Nightmare...5

As I stood there after my victory, I was thinking I have done something insane, like killing a corrupted tyrant. It was honestly a big feat and something I can brag about to everyone, as not even an awakened can do what I have done. Well, I had the help of the system and additional powers it provided me, but it's still not something small. But right now, looking into the distance, my blood ran cold, and it now does not seem that impressive. I feel like a fool for even thinking that.

The wave of nightmare creatures I have been dealing with for the past day and a half seemed like a huge number, but what I was seeing right now, it was madness. How can anyone even survive in this nightmare, and how could it be my first nightmare when thousands of powerful creatures are coming in? All of them are devils, and some even tyrants. It's not how it's supposed to work. My brain froze in horror just thinking about what will happen to the villagers, and now I can't think of any way to save them.

I looked down, thinking about the people who will die, as I can't possibly fight off this. But I bit my lips as I can't accept this cruel world. How can I just turn around and run away like a coward? Well, I still can fight even if the battle is a lost one. I looked down on the ground and made my decision. Based on my entire life, there was never much to it, but the only thing I took pride in is being a good person and knowing how hard it is to be good than just being an asshole.

I summoned the Divine water and gulped it down. All my injuries are healed in just seconds, and I feel good as new. I look ahead now with resolve that even if I die, I won't run away from this. What will I go back to anyway? My life does not have any worth. Back then, this was the chance I was hoping for, and suicide was always on top of my mind, and death seemed peaceful, beautiful instead. What is there to even be afraid of, if I can even save one person?

So I, in the end, took my sword and stood my ground, ready to die today. As I looked ahead, the wave of monsters was being controlled by a terror or a titan. I know it as they only have the power to do something so big. I took a deep breath and calmed my beating heart and emptied my mind for what was about to come. I took my stance and waited.

It did not take long for the faster of the demons to reach me. I was ready for this as the watchers stood at my side. I felt like I was not alone in this but also felt alone. I was always alone in life, so it felt strange that someone, even if dead, is fighting with me. I felt my heart was light, and I was more than ready for what was about to come.

I stood my ground and fought with all I had. The wave was massive; it has tyrants in the back, but the devils were the first ones to attack. I think I must have forgotten that the devils I killed were asleep because I was struggling, and it's not been long, but the wave has passed me. I killed as many as I can with everything, but it was still not enough. I was powerless and such a fool in thinking that today I will save anyone. I know that this wave will reach my tiny army and mow through them in seconds. It was of no use, but even then, I fought with all I had.

The watchers were now two of them. One has fallen from a tyrant's physical attack. Now, me and the other two remaining are fighting together to bring down the tyrant. But it was not looking great, as he was a tall creature with six hands covered in full armor with no gaps. We were not equipped to deal with him, as our swords were not working properly. But I did not give up but fought with mad fury and clashed against him on one spot over and over, no matter how injured I got. After fighting for some time, I, in the end, used my sword like a nail and hammered into the spot I was attacking and killed the tyrant. But I was left worse off than my first fight with a tyrant, and this one was just an awakened one.

I gritted my teeth and looked up, as I felt like something big was coming from underground. And finally, it showed itself, a giant ant-like nightmare creature, and I knew he will be my death. But I accepted it and looked ahead at a massive awakened terror. It was not something I can face and certainly not in my state. But I, with all my foolish thoughts, went ahead after I made the abyss watcher go back to the system, as they can't fight against this terror. I knew for a fact that the village is under attack and will probably perish or already has, as all my army has died some minutes earlier. I felt like a fool to even think about I could save them for that I had to be powerful, and I was weak and a fool. I should have grinded more levels maybe then I could have saved someone or just run away with some people.

But here I was, with a broken body and a sword in my hand, which might as well be a toy in front of this twisted terror. I looked like an ant in front of an ant-like monster; it was almost funny to me. I, a loser, though I can change it, become something better. No, did I not give up on any hopes long ago? Maybe the new shiny powers got to my head, and I forgot who I was. A fool thinking himself a hero, but I was just a lonely loser who always said a lot but like a coward hid away from life and difficulty. Maybe I have grown braver or more foolish, but I went ahead full speed toward the terror. And before I knew it, my legs were gone, and I was upside down in the air. And I realized once again that death was truly beautiful.

{Awake, Asmon. Your nightmare is over.}

{Prepare for appraisal.}

{Aspirant, your trial is over.}

{You have succeeded in your first nightmare, sleeper Asmon. Here is your evaluation, and the results are - impossible. You have done something that no one has ever done or could be done by anyone. You fought till your last breath against impossible odds and achieved a lot. You have changed fate}

{You have defeated a corrupted tyrant, the eyes of the abyss}

{"You have defeated....}

I was once again in a strange space where it looked like millions of strings were woven together. I looked at the message with a little empty eyes. I don't know what I have done, and should I not be dead and failed my nightmare? I have no idea how I changed fate; was it to just prolong the villagers' dead? Did someone truly survive that terror? I highly doubted it, but I took a deep sigh and was a little upset. I really thought I would die, but here I am looking at the barrage of notifications about the killed. They took more than a minute to end, and I got some memory, but I did not care much about them. I will look at it later.

{Dreamer Asmon, receive your boon!}