The days flew by for Ashfall. Between Master Julius's classes, learning the Academy style for basic combat, and his own training, it took up all his time.
His body was pushed to the limit, both mentally and physically.
After his combat, he decided to go to the beginner area where there were others like him starting to train with swords, letting others take the spotlight like Caster, whose training partner was Nephis. Their fights were intense, attracting the attention of everyone who watched them.
Ash generally used that to practice with different weapons to get a general idea of how to use them.
He focused on the spear as well as archery. The first time he shot a training arrow, he almost hit the instructor if he hadn't reacted in time.
He also focused on hand-to-hand combat to learn more movements and practice them in his free time.
Among the different styles, the one that caught his attention the most was the swordsman style for its practicality, but also other styles like lancer and archer, although it would take him time to master these styles.
Apart from his physical training, there was the mental training with Julius's classes.
Thanks to the books, he learned quite a few basic things about this world, which helped him understand the war of the dark era, the devastation, as well as the changes until the unified government was created, as well as the bastions of humanity. They currently inhabited four continents, and the total population was three billion.
Apart from that, he learned to orient himself using cardinal points, reading the stars to guide himself in the Dream Realm, how to obtain drinking water through a filter with simple, readily available objects, how to obtain salt, how to cook nightmare creature meat to avoid indigestion, how to swim, and above all, the runes.
For example, his True Name: "Dream of Oblivion" could also be read as "Dream of Repose" or "Solace" or simply "Pain." Depending on the runes, his True Name could vary significantly.
A change in wording and connotation could mean different names but the same final result.
Ash maintained this routine for four weeks until inevitably, the day had arrived.
The last day, he woke up a little later than usual. Even though he made sure to sleep early, he felt somewhat lethargic and tired. This was because he only had hours until he was thrown into a random place in the Dream Realm.
Ash stood up, reluctantly leaving his soft bed, taking a long hot water shower, changing clothes, then with all the calm he could muster, he headed to the cafeteria full of students.
He took his breakfast, sat in a place, ate, and drank hot coffee mixed with chocolate and a drizzle of honey to sweeten everything.
After finishing his coffee, Ash visited Master Julius, where he chatted a bit with the old man who gave him some useful advice before moving away and exploring the facilities of the Sleeper building as well as the outside to calm his mind.
After several hours of simply stopping thinking and enjoying himself, he returned when the sun began to set. He arrived at the lobby of the Sleeper center where all the Sleepers were gathered. Then they were led outside towards the white buildings where other Awakened were leading their own groups of Sleepers to the same destination: the Academy's medical center.
Rock guided them to a different wing where there were rows of wheelchairs. In each one, there was a person with peaceful expressions on their faces, as if they were hollow inside.
The sight made more than one uncomfortable, including Ash.
"There's a reason I brought you here. Look carefully and remember. Some of you might know who these people are... for those who don't, they are called Hollows."
Rock gritted his teeth.
"Each one of them was once a Sleeper or an Awakened. Some of them were weak, some strong. Some were even incredibly strong. All of them have perished in the Dream Realm."
"If you're lucky, once your spirit is destroyed, your body dies with it. But if you're not, you'll become one of them: empty."
"So don't die out there."
After those words, he guided them to their respective capsules to enter the Dream Realm until they returned as Awakened.
Ashfall observed the hermetic sleeping capsule. His eyes didn't show intense or bright emotion; instead, they were calm.
"I wonder how they created something like this," he murmured, touching the metal capsule which was open.
He knew the capsules would take care of everything, looking after his body while his soul was transported to the Dream Realm.
Ash looked at the room one last time before entering the capsule.
It closed completely, and then he simply surrendered to sleep.
[Welcome to the Dream Realm, Ashfall!]