Eylan and Ravon stood before the enormous red gates—seemingly indestructible—of the Awakened Academy. The Academy was, in truth, a city within a city.
It had been built like a fortress: towering walls forged from hardened alloy, a deep moat, and countless high-caliber towers positioned to create a deadly dome of air suppression. No Nightmare Creature—not even colossal titans—should have been able to breach its defenses.
That was only a theory, of course…
The weather was pleasant. The snow had already melted, plants were growing again. It was spring.
Ravon stared at the colossal gates for a moment before speaking to Eylan.
"You know, when I was younger, I used to imagine myself walking through those gates. A lot of the webtoons, teen dramas, and romance novels I followed took place right behind those walls. The adventures, rivalries, and romantic messes always fascinated me."
He lowered his head, memories of a life he never lived surfacing quietly.
"Dreams are nice, aren't they?" Ravon said. His expression went blank, and he fell silent.
An odd quiet settled between them.
Feeling awkward, Eylan replied, "Well… I kind of grew up on the streets, so I don't really know, you know?"
It was a half-lie. His own childhood had been normal, as far as he remembered. And the body he now inhabited had belonged to a boy from the outskirts, so technically, he was telling the truth.
Ravon's expression suddenly changed, becoming lively again.
"That's boring. But in case you didn't know, this is a legendary place, so make the most of every moment." He smiled, as if offering advice—though it came out more like a joke.
"You really know how to cheer someone up," Eylan shot back teasingly.
Despite that, Eylan knew reality was far harsher. He felt anxious—not because of the Academy itself, but because he simply lacked information.
He had arrived at the Academy at the end of March, which meant he had nine months until the winter solstice.
And unlike Sunless—who, in the book, had only spent a month there, with barely any details about his stay—Eylan would be there for much longer.
He felt uneasy about what awaited him beyond those gates.
Still, that didn't stop him from moving forward. The Academy was a massive opportunity to grow stronger and, with luck, maybe even find reliable companions.
After all, no one survived alone in the Dream Realm.
A loud creak echoed out, as if a steel beast were awakening.
Finally, the gates began to open. The massive reinforced metal slab slowly lowered, forming a long bridge.
Eylan noticed a few people gathering nearby, but none of them stood out.
He was genuinely grateful that there was no one with bandages over their eyes or silver hair.
The end of the metal bridge locked into special grooves in the ground and stopped moving after a series of loud clicks.
Ravon stepped forward and onto the bridge.
"Try not to be late," he said with a mocking grin.
Letting out a small laugh, Eylan followed after him.
They headed toward the section of the complex reserved for the Dormant. It was relatively small, located in the southern part of the Academy, surrounded by training fields and parks.
The building itself was modern and low, constructed from reinforced materials. Like most Academy buildings, much of it lay underground, with only a few floors visible above the surface. Its pristine white alloy walls and wide windows made it strikingly beautiful, contrasting with the surrounding greenery.
Inside, the building was spacious and brightly lit. Eylan and Ravon entered a large hall where around three hundred young men and women—Dormants from the same temporal misfortune as them—were already waiting for the induction ceremony to begin. Most looked nervous, tense, and excited all at once.
Academy logistics were a constant headache for the administrators, since the rate at which the Spell infected people was always chaotic. There was no way to neatly organize batches of Dormants into any standardized educational schedule: some had an entire year to prepare for the Dream Realm, others only months, and some just days.
That was why induction ceremonies were held at the end of every month early in the year, then weekly as the winter solstice drew closer. Some Dormants in the hall had waited days to be inducted, while Eylan had been lucky enough to arrive just hours before the scheduled event.
Once inside the hall, Eylan felt slightly dissatisfied.
First of all, everyone was well-dressed and carrying a suitcase, a travel bag, or at least a backpack with their personal belongings. They had clearly come prepared—probably from home, sent off by their families.
He felt a small sense of comfort knowing he wasn't completely out of place, since he also had a suitcase.
Unfortunately, that was where the similarities ended.
He was still thinner, wearing lower-quality clothes provided by the government.
Not to mention the bandages clearly visible on his arm.
Which led to the second issue: appearances.
Even though these youths were only just beginning their journeys as Awakened, they looked stunning. Everyone was attractive, radiant, and exuded health.
A sense of injustice washed over Eylan.
'Why are there so many good-looking people here? Did this turn into a romance anime or something?!'
He didn't let his thoughts show on his face.
People were chatting everywhere.
Feeling down, Eylan moved to a quiet corner and observed the energetic youths.
He noticed that every single one of them wanted to talk to other Dormants. They wanted to discuss their Nightmares, their future journeys in the Dream Realm, and everything in between. They wanted to ask questions. They wanted to be asked questions. They wanted to talk about something important—or just make small talk about silly things.
Everyone wanted to share.
Watching carefully, Eylan suddenly noticed a pattern in how the youths were grouping themselves. Instinctively, they gravitated toward those of similar status.
