Mom!" He wiped his tears and glanced around, realizing he had been sleeping beneath a gnarled tree. The sky above was pitch black, a void that loomed ominously over the barren plains that stretched endlessly before him.

The land was lifeless, with dark, coal-like rivers flowing slowly, eerily still yet moving. Mysterious creatures soared overhead, their silhouettes resembling dragons, but upon close inspection they were dragons, their wings slicing through the suffocating gloom. The sun, barely visible at the center of the sky, struggled against the thick, black clouds that cloaked it like an umbrella shielding against the rain, leaving the earth steeped in darkness.

This was no ordinary place; it felt like the end of the world.

And so began the dream—a tale yet to be told.

To be continued...