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"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?!"
"I told you as soon as I realized!"
(Not really, she had a lot of time for at least a simple warning.)
We were being chased by gigantic worms.
The small worms that had been covering the ground were now merging together, growing at an alarming rate. In mere minutes, they had transformed into colossal beasts, each as thick as a tree trunk. They devoured everything in sight—other worms, the landscape—and of course, they were coming for us next.
The struggle was mine alone. Remistia, thankfully, floated above me, her ability to fly keeping her well out of danger. But that didn't mean she wasn't a nuisance. Her way of "helping" was becoming more and more irritating.
"On your left! I mean right! Jump! Wait, no—don't jump!"
"Remistia, this is not helping!" I growled between gasps, barely dodging another worm's gnashing jaws.
"I don't know! Just hold on for two more minutes!"
(Want a dramatic countdown from 120?)
No, I don't.
Those next two minutes were pure agony. The worms were growing larger and stronger by the second, and no matter how many times I dodged, they kept closing in. My movements were slowing as exhaustion set in.
"Okay! Last five seconds! Try to get on top of one of them!"
"What?! Why?!" I gasped, barely managing to roll out of the path of an incoming worm.
"Just do it!"
Out of sheer desperation, I leaped onto the back of one of the massive worms. Its rubbery skin shifted beneath me, but I held my balance.
"Five!"
I dodged two more that came hurtling toward me, dropping back to the ground and narrowly avoiding their thrashing bodies.
"Four!"
Three more worms lunged at me, and I could feel the ground quake under their weight. The pain in my legs surged as I forced every ounce of somnium from my core into them, making one last attempt to outrun them.
"Three!" she shouted.
I pushed harder, my muscles screaming in protest, but it wasn't enough.
"Two—uh—One! Zero!"
Her sudden rush threw me off, and in that moment of confusion, one of the worms latched onto my leg. I kicked it away with everything I had left, but the pain shot through me like fire. Just then, the ground shifted.
The "sun" suddenly shot up from the earth, a massive orb of light erupting into the sky. In an instant, the worms stopped their assault. One by one, they turned toward the light, their attention no longer on us but on the blazing orb in the sky. They writhed and slithered toward it, drawn to it like moths to a flame.
I collapsed onto the sand, catching my breath, watching as the entire swarm of worms converged beneath the false sun. The ground beneath them began to shake violently. Something was coming—something massive.
"Don't worry," Remistia said, her voice calming. "We're at a safe distance."
The earth trembled violently, then suddenly, it went still. The worms huddled together under the artificial sun, creating a mountain of writhing bodies. Then, without warning, the ground split open, and an enormous maw, kind of like a crocodile's mouth but far larger, surfaced from beneath. The mountain of worms tumbled into the gaping jaws, which closed with a deafening snap.
The mouth remained open for a moment, then slowly closed, standing there like a gigantic monolith.
(What the hell is that thing?!)
Kran's voice was justified. If I'd stayed in the same spot where I'd found Remistia, I would've been worm food by now.
"Don't move yet," Remistia cautioned, her tone serious. "It's still searching for vibrations. If you move now, it might sense us."
My heart pounded, every instinct screaming at me to run, but I listened. I held still, not daring to even breathe too loudly.
After what felt like an eternity, the earth beneath us calmed, and the creature's jaws finally disappeared beneath the surface. The desert returned to its eerie, lifeless state, as though nothing had happened.
"What was that thing?" I asked, my voice trembling with relief as I exhaled the breath I'd been holding.
"That was a Wormeater," Remistia replied. "It's the only real inhabitant of this world. That 'sun' you saw earlier—it's not real. It's just bait, meant to lure creatures like the worms. But I guess you figured that out already. We should be safe for a while. It won't come back anytime soon."
"You seem to know a lot about this place," I said, raising an eyebrow. " Do you know about this place?"
"Of course! I am a guide after all!" she declared proudly.
(So, she really is a guide, huh? Guess the universe decided to balance out your luck.)
Having a guide literally fall into my arms when I needed one most did seem too good to be true. There had to be more to her story.
"Are you really a guide?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes at her.
"Eh... I think I count as one..." she mumbled, clearly hesitant.
It didn't take much prodding before she started to explain.
"It's a long story, but... okay," she sighed. "Remember that I said my family kicked me out? My family's part of the Nyctrian—my kind— nobility, They expected me, as the second daughter, to follow their path. But I've always wanted to explore other worlds and reach the Land of Dreams one day. Normally, Nyctrians born small like me, but become able to change their sizes after a certain age. but I couldn't do it, leaving me small like this. Obviously, being a Wanderer wasn't an option for me. Instead, I decided to become a guide!"