At the far end of the hall, closer to the stage, there were one or two small groups. The people there stood apart from the rest of the Dormants. They were confident, calm, and carried a sense of readiness. These were the Legacies—trained for the Spell since birth and with the highest chances of survival. One blond youth, in particular, stood out.
Next to them was a larger group dressed in expensive clothing. They were lively and enthusiastic, only slightly nervous. These were the children of the wealthy and high-ranking citizens. Their upbringing had been solid, as their families could afford private tutors—even Awakened ones. Their survival odds weren't bad.
Then came the bulk of the crowd: kids from middle-class families. They might not have had the privilege of training under Awakened tutors, but their education wasn't poor. The government had put great effort into incorporating all necessary knowledge and skills into the school curriculum, preparing potential Dormants in advance.
Some of them might have received additional private training. To survive, they would need determination—and a bit of luck. But it wasn't impossible. As a result, they looked tense and nervous.
With a sigh, Eylan searched for Ravon.
As he scanned the room, his gaze drifted back to the Legacies.
Among them were people he knew all too well…
They were surrounded by other teenagers, standing at the center of attention, telling a story while everyone else listened in admiration.
It was them—the bastards.
A thought crossed Eylan's mind. Should he…?
No. Even if he wanted to, he wasn't stupid. Picking trouble for no reason wasn't worth it.
The person at the center of the group had blond hair, blue eyes, tanned skin, and a small mole beneath his left eye.
As he continued talking, he seemed to notice someone.
Focusing, he spotted a figure in the crowd.
A twisted smile spread across his face.
'So he's here too… bad move, insect.'
A female voice called out to him.
"Willian, is something wrong?"
"It's nothing. I just saw an acquaintance," he replied calmly, his face serene.
"And how are things with the Clan?" the girl asked again.
"Well, you know how it is. But tell me, how's the—" He continued chatting.
An audible whisper echoed in Eylan's soul.
'Don't worry. I'm looking forward to the opportunity too…'
The moment would come. Patience was needed.
Moving through the crowd, Eylan finally spotted Ravon.
There was a sparkle in his eyes, like a childhood dream fulfilled.
He was in a conversation circle with seven other people.
His expression was vibrant. He gestured animatedly, mimicking something as he spoke. The others listened like children hearing a fairy tale.
Approaching, Eylan greeted him.
"Hey, Ravon. What's up?"
"All good. I was just telling them about our little adventures," Ravon said casually, as if they'd been friends for years.
A chill ran down Eylan's spine like a thread of ice, but he kept smiling. Ravon raised an eyebrow at his reaction—just for an instant—before returning to his theatrical enthusiasm.
"Adventures?" Eylan crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly in a strange mix of doubt and secondhand embarrassment.
"Of course!" Ravon replied, waving his hands. "You think I'd waste a chance to sound interesting? You have no idea what this guy pulled on the way here…!"
The youths around them laughed immediately—not maliciously, but with the excitement of a good story, even without knowing the real details. Ravon winked at Eylan, as if silently apologizing for dragging him into the spotlight.
Eylan just sighed.
'He really talks too much…'
Still, the group felt welcoming. And strangely enough, no one looked down on him—for his clothes, his bandages, or his thin frame.
It was… different.
A freckled red-haired girl looked him up and down—not judgmentally, just curiously.
"Where are you from?" she asked.
"The outskirts," he replied bluntly.
The group reacted with mixed expressions—not disgust or pity, just genuine surprise. It was rare for someone from the outskirts to make it here without being singled out immediately.
"Damn… you made it on your own?" someone commented from the back.
"Something like that."
Eylan didn't want to go into details.
Ravon opened his mouth, clearly about to embellish the story unnecessarily, but before he could, a deep voice echoed through the hall.
The entire room fell silent, as if the air had been sucked out.
The amplified voice came from hidden speakers in the walls.
"Dormants, remain where you are. The Induction Ceremony will begin in five minutes. Maintain order and form groups of five."
There was a brief pause before the voice added:
"A special guest is arriving. Prepare yourselves."
Organized chaos followed instantly. Lines formed, voices called out for friends, and small groups hurriedly assembled.
Ravon turned to Eylan with a nearly mischievous smile.
"Got yourself a group?"
Eylan opened his mouth to answer, but froze—an invisible pressure descended upon the hall, as if the atmosphere had been plunged into icy water.
Footsteps echoed from the entrance.
Someone important was arriving.
More than important… dangerous.
The Dormants turned toward the door with the same instinctive reverence animals show before a predator.
Ravon narrowed his eyes—he recognized the silhouette before anyone else.
"…No way…"
Eylan recognized it too. But unlike Ravon, his blood ran cold.
It wasn't a student.
It wasn't a teacher.
It wasn't just another Legacy.
It was an Awakened.
One of the great ones.
And she had come personally to this induction.