Even though Zen had seen this view countless times, this experience felt different. Every other time he awoke, the details of the dream began to blur, slipping through his mind like sand through his fingers. Yet, it wasn't as though there was much to recall. The world he witnessed was always the same—barren, gray, and devoid of life.
The most unsettling part? The perspective. The person whose eyes he was seeing through never moved. Their gaze was always fixed in one direction, unwavering and intent, locked on a single structure in the distance.
The Cathedral.
This time, however, Everything felt sharper, clearer. His vision didn't waver or dim, and the oppressive weight of the Cathedral's presence seemed almost suffocating. For the first time, Zen wasn't just observing.
The city sprawled before Zen, a dark labyrinth of towering spires and crumbling stone facades, shrouded in a constant veil of mist. Narrow cobbled streets twisted between ancient buildings, their windows dark and unwelcoming, while the faint glow of flickering lanterns cast eerie shadows that stretched unnaturally across the wet pavement. Above, the sky was a somber gray, and the moon hung like a ghostly sentinel, illuminating the city's vast clocktowers, taverns and looming buildings.
A chilling stillness permeated the air, broken only by the distant toll of bells and the faint shuffle of cloaked figures moving through the fog, their faces hidden in shadow. The city felt suspended in time—alive yet abandoned, its age-old secrets hidden in the creaking stone and tangled ivy. There was no warmth, only the cold presence of forgotten history, and the sense that the city itself was watching, waiting, for something to stir in its eternal gloom.
"Do you know something about this place?" the black-haired girl's voice sliced through the silence, snapping Zen out of his thoughts,her tone sharp and inquisitive, her dark eyes narrowing as she studied him.
Zen glanced at her, his expression blank "And what made you think that?" he shot back, keeping his voice cool.
"You're too calm for someone stuck in a strange place," she remarked, her tone carrying just the right amount of suspicion.
'Calm?' Zen thought to himself. He was anything but calm. If this was a dream, things would be different—he'd be screaming in some weird robed body, not his own. He was really here, in his own skin, feeling every bit of the confusion and tension in his bones. Questions racing through his mind. Is this still a dream? Or some kind of illusion? Was he the reason they were all stuck here? And what if he died here—would he wake up, or just... die for real?
Zen spoke, his words laced with a sarcastic edge. "Well, if I lost my mind every time I woke up somewhere weird, I'd be out of mind by now," he said, stretching casually. "Besides, I've survived worse places than this. You think this spooky city's gonna freak me out?, I've seen slums darker than this, with people scarier than whatever's lurking in these streets."
The silver-haired girl, standing off to the side, finally spoke, her voice soft but purposeful. "We need to figure out what's going on here. Where are we, and how do we get out?"
The silver-haired girl looked around, her gaze scanning the eerie surroundings. "The peoples here don't seem to see or hear us," she said, her voice calm yet firm. "So talking to people and getting information is out of the question."
Black-haired girl nodded, turning to the silver-haired girl. "Then only two ways are left: exploring the city for an exit, or following them in that direction for clues." She pointed toward the walking robed figures, a determined look on her face.
Zen scratched his chin, deep in thought. "What if this is all an illusion, created by some multi-cored evolved creature or whatever it's called?" He shrugged, adding, "Not that I think a high-ranked creature could sneak into a safe zone without getting noticed by officers."
The silver-haired girl gave him a confident look. "They're alive."
"Huh?" Zen blinked in surprise. That was not what he had expected to hear.
"They have souls," she added, her eyes fixed on the robed figures. "I can feel it."
Zen didn't know what to make of this information. If this is a dream, how can they be alive? He thought, his mind racing. Or are we really transported to this weird place? The idea didn't sit well with him.
"We'll follow them for clues and see where they're going," Black-haired girl said, her voice firm and resolute.
The silver-haired girl nodded in agreement. "Okay."
Zen swallowed hard, a chill creeping down his spine as he thought about where they might be headed. Following them to the Cathedral? Just thinking about it gave him a wave of unease. His mind flashed back to the last time he'd been there—the people kneeling, the mural on the wall, the figure cloaked in shadow. And the pain... , the fucking pain. If only it had been a dream. But now? Now that he was in his real body?
' No way in hell, I'm not going back there. '
'But how the hell am I supposed to stop them?' Zen thought, his mind racing. 'Hey, don't go in there, there's this deadly painting that can kill people. Oh, and how do I know that? Simple—I dream about it every damn night. And no, I'm not the reason you guys are stuck here.'
"Wouldn't it be dangerous for normals to go in there?" Zen finally said aloud, his voice laced with fake concern. "I mean, if something goes wrong, you two can fight back with your powers, but we're just regular humans," he added, pointing to the driver, who was still looking lost and nervous.
"How about this?" Zen continued, trying to sound like a coward so they'd leave him out of it. "You two go that way, check out whatever creepy stuff is waiting for you. Meanwhile, we'll search around town for any clues."
Black-haired girl turned to him, her gaze cold as ice. "We never said you had to follow us," she stated flatly, her voice as sharp as a knife.
'This bitch'
"Okay, fine, wait here then," silver-haired said, her tone softer but still firm. "If you find anything, we'll meet you back here."
'Well, that was easier than expected', Zen thought. He nodded quickly and turned to walk down an alley with the driver.
But before he got too far, he stopped and glanced back over his shoulder. "Hey, wait a sec—what are your names? How do you expect me to scream when we find something?"
"Zara and Nyra," silver-haired replied, her eyes narrowing. "And don't scream," she added firmly, before disappearing into the crowd of hooded figures, heading straight for the cathedral without a second glance.