Kai dreamt of a lonely town. Houses standing with nothing inside. Streets filled with products and litter, but no life. In the midst, a single man walks with rigid steps. A robe hides his figure, and the hood's shadow covers his face. Eyes were glassy like ice with blue light reflecting.
Kai looks up at the dark, starry sky. The moon was round and menacing. As if entranced, he felt the pull of time rewind like a cassette.
A lone man traced his steps backward. The town starts to fill with people. It was a revival! Streets with vendors, children running, and various people swarmed the place.
Kai's soul dragged upwards as he saw the path to a lighthouse. A familiar man walked back the trail, and a mysterious force pulled Kai along.
Time slowed, paused, and then resumed its usual pace.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the Nightmare Spell. Prepare for your First Trial…]
A new scenery unfolded. Kai was standing in the middle of a room made of bricks. He hears the waves of the ocean and smells the scent of the sea. His mind struggles to reorient itself.
He examined his arms. They look so… fair.
"…to go. This…dangerous."
His clothes are simple AND SO BREEZY!
'Chiton!? Am I wearing a doric chiton? Why!? Am I in Ancient Greece?' Kai's mind was screaming.
"…so scary…was dead…"
Kai grasps his tunic. His mind tries to make sense of his environment. The simple clothes, the brick design of his room, and the sea outside do not give him a reasonable explanation.
"…leave…help from…"
Is he in a tower beside the shore? Why? Actually, why not check the outside?
Kai walks slowly towards the balcony. He found himself mesmerized by the beauty of the blue sea, but the cool air quickly brought him back. That's when he realized that he was standing at a high place. And that's also when he realized that someone pushed him from behind.
'Wha— I'm… flying?'
The sea expanded in Kai's vision as if it were ready to accept him. The tower revealed itself to be a lighthouse. Too bad. There was not enough time to catch the face of the person who pushed Kai. What he saw next was the cliff carrying the brickful of a building.
The young man panicked. Thankfully, he was taught strictly to check his status as soon as he's in the Nightmare. Right. Why didn't he do that first?
#
Name: Kai.
True Name: —
Rank: Aspirant.
Soul Core: Dormant.
Memories: —
Echoes: —
Attributes: [Loved].
Aspect: [Songbird].
Aspect Description: [You are a creature of the sky who sings melodies at night. You yearn for recognition as you bare your heart out.]
Kai could not even comment on his runes as his consciousness was already concussed out. The only thing on his mind before he fainted was how hard the water was, and this one song about a dreamer falling into the water.
#
I... saw the sky.
Maybe for the first time.
Maybe it's my one crime.
See... how it's pretty.
I was all too blinded,
By my dream, which I bled.
And now... there are things I notice
May I ask for a cup from Noctis
Can you fee~l how I feel right now
Like a star that fell to the ground
I wished to fly
And for the first time
I want to break this crime
I'm holding on to my dime
Plunge into the sea
I have been too blinded
Dreams have never made me blee~d
I... saw a light
Maybe for the last time.
Maybe it's my last crime.
See... such a pity
I was never blinded
Left my dreams in my bed
#
The mysterious figure stared down from the balcony of the stocky lighthouse. The shadow rushes down. Quick steps rang along the staircase. As the light of the outside flashed, a grassy field presented itself.
It would have been nice to appreciate the beauty of the scene if it weren't for the urgent need to check on a drowning friend.
The cliff was steep. How ridiculous that someone built a lighthouse on such a dangerous edge. The sea was loud as waves crashed on the rocks below. No sign of a drowning person. The saltwater glistens, hiding the few sparkles that fell.
The vision darkens as a whisper drowns the unsuspecting mind. Such a shame, isn't it?
#
Kai pants heavily. Panic subsides in his eyes, but the exhaustion leaves his body paralyzed. He stares at the stalagmites littering the cave.
Puddles of water surround the youth. Warm air dries the wet wool slowly. Sleep takes over Kai's body.
A dream inside a dream. A little hand reaching out for another hand. Playful laughs echo as it dies down.
"Dad, I want to become a star. Like that, Dad! So bright!"
"Heh, you want to shine? Son, you're already shining!"
"Hahaha! Dad, how am I shining when I'm not bright!"
A splash from the sea wakes Kai up. The weight of his body is still pushing him down. The sunray reminds him of his usual mornings. It's time to get up. Get to work. People are waiting. His parents are waiting.
As Kai stands up, he reflects on the recent events. The feel of the chiton reminds him of that room made of bricks. Did he ever notice another person around him? Embarrassingly, he did not even notice the guy. He did hear some mutterings, but he assumed that was his own new, unfamiliar voice.
