"Humanity believes that Nightmares are simply illusions cast by the Spell, conjured to explain the Dream Realm's history."
Lunar raised a brow. Did this mean that his First Nightmare actually existed in the Dream Realm's history? In that case, what was it for? Was the Obsidian Castle a palace for the Puppeteer? Or perhaps it was their home. It was also unlikely that the vessel he inhabited had survived its original timeline.
Regardless, Awakened Thatch continued.
"There are four main differences between the Dream Realm and the Nightmares. Firstly, it does not follow a 'story'. There is no predetermined conflict, nor is there anything you must do. You can move freely and explore as you please, provided that you're strong enough to survive. Though, people tend to stay close to human citadels."
'Interesting…' Lunar thought.
"Secondly, as I've already mentioned, there are no people in the Dream Realm, only monsters. We are the only humans. Thirdly, unlike the First Nightmare, no Nightmare Creatures will appear in the real world if you die in the Dream Realm. It may sound cruel, but it's good. We are spread thin, especially with most of our talents being sent across Null's Valley."
Lunar tilted his head, falling into a state of contemplation. If there truly was some separate, undocumented area of the Dream Realm, then wouldn't that mean that, within the given area, there were no unclaimed citadels? If nobody returned, then maybe they were stranded — forming new civilizations with no way home.
Moreover, how could Awakened Thatch confidently say that there were no other humans? Humanity had only explored half of the Dream Realm — maybe even less! There was plenty of room for people! It was like saying there were no fish in the ocean when they had only explored the sea!
"And lastly… Unlike Nightmares, which are bound by rules and fairness, there is no limit to what you might encounter in the Dream Realm. Realistically, you could immediately die to an Unholy Titan. Even in 'safe' regions where the average rank is similar to your own, there is no guarantee that some Great Terror won't randomly appear."
On that topic, Lunar found it weird how the Nightmares were fair while the Dream Realm was not. Was the Spell created separately from the Dream Realm? It was almost as though the Spell was made later on, independently from the realm it mirrored.
"When the solstice comes, you'll be dragged into the Dream Realm. The exact location cannot be predicted, but there's a high chance that most of you will be close to each other. You must band together and reach the nearest citadel. Each citadel is built around a gateway. Once you reach it, you'll be able to return."
Gateways were important. If a person entered one, they'd leave the Dream Realm behind and return to reality. Once this happened, their Soul Core would evolve and they'd become Awakened, acquiring a second, Awakened Aspect Ability. They'd also return to the Dream Realm with every passing slumber.
The man sighed.
"If you cannot find the nearest human citadel, search for an unclaimed gateway. It'll usually lay near prominent landmarks — and you're typically able to tell by its appearance. Defeat its guardians and come back alive, we are counting on you and we believe in you."
He gave them a heavy look.
"That's all for today. Follow the instructions sent to your communicators and find your assigned dormitory. Once you're settled, you can proceed to the cafeteria and grab some late dinner. Later on, there'll be a round of interviews, used to prepare curriculums for those who don't know what they want. Get a good night's rest. Your training starts tomorrow."
With that, Awakened Thatch gave a short nod and left.
Lunar sighed.
'Dorms, eh?'
He was just hoping they weren't shared. If they were, he'd have to deal with some random stranger for two months. Well, actually, he didn't plan on spending too much time indoors, so even if it was true, he could move past it.
As for the upcoming interview, he already knew what he'd reveal. His True Name and his Innate Ability. He'd talk about his Innate Ability as though it were his Aspect Ability. This was because Lunar didn't plan on mentioning his actual Aspect for a multitude of reasons. The most apparent reason was how little he knew about it himself.
After all, he hadn't even used it yet.
He'd tell the interviewer that his Aspect was of the Transcendent rank. This way, he'd attract the attention of the great clans — maybe even funneling in some resources — without laying himself bare to the world.
If they used a lie detector, he'd manipulate his answer to make himself appear even more impressive.
On another note, he would absolutely, under no circumstance, ever reveal his Flaw. They were the most exploitable part of a person, and Lunar considered everyone his enemy until proven otherwise. This was for a multitude of reasons, but mostly for his own survival.
No matter what, he would never allow himself to die…
…Setting that pesky interview aside, Lunar slid his communicator out of his pocket and powered it on. Within moments, it lit up and displayed a variety of things he barely understood. It's not like he wasn't familiar with communicators; it was just that the Academy communicators were made differently.
Thankfully, after a few minutes, he figured it out and followed its instructions, quickly finding the dormitories, which were situated on one of the lowest levels. To his surprise, he actually got an entire room to himself.
No roommates!
'There are hundreds of Sleepers, and even more Awakened. For me to get my own room… Just how massive is this Academy…?'
His room contained a bed with a soft mattress, a table, a dresser, and even a separate bathroom! The materials looked fairly new while his floor was freshly cleaned. The air was clear and the temperature was perfect. There were even several sets of clothes with the Academy emblem provided to him for free.
It was truly heaven!
Well… it was more like the calm before the storm. This luxurious dorm was likely provided to ease their minds — the least the Academy could do, considering most of the people living here would die after two months.
The Dream Realm was merciless, after all.
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Author's Note:
– Did you enjoy the chapter?
– Feel free to point out things you don't like.
– Since the setting for this fanfiction will be very unique, what kind of location do you think Lunar will be sent to?
– Would you like any official illustrations for the characters? I can draw digital art for them, I'm not terrible. I've already, for the fun of it, made a sketch and lineart for a character I'm introducing later on. The person I've already drawn may or may not be the black-haired girl.
– Please… please read the disclaimer. From here onward, it's incredibly important. If you don't read it, you'll probably have a lot of questions about lore, timeline, and characters.
– Word Count: [1180]