The light in the room flickered slightly as I felt the lid of my eyes grow heavier with each passing second.
I yawned…
"Aaahh… shit, where the hell are they…"
Forcing myself to stay awake, I shook my head violently, to my dismay however, instead of granting me the grace against the looming pull of drowsiness, I instead felt even more dizzier and light headed than before.
I clicked my tongue, pinching myself hard on the thigh.
"Ah– Damn it!"
But the drowsiness persisted. I grimace, once again clicking my tongue before trying to distract myself by looking around.
Currently, I am inside a small dimly lit white room a few floors underground. It is my first time entering this room but strangely enough, it felt somehow familiar.
The room consisted only of a few things, a mirror – one that I couldn't be any less sure is a two way mirror – all covering the walls, a wide bench that I'm currently sitting on and a small sleeping pod in the middle, one that is perfectly suited for my stature.
Closing my eyes for a bit, I stood up before laying my eyes on one of the mirrors highly fixed on the wall.
On the mirror I saw a small teenage boy with a messy black hair wearing a hospital gown that stretch longer than his feet, draping down the floor as if it was a dress.
Watching the boy with dark bags that had accumulated under his eyes, I frowned.
It had only been two days since I started showing symptoms of the nightmare spell – a strange and mysterious power that behaved like a disease. Infecting people all over the world, forcing them to their slumber while also sending them to a completely new and different place – one where they would be forced to fight and survive, gaining strange powers in return.
At first l, I was thrilled and excited when I found out that I have been chosen by the spell. As father had said, I am a legacy, a legacy of the Hearth clan, a retainer clan of clan Valor, one of the three most prestigious and biggest clan in the world, two worlds even.
And so, they said that it is my fate to be chosen by the spell and triumph on its trials.
But now though, I can't help but have a second thought.
After all, my case was bit special than the others. The natural age where people started showing symptoms of the spell were sixteen and above, however, currently, I'm only fourteen. I got infected by the spell two years earlier than others, making the head of our family, the father, to panic when he found out.
But his reason for panicking is different, it is not because I was infected too early but because I lack the necessary training to survive the trials of the spell.
Nevertheless, what happened had already happened and there is nothing more for anyone to do. In mere hours or maybe even minutes, I would fall into a deep slumber and be sent into the trials of the nightmare spell.
After that, two things could happen.
One, I would return–or rather, wake up, triumphant, wielding profound powers and abilities even science can't explain. Two, I would fail the trial and die, turning the body I left behind on this world into a monster that would seek to destroy everything.
With a frown, I pulled myself awake once more as I felt my eyes gets heavier. I clicked my tongue.
Then, I heard the clicking sound of metal coming from the door indicating that someone is coming in. I turned around, already knowing who the person behind the door is.
'finally…'
I thought just as at the same time when a voice suddenly rang out exactly as the door opened.
"Dein! You better be still awake or I'm beating your ass!"
The voice of course, comes from my older sister. She has a somewhat violent and wild nature that in fact, it was because of her that I learned how to curse. Nevertheless, however, hearing her voice at a time like this somehow made my tensing muscles to relax, my trembling nerves soothed.
When the door fully opened and I finally saw her figure, a smirk found it's way into my lips. With a smug look on my disheveled face, I said.
"Just who the hell are you going to beat up Dumb-Freya, I'm still awake as the sun y'know, stupid."
Hearing my badmouthing, my sister, Freya, gave me a smirk of her own before walking towards me.
"Still as foulmouthed as ever aren't we, Dein. Honestly, where are you even learning those kinds words, I don't remember raising you like a brat."
Freya sigh in a resign tone before wrapping her huge arms on my shoulder.
"Anyways… how do you feel?"
Grimacing beneath my sister's mascular arms as I held on to it, I clicked my tongue and answered.
"What do you think? I'm sleepy as hell! Why did you took so long anyway? I almost died from boredom in this stupid place!"
Hearing my usual complaining, Freya simply laugh before pulling her arms off my shoulder and giving me a strong pat on the back – too strong really, enough to send me stumbling on the floor.
'tsk, did this woman forgot that she's a damn saint!'
Before I could voice my complain, my sister answered.
"That's good to hear, your still complaining which meant that you still haven't lost your mind"
I flash an angry glare at her as I stood up, confused.
"Why the hell would I lose my mind? Last time I checked its not part of the symptoms of the nightmare spell"
My sister replied, but instead of paying attention to me, her eyes focused on the two way mirrors.
"With how much of a coward you are, I'm about a hundred percent sure you'd lose your mind but…"
Cutting her off, I shouted.
"Who the hell are you calling a coward, you Dumb-Freya!"
Once again, my sister's attention turned to me. She scoffed for a bit and then her tone suddenly change, turning serious as she voiced.
"Anyways… are you ready now Dein? Because I'm sure those guys are itching to see you sleep"
Of course, I too knows who Freya was talking about. She was referring to those people behind the two way mirrors who have been watching these whole interaction from the very beginning.
I sigh, the pull of the nightmare spell becoming much stronger.
"I've been ready since yesterday"
My sister, Freya, simply gave me a smile before walking towards the sleeping pod laying in the middle of the room.
"You remember everything I told you right?"
I followed her and stopped before the steps of the sleeping pod, it made a noise and in the next second the lid opened like a steaming pan.
"What are you talking about? You only told me one thing 'kill everyone who tries to oppose you' you said"
Those words were said to me by Freya the moment she found out I became infected by the spell, though I doubt such a barbaric way of dealing with problems would work, I nevertheless hear it.
Finally I lifted my body and allowed it to fall comfortably inside the pod. My sister smiled.
"Good. After going there, search for your runes first, it might come in handy and also…"
I cut her off again, my eyes already closing as every fibers of my body relaxed.
"Father… where is he?…"
My sister quickly answered.
"He's busy right now, but he'll come soon"
I smiled, this time, my eyes is entirely closed, my breathing steady and I feel strangely relaxed. In low voice I muttered.
"I see…"
Before finally, the weight of the spell pulled me to my slumber…
Everything went dark…
Before a strange voice whispered.
[Aspirant! Welcome to the nightmare spell. Prepare for your first trial]