"Ah. Uhh… Ahhhh. I am Kai. Whoa," the youth tests. "What a beautiful voice. Just who does this body belong to?"
He examines his clothes one more time. Wool, embroidered leaves on the edges, and a stylish peronai piques his interest. Wool suggests he is in a cooler climate. Is it autumn? Hopefully, it won't be winter anytime soon.
The embroidered leaves look like those of an olive. Kai remembers how these leaves were always worn by those philosophers in books. Was this person… smart? No, that's a strange assumption. The philosophers were wearing the leaves as a wreath on their heads.
Finally, this sty~lish peronai stands out a lot! How beautiful! How flashy! This body has good taste! Look at this golden colour! The curve of the bow accentuates the bird-shaped trinket as if perched on it.
'No, wait. Focus, Kai. That's not important!' Kai slaps his face. 'I don't know exactly how long I was unconscious, but it shouldn't have been long.
'The problem is someone pushed me from the lighthouse. The culprit must be looking around for me… or busy running away. What does this tell me? Am I assassinated? I have a stalker that doesn't want to share me, so they pushed me to my death?
'No, let's save that for later. What's my task? Is it related to the crazy geondal that wanted me dead? I don't know.
'What should I do next? Right, I should check my runes.'
Kai recites the words status, myself, and information in his mind. The Nightmare Spell shows his name, rank, soul core, attributes and aspect.
Two details took Kai's attention— his attribute and aspect. His attribute is [Loved].
'Was that my attribute or this body's attribute?'
[Loved] Attribute Description: "You are favoured."
The youth smiles. Even though he is inside a Nightmare, his heart felt warm from the love given to him. Strength fills the boy as he scans the rest of the information.
Aspect: [Songbird].
Aspect Description: [You are a creature of the sky who sings melodies at night. You yearn for recognition as you bare your heart out.]
Looks like he's gonna have to sing the enemies to death. Despite a chuckle, Kai still looks grim. His lip shook, but then his face became firm. His eyes burned with determination.
'I need to get away from here. Where? How? And why?'
An idea lights up in Kai's mind as he widens his eyes.
#
Nighttime is cold. Really cold! Still, it was worth enduring the chilly temperature because the lighthouse is empty right now.
Kai hurriedly rummaged through the closet for clothes. He also searched for any items he could use, such as coins, a bag, and a weapon. A bag of coins rattles when Kai bumps into a clay pot. Now, for a weapon… Nothing. Looks like he has to make his own makeshift sword, bow, and arrows. Oh, this is gonna be a long night.
Kai dons his robe. He ties a mask on his face and covers his head with a hood. He pins the garment with an emblem of a tree.
The outside looks clear, but you never know if someone is there when it's dark. Kai walks down the stairs slowly. He's clutching a crowbar. If someone jumps in front of him, he's swinging this crowbar in full force.
One step. Two steps. Nothing. Calm down. Breathe. It's dark, so use your hearing. The sound of your footsteps would echo, but you'll have the assurance that only your footsteps echo.
Stop. Another set of footsteps rings. Not good. Did the intruder notice? Pray that they did not. The steps get closer. The heart beats faster. Thump, thump, thump…
The footsteps stop. They continue, but this time it's ringing farther and farther away. Gone.
Kai lets out a heavy sigh. His muscles relax as he almost drops the crowbar. A sudden jolt in his hand wakes him up. He continues his descent from the tower.
Looking around the exit, Kai does not see any people. No sound to indicate any life, either. Just the waves of the sea crashing into the rocks below the cliff make the melody. The youth felt a temptation to sing a sailor's song. He stops himself, but his steps start to follow a rhythm.
What happened? Was Kai simply lucky that the mysterious fellow just turned back and disappeared? Was he dealing with an Awakened? No way. Was it a ghost!?
Great. At the thought of a ghost, Kai feels an imaginary eye staring at him. His skin tingles like a bug crawling in his body. The young man hurries his walk away from the cursed lighthouse.
#
Kai contemplates the events. He thinks back on the dream he had. He saw a desolate town that slowly became lively. There was also a lone man walking through the quiet streets. Was that man related to the objective of his First Nightmare? Kai groans at the thought of not seeing the man's face.
'Wait. Is that man the same as the one who pushed me from the lighthouse?' Kai pauses. 'I might be on to something here. A desolate town, a lone man, and someone pushing me to my death… AM I IN A DETECTIVE SETTING!?'
