The cold winds outside Steins City howled softly across the wasteland.
A massive vehicle moved steadily through the broken roads of the old world. Its dark metallic body crushed abandoned cars beneath its weight while dim lights cut through the fog ahead.
Inside the vehicle, silence dominated.
Ragnar sat beside the window quietly, his chin resting against his fist as his eyes followed the passing scenery outside.
Ruined buildings.
Collapsed highways.
Frozen corpses buried beneath ash and snow.
Yet strangely enough...
The world didn't feel as oppressive today.
The sky looked clearer.
The winds softer.
Even the atmosphere felt lighter somehow.
Ragnar frowned slightly.
Something about it bothered him.
"You can feel it too?" Evangeline's voice suddenly sounded.
Ragnar turned toward her.
She sat opposite him with one leg crossed over the other, golden eyes calmly fixed on the distant horizon outside the vehicle.
"The air feels different." Ragnar replied honestly.
Evangeline nodded slowly. "Something is approaching."
Ailsa, who sat quietly beside him, lifted her gaze slightly.
"Is this related to the dream?" She asked only to be ignored by Evangeline.
Ragnar remained silent for a few moments before finally asking. "What exactly is a dream?"
This time, Evangeline did not delay the answer.
Her expression grew thoughtful.
"Humans used to dream naturally before the fall." She said softly. "Desires, fears, memories, subconscious impulses. During sleep they would gather and form countless meaningless fragments."
Her gaze drifted toward Ragnar.
"But after the fall, humans lost that ability."
Ragnar was also aware of all that, it was common knowledge among the human folks that survived the apocalypse.
"Why?" Ragnar asked.
"Because the subconscious realm was replaced." Ailsa replied this time earning herself a glare from Evangeline.
"Replaced by will." Evangeline finished the statement.
The vehicle fell silent again.
Evangeline continued calmly.
"Humans adapted to survival. Their souls hardened. Their minds stopped wandering because reality itself no longer permitted weakness."
"Dreams disappeared."
"But not completely." Ragnar muttered.
Evangeline nodded. "Some creatures learned how to nurture dreams instead."
Ragnar frowned. "Nurture?"
"Like farmers." Evangeline replied. "They plant emotions, desires, fears, obsessions. Then they wait."
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"When a dream fully ripens... even its presence alone can drive monsters insane."
Ragnar suddenly remembered Joel.
That strange hunger in the boy's eyes.
"So that's why he reacted like that."
"Yes." Evangeline replied shortly. "And now that your dream manifested openly..."
Her gaze sharpened.
"Abominations will come."
The atmosphere inside the vehicle turned heavy.
Ailsa lowered her eyes slightly. "Can they track us?"
"They already are." Evangeline replied with a smirk, causing the other girls who were also in the giant vehicle with them to shudder in fright.
Ragnar immediately frowned. "Then why are we calmly driving around?"
Evangeline's gaze suddenly grew gentle and almost dreamy as her eyes trained on Ragnar's face.
"Because they're afraid too."
That answer only made the silence inside the vehicle grow heavier.
...
Meanwhile.
Inside the underground residence.
Aiden followed behind Joel with a tired expression.
The moment the doors shut behind them, Joel's noble expression vanished instantly.
"FOOOOOOD!!!"
His body slammed onto the sofa while saliva dripped from his mouth.
Aiden's veins bulged immediately.
"You bastard, could you at least maintain appearances till we entered properly?!"
Joel ignored him completely.
His blue eyes stared blankly at the ceiling.
"...It vanished."
Aiden paused.
"What vanished?"
Joel slowly sat upright.
"The danger."
His expression was unusually serious now.
"When I sensed that dream earlier... something followed it."
Aiden's gaze narrowed immediately.
"What kind of something?"
Joel remained silent for a few moments.
Then he frowned.
"I don't know."
That answer alone made Aiden uncomfortable.
Joel operated almost entirely on instinct.
If even he couldn't understand what he sensed...
Then it was definitely bad.
Joel slowly licked his lips.
"It smelled sweet."
Aiden's face twitched. "Can you stop describing horrifying things like food?"
Joel ignored him again.
"It felt warm."
"...Warm?"
Joel nodded slowly. "The kind of warmth that makes you want to lower your guard."
Aiden's expression darkened.
