15 Chapter 15

As the days went by I realised one thing, After doing the same things for a certain amount of days. Something sprouted in my heart, Something sinister….

Boredom.

Every day was the same. Wake up, Train, Eat, Fuck with sunny for a bit of time, and beat up some arrogant kids along with the princess who, After losing to me for one time, Came back again and again for more beat downs.

Her reason?

I don't know.

Maybe she really does like it rough.

While I was bored, That doesn't mean I didn't have any progress in my training. In fact After accessing that omniscient state for the hundreds of times. I adapted to it of course, But shockingly. The adaptation took a lot longer than I thought it would take.

Two weeks…..

You heard me, Two damn weeks until the adaptation was useless and I could enter the state if I just willed it. The strange thing though, Was after adapting to it. my senses evolved tremendously.

No really I'm serious, I have what seems like a type of sixth sense where I could 'see' the surroundings clearly for five meters naturally. Even without going into that state. It was like a mini domain. Though I was not all-seeing as I was in the state but I had no blind spot left after achieving such a big breakthrough.

Wait, I should stop saying the word State, It's actually about to make me tweak. Let me name it something else…..

Absolute domain.

Yeah, I'm not really great with names so we'll go with this for now.

As I was saying. The winter solstice was coming closer and closer, Bringing with it an urgency I have never seen on people's faces. Especially the sleepers. They were not as energetic and outgoing as they were. It's even worse in the cafeteria, Thanks to the depressed ones who overthink everything and plague their friends by it. Which seemed like a disease that. When the last week of our peaceful lives came….

Everyone became silent, Everyone just went along with life, Working hard and doing their best to have a chance at making it back alive from the dream realm.

I was the only one who was filled with boredom rather than fear of the future, Though I became better at handling my sword due to striking a deal with Nephis.

Not the 'sword' you were thinking about, You pervert.

The deal consisted of one demand from Nephis. Which was to spar with her every day until the winter solstice, In return she will teach me anything she can about the sword techniques.

Well….. 'Everything' she can teach me about for a month. So we did not have a lot of time. And we didn't talk that much either, Just nodding our heads as a greeting every day before starting my one-side beat down of Nephis.

I think she was content with how I didn't ask any questions, nor did I annoy her. In fact after a while we started having small talks. Just some normal conversations between two strangers that while not knowing each other deep enough to be considered friends. Are just good acquaintances.

At first impressions Nephis seems like a girl who looks down on everything, making the person introducing him/her self feel inferior. And with how beautiful she looks to the eye of others. She wasn't approached a lot when it became obvious she didn't want to bother herself with other people.

But what I see when I look at Nephis….

Is a broken, vengeful, introverted girl. Who doesn't know nor can she properly understand her emotions. Because in some of our small talks after the spars. When I mentioned some sensitive matters that I knew would bring a reaction out of her, she looked hateful. With her eyes emitting a white bright light as a result of her aspect ability activating.

That day we concluded our small talk sooner. Which marked this day as the first and last time I saw her show emotion for the rest of the month.

The Next day she returned with the same empty gaze as she apologised to me….

How humble.

I also apologised for bringing up sensitive manners in order to rein her back in for the training, because honestly….

I was pretty lonely.

Sure I met sunny and Cassie in the cafeteria from time to time. However that has its limits. Which I clearly set up in regards to Sunny's nature.

The poor dude also didn't have a lot of time as he was always in a hurry to either his course lesson or his training. He looked like shit but I knew he was growing more stronger and knowledgeable than ever before.

Good for him.

As for Cassie…

She was the only one I was worried about the most, Becuase I know when someone is slowly losing it.

Though we talked a lot. And by a lot I mean to the point that we were the only ones left in the cafeteria after dinner, With both of us hanging around and just talking comfortably about whatever came onto our minds until midnight. That is when her caretaker will take her back to her room.

After our conversations, Cassie always left with a smile tugging her lips, Painting a wonderful image of warmth. She was like a little sister who's a little shy but otherwise the kindest. Which is the opposite of what she did in the dream realm.

One time while we were having another one of our many conversations. With me laying on Cassie' lap as she caressed my slightly sharp hair.

Yes we got that comfortable, So what.

In the meantime, She asked in a calm tone, Running her hand gently through my hair "Ariel, Do…. Do you think that I can survive the dream realm?"

I opened my closed eyes to focus on her face. Wondering why she would ask such a question out of nowhere…..

"I know, I know. Just…. Humor me please."

I let out a tired sigh as today were one of those days where I had gone just a tad bit extreme in my training and now coupled with such a stressful question, Of course I would react this way.

"Do you want me to be honest?"

Cassie nodded after a few seconds of hesitation.

I looked into her blue irises that shone in the dark before muttering "If you end up near one of the citadels. Then yes you can survive, However we all know that has a small chance of ever happening. So you should know way better than just hopefully wishing to end up there will get you there."