Kai's face lit up. His movements turn giddy as he looks around. No time to be excited. He has to find a safe place to hide. Just in time, the town appears.
Obscured by shadows at first, it slowly unravels into coherence. Recognition dawns upon Kai. This was the desolate town from his dream realized before him. The light of the moon gives the place an incomplete shape. Outlines of roofs and stony roads welcome the youth. Nighttime can be so peaceful…and scary. There should be a tavern still open or an inn, maybe.
"Is there even an inn open at this hour?"
Speak of the devil, and it appears. An inn bathing in the moonglow. The wooden sign proclaims itself as [ Kataluma]. The door contains a windowpane and two symbols that look like a bed and a beer mug.
Kai peers into the windowpane, and he sees a drunk man laughing. He opens the door. A bell jingles with his entrance, taking the attention of the bartender and the patron.
"Hi?"
The greeting falls flat as the drunk man and the bartender stare at the new customer. The bartender smiles, beckoning Kai to come in with a head tilt. The drunkard furrowed his brows, not breaking his gaze on the robed figure.
Kai walks ahead and musters the courage to be bold!
"Madam, may I ask how much for a night?" his voice glides. Ah! The two audiences are lucky to hear such a voice.
"It's two pence per night, pretty mouth," the bartender replies with a wink. "Also, don't call me madam, Lyssandra's just fine."
The drunkard's head snaps, then he looks at the middle-aged woman in disbelief. He wants to say something, but decides to just enjoy the drink he has.
Kai grabs two coins, which he assumes are pence, and places them on the bartop.
"The stairs are on the left. Take the first door."
#
The room Kai went into is small. It is made with dark brown wood. The wall on his right holds a lamp shining with moonlight. At his left lies a bed dressed in white linen sheets. Kai wonders what the mattress is made of. His bed back home was made of memory foam with silk sheets dressing it. He closes his eyes in silence. Kai would need time to get used to this… or hopefully he won't need to at all.
At the end of the room rests a window. The moon peeks at its corner, watching with great interest at Kai's performance. In the left corner of the room, a mirror waits.
'A mirror!? Oh Spell! I can finally check myself out!' the youth buzzes.
Kai poses with his hand on his face like a certain handsome, tall, extremely muscular individual with a gentleman's poise. His robe was as brown as sienna with thick threads styling the seams with whipstitched edge. 'Was the robe handmade? Or it could have been mended.'
Kai takes a moment to stare at the mirror, or to be more precise, the robe.
'Where have I seen this robe before?'
…
'Oh well, must have been in one of my gigs.'
Kai doffs the garment, which reveals the familiar chiton. He tries out different poses and even dances a little.
'My balance is still off. The reflex from my dance practices is not kicking in fast enough, and my control is offbeat. Still, look at that face and that muscle. Was this person also a performer? Woah!'
An unfamiliar move guided Kai. This dance felt so instinctual, conditioned. He felt the urge to sing but stopped himself. People outside would hear him. It's hard to imagine that this room is soundproofed.
Next, Kai must worry about his weapon.
'Huh. Where's my crowbar?' realization dawns on Kai. 'Oh no. Oh nonono. Did I leave it there? Ahhhhh! What should I do? This is so frustrating! Should I even retrieve it?'
The worried youth walks in circles. His brows squint, yet it fails to besmirch the beauty of his face.
'No. Never mind. Let's focus on making my weapons… Wait, I can just buy them! These coins, pence(?), should be enough.'
Kai lies down on the firm, uneven mattress. It crunches silently from the idol's weight. Its subtle ridges discomfort Kai, but the soft hollows give him consolation. The scent of grass and wool settles the youth. A smile forms on his face.
'Gods! I miss my memory foam bed. The linen is pleasant, but these straws are uncomfortable. At least the pillow is soft… soft enough. Thankfully, it's not as itchy as I thought it would be.'
Kai's mind returns to the unfamiliar movements he did. He starts imagining a song that would fit. The step followed by a tap with the other foot. A knee raise, then a hop kick by the other leg. The turn he did… Kai had a feeling he was supposed to squat lower during that turn.
The music in the idol's imagination lulls him to sleep.
#
Face the sea with a step.
Tap it back for a taunt.
Ready for the jump of wave.
The momentum gives you way.
I am feeling, I am feeling.
Like the sun up high is waving
Can you feel it? Can you feel it?
Come and drop some of your shilling
I will row, row, row
When you throw, throw, throw
Come and show, show, show
All your dough, dough, dough