She puffed up her chest, regaining some of her confidence.
"I secretly studied all kinds of worlds in the Dreamscape. I learned about their history, cultures, and even memorized nearly every gate known to man!"
"Seems impressive," I said, nodding. "So why say 'I think I count as one'?"
"Well... my parents didn't take it well when they found out. We had a huge argument, and they kicked me out, told me not to use the family name. I panicked earlier when I gave you my full name, but just call me Rem, okay? After that, I tried to find a Wanderer who would hire me, but no one except those from the Third Plane really try to reach the Land of Dreams anymore. When I finally found someone, they kicked me into a gate, stole my money, and I found myself here in the middle of the sky. You know the rest."
(Quite the story for a little snack...) Kran mused.
Rem was a self-taught guide with no experience, and without her family's support, she was clearly struggling. Still, her misfortunes were a stroke of luck for me.
"So, you don't have a Wanderer with you right now?"
"As I said, I don't have any real experience," she admitted.
"Then be my guide," I said, meeting her gaze. "Help me reach the Land of Dreams."
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "Wait... you're serious?! You're not joking, right? Please don't be joking!"
(She seems happy. Don't you think?)
I ignored Kran's comment. "I'm serious, Rem. But you should know—I arrived in the Second Plane just a few hours ago. Still, do you accept?"
"Yes! Absolutely, I accept! I'll be your guide!" She answered with a flurry of excited responses, without a trace of hesitation.
"This is the best day of my life..." she murmured.
"Didn't you get robbed and almost die twice today?"
"And it's still the best day."
(Perfect. A duo of weirdos.)
Says the voice in my head.
---
As we walked—well, I walked while Rem sat on my shoulder—I told her about how I ended up here. Of course, I made sure to leave out some parts, per Kran's suggestion. It wasn't information that needed to be shared, and I agreed with his logic.
"So, your world was invaded by another world, A Mouth of Dream appeared, and it sent the survivors—including you and your sister—into the Second Plane. Now you're looking for her after being separated?"
"That's more or less correct," I replied.
"And here I thought I was the one having a bad day."
"Don't be too hard on yourself. You've been through a lot."
"At least pretend to be a little sad, will you?"
Our conversation continued until, suddenly, Rem called out for me to stop. We were still in the middle of the empty desert, with nothing in sight.
"It should be down here."
"Down? There's no 'down' here."
"Hehe, trust your guide and watch."
She fluttered off my shoulder and landed on the sand, tapping it with a peculiar rhythm. A few seconds passed in silence. Nothing happened.
"I'm too small for this..."
"Just tell me what to do."
"Stomp to the ground in the same rhythm I tap your back, okay?"
I nodded, feeling the tension rise. Rem began tapping my back in a slow, rhythmic pattern. I mimicked her, stomping into the sand, following her lead. It didn't take long before the ground beneath us began to shift, like it was coming alive. The sand spiraled into a whirlpool, pulling us down.
(She set us up!)
Relax. She's sinking with us.
I glanced at Rem, who clung tightly to my clothes as we were pulled into the sandpit. "This is supposed to happen, right?"
"Yes, just let yourself go!" she replied, though the way she was gripping me suggested otherwise.
Before I could fully process what was happening, the sand's pull intensified, and I dropped through into an underground chamber. The fall wasn't long, and I landed on my feet, brushing the dust off as I stood up.
I took a moment to take in my surroundings. We were in a vast, cavernous hall, the walls lined with intricate carvings that seemed ancient—worn but still clear enough to tell stories long forgotten. As we ventured deeper into the chamber, the space expanded into an enormous open area. In the center of the room, a surreal structure dominated the scene. Frame like structure seemed to split in multiple pieces, revealing a portal glowing with rings of vibrating somnium, calm yet brimming with energy. Surrounding it was a strange, broken web-like structure, with curved lines floating above it, anchoring the fragmented portal frame in place.
"There it is," Rem said, gesturing to the shimmering portal. "That's the gate that leads to the world of gnomes and fairies. It'll open in about an hour."
I stared at the portal, intrigued. "Do all gates look like this?" I asked, curious to learn more about the Dreamscape.
"They vary a little from world to world, but yeah, most gates are more or less the same," she replied.
