The next day he first decided to take a warm shower before messaging Rain since they haven't seen or talked to each other in weeks.
"Hey, Rain. I survived my Nightmare and I'm in the Awakened Academy right now"
Ragna waited for a while but Rain didn't message him back.
'Oh, right. She should be in school right now.'
Since Ragna still had time till his Wilderness Survival class started he thought about what to do now.
He could of course join another class but he was too lazy right now so he decided to go to the cafeteria, not because he needed the food, since his flaw obviously made it useless for him to eat normal food, but because most people would be there right now so he could maybe see something interesting or just talk with someone.
He quickly changed into some clothes that were provided to him from the Academy and left his room, walking towards the cafeteria.
After walking for around 10 minutes he arrived in front of the building and walked inside where he found many sleepers, just like him, talking and eating with eachother.
He looked around and saw a familiar face, Layla, who was sitting alone at a table, slowly taking a spoonful of a soup and eating it. Ragna decided to walk towards her and sat down next to her.
"Hey, Layla"
"Hello, Ragna"
They awkwardly sat still for a while before Layla actually decided to speak up
"Are you not going to get anything to eat ?"
"Oh ... uhm. I can't really eat normal food. It has something to do with my flaw. By the way, what did you do with the soul shard we got yesterday for winning the tournament ?"
"I simply absorbed it, you ?"
"I didn't do anything with it because I have no use for it ... hey, Layla, lets say I'll give you the soul shard, will you do something for me ?"
Layla showed slight interest in the deal.
"What do you want for it ?"
"Your blood .. I'm pretty hungry and my mouth is dry."
Layla looked at him with a deadpan expression.
"Do you have a blood fetish ?"
After Layla said that Ragna was hit with déjà-vu, like some purple haired girl had asked him the same question just yesterday.
"What ? Of course not ! Didn't I tell you that my flaw makes me unable to eat normal food ? Thats because i need drink fresh blood of humans !"
"I see ... I guess we can do that. So where's the soul shard ?"
"I left it in my room. Lets do the trade there because it's not like i want to drink your blood here in public"
Layla just nodded and continued with her soup while talking with Ragna about their future when they would all be sent to the Dream Realm.
***
While Ragna and Layla walked towards his room they walked by the monthly leaderboard. Ragna was over Celeste, probably because he won the tournament yesterday but Celeste was over Layla since she won against her in the 1 versus 1, even if Layla won in the end because of Ragna. But over all of them stood 1 more name, Caspian.
He took the first spot of the rankings, standing above all. He came from The House of Nights clan but what really made him stand out was that he had a True Name, or rather made his True Name public, not like Ragna or Celeste.
'[Poseidons Trident], huh ?'
Without Ragna knowing it, since he woke up from his Nightmare just yesterday, the Name of Caspian has been gaining popularity since he was the only known person after [Changing Star] to get a True Name after the first Nightmare so he was known as the next wave of hope for humanity.
Ragna, not caring that much since he knew that there were more people like him just continued walking to his room with Layla.
After they arrived Layla sat down on a chair while Ragna searched for the soul shard. After finding it he gave it to Layla.
"Here. Now your side of the trade."
Layla summoned a Memory, a small dagger and cut herself arm slightly before holding it out with a slightly amused grin.
"Why are you grinning ?"
"Oh, it's nothing, just drink"
Ragna leaned forward and started drinking directly from the arm till he was satiated, which actually didn't take too much blood since he had some yesterday.
***
A hour later Ragna walked towards the Wilderness Survival class where teacher Julius already waited for him. He was actually pretty excited because the first lesson, which happened yesterday was actually fun and helpful.
When he arrived, Teacher Julius greeted him by throwing stones at him.
"You gotta be ready for everything at every time, boy ! You won't survive in the Dream Realm like that"
Thankfully Ragna dodged the stones just in time
"That won't work on me, Teach. So what's on the plan today ?"
"Hmph! Such an arrogant boy. We'll be delving deeper into the Dream Realm itself this time. About different kind of Monsters and Locations. About how to survive and what to do in certain situations.
***
As the months slowly passed Ragna grew more and more confident in his skills and chance of surviving in the Dream Realm.
he spent most of his time with Celeste and-or Layla or learning from Teacher Julius.
Overall his time at the Awakened Academy was pretty nice. There was just one thing that confused Ragna. Not once has he seen Caspian at his time in the Academy but that would change today since the time of the winter solstice arrived, they would be sent to the Dream Realm today.