"That's dangerous."
Joel suddenly tilted his head.
"Very dangerous."
Silence filled the room.
Then Joel suddenly smiled.
"But it disappeared."
Aiden frowned. "Disappeared?"
Joel nodded. "Like it was never there."
His smile slowly widened.
"Either it lost interest..."
His pupils thinned vertically.
"...or it found something better."
...
Hours later.
Aiden stood quietly near the entrance of the underground hall. He had gone to Stein's office only to receive some news.
"The girls have already left the city."
Joel sat upside down on the sofa while munching on dried meat.
"Oh."
Aiden stared at him blankly. "...That's your reaction?"
Joel shrugged carelessly.
"They're probably dead already."
Crunch.
"What a waste of a good meal."
Aiden's eyes twitched violently. "You seriously need help."
He sighed, he was also aware that the group were in danger, because according to what Joel had said earlier the abomination had arrived so it was most likely going after the group with the dreamer.
Joel tilted his head innocently. "I eat people Aiden."
"...Fair point."
...
Far above.
Albert Steins quietly closed the book in his hand.
The study remained as chaotic as ever, books piled endlessly across the room.
Yet today...
He suddenly felt restless.
His fingers tapped lightly against the desk.
Once.
Twice.
Three times.
Then he stood up.
A rare occurrence.
Steins slowly adjusted his coat before walking toward the exit.
Outside the Tower of Beginning, the city remained lively.
Merchants traded calmly.
Children laughed.
People moved through the streets peacefully.
Steins observed the city silently.
Then frowned.
It felt...
warmer. The air also felt more refreshing.
"Odd." He said with a frown.
The tension in people's faces seemed lighter today.
Even the guards looked more relaxed.
"...Interesting."
Without realizing it, his steps changed direction.
Toward the lower district.
The moment he stopped before an entrance, Steins himself paused slightly.
"...A bar?"
He couldn't even remember the last time he drank alcohol.
For a brief moment, confusion flickered through his eyes.
Then it vanished.
"...Well. I suppose one drink wouldn't hurt."
He stepped inside.
...
The city felt alive tonight.
Laughter echoed across the streets more frequently than usual.
Music drifted softly through the air.
Even the frozen winds seemed gentler.
A couple walked hand in hand beneath broken streetlights.
A mother hugged her child tighter than usual.
Two old men who hadn't spoken properly in years suddenly sat together drinking happily.
The apocalypse no longer felt so unbearable tonight for some reason.
And that...
was the most terrifying thing of all but nobody seemed aware of the strangeness.
...
Inside the underground residence, Aiden quietly stared at the ceiling above his bed.
His thoughts were restless.
Again.
Ailsa's face surfaced in his mind.
Her smile.
Her calmness.
The warmth in her voice.
Aiden suddenly frowned deeply.
"...What the hell?"
He sat upright immediately.
Why was he thinking about her again?
He clicked his tongue irritably and laid back down.
But moments later...
another thought surfaced.
Ragnar sitting calmly while Ailsa massaged his shoulders.
A strange irritation twisted within his chest.
His brows furrowed harder.
"...Annoying."
Yet strangely enough...
the irritation didn't leave.
Instead...
it deepened.
Slowly.
Quietly.
Like ink spreading through water.
...
Joel suddenly sat upright.
His expression changed instantly.
The playful laziness vanished completely.
His nose twitched slightly.
Then again.
A dangerous growl escaped his throat.
Aiden who wasn't too far from him immediately stood up. "What is it?"
Joel slowly rose to his feet.
The air around him distorted faintly.
"It's back."
His voice sounded hoarse.
Aiden's expression darkened instantly. "The thing from before?"
Joel nodded slowly.
This time however...
his pupils trembled.
Confusion surfaced on his face.
The danger he sensed earlier was immense.
Absolute.
Enough to make even his instincts scream.
Yet now...
That same terrifying feeling felt...
pleasant.
Joel's breathing slowed.
His shoulders relaxed unconsciously.
"...Warm."
Aiden's face changed immediately. "Captain?"
Joel didn't respond.
A faint smile slowly spread across his face.
A smile filled with longing.
"...I want to see it."
Aiden felt cold sweat drip down his spine.
Because for the first time since they met...
Joel looked completely defenseless.