My eyes wandered to the carvings on the walls. "These carvings… they look like the Wormeater."
"Yeah, they are. These are the last remnants left by the inhabitants of this world. There are five other gates like this, each surrounded by carvings like these. They're essentially the history records of this dying world. Their final effort to not be forgotten."
"They went extinct?" I frowned. "I thought they might have escaped to a different world because of the Wormeater."
"No," Rem said, her tone somber. "The people here once worshipped the Wormeater. Back then, it was a divine being to them, a creator of the sun and life. It had a different name in those times, and this world was… well, much more alive. No one knows exactly what happened, but everything here began to die. Some managed to leave, but many chose to stay and perish with their world. The language used in these carvings is lost, so we only know bits and pieces from the stories passed down by the descendants of those who left."
(Hmm, little snack knows more than I thought. I'm disappointed she can't read the language of dragonlords, though.)
"Wait, you can read them?" I asked, surprised by Kran's sudden revelation.
"Hm? I can't read them," Rem said, confused. She thought I was talking to her.
"No, I meant Kran. My… bond can read those writings," I clarified.
Her eyes lit up in awe. "He can?! Quick, tell me what it says!"
(I am not your bond... but fine. The carvings tell the story of a battle between the Dragonlord of this world and the Wormeater. Apparently, the Wormeater was evolving into a Dragonlord, and the resident Dragonlord tried to banish it. The fight between them ravaged this land, turning it into the desert we see now. The Dragonlord lost the battle and died. The Wormeater, severely damaged, was cursed for killing a Dragonlord. That's when it became what you know today.)
I repeated the story to Rem, who listened intently, her eyes wide with fascination.
"So that's what happened… It's incredible that your bond can read the language of the Dragonlords! They haven't taught it to anyone since the age of Wanderers," she said, her voice filled with awe.
How do you know to read that?
(Heh. Like I would say that.)
I will find out eventually.
"...This might be a weird time to ask, but what exactly is a Dragonlord? They aren't just dragons?" I asked to Rem.
"Not even close," Rem said with a shake of her head. "Dragons and Dragonlords may look similar, but they're completely different. Dragons are large, sentient lizards. They gain intelligence as they grow older and live for centuries, but they still eventually die. Most can only use somnium in simple ways, like manipulating a single element. Dragonlords, on the other hand, are only born alongside worlds in Second Plane, and they die with that world. They can change form, and from the moment they are born, they possess mastery over vast amounts of somnium. They protect their world and all life within it, rarely interfering with anything outside their duties. They spend most of their time sleeping in the core of their world. Some even call them Guardians."
And the Wormeater killed one of those...
(Wait, I've got a brilliant idea.)
What is it?
(The heart of a Dragonlord is indestructible, except by another Dragonlord. It's probably still somewhere in this world.)
Why would that matter?
(Eating the heart of a Dragonlord would refine your core beyond anything you can imagine. It's one of the fastest ways to gain strength, and you're weaker than the worms crawling outside.)
First of all, how am I supposed to eat something indestructible? And why do you keep suggesting I eat weird things?
(I'm telling you, it's for your own good! I know how you can eat it—trust me on this.)
It's pointless. The worms and the Wormeater would devour anything outside in a day, no way that heart is still here.
(Ugh... such a golden opportunity, ruined by worms.)
Don't worry. I'm sure there will be other chances.
---
We were in silence now. I was checking the knives in the bracelet, because I was curious about what kind of material they were made from.
"We've been waiting for a while now," I said, breaking the silence. "When's this gate supposed to open?"
Rem was still examining the carvings on the walls, lost in thought. "I'm not sure. I guessed the time based on when the Wormeater last fed. It always does so at the same time. We definitely should've made it here on time. These gates that only open at certain points in time are a real pain..."
She fluttered closer to the gate, inspecting it.
"This doesn't even look near ready... Did I make a mistake with the timing?" she muttered to herself.
"I doubt it," I said, reassuring her. "You managed to find this hidden place using nothing but what you remembered from books. I don't think you'd make such a simple mistake."
"Then why isn't—" Her words were cut off as the ground began to tremble.
"What's that?" I said, alarmed.
The entire chamber shook violently, just like when the Wormeater first appeared.
"But it fed only six hours ago!" Rem exclaimed, panic creeping into her voice. "It's supposed to go 52 hours between meals!"
It didn't matter why or how. The Wormeater was awake, and it was coming. We had no choice but to stay here and hope the gate opened in time.
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