"Welcome back to the waking world, Sleeper Asteria. I hope your trip to the Nightmare wasn't too traumatizing," the voice rumbled.
It was the same man from before – the one with the presence of a landslide. Up close, his shadow felt heavy, but with her new senses, Asteria could feel the faint, rhythmic hum of the Spell radiating off him like heat.
"Oh, right. You can call me Adam. Awakened Adam." He flashed a bright, toothy smile that didn't match the jagged scars on his forearms or the coldness in his eyes. He stuck out a hand for a handshake.
Asteria looked at his hand, then at the heavy iron manacles still pinning her arms to the chair. She felt a strange, liquid strength coursing through her muscles, making the restraints feel like flimsy tin, yet she had no actual strength to break them or the drive to even try.
"I'd love to, really," Asteria said flatly. "But I'm currently a bit tied up. Unless this is part of the 'welcome home' ceremony?"
She lampooned, 'Real sharp one, this guy'
Adam's eyes widened, his face flushing a faint red as he realized he'd skipped the basics. "R-right. Habit. My apologies."
He reached down, his fingers moving with a blur of Awakened speed as he undid the restraints. As soon as the metal clicked open, Asteria stood up. Her spine popped like a string of firecrackers, and her muscles coiled with a power that made her feel light – dangerously light.
'If this is just being dormant I wonder what an Awakened feels like. What about ascended?'
"I'm obligated to take you for an interview. Rudimentary stuff, really. Will you follow me?"
'I just clawed my way out of a divine blender and you're carting me off for a chat? Brilliant...'
"I don't have any reason to refuse," she said.
'Though I do wonder what kind of lies I'm going to have to tell.'
The interrogation room was a sterile box of grey steel and humming electronics. Adam leaned over a terminal, his face illuminated by the blue glow of the screen.
"First question," Adam said, his voice dropping the friendly act. "What was the Nightmare about?"
Asteria pursed her lips. She could feel her [Spell Sense] picking up the status of the computer – it was a Spell-integrated recording device. Every word would be analyzed and checked for lies. Of course they were.
'How much do I give them? "Hey, I met two dead gods and they gave me a Divine Aspect?" Yeah, right. I'd be in a research lab by dinner.'
"I was a handmaid for a lunatic princess," she said, her voice turning into a low snarl as the memory of the jasmine scent hit her. "The world was being harvested by some psychic cult. I killed the mastermind, nearly brought down a bell tower, and spent the whole time trying to keep the Dream from worming into my skull. It was... disgusting."
Adam blinked, typing a few notes. He looked at her, searching for the lie, but his gaze slid right off her. Her now transparent and glass-like eyes stared back, cold and impenetrable.
"I see. Next: Did you receive any Memories?"
'I did. And I plan on keeping it, though I haven't actually had time to look at it yet, thanks to someone.'
"I got a shard of glass. I'm not even sure what it's supposed to do. A souvenir, I guess."
Adam clicked his tongue, clearly disappointed. He didn't even bother typing that one in.
"Finally," Adam said, shutting down the screen. He leaned forward, his terrifying presence filling the room. The mask of the friendly soldier was gone, replaced by a cold, cruel seriousness. "Some advice. Don't tell anyone your Aspect. Hide your Flaw. Keep your runes to your chest. That last question wasn't even mandated; I just wanted to see if you were stupid enough to brag."
He stared into her eyes, and for a second, Asteria wondered if he could see the "Queen" staring back.
"Make friends, but trust no one. And under no circumstances do you anger a Legacy. To a Great Clan, an unaffiliated Sleeper is just an ant to be stepped on."
Asteria felt the weight of his words. 'Understood. Hide my power, stay quiet, and suck up to any legacy you see.'
"When you get to the Academy," Adam continued, his voice softening just a fraction, "choose Wilderness Survival. Nobody survives the Dream Realm alone. And take a combat class. Even if you just learn how to swing a piece of iron, it's better than nothing."
"Sir..." Asteria hesitated. "Do people from the outskirts like me... do they usually make it?"
Adam's face paled. A wry, anxious smile touched his lips. "Most of them die before they even report back. The ones who do... they usually give up. They choose an easy exit rather than face the Solstice."
Asteria went quiet. She thought about the rainbow ocean in her soul and the violet sun. She wasn't planning on giving up.
"Anything else?" Adam asked, standing up.
Asteria tilted her head. She knew she should keep her mouth shut, but the curiosity was an itch she couldn't scratch. "How many people get a True Name in their first Nightmare?"
Adam froze. His eyes widened into dinner plates, his breath hitching. "What?! Did you-"
'Damnation, it really is unheard of,' she realized. She quickly forced the biggest, most innocent smile she could muster. "What? No! Of course not. I just read about it in an old book. I was curious."
Adam stared at her for a long time, his heart rate spiking—she could hear it through her new senses. He didn't believe her, but he couldn't prove anything.
"Don't even joke about that," he whispered. "A True Name is a death sentence if the wrong people find out."
'Oh?' Asteria thought, her smile turning sharp and hidden. 'That gives me an idea. Maybe I could torment the Legacies with that one.'
***
The ride to the Academy was the most comfortable PTV Asteria had ever sat in. When she stepped out onto the pavement, the sheer scale of the fortress-like buildings made her breath catch.
"Sleeper," Adam said, gesturing toward the gates. "This is your home until the Winter Solstice. For the next month, prepare like your life depends on it. Because it does."
In front of the gates stood two other Sleepers. One was a boy with dark hair and a scruffy, battered build – he looked like he'd crawled through a mile of broken glass just to get here.
'Is he from the outskirts like me? I guess there's two lucky rats here.'
The other was a tall girl with striking silver hair. She had headphones on, the wires disappearing into her pocket, her expression one of utter boredom.
Asteria adjusted her posture, activating her [Spell Sense] to get a better look at them.
The boy felt like a smoldering coal, angry and spiteful. The girl felt like a smooth block of ice.
'Well,' Asteria thought, a predatory glint in her eyes. 'Let's see if the Academy is ready for a Queen.'