The rain wasn't just cold—it was black. Like ink dripping from a cracked sky, it soaked the cobbled street and hissed against the wooden sign swinging above the entrance of a dimly lit shop.
Kai opened his eyes.
He was lying on the stone-paved ground, his clothes damp but strangely intact. The last thing he remembered was walking home from college, earbuds in, rain pouring down—normal rain, not this... black, oily drizzle.
The unfamiliar scent of roasted beans and old paper filled his nose. He sat up slowly, the rain parting around him as if unwilling to touch him now.
"What the hell…" he muttered. The world around him was unfamiliar. The architecture was Victorian but strange. Lanterns floated mid-air. The buildings looked worn yet alive—breathing, almost watching.
Then he saw it—a wooden sign hanging by a rusted iron chain. It read in a language he somehow understood:
> "Café Somnium – Open When Dreams Fall"
Kai blinked. That wasn't there a moment ago, was it?
He pushed the door open. A quiet bell chimed, and warmth spilled out. Inside, everything was spotless. Wood-paneled walls, a counter with a worn-out cash register, rows of empty tables, a shelf full of books and mismatched teacups.
No customers. No staff.
But there was freshly brewed coffee on the counter. Steam rising. A cup waiting.
"…Am I dreaming?"
He approached the cup and picked it up. It was warm. Real. The aroma hit his nose and sparked something deep in his soul.
He drank.
---
[SYSTEM ALERT]
Welcome, Dream Walker.
You have entered the Waking Realm.
This world has no gods. But they've been dreaming of one.
---
The cup shattered in his hand, but he wasn't hurt. His vision blurred for a moment. Then—
He was somewhere else.
The café was gone. He was in a vast dark void, standing above a glowing pool. A silhouette knelt before him, robed in silver.
"You heard my call… O great one," the figure said, trembling.
Kai blinked. "What?"
"I… I offered my soul… Please save our village from the Mist Wolves!"
"What the hell are you talking about?" he asked, voice echoing louder than it should've.
But the figure only trembled harder. "To see you is to be blessed. I beg you, take this! The Flame of Velkan!"
A red orb floated toward Kai. It pulsed with strange energy, like a heart made of fire.
Kai reached out.
[Item Received: Flame of Velkan – Requires Soul Bond to Use]
[Condition Overridden – Soul Bond Bypassed – Item Use Unlocked]
The orb dissolved into his palm.
"W-what are you…?" the summoner whispered, now clearly terrified. "A god? No… something older…"
The world dissolved again.
---
Kai fell back into the café chair with a jolt, sweating.
The coffee cup was still in his hand—unbroken. The café was silent, but the clock ticked on.
"What… just happened?"
He rubbed his face.
This wasn't Earth. This wasn't a dream. This café had no owner. The world had no gods. But someone had called out… and he had answered.
And in that call, they gave him power—real power.
Kai looked around the café again. It was cozy. Peaceful. No one knew it existed yet. And maybe that was fine.
He always wanted a small place like this. Somewhere quiet. Somewhere his.
A crooked smile formed on his lips.
"Guess I'm the owner now."
Outside, the black rain began to slow. But far beyond the Waking Realm, five more dreamers slept fitfully—unknowingly waiting to summon a being whose name would one day be whispered in terror and reverence alike:
The Dream Walker.