Cassie remained silent as I went on "And in the more likely chance that you appear in an unknown region that's far from any kind of human citadels….. Then no. You absolutely won't survive."

"I see."

Cassie continued ruffling my hair. As after saying that, She stayed quiet throughout the whole night. Looking straight at the end of the cafeteria while robotically caressing my hair until her caretaker came and took her just like the usual routine.

However that night Cassie' face didn't have a smile. No, It was truly the face of an empty being.

Now you wonder why I didn't tell her that I would protect her or randomly say some righteous words to her. In hopes of getting her spirit up.

Well first of all, I don't like to make empty promises. Secondly. She's a mature girl. Even if she wasn't, She has to be to survive the dream realm. So saying sweet nothings to her face while also knowing there may not even be a chance to act upon them. Will just give her a temporary form of happiness that would push away some of her desperation and hopelessness. And once she gets summoned into the dream realm. She will latch onto those words that I've said like a lifeline. Thinking that I will come and save her in the far future. If she dies then she will likely blame it on me.

Although it's Cruel of me to say so. I don't have any intention of giving someone false hope for just a moment of praise and gratitude from said person.

However if I end up finding her in the forgotten shore, Which has a high chance of happening. Then at that time I would do my best to protect her. We're basically best friends now. And if by any chance she doesn't end up in the forgotten shore, Then I can do nothing to stop the inevitable.

................

At last, The day every new sleeper dreaded Arrived, That day was the same like any other day. Of course if you ignore the sense of urgency and terror in the air, Then you'll likely be relieved.

That morning was hell. Literal hell, Thanks to the sleepy coma the spell hits you with when it infects you. It was the same as when I faced my first nightmare, I was so sleepy that I had a very hard time reaching the police station.

I met up with sunny, Who was looking worse for wear as he walked beside me with sluggish shoulders and nearly lidded eyes.

We eventually reached the cafeteria, That unlike any other day was in absolute silence. It so silent that the sound of our footsteps rang through the whole cafeteria. Receiving some worn out gazes that did not have any malicious intentions did make me raise an eyebrow. However I shook it all of when I saw Cassie' empty seat, Prompting me to let out a sigh and order something to eat, Sunny did so as well. It looks like we both know when food tastes good the most.

After our silent meal, We finally came out onto the real world after a month of endless training and spars, Led by non-other than awakend rock, who had a serious expression painted on his face.

I breathed in some fresh air alongside sunny as we looked around the snowy parks and grasslands around the sleeper compounds. The air also had a distinctive pressure in it, As if it knows it's our turn.

Our batch of sleepers met up with the other batches that were similarly led by an awakened. Our destination the same place..

The academy's medical Center.

When we reached our destination, Awakend rock took us to a desolate floor of the building. Before opening one door out of the many there were and what we saw inside shook us to our core.....

There were humans in hospital garbs on wheelchairs, They were- No they looked empty, hollow, Just like a statue. Frozen in place for eternity.

Awakened rock's solemn voice brought all of us out of our reverie "Look carefully, They were once sleepers or awakend. Some of them were even powerful, Successful and so much more. Yet here they are in this state with nothing left.

"They're Hollow."

Awakend rock then turned towards us with a solemn face "This is the last thing I will tell you sleepers, Not as an awakened, Not as a teacher. But as a person who is truly wishing for your return…"

"Don't die and survive."

After saying that he gave us a deep bow that we returned in multiplied gratitude before he led us to our sleeping pods.

Sleeping pods were devices meant to keep the sleeper stable while said sleeper is in the dream realm, Even for months. So no matter how long I stay in there, I will be safe here in this full-on security government institution.

*****

The sleeping pod.

Here it was, This is it. This is a challenge, albeit a hard one but with my aspect I will certainly manage to keep my life.

I looked at the sleeping pod before saying with a laugh…..

"I will leave my life in your hands, So please do not disappoint me mr. Pod."

*****

While Ariel was laughing at his own terrible joke. The others weren't so….. Nonchalant.

In Cassie's room. The girl was trying to familiarise herself with the room by walking around and colliding with stuff. After a while she found the wall and slid her back down along it as her body trembled and shining tears streamed down her face…..

While in Nephis's room. Nephis was intently observing her hand as a second later, A blinding, Furious light shone under her skin. Causing her face to take on an agonising, Harrowing look.

In the case of sunny, He was much calmer then the previous two. He looked at his shadow and said…..

"Well? What are we waiting for."

As an answer the shadow tilted its head. Clearly confused, Before it shrugged.

A/N:Arc -1 done and finished! Whoooo! The next chapter we'll finally start the dream realm arc, so grab your snacks and be prepared. Also send out stones to motivate me, and thank you guys for the support. I hope you like it. Bye/bye for today.