Ragna awoke inside of his bed, feeling very dizzy and sleepy, the Nightmare Spell wanted to pull him in. He decided to take a hot shower, the last one for a while.
He didn't know if he would survive but he would defenitely try and come out stronger than anyone.
There were things that scared him.
Of course the monsters and the dream realm itself but also outside sources like his first Flaw, [Bloodthirsty]. There was a big chance that he wouldn't have Layla or Celeste to give him blood to satiate his hunger and thirst, or any human in general from which he could take it forcefully and that would mean death.
But his [Fated] Attribute wouldn't let him die like that, right ? Well, Ragna atleast hoped that.
There were no classes today but he still decided to message Rain and visit Teacher Julius to leave his goodbyes.
As the day slowly passed and it got darker outside Teacher Rock, the one who would be sending them to the Dream Realm and the one who hosted the 2 versus 2 Tournament gathered some sleeper, Ragan included while other Teachers did the same.
The Teachers led everyone to the Academy's medical center to keep their bodies safe in a specially designed pot and sustained by the magical powers of the Healers at the building.
After around 40 minutes the time arrived. everyone was led to their personal pods and prepared to enter them.
When Ragan was inside he looked around, looking for his friends but he didn't see them from his position but he saw someone else, Caspian. He looked confident, like he wasn't scared.
'Fucking bastard. be a little more anxious !'
After that Ragna just laid back and closed his eyes as darkness overtook him a voice he didn't like spoke into his mind.
[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Ragna!]
***
Ragna found himself high in the air, falling down as he felt his body sweating because of the absurd heat.
But Ragna wasn't just falling down because under him was a fucking huge and active volcano.
He instinctively summoned his [Redfur Cloak], knowing that it wouldn't do much
'Fuck, what is this shit ?! How do I get out of a situation like this ?'
As Ragna continued to struggle at finding or thinking of anything that could help him, he suddenly felt to claws clawing at his back. When he looked up he saw a bird like dinosaur creature with wings holding him and flying away.
'Where the fuck am I ? Teacher Julius never said that a place with Volcanos and dinosaur like creatures existed in the Dream Realm. Is this an unexplored area ? At least I'm not falling into the Volcano anymore but the situation now isn't that much better !'
As the creature continued flying they slowly got closer to a mountain, or rather a nest that was at the top of one. He could see babies of the same species that was holding him right now in the nest, wanting to get fed.
'Is this stupid creature literally hunting for food that it can give it's children ?'
After they got neared he augmented his fist and punched the creatures chest, the blood slash hitting the creatures inside, killing it in an instant.
[You have slain a dormant beast, Skylith]
[You have spilled Blood]
[Your Core grows stronger]
As the Skylith died and let Ragna go he landed on the outer part of the Mountain top, a few dozen meters away from the babies.
He summoned his runes.
Name: Ragna
...
...
Blood spilled: [151/10000]
...
...
His "Blood spilled meter" indeed rose, from 147 to 151, telling Ragna that it indeed had something to do with how much blood his enemies spilled. Since the creature was just slightly bigger than a human and since the wound wasn't that big it "only" spilled 4 litres.
'I feel slightly stronger. So this Blood spilled meter indeed replaced the soul fragments. Nice to know. I wonder what happens when I reach the ten thousand mark.'
After making his runes disappear he looked around.
He was on the top of a mountain so he had a nice view of everything. Since his sun was left to him right now and it looked like it was morning he knew that to his left was east.
East of him were dozens of Volcanoes, some active some not,lining up like a chain. To his right, so west was just sand, nothing else, just sand and some pyramids here and there.
To his North he only saw one singular big city, built in stone stand. He probably would go there first. But what really scared him was south.
It was nothing ... a huge veil of complete darkness, covering kilometer over kilometer.
'I hope the need to go there will never arrive. My quest is to escape the Dream Realm and become an Awakened by finding a strong hold. My best chances are at the city.'
And overall it was just fucking hot at this damned place which Ragna really didn't appreciate. He first decided to kill the babies of the Skylith since they were pretty much free.
[You have slain ...]
[You have slain ...]
[You have slain ...]
[You have spilled Blood]
[Your Core grows stronger]
'Guess it's time to go now and survive in this hell'
——-Author's Notes——-
Words: 1835
Finally arrived at the Dream Realm. Hope y'all like this Area that I created because I can finally let me creativity run free💯
Guess this is it.
Peace ✌️