[Wake up, Shroudkeeper.]
The voice of the Nightmare Spell spoke, soft yet undeniable.
Arcadius's eyes twitched and he woke with a start. Sitting up with a groan, he looked around, taking in his surroundings. I guess there's no use denying it, he mused. I've actually been transported to this place. His surroundings were quite dirty. In fact, they were downright disgusting. He was on the inside of a ruined shack that he had come across while looking for a place to settle down. He was most likely in the outskirts of the NQSC: the Northern Quadrant Siege Capital.
Honestly, I don't even fully recall getting here, he thought. I was too busy fighting the urge to just fall asleep. And it was true. He recalled being in his bedroom, bored because he had had nothing productive or worthwhile to do. And then... then, it had happened. Darkness had swallowed his surroundings and a sharp pain had shot through his chest. He remembered clutching at his chest, almost trying to dig his own heart out. And the next moment, the pain had vanished, replaced by a dizziness. A lethargy so overwhelming that he could barely register his surroundings.
He had been in the middle of a road, with enormous buildings on either of his sides. Most of those buildings had been in shambles and ruins. It had also been raining. Soaking wet, he had barely had enough energy to remain standing. But he had steeled himself and taken a step forward, followed by another, until he had found this abandoned shack in the backyard of an abandoned house. There, his legs had given out and he had fallen down, into a deep slumber.
That slumber had obviously been his First Nightmare. Oh, it was a nightmare, alright, he thought bitterly, recalling the harrowing events he had undergone during his First Trial. Well, at least it all paid off in the end. He focused on his runes:
Name: Arcadius
True Name: Shroudkeeper
Rank: Dreamer
Soul Core: Dormant
Soul Fragments: [27/1000]
Huh, he thought. That sure was one long Nightmare. I can't believe I actually have twenty-seven fragments after just my First Nightmare. Sunless had what, like ten or twelve, right? Considering the Mountain King, its spawn and that slaver, I think Sunless had twelve shadow fragments at the end of his First Nightmare. Well... compared to that, I'd say I'm doing pretty well. Too well, in fact. I hope I don't steal the spotlight from Sunless... though, knowing him, that's probably exactly what he wants. Crazy bastard...
He continued studying his runes:
Memories: [Arcane Keystone], [Radiant Eye], [Voidfang], [Flameheart Forge], [Ebonveil Plate].
Echoes: -–-
His lip curled and he smiled wryly. I managed to salvage quite a number of Memories, didn't I? he thought. Well, I deserve them. I earned them myself, after all; most of them at least.
He focused on the runes again:
Attribute: [Spawn of the Forgotten], [Fated], [Battle Master], [Otherwalker].
Aspect: [Abyssbreather].
Aspect Rank: Divine.
Aspect Abilities: [Unlit Mist]
Aspect Ability Description: [Your soul houses a reserve of True Darkness, a precious gift.]
Darkness Saturation: [40%]
These last runes most likely showed how full his reserves of True Darkness were. In fact, he was sure of it. He wondered how it had reached 40% already? Probably the Nightmare Creatures I killed in my First Nightmare.
How ironic, he thought. What were the chances that he'd not only end up in a fictional world but also possess an ability that directly countered the main character of said fictional world? Well, it's not like I'm gonna become his arch nemesis or something. At least I hope that I don't, he thought.
Apart from that, even if he didn't know what it could do, his Aspect Ability seemed pretty neat simply because it had to do with True Darkness. Pretty neat? Why of course it's neat, it's the Dormant Ability of a Divine Aspect, after all.
However, Arcadius knew all too well that his power... came at a cost. And that cost was his Flaw. Goddamn it!
Flaw: [Ragebound]
Flaw Description: [While using your powers, you slide into a murderous frenzy, struggling to differentiate between friend and foe.]
Arcadius's face contorted in a grimace. He held the grim expression for a while and then, sighed. This would actually be an advantage if I were always alone, like I was in my First Nightmare. But... but the thing is: 'no one survives in the Dream Realm alone.' Master Jet's wise words. I guess I won't be able to fight alongside anyone who ends up with me. Rotten luck for the other guy.
Anyway, I gotta find some other Awakened. Someone who'll guide me to the Awakened Academy.
With that final thought, he stood up in a swift motion and started walking toward the entrance of the ruined shack. His head poked outside, followed by the rest of his body. It was a gloomy day but apparently, the rain had stopped. Of course, it's stopped, you idiot. Don't you remember how long you were in there? Probably spent an entire month sleeping in that disgusting shack.
Stepping into the light, he looked down to inspect himself. Arcadius stood at roughly 175 cm tall. He was a young boy of sixteen years with pale ivory skin, black hair and onyx black eyes. Huh, I never even noticed. But I actually resemble Sunless a lot. Well, except for my height; I'm pretty sure I'm taller than him. He usually had a rugged handsomeness to his appearance, though it was nowhere to be seen right now. He looked disheveled and deeply underfed. His sunken cheeks, long dirty hair and filthy clothes, made him look like a beggar, who would jump at any piece of food you wiggled in front of him.
Hell yeah, I would. I'm starving. He looked around one last time and started walking. After a short while, he saw a rusty bench across from a police station. The bench was empty and there was a vehicle in front of the police station. A PTV most likely. With a groan, he started walking towards the police station. When he was about to enter the station, however, two people stepped out from inside the police station. Well, well, well... I'll be damned.
Even though Arcadius had never seen Sunless, he recognized him almost immediately. He was a frail-looking young man with pale skin and dark circles under his eyes. It looked like he had recently taken a bath. Arcadius recognizing Sunless so easily could be attributed to another reason as well. It was that he was accompanied by a woman of breathtaking beauty in blue uniform with silver epaulets and black leather boots. The jacket of her uniform was casually unbuttoned revealing a black tank top beneath. She had short, raven-black hair and icy blue eyes. Her flawless skin was smooth, supple and white as snow. Of course, this was none other than the venerable Master Jet.
Arcadius looked at her for a while longer than he did at Sunless. I see he wasn't kidding when he said that she was the most beautiful woman he's ever seen... She's godly. Honestly, how can someone be so beautiful and scary at the same time? He realized that he had been staring at her with wide eyes for a moment too long. He broke away his gaze as Master Jet cleared her throat.
She looked him up and down, a frown creasing her brow. She sighed and then asked, "Who are you, kid? Don't tell me you've caught the Spell as well."
Arcadius considered his words for a moment. Then he shifted his gaze to the shoulder insignia on her left sleeve and replied with what he wanted to come off as surprise, longing and terror. "Um... uh, you... you are an Ascended, right? Thank God I found an Awakened here. Uh, yes. Yes, I've caught the Nightmare Spell too."
Master Jet hung her head and touched her forehead, rubbing it gently. She said with frustration creeping into her voice, "Gods, not again. I just got off. And now I have to watch another one sleep for God knows how long." She looked at him again out of the corner of her eye, but before she could continue, Arcadius spoke in a somewhat hurried voice.
"No! No, you don't have to worry about that. I fell asleep in a shack back in the outskirts and I completed my First Nightmare. I'm a Sleeper."