Damien had always thought about what his first nightmare would be like.
Would it be like how the webtoons and webnovels portray the Spell, where in every moment lies constant threats from creatures whose ranks are far beyond comprehension?
Or maybe it would actually be pretty easy and more realistic — where he would only have to kill an Awakened monster...
He had an eerie feeling it wouldn't be either.
Damien finally awoke amidst what appeared to be a mountainside...
"Wait, what..."
Before he could comprehend where exactly he had been teleported within the nightmare realm, his grip on the jagged rock he had subconsciously clung on to finally slipped as his senses caught up to him.
Startled by the sudden drop, Damien yelped — but reflex kicked in. His body twisted mid-fall, hand snatching at another protruding ledge. His fingers burned, but they held.
What the hell was that?!Sending me straight to the edge of a cliff… literally!
All of a sudden he heard a booming voice from above... It almost sounded like it was insulting him.
"You dumbass moron! How the hell do you even zone out while climbing on the Hollow Mountains out of all places," barked a strange woman.
Yeah it was definitely insulting him.
Hollow Mountains?! Isn't that a death zone?
Thankfully, his company appeared to be human. Friendly, even.
Well kinda.
Four other figures were scattered nearby on the narrow cliffside, each now staring at him in disbelief.
The first was a broad-shouldered man with a crew cut and a brutal-looking jawline. Veins ran like steel cords down his arms. His eyes met Damien's for a split second, expression unreadable.
The second was shorter but bulkier, his frame thick with compact muscle. He had a shaved head, a broken nose that hadn't healed right, and a constant scowl like someone had insulted his ancestors, and now he could tell those scowls were directed towards him.
The third man looked younger, maybe early twenties, but carried himself like a seasoned fighter. His athletic frame was wrapped in light gear, and a massive greatsword was strapped to his back — clearly custom-forged.
And then there was the woman.
She was tall, lean, and scary. Her black hair was tied back in a short, tight braid, and a pair of small daggers glinted at her hips.
Damien exhaled slowly, steadying his thoughts.
So let me get this straight. The spell decides to send me on a literal cliffside without any warning, lets me get verbally abused by a random woman for almost dying, and now I'm apparently right in the middle of a death zone.
Damien held back a sob.
What a shitty start to a shitty